Characterization of linezolid- and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci in a tertiary hospital in China.

BACKGROUND: Recently, linezolid-resistant staphylococci have become an emerging problem worldwide. Understanding the mechanisms of resistance, molecular epidemiology and transmission of linezolid-resistant CoNS in hospitals is very important. METHODS: The antimicrobial susceptibilities of all isolates were determined by the microdilution method. The resistance mechanisms and molecular characteristics of the strains were determined using whole-genome sequencing and PCR. RESULTS: All the strains were resistant to oxacillin and carried the mecA gene; 13 patients (36.1%) had prior linezolid exposure. Most S. epidermidis and S. hominis isolates were ST22 and ST1, respectively. MLST typing and evolutionary analysis indicated most linezolid-resistant CoNS strains were genetically related. In this study, we revealed that distinct CoNS strains have different mechanisms of linezolid resistance. Among ST22-type S. epidermidis, acquisition of the T2504A and C2534T mutations in the V domain of the 23 S rRNA gene, as well as mutations in the ribosomal proteins L3 (L101V, G152D, and D159Y) and L4 (N158S), were linked to the development of linezolid resistance. In S. cohnii isolates, cfr, S158Y and D159Y mutations in the ribosomal protein L3 were detected. Additionally, emergence of the G2576T mutation and the cfr gene were major causes of linezolid resistance in S. hominis isolates. The cfr gene, G2576T and C2104T mutations, M156T change in L3 protein, and I188S change in L4 protein were found in S. capitis isolates. CONCLUSION: The emergence of linezolid-resistant CoNS in the environment is concerning because it involves clonal dissemination and frequently coexists with various drug resistance mechanisms.

Safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke of large-vessel occlusion beyond the time window based on imaging evaluation.

PURPOSE: Endovascular treatment (EVT) of acute ischemic stroke caused by large-vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO) over 24 h of onset remains controversial. This study was to explore the safety and efficacy of EVT for patients with AIS-LVO between 24 and 72 h of symptom onset after rigorous imaging evaluation. METHODS: Patients with AIS-LVO treated with EVT were retrospectively enrolled and divided into two groups according to the time from symptom onset to groin puncture: 64 in the over-time group (>24 h) and 257 in the within-time group (≤24 h). Outcomes included 3-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, functional independence (defined as mRS 0-2), successful cerebral reperfusion, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and 3-month mortality. RESULTS: Patients in the over-time group had no significant differences in the functional independence (40.6% vs 42.5%, odds ratio or OR 0.91, 95% confidence interval or CI 0.52-1.60, p = 0.753), successful reperfusion (96.7% vs 95.8%, OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.36-1.59, p = 0.467), sICH (8.3% vs 6.7%, OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.42-3.38, p = 0.735), 3-month mortality (13.3% vs 10.8%, OR 1.17, 95% CI 0.51-2.70, p = 0.716) compared with patients in the within-time group. After matching adjustment, the results did not change significantly. CONCLUSIONS: The safety and effectiveness of EVT treatment for selected AIS-LVO patients with symptom onset of 24-72 h are not inferior to those treated within 6-24 h of onset, especially in a short term based on the pre-treatment advanced neuroimaging computed tomography perfusion even though further investigations are necessary to prove this finding.

A prognostic signature established based on genes related to tumor microenvironment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Complex cellular signaling network in the tumor microenvironment (TME) could serve as an indicator for the prognostic classification of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. METHODS: Univariate Cox regression analysis was performed to screen prognosis-related TME-related genes (TRGs), based on which HCC samples were clustered by running non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) algorithm. Furthermore, the correlation between different molecular HCC subtypes and immune cell infiltration level was analyzed. Finally, a risk score (RS) model was established by LASSO and Cox regression analyses (CRA) using these TRGs. Functional enrichment analysis was performed using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). RESULTS: HCC patients were divided into three molecular subtypes (C1, C2, and C3) based on 704 prognosis-related TRGs. HCC subtype C1 had significantly better OS than C2 and C3. We selected 13 TRGs to construct the RS model. Univariate and multivariate CRA showed that the RS could independently predict patients' prognosis. A nomogram integrating the RS and clinicopathologic features of the patients was further created. We also validated the reliability of the model according to the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve value, concordance index (C-index), and decision curve analysis. The current findings demonstrated that the RS was significantly correlated with CD8+ T cells, monocytic lineage, and myeloid dendritic cells. CONCLUSION: This study provided TRGs to help classify patients with HCC and predict their prognoses, contributing to personalized treatments for patients with HCC.

Single-cell data revealed exhaustion of characteristic NK cell subpopulations and T cell subpopulations in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The treatment and prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been a major medical challenge. Unraveling the landscape of tumor immune infiltrating cells (TIICs) in the immune microenvironment of HCC is of great significance to probe the molecular mechanisms. METHODS: Based on single-cell data of HCC, the cell landscape was revealed from the perspective of TIICs. Special cell subpopulations were determined by the expression levels of marker genes. Differential expression analysis was conducted. The activity of each subpopulation was determined based on the highly expressed genes. CTLA4+ T-cell subpopulations affecting the prognosis of HCC were determined based on survival analysis. A single-cell regulatory network inference and clustering analysis was also performed to determine the transcription factor regulatory networks in the CTLA4+ T cell subpopulations. RESULTS: 10 cell types were identified and NK cells and T cells showed high abundance in tumor tissues. Two NK cells subpopulations were present, FGFBP2+ NK cells, B3GNT7+ NK cells. Four T cells subpopulations were present, LAG3+ T cells, CTLA4+ T cells, RCAN3+ T cells, and HPGDS+ Th2 cells. FGFBP2+ NK cells, and CTLA4+ T cells were the exhaustive subpopulation. High CTLA4+ T cells contributed to poor prognostic outcomes and promoted tumor progression. Finally, a network of transcription factors regulated by NR3C1, STAT1, and STAT3, which were activated, was present in CTLA4+ T cells. CONCLUSION: CTLA4+ T cell subsets in HCC exhibited functional exhaustion characteristics that probably inhibited T cell function through a transcription factor network dominated by NR3C1, STAT1, and STAT3.

Bridging the Gap: Pancreas Tissue Slices From Organ and Tissue Donors for the Study of Diabetes Pathogenesis.

Over the last two decades, increased availability of human pancreatic tissues has allowed for major expansions in our understanding of islet biology in health and disease. Indeed, studies of fixed and frozen pancreatic tissues, as well as efforts using viable isolated islets obtained from organ donors, have provided significant insights toward our understanding of diabetes. However, the procedures associated with islet isolation result in distressed cells that have been removed from any surrounding influence. The pancreas tissue slice technology was developed as an in situ approach to overcome certain limitations associated with studies on isolated islets or fixed tissue. In this Perspective, we discuss the value of this novel platform and review how pancreas tissue slices, within a short time, have been integrated in numerous studies of rodent and human islet research. We show that pancreas tissue slices allow for investigations in a less perturbed organ tissue environment, ranging from cellular processes, over peri-islet modulations, to tissue interactions. Finally, we discuss the considerations and limitations of this technology in its future applications. We believe the pancreas tissue slices will help bridge the gap between studies on isolated islets and cells to the systemic conditions by providing new insight into physiological and pathophysiological processes at the organ level. ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS: Human pancreas tissue slices represent a novel platform to study human islet biology in close to physiological conditions. Complementary to established technologies, such as isolated islets, single cells, and histological sections, pancreas tissue slices help bridge our understanding of islet physiology and pathophysiology from single cell to intact organ. Diverse sources of viable human pancreas tissue, each with distinct characteristics to be considered, are available to use in tissue slices for the study of diabetes pathogenesis.

Theoretical Calculations Facilitating Catalysis for Advanced Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have emerged as one of the most hopeful alternatives for energy storage systems. However, the commercialization of Li-S batteries is still confronted with enormous hurdles. The poor conductivity of sulfur cathodes induces sluggish redox kinetics. The shuttling of polysulfides incurs the heavy failure of electroactive substances. Tremendous efforts in experiments to seek efficient catalysts have achieved significant success. Unfortunately, the understanding of the underlying catalytic mechanisms is not very detailed due to the complicated multistep conversion reactions in Li-S batteries. In this review, we aim to give valuable insights into the connection between the catalyst activities and the structures based on theoretical calculations, which will lead the catalyst design towards high-performance Li-S batteries. This review first introduces the current advances and issues of Li-S batteries. Then we discuss the electronic structure calculations of catalysts. Besides, the relevant calculations of binding energies and Gibbs free energies are presented. Moreover, we discuss lithium-ion diffusion energy barriers and Li2S decomposition energy barriers. Finally, a Conclusions and Outlook section is provided in this review. It is found that calculations facilitate the understanding of the catalytic conversion mechanisms of sulfur species, accelerating the development of advanced catalysts for Li-S batteries.

Applications of Carbon-Based Materials in Activated Peroxymonosulfate for the Degradation of Organic Pollutants: A Review.

In recent years, water pollution has posed a serious threat to aquatic organisms and humans. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) based on activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) show high oxidation, good selectivity, wide pH range and no secondary pollution in the removal of organic pollutants in water. Carbon-based materials are emerging green catalysts that can effectively activate persulfates to generate radical and non-radical active species to degrade organic pollutants. Compared with transition metal catalysts, carbon-based materials are widely used in SR-AOPs because of their low cost, non-toxicity, acid and alkali resistance, large specific surface area, and scalable surface charge, which can be used for selective control of specific water pollutants. This paper mainly presents several carbon-based materials used to activate PMS, including raw carbon materials and modified carbon materials (heteroatom-doped and metal-doped), analyzes and summarizes the mechanism of activating PMS by carbon-based catalysts, and discusses the influencing factors (temperature, pH, PMS concentration, catalyst concentration, inorganic anions, inorganic cations and dissolved oxygen) in the activation process. Finally, the future challenges and prospects of carbon-based materials in water pollution control are also presented.

Safety and effects of endovascular treatment of basilar tip aneurysms in patients with moyamoya diseases.

The effect and safety of endovascular treatment of basilar tip aneurysms associated with moyamoya disease are unknown. This study was to investigate the safety and effect of endovascular treatment of basilar tip aneurysms associated with moyamoya disease. Patients with moyamoya disease concurrent with basilar tip aneurysms were retrospectively enrolled and treated with endovascular embolization. The clinical and angiographic data were analyzed. Thirty patients with a basilar tip aneurysm were enrolled, including 8 (26.67%) male and 22 (73.33%) female patients aged 38 to 72 years (mean 54.4 ± 8.15). Endovascular treatment was successfully performed in 29 (96.67%) patients but failed in 1 (3.33%). Immediately after embolization, aneurysm occlusion degree was Raymond-Roy grade I in 26 (89.66%), grade II in 2 (6.90%), and grade III in 1 (3.45%). Intraprocedural complications occurred in 2 (10%) patients, including aneurysm rupture in 1 (3.33%), leading to death of the patient, and stent thrombosis in 2 (6.67%) which was successfully treated with thrombolysis. At discharge, good clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0-2) was achieved in 29 (96.67%) and death in 1 (3.03%). Follow-up was performed 6 to 26 months (median 15) in 27 (93.1%) patients. Aneurysm occlusion degree was Raymond-Roy grade I in 21 (77.78%) patients, grade II in 4 (14.81%), and grade III in 2 (7.41%), not significantly (P = .67) different from those immediately after embolization. Aneurysm recurrence was found in 4 patients (14.81%). The clinical outcome was modified Rankin Scale 0 to 2 in all 27 patients, not significantly different from that at discharge. Endovascular embolization can be performed safely and effectively for basilar tip aneurysms associated with moyamoya disease even though more advanced embolization techniques are necessary.

Rapid characterization of isotopic purity of deuterium-labeled organic compounds and monitoring of hydrogen-deuterium exchange reaction using electrospray ionization-high-resolution mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: Deuterium-labeled organic compounds, reagents, and drugs are widely used in many scientific research fields. Isotopic purity as the feature parameter of deuterated compounds is of great importance. In this article, we used electrospray ionization with high-resolution mass spectrometry (ESI-HRMS) to study isotopic purity of deuterium-labeled organic compounds based on assigning and distinguishing the corresponding H/D (hydrogen-deuterium) isotopolog ions of deuterated compounds. METHODS: We systematically considered the specific requirements of accuracy and resolution of ESI-HRMS when measuring isotopic purity and demonstrated some actual cases using ESI-HRMS and ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-HRMS. Meanwhile, ESI-HRMS/MS of deuterated compounds was performed to obtain more information on deuterium-labeled position characterization. RESULTS: Two isotopic purity calculation methods based on the relative abundance in ESI-HRMS and UPLC-HRMS of H/D isotopolog ions (D0 -Dn ) were compared, which gave consistent isotopic purity values and were in good agreement with the certified isotopic purity values. We further studied and monitored the H/D exchange reaction of ethyl 3-(4-bromophenyl)-3-oxopropanoate (EBPO) by evaluating the dynamic isotopic purity changes in EBPO-D2 in the H/D exchange reaction in situ. CONCLUSION: The isotopic purity characterization methods using ESI-HRMS discussed in this article have some outstanding advantages: rapid, highly sensitive, very low sample consumption (even below nanogram level), and deuterated solvent-free. Thus, this low-impact analytical method requires less time and is cost effective and might have good application potential for in-situ isotopic purity analysis and for monitoring the H/D exchange reactions.

Sea Urchin-like NiCo2O4 Catalyst Activated Peroxymonosulfate for Degradation of Phenol: Performance and Mechanism.

How to efficiently activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) in a complex water matrix to degrade organic pollutants still needs greater efforts, and cobalt-based bimetallic nanomaterials are desirable catalysts. In this paper, sea urchin-like NiCo2O4 nanomaterials were successfully prepared and comprehensively characterized for their structural, morphological and chemical properties via techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), among others. The sea urchin-like NiCo2O4 nanomaterials exhibited remarkable catalytic performance in activating PMS to degrade phenol. Within the NiCo2O4/PMS system, the removal rate of phenol (50 mg L-1, 250 mL) reached 100% after 45 min, with a reaction rate constant k of 0.091 min-1, which was 1.4-times higher than that of the monometallic compound Co3O4/PMS system. The outstanding catalytic activity of sea urchin-like NiCo2O4 primarily arises from the synergistic effect between Ni and Co ions. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of key parameters influencing the catalytic activity of the sea urchin-like NiCo2O4/PMS system, including reaction temperature, initial pH of solution, initial concentration, catalyst and PMS dosages and coexisting anions (HCO3-, Cl-, NO3- and humic acid), was conducted. Cycling experiments show that the material has good chemical stability. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and quenching experiments verified that both radical activation (SO4•-, •OH, O2•-) and nonradical activation (1O2) are present in the NiCo2O4/PMS system. Finally, the possible degradation pathways in the NiCo2O4/PMS system were proposed based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Favorably, sea urchin-like NiCo2O4-activated PMS is a promising technology for environmental treatment and the remediation of phenol-induced water pollution problems.

Wnt4 is heterogeneously activated in maturing ß-cells to control calcium signaling, metabolism and function.

Diabetes is a multifactorial disorder characterized by loss or dysfunction of pancreatic ß-cells. ß-cells are heterogeneous, exhibiting different glucose sensing, insulin secretion and gene expression. They communicate with other endocrine cell types via paracrine signals and between ß-cells via gap junctions. Here, we identify the importance of signaling between ß-cells via the extracellular signal WNT4. We show heterogeneity in Wnt4 expression, most strikingly in the postnatal maturation period, Wnt4-positive cells, being more mature while Wnt4-negative cells are more proliferative. Knock-out in adult ß-cells shows that WNT4 controls the activation of calcium signaling in response to a glucose challenge, as well as metabolic pathways converging to lower ATP/ADP ratios, thereby reducing insulin secretion. These results reveal that paracrine signaling between ß-cells is important in addition to gap junctions in controling insulin secretion. Together with previous reports of WNT4 up-regulation in obesity our observations suggest an adaptive insulin response coordinating ß-cells.

In-Hospital Outcomes of Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement at Transcatheter Valve Implantation Centers.

The availability of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has led to the development of a multidisciplinary team, the "heart team," at institutions offering both TAVI and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Whether this approach has improved in-hospital outcomes in patients who underwent SAVR at institutions offering TAVI versus those not offering TAVI is largely unknown. The National Inpatient Sample (2011 to 2018) was used to study trends in visits for SAVR and in-hospital outcomes at TAVI and non-TAVI centers. Survey estimation commands were used to determine weighted national estimates. There were 559,365 inpatient visits during 2011 to 2018 for aortic valve replacement, with 65.9 ± 0.8% and 34.0 ± 0.8% at TAVI and non-TAVI centers, respectively. Patients who underwent SAVR at TAVI hospitals had more co-morbidities and were less likely to receive mechanical prosthesis (24.7 ± 0.5% vs 35.5 ± 0.6%). Adjusted in-hospital mortality was lower among any SAVR (odds ratio 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.75 to 0.94) and isolated SAVR (odds ratio 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.70 to 0.98) recipients at TAVI centers. There was no difference in the incidence of stroke, permanent pacemaker placement, and acute kidney injury after SAVR in TAVI and non-TAVI centers. Although patients who underwent SAVR at TAVI centers had more co-morbidities, in-hospital mortality was lower at TAVI centers than non-TAVI centers. This may be attributable to several factors, including but not limited to experience, resource availability, and operative volumes and the use of the heart team.

Sex Disparities in the Treatment of Aortic Stenosis and Related Outcomes: An Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample.

INTRODUCTION: The impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) on sex disparities has not been well established. This study sought to examine the impact of sex on outcomes following aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis (AS) in the era of routine TAVR. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (2009-18) to study AS visits for all AVR and in-hospital outcomes as a function of sex. Survey estimation commands were used to provide national estimates. RESULTS: There were an estimated 431,344 surgical AVR (SAVR) and 189,137 TAVR inpatient visits. Mortality was higher in women after SAVR (3.8% ± 0.1 vs. 2.7% ± 0.07, p < 0.001) and TAVR (2.4% ± 0.1 vs. 1.7% ± 0.1, p < 0.001) compared to men. Female patients undergoing SAVR had higher rates of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation, stroke, and bleeding (5.9% ± 0.1 vs. 5% ± 0.1, 2.8% ± 0.1 vs. 2.3% ± 0.07, and 37.8% ± 0.8 vs. 29.8% ± 0.6; p < 0.001, respectively) but lower rates of acute kidney injury (AKI) (16.4% ± 0.3 vs. 20.3% ± 0.3, p < 0.001). Women undergoing TAVR had higher rates of stroke and bleeding (2.4% ± 0.1 vs. 1.6% ± 0.09 and 28.7% ± 0.6 vs. 22% ± 0.5; p < 0.001, respectively) but lower rates of PPM and AKI (9.5% ± 0.3 vs. 10.7% ± 0.2 and 11.3% ± 0.3 vs. 13.4% ± 0.3; p < 0.001, respectively). Compared with isolated SAVR, isolated TAVR was associated with lower mortality in women during 2016-18, both after multivariable adjustment (OR = 0.40; 95% CI, 0.27-0.60) and propensity matching (mean difference 0.66% ± 0.2); however, there was no difference in men. CONCLUSION: Although women continue to have higher in-hospital mortality following both TAVR and SAVR as compared to men, TAVR is associated with a lower in-hospital mortality in women compared to SAVR. Thus, TAVR may represent a potential intervention to narrow the sex-based disparities in the management of AS.

Influence of the SEI Formation on the Stability and Lithium Diffusion in Si Electrodes.

Silicon (Si) is an attractive anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical specific capacity. However, the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, caused by liquid electrolyte decomposition, often befalls Si electrodes. The SEI layer is less Li-ion conductive, which would significantly inhibit Li-ion transport and delay the reaction kinetics. Understanding the interaction between the SEI components and Li-ion diffusion is crucial for further improving the cycling performance of Si. Herein, different liquid electrolytes are applied to investigate the induced SEI components, structures, and their role in Li-ion transport. It is found that Si electrodes exhibit higher discharge capacities in LiClO4-based electrolytes than in LiPF6-based electrolytes. This behavior suggests that a denser and more conductive SEI layer is formed in LiClO4-based electrolytes. In addition, a coating of a Li3PO4 artificial SEI layer on Si suppresses the formation of natural SEI formation, leading to higher capacity retentions. Furthermore, galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) measurements are applied to calculate Li-ion diffusion coefficients, which are found in the range of 10-23-10-19 m2/s.

TAVR in an XXXL annulus (1057 mm2 ) with type I bicuspid aortic valve.

We report the largest annulus (>1000 m2 ) treated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement to date. It highlights the unique challenges in planning, sizing, and deployment considerations in the setting of a very large and altered geometry of a bicuspid aortic valve.

Recent advances in hydrothermal synthesis of facet-controlled CeO2-based nanomaterials.

CeO2-based nanomaterials have received tremendous attention due to their variety of applications. This paper is focused on the recent advances in facet-controlled CeO2-based nanomaterials by the hydrothermal method. CeO2-based nanomaterials with controllable size and exposed facets can be prepared by adjusting the reaction parameters. Moreover, doping and loading metals can improve the oxygen storage capacity (OSC) of CeO2 and its catalytic activity. Various research studies on catalytic applications such as CO oxidation, water-gas shift reaction (WGSR), decomposition of hydrocarbons, and photocatalytic reaction have been carried out to exhibit the high potential of facet-controlled CeO2 nanomaterials. This review will provide readers with various ideas for facet-controlled CeO2-based nanomaterials.

Contemporary trends and in-hospital outcomes of mechanical and bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve replacement in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: The choice between a mechanical versus a bioprosthetic valve in aortic valve replacement (AVR) is based on life expectancy, bleeding risk and comorbidities, since bioprosthetic AVR (bAVR) are associated with a more rapid structural deterioration compared to mechanical AVR (mAVR). The impact of widespread transcatheter valve replacements, on the decision to use bAVR versus mAVR, in the contemporary era and subsequent outcomes remain to be determined. METHODS: The National Inpatient database (2009-2018) was used to study trends in admissions for bAVR and mAVR and in-hospital mortality and outcomes over time. Survey estimation commands were used to determine weighted national estimates. RESULTS: There were 700,896 ± 18,285 inpatient visits for AVR with 70.1% (95% CI 69.2%-71.1%) and 29.9% (95% CI 28.9%-30.8%) visits for bAVR and mAVR, respectively. Those undergoing bAVR were significantly older (bAVR [69.8 years] vs. mAVR [62.7 years] p < .001]. The rates of mAVR decreased across all age groups during the study period (ptrend < .001), including patients ≤50 years (ptrend < .001). In-hospital mortality for mAVR recipients was higher, both after multivariable adjustment (OR 1.35 95% CI 1.26-1.45 p < .001) and propensity matching (mean difference 0.846% ± 0.19%). CONCLUSION: In the contemporary era, the utilization of mAVR has decreased across all age groups, including those younger than 50 years old. Although mAVR recipients were healthier with less comorbidities, inpatient mortality was higher after mAVR compared to bAVR. In addition to understanding causes for higher in-hospital mortality after mAVR, future research should focus on developing transcatheter valve replacement friendly bAVR.

Screening and identification of differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Efforts to eradicate tuberculosis are largely threatened by drug-resistant tuberculosis, particularly, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Screening and identification potential biomarkers for MDR-TB is crucial to diagnose early and reduce the incidence of MDR-TB. METHODS: To screen the differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs in MDR-TB, the lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles in serum derived from healthy controls (HCs), individuals with MDR-TB and drug-sensitive tuberculosis (DS-TB) were analyzed by microarray assay and 10 lncRNAs were randomly selected for further validation by reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR(RT-qPCR). The biological functions of differentially expressed mRNAs as well as relationships between genes and signaling pathways were investigated using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), respectively. RESULTS: A total of 353 differentially expressed lncRNAs (312 upregulated) and 202 mRNAs (99 upregulated) were found in the MDR-TB group compared to HCs. And compared with the DS-TB group, 442 differentially expressed lncRNAs (115 upregulated) and 190 mRNAs (87 upregulated) were found in the MDR-TB group. The expression levels of lncRNA n335659 were found to differ significantly between each group by RT-qPCR. Compared with DS-TB group, the GO analysis showed that the differential mRNAs were mainly enriched in the processes associated with the detection of the chemical stimulus, the regulation of mRNA metabolic process and neutrophil activation in the MDR-TB group; the KEGG analysis indicated that the differential mRNAs between DS-TB and MDR-TB were mainly enriched in proteasome and Notch signaling pathway, which might reveal a fraction of the mechanism of MDR-TB. The discovery of the serum lncRNA n335659 might serve as a potential biomarker for MDR-TB and Notch signaling pathway provided a new clue for the investigation of the pathological mechanism of MDR-TB.

Double-Protected Layers with Solid-Liquid Hybrid Electrolytes for Long-Cycle-Life Lithium Batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with liquid electrolytes (LEs) have problems such as electrolyte leakage, low safety profiles, and low energy density, which limit their further development. However, LIBs with solid electrolytes are safer with better energy and high-temperature performance. Thus, solid electrolyte system batteries have attracted widespread attention. However, due to the inherent rigidity of the LATP solid electrolyte, there is a high interface impedance at the LATP/electrode. In addition, the Ti element in LATP easily reacts with the Li metal. Here, we dripped an LE at the LATP/electrode interface (solid-liquid hybrid electrolytes) to reduce its interface impedance. A composite polymer electrolyte (CPE) protective film (containing PVDF, SN, and LiTFSI) was then cured in situ at the LATP/Li interface to avoid side reactions of LATP. The discharge specific capacity of the LiFePO4/LATP-12% LE-CPE/Li system is up to 150 mAh g-1, and the capacity retention rate is still 96% after 250 cycles. In addition, the NCM622/PVDF-LATP-12% LE/Li system has an initial reversible capacity of 170 mAh g-1. This study reports an approach that can protect solid electrolytes from lithium metal instability.

Utilizing ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring to reduce conduction related death after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to assess the utility of ambulatory cardiac monitoring (ACM) in detecting delayed advanced conduction abnormalities (DACA) and associated 30-day mortality. BACKGROUND: DACA are well-known complications of TAVR and may be associated with post-discharge mortality within 30-days. METHODS: Between October 2019 and October 2020, TAVR patients who were discharged home without a permanent pacemaker (PPM) were monitored with an ACM device for 14-days. The incidence of DACA at follow up, mortality and readmission within 30-days were investigated. The risk of DACA was assessed in three patient categories based on a composite of their 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) data. Group I: Normal pre-TAVR, periprocedural, and discharge ECGs. Group II: Normal pre-TAVR and abnormal subsequent ECGs. Group III. Abnormal baseline and abnormal subsequent ECGs. RESULTS: Among 340 TAVR patients, 248 were discharged home with an ACM device. The overall incidence of DACA was 7% (n = 17), of whom 4% (n = 10) required a PPM. Mortality and readmission between discharge and 30 days was 0% and 8.3%, respectively. Stratification of patients identified 96 (38.7%) patients in Group I: 50 (20%) in Group II, and 102 (41%) in Group III. The incidence of DACA requiring a PPM was 0% in Group I, 4% (n = 2) in Group II, and 8.5% (n = 8) in Group III (p < 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: In TAVR patients who were discharged home with ACM, none died between discharge and 30-days. For those with normal baseline, perioperative and discharge ECG, there were no events of DACA at 14-days.