Overexpressing S100A9 ameliorates NK cell dysfunction in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Estrogen receptor (ER) positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative breast cancer (ER+/HER2-BC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are two distinct breast cancer molecular subtypes, especially in tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). The TIME of TNBC is considered to be more inflammatory than that of ER+/HER2-BC. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that play an important role of tumor eradication in TME. However, studies focusing on the different cell states of NK cells in breast cancer subtypes are still inadequate. METHODS: In this study, single-cell mRNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk mRNA sequencing data from ER+/HER2-BC and TNBC were analyzed. Key regulator of NK cell suppression in ER+/HER2-BC, S100A9, was quantified by qPCR and ELISA in MCF-7, T47D, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. The prognosis predictability of S100A9 and NK activation markers was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analyses using TCGA-BRAC data. The phenotype changes of NK cells in ER+/HER2-BC after overexpressing S100A9 in cancer cells were evaluated by the production levels of IFN-gamma, perforin and granzyme B and cytotoxicity assay. RESULTS: By analyzing scRNA-seq data, we found that multiple genes involved in cellular stress response were upregulated in ER+/HER2-BC compared with TNBC. Moreover, TLR regulation pathway was significantly enriched using differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from comparing the transcriptome data of ER+/HER2-BC and TNBC cancer cells, and NK cell infiltration high/low groups. Among the DEGs, S100A9 was identified as a key regulator. Patients with higher expression levels of S100A9 and NK cell activation markers had better overall survival. Furthermore, we proved that overexpression of S100A9 in ER+/HER2-cells could improve cocultured NK cell function. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the study we presented demonstrated that NK cells in ER+/HER2-BC were hypofunctional, and S100A9 was an important regulator of NK cell function in ER+BC. Our work contributes to elucidate the regulatory networks between cancer cells and NK cells and may provide theoretical basis for novel drug development.

Deep Brain Stimulation Modulates the Visual Pathway to Improve Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the involvement of the visual cortex in improving freezing of gait (FoG) after subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients using whole-brain seed-based functional connectivity. METHODS: A total of 66 PD patients with FoG who underwent bilateral STN-DBS were included in our study. Patients were divided into a FoG responder group and an FoG nonresponder group according to whether FoG improved 1 year after DBS. We compared the differences in clinical characteristics, brain structural imaging, and seed-based functional connectivity between the 2 groups. The locations of active contacts were further analyzed. RESULTS: All PD patients benefited from STN-DBS. No significant differences in the baseline characteristics or brain structures were found between the 2 groups. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis revealed that better connectivity in bilateral primary visual areas was associated with better clinical improvement in FoG (P < 0.05 familywise error corrected). Further analysis revealed that this disparity was associated with the location of the active contacts within the rostral region of the sensorimotor subregion in the FoG responder group, in contrast to the findings in the FoG nonresponder group. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that DBS in the rostral region of the STN sensorimotor subregion may alleviate FoG by strengthening functional connectivity in primary visual areas, which has significant implications for guiding surgical strategies for FoG in the future.

Efficacy and Safety of Gabapentinoids for Acute Herpes Zoster Neuralgia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: his study aimed to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy of gabapentin and pregabalin in the treatment of acute herpes zoster neuralgia, including pain control and the occurrence of adverse effects. METHOD: A systematic computerized search was conducted in October 2023 in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, VIP, CNKI, and Wanfang databases. Data from randomized controlled trials comparing gabapentin analogs for the treatment of acute herpes zoster neuralgia were searched. Endpoints were visual analog scores (VAS) and adverse effects at 1, 2, and 4 weeks. Data from studies that met the inclusion criteria were extracted for meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis using Revman 5.4 and Stata16. RESULTS: The study included 292 patients from 6 RCTs. Of these, 118 were in the gabapentin-treated group, 37 were in the pregabalin-treated group, and 137 were in the placebo-controlled group. The gabapentin group showed superior pain reduction compared to the placebo group (P<0.05), but adverse events were more frequent. CONCLUSION: Gabapentin can effectively reduce acute herpes zoster neuralgia in patients. Pregabalin requires additional randomized controlled trials to supplement the analysis. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42023446643.

Comparing survival outcomes between neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy within T2N1M0 stage hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer: a retrospective cohort study based on SEER database.

BACKGROUND: Guideline recommendations for the application of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in T2N1M0 stage hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative (HR + /HER2-) breast cancer are ambiguous. The debate continues regarding whether NACT or adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) offers superior survival outcomes for these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female patients diagnosed with HR + /HER2- breast cancer at T2N1M0 stage between 2010 and 2020, were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database and divided into two groups, the NACT group and the ACT group. Propensity score matching (PSM) was utilized to establish balanced cohorts between groups, considering baseline features. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis and the Cox proportional hazards model were executed to assess the efficacy of both NACT and ACT in terms of overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS). A logistic regression model was employed to examine the association between predictive variables and response to NACT. RESULTS: After PSM, 4,682 patients were finally included. K-M curves showed that patients receiving NACT exhibited significantly worse OS and BCSS when compared with patients undergoing ACT. Multivariable Cox analysis indicated that not achieving pathologic complete response (non-pCR) after NACT (versus ACT), was identified as an adverse prognostic factor for OS (HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.36-1.83) and BCSS (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.44-2. 02). The logistic regression model revealed that low tumor grade independently predicted non-pCR. CONCLUSION: Among T2N1M0 stage HR + /HER2- patients, OS and BCSS of NACT were inferior to ACT. Patients who attained non-pCR after NACT demonstrated significantly worse survival outcomes compared with those who received ACT.

Retinoic acid drives hair follicle stem cell activation via Wnt/ß-catenin signalling in androgenetic alopecia.

BACKGROUND: Depletion or permanent quiescence of the hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) pool underlies pathogenesis in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Reactivation of quiescent HFSCs is considered an efficient treatment strategy for hair loss. The retinoic acid (RA) is critical to ensure stem cell homeostasis and function. However, little is known about whether RA regulates HFSC homeostasis. We aimed to investigate the impact of RA on HFSC homeostasis and the underlying mechanisms, in order to provide new potential targets for medical therapies of AGA. METHODS: Microdissected hair follicles from the occipital and frontal scalp in AGA were obtained for RNA sequencing analysis and test. The C57BL/6 mice model in telogen was established to investigate the effect of exogenous RA. Miniaturized hair follicles from frontal scalp were incubated with or without RA in hair follicle organ culture to test the effects on hair shaft elongation, hair cycling and HFSC activities. A strategy to characterize the effect of RA on HFSC in primary culture was developed to identify novel mechanisms that control HFSC activation. A clinical study was performed to test the efficacy of RA treatment in AGA patients. RESULTS: RA signalling was inhibited in the course of AGA pathogenesis along with HFSC dysfunction. Hair regeneration was retarded in AGA miniaturized hair follicles with RA deficiency, but they tended to recover after treatment with RA. In addition, RA treatment during the telogen phase facilitated HFSC anagen entry and accelerated hair growth. Mechanistically, RA promoted hair growth by stimulating stem cells via Wnt/ß-catenin signalling and accelerating the transition from a dormant to an activated state. Furthermore, a clinical study suggested that RA has obvious advantages in the early intervention of AGA by reactivating HFSCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides insights into the reactivation of HFSCs in AGA and provides potential targets for medical therapies.

Risk factors of in-hospital mortality and discriminating capacity of NIVO score in exacerbations of COPD requiring noninvasive ventilation.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) is recommended as the initial mode of ventilation to treat acute respiratory failure in patients with AECOPD. The Noninvasive Ventilation Outcomes (NIVO) score has been proposed to evaluate the prognosis in patients with AECOPD requiring assisted NIV. However, it is not validated in Chinese patients. METHODS: We used data from the MAGNET AECOPD Registry study, which is a prospective, noninterventional, multicenter, real-world study conducted between September 2017 and July 2021 in China. Data for the potential risk factors of mortality were collected and the NIVO score was calculated, and the in-hospital mortality was evaluated using the NIVO risk score. RESULTS: A total of 1164 patients were included in the study, and 57 patients (4.9%) died during their hospital stay. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age ≥75 years, DBP <60 mmHg, Glasgow Coma Scale ≤14, anemia and BUN >7 mmol/L were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. The in-hospital mortality was associated with an increase in the risk level of NIVO score and the difference was statistically significant (p < .001). The NIVO risk score showed an acceptable accuracy for predicting the in-hospital mortality in AECOPD requiring assisted NIV (AUC: 0.657, 95% CI: 0.584-0.729, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Our findings identified predictors of mortality in patients with AECOPD receiving NIV, providing useful information to identify severe patients and guide the management of AECOPD. The NIVO score showed an acceptable predictive value for AECOPD receiving NIV in Chinese patients, and additional studies are needed to develop and validate predictive scores based on specific populations.

An inulin-based glycovesicle for pathogen-targeted drug delivery to ameliorate salmonellosis.

The gut microbiota plays a significant role in the pathogenesis and remission of inflammatory bowel disease. However, conventional antibiotic therapies may alter microbial ecology and lead to dysbiosis of the gut microbiome, which greatly limits therapeutic efficacy. To address this challenge, novel nanomicelles that couple inulin with levofloxacin via disulfide bonds for the treatment of salmonellosis were developed in this study. Owing to their H2S-responsiveness, the nanomicelles can target the inflamed colon and rapidly release levofloxacin to selectively fight against enteric pathogens. Moreover, the embedded inulin can serve as prebiotic fiber to increase the amount of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli in mice with salmonellosis, thus maintaining the intestinal mechanical barrier and regulating the balance of the intestinal flora. Therefore, multifunctional nanomicelles had a better curative effect than pure levofloxacin on ameliorating inflammation in vivo. The pathogen-targeted glycovesicle represents a promising drug delivery platform to maximize the efficacy of antibacterial drugs for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Congenital Upper Lip Sinus.

Congenital upper lip sinus (CULS) is an extremely rare anomaly. The aim of the study is to present a new case and compile the present knowledge of CULS to help foster a deeper understanding of this disease. A 9-year-old girl with a midline CULS, a prolonged maxillary labial frenulum, and a palatal epulis is presented. Thirty-nine papers met the eligibility criteria and 45 cases were included in the systematic review. CULS shows typical clinical and pathologic characteristics. It tends to occur at the midline region horizontally (n=35; 78%) and the upper part of the white lip (n=23; 51%) vertically. No ethnic predilection is found, but it tends to show a female predilection (n=28; 62%). Twenty-six cases (58%) are symptomatic. Thirteen cases (29%) are accompanied by other maxillofacial defects. In all cases, the sinus was lined with stratified squamous epithelium. The etiology remains unknown but 3 theories have been put forward: the fusion theory, the merging theory, and the invagination theory. The authors believe that CULS shows homogeneity with cleft lip to some extent and maybe a microform of it. Primary treatment is surgical excision and the prognosis is favorable, with no complications or recurrence.

A closer examination of the nature of atomic motion in the interfacial region of crystals upon approaching melting.

Although crystalline materials are often conceptualized as involving a static lattice configuration of particles, it has recently become appreciated that string-like collective particle exchange motion is a ubiquitous and physically important phenomenon in both the melting and interfacial dynamics of crystals. This type of collective motion has been evidenced in melting since early simulations of hard disc melting by Alder et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 11(6), 241-243 (1963)], but a general understanding of its origin, along with its impact on melting and the dynamics of crystalline materials, has been rather slow to develop. We explore this phenomenon further by focusing on the interfacial dynamics of a model crystalline Cu material using molecular dynamics simulations where we emphasize the geometrical nature and spatial extent of the atomic trajectories over the timescale that they are caged, and we also quantify string-like collective motion on the timescale of the fast ß-relaxation time, τf, i.e., "stringlets." Direct visualization of the atomic trajectories in their cages over the timescale over which the cage persists indicates that they become progressively more anisotropic upon approaching the melting temperature Tm. The stringlets, dominating the large amplitude atomic motion in the fast dynamics regime, are largely localized to the crystal interfacial region and correspond to "excess" modes in the density of states that give rise to a "boson peak." Moreover, interstitial point defects occur in direct association with the stringlets, demonstrating a link between classical defect models of melting and more recent studies of melting emphasizing the role of this kind of collective motion.

Rupture-Related Features of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations and Their Utility in Predicting Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating rupture risk in cerebral arteriovenous malformations currently lacks quantitative hemodynamic and angioarchitectural features necessary for predicting subsequent hemorrhage. We aimed to derive rupture-related hemodynamic and angioarchitectural features of arteriovenous malformations and construct an ensemble model for predicting subsequent hemorrhage. METHODS: This retrospective study included 3 data sets, as follows: training and test data sets comprising consecutive patients with untreated cerebral arteriovenous malformations who were admitted from January 2015 to June 2022 and a validation data set comprising patients with unruptured arteriovenous malformations who received conservative treatment between January 2009 and December 2014. We extracted rupture-related features and developed logistic regression (clinical features), decision tree (hemodynamic features), and support vector machine (angioarchitectural features) models. These 3 models were combined into an ensemble model using a weighted soft-voting strategy. The performance of the models in discriminating ruptured arteriovenous malformations and predicting subsequent hemorrhage was evaluated with confusion matrix-related metrics in the test and validation data sets. RESULTS: A total of 896 patients (mean±SD age, 28±14 years; 404 women) were evaluated, with 632, 158, and 106 patients in the training, test, and validation data sets, respectively. From the training set, 9 clinical, 10 hemodynamic, and 2912 pixel-based angioarchitectural features were extracted. A logistic regression model was built using 4 selected clinical features (age, nidus size, location, and venous aneurysm), whereas a decision-tree model was constructed from 4 hemodynamic features (outflow time, stasis index, cerebral blood flow, and outflow volume ratio). A support vector machine model was designed using 5 pixel-based angioarchitectural features. In the validation data set, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of the ensemble model for predicting subsequent hemorrhages were 0.840, 0.889, 0.823, and 0.911, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ensemble model incorporating clinical, hemodynamic, and angioarchitectural features showed favorable performance in predicting subsequent hemorrhage of cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Progress and Prospect of Ion Imprinting Technology in Targeted Extraction of Lithium.

Ion Imprinting Technology (IIT) is an innovative technique that produces Ion-Imprinted polymers (IIPs) capable of selectively extracting ions. IIPs exhibit strong specificity, excellent stability, and high practicality. Due to their superior characteristics, the application of IIPs for lithium resource extraction has garnered significant attention. This paper discusses the following aspects based on existing conventional processes for lithium extraction and the latest research progress in lithium IIPs: (1) a detailed exposition of existing lithium extraction processes, including comparisons and summaries; (2) classification, comparison, and summarization of the latest lithium IIPs based on different material types and methods; (3) summarization of the applications of various lithium IIPs, along with a brief description of future directions in the development of lithium IIP applications. Finally, the prospects for targeted recovery of lithium resources using lithium IIPs are presented.

Inducing aortic aneurysm/dissection in zebrafish: evaluating the efficacy of ß-Aminopropionic Nitrile as a model.

Aortic aneurysm/dissection (AAD) poses a life-threatening cardiovascular emergency with complex mechanisms and a notably high mortality rate. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) serve as valuable models for AAD due to the conservation of their three-layered arterial structure and genome with that of humans. However, the existing studies have predominantly focused on larval zebrafish, leaving a gap in our understanding of adult zebrafish. In this study, we utilized ß-Aminopropionic Nitrile (BAPN) impregnation to induce AAD in both larval and adult zebrafish. Following induction, larval zebrafish exhibited a 28% widening of the dorsal aortic diameter (p < 0.0004, n = 10) and aortic arch malformations, with a high malformation rate of 75% (6/8). Conversely, adult zebrafish showed a 41.67% (5/12) mortality rate 22 days post-induction. At this time point, the dorsal aortic area had expanded by 2.46 times (p < 0.009), and the vessel wall demonstrated significant thickening (8.22 ± 2.23 µM vs. 26.38 ± 10.74 µM, p < 0.05). Pathological analysis revealed disruptions in the smooth muscle layer, contributing to a 58.33% aneurysm rate. Moreover, the expression levels of acta2, tagln, cnn1a, and cnn1b were decreased, indicating a weakened contractile phenotype. Transcriptome sequencing showed a significant overlap between the molecular features of zebrafish tissues post-BAPN treatment and those of AAD patients. Our findings present a straightforward and practical method for generating AAD models in both larval and adult zebrafish using BAPN.

Ginseng in white and red processed forms: Ginsenosides and cardiac side effects.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng Meyer) has long been consumed as a medicinal or functional food in East Asia. It is available as dried white ginseng (WG) and steamed red ginseng (RG), which might differ in ginsenoside profiles. We compared ginsenoside types of RG and WG using UPLC-MS/MS and evaluated how they biologically affected heart of healthy rats by recording electrocardiography, measuring biochemical indicators, analyzing cardiac tissue slides, and Ca2+ signaling pathways. About 25 and 29 ginsenosides were detected in WG and RG, respectively, and the total ginsenoside content of RG contained was nearly 1.8 times higher than that of WG. Among them, ginsenoside Rg4, ginsenoside Rg6, ginsenoside Rh4, ginsenoside Rk1, ginsenoside Rg5, and protopanaxadiol were detected only in RG, while 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg2 was detected only in WG. Male SD rats treated by intraperitoneal injection of WG or RG extracts were similar to the control in terms of electrocardiography and heart histology, indicating that both may not significantly affect the rats' myocardial function. However, WG and RG may induce mild cardiac injury resulting in increased cardiac collagen and creatine kinase levels. In addition, upregulated p-CaMKII and PPARδ and downregulated SERCA2a for WG and RG treatments were further associated with increased cardiac contractility. In general, RG had less effect on the heart of healthy rats than WG, which may be due to RG having a high proportion of low-polar ginsenosides.

Histone lactylation promotes malignant progression by facilitating USP39 expression to target PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α signal pathway in endometrial carcinoma.

Histone lactylation has been reported to involve in tumorigenesis and development. However, its biological regulatory mechanism in endometrial carcinoma (EC) is yet to be reported in detail. In the present study, we evaluated the modification levels of global lactylation in EC tissues by immunohistochemistry and western blot, and it was elevated. The non-metabolizable glucose analog 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) and oxamate treatment could decrease the level of lactylation so as to inhibit the proliferation and migration ability, induce apoptosis significantly, and arrest the cell cycle of EC cells. Mechanically, histone lactylation stimulated USP39 expression to promote tumor progression. Moreover, USP39 activated PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α signaling pathway via interacting with and stabilizing PGK1 to stimulate glycolysis. The results of present study suggest that histone lactylation plays an important role in the progression of EC by promoting the malignant biological behavior of EC cells, thus providing insights into potential therapeutic strategies for endometrial cancer.

Characteristics, treatments, in-hospital and long-term outcomes among inpatients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in China: sex differences in a large cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Data related to the characteristics, treatments and clinical outcomes of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) patients in China are limited, and sex differences are still a neglected topic. METHODS: The patients hospitalized for AECOPD were prospectively enrolled from ten medical centers in China between September 2017 and July 2021. Patients from some centers received follow-up for 3 years. Data regarding the characteristics, treatments and in-hospital and long-term clinical outcomes from male and female AECOPD patients included in the cohort were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: In total, 14,007 patients with AECOPD were included in the study, and 11,020 (78.7%) were males. Compared with males, female patients were older (74.02 ± 10.79 vs. 71.86 ± 10.23 years, P < 0.001), and had more comorbidities (2.22 ± 1.64 vs. 1.73 ± 1.56, P < 0.001), a higher frequency of altered mental status (5.0% vs. 2.9%, P < 0.001), lower diastolic blood pressure (78.04 ± 12.96 vs. 79.04 ± 12.47 mmHg, P < 0.001). In addition, there were also significant sex differences in a range of laboratory and radiographic findings. Females were more likely to receive antibiotics, high levels of respiratory support and ICU admission than males. The in-hospital and 3-year mortality were not significantly different between males and females (1.4% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.711; 35.3% vs. 31.4%, P = 0.058), while female smokers with AECOPD had higher in-hospital mortality than male smokers (3.3% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.002) and male smokers exhibited a trend toward higher 3-year mortality compared to female smokers (40.7% vs. 33.1%, P = 0.146). CONCLUSIONS: In AECOPD inpatients, females and males had similar in-hospital and long-term survival despite some sex differences in clinical characteristics and treatments, but female smokers had significantly worse in-hospital outcomes than male smokers. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered, registration number is ChiCTR2100044625, date of registration 21/03/2021. URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=121626 .

The value of performance status in predicting venous thromboembolism in lung cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is notably high in lung cancer patients, particularly among those treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Previous studies have focused on the relationship between Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status (PS) and VTE risk in immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, but available evidence is inconsistent. METHODS: The clinical data of lung cancer patients treated with ICIs were collected and analyzed from West China Hospital between January 2018 and March 2022. ECOG PS score was measured on admission. The primary outcome was the incidence of VTE, encompassing both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). RESULTS: A total of 1115 lung cancer patients receiving ICIs were eligible for this study, VTE developed in 105 (9.4%) during the 12-month follow-up, of which 95 (8.5%) had DVT,14 (1.3%) had definite PE. Poor ECOG PS (PS ≥ 2) was associated with an increased risk for VTE (OR = 5.405, 95% CI = 3.067-9.525, P < 0.001), DVT (OR = 4.669, 95% CI = 2.588-8.427, P < 0.001) and PE (OR = 8.413, 95% CI = 2.565-27.600, P < 0.001) after multivariable adjustment in the study cohort. CONCLUSION: VTE occurred in 9.4% of lung cancer patients treated with ICIs, and poor performance status was associated with an increased risk of VTE.

Surface Hydroxyl and Oxygen Vacancies Engineering in ZnSnAl LDH: Synergistic Promotion of Photocatalytic Oxidation of Aromatic VOCs.

Photocatalytic oxidation has gained great interest in environmental remediation, but it is still limited by its low efficiency and catalytic deactivation in the degradation of aromatic VOCs. In this study, we concurrently regulated the surface hydroxyl and oxygen vacancies by introducing Al into ZnSn layered double hydroxide (LDH). The presence of distorted Al species induced local charge redistribution, leading to the remarkable formation of oxygen vacancies. These oxygen vacancies subsequently increased the amount of surface hydroxyl and elongated its bond length. The synergistic effects of surface hydroxyl and oxygen vacancies greatly enhanced reactant adsorption-activation and facilitated charge transfer to generate •OH, •O2-, and 1O2, resulting in highly efficient oxidation and ring-opening of various aromatic VOCs. Compared with commercial TiO2, the optimized ZnSnAl-50 catalyst exhibited about 2-fold activity for the toluene and styrene degradation and 10-fold activity for the chlorobenzene degradation. Moreover, ZnSnAl-50 demonstrated exceptional stability in the photocatalytic oxidation of toluene under a wide humidity range of 0-75%. This work marvelously improves the photocatalytic efficiency, stability, and adaptability through a novel strategy of surface hydroxyl and oxygen vacancies engineering.

Nickel-catalyzed oxidative thiolation of α-amino carbonyl compounds with thiols.

An efficient oxidative thiolation of α-amino carbonyl compounds with thiols by the catalysis of an Earth-abundant nickel salt is disclosed for the first time. A variety of alkyl thiols and (hetero)aryl thiols underwent the reaction well with α-amino ketones and an α-amino ester to produce the desired α,α-aminothiocarbonyl compounds in good to excellent yields under ligand- and base-free conditions.

A simple clinical risk score (ABCDMP) for predicting mortality in patients with AECOPD and cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: The morbidity and mortality among hospital inpatients with AECOPD and CVDs remains unacceptably high. Currently, no risk score for predicting mortality has been specifically developed in patients with AECOPD and CVDs. We therefore aimed to derive and validate a simple clinical risk score to assess individuals' risk of poor prognosis. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We evaluated inpatients with AECOPD and CVDs in a prospective, noninterventional, multicenter cohort study. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify the independent prognostic risk factors and created a risk score model according to patients' data from a derivation cohort. Discrimination was evaluated by the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC), and calibration was assessed by the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. The model was validated and compared with the BAP-65, CURB-65, DECAF and NIVO models in a validation cohort. RESULTS: We derived a combined risk score, the ABCDMP score, that included the following variables: age > 75 years, BUN > 7 mmol/L, consolidation, diastolic blood pressure ≤ 60 mmHg, mental status altered, and pulse > 109 beats/min. Discrimination (AUC 0.847, 95% CI, 0.805-0.890) and calibration (Hosmer‒Lemeshow statistic, P = 0.142) were good in the derivation cohort and similar in the validation cohort (AUC 0.811, 95% CI, 0.755-0.868). The ABCDMP score had significantly better predictivity for in-hospital mortality than the BAP-65, CURB-65, DECAF, and NIVO scores (all P < 0.001). Additionally, the new score also had moderate predictive performance for 3-year mortality and can be used to stratify patients into different management groups. CONCLUSIONS: The ABCDMP risk score could help predict mortality in AECOPD and CVDs patients and guide further clinical research on risk-based treatment. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trail Registry NO.:ChiCTR2100044625; URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=121626 .

Altered Gut Microbiota as a Potential Risk Factor for Coronary Artery Disease in Diabetes: A Two-Sample Bi-Directional Mendelian Randomization Study.

The current body of research points to a notable correlation between an imbalance in gut microbiota and the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) as well as its consequential ailment, coronary artery disease (CAD). The complexities underlying the association, especially in the context of diabetic coronary artery disease (DCAD), are not yet fully understood, and the causal links require further clarification. In this study, a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) methodology was utilized to explore the causal relationships between gut microbiota, T2D, and CAD. By analyzing data from the DIAGRAM, GERA, UKB, FHS, and mibioGen cohorts and examining GWAS databases, we sought to uncover genetic variants linked to T2D, CAD, and variations in gut microbiota and metabolites, aiming to shed light on the potential mechanisms connecting gut microbiota with DCAD. Our investigation uncovered a marked causal link between the presence of Oxalobacter formigenes and an increased incidence of both T2D and CAD. Specifically, a ten-unit genetic predisposition towards T2D was found to be associated with a 6.1% higher probability of an increase in the Oxalobacteraceae family's presence (ß = 0.061, 95% CI = 0.002-0.119). In a parallel finding, an augmented presence of Oxalobacter was related to an 8.2% heightened genetic likelihood of CAD (ß = 0.082, 95% CI = 0.026-0.137). This evidence indicates a critical pathway by which T2D can potentially raise the risk of CAD via alterations in gut microbiota. Additionally, our analyses reveal a connection between CAD risk and Methanobacteria, thus providing fresh perspectives on the roles of TMAO and carnitine in the etiology of CAD. The data also suggest a direct causal relationship between increased levels of certain metabolites - proline, lysophosphatidylcholine, asparagine, and salicylurate - and the prevalence of both T2D and CAD. Sensitivity assessments reinforce the notion that changes in Oxalobacter formigenes could pose a risk for DCAD. There is also evidence to suggest that DCAD may, in turn, affect the gut microbiota's makeup. Notably, a surge in serum TMAO levels in individuals with CAD, coinciding with a reduced presence of methanogens, has been identified as a potentially significant factor for future examination.