One-Stone-for-Two-Birds Strategy for VSe2 to Enable High Capacity and Long-Life Zinc Storage.

Based on a specific zinc storage mechanism and excellent electronic conductivity, transition metal dichalcogenides, represented by vanadium diselenide, are widely used in aqueous zinc-ion battery (AZIB) energy storage systems. However, most vanadium diselenide cathode materials are presently limited by low specific capacity and poor cycling life. Herein, a simple hydrothermal process has been proposed for obtaining a vanadium diselenide cathode for an AZIB. The interaction of defects and crystal planes enhances zinc storage capacity and reduces the migration energy barrier. Moreover, abundant lamellar structure greatly increases reaction sites and alleviates volume expansion during the electrochemical process. Thus, the as-obtained vanadium diselenide AZIB exhibits an excellent reversible specific capacity of 377 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1, and ultralong cycle stability of 291 mAh g-1 after 3200 cycles, with a nearly negligible capacity loss. This one-stone-for-two-birds strategy would be expected to be applied to large-scale synthesis of a high-performance zinc-ion battery cathode in the future.

Effect of electrolytic zero-valent iron activated sodium hypochlorite on sludge dewatering performance.

Using electrolytic zero-valent iron-activated sodium hypochlorite (EZVI-NaClO) to pretreat sludge, the capillary suction time (CST) was utilized to evaluate sludge dewaterability. Ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N), dissolved phosphorus, and total phosphorus in the supernatant were used to analyze sludge disintegration. This approach aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the pretreatment process and its impact on the sludge composition. The migration and transformation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), including dissolved EPS (S-EPS), loosely boundEPS, and tightly bound-EPS (TB-EPS), were analyzed by detecting protein and polysaccharide concentrations and three-dimensional fluorescence excitation-emission spectroscopy (3D-EEM). The sludge particle properties, including sludge viscosity and particle size, were also analyzed. The results suggested that the optimal pH value, NaClO dosage, current, and reaction time were 2, 100 mg/gDS (dry sludge), 0.2A, and 30 min, respectively, with a CST reduction of 43%. Protein and polysaccharide contents in TB-EPS were significantly reduced in the EZVI-NaClO group. Conversely, protein and polysaccharides contents in S-EPS increased, suggesting that EZVI-NaClO treatment could disrupt the EPS. Besides, the viscosity of the treated sludge decreased from 195.4 to 54.9 mPa·S, indicating that sludge fluidity became better. ZEVI-NaClO could enhance sludge dewaterability by destructing protein and polysaccharide structure and improving sludge hydrophobicity.

The value of D-dimer to lymphocyte ratio in predicting clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: D-dimer to lymphocyte ratio (DLR) is a novel composite metric. This study investigated the association between DLR and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 683 STEMI cases treated between January 2018 and June 2021 at a single center. DLR was calculated for each patient. Receiver operating characteristic curves assessed the predictive value of in-hospital and long-term MACEs, with calculated AUC. Based on the optimal DLR cutoff value, the population was categorized into groups for clinical characteristic analysis. Multivariate logistic and COX regression analyses determined factors independently associated with MACEs. Kaplan-Meier estimation method and log-rank tests assessed event-free survival among different DLR groups. Spearman's test explored the correlation between DLR and Gensini score. RESULTS: DLR demonstrated an AUC of 0.792 for predicting in-hospital MACEs and 0.708 for long-term MACEs in patients with STEMI. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a high DLR (cutoff value, 0.47) independently increased the risk of MACEs during hospitalization in patients with STEMI (P = 0.003; odds ratio: 3.015; 95 % CI: 1.438-6.321). Multivariate COX regression showed that a high DLR (cutoff value, 0.34) independently predicted MACEs during long-term follow-up in patients with STEMI (P = 0.011; hazard ratio: 1.724; 95 % CI: 1.135-2.619). Furthermore, DLR exhibited a positive correlation with the Gensini score (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: DLR is a valuable predictor for MACEs occurrence in patients with STEMI during hospitalization and long-term follow-up after PCI.

Association of Motor Function With Cognitive Trajectories and Structural Brain Differences: A Community-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The association of motor function with cognitive health remains controversial, and the mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear. We aimed to examine the association between motor function and long-term cognitive trajectories and further explore the underlying mechanisms using brain MRI. METHODS: In the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a prospective cohort study, a total of 2,192 volunteers were recruited from the communities in northeastern Illinois and followed up for up to 22 years (from 1997 to 2020). Individuals with dementia, disability, missing data on motor function at baseline, and missing follow-up data on cognitive function were excluded. At baseline, global motor function was evaluated using the averaged z scores of 10 motor tests covering dexterity, gait, and hand strength; the composite score was tertiled as low, moderate, or high. Global and domain-specific cognitive functions-including episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, visuospatial ability, and perceptual speed-were measured annually through 19 cognitive tests. A subsample (n = 401) underwent brain MRI scans and regional brain volumes were measured. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models and linear regression. RESULTS: Among the 1,618 participants (mean age 79.45 ± 7.32 years) included in this study, baseline global motor function score ranged from 0.36 to 1.82 (mean 1.03 ± 0.22). Over the follow-up (median 6.03 years, interquartile range 3.00-10.01 years), low global motor function and its subcomponents were related to significantly faster declines in global cognitive function (ß = -0.005, 95% CI -0.006 to -0.005) and each of the 5 cognitive domains. Of the 344 participants with available MRI data, low motor function was also associated with smaller total brain (ß = -25.848, 95% CI -44.902 to -6.795), total white matter (ß = -18.252, 95% CI -33.277 to -3.226), and cortical white matter (ß = -17.503, 95% CI -32.215 to -2.792) volumes, but a larger volume of white matter hyperintensities (ß = 0.257, 95% CI 0.118-0.397). DISCUSSION: Low motor function is associated with an accelerated decline in global and domain-specific cognitive functions. Both neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular pathologies might contribute to this association.

The recent advance of precisely designed membranes for sieving.

Developing new membranes with both high selectivity and permeability is critical in membrane science since conventional membranes are often limited by the trade-off between selectivity and permeability. In recent years, the emergence of advanced materials with accurate structures at atomic or molecular scale, such as metal organic framework, covalent organic framework, graphene, has accelerated the development of membranes, which benefits the precision of membrane structures. In this review, current state-of-the-art membranes are first reviewed and classified into three different types according to the structures of their building blocks, including laminar structured membranes, framework structured membranes and channel structured membranes, followed by the performance and applications for representative separations (liquid separation and gas separation) of these precisely designed membranes. Last, the challenges and opportunities of these advanced membranes are also discussed.

HyperQuaternionE: A hyperbolic embedding model for qualitative spatial and temporal reasoning.

Qualitative spatial/temporal reasoning (QSR/QTR) plays a key role in research on human cognition, e.g., as it relates to navigation, as well as in work on robotics and artificial intelligence. Although previous work has mainly focused on various spatial and temporal calculi, more recently representation learning techniques such as embedding have been applied to reasoning and inference tasks such as query answering and knowledge base completion. These subsymbolic and learnable representations are well suited for handling noise and efficiency problems that plagued prior work. However, applying embedding techniques to spatial and temporal reasoning has received little attention to date. In this paper, we explore two research questions: (1) How do embedding-based methods perform empirically compared to traditional reasoning methods on QSR/QTR problems? (2) If the embedding-based methods are better, what causes this superiority? In order to answer these questions, we first propose a hyperbolic embedding model, called HyperQuaternionE, to capture varying properties of relations (such as symmetry and anti-symmetry), to learn inversion relations and relation compositions (i.e., composition tables), and to model hierarchical structures over entities induced by transitive relations. We conduct various experiments on two synthetic datasets to demonstrate the advantages of our proposed embedding-based method against existing embedding models as well as traditional reasoners with respect to entity inference and relation inference. Additionally, our qualitative analysis reveals that our method is able to learn conceptual neighborhoods implicitly. We conclude that the success of our method is attributed to its ability to model composition tables and learn conceptual neighbors, which are among the core building blocks of QSR/QTR.

The interaction between the soluble programmed death ligand-1 (sPD-L1) and PD-1+ regulator B cells mediates immunosuppression in triple-negative breast cancer.

Accumulating evidence suggests that regulatory B cells (Bregs) play important roles in inhibiting the immune response in tumors. Programmed death 1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) are important molecules that maintain the balance of the immune response and immune tolerance. This study aims to evaluate the soluble form of PD-L1 and its function in inducing the differentiation of B lymphocytes, investigate the relationship between soluble PD-L1 (sPD-L1) and B-cell subsets, and explore the antitumor activity of T lymphocytes after PD-L1 blockade in coculture systems. In an effort to explore the role of sPD-L1 in human breast cancer etiology, we examined the levels of sPD-L1 and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the serum of breast tumor patients and the proportions of B cells, PD-1+ B cells, Bregs, and PD-1+ Bregs in the peripheral blood of patients with breast tumors and assessed their relationship among sPD-L1, IL-10, and B-cell subsets. The levels of sPD-L1 and IL-10 in serum were found to be significantly higher in invasive breast cancer (IBCa) patients than in breast fibroadenoma (FIBma) patients. Meanwhile, the proportions and absolute numbers of Bregs and PD-1+ Bregs in the peripheral blood of IBCa patients were significantly higher than those of FIBma patients. Notably, they were the highest in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) among other subtypes of IBCa. Positive correlations of sPD-L1 and IL-10, IL-10 and PD-1+ Bregs, and also sPD-L1 and PD-1+ Bregs were observed in IBCa. We further demonstrated that sPD-L1 could induce Breg differentiation, IL-10 secretion, and IL-10 mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Finally, the induction of regulatory T cells (Tregs) by Bregs was further shown to suppress the antitumor response and that PD-L1 blockade therapies could promote the apoptosis of tumor cells. Together, these results indicated that sPD-L1 could mediate the differentiation of Bregs, expand CD4+ Tregs and weaken the antitumor activity of CD4+ T cells. PD-L1/PD-1 blockade therapies might be a powerful therapeutic strategy for IBCa patients, particularly for TNBC patients with high level of PD-1+ Bregs.

Influence of cardiovascular risk burden on pulmonary function trajectory: role of physical and social activities.

The impact of cardiovascular risk burden on long-term trajectories of pulmonary function (PF) remains unclear. We examined the association of cardiovascular risk burden assessed by Framingham general cardiovascular risk score (FGCRS) with PF decline and explored whether cardiovascular diseases (CVD), physical and social activities play a role in the association. Within the Rush Memory and Aging Project, 1,442 participants (mean age:79.83) were followed up to 22 years. FGCRS at baseline was calculated and categorized into tertiles. Composite PF was measured annually based on peak expiratory flow, forced expiratory volume in one second, and forced vital capacity. We found that the highest FGCRS was associated with faster PF decline (ß: -0.013, 95% CI: -0.023 to -0.003) compared with the lowest FGCRS. There were significant interactions between higher FGCRS and low level of physical/social activity (ß: -0.014, 95% CI: -0.026 to -0.003)/(ß: -0.020, 95% CI:-0.031 to -0.009) or CVD(ß: -0.023, 95% CI:-0.034 to -0.011) compared to the low FGCRS with high level of physical/social activity or without CVD (P-interaction<0.05). Our results suggest that higher cardiovascular risk burden is associated with a faster PF decline, especially among people with CVD. High level of physical activity and social activity appears to mitigate this association.

Influence of Cardiovascular Risk Burden on Motor Function Among Older Adults: Mediating Role of Cardiovascular Diseases Accumulation and Cognitive Decline.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the association of the cardiovascular risk burden assessed by the Framingham General Cardiovascular Risk Score (FGCRS) with the trajectories of motor function over time and to assess the mediating effects of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) accumulation and cognitive decline in such association. Methods: In Rush Memory and Aging Project, a total of 1,378 physical health participants (mean age: 79.3 ± 7.3 years) were followed up for up to 22 years. FGCRS at baseline was assessed and categorized into tertiles (lowest, middle, and highest). Global motor function (including dexterity, gait, and hand strength) was assessed annually with 10 motor tests. CVDs (including stroke, congestive heart failure, and other heart diseases) were ascertained at baseline and follow-ups, and the number of CVDs accumulation over time was assessed. Global cognitive function was tested annually by 19 tests. Data were analyzed using the linear mixed-effects models and mediation analysis. Results: At baseline, FGCRS ranged from 4 to 28 (mean score: 15.6 ± 3.7). Over the follow-up (median: 5.3 years; interquartile range: 2.9-9.0 years), in multi-adjusted mixed-effects models, the highest FGCRS was associated with faster decline in global motor function (ß = -0.0038; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.0069 to -0.0008), dexterity (ß = -0.0056; 95% CI: -0.0093 to -0.0020), gait (ß = -0.0039; 95% CI: -0.0077 to -0.0001), and hand strength (ß = -0.0053; 95% CI: -0.0098 to -0.0008) compared with the lowest tertile. In mediation analysis, CVDs accumulation and cognitive decline mediated 8.4% and 42.9% of the association between FGCRS and global motor function over time, respectively. Conclusion: Higher cardiovascular risk burden is associated with a faster decline in motor function including dexterity, gait, and hand strength. CVDs accumulation and cognitive decline may partially mediate the association between cardiovascular risk burden and global motor function decline.

Association of Pulmonary Function With Motor Function Trajectories and Disability Progression Among Older Adults: A Long-Term Community-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The association of pulmonary function (PF) with motor function and disability remains unclear. We investigate the association of PF with motor function trajectories and disability progression, and explore the role of social activity, cognitive function, and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in this relationship. METHODS: Within the Rush Memory and Aging Project, 1 403 disability-free participants (mean age: 79.28 years) were followed for up to 22 years. PF was measured with a composite score based on peak expiratory flow, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and forced vital capacity at baseline. Global motor function including dexterity, gait, and hand strength was assessed annually using 10 motor tests. Disability was evaluated according to the basic activities of daily living. Social activity was defined as the frequency of common types of social interaction. Global cognitive function was assessed using a battery of 19 cognitive performance tests. CVDs (including stroke, congestive heart failure, and heart diseases) were ascertained at baseline. Linear mixed-effects models were used. RESULTS: Compared to high PF, low PF was related to faster decline in global motor function (ß = -0.005, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.008 to -0.001) and all 3 specific motor abilities (p < .05), as well as faster progression of disability (ß = 0.012, 95% CI: 0.009 to 0.014). There was a statistically significant interaction between PF and social activity/cognitive function on disability progression (ß = 0.005, 95% CI: 0.001 to 0.009, p = .010/ß = 0.004, 95% CI: 0.001 to 0.009, p = .025). CONCLUSION: Poor PF accelerates motor function decline and the progression of disability. A high level of social activity and cognitive function appear to decelerate disability progression related to poor PF.

Comparison of periprosthetic bone remodeling after implantation of anatomic and tapered cementless femoral stems in total hip arthroplasty: A prospective cohort study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Current total hip arthroplasty (THA) implant usage trends favor cementless fixation, and plenty studies have demonstrated that numbers of cementless femoral stems are associated with excellent long-term survivorship and functional outcomes. Various types of cementless femoral stems have been developed and utilized in multiple applications, including straight, tapered, anatomic, customized, short, and even neck stems. All of these designs aimed to achieve maximal primary stability and promote osseointegration. Nevertheless, stress-shielding and periprosthetic bone loss continue to occur and remain critical issues in promoting long-term survivorship of THA. Considering anatomic and tapered stems are the most popular cementless designs today, this prospective cohort study aimed to investigate the effect of stem design on stress-shielding and periprosthetic bone remodeling after implantation of an anatomic stem with proximal fixation (Ribbed Hip system; Waldemar Link, Hamburg, Germany) and the direct comparison to a fully coated tapered stem (LCU Hip system; Waldemar Link). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study will comprise patients who receive primary unilateral THA with the Ribbed anatomic hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated stem or LCU tapered fully HA-coated stem. The changes in periprosthetic bone mineral density after insertion of Ribbed and LCU stem prostheses will be assessed by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in the periprosthetic region of interest according to Gruen and colleagues. Standard anteroposterior and lateral plain radiography will be performed for qualitative assessment of the periprosthetic bone remodeling. The following items will be analyzed or measured on follow-up radiographs to compare with the initial appearance on the radiographs taken immediately postoperatively: cortical thickness in each Gruen zone, fitness of the distal stem within the isthmus, femoral stem alignment, radiolucent line, reactive line, periosteal bone reactions, and subsidence. Biologic fixation and stability of the cementless implant will be evaluated using Engh grading scale, and heterotopic ossification will be graded according to Brooker classification. Furthermore, Harris hip score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index Score will also be assessed for postoperative functional evaluation. These radiologic and clinical assessments will be taken postoperatively, at 6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years after surgery. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Ethics Committee. The study results will be disseminated at national and international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. STUDY REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn): ChiCTR1800017841.

PD-L1 is a critical mediator of regulatory B cells and T cells in invasive breast cancer.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs), a key mediator in regulating anti-tumor immune suppression, tumor immune escape, metastasis and relapse, are considered an important therapeutic target in immunotherapy of human cancers. In the present investigation, elevated CD19+ CD24+ CD38+ regulatory B cells (Bregs) were observed in PBMCs of invasive carcinoma of breast (IBCa) patients compared with that in patients with fibroadenoma (FIBma) or healthy individuals, and the positive correlation existed between Bregs and CD4+ CD25+ CD127- Tregs (r = 0.316, P = 0.001). We found that PD-L1 expression was higher on Bregs in IBCa patients compared with patients with FIBma or healthy individuals (P < 0.05, respectively), and that a tight correlation exists between CD19+ CD24+ CD38+ PD-L1+ Bregs and CD19+ CD24+ CD38+ Bregs (r = 0.267, P = 0.007), poor TNM phases and up-regulated expression of PD-L1 on Bregs. The pattern of PD-1 expression on CD4+ T cells indicated that high level of PD-1hi expressed on CD4+ CD25+ CD127+ effector T cells (P < 0.001). More importantly, the presence of PD-L1 on Bregs was positively correlated with Tregs (r = 0.299, P = 0.003), but negatively correlated with PD-1hi effector T cells (r = -0.22, P = 0.031). Together, results of the present study indicated that PD-L1 is an important molecule on Bregs, mediated the generation of Tregs in IBCa.

[Implementation of 3D heart modeling based on an improved region rowing method].

Image segmentation is a key step for image processing. This study developed an improved region growing algorithm to extract the outline of the heart for 3D-modeling which based on the acquisition of canine cardiac CT images from animal experiment. In this paper the method was also compared with the classic algorithm of threshold segmentation. The result showed that the method can be used for the 3D display technology of cardiac electrical activity in clinical electrophysiology mapping.