Deciphering environmental factors influencing phytoplankton community structure in a polluted urban river.

Tuojiang River Basin is a first-class tributary of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River-which is the longest river in China. As phytoplankton are sensitive indicators of trophic changes in water bodies, characterizing phytoplankton communities and their growth influencing factors in polluted urban rivers can provide new ideas for pollution control. Here, we used direct microscopic count and environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding methods to investigate phytoplankton community structure in Tuojiang River Basin (Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China). The association between phytoplankton community structure and water environmental factors was evaluated by Mantel analysis. Additional environmental monitoring data were used to pinpoint major factors that influenced phytoplankton growth based on structural equation modeling. At the phylum level, the dominant phytoplankton taxa identified by the conventional microscopic method mainly belonged to Bacillariophyta, Chlorophyta, and Cyanophyta, in contrast with Chlorophyta, Dinophyceae, and Bacillariophyta identified by eDNA metabarcoding. In α-diversity analysis, eDNA metabarcoding detected greater species diversity and achieved higher precision than the microscopic method. Phytoplankton growth was largely limited by phosphorus based on the nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratios > 16:1 in all water samples. Redundancy analysis and structural equation modeling also confirmed that the nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio was the principal factor influencing phytoplankton growth. The results could be useful for implementing comprehensive management of the river basin environment. It is recommended to control the discharge of point- and surface-source pollutants and the concentration of dissolved oxygen in areas with excessive nutrients (e.g., Jianyang-Ziyang). Algae monitoring techniques and removal strategies should be improved in 201 Hospital, Hongrihe Bridge and Colmar Town areas.

Mitochondrial transfer from mesenchymal stem cells: Mechanisms and functions.

Mesenchymal stem cells based therapy has been used in clinic for almost 20 years and has shown encouraging effects in treating a wide range of diseases. However, the underlying mechanism is far more complicated than it was previously assumed. Mitochondria transfer is one way that recently found to be employed by mesenchymal stem cells to exert its biological effects. As one way of exchanging mitochondrial components, mitochondria transfer determines both mesenchymal stem cells and recipient cell fates. In this review, we describe the factors that contribute to MSCs-MT. Then, the routes and mechanisms of MSCs-MT are summarized to provide a theoretical basis for MSCs therapy. Besides, the advantages and disadvantages of MSCs-MT in clinical application are analyzed.

Association of variant vitamin statuses and tuberculosis development: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have suggested an association between vitamin deficiency and the development of tuberculosis; however, the precise impact remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between distinct vitamin statuses and the occurrence of tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrieval was conducted using several databases without language restrictions to capture the eligible studies on tuberculosis and vitamin status. Pooled odds ratios (ORs), relative risks (RRs), and hazard ratios (HRs) were used with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to clarify the relationship between the different vitamin statuses (A, B, D, and E) and the occurrence of tuberculosis. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, meta-regression analysis, and Galbraith plot were performed to determine sources of heterogeneity. Potential publication biases were detected using Begg's test, Egger's test, and the trim-and-fill test. RESULTS: We identified 10,266 original records from our database searches, and 69 eligible studies were considered in this study. The random-effect model showed that people with tuberculosis may exhibit vitamin A deficiency (OR = 10.66, 95%CI: 2.61-43.63, p = .001), while limited cohort studies showed that vitamin A supplementation may reduce tuberculosis occurrence. Additionally, vitamin D deficiency was identified as a risk factor for tuberculosis development (RR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.06-2.67, p = .026), and people with tuberculosis generally had lower vitamin D levels (OR = 2.19, 95%CI: 1.76-2.73, p < .001) compared to other groups. No publication bias was detected. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis indicated that people with tuberculosis exhibited low levels of vitamins A and D, while vitamin D deficiency was identified as a risk factor for tuberculosis. More randomized controlled interventions at the community levels should be recommended to determine the association between specific vitamin supplementation and tuberculosis onset.

Causal associations of hypothyroidism with frozen shoulder: a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have investigated the association between hypothyroidism and frozen shoulder, but their findings have been inconsistent. Furthermore, earlier research has been primarily observational, which may introduce bias and does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship. To ascertain the causal association, we performed a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. METHODS: We obtained data on "Hypothyroidism" and "Frozen Shoulder" from Summary-level Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) datasets that have been published. The information came from European population samples. The primary analysis utilized the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the robustness of the results. RESULTS: We ultimately chose 39 SNPs as IVs for the final analysis. The results of the two MR methods we utilized in the investigation indicated that a possible causal relationship between hypothyroidism and frozen shoulder. The most significant analytical outcome demonstrated an odds ratio (OR) of 1.0577 (95% Confidence Interval (CI):1.0057-1.1123), P = 0.029, using the IVW approach. Furthermore, using the MR Egger method as a supplementary analytical outcome showed an OR of 1.1608 (95% CI:1.0318-1.3060), P = 0.017. Furthermore, the results of our sensitivity analysis indicate that there is no heterogeneity or pleiotropy in our MR analysis. In the reverse Mendelian analysis, no causal relationship was found between frozen shoulders and hypothyroidism. CONCLUSION: Our MR analysis suggests that there may be a causal relationship between hypothyroidism and frozen shoulder.

From Fractional Quantum Anomalous Hall Smectics to Polar Smectic Metals: Nontrivial Interplay Between Electronic Liquid Crystal Order and Topological Order in Correlated Topological Flat Bands.

Symmetry-breaking orders can not only compete with each other, but also be interwined, and the interwined topological and symmetry-breaking orders make the situation more intriguing. This work examines the archetypal correlated flat band model on a checkerboard lattice at filling ν = 2/3 and we find the unique interplay between smectic charge order and topological order gives rise to two novel quantum states. As the interaction strength increases, the system first transitions from a Fermi liquid into FQAH smectic (FQAHS) state, where FQAH topological order coexists cooperatively with smectic charge order with enlarged ground-state degeneracy and interestingly, the Hall conductivity is σxy = ν = 2/3, different from the band-folding or doping scenarios. Further increasing the interaction strength, the system undergoes another quantum phase transition and evolves into a polar smectic metal (PSM) state. This emergent PSM is an anisotropic non-Fermi liquid, whose interstripe tunneling is irrelevant while it is metallic inside each stripe. Different from the FQAHS and conventional smectic orders, this PSM spontaneously breaks the two-fold rotational symmetry, resulting in a nonzero electric dipole moment and ferroelectric order. In addition to the exotic ground states, large-scale numerical simulations are also used to study low-energy excitations and thermodynamic characteristics. We find the onset temperature of the incompressible FQAHS state, which also coincides with the onset of non-polar smectic order, is dictated by the magneto-roton modes. Above this onset temperature, the PSM state exists at intermediate-temperature regime. Although the T = 0 quantum phase transition between PSM and FQAHS is first order, the thermal FQAHS-PSM transition could be continuous. We expect the features of the exotic states and thermal phase transitions could be accessed in future experiments.

Impacts of eutrophication on microbial community structure in sediment, seawater, and phyllosphere of seagrass ecosystems.

Introduction: Seagrass-associated microbial communities play a crucial role in the growth and health of seagrasses. However, like seagrass meadows, seagrass-associated microbial communities are often affected by eutrophication. It remains unclear how eutrophication influences the composition and function of microbial communities associated with different parts of seagrass. Methods: We employed prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing combining microbial community structure analysis and co-occurrence network analysis to investigate variances in microbial community compositions, potential functions and complexities across sediment, seagrass leaves, and seawater within different eutrophic areas of two adjacent seagrass meadows on Hainan Island, China. Results: Our results indicated that microbial diversity on seagrass leaves was significantly lower than in sediment but significantly higher than in seawater. Both sediment and phyllosphere microbial diversity showed no significant difference between the highly eutrophic and less eutrophic sites in each lagoon. However, sediment microbial diversity was higher in the more eutrophic lagoon, while phyllosphere microbial diversity was higher in the less eutrophic lagoon. Heavy eutrophication increased the relative abundance of phyllosphere microorganisms potentially involved in anaerobic metabolic processes, while reducing those responsible for beneficial functions like denitrification. The main factor affecting microbial diversity was organic carbon in seawater and sediment, with high organic carbon levels leading to decreased microbial diversity. The co-occurrence network analysis revealed that heavy eutrophication notably reduced the complexity and internal connections of the phyllosphere microbial community in comparison to the sediment and seawater microbial communities. Furthermore, ternary analysis demonstrated that heavy eutrophication diminished the external connections of the phyllosphere microbial community with the sediment and seawater microbial communities. Conclusion: The pronounced decrease in biodiversity and complexity of the phyllosphere microbial community under eutrophic conditions can lead to greater microbial functional loss, exacerbating seagrass decline. This study emphasizes the significance of phyllosphere microbial communities compared to sediment microbial communities in the conservation and restoration of seagrass meadows under eutrophic conditions.

Drug-induced liver injury associated with atypical generation antipsychotics from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that liver enzyme abnormalities were not only seen with typical antipsychotics (APs) but also with atypical antipsychotics (AAPs). During the last 20 years, the hepatotoxicity of various antipsychotics received much attention. However, systematic evaluations of hepatotoxicity associated with APs are limited. METHODS: All drug related hepatic disorders cases were retrieved from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database using standardized MedDRA queries (SMQ) from the first quarter of 2017 to the first quarter of 2022. Patient characteristics and prognosis were assessed. In this study, a case/non-case approach was used to calculate reporting odds ratio (RORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We calculated the drug-induced liver injury (DILI) RORs for each AAPs. RESULTS: A total of 408 DILI cases were attributed to AAPs during the study period. 18.6% of these were designated as serious adverse event (SAE), which include death (19.74%), hospitalization (68.42%), disability (2.63%), and life-threatening (9.21%) outcomes. The RORs values in descending order were: quetiapine (ROR = 0.782), clozapine (ROR = 0.665), aripiprazole (ROR = 0.507), amisulpride (ROR = 0.308), paliperidone (ROR = 0.212), risperidone (ROR = 0.198), ziprasidone (0.131). CONCLUSION: The result found in our study was that all AAPs didn't have a significant correlation with increased hepatotoxicity. Future analysis of the FAERS database in conjunction with other data sources will be essential for continuous monitoring of DILI.

Expert consensus on the diagnosis and therapy of endo-periodontal lesions.

Endo-periodontal lesions (EPLs) involve both the periodontium and pulp tissue and have complicated etiologies and pathogenic mechanisms, including unique anatomical and microbiological characteristics and multiple contributing factors. This etiological complexity leads to difficulties in determining patient prognosis, posing great challenges in clinical practice. Furthermore, EPL-affected teeth require multidisciplinary therapy, including periodontal therapy, endodontic therapy and others, but there is still much debate about the appropriate timing of periodontal therapy and root canal therapy. By compiling the most recent findings on the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis of EPL-affected teeth, this consensus sought to support clinicians in making the best possible treatment decisions based on both biological and clinical evidence.

Detection of Muscular Metastasis in a Case of Parathyroid Carcinoma Using 18 F-FAPI-04 PET/CT.

ABSTRACT: A 46-year-old woman underwent surgery for parathyroid carcinoma 2 years ago. During follow-up, the patient presented with elevated parathyroid hormone (127.50 pg/mL; normal, 15-65). No abnormal uptake of 18 F-FDG or 11 C-choline was observed on 18 F-FDG and 11 C-choline PET/CT imaging. The patient was enrolled in a clinical trial for 18 F-FAPI PET/CT imaging, revealing a lesion with intense focal uptake within the left sternocleidomastoid muscle. The patient underwent surgery. Postoperative pathology and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed parathyroid carcinoma metastasis.

The Method and Experiment of Detecting the Strength of Structural Components Utilizing the Distributed Strain of Sensing Optical Fibers Demodulated by OFDR.

Defects occurring during the welding process of metal structural components directly affect their overall strength, which is crucial to the load-bearing capacity and durability of the components. This signifies the importance of accurate measurement and assessment of weld strength. However, traditional non-destructive testing methods such as ultrasonic and non-contact camera inspection have certain technical limitations. In response to these issues, this paper analyzes the detection principle of weld strength, revealing that weld defects reduce the effective area of the structural bearing section and cause stress concentration around them. Through repeated experimental data analysis of samples, strain distribution data along the one-dimensional direction caused by defects such as slag inclusion and porosity were obtained. Experimental results show that this method can identify defect types in welds, including slag inclusion, porosity, and unevenness, and accurately measure the location and size of defects with a precision of 0.64 mm, achieving qualitative analysis of weld defects. Additionally, by deploying distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) at different vertical distances along the weld direction, the propagation law of stress induced by different types of weld defects on samples was thoroughly analyzed. This further validates the advantages of this method in weld strength detection, including high spatial resolution, high sensitivity, and non-destructive measurement.

Modifications on histone tails in Parkinson's disease.

This study investigates the role of histone tail modifications in Parkinson's disease (PD), emphasizing the epigenetic regulation of genes associated with the disease. PD primarily manifests in individuals over 60, suggesting that PD-causal genes remain dormant until later in life, influenced by environmental factors and epigenetic modifications. Histone modifications such as methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitylation play crucial roles in gene expression regulation by altering chromatin structure or interacting with gene regulatory regions. Specifically, modifications on histones H2A, H2AX, H3, and H4 have been linked to PD. For instance, α-synuclein (α-SYN) aggregation, a hallmark of PD, is regulated by histone modifications like H3K27ac and H3K4me3, which enhance α-SYN expression and contribute to PD progression. Conversely, repressive marks like H3K9ac and H3K27me3 can mitigate PD risk by reducing α-SYN levels. Therapeutic strategies targeting these histone modifications, such as the use of GSK-J4 or vitamin C-treated neural stem cells, show potential in alleviating PD symptoms by modulating histone marks and gene expression. Understanding these epigenetic mechanisms offers promising avenues for developing novel treatments for PD.

Production of high calorific value hydrogen-rich combustible gas by supercritical water gasification of straw assisted by machine learning.

This article reveals the basic laws of straw supercritical water gasification (SCWG) and provides basic experimental data for the effective utilization of straw. The paper studied the impact of three operational conditions on the production of high-calorific value hydrogen-rich combustible gases through SCWG of straw within a quartz tube reactor. The findings reveal that elevated reaction temperatures, extended residence times, and reduced feedstock concentrations favor the SCWG of straw. When combustible gas contains carbon dioxide, the maximum low heating value (LHV) of the gas is 21 MJ/Nm3. Upon removing carbon dioxide, the LHV of the gas reached 38 MJ/Nm3. Subsequently, a machine learning (ML) model was developed to forecast gas yield and LHV during the SCWG process. The results demonstrate that the model exhibits robust generalization capabilities. ML can be extensively applied to forecast biomass SCWG processes across various operational conditions.

PpIX-enabled fluorescence-based detection and photodynamic priming of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer cells under fluid shear stress.

Over 75% percent of ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced-stage disease characterized by unresectable intraperitoneal dissemination and the presence of ascites, or excessive fluid build-up within the abdomen. Conventional treatments include cytoreductive surgery followed by multi-line platinum and taxane chemotherapy regimens. Despite an initial response to treatment, over 75% of patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer will relapse and succumb to platinum-resistant disease. Recent evidence suggests that fluid shear stress (FSS), which results from the movement of fluid such as ascites, induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and confers resistance to carboplatin in ovarian cancer cells. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that FSS-induced platinum resistance correlates with increased cellular protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), the penultimate downstream product of heme biosynthesis, the production of which can be enhanced using the clinically approved pro-drug aminolevulinic acid (ALA). These data suggest that, with further investigation, PpIX could serve as a fluorescence-based biomarker of FSS-induced platinum resistance. Additionally, this study investigates the efficacy of PpIX-enabled photodynamic therapy (PDT) and the secretion of extracellular vesicles under static and FSS conditions in Caov-3 and NIH:OVCAR-3 cells, two representative cell lines for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), the most lethal form of the disease. FSS induces resistance to ALA-PpIX-mediated PDT, along with a significant increase in the number of EVs. Finally, the ability of PpIX-mediated photodynamic priming (PDP) to enhance carboplatin efficacy under FSS conditions is quantified. These preliminary findings in monolayer cultures necessitate additional studies to determine the feasibility of PpIX as a fluorescence-based indicator, and mediator of PDP, to target chemoresistance in the context of FSS.

5-Aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy in combination with kinase inhibitor lapatinib enhances glioblastoma cell death.

5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is an intraoperative imaging agent approved for protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence-guided resection of glioblastoma (GBM). It is currently under clinical evaluation for photodynamic therapy (PDT) after the completion of GBM surgery. We previously showed that lapatinib, a clinical kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor 1 & 2 (EGFR and HER2), enhanced PpIX fluorescence in a panel of GBM cell lines by blocking ABCG2 (ATP-binding cassette super-family G member 2)-mediated PpIX efflux, which suggests its potential for improving ALA for GBM surgery and PDT. Here we show that lapatinib enhanced PDT-induced cytotoxicity by promoting GBM cell death with the induction of apoptosis followed by necrosis. While the induction of tumor cell apoptosis was massive and rapid in the H4 cell line with no detectable Bcl-2 and a low level of Bcl-xL, it was delayed and much less in extent in A172, U-87 and U-118 cell lines with higher levels of pro-survival Bcl-2 family proteins. Lapatinib treatment alone neither reduced GBM cell viability nor had any significant effect on EGFR downstream signaling. Its enhancement of ALA-PDT was largely due to the increase of intracellular PpIX particularly in the mitochondria, resulting in the activation of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in H4 cells. Our present study demonstrates that lapatinib inhibits ABCG2-mediated PpIX efflux and sensitizes GBM cells to ALA-PDT by inducing tumor cell death.

Validation of the Chinese orthostatic discriminant and Severity Scale (ODSS) for detection of orthostatic intolerance syndrome.

Background: Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is the inability to tolerate orthostatic stress during any postural change. The etiology of OI varies, and methods to obtain a specific diagnosis and plan appropriate treatment are important. The tools available within the Chinese context to swiftly identify orthostatic intolerance syndrome (OIS) are currently limited. Methods: Patients with OI symptoms were included in this study and categorized into two groups based on the results of the supine-to-stand test. Those with abnormal test results were assigned to the OIS group, while those with normal test results were placed in the non-OIS group. We evaluated the internal consistency and predictive value of the Chinese Orthostatic Discriminant and Severity Scale (ODSS) by comparing patients' scores with their physiological measurements collected during orthostatic stress tests and the results of other available questionnaires, including the orthostatic Symptom Questionnaire and Orthostatic Grading Scale (OGS). Results: Patients with OIS scored significantly higher on all three questionnaires and showed significant differences in autonomic responses during orthostatic stress tests compared with non-OIS patients. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the orthostatic score from the ODSS had moderate predictive value for the supine test (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.754). Further subgroup analysis revealed that the orthostatic score from the ODSS had uniquely high specificity and sensitivity for identifying patients with orthostatic hypotension with abnormal cerebral blood flow (OH-U, AUC = 0.919). Conclusions: We conclude that the Chinese version of the ODSS has sufficient reliability and validity to distinguish patients with OIS and could possibly be used as a diagnostic tool for OH-U patients. Thus, the Chinese ODSS offers a beneficial screening tool for quickly assessing whether patients have OIS that requires further clinical assessment.

Digital financial inclusion and household financial vulnerability: An empirical analysis of rural and urban disparities in China.

In recent times, a notable increase in the leverage ratios among numerous households across China has been witnessed, culminating in heightened household financial vulnerability. Concurrently, the sphere of digital inclusive finance has witnessed rapid advancement, establishing itself as a crucial mechanism for Chinese households to counteract financial risk shocks. This research article meticulously constructs an ordered regression model, anchored in micro-level data from household surveys, to delve into the influence and operative mechanisms of digital inclusive finance on the vulnerability of household finances. Empirical findings from this study robustly indicate that the evolution of digital inclusive finance significantly mitigates the household financial vulnerability. A thorough mechanism analysis reveals that digital inclusive finance primarily curtails household financial vulnerability through several avenues: it notably enhances financial literacy, augments the income derived from household financial assets, and elevates contributions to commercial insurance. Intriguingly, a heterogeneity analysis underscores that the impact of digital inclusive finance is more pronounced in reducing financial vulnerability amongst households registered in rural areas and those with lower income levels. This article contributes to the expansion of the theoretical framework concerning household financial vulnerability, offering insightful guidance and policy implications for addressing financial vulnerability concerns and forestalling macro-financial risks.

Automatic anal sphincter integrity detection from ultrasound images via convolutional neural networks.

BACKGROUND: The anal sphincter complex comprises the anal sphincter and the U-shaped deep and superficial puborectalis muscle. As an important supporting structure of the posterior pelvic floor, together with its surrounding tissues and muscles, the anal sphincter complex maintains the normal physiological functions of defecation and continence. OBJECTIVE: The plane required for diagnosing anal sphincter injury and the diagnosis of anal sphincter integrity through pelvic floor ultrasound are highly dependent on sonographers' experience. We developed a deep learning (DL) tool for the automatic diagnosis of anal sphincter integrity via pelvic floor ultrasound. METHODS: A 2D detection network was trained to detect the bounding box of the anal sphincter. The pelvic floor ultrasound image and its corresponding oval mask were input into a 2D classification network to determine the integrity of the anal sphincter. The average precision (AP) and intersection over union (IoU) were used to evaluate the performance of anal sphincter detection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the performance of the classification model. RESULTS: The Pearson correlation coefficients (r values) of the topmost and bottommost layers detected by the CNN and sonographers were 0.932 and 0.978, respectively. The best DL model yielded the highest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.808 (95% CI: 0.698-0.921) in the test cohort. The results from the CNN agreed well with the diagnostic results of experienced sonographers. CONCLUSIONS: We proposed, for the first time, a CNN to obtain the plane required for diagnosing anal sphincter injury on the basis of pelvic floor ultrasound and for preliminarily diagnosing anal sphincter injury.

Preliminary Outcomes of Calcaneal Body Lengthening for the Calcaneus Shortening.

For lengthening irregular bones, such as calcaneus, there are few reports in the literature. This study aimed to introduce the treatment strategy and preliminary outcomes for calcaneus shortening using calcaneal body lengthening. From January 2017 to January 2022, calcaneal lengthening was conducted for three patients (two males and one female) who suffered from traumatic calcaneal shortening. The Achilles tendon was lengthened in one patient. After osteotomy of the calcaneus, an Ilizarov frame was used to gradually (1 mm/day) distract the calcaneal fragment. The lengthening procedure was stopped when the calcaneal height and length were restored based on radiography. The fixator was removed after bone union. The average follow-up length was 18 months (range, 14-24 months). X-ray was used for radiological assessments. Patients reported satisfaction using the 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). Clinical outcome was evaluated following the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle score. All data were assessed by two physicians blind to clinical assessments. The wound healed primarily in three cases. The bone got solid union without refracture and malunion. The distraction time was 30 days (range, 25-45 days). The fixation time was 113.3 days (average, 80-150 days). Calcaneal lengthening was 26 mm (range, 15-43 mm). The height and length of the calcaneus were restored nearly to the same as the opposite foot. The mean preoperative calcaneal pitch angle increased from 2.6 degrees to an average of 19.0 degrees after the surgery. The AOFAS score increased from 60.0 to 86.0. One patient experienced pin infection. The infection healed after changing the dressing. Calcaneal lengthening using an Ilizarov external fixator is a preferable technique to restore the length and height of the calcaneus and can achieve satisfactory foot function.

1,3-Difunctionalization of Alkenes by Cobaloxime Photocatalysis.

Represented herein is the first 1,3-difunctionalization of alkenes via photocatalysis. A single cobaloxime is used to carry out two catalytic cycles in which cobaloxime is used not only as a photocatalyst to initiate the reaction but also as a metal catalyst for the ß-H elimination process. Electron-deficient alkenes, electron-rich alkenes, and unactivated alkenes could be directly converted to 1,3-bisphosphorylated products, even unsymmetric 1,3-bisphosphorylated products, with only H2 as a byproduct under extremely mild reaction conditions.

Photocatalytic Cross-Coupling of Aldehydes and Alkenes for Aryl Vinyl Ketones by a Single Catalyst.

Herein is the first example of photocatalytic cross-coupling of alkenes with aldehydes by a single catalyst without an external photosensitizer and any additives. Irradiation of the aromatic aldehyde and cobaloxime catalyst results in the formation of an acyl radical, which undergoes radical addition with alkene or indole and subsequently ß-H elimination to afford alkenyl ketone. The reaction features cheap and readily available raw materials, a broad substrate scope, and mild conditions, even for late-stage derivatization of bioactive compounds.