Blood glucose to predict symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage after endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke with large infarct core: a prospective observational study.

Introduction: Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) is a serious complication of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after endovascular treatment (EVT). Limited data exist regarding predictors and clinical implications of sICH after EVT, underscoring the significance of identifying risk factors to enhance prevention strategies. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of sICH and identify its predictors after EVT in patients with large infarct core-AIS in the pre-circulation stage. Methods: Using data from the EVT for the Pre-circulation Large Infarct Core-AIS Study, we enrolled patients who were treated with EVT from the Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study of Early Treatment in Acute Stroke (MAGIC) registry. Baseline demographics, medical history, vascular risk factors, blood pressure, stroke severity, radiographic features, and EVT details were collected. The patients were classified into three groups: without intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), with asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (aICH), and sICH, based upon the occurrence of sICH. The main outcomes were the occurrence of sICH according to the Heidelberg Bleeding Classification and functional condition at 90 days. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to identify independent predictors of sICH after EVT. Results: The study recruited a total of 490 patients, of whom 13.3% (n = 65) developed sICH. Patients with sICH had less favorable outcomes than those without intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and those with aICH (13.8% vs. 43.5% vs. 32.2%, respectively; p < 0.001). The overall mortality was 41.8% (n = 205) at 90 days post-EVT. The univariate analysis revealed significant differences among the three groups in terms of blood glucose levels at admission, probability of favorable outcomes, incidence of brain herniation, and 90-day mortality. The multifactorial logistic regression analysis revealed that the blood glucose level at admission [odds ratio (OR) 1.169, p < 0.001, confidence interval (CI) 1.076-1.269] was an independent predictor of sICH. A blood glucose level of 6.95 mmol/L at admission was the best predictor of sICH, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.685 (95% CI: 0.616-0.754). Discussion: The study findings demonstrated that the probability of sICH after EVT was 13.3% in patients with pre-circulation large infarct core-AIS, and sICH increased the risk of an unfavorable prognosis. Higher blood glucose levels at admission were associated with sICH after EVT in patients with pre-circulation large infarct core AIS. These findings underscore the importance of early management strategies to mitigate this risk.

Combined effect of ASPECTS and age on outcome of patients with large core infarction treated with mechanical thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: Despite the remarkable effectiveness of endovascular treatment (EVT), recent randomized controlled trials indicate that up to half of patients with large core infarction have a very poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 5-6 at 90 days). This study investigates the combined effect of Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) and age on very poor outcome in patients with large core infarction treated with EVT. METHODS: This subanalysis of the MAGIC registry, which is a prospective, multicenter cohort study of early treatment in acute stroke, focused on patients with ASPECTS ≤5 presenting within 24 hours of stroke onset and receiving CT followed by EVT from November 1, 2021 to February 8, 2023. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the independent and joint association of ASPECTS and age with very poor outcome. RESULTS: Among the 490 patients (57.3% men; median (IQR) age 69 (59-78) years), very poor outcome occurred more frequently in those with lower ASPECTS (65.2% in ASPECTS 0-2 vs 43.4% in ASPECTS 3-5; P<0.001). The predictive value of successful recanalization for very poor outcome was significant in patients with ASPECTS 3-5 (P=0.010), but it diminished in those with ASPECTS 0-2 (P=0.547). Compared with patients with ASPECTS 3-5 and age ≤69 years, the risk of a very poor outcome increased incrementally in those with lower ASPECTS, advanced age, or both (P<0.05). Graphical plot analysis showed a significantly lower probability of very poor outcome in younger patients (≤69 years) compared with older patients (>69 years) across all ASPECTS points. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest prioritizing young patients as candidates for EVT in those with ASPECTS 0-2.

The Association Between National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Score and Clinical Outcome in Patients with Large Core Infarctions Undergoing Endovascular Treatment.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to analyze the association between baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores and clinical outcomes in patients with large core infarctions undergoing endovascular treatment (EVT), a relationship that remains unclear. METHODS: Data were obtained from the MAGIC study, a prospective multicenter cohort study focusing on patients with acute large core ischemic stroke. This analysis evaluated the impact of NIHSS scores on EVT outcomes in patients with large core infarctions. Primary outcome metrics included favorable outcomes (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] of 0-3 at 90 days), while secondary outcomes encompassed shifts in mRS scores, functional independence (mRS score of 0-2), mRS score of 0-4, and successful recanalization rates. Adverse events considered were symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 490 patients were enrolled in this study. Higher baseline NIHSS scores were inversely correlated with favorable outcomes (adjusted odds ratio [OR] in model 3, 0.848 [0.797-0.903], P < 0.001), particularly in patients with NIHSS scores above 20 (adjusted OR in model 3, 0.518 [0.306-0.878] vs. 0.290 [0.161-0.523]). Regarding adverse events, higher baseline NIHSS scores significantly correlated with increased 90-day mortality rates (adjusted OR in model 3, 1.129 [1.072-1.189], P < 0.001). This correlation became insignificant when baseline NIHSS scores exceeded 22. Additionally, baseline NIHSS scores partially mediated the association between age (indirect effect = - 0.0005, 19.39% mediated) and sex (indirect effect = 0.0457, 25.08% mediated) with the primary outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that higher baseline NIHSS scores correlate with poorer outcomes and increased mortality, particularly when scores exceed 20. Moreover, age and sex indirectly influence favorable outcomes through their association with baseline NIHSS scores.

Data driven analysis reveals prognostic genes and immunological targets in human sepsis-associated acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: The molecular mechanism of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is unclear. We analyzed co-differentially expressed genes (co-DEGs) to elucidate the underlying mechanism and intervention targets of SA-AKI. METHODS: The microarray datasets GSE65682, GSE30718, and GSE174220 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We identified the co-DEGs and constructed a gene co-expression network to screen the hub genes. We analyzed immune correlations and disease correlations and performed functional annotation of the hub genes. We also performed single-cell and microenvironment analyses and investigated the enrichment pathways and the main transcription factors. Finally, we conducted a correlation analysis to evaluate the role of the hub genes. RESULTS: Interleukin 32 (IL32) was identified as the hub gene in SA-AKI, and the main enriched signaling pathways were associated with hemopoiesis, cellular response to cytokine stimulus, inflammatory response, and regulation of kidney development. Additionally, IL32 was significantly associated with mortality in SA-AKI patients. Monocytes, macrophages, T cells, and NK cells were closely related to IL32 and were involved in the immune microenvironment in SA-AKI patients. IL32 expression increased significantly in the kidney of septic mouse. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) was significantly and negatively correlated with IL32. CONCLUSION: IL32 is the key gene involved in SA-AKI and is significantly associated with prognosis. TLR2 and relevant immune cells are closely related to key genes.

Exploring the potential impact of group identity on post-traumatic growth in the aftermath of Corona outbreak: function of social-emotional competence as a mediator.

Background: This research endeavors to examine the potential effects of human and societal interactions on individuals' post-traumatic growth in the aftermath of the Corona outbreak. To achieve the aforementioned objective, the current research investigates the correlations between post-traumatic growth and group identity, while also examining the potential mediating function of social-emotional competence. Methods: A cross-sectional design included a representative sample of 2,637 high school students located in the capital territory of Pakistan using convenience sampling method. To explore the associations, correlation and mediation analyzes utilizing the group identification scale, the social-emotional competence scale, and the post-traumatic growth scale was performed with SPSS PROCESS 4 macro and AMOS. Results: The findings demonstrated that group identification emerged as a substantial predictor substantially associated with post-traumatic growth. Moreover, the relationship linking group identification and post-traumatic growth was found to be partially moderated by social-emotional competence. Conclusion: The phenomenon of group identification can exert influence on post-traumatic growth through both direct and mediating pathways, with the latter being essentially mediated by social-emotional competence. The aforementioned outcomes possess significant academic and practical implications concerning the promotion of post-traumatic growth and the improvement of psychological well-being after the Corona outbreak.

Cu-N4 in copper phthalocyanine@CFC catalyst for ammonia oxidation reaction catalysis.

The high oxidation overpotential in the ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR) is a key factor restricting the fields of ammonia fuel cells, hydrogen production by electrochemical decomposition of ammonia, and treatment of ammonia-containing wastewater. Copper-based catalysts have been considered hopeless for AOR; however, in this research, copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) catalysts grown on carbon fiber cloth (CFC), CuPc@CFC, were investigated firstly for AOR catalysis, and the unique Cu-N4 resulted in a peak potential of -0.29 V vs. Hg/HgO for AOR, which is superior to Pt/C. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that Cu-N4 is the reactive center of AOR, and the LUMO of CuPc is distributed on the Cu site, which is favorable to gain electrons from NH3 and thus adsorb NH3; in contrast, the HOMO of C10H10CuN8 is distributed on the Cu site, which tends to give electrons and is unfavorable to NH3 adsorption. However, copper azide pyridine (C10H10CuN8) was found in the samples after the AOR. Analysis of the comparison samples showed that changing the ethanol content has the effect of changing the grain size and inhibiting the generation of C10H10CuN8 after the AOR process, as well as slightly changing the Cu-N4, leading to the change of its Fermi energy level and d-orbital energy level center, thus providing new ideas for the future fabrication of catalysts in various fields of AOR.

One-step electrodeposition of ZnO/graphene composites with enhanced capability for photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes.

Zinc oxide is a popular semiconductor used in catalysts due to its wide bandgap and high exciton binding energy. However, the photocatalytic performance of ZnO was compromised by its insufficient electron-hole separation efficiency and electron transfer rate. Herein, ZnO-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite solid catalyst was synthesized by one-step electrodeposition method on FTO substrate using lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) as the supporting electrolyte. Scanning electron microscopy, Raman, Fourier Transform Infrared, and XRD characterizations confirmed the deposition of ZnO and the reduction of graphene oxide Owing to the cooperative effect between rGO and ZnO, the as-prepared ZnO-rGO composites show much enhanced photocatalytic degradation ability compared with pure ZnO nanorods. By optimizing the conditions of electrodeposition of ZnO-rGO composites, the degradation rate of methylene blue can reach 99.1% within 120 min. Thus, the simple preparation and the excellent performance could endow the ZnO-rGO composites with promising application in practical dye-polluted water treatment.

Co-doped CeO2/N-C nanorods as a bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst and its application in rechargeable Zn-air batteries.

The development of electrocatalysts for both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with high-activity and atability still remain great challenges for rechargeable Zn-air batteries. Herein, a new type of Co-doped Ce-N-C bifunctional electrocatalyst has been synthesized through a simple two-step method, which realizes the high dispersion of Co3O4on the CeO2carbon frame and stabilizes its specific surface area. Benefiting from the synergistic interaction between Co3O4and CeO2, the conductivity of the electrocatalyst is improved and the oxygen reduction reaction/oxygen storage properties are promoted. The resultant Co3O4-CeO2@N-C catalyst shows remarkable ORR activity with the high initial potential (E0 = 0.8 V), the large limiting current density (jL = 6 mA cm-2), and a low Tafel slope (81 mV dec-1). In full cell tests, Co3O4-CeO2@NC as the oxygen electrode exhibites superior charge/discharge capacity and excellent cycle stability. The assembled Zn-air battery achieves a maximum power density of 110 mW cm-2at a current density of 180 mA cm-2, and a high specific capacity of 780 mAh g-1at a discharge current density of 10 mA cm-2.

Highly Efficient and Stable CsPbTh3 (Th = I, Br, Cl) Perovskite Solar Cells by Combinational Passivation Strategy.

The distorted lead iodide octahedra of all-inorganic perovskite based on triple halide-mixed CsPb(I2.85 Br0.149 Cl0.001 ) framework have made a tremendous breakthrough in its black phase stability and photovoltaic efficiency. However, their performance still suffers from severe ion migration, trap-induced nonradiative recombination, and black phase instability due to lower tolerance factor and high total energy. Here, a combinational passivation strategy to suppress ion migration and reduce traps both on the surface and in the bulk of the CsPhTh3 perovskite film is developed, resulting in improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) to as high as 19.37%. The involvement of guanidinium (GA) into the CsPhTh3 perovskite bulk film and glycocyamine (GCA) passivation on the perovskite surface and grain boundary synergistically enlarge the tolerance factor and suppress the trap state density. In addition, the acetate anion as a nucleating agent significantly improves the thermodynamic stability of GA-doped CsPbTh3 film through the slight distortion of PbI6 octahedra. The decreased nonradiative recombination loss translates to a high fill factor of 82.1% and open-circuit voltage (VOC ) of 1.17 V. Furthermore, bare CsPbTh3 perovskite solar cells without any encapsulation retain 80% of its initial PCE value after being stored for one month under ambient conditions.

Telmisartan mitigates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) through increasing suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1).

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a serious clinical pulmonary disease. The pathogenesis of ALI is related to the excessive release of inflammatory factors and upregulation of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC). Telmisartan is a novel antihypertension agent that exerts promising anti-inflammatory effects. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Telmisartan has a protective role in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MUC5AC expression and to explore the underlying mechanism in human bronchial epithelial cells. Firstly, the decreased cell viability, elevated release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and excessively released inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin- 6 (IL-6), and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF)-ß in bronchial BEAS-2B epithelial cells induced by stimulation with LPS were significantly reversed by the introduction of Telmisartan. Secondly, the upregulated MUC5AC and downregulated suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) caused by stimulation with LPS were dramatically reversed by Telmisartan. Notably, treatment with Telmisartan attenuated LPS-induced activation of nuclear factor κ-B (NF-κB). Lastly, silencing of SOCS1 abolished the protective effects of Telmisartan against LPS-induced production of MUC5AC and the activation of NF-κB. Based on these findings, we conclude that Telmisartan displayed a protective effect against LPS by improving mitochondrial function, mitigating inflammatory response, and reducing the production of mucin 5AC by regulating the SOCS1/NF-κB axis in human bronchial epithelial cells.

First-principles study of VPO4O as a cathode material for rechargeable Mg batteries.

The electrochemical properties of VPO4O as a cathode for Mg batteries were studied by performing first principles calculations. Mg insertion features a plateau at about 2.8 V up to Mg0.5VPO4O and then another plateau at around 2.2 V up to MgVPO4O, with a theoretical capacity of about 154 mA h g-1 and 144 mA h g-1, respectively. MgVPO4O is found to be dynamically stable with the absence of negative frequencies in the phonon density of states. The insertion of one Mg reduced two VO6 units instead of reducing only one VO6 unit. In addition, MgVPO4O shows an energy barrier of about 0.58 eV for Mg-ion vacancy migration along the [111] direction, which is comparable to that of many other cathode materials. Our results indicated that MgVPO4O has the potential to be a promising candidate as a cathode material for Mg batteries.

A new Middle Jurassic diplodocoid suggests an earlier dispersal and diversification of sauropod dinosaurs.

The fragmentation of the supercontinent Pangaea has been suggested to have had a profound impact on Mesozoic terrestrial vertebrate distributions. One current paradigm is that geographic isolation produced an endemic biota in East Asia during the Jurassic, while simultaneously preventing diplodocoid sauropod dinosaurs and several other tetrapod groups from reaching this region. Here we report the discovery of the earliest diplodocoid, and the first from East Asia, to our knowledge, based on fossil material comprising multiple individuals and most parts of the skeleton of an early Middle Jurassic dicraeosaurid. The new discovery challenges conventional biogeographical ideas, and suggests that dispersal into East Asia occurred much earlier than expected. Moreover, the age of this new taxon indicates that many advanced sauropod lineages originated at least 15 million years earlier than previously realised, achieving a global distribution while Pangaea was still a coherent landmass.

[Protective effect of insulin-like growth factor-1 on acute lung injury induced by perfluoroisobutylene inhalation in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the protective effect of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on acute lung injury induced by perfluoroisobutylene (PFIB) inhalation in mice. METHODS: Sixty-four male Kunming mice were randomly divided into normal control (A) group, exposed (B) group, recombinant adenoviruses 5 of IGF-1 (Ad5-IGF-1) intervention (C) group (in which Ad5-IGF-1 was injected into the trachea of the mice), blank vector control (D) group. B, C and D groups were exposed to gaseous PFIB in a flow-past whole-body exposure system. The lung index, concentration of total protein and albumin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), concentration of IGF-1 in serum and lung homogenate were measured. The lung pathologic changes were examined with light microscope, and ultrastructure changes in alveolar type II cells (ATII) with electron microscope. RESULTS: Compared with A group, the lung index, concentration of total protein in BALF were significantly increased in other groups, the lung index and concentration of total protein and albumin of BALF in B and D groups were prominently higher than C group (all P<0.01). The concentration of IGF-1 in serum of B and D groups was lower markedly than that of A group, and the concentration of IGF-1 in serum of C group was distinctly higher than those of A, B, D groups (all P<0.01). The concentration of IGF-1 in lung homogenate of B, C, D groups was higher than that of A group, and the concentration of IGF-1 in lung homogenate of C group was significantly higher than that of B and D groups (all P<0.01). Lung hyaline membrane formation, diffuse alveolar atelectasis, accumulation of edema fluid, red blood cell exudation, were obviously milder in C group, and changes in the ultrastructure of ATII showed a similar result. CONCLUSION: The protective effect of Ad5-IGF-1 against the toxicity of PFIB inhalation is identified. In the mice pretreated with Ad5-IGF-1 is able to significantly lower lung index, the protein concentration in BALF, and the concentration of IGF-1 in serum and lung homogenate is obviously increased. Protection of ATII may be one of the mechanisms.