Relationship between the intravascular enhancement sign on three-dimensional T1-weighted turbo spin echo and intraluminal thrombus in middle cerebral artery atherosclerosis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between the intravascular enhancement sign (IVES) and intraluminal thrombus (ILT) detected by high-resolution magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (HR-VWI) in patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) atherosclerosis. METHOD: The data of patients who underwent HR-VWI between May 2021 and May 2023, including clinical information, the number of IVES vessels, stenosis degree, ILT, plaque features on 3D T1-weighted turbo spin echo sequences, and signal intensity ratio (SIR) on 3D time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography, were retrospectively analyzed. Correlation and logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 194 MCA plaques were identified in 132 patients (103 [53 %] on the left). Atherosclerosis with, relative to without, ILT was associated with a higher incidence of ischemic events, higher plaque enhancement and stenosis degrees, more vessels with IVES, and lower remodeling ratio, lumen area, wall area, total vessel area, and SIR. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed significant and independent associations of the number of IVES vessels (OR = 1.089; 95 % CI [1.013-1.170]; P = 0.020) and SIR (OR = 0.007; 95 % CI [0.0004-0.124]; P < 0.001) with ILT. The number of vessels with the IVES (AUC = 0.81, 95 % CI [0.75-0.87]; P < 0.001) and SIR (AUC = 0.88, 95 % CI [0.82-0.94]; P < 0.001) sufficiently diagnosed ILT, and the AUC of the combination of the IVES and SIR was 0.89 (95 % CI [0.84-0.94]; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The number of IVES vessels and SIR are independent risk factors for ILT. They may provide new monitoring targets for stroke prevention in patients with atherosclerotic stenosis.

Water Catchers within Sub-Nano Channels Promote Step-by-Step Zinc-Ion Dehydration Enable Highly Efficient Aqueous Zinc-Metal Batteries.

Zinc metal suffers from violent and long-lasting water-induced side reactions and uncontrollable dendritic Zn growth, which seriously reduce the coulombic efficiency (CE) and lifespan of aqueous zinc-metal batteries (AZMBs). To suppress the corresponding harmful effects of the highly active water, a stable zirconium-based metal-organic framework with water catchers decorated inside its sub-nano channels is used to protect Zn-metal. Water catchers within narrow channels can constantly trap water molecules from the solvated Zn-ions and facilitate step-by-step desolvation/dehydration, thereby promoting the formation of an aggregative electrolyte configuration, which consequently eliminates water-induced corrosion and side reactions. More importantly, the functionalized sub-nano channels also act as ion rectifiers and promote fast but even Zn-ions transport, thereby leading to a dendrite-free Zn metal. As a result, the protected Zn metal demonstrates an unprecedented cycling stability of more than 10 000 h and an ultra-high average CE of 99.92% during 4000 cycles. More inspiringly, a practical NH4V4O10//Zn pouch-cell is fabricated and delivers a capacity of 98 mAh (under high cathode mass loading of 25.7 mg cm-2) and preserves 86.2% capacity retention after 150 cycles. This new strategy in promoting highly reversible Zn metal anodes would spur the practical utilization of AZMBs.

Altered Resting-State Amygdalar Functional Connectivity in Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma Patients.

BACKGROUND: Glaucoma patients frequently present with depressive symptoms, the development of which is closely associated with amygdalar activity. However, no studies to date have documented glaucoma-related changes in the functional connectivity (FC) of the amygdala. Accordingly, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) analyses were herein used to evaluate changes in amygdalar FC in primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) patients. METHODS: In total, this study enrolled 36 PACG patients and 33 healthy controls (HCs). Complete eye exams were conducted for all PACG patients. After the preprocessing of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, the bilateral amygdala was selected as a seed point, followed by the comparison of resting-state FC between the PACG and HC groups. Then, those brain regions exhibiting significant differences between these groups were identified, and relationships between the FC coefficient values for these regions and clinical variables of interest were assessed. RESULTS: These analyses revealed that as compared to HC individuals, PACG patients exhibited reductions in FC between the amygdala and the cerebellum_8, vermis_4_5, anterior central gyrus, supplementary motor area, paracentral lobule, putamen, middle frontal gyrus, and posterior cingulate gyrus, while enhanced FC was detected between the right and left amygdala. No significant correlations between these changes in amygdalar any any disease-related clinical parameters or disease duration were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PACG exhibit extensive resting state abnormalities with respect to the FC between the amygdala and other regions of the brain, suggesting that dysregulated amygdalar FC may play a role in the pathophysiology of PACG.

Thermal-Accelerated Urease-Driven Bowl-Like Polydopamine Nanorobot for Targeted Photothermal/Photodynamic Antibiotic-Free Antibacterial Therapy.

The problem of antibiotic resistance seriously affects the treatment of bacterial infections, so there is an urgent need to develop novel antibiotic-independent antimicrobial strategies. Herein, a urease-driven bowl-like mesoporous polydopamine nanorobot (MPDA@ICG@Ur@Man) based on single-wavelength near-infrared (NIR) remote photothermal acceleration to achieve antibiotic-free phototherapy(photothermal therapy, PTT, plus photodynamic therapy, PDT) is first reported. The smart nanorobots can perform active movement by decomposing urea to produce carbon dioxide and ammonia. Particularly, the elevated local temperature during PTT can increase urease activity to enhance the autonomous movement and thus increase the contact between the antimicrobial substance and bacteria. Compared with a nanomotor propelled by urea only, the diffusion coefficient (De) of photothermal-accelerated nanorobots is increased from 1.10 to 1.26 µm2 s-1. More importantly, urease-driven bowl-like nanorobots with photothermal enhancement can specifically identify Escherichia coli (E. coli) and achieve simultaneous PTT/PDT at a single wavelength with 99% antibactericidal activity in vitro. In a word, the urease-driven bowl-like nanorobots guided by photothermal-accelerated strategy could provide a novel perspective for increasing PTT/PDT antibacterial therapeutic efficacy and be promising for various antibiotic-free sterilization applications.

The value of 3D T2-weighted SPACE sequence in the differential diagnosis of spinal arteriovenous fistula and acute transverse myelitis.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal arteriovenous fistulas (SAVF) was often neglected and misdiagnosed as acute transverse myelitis (ATM) due to its insidious onset and non-specific clinical symptoms. This study aims to investigate the differential diagnostic value of high-resolution T2-weighted volumetric sequence (3D sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip-angle evolutions [SPACE]) in patients with SAVF and ATM. METHODS: Retrospectively analyzed the clinical and radiological findings of 32 SDAVF patients and 32 ATM patients treated at our institutions from May 2018 to January 2023. They all underwent conventional spinal MRI and T2-SPACE examination, compared their performance in identifying lesions, to estimate the value of T2 SPACE sequence in the diagnosis of SAVF and ATM patients. RESULTS: The clue of cauda equina area change (CEAC) in conventional MRI and T2-SPACE sequences is specific for the diagnosis of SAVF. The diagnostic model composed of perimedullary flow voids (PFV) and CEAC has good diagnostic performance (AUCMRI = 0.95; AUCSPACE = 0.935). Compared with conventional MRI, the T2-SPACE sequence has a higher detection rate, sensitivity, and negative predictive value for PFV and CEAC in SAVF patients, but lower specificity and positive predictive value. In T2-SPACE images, there are significant differences in the distribution range, quadrant, and maximum diameter of PFV vessels between SAVF and ATM patients. Moreover, T2-SPACE sequence can determine the site of fistula in most SAVF patients preferably, and the inter-rater agreement was good in the assessment of the fistula. CONCLUSION: The CEAC is a new and useful clue for the diagnosis of thoracolumbar SAVF. And T2-SPACE sequence can more intuitively observe the lesions of SAVF, has good differential diagnostic value for SAVF and ATM patients.

Research on a Method of Locating Civil Aviation Radio Interference Sources Based on Time Difference of Arrival and Frequency Difference of Arrival for Four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Monitoring and analyzing radio interference sources play a crucial role in ensuring the safe operation of civil aviation navigation, communication, airport management, and air traffic control. Traditional ground monitoring methods are slow and inadequate for tracking aerial and mobile interference sources effectively. Although flight methods such as helicopters and airships can effectively monitor aerial interference, the flight approval process is time-consuming and expensive. This paper investigates a novel approach to locating civil aviation radio interference sources using four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to address this issue. It establishes a model for aerial positioning of radio interference sources with the four UAVs and proposes a method for time synchronization and data communication among them. The paper conducts simulations of the four-UAV time-frequency difference positioning method, analyzing the geometric accuracy dilution with different deployment configurations of the UAVs, positioning biases, and root mean square errors (RMSEs) under varying interference source movement speeds. The simulation results provide crucial data to support subsequent experiments.

Nitrogen-Fluorine co-doped TiO2/SiO2 nanoparticles for the photocatalytic degradation of acrylonitrile: Deactivation and regeneration.

In this study, we investigated the deactivation kinetics and mechanism of N-F-TiO2/SiO2 nanopowder as a model photocatalyst for the purpose of facilitating the photocatalytic degradation of acrylonitrile (AN) in aqueous environment. Prior research has already displayed the proficient degradation of AN through the utilization of N-F-TiO2/SiO2 catalysts, revealing a degradation efficiency of 81.2% within a span of 6 min at an initial AN concentration of 10 mg/L. Multiple variables including the initial AN concentration, illumination intensity, and initial pH value were extensively analyzed during the degradation process. The kinetics of photocatalytic degradation of AN, facilitated by the N-F-TiO2/SiO2 photocatalyst, were modeled by fitting the pseudo first-order reaction kinetics to each individual factor. Furthermore, the adverse effect of catalyst poisoning during the photocatalytic breakdown of AN using the N-F-TiO2/SiO2 photocatalyst was analyzed through a range of different techniques including SEM, XPS, BET, XRD, TG, and NH3-TPD. The incorporation of findings from these diverse techniques revealed that, the primary factors contributing to the photocatalyst's poisoning were as follows: (i) During the degradation process, the build-up of intermediate molecules on active sites hindered their functionality, leading to a decrease in the efficiency of the photocatalytic reaction, (ii) Carbonaceous deposits formed when the catalyst's pore structure was obstructed by pollutants or intermediate products that had not undergone timely photocatalytic breakdown and (iii) The persistent erosion of active sites due to hydraulic forces resulted in inadequate performance of the N-F-TiO2/SiO2 photocatalyst in aqueous solutions. A comprehensive analysis of the deactivation kinetics was conducted, deciding in the formulation of a detailed poisoning mechanism for the N-F-TiO2/SiO2 photocatalyst. Additionally, we explored the catalysts regeneration, involving thermal treatment, ultrasonic irradiation, and catalyst reloading. This study not only advances our insight into the waning performance of catalysts in aqueous media but also establishes a conceptual framework for extrapolating analogous deactivation dynamics in other catalysts, grounded in precedent experimental knowledge. This research contributes to the development of a deactivation model for catalysts in the aqueous environment, based on existing experimental research, providing a theoretical framework for understanding the deactivation process of photocatalysts.

Association of intravascular enhancement sign on 3D-T1W TSE with collateral status in middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke.

OBJECTIVE: The significance of the intravascular enhancement sign (IVES) on high-resolution magnetic resonance vascular wall imaging (HR-VWI) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the IVES and collateral assessment derived from digital subtraction angiography (DSA). METHOD: A total of 75 patients with occlusion of the first segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) who underwent HR-VWI and DSA examinations at our research institution between November 2016 and February 2023 were included. The number of vessels with IVES, IVES-Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS), American Society of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology/Society of Interventional Radiology (ASITN/SIR) collateral grade, and DSA collateral blood flow grade were retrospectively evaluated. Correlations between these indicators were assessed using Spearman's correlation. RESULTS: Interrater agreement was good for the assessment of HR-VWI and DSA indicators. After adjustments for age, degree of wall enhancement, and hypertension, a multivariable ordinal logistic regression model identified both the number of IVES vessels (OR = 1.37; 95%CI [1.06-1.78]; P = 0.017) and IVES-ASPECTS (OR = 2.00; 95%CI [1.03-3.87]; P = 0.041) as independent predictors of ischemic stroke. In the patient group with acute ischemic stroke, we found weak correlations between the number of IVES vessels and the ASITN/SIR collateral grade (rho = -0.35; P = 0.002) and between the IVES-ASPECTS and ASITN/SIR collateral grade (rho = -0.27; P = 0.02). Moreover, there were strong correlations between the number of IVES vessels and the DSA collateral blood flow grade (rho = -0.74; P < 0.001) and between the IVES-ASPECTS and the DSA collateral blood flow grade (rho = -0.65; P < 0.001). The number of IVES vessels correlated strongly with the IVES-ASPECTS (rho = 0.92, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We find that the IVES is closely associated with sluggish collateral blood flow, which further confirms the hemodynamic mechanism underlying the IVES in MCA occlusion.

Association of intravascular enhancement sign detected on high-resolution vessel wall imaging with ischaemic events in middle cerebral artery occlusion.

PURPOSE: Patients with intracranial artery occlusion have high rates of ischaemic events and recurrence. Early identification of patients with high-risk factors is therefore beneficial for prevention. Here we assessed the association between the intravascular enhancement sign (IVES) on high-resolution vessel wall imaging (HR-VWI) and acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) in a population with middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. METHOD: We retrospectively analysed the records of 106 patients with 111 MCA occlusions, including 60 with and 51 without AIS, who had undergone HR-VWI and computed tomography angiography (CTA) examinations from November 2016 to February 2023. Numbers of IVES vessels were counted and compared to the CTA findings. Statistical analyses of demographic and medical data were also performed. RESULTS: Occurrence rates and numbers of IVES vessels were significantly higher in the AIS than the non-AIS group (P < 0.05), and most vessels were detected on CTA. Numbers of vessels positively correlated with AIS occurrence (rho = 0.664; P < 0.0001). A multivariable ordinal logistic regression model adjusted for age, degree of wall enhancement, hypertension, and heart status identified the number of IVES vessels as an independent predictor for AIS (odds ratio = 1.6; 95% CI, 1.3-1.9; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Number of IVES vessels is an independent risk factor for AIS events, and may represent poor cerebral blood flow status and collateral compensation level. It thus provides cerebral haemodynamic information for patients with MCA occlusion for clinical use.

Modular and Selective Access to Functionalized Alkynes and Allenes via the Intermediacy of Propargylic Acetates.

We report an efficient one-pot, two-step procedure for the modular synthesis of α-difunctionalized alkynes and trisubstituted allenes by sequential cross-coupling of benzal gem-diacetates with organozinc or -copper reagents in the absence of external transition metals. The intermediacy of propargylic acetates enables the divergent and selective synthesis of these valuable products. This method features its readily accessible substrates, relatively mild conditions, wide scope, and scalability in practical synthesis.

Assessment of Morphological Features and Imaging Characteristics of Patients with Intracranial Artery Dissection: A High-Resolution MRI Study.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial artery dissection (IAD) is a pathological dissection of the arterial wall. .However, the morphological features and imaging characteristics of patients with intracranial artery dissection (IAD) remain poorly understood. METHODS: The study reports on 70 IAD patients (30 culprit and 40 non-culprit). All participants underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) scans. The morphological features and imaging characteristics of artery dissection were carefully investigated. Demographics and clinical characteristics of culprit and non-culprit patients were also collected. Apparent differences between the two groups, which could be used as biomarkers for ischemic event caused by the culprit dissection, were identified by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: The IAD patients studied could be classified into five different types on the basis of morphological features: classical dissection (n = 31), fusiform aneurysm (n = 2), long dissected aneurysm (n = 9), dolichoectatic dissecting aneurysm (n = 6), and saccular aneurysm (n = 22). The direct sites of artery dissection (double lumen and intimal flap) can be seen in most IAD patients on HR-MRI. Additionally, the presence of hypertension, double lumen and intimal flap were associated with culprit lesions and might be considered biomarkers for the ischemic event caused by the culprit dissection. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis showed that HR-MRI allowed easy visualization of abnormal morphology of artery dissection lesions. This was of great significance for the diagnosis of IAD and gave a better understanding of its pathophysiological mechanism.

The value of next-generation sequencing for the diagnosis of Streptococcus suis meningitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the value of next-generation sequencing for the diagnosis of Streptococcus suis meningitis. METHODS: Patients with meningitis in the Department of Neurology of the Hainan General Hospital were recruited and divided into a next-generation sequencing group and a control group. In the next-generation sequencing group, we used the next-generation sequencing method to detect the specific pathogenic bacteria in the patients. In the control group, we used the cerebrospinal fluid bacterial culture method to detect the specific pathogenic bacteria in the patients. RESULTS: A total of 28 participants were recruited for this study, with 14 participants in each group. The results showed similarities in both the average age and average course of the disease between the two groups (p>0.05). The white blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, and level of C-reactive protein in the next-generation sequencing group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05). There were similarities in both the temperature and intracranial pressure between the two groups (p>0.05). In the next-generation sequencing group, all patients (100%) were detected as having had the S. suis meningitis infection by next-generation sequencing, while only 6 (43%) patients in the control group had been detected as having the S. suis meningitis infection by cerebrospinal fluid bacterial culture. CONCLUSIONS: The positive detection rate of S. suis by the next-generation sequencing method was significantly higher compared with using a cerebrospinal fluid bacterial culture. Therefore, the next-generation sequencing method is valuable for the diagnosis of S. suis meningitis and is worthy of clinical application.

Altered functional connectivity of the thalamus in primary angle-closure glaucoma patients: A resting-state fMRI study.

Background and objectives: Glaucoma is one of the leading irreversible causes of blindness worldwide, and previous studies have shown that there is abnormal functional connectivity (FC) in the visual cortex of glaucoma patients. The thalamus is a relay nucleus for visual signals; however, it is not yet clear how the FC of the thalamus is altered in glaucoma. This study investigated the alterations in thalamic FC in patients with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) by using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). We hypothesized that PACG patients have abnormal FC between the thalamus and visual as well as extravisual brain regions. Methods: Clinically confirmed PACG patients and age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) were evaluated by T1 anatomical and functional MRI on a 3 T scanner. Thirty-four PACG patients and 33 HCs were included in the rs-fMRI analysis. All PACG patients underwent complete ophthalmological examinations; included retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), intraocular pressure (IOP), average cup-to-disc ratio (A-C/D), and vertical cup-to-disc ratio (V-C/D). After the MRI data were preprocessed, the bilateral thalamus was chosen as the seed point; and the differences in resting-state FC between groups were evaluated. The brain regions that significantly differed between PACG patients and HCs were identified, and the correlations were then evaluated between the FC coefficients of these regions and clinical variables. Results: Compared with the HCs, the PACG patients showed decreased FC between the bilateral thalamus and right transverse temporal gyrus, between the bilateral thalamus and left anterior cingulate cortex, and between the left thalamus and left insula. Concurrently, increased FC was found between the bilateral thalamus and left superior frontal gyrus in PACG patients. The FC between the bilateral thalamus and left superior frontal gyrus was positively correlated with RNFLT and negatively correlated with the A-C/D and V-C/D. The FC between the left thalamus and left insula was negatively correlated with IOP. Conclusion: Extensive abnormal resting-state functional connections between the thalamus and visual and extravisual brain areas were found in PACG patients, and there were certain correlations with clinical variables, suggesting that abnormal thalamic FC plays an important role in the progression of PACG.

Enhanced photo-hypoxia-activated combination therapy traced by AIE photosensitizer and targeted by hyaluronic acid: Disulphide bond interference of detoxification barrier.

The treatment efficacy of anticancer drugs in complex physiological environments is still restricted by multi-drug resistance. To overcome this issue, a nanodrug system of HA-SS@CuS@ZIF-8@TPZ&TBMACN (HSCZTT) that breaks through the detoxification barrier for tirapazamine (TPZ) delivery was developed in this manuscript. In addition to the photothermal effect aroused by CuS in HSCZTT, which can damage tumour cells, TBMACN with photostable fluorescence in the aggregate state can also generate sufficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) to destroy tumour cells. The continuous consumption of oxygen in PDT aggravates the hypoxic environment of tumours, which further activates the TPZ released in the acidic microenvironment of the tumour to achieve apoptosis of the tumour cells. The HSCZTT can not only target the CD44 receptor overexpressed on the surface of the cancer cell, but can also effectively consume a large amount of glutathione (GSH) through the disulphide bond-modified hyaluronic acid, which serves as a targeted disulphide bond, interfering with the detoxification barrier. Our finding presents a rational strategy to overcome multidrug resistance for the improved efficacy of anticancer drugs by the targeting of Hyaluronic acid (HA), release of the drug by the acid response of ZIF-8, breakthrough of the detoxification barrier, precise positioning of the drug release and combined treatment with phototherapy and hypoxia-activated chemotherapy.

Exosomes Released from Bone-Marrow Stem Cells Ameliorate Hippocampal Neuronal Injury Through transferring miR-455-3p.

BACKGROUND: The neuroprotective roles of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in brain injury are elicited at least partially through the secretion exosomes containing microRNAs (miRNAs). We herein investigate the protective function of bone marrow MSCs (BMSCs)-derived exosomes harboring miR-455-3p against hippocampal neuronal injury in mouse and N2a cell damage model. METHODS: First, BMSC surface markers were detected by flow cytometry, followed by extraction of BMSCs-derived exosomes (BMSCs-Exos). A mouse model of neuronal injury was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R), and N2a cells were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) for in vitro experiments. BMSCs-Exos were administrated in mice and N2a cells. We subsequently determined viability- and apoptosis-features using EdU staining, CCK-8, flow cytometry and Caspase-3 kits. Subsequently, we used RT-qPCR to assess miR-455-3p expression in brain tissues as well as N2a cells, and bioinformatic tools to predict the targeting mRNA of miR-455-3p, which was validated by dual-luciferase assays. RESULTS: BMSCs-Exos improved hippocampal neuronal injury in MCAO/R-treated mice and OGD/R-induced injury to N2a cells. BMSCs-Exos upregulated miR-455-3p expression in brain tissues of mice and OGD/R-treated N2a cells. miR-455-3p targeted and conversely regulated PDCD7 expression. The protective effect of BMSCs-Exos on OGD/R-treated N2a cells was markedly mitigated following miR-455-3p downregulation. Moreover, overexpression of miR-455-3p contributed to increased N2a cell activity and decreased apoptosis, while the rescue experiment results were opposite. CONCLUSION: MSCs-derived exosomal miR-455-3p targeted PDCD7 to alleviate hippocampal neuronal injury in MCAO/R-treated mice and injury of OGD/R-treated N2a cells.

Improvement of sulfur and water resistance with Fe-modified S-MnCoCe/Ti/Si catalyst for low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3.

The low-temperature SCR of NOx by NH3 is restricted in application since the catalysts is easily poisoned by sulfur and water. The Fe modified Mn-Co-Ce/TiO2/SiO2 catalysts synthesized via impregnation method and sulfating were evaluated for low-temperature NH3-SCR in the presence of SO2 and H2O. The calcination temperature and loading amounts of Mn, Fe, Co and Ce were optimized. Adding of Fe into S-MnCoCe/Ti/Si played an important role in resistance to sulfur and water poisoning. The optimal calcination temperature was 380 °C and the optical mass loading of the catalyst was 10% of Mn, 10% of Fe, 1% of Co and 4% of Ce. The optimal S-MnFeCoCe/Ti/Si catalyst maintained high NOx conversion of 93% at reaction temperature of 160 °C in the presence of 50 ppm SO2 and 10 vol% H2O. The catalytic activity did not continue to fall after two times of repeated used in the temperature range of 100-200 °C, indicating its excellent sulfur and water durability and stability in the presence of SO2 and H2O. The interaction between MnOx and FeOx enhanced sulfur and water durability rather than other bi-metal interactions. Furthermore, the mechanism of Fe improving resistance to SO2 and H2O was discussed.

Structure modification and biological evaluation of indole-chalcone derivatives as anti-tumor agents through dual targeting tubulin and TrxR.

Microtubule target agents (MTAs) are widely-used clinical anti-cancer drugs for decades, but the acquired drug resistance severely restricted their application. Thioredoxin reductases (TrxR) was reported to be overexpressed in most tumors and closely related to high risk of cancer recurrence and drug resistance, making it a potential target for anticancer drug discovery. Multi-target-directed ligands (MTDLs) by a single molecule provide a logical and alternative approach to drug combinations. In this work, based on the structure-activity relationships obtained in our previous study, some structure modifications were performed. On one hand, the retained skeleton structure of MTAs endowed its tubulin polymerization inhibition activity, on the other hand, the selenium-containing structure and α,ß-unsaturated ketone moiety endowed the TrxR inhibition activity. As results, the newly obtained compounds exhibited superior anti-proliferative activities towards various human cancer cells and drug-resistance cells, and displayed high selectivity towards various human normal cells. The mechanism study revealed that the dual effect of cell cycle arrest triggered by targeting tubulin and the abnormal accumulation of ROS caused by TrxR inhibition eventually lead to cell apoptosis. Notably, compared with the MTA agents CA-4P, and the TrxR inhibitor Ethaselen, the optimized compound 14c, which served as dual-targeting inhibitor of tubulin and TrxR, exerted greatly improved in vivo anti-tumor activity. In summary, 14c deserved further consideration for cancer therapy.

The value of next-generation sequencing for the diagnosis of Streptococcus suis meningitis

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the value of next-generation sequencing for the diagnosis of Streptococcus suis meningitis. METHODS: Patients with meningitis in the Department of Neurology of the Hainan General Hospital were recruited and divided into a next-generation sequencing group and a control group. In the next-generation sequencing group, we used the next-generation sequencing method to detect the specific pathogenic bacteria in the patients. In the control group, we used the cerebrospinal fluid bacterial culture method to detect the specific pathogenic bacteria in the patients. RESULTS: A total of 28 participants were recruited for this study, with 14 participants in each group. The results showed similarities in both the average age and average course of the disease between the two groups (p>0.05). The white blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, and level of C-reactive protein in the next-generation sequencing group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05). There were similarities in both the temperature and intracranial pressure between the two groups (p>0.05). In the next-generation sequencing group, all patients (100%) were detected as having had the S. suis meningitis infection by next-generation sequencing, while only 6 (43%) patients in the control group had been detected as having the S. suis meningitis infection by cerebrospinal fluid bacterial culture. CONCLUSIONS: The positive detection rate of S. suis by the next-generation sequencing method was significantly higher compared with using a cerebrospinal fluid bacterial culture. Therefore, the next-generation sequencing method is valuable for the diagnosis of S. suis meningitis and is worthy of clinical application.

Photocatalytic degradation of industrial acrylonitrile wastewater by F-S-Bi-TiO2 catalyst of ultrafine nanoparticles dispersed with SiO2 under natural sunlight.

Highly active photocatalyst, having certain anti-ionic interfering function, of F, S and Bi doped TiO2/SiO2 was used for the first time to degrade the organic pollutants in acrylonitrile industrial wastewater under natural sunlight. The photocatalyst were prepared and characterized by UV-Vis, XRD, TEM, EDS, Nitrogen physical adsorption and XPS technique. UV-Vis analysis revealed addition of F, S and Bi into the lattice of TiO2 led to the expansion of TiO2 response in the visible region and hence the efficient separation of charge carrier. The photocatalytic potential of as prepared catalyst to degrade acrylonitrile wastewater under simulated and natural sunlight irradiation was investigated. The extent of degradation of acrylonitrile wastewater was evaluated by chemical oxygen demand (CODCr). CODCr in wastewater decreased from 88.36 to 7.20 mgL-1 via 14 h irradiation of simulated sunlight and achieved regulation discharge by 6 h under natural sunlight, illuminating our photocatalyst effectiveness for refractory industrial wastewater treatment. From TEM results, we found that SiO2 could disperse the photocatalyst with different component distributions between the surface and the bulk phase that should also be responsible for the light absorption and excellent photocatalytic performance. The XPS analysis confirmed the presence of surface hydroxyl group, oxygen vacancies.

Fluid compensation in response to disappearance of the meaning of work.

This study examined one's compensatory response to the sudden disappearance of the meaning of work. In a lab experiment, the unexpected termination of a preceding task was found to enhance one's labor supply in an irrelevant ensuing task, which provided direct support for one's pursuit of meaning and the fluid compensation strategy proposed by the Meaning Maintenance Model.