Thermally stable Ni foam-supported inverse CeAlOx/Ni ensemble as an active structured catalyst for CO2 hydrogenation to methane.

Nickel is the most widely used inexpensive active metal center of the heterogeneous catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methane. However, Ni-based catalysts suffer from severe deactivation in CO2 methanation reaction due to the irreversible sintering and coke deposition caused by the inevitable localized hotspots generated during the vigorously exothermic reaction. Herein, we demonstrate the inverse CeAlOx/Ni composite constructed on the Ni-foam structure support realizes remarkable CO2 methanation catalytic activity and stability in a wide operation temperature range from 240 to 600 °C. Significantly, CeAlOx/Ni/Ni-foam catalyst maintains its initial activity after seven drastic heating-cooling cycles from RT to 240 to 600 °C. Meanwhile, the structure catalyst also shows water resistance and long-term stability under reaction condition. The promising thermal stability and water-resistance of CeAlOx/Ni/Ni-foam originate from the excellent heat and mass transport efficiency which eliminates local hotspots and the formation of Ni-foam stabilized CeAlOx/Ni inverse composites which effectively anchored the active species and prevents carbon deposition from CH4 decomposition.

Combined effect of time in target range and variability of systolic blood pressure on cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in patients with hypertension: A prospective cohort study.

Time in target range (TTR) and blood pressure variability (BPV) of systolic blood pressure (SBP) are independent risk factors for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality in hypertensive patients. However, the association of the combination of low TTR and high BPV of SBP with the risk of MACE and all-cause mortality is unclear. This study sought to investigate the combined effect of the TTR and BPV on the risk of MACE and all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension. A total of 11 496 hypertensive patients from the Kailuan cohort study were included in our study. All participants were divided into four groups according to their TTR and BPV levels. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for incident MACE and all-cause mortality. During a median follow-up of 5.64 years, 839 MACEs (included 99 cases of myocardial infarction, 591 cases of stroke, and 191 cases of heart failure) and 621 deaths occurred. Compared with the high-TTR and low-BPV group, the HRs (95% CI) of MACE and all-cause mortality were 1.309 (1.025-1.671) and 1.842 (1.373-2.473) for the high-TTR and high-BPV group, 1.692 (1.347-2.125) and 1.731 (1.298-2.309) for the low-TTR & low-BPV group, 2.132 (1.728-2.629) and 2.247 (1.722-2.932) for the low-TTR & high-BPV group. Our study suggests that the combination of low TTR and high BPV of SBP was associated with a higher risk of MACE and all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension.

Premature coronary heart disease complicated with hypertension in hospitalized patients: Incidence, risk factors, cardiovascular-related comorbidities and prognosis, 2008-2018.

Background: The clinical characteristics and risk factors of all-cause mortality in young hospitalized patients with comorbid coronary heart disease and hypertension (CAD + HT) are not well-characterized. Method: A total of 2288 hospitalized CAD patients (age<45 years) with or without hypertension in the Chinese PLA General Hospital from August 5, 2008 to June 22, 2018 were conducted. The risk factors of all-cause mortality were estimated in young CAD + HT patients by COX models. Results: The overall prevalence of hypertension in young CAD patients was 50.83% (n = 1163). CAD + HT patients had older age, higher heart rate, BMI, uric acid, triglyceride and lower level of eGFR and HDL-C than CAD patients (P < 0.05). The proportion of cardiovascular-related comorbidities (including obesity, diabetes mellitus, hyperuricemia and chronic kidney disease [CKD]) in the CAD + HT group was significantly higher than that in CAD group (P < 0.0001). The risk of all-cause mortality was higher in CAD + HT patients, although after adjusting for all covariates, there was no significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, CKD (HR, 3.662; 95% CI, 1.545-8.682) and heart failure (HF) (HR, 3.136; 95%CI, 1.276-7.703) were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and RAASi (HR, 0.378; 95%CI, 0.174-0.819) had a beneficial impact in CAD + HT patients. Conclusions: Hypertension was highly prevalent in young CAD patients. Young CAD + HT patients had more cardiovascular metabolic risk factors, more cardiovascular-related comorbidities and higher risk of all-cause mortality. CKD and HF were the risk factors, while RAASi was a protective factor, of all-cause mortality in CAD + HT patients.

Transformation process and phytotoxicity of sulfamethoxazole and N4-acetyl-sulfamethoxazole in rice.

Sulfonamide antibiotics, extensively used in human and veterinary therapy, accumulate in agroecosystem soils through livestock manure and sewage irrigation. However, the interaction between sulfonamides and rice plants remains unclear. This study investigated the transformation behavior and toxicity of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and its main metabolite, N4-acetyl-sulfamethoxazole (NASMX) in rice. SMX and NASMX were rapidly taken up by roots and translocated acropetally. NASMX showed higher accumulating capacity, with NASMX concentrations up to 20.36 ± 1.98 µg/g (roots) and 5.62 ± 1.17 µg/g (shoots), and with SMX concentrations up to 15.97 ± 2.53 µg/g (roots) and 3.22 ± 0.789 µg/g (shoots). A total of 18 intermediate transformation products of SMX were identified by nontarget screening using Orbitrap-HRMS, revealing pathways such as deamination, hydroxylation, acetylation, formylation, and glycosylation. Notably, NASMX transformed back into SMX in rice, a novel finding. Transcriptomic analysis highlights the involvements of cytochrome P450 (CYP450), acetyltransferase (ACEs) and glycosyltransferases (GTs) in these biotransformation pathways. Moreover, exposure to SMX and NASMX disrupts TCA cycle, amino acid, linoleic acid, nucleotide metabolism, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways of rice, with NASMX exerting a stronger impact on metabolic networks. These findings elucidate the sulfonamides' metabolism, phytotoxicity mechanisms, and contribute to assessing food safety and human exposure risk amid antibiotic pollution.

Nondestructive and Rapid Screening of Aflatoxin-Contaminated Single Peanut Kernels Using Field-Portable Spectroscopy Instruments (FT-IR and Raman).

A nondestructive and rapid classification approach was developed for identifying aflatoxin-contaminated single peanut kernels using field-portable vibrational spectroscopy instruments (FT-IR and Raman). Single peanut kernels were either spiked with an aflatoxin solution (30 ppb-400 ppb) or hexane (control), and their spectra were collected via Raman and FT-IR. An uHPLC-MS/MS approach was used to verify the spiking accuracy via determining actual aflatoxin content on the surface of randomly selected peanut samples. Supervised classification using soft independent modeling of class analogies (SIMCA) showed better discrimination between aflatoxin-contaminated (30 ppb-400 ppb) and control peanuts with FT-IR compared with Raman, predicting the external validation samples with 100% accuracy. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of SIMCA models generated with the portable FT-IR device outperformed the methods in other destructive studies reported in the literature, using a variety of vibrational spectroscopy benchtop systems. The discriminating power analysis showed that the bands corresponded to the C=C stretching vibrations of the ring structures of aflatoxins were most significant in explaining the variance in the model, which were also reported for Aspergillus-infected brown rice samples. Field-deployable vibrational spectroscopy devices can enable in situ identification of aflatoxin-contaminated peanuts to assure regulatory compliance as well as cost savings in the production of peanut products.

Early Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometrics.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic muscle pain disorder that shares several clinical features with other related rheumatologic disorders. This study investigates the feasibility of using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a fingerprinting approach to diagnose FM and other rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), osteoarthritis (OA), and chronic low back pain (CLBP). Blood samples were obtained on protein saver cards from FM (n = 83), non-FM (n = 54), and healthy (NC, n = 9) subjects. A semi-permeable membrane filtration method was used to obtain low-molecular-weight fraction (LMF) serum of the blood samples. SERS measurement conditions were standardized to enhance the LMF signal. An OPLS-DA algorithm created using the spectral region 750 to 1720 cm-1 enabled the classification of the spectra into their corresponding FM and non-FM classes (Rcv > 0.99) with 100% accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. The OPLS-DA regression plot indicated that spectral regions associated with amino acids were responsible for discrimination patterns and can be potentially used as spectral biomarkers to differentiate FM and other rheumatic diseases. This exploratory work suggests that the AuNP SERS method in combination with OPLS-DA analysis has great potential for the label-free diagnosis of FM.

Portable Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Chemometrics to Diagnose Fibromyalgia and Other Rheumatologic Syndromes Using Rapid Volumetric Absorptive Microsampling.

The diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia (FM) have relied heavily on subjective reports of experienced symptoms coupled with examination-based evidence of diffuse tenderness due to the lack of reliable biomarkers. Rheumatic disorders that are common causes of chronic pain such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, and chronic low back pain are frequently found to be comorbid with FM. As a result, this can make the diagnosis of FM more challenging. We aim to develop a reliable classification algorithm using unique spectral profiles of portable FT-MIR that can be used as a real-time point-of-care device for the screening of FM. A novel volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) technique ensured sample volume accuracies and minimized the variation introduced due to hematocrit-based bias. Blood samples from 337 subjects with different disorders (179 FM, 158 non-FM) collected with VAMS were analyzed. A semi-permeable membrane filtration approach was used to extract the blood samples, and spectral data were collected using a portable FT-MIR spectrometer. The OPLS-DA algorithm enabled the classification of the spectra into their corresponding classes with 84% accuracy, 83% sensitivity, and 85% specificity. The OPLS-DA regression plot indicated that spectral regions associated with amide bands and amino acids were responsible for discrimination patterns and can be potentially used as spectral biomarkers to differentiate FM and other rheumatic diseases.

Remodeling of intestinal epithelium derived extracellular vesicles by nanoparticles and its bioeffect on tumor cell migration.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are an effective tool to elucidate the bioeffect of nanomedicines. To clarify the interaction between oral nanomedicines and intestinal epithelial cells, and their bioeffects on downstream cells, polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) with different sizes were used as the model nanomedicines for EVs induction. Caco-2 monolayers were selected as the model of the intestinal epithelium and DLD-1 cells as the colorectal cancer model proximal to the gastrointestinal tract. It is found that compared with small-sized (25, 50, 100 nm) PS-NPs, the large-sized (200 and 500 nm) exhibited higher co-localization with multivesicular bodies and lysosomes, and more significant reduction of lysosomal acidification in Caco-2 cells. Proteomic and western-blotting analysis showed that the EVs remodeled by large-sized PS-NPs exhibited a higher extent of protein expression changes. The in vitro and in vivo signaling pathway detection in DLD-1 cells and DLD-1 cell xenograft nude mice showed that the remodeled EVs by large-sized PS-NPs inhibited the activation of multiple signaling pathways including Notch3, EGF/EGFR, and PI3K/Akt pathways, which resulted in the inhibition of tumor cell migration. These results primarily clarify the regulation mechanisms of nanomedicines-EVs-receptor cells chain. It provides a new perspective for the rational design and bioeffect evaluation of oral drug nanomaterials and sets up the fundamental knowledge for novel tumor therapeutics in the future.

Association Between New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiac Conduction Diseases: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac conduction diseases can lead to life-threatening outcomes. However, the evidence on risk factors for conduction disease that is needed to underpin prevention strategies is limited. The present study aimed to determine the association between type 2 diabetes and cardiac conduction diseases. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study included 101 080 participants free of prevalent diabetes and cardiac conduction diseases at baseline from the Kailuan Study. All participants were monitored biennially until December 31, 2020. During follow-up, 14 397 participants were diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes. For each case subject, 1 control subject was randomly selected, matched for age (±1 year) and sex. The final analysis comprised 10 744 case-control pairs. Cox regression models with age as the underlying time scale were used. During a median follow-up of 5.46 years, 571 incident events occurred, including 164 atrioventricular blocks, 414 bundle-branch blocks (BBBs), 274 right BBBs, and 210 left BBBs. After adjustment for potential confounders, participants with type 2 diabetes diagnosed had greater relative risks for most outcomes relative to controls, with hazard ratios of 1.42 (95% CI, 1.18-1.67) for conduction diseases, 1.40 (95% CI, 1.00-1.96) for atrioventricular blocks, 1.43 (95% CI, 1.16-1.75) for BBBs, and 1.69 (95% CI, 1.15-2.49) for left BBBs. In contrast, no association between diabetes and right BBB was observed. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, participants with type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of cardiac conduction disease but not associated with the development of right BBB.

Metabolic Fingerprinting for the Diagnosis of Clinically Similar Long COVID and Fibromyalgia Using a Portable FT-MIR Spectroscopic Combined with Chemometrics.

Post Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC or Long COVID) is characterized by lingering symptomatology post-initial COVID-19 illness that is often debilitating. It is seen in up to 30-40% of individuals post-infection. Patients with Long COVID (LC) suffer from dysautonomia, malaise, fatigue, and pain, amongst a multitude of other symptoms. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain disorder that often leads to functional disability and severe impairment of quality of life. LC and FM share several clinical features, including pain that often makes them indistinguishable. The aim of this study is to develop a metabolic fingerprinting approach using portable Fourier-transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopic techniques to diagnose clinically similar LC and FM. Blood samples were obtained from LC (n = 50) and FM (n = 50) patients and stored on conventional bloodspot protein saver cards. A semi-permeable membrane filtration approach was used to extract the blood samples, and spectral data were collected using a portable FT-MIR spectrometer. Through the deconvolution analysis of the spectral data, a distinct spectral marker at 1565 cm-1 was identified based on a statistically significant analysis, only present in FM patients. This IR band has been linked to the presence of side chains of glutamate. An OPLS-DA algorithm created using the spectral region 1500 to 1700 cm-1 enabled the classification of the spectra into their corresponding classes (Rcv > 0.96) with 100% accuracy and specificity. This high-throughput approach allows unique metabolic signatures associated with LC and FM to be identified, allowing these conditions to be distinguished and implemented for in-clinic diagnostics, which is crucial to guide future therapeutic approaches.

Transitions in Metabolic Health and Onset Age of Cardiovascular Diseases.

INTRODUCTION: The cardiometabolic risk associated with metabolically healthy obesity remains the subject of debate. It is unclear whether changes in metabolically healthy obesity status affect premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Authors aimed to investigate the association of metabolically healthy obesity and its transition over time with incident CVD by age at onset. METHODS: In a community-based, prospective cohort study, 54,441 adults without CVD in or before 2010 were followed for incident CVD until 2020. This sample was analyzed in 2022. Four age groups were examined (<55, 55-65, 65-75, and ≥75 years) for CVD onset. In each age group, participants were cross-classified by BMI categories and metabolic health. The Cox proportional hazards model with age as the underlying time scale was used to examine the associations of metabolic health status and its transition with CVD across BMI categories. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 9.59 years, 3,038 participants developed CVD. Individuals with metabolically unhealthy obesity at baseline had the highest hazard ratio for CVD onset at any age, ranging from 2.68 (95% CI=2.02, 3.55) for CVD onset in those aged <55 years to 1.55 (95% CI=1.09, 2.10) for CVD onset in those aged ≥75 years. Individuals who had metabolically healthy obesity at baseline or even remained metabolically healthy during 2006-2010 were still at increased risk of premature CVD, and the association attenuated with increasing age of CVD onset. CONCLUSIONS: The metabolically healthy obesity phenotype is dynamic and its transition to a metabolically unhealthy phenotype or even stable metabolically healthy obesity is associated with an increased risk of CVD. The associations were more evident for CVD onset at younger ages.

Hierarchical structural modification of starch via non-thermal plasma: A state-of-the-art review.

The hierarchical architecture of natural and processed starches with different surface and internal structures determines their final physicochemical properties. However, the oriented control of starch structure presents a significant challenge, and non-thermal plasma (cold plasma, CP) has gradually been used to design and tailor starch macromolecules, though without clear illustration. In this review, the multi-scale structure (i.e., chain-length distribution, crystal structure, lamellar structure, and particle surface) of starch is summarized by CP treatment. The plasma type, mode, medium gas and mechanism are also illustrated, as well as their sustainable food applications, such as in food taste, safety, and packaging. The effects of CP on the chain-length distribution, lamellar structure, amorphous zone, and particle surface/core of starch includes irregularity due to the complex of CP types, action modes, and reactive conditions. CP-induced chain breaks lead to short-chain distributions in starch, but this rule is no longer useful when CP is combined with other physical treatments. The degree but not type of starch crystals is indirectly influenced by CP through attacking the amorphous region. Furthermore, the CP-induced surface corrosion and channel disintegration of starch cause changes in functional properties for starch-related applications.

Resting heart rate and risk of atrial fibrillation in Chinese general population: Kailuan prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research has shown an association of higher heart rate with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the relationship between resting heart rate (RHR) and AF is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between RHR and AF in the general population of China. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: Community based. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 46 126 individuals from the Kailuan study who participated in the first three surveys (2006/2007, 2008/2009 and 2010/2011) and were followed up at 2-year intervals were enrolled. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The association between RHR and risk of incident AF was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression and restricted cubic spline models. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-one individuals (0.52%) developed AF during 7.5 years of follow-up. After adjustment for age, sex, low-density and high-density lipoprotein, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking status, body mass index, mean systolic blood pressure, and history of diabetes and hypertension, the HRs were 2.32 (95% CI 1.45 to 3.72) for an RHR <60 beats/min and 2.80 (1.13 to 6.94) for an RHR ≥100 beats/min in comparison with an RHR of 70-80 beats/min. Restricted cubic spline models revealed a U-shaped relationship between RHR and incident AF. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that RHR and incident AF have a U-shaped relationship in the Chinese general population. Both lower and higher RHRs were associated with an increased risk of AF.

Direct changes of neurometabolic concentrations in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex among obsessive-compulsive patients after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Although Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a promising new noninvasive brain stimulation therapy, its underlying mechanisms of action remain unknown. OCD patients exhibit impaired response control and attention shifting, which is linked to some brain areas such as anterior cingulate cortex and basal ganglia. OCD patients also display altered neurometabolic concentrations in cortical cortical-striatal-thalamic-cortical (CSTC). In this study, we aimed to elucidate efficacy of rTMS treatment in alleviating related symptoms and pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) neurometabolites. METHODS: OCD patients were randomly divided into either drug (n = 23) or drug + rTMS (n = 29) groups, and those in the latter group subjected to 4-week rTMS treatment. All participants were visited twice, at baseline and follow-up after four weeks. During both visits, all patients were subjected to 1H-MRS, then Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and the Global Assessment Function (GAF) used to assess severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. We also evaluated synchronous anxiety and depression by Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D). RESULTS: After 4 weeks of treatment, patients in the Drug + rTMS group displayed significantly lower Y-BOCS (p = 0.038), BDI (p = 0.009), HAM-D (p = 0.013), HAM-A (p = 0.012) scores than their counterparts in the Drug group. Conversely, patients in the Drug + rTMS group had significantly higher tNAA concentrations (p = 0.030) than those in the Drug group. Notably, the Drug + rTMS group exhibited higher, but insignificant Glu (p = 0.055) and Glx (p = 0.068) concentrations compared to the Drug group. Partial correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between post HAM-A scores and 4-week change of pACC glutamate levels in the Drug + rTMS group (r = -0.434, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: rTMS treatment is an efficacious treatment therapy for OCD, mainly by inducing changes in neurometabolites.

Association of Resting Heart Rate Trajectories With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus.

CONTEXT: Longitudinal patterns of resting heart rate (RHR) in patients with diabetes mellitus and their association with health outcomes are not well-characterized. OBJECTIVE: We sought to explore the RHR trajectories in patients with diabetes mellitus and their association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. DESIGN: The Kailuan Study is a prospective cohort study. Participants underwent health examinations biennially starting in 2006 and were followed until December 31, 2020. SETTING: General community. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 8218 diabetic participants who attended at least 3 of the examinations conducted in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012 were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: CVD and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: We identified 4 RHR trajectories in participants with diabetes mellitus between 2006 and 2012: low-stable (range, 66.83-64.91 beats/min; n = 1705), moderate-stable (range, 76.30-76.95 beats/min; n = 5437), high-decreasing (mean decreased from 92.14 to 85.60 beats/min; n = 862), and high-increasing (mean increased from 84.03 to 111.62 beats/min; n = 214). During an average follow-up of 7.25 years, 977 cases of CVD and 1162 deaths were identified. Compared with the low-stable trajectory, adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD were 1.48 (95% CI, 1.02-2.14; P = .04) for the high-increasing trajectory, adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality were 1.34 (95% CI, 1.14-1.58; P < .01) for the moderate-stable trajectory, 1.68 (95% CI, 1.35-2.10; P < .01) for the high-decreasing trajectory, and 2.47 (95% CI, 1.85-3.31; P < .01) for the high-increasing trajectory. CONCLUSIONS: RHR trajectories were associated with the subsequent risks of CVD and all-cause mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Research Progress on Magneto-Refractive Magnetic Field Fiber Sensors.

The magnetic field is a vital physical quantity in nature that is closely related to human production life. Magnetic field sensors (namely magnetometers) have significant application value in scientific research, engineering applications, industrial productions, and so forth. Accompanied by the continuous development of magnetic materials and fiber-sensing technology, fiber sensors based on the Magneto-Refractive Effect (MRE) not only take advantage in compact structure, superior performance, and strong environmental adaptability but also further meet the requirement of the quasi-distributed/distributed magnetic field sensing; they manifest potential and great application value in space detection, marine environmental monitoring, etc. Consequently, the present and prevalent Magneto-Refractive Magnetic Field Fiber Sensors (MR-MFSs) are briefly summarized by this paper, proceeding from the perspective of physicochemical properties; design methods, basic performance and properties are introduced systematically as well. Furthermore, this paper also summarizes key fabrication techniques and future development trends of MR-MFSs, expecting to provide ideas and technical references for staff engaging in relevant research.

Anchoring ultra-small molybdenum oxide species on covalent triazine frameworks for efficient electrochemical nitrogen fixation.

We report a smart ion-exchange strategy to anchor molybdenum oxide particles on charge-modulated conjugated triazine frameworks (Mo/CTF-I) for electrochemically fixing nitrogen. The strong interaction between MoOx and CTF-I is conducive to the activation of the inert N2 molecule in the electro-chemical process. As a result, 5% Mo/CTF-I exhibited an excellent faradaic efficiency of 27.3% and an NH3 yield rate of 7.23 µg h-1 mgcat.-1 at -0.405 V vs. RHE in 0.1 M KOH, surpassing most previous reports.

Subsurface nickel boosts the low-temperature performance of a boron oxide overlayer in propane oxidative dehydrogenation.

Oxidative dehydrogenation of propane is a promising technology for the preparation of propene. Boron-based nonmetal catalysts exhibit remarkable selectivity toward propene and limit the generation of COx byproducts due to unique radical-mediated C-H activation. However, due to the high barrier of O-H bond cleavage in the presence of O2, the radical initialization of the B-based materials requires a high temperature to proceed, which decreases the thermodynamic advantages of the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction. Here, we report that the boron oxide overlayer formed in situ over metallic Ni nanoparticles exhibits extraordinarily low-temperature activity and selectivity for the ODHP reaction. With the assistance of subsurface Ni, the surface specific activity of the BOx overlayer reaches 93 times higher than that of bare boron nitride. A mechanistic study reveals that the strong affinity of the subsurface Ni to the oxygen atoms reduces the barrier of radical initiation and thereby balances the rates of the BO-H cleavage and the regeneration of boron hydroxyl groups, accounting for the excellent low-temperature performance of Ni@BOx/BN catalysts.

Oral administration of nanoformulated indoximod ameliorates ulcerative colitis by promoting mitochondrial function and mucosal healing.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease with serious mucosal inflammation mainly in the colon and rectum. Currently, there is no effective therapeutics for UC. Indoximod (IND) is a water-insoluble inhibitor for indolamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) and has been mainly reported in cancer therapy. Here, we prepared orally administrated IND nanoparticles (IND-NPs) for UC treatment and investigated their functions and mechanisms in cellular and animal inflammatory models. Confocal imaging demonstrated that IND-NPs maintained the expression level of ZO-1, Occludin and E-cadherin, thereby stabilizing of intercellular junction in Caco-2 cells. It was found that IND-NPs could lower the ROS level and increase mitochondrial membrane potential as well as ATP level, indicating that IND-NPs could restore DSS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. In the mice model with DSS-induced colitis, IND-NPs were found to alleviate UC-associated symptoms, inhibit inflammatory response, and improve the integrity of epithelial barrier. The untargeted metabolomics analysis validated that IND-NPs also contributed to regulate the metabolite levels to normal. As an agonist of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), IND-NPs might repair mucosa via the AhR pathway. These findings demonstrated that IND-NPs prominently ameliorated DSS-induced colonic injury and inflammation and preserved intestinal barrier integrity, showing a promising potential in UC treatment.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of atrial fibrillation in hospitalized patients with coronary artery disease and hypertension: a cross-sectional study from 2008 to 2018.

BACKGROUND: The clinical characteristics of patients with the comorbidities of hypertension and coronary artery disease (HT-CAD) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of AF in patients with HT-CAD and clinical characteristics of patients with both HT-CAD and AF. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing, China, and included 20,747 inpatients with HT-CAD with or without AF from August 2008 to July 2018. We examined the overall prevalence, clinical characteristics, comorbidity profiles, treatment patterns, and blood pressure (BP) control of patients with both HT-CAD and AF. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the associations of cardiovascular risk factors with AF in patients with HT-CAD. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of AF in patients with HT-CAD was 4.87% (1011/20,747), and this increased with age; to be specific, the prevalence in women and men increased from 0.78% (2/255) and 1.02% (26/2561) at the age of <50 years to 8.73% (193/2210) and 10.28% (298/2900) at the age of ≥70 years, respectively. HT-CAD patients who had AF had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular-related comorbidities than those without AF. Multivariate logistic regression showed that age, gender (male), body mass index, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease were independently associated with the risk of AF in patients with HT-CAD. For those with both HT-CAD and AF, 73.49% (743/1011) had a CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score of ≥4, and only about half of them had the BP controlled at <140/90 mmHg, which indicated a high risk of thromboembolism and stroke. The use of oral anticoagulation increased during the study period (10.00% [20/200] in 2008 to 2011 vs. 30.06% [159/529] in 2015 to 2018, P  < 0.01), but remained at a relatively low level. CONCLUSIONS: AF is highly prevalent among patients with HT-CAD. Patients with both HT-CAD and AF have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular-related comorbidities, lower BP control rate, and lower use of oral anticoagulation.