Impact of Chemotherapy on Circulating Lymphocyte Subsets in Lung Cancer Patients.

Purpose: Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related death and chemotherapy stands as a fundamental component in therapy. Chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression encompasses a spectrum of hematological declines, including not only neutrophils but also lymphocytes, hemoglobin levels and platelets. This retrospective cohort study investigates alterations in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets. By uncovering these changes, our goal is to refine patient management strategies, ensuring that the benefits of chemotherapy are maximized while minimizing its detrimental effects. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 159 lung cancer patients. Patients were categorized as "NT" (n=108, no previous anti-tumor therapy), and "PT" (n=51, prior therapy followed by at least a two-month treatment-free interval). Post-chemotherapy, patients were reassessed and grouped into "EarlyCycle" for those who underwent four or fewer cycles, and "LateCycle" for those who underwent more than four cycles. Results: The study focused on analyzing the percentages of lymphocyte subsets, including T cells (CD4+, CD8+), B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, across these groups. For T cells, the EarlyCycle group exhibited a significant increase compared to NT (0.7783 vs 0.7271; p=0.0017) and PT (0.7783 vs 0.6804; p=1.6e-05). B cells showed a significant decrease from NT to LateCycle (0.1014 vs 0.0817; p=2.2e-05) and from PT to LateCycle (0.1317 vs 0.0817; p=6.2e-10). NK cells significantly decreased in the EarlyCycle group compared to NT (0.1109 vs 0.1462; p=0.00816) and PT (0.1109 vs 0.1513; p=0.00992), with no significant change in the LateCycle group compared to either NT or PT (p>0.05). Conclusion: Chemotherapy significantly affects lymphocyte subsets in a treatment-specific manner. The EarlyCycle group experienced a reduction in NK cell and an increase in T cell, suggesting a damage of innate immunity and an early shift towards adaptive immunity. The LateCycle group showed a substantial decrease in B cell, indicating a delayed effect on humoral immunity components.

Effect of nucleos(t)ide analogue discontinuation on the prognosis of HBeAg-negative hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy: A propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) are thought to reduce the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the effect of NA discontinuation on the prognosis of HBV-related HCC after hepatectomy is rarely reported. We aimed to investigate the potential for hepatitis B virus e antigen (HBeAg)-negative HBV-related HCC patients to discontinue NAs based on preoperative hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) status. METHODS: This historical cohort study involved 1232 NA-treated HBeAg-negative patients who underwent curative hepatectomy for HBV-related HCC from 2014 to 2019. The recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients discontinuing NAs before surgery were compared with those continuing NAs. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance baseline characteristics. RESULTS: Of all enrolled patients, 839 (68.1%) patients continued NAs, and 393 (31.9%) patients discontinued NAs. Continuation of NAs was identified as an independent risk factor for RFS (HR 2.047, 95% CI 1.348-3.109, p < 0.001 before PSM and HR 2.756, 95% CI 1.537-4.942, p < 0.001 after PSM) in HBsAg-negative patients. Similarly, subgroup survival analyses showed that NA discontinuation was associated with better RFS (p = 0.029 before PSM and p < 0.001 after PSM) and comparable OS (p = 0.935 before PSM and p = 0.115 after PSM) than NA continuation in HBsAg-negative patients. The interaction between HBsAg status and continuation or discontinuation of NAs was significant (p for interaction <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate the potential for HBeAg-negative HBV-related HCC patients who have achieved HBsAg seroclearance to discontinue NAs under strict monitoring.

Efficacy and safety of radical cystectomy with ileal conduit for muscle-invasive bladder cancer in the elderly: a multicenter retrospective study.

Objective: Radical cystectomy with ileal conduit is the current mainstay of treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer and is also a high-risk procedure. Existing studies have limited targeted assessment of the efficacy and safety of this procedure, and the patient population appropriate for this procedure is still poorly defined. We sought to longitudinally analyze differences in the efficacy and safety of radical cystectomy with ileal conduit by age subgroups to assess whether the age factor should be used as an exclusion criterion when selecting this procedure. Materials and methods: We retrospectively examined the clinicopathological data of patients with MIBC treated with RC with IC at the Cancer Hospital of Harbin Medical University between February 2014 and October 2023. Additionally, we utilized clinical and pathological data from the SEER database (2000-2020) for external validation of our findings. Patients were categorized into elderly (≥70 years at diagnosis) and non-elderly (<70 years) groups. Statistical analyses included t-tests, non-parametric tests for continuous data, chi-square tests for categorical data, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Results: In this study, 152 patients were included: 119 were categorized as non-elderly and 33 as elderly. For external validation, data from 416 patients in the SEER database were analyzed, with 172 classified as non-elderly and 244 as elderly. The results indicated that elderly patients were more likely to require ICU transfer postoperatively but exhibited a lower incidence of stoma inflammation. Additionally, both the data from our center and the external validation from the SEER database showed a concordance in cancer-specific survival (CSS) between the elderly and non-elderly groups. The efficacy of RC with IC was comparable in both elderly and non-elderly patients. Conclusion: For longitudinal age subgroups, RC with IC for both elderly and non-elderly MIBC had good efficacy and safety, and good quality of life after surgery. Although there are surgical and perioperative risks in elderly patients, there is no significant difference compared with non-elderly patients. In elderly patients requiring RC for bladder cancer, IC should remain the preferred mode of urinary diversion, and old age should not be used as an absolute exclusion criterion for IC.

An efficient channel recurrent Criss-cross attention network for epileptic seizure prediction.

Epilepsy is a chronic disease caused by repeated abnormal discharge of neurons in the brain. Accurately predicting the onset of epilepsy can effectively improve the quality of life for patients with the condition. While there are many methods for detecting epilepsy, EEG is currently considered one of the most effective analytical tools due to the abundant information it provides about brain activity. The aim of this study is to explore potential time-frequency and channel features from multi-channel epileptic EEG signals and to develop a patient-specific seizure prediction network. In this paper, an epilepsy EEG signal classification algorithm called Channel Recurrent Criss-cross Attention Network (CRCANet) is proposed. Firstly, the spectrograms processed by the short-time fourier transform is input into a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Then, the spectrogram feature map obtained in the previous step is input into the channel attention module to establish correlations between channels. Subsequently, the feature diagram containing channel attention characteristics is input into the recurrent criss-cross attention module to enhance the information content of each pixel. Finally, two fully connected layers are used for classification. We validated the method on 13 patients in the public CHB-MIT scalp EEG dataset, achieving an average accuracy of 93.8 %, sensitivity of 94.3 %, and specificity of 93.5 %. The experimental results indicate that CRCANet can effectively capture the time-frequency and channel characteristics of EEG signals while improving training efficiency.

In-situ construction of integrated asymmetric micro-supercapacitors achieving monolithic hundred-volt output.

Asymmetric micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) exhibit higher energy density while face significant challenges in power density as well as cycling life and large dimensions. The key factors contributing to these dilemmas include the match of electrode materials and electrolytes, poor uniformity of device, and complicated while low-precise fabrication processes. Herein we develop a laser scribing-engraving (LSE) strategy to fabricate MSCs with monolithic high-voltage output and scalable array integration. Utilizing this strategy, we induce the conversion of the majority of Ti3C2Tx-MXene into TiO2 and graphene oxide into laser-scribed graphene (LSG), yielding asymmetric MSCs with laser-induced MXene/graphene oxide as the negative electrode and MXene/graphene oxide as the positive electrode. A single asymmetric micro-supercapacitor exhibits a high voltage window of 1.8 V, delivering an outstanding energy density (240 mWh cm-3) and power density (9503 mW cm-3), coupled with excellent cycling stability. Moreover, the LSE strategy enables monolithically integrated 64 devices to achieve a high-voltage output of 115.2 V. Our approach showcases the potential for integrating micro-energy storage devices into various microsystems, increasing the practicality of asymmetric micro-supercapacitors.

Effectiveness of utilizing step-monitoring devices to prevent and treat obesity in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Children and adolescents who are overweight and obese represent a growing public health issue. The use of step-monitoring devices as an intervention tool may be a simple, cost-effective, and easily replicable solution for addressing obesity in children and adolescents. No prior systematic reviews have evaluated the effectiveness of utilizing step-monitoring devices as an intervention method for obesity in children and adolescents. Methods: Previous studies on using step-monitoring devices to prevent and treat obesity in children and adolescents were identified in the following databases: Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, SPORTDiscus, and SCOPUS. The search period for each database ranged from the year of their inception to 8 March 2023 (updated in June 2024). Meta-analyses were performed for mean differences (MDs) in body mass index (BMI), BMI z-score (BMI-Z), body fat, waist circumference, and body weight. Results: From 12,907 relevant records, 23 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The included studies were mainly at low risk of bias, except for blinding. Step-monitoring device-based interventions had significant effects in reducing BMI-Z (MD -0.06; 95% CI -0.10 to -0.02), body fat (MD -0.95%; 95% CI -1.35 to -0.54), and body weight (MD -1.23 kg; 95% CI -2.36 to -0.10). However, there was no significant effect on BMI (MD -0.16 kg/m2; 95% CI -0.55 to 0.22) and waist circumference (MD -0.33 cm; 95% CI -1.23 to 0.58). Subgroup analyses indicated that participants who were overweight or obese showed greater intervention effects on BMI and BMI-Z compared to participants with normal weight. The programs with an intervention duration of ≤6 months presented a greater intervention effect on BMI-Z than those with an intervention duration of more than 6 months. The programs that established goals had a greater intervention effect on body fat than those that did not. Conclusions: Step-monitoring devices may be an effective and generalizable intervention tool for the prevention and treatment of obesity in children and adolescents. Future studies should further explore how to set step goals and the duration of interventions to achieve better intervention effects.

Ndufa8 promotes white fat Browning by improving mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I function to ameliorate obesity by in vitro and in vivo.

Obesity and its complications have become a global health problem that needs to be addressed urgently. White adipose tissue (WAT) browning contributes to consuming excess energy in WAT, which is important for improving obesity and maintaining a healthy energy homeostasis. Mitochondria, as the energy metabolism center of cells, are extensively involved in many metabolic processes, including the browning of WAT. NADH: Ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit A8 (NDUFA8) is a constituent subunit of respiratory chain complex I (CI), which has been found to participate in a wide range of physiological processes by affecting the activity of respiratory CI. However, the regulatory effect of Ndufa8 on the browning of WAT has not been reported. Here, we used ß3-adrenergic agonis CL316, 243 to construct WAT browning models in vivo and in vitro to investigate the role and mechanism of Ndufa8 in the regulation of WAT browning. Briefly, Ndufa8 significantly increased CI activity and suppressed mitochondrial ROS levels in vitro, thereby improving mitochondrial function. Ndufa8 also increased the transcriptional levels and protein levels of UCP1 in vitro and in vivo, which promoted WAT browning. Our findings provide a new molecular approach for the research of browning of WAT in animals, as well as a new target for animal metabolism improvement and obesity treatments.

Effects of starch filling on physicochemical properties, functional activities, and release characteristics of PBAT-based biodegradable active films loaded with tea polyphenols.

In this work, the modification of poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) was combined with the development of active packaging films. PBAT, starch, plasticizer, and tea polyphenols (TP) were compounded and extrusion-blown into thermoplastic starch (TPS)/PBAT-TP active films. Effects of TPS contents on physicochemical properties, functional activities, biodegradability, and release kinetics of PBAT-based active films were explored. Starch interacted strongly with TP through hydrogen bonding and induced the formation of heterogeneous structures in the films. With the increase in TPS contents, surface hydrophilicity and water vapor permeability of the films increased, while mechanical properties decreased. Blending starch with PBAT greatly accelerated degradation behavior of the films, and the T30P70-TP film achieved complete degradation after 180 days. As TPS contents increased, swelling degree of the films increased and TP release were improved accordingly, resulting in significantly enhanced antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. This work demonstrated that filling starch into PBAT-based active films could achieve different antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the films by regulating film swelling and release behavior.

Nonconjugated amylopectin-grafted copolymers with dual fluorescence/low-temperature phosphorescence emission and superior processability.

Nonconjugated fluorescent polymers devoid of large π-π conjugated structures have received considerable attention due to their significant academic importance and broad application potentials in various fields. Herein, we report an effective strategy to fabricate multifunctional fluorescent amylopectin derivatives and reveal their unique aspects of aggregation-induced emission (AIE), cryogenic long-persistent phosphorescence (~6 s) and excellent processabilities characteristics, which are extremely different from traditional luminogens. These amylopectin-graft-poly(n-butyl acrylate-co-1-vinylimidazole) copolymers (Amylopectin-BVs) prepared by the grafting-from method employing RAFT and experienced subsequently with metal-ligand cross-linking. Specifically, clustering-triggered fluorescent emission or cryogenic long-persistent phosphorescence of amylopectin could be achieved by the aggregation of oxygen and nitrogen atoms along with conformation rigidification, which shows great promise in optoelectronic and biological applications.

Red nucleus mGluR2 but not mGluR3 mediates inhibitory effect in the development of SNI-induced neuropathological pain by suppressing the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß.

Our previous study has verified that activation of group Ⅰ metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRⅠ) in the red nucleus (RN) facilitate the development of neuropathological pain. Here, we further discussed the functions and possible molecular mechanisms of red nucleus mGluR Ⅱ (mGluR2 and mGluR3) in the development of neuropathological pain induced by spared nerve injury (SNI). Our results showed that mGluR2 and mGluR3 both were constitutively expressed in the RN of normal rats. At 2 weeks post-SNI, the protein expression of mGluR2 rather than mGluR3 was significantly reduced in the RN contralateral to the nerve lesion. Injection of mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 into the RN contralateral to the nerve injury at 2 weeks post-SNI significantly attenuated SNI-induced neuropathological pain, this effect was reversed by mGluR2/3 antagonist EGLU instead of selective mGluR3 antagonist ß-NAAG. Intrarubral injection of LY379268 did not alter the PWT of contralateral hindpaw in normal rats, while intrarubral injection of EGLU rather than ß-NAAG provoked a significant mechanical allodynia. Further studies indicated that the expressions of nociceptive factors TNF-α and IL-1ß in the RN were enhanced at 2 weeks post-SNI. Intrarubral injection of LY379268 at 2 weeks post-SNI significantly suppressed the overexpressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß, these effects were reversed by EGLU instead of ß-NAAG. Intrarubral injection of LY379268 did not influence the protein expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß in normal rats, while intrarubral injection of EGLU rather than ß-NAAG significantly boosted the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß. These findings suggest that red nucleus mGluR2 but not mGluR3 mediates inhibitory effect in the development of SNI-induced neuropathological pain by suppressing the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß. mGluR Ⅱ may be potential targets for drug development and clinical treatment of neuropathological pain.

Diffusion-based virtual MR elastography for predicting recurrence of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND: To explore the capability of diffusion-based virtual MR elastography (vMRE) in the preoperative prediction of recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to investigate the underlying relevant histopathological characteristics. METHODS: Between August 2015 and December 2016, patients underwent preoperative MRI examination with a dedicated DWI sequence (b-values: 200,1500 s/mm2) were recruited. The ADC values and diffusion-based virtual shear modulus (µdiff) of HCCs were calculated and MR morphological features were also analyzed. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify the risk factors associated with tumor recurrence. A preoperative radiologic model and postoperative model including pathological features were built to predict tumor recurrence after hepatectomy. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients with solitary surgically confirmed HCCs were included in this study. Thirty-five patients (40.2%) were found to have tumor recurrence after hepatectomy. The preoperative model included higher µdiff and corona enhancement, while the postoperative model included higher µdiff, microvascular invasion, and histologic tumor grade. These factors were identified as significant prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS) (all p < 0.05). The HCC patients with µdiff values > 2.325 kPa showed poorer 5-year RFS after hepatectomy than patients with µdiff values ≤ 2.325 kPa (p < 0.001). Moreover, the higher µdiff values was correlated with the expression of CK19 (3.95 ± 2.37 vs. 3.15 ± 1.77, p = 0.017) and high Ki-67 labeling index (4.22 ± 1.63 vs. 2.72 ± 2.12, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The µdiff values related to the expression of CK19 and Ki-67 labeling index potentially predict RFS after hepatectomy in HCC patients.

Phycosphere bacterial composition and function in colony and solitary Phaeocystis globosa strains providing novel insights into the algal blooms.

Phycosphere bacteria can regulate the dynamics of different algal blooms that impact marine ecosystems. Phaeocystis globosa can alternate between solitary free-living cells and colonies and the latter morphotype is dominate during blooms. The mechanisms underlying the formation of these blooms have received much attention. High throughput sequencing results showed that the bacterial community composition differed significantly between colony and solitary strains in bacterial composition and function. It was found that the genera SM1A02 and Haliea were detected only among the colony strains and contribute to ammonium accumulation in colonies, and the genus Sulfitobacter was abundant among the colony strains that were excellent at producing DMS. In addition, the bacterial communities of the two colony strains exhibited stronger abilities for carbon and sulfur metabolism, energy metabolism, vitamin B synthesis, and signal transduction, providing inorganic and organic nutrients and facilitating tight communication with the host algae, thereby promoting growth and bloom development.

Factors influencing contractors' low-carbon construction behaviors in China: a LDA-DEMATEL-ISM approach.

Contractors' low-carbon construction behaviors (CLCB) are pivotal in advancing decarbonization during the construction phase. However, there exists a notable gap in the comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted factors and mechanisms influencing CLCB. Therefore, this study aims to systematically identify the factors influencing CLCB in China, examine the interrelationships among these factors, and pinpoint the key determinants. Based on topic modeling of Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), influencing factors are identified firstly from the pertinent literature. Subsequently, the causality degree and centrality degree between these factors are assessed by the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL), followed by the establishment of a hierarchical structure using the Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) method, culminating in the identification of pivotal factors. Findings reveal that (1) 21 influential factors influencing CLCB are identified. (2) "Incentive policies for relevant stakeholders" and "Low-carbon regulation and supervision" emerge as key influences. (3) CLCB should be guided by policy and subjective awareness, fortified by market and management support, underpinned by technology, and directly driven by economic considerations. This research furnishes valuable insights for promoting low-carbon development during the construction phase, thereby assisting the construction sector in achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality.

The role of cholesterol-modified prognostic nutritional index in nutritional status assessment and predicting survival after liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Malnutrition, which is often underestimated in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), has a proven adverse effect on survival rates. The purpose of this study was to verify the effectiveness of the cholesterol-modified prognostic nutritional index (CPNI) in determining the nutritional status and predicting overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with HCC by comparing it with several other nutritional indicators. This retrospective single-center study enrolled 1450 consecutive HCC patients who underwent curative liver resection from January 2015 to November 2019. We evaluated the prognostic significance of several nutritional indicators, including CPNI, the controlling nutritional status (CONUT), the nutritional risk index (NRI), and the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), by applying time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Among several objective nutrition evaluations (including CPNI, CONUT, NRI, and PNI), CPNI demonstrated the greatest prognostic predictive power for predicting OS. Meanwhile, CPNI demonstrated marginally higher accuracy in predicting RFS compared to PNI, and significantly outperformed CONUT and NRI. Univariate and multivariate analyses suggested that CPNI was an independent risk factor for the OS and RFS of patients with HCC undergoing curative liver resection. In most subgroups, malnutrition as identified by CPNI demonstrates strong stratification ability in predicting both OS and RFS. CPNI serves as an accurate and stable instrument for evaluating nutritional status and forecasting survival outcomes in HCC patients following liver resection, which has the potential to markedly influence clinical decision-making processes and the management of patient care.

Comparison of liver venous deprivation with portal vein embolization alone in patients undergoing major liver resection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The clinical efficacy and safety between liver venous deprivation (LVD) and portal vein embolization (PVE) prior to major hepatectomy is still unclear. METHODS: Studies comparing LVD and PVE were obtained by systemically searching PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library Central databases through 22 December 2023. RESULTS: Ten studies including 588 patients were reviewed. Compared with PVE group, LVD group exhibited an increased liver resection rate (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.13-3.15; P = 0.01), a faster KGR (MD, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.31-2.42; P = 0.01), and a shorter time to hepatectomy (MD, -6.66; 95% CI, -8.03 to -5.30; P < 0.0001). The pooled results showed that post-embolization complications (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 0.66-2.74), overall postoperative complications (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.68-1.75), severe complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ III) (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.43-1.14), and 90-day mortality (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.13-1.09) were not significantly different in both groups. LVD group had significantly lower post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) than PVE group (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.22-0.91; P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: LVD outperforms PVE regarding liver resection rate and future liver remnant (FLR) hypertrophy and shows comparable safety to PVE. In addition, LVD allowed for major hepatectomy with lower incidence of PHLF.

Risk factors for unsuccessful reduction of chronic Monteggia fractures in children treated surgically.

Aims: To investigate the risk factors for unsuccessful radial head reduction (RHR) in children with chronic Monteggia fractures (CMFs) treated surgically. Methods: A total of 209 children (mean age 6.84 years (SD 2.87)), who underwent surgical treatment for CMFs between March 2015 and March 2023 at six institutions, were retrospectively reviewed. Assessed risk factors included age, sex, laterality, dislocation direction and distance, preoperative proximal radial metaphysis width, time from injury to surgery, reduction method, annular ligament reconstruction, radiocapitellar joint fixation, ulnar osteotomy, site of ulnar osteotomy, preoperative and postoperative ulnar angulation, ulnar fixation method, progressive ulnar distraction, and postoperative cast immobilization. Independent-samples t-test, chi-squared test, and logistic regression analysis were used to identify the risk factors associated with unsuccessful RHR. Results: Redislocation occurred during surgery in 48 patients (23%), and during follow-up in 44 (21.1%). The mean follow-up of patients with successful RHR was 13.25 months (6 to 78). According to the univariable analysis, time from injury to surgery (p = 0.002) and preoperative dislocation distance (p = 0.042) were identified as potential risk factors for unsuccessful RHR. However, only time from injury to surgery (p = 0.007) was confirmed as a risk factor by logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and chi-squared test confirmed that a time from injury to surgery greater than 1.75 months increased the rate of unsuccessful RHR above the cutoff (p = 0.002). Conclusion: Time from injury to surgery is the primary independent risk factor for unsuccessful RHR in surgically treated children with CMFs, particularly in those with a time from injury to surgery of more than 1.75 months. No other factors were found to influence the incidence of unsuccessful RHR. Surgical reduction of paediatric CMFs should be performed within the first two months of injury whenever possible.

Modulating the Moderate d-Band Center of Indium in InVO4 Nanobelts by Synergizing MnOx and Oxygen Vacancies for High-Efficiency CO2 Photoreduction.

Modulating the electronic properties of transition metal sites in photocatalysts at the atomic level is essential for achieving high-activity carbon dioxide photoreduction (CO2PR). An electronic strategy is herein proposed to engineer In-d-band center of InVO4 by incorporating MnOx nanoparticles and oxygen vacancies (VO) into holey InVO4 nanobelts (MnOx/VO-InVO4), which synergistically modulates the In-d-band center to a moderate level and consequently leads to high-efficiency CO2PR. The MnOx/VO-InVO4 catalyst with optimized electronic property exhibits a single carbon evolution rate of up to 145.3 µmol g-1 h-1 and a carbon monoxide (CO) product selectivity of 92.6%, coming out in front of reported InVO4-based materials. It is discovered that the modulated electronic property favors the interaction between the In sites and their intermediates, which thereby improves the thermodynamics and kinetics of the CO2PR-to-CO reaction. This work not only demonstrates the effective engineering of the d orbital of the low-coordination In atoms to promote CO2PR, but also paves the way for the application of tuning d-band center to develop high-efficiency catalysts.

Effects of Commonly used Surfactants, Poloxamer 188 and Tween 80, on the Drug Transport Capacity of Intestinal Glucose Transporters.

Some glycoside drugs can be transported through intestinal glucose transporters (IGTs). The surfactants used in oral drug preparations can affect the function of transporter proteins. This study aimed to investigate the effect of commonly used surfactants, Poloxamer 188 and Tween 80, on the drug transport capacity of IGTs. Previous studies have shown that gastrodin is the optimal drug substrate for IGTs. Gastrodin was used as a probe drug to evaluate the effect of these two surfactants on intestinal absorption in SD rats through pharmacokinetic and in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion. Then, the effects of the two surfactants on the expression of glucose transporters and tight-junction proteins were examined using RT-PCR and western blotting. Additionally, the effect of surfactants on intestinal permeability was evaluated through hematoxylin-eosin staining. The results found that all experimental for Poloxamer 188 (0.5%, 2.0% and 8.0%) and Tween 80 (0.1% and 2.0%) were not significantly different from those of the blank group. However, the AUC(0-∞) of gastrodin increased by approximately 32% when 0.5% Tween 80 was used. The changes in IGT expression correlated with the intestinal absorption of gastrodin. A significant increase in the expression of IGTs was observed at 0.5% Tween 80. In conclusion, Poloxamer 188 had minimal effect on the drug transport capacity of IGTs within the recommended limits of use. However, the expression of IGTs increased in response to 0.5% Tween 80, which significantly enhanced the drug transport capacity of IGTs. However, 0.1% and 2.0% Tween 80 had no significant effect.