Cu/TiO2 adsorbents modified by air plasma for adsorption-oxidation of H2S.

In this study, non-thermal plasma (NTP) was employed to modify the Cu/TiO2 adsorbent to efficiently purify H2S in low-temperature and micro-oxygen environments. The effects of Cu loading amounts and atmospheres of NTP treatment on the adsorption-oxidation performance of the adsorbents were investigated. The NTP modification successfully boosted the H2S removal capacity to varying degrees, and the optimized adsorbent treated by air plasma (Cu/TiO2-Air) attained the best H2S breakthrough capacity of 113.29 mg H2S/gadsorbent, which was almost 5 times higher than that of the adsorbent without NTP modification. Further studies demonstrated that the superior performance of Cu/TiO2-Air was attributed to increased mesoporous volume, more exposure of active sites (CuO) and functional groups (amino groups and hydroxyl groups), enhanced Ti-O-Cu interaction, and the favorable ratio of active oxygen species. Additionally, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated the main reason for the deactivation was the consumption of the active components (CuO) and the agglomeration of reaction products (CuS and SO42-) occupying the active sites on the surface and the inner pores of the adsorbents.

Spatial confinement: An effective strategy to improve H2O and SO2 resistance of the expandable graphite-modified TiO2-supported Pt nanocatalysts for CO oxidation.

The expandable graphite (EG) modified TiO2 nanocomposites were prepared by the high shear method using the TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and EG as precursors, in which the amount of EG doped in TiO2 was 10 wt.%. Followed by the impregnation method, adjusting the pH of the solution to 10, and using the electrostatic adsorption to achieve spatial confinement, the Pt elements were mainly distributed on the exposed TiO2, thus generating the Pt/10EG-TiO2-10 catalyst. The best CO oxidation activity with the excellent resistance to H2O and SO2 was obtained over the Pt/10EG-TiO2-10 catalyst: CO conversion after 36 hr of the reaction was ca. 85% under the harsh condition of 10 vol.% H2O and 100 ppm SO2 at a high gaseous hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 400,000 hr-1. Physicochemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by various techniques. The results showed that the electrostatic adsorption, which riveted the Pt elements mainly on the exposed TiO2 of the support surface, reduced the dispersion of Pt NPs on EG and achieved the effective dispersion of Pt NPs, hence significantly improving CO oxidation activity over the Pt/10EG-TiO2-10 catalyst. The 10 wt.% EG doped in TiO2 caused the TiO2 support to form a more hydrophobic surface, which reduced the adsorption of H2O and SO2 on the catalyst, greatly inhibited deposition of the TiOSO4 and formation of the PtSO4 species as well as suppressed the oxidation of SO2, thus resulting in an improvement in the resistance to H2O and SO2 of the Pt/10EG-TiO2-10 catalyst.

Automated Estimation of Thoracic Rotation in Chest X-ray Radiographs: A Deep Learning Approach for Enhanced Technical Assessment.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to develop an automated approach for estimating the vertical rotation of the thorax, which can be used to assess the technical adequacy of chest X-ray radiographs (CXRs). METHODS: Total 800 chest radiographs were used to train and establish segmentation networks for outlining the lungs and spine regions in chest X-ray images. By measuring the widths of the left and right lungs between the central line of segmented spine and the lateral sides of the segmented lungs, the quantification of thoracic vertical rotation was achieved. Additionally, a life-size, full body anthropomorphic phantom was employed to collect chest radiographic images under various specified rotation angles for assessing the accuracy of the proposed approach. RESULTS: The deep learning networks effectively segmented the anatomical structures of the lungs and spine. The proposed approach demonstrated a mean estimation error of less than 2° for thoracic rotation, surpassing existing techniques and indicating its superiority. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed approach offers a robust assessment of thoracic rotation and presents new possibilities for automated image quality control in chest X-ray examinations. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: This study presents a novel deep learning-based approach for the automated estimation of vertical thoracic rotation in chest X-ray radiographs. The proposed method enables a quantitative assessment of the technical adequacy of CXR examinations and opens up new possibilities for automated screening and quality control of radiographs.

B-site substitution effects on the mechanical properties of halide perovskites [C4H12N2][BCl3]·H2O (B = NH4+; K+).

The mechanical properties of halide perovskites have been attracting ever-increasing interest for their significant importance in future industrial applications. However, studies focused on the effect of B-site substitution of molecular perovskites on their mechanical properties are rare, which makes it favorable to shed light on their fundamental structure-mechanical property relationships. Here, using isostructural halide perovskites, [C4H12N2][BCl3]·H2O (B = NH4+; K+), constructed by ionic bonds and hydrogen bonds, respectively, as the model systems, we investigate their mechanical properties through high-pressure synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments and density functional theory calculations. Owing to the similar sizes of NH4+ and K+, the two compounds possess almost identical cell parameters and frameworks. Upon compression, the two perovskites exhibit analogous behavior except for slight differences in the shrinkage ratio of principal axes and the onset pressure of amorphization. The fitted bulk moduli of [C4H12N2][KCl3]·H2O and [C4H12N2][NH4Cl3]·H2O are 43.89 and 27.28 GPa, respectively. These results demonstrate that the simple replacement of K+ by NH4+ can significantly reduce the structural rigidity of the corresponding compounds, which is ascribed to the weaker strength of NH4⋯Cl hydrogen bonds than that of K-Cl bonds.

"On-the-Fly" Nonadiabatic Dynamics Simulation on the Ultrafast Photoisomerization of a Molecular Photoswitch Iminothioindoxyl: An RMS-CASPT2 Investigation.

Iminothioindoxyl (ITI) is a new class of photoswitch that exhibits many excellent properties including well-separated absorption bands in the visible region for both conformers, ultrafast Z to E photoisomerization as well as the millisecond reisomerization at room temperature for the E isomer, and switchable ability in both solids and various solvents. However, the underlying ultrafast photoisomerization mechanism at the atomic level remains unclear. In this work, we have employed a combination of high-level RMS-CASPT2-based static electronic structure calculations and nonadiabatic dynamics simulations to investigate the ultrafast photoisomerization dynamics of ITI. Based on the minimum-energy structures, minimum-energy conical intersections, linear interpolation internal coordinate paths, and nonadiabatic dynamics simulations, the overall photoisomerization scenario of ITI upon excitation is established. Upon excitation around 416 nm, the molecule will be excited to the S2 state considering its close energy to the experimentally measured absorption maximum and larger oscillator strength, from which ultrafast decay of S2 to S1 state can take place efficiently with a time constant of 62 fs. However, the photoisomerization is not likely to complete in the S2 state since the dihedral associated with the Z to E isomerization changes little during the relaxation. Upon relaxing to the S1 state, the molecule will decay to the S0 state ultrafast with a time constant of 232 fs. In contrast, the decay of the S1 state is important for the isomerization considering that the dihedral related to the isomerization of the hopping structures is close to 90°. Therefore, the S1/S0 intersection region should be important for the isomerization of ITI. Arriving at the S0 state, the molecule can either go back to the original Z reactant or isomerize to the E products. At the end of the 500 fs simulation time, the E configuration accounts for nearly 37% of the final structures. Moreover, the photoisomerization mechanism is different from the isomerization mechanism in the ground state; i.e., instead of the inversion mechanism in the ground state, the photoisomerization prefers the rotation mechanism. Our results not only agree well with previous experimental studies but also provide some novel insights that could be helpful for future improvements in the performance of the ITI photoswitches.

Design Strategies for High-Performance NH3-SCO Catalysts: Identifying and Modulating Direct Anchoring Sites for Ag on TiO2.

Ammonia (NH3) slip from diesel vehicle aftertreatment systems and internal combustion engines fueled by NH3 or NH3/H2 poses serious environmental problems. Ag-based catalysts are widely used for the selective catalytic oxidation of NH3 to N2 (NH3-SCO), and their performance is greatly dependent on the state of Ag, which is influenced by the anchoring sites on the support. Despite efforts to identify the direct anchoring sites of metal atoms on TiO2, conflicting views persist. Here, we compared the correlation between Ag dispersion and the content of hydroxyl (OH) groups or defects on TiO2 and conducted density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and the results confirmed that the surface OH groups of TiO2 serve as the direct anchoring sites for Ag. By modulating the OH group content through thermal induction, the optimal OH group content on TiO2-800 resulted in more metallic Ag nanoparticles (Ag0 NPs) in larger sizes, leading to the development of an excellent NH3-SCO catalyst. Moreover, in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), kinetic studies, and DFT calculations suggested that more Ag0 NPs in larger sizes on 10Ag/TiO2-800 were conducive to O2 activation and NH3 dissociation. Our findings provide new insights for designing efficient NH3-SCO catalysts, and OH groups as direct anchoring sites could be extended to other metals and supports for the rational design of catalysts.

Failure of the three-way catalyst (TWC) introduces "super emitters".

Vehicle exhaust is one of the major organic sources in urban areas. Old taxis equipped with failed three-way catalysts (TWCs) have been regarded as "super emitters". Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a regular substitution fuel for gasoline in taxis. The relative effect of fuel substitution and TWC failure has not been thoroughly investigated. In this work, vehicle exhausts from gasoline and CNG taxis with optimally functioning and malfunctioning TWCs are sampled by Tenax TA tubes and then analyzed by a comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC×GC-MS). A total of 216 organics are quantified, including 80 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 132 intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs). Failure of TWC introduces super emitters with 30 - 70 times emission factors (EFs), 60 - 112 times ozone formation potentials (OFPs), and 34 - 92 times secondary organic aerosols (SOAs) more than normal vehicles. Specifically, for the taxi with failed TWC, the total organic EF of CNG is 16 times that of gasoline, indicating that the failure of TWC exceeds the emission reduction achieved by CNG-gasoline substitution. A significant but unbalanced reduction of ozone and SOA is observed after TWC, whereas a notable "enrichment" in IVOCs was observed. Naphthalene is a typical IVOC component strongly associated with CNG-gasoline substitution and TWC failure, which is lacking in current VOC measurement. We especially emphasize that there is an urgent need to scrap vehicles with failed TWCs in order to significantly reduce air pollution.

Accurate prediction of spatial distribution of soil potentially toxic elements using machine learning and associated key influencing factors identification: A case study in mining and smelting area in southwestern China.

Accurate prediction of spatial distribution of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is crucial for soil pollution prevention and risk control. Achieving accurate prediction of spatial distribution of soil PTEs at a large scale using conventional methods presents significant challenges. In this study, machine learning (ML) models, specially artificial neural network (ANN), random forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGB), were used to predict spatial distribution of soil PTEs and identify associated key factors in mining and smelting area located in Yunnan Province, China, under the three scenarios: (1) natural + socioeconomic + spatial datasets (NS), (2) NS + irrigation pollution index (IPI) datasets, (3) NS + IPI + deposition (DEPO) datasets. The results highlighted the combination of NS+IPI+DEPO yielded the highest predictive accuracy across ML models. Particularly, XGB exhibited the highest performance for As (R2 =0.7939), Cd (R2 =0.6679), Cu (R2 =0.8519), Pb (R2 =0.8317), and Zn (R2 =0.7669), whereas RF performed the best for Ni (R2 =0.7146). The feature importance and Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) analysis revealed that DEPO and IPI were the pivotal factors influencing the distribution of soil PTEs. Our findings highlighted the important role of DEPO in spatial distribution prediction of soil PTEs, which has often been ignored in previous studies.

Disturbed glucose homeostasis and its increased allostatic load in response to individual, joint and fluctuating air pollutants exposure: Evidence from a longitudinal study in prediabetes.

We investigated the effect of individual, joint and fluctuating exposure to air pollution (PM2.5, BC, NO3-, NH4+, OM, SO42-, PM10, NO2, SO2, O3) on glucose metabolisms among prediabetes, and simultaneously explored the modifying effect of lifestyle. We conducted a longitudinal study among prediabetes during 2018-2022. Exposure windows within 60-days moving averages and their variabilities were calculated. FBG, insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-B, triglyceride glucose index (TyG), glucose insulin ratio (GI) and allostatic load of glucose homeostasis system (AL-GHS) was included. Linear mixed-effects model and BKMR were adopted to investigate the individual and overall effects, respectively. We also explored the preventive role of lifestyle. Individual air pollutant was associated with increased FBG, insulin, HOMA-IR, HOMA-B, TyG, and decreased GI. People with FBG ≥6.1 mmol/L were more susceptible. Air pollutants mixture were only associated with increased HOMA-B, and constituents have the highest group-PIP. Air pollutants variation also exert harmful effect. We observed similar diabetic effect on AL-GHS. Finally, the diabetic effect of air pollutants disappeared if participants adopt a favorable lifestyle. Our findings highlighted the importance of comprehensively assessing multiple air pollutants and their variations, focusing on metabolic health status in the early prevention of T2D, and adopting healthy lifestyle to mitigate such harmful effect.

Wnt signaling pathway in spinal cord injury: from mechanisms to potential applications.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) denotes damage to both the structure and function of the spinal cord, primarily manifesting as sensory and motor deficits caused by disruptions in neural transmission pathways, potentially culminating in irreversible paralysis. Its pathophysiological processes are complex, with numerous molecules and signaling pathways intricately involved. Notably, the pronounced upregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway post-SCI holds promise for neural regeneration and repair. Activation of the Wnt pathway plays a crucial role in neuronal differentiation, axonal regeneration, local neuroinflammatory responses, and cell apoptosis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for treating SCI. However, excessive activation of the Wnt pathway can also lead to negative effects, highlighting the need for further investigation into its applicability and significance in SCI. This paper provides an overview of the latest research advancements in the Wnt signaling pathway in SCI, summarizing the recent progress in treatment strategies associated with the Wnt pathway and analyzing their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, we offer insights into the clinical application of the Wnt signaling pathway in SCI, along with prospective avenues for future research direction.

Understanding the physiological transmission mechanisms of photoplethysmography signals: a comprehensive review.

The widespread adoption of Photoplethysmography (PPG) as a non-invasive method for detecting blood volume variations and deriving vital physiological parameters reflecting health status has surged, primarily due to its accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and non-intrusive nature. This has led to extensive research around this technique in both daily life and clinical applications. Interestingly, despite the existence of contradictory explanations of the underlying mechanism of PPG signals across various applications, a systematic investigation into this crucial matter has not been conducted thus far. This gap in understanding hinders the full exploitation of PPG technology and undermines its accuracy and reliability in numerous applications. Building upon a comprehensive review of the fundamental principles and technological advancements in PPG, this paper initially attributes the origin of PPG signals to a combination of physical and physiological transmission processes. Furthermore, three distinct models outlining the concerned physiological transmission processes are synthesized, with each model undergoing critical examination based on theoretical underpinnings, empirical evidence, and constraints. The ultimate objective is to form a fundamental framework for a better understanding of physiological transmission processes in PPG signal generation and to facilitate the development of more reliable technologies for detecting physiological signals. .

Cord blood vitamin A and vitamin D levels in relation to physical growth in exclusively breastfed infants aged 0-6 months.

Background: Vitamins A and D are essential for the health of pregnant women and infants. Nevertheless, the relationship between umbilical cord blood vitamins A and D levels and the physical growth of exclusively breastfed infants remains uncertain. Objective: This cohort study aims to examine the relationship between cord blood vitamins A and D levels and the physical growth of exclusively breastfed infants aged 0-6 months. Methods: 140 singleton mother-infant pairs were recruited in total. Questionnaires were used to collect maternal and infant information, and liquid chromatography was utilized to quantify the levels of vitamins A and D in the umbilical cord blood. Anthropometric measurements were conducted at birth, at 3 and 6 months of age, and the weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), length-for-age z-score (LAZ), head circumference-for-age z-score (HAZ), and BMI-for-age z-score (BMIZ) were calculated. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were used for the analysis. Results: The average concentration of vitamins A and D in cord blood was 0.58 ± 0.20 µmol/L and 34.07 ± 13.35 nmol/L, both below the normal range for children. After adjusting for confounding factors, vitamin A levels in cord blood positively correlated with HAZ growth in infants aged 3-6 months (ß= 0.75, P < 0.01) while vitamin D levels negatively correlated with LAZ growth (ß= -0.01, P = 0.01) and positively correlated with BMIZ growth (ß= 0.02, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Higher Vitamin A levels at birth promote HAZ growth in infants aged 3-6 months while higher vitamin D levels at birth promote BMIZ growth in infants aged 3-6 months. Clinical trial registration: https://register.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04017286.

Proteogenomic Analysis Identifies a Causal Association between Plasma Apolipoprotein B Levels and Liver Cancer Risk.

Liver oncogenesis is accompanied by discernible protein changes in the bloodstream. By employing plasma proteomic profiling, we can delve into the molecular mechanisms of liver cancer and pinpoint potential biomarkers. In this nested case-control study, we applied liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for proteome profiling in baseline plasma samples. Differential protein expression was determined and was subjected to functional enrichment, network, and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. We identified 193 proteins with notable differential levels between the groups. Of these proteins, MR analysis offered a compelling negative association between apolipoprotein B (APOB) and liver cancer. This association was further corroborated in the UK Biobank cohort: genetically predicted APOB levels were associated with a 31% (95% CI 19-42%) decreased risk of liver cancer; and phenotypic analysis indicated an 11% (95% CI 8-14%) decreased liver cancer risk for every 0.1 g/L increase of circulating APOB levels. Multivariable MR analysis suggested that the hepatic fat content might fully mediate the APOB-liver cancer connection. In summary, we identified some plasma proteins, particularly APOB, as potential biomarkers of liver cancer. Our findings underscore the intricate link between lipid metabolism and liver cancer, offering hints for targeted prophylactic strategies and early detection.

The correlation between the level of cellular classification in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of children with severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae and clinical characteristics.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) is a common respiratory tract infection disease in children. To date, there have been few studies on the relationship between cytological changes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and clinical features. The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between changes in the proportion of cell classifications in BALF and the clinical features in children with severe MPP (SMPP). In total, the study included 64 children with SMPP requiring bronchoalveolar lavage who were admitted to our hospital between March and September 2022 (study group) and 11 children with bronchial foreign bodies without co-infection (control group), who were admitted during the same period. The proportion of cell classifications in BALF was determined by microscopic examination after performing Wright-Giemsa staining. Patients were grouped according to different clinical characteristics, and between-group comparisons were made regarding the variations in the proportion of cell classifications in BALF. The levels of blood routine neutrophil percentage (GRA%), C-reactive protein, D-dimer and lactate dehydrogenase in the study group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). There were differences in the GRA% and macrophage percentage in the BALF between the two groups (P < 0.05). The GRA% and blood lymphocyte percentage were associated with pleural effusion. Multiple indicators correlated with extrapulmonary manifestations (P < 0.05). Moreover, the percentage of lymphocytes in the BALF correlated with pleural effusion, extrapulmonary manifestations and refractory MPP (RMPP) (P < 0.05). Logistic regression showed that BALF lymphocytes were protective factors for RMPP, while serum amyloid A and extrapulmonary manifestations were risk factors (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The BALF of children with SMPP is predominantly neutrophilic. A lower percentage of lymphocytes is related to a higher incidence of pleural effusion, extrapulmonary manifestations and progression to RMPP, as well as a longer length of hospitalisation. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Mycoplasma pneumonia in children is relatively common in clinical practice. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a routine clinical procedure. WHAT IS NEW: However, there are relatively few studies focusing on the cytomorphological analysis of cells in BAL fluid.

Effects of storm events on nutrient characteristics in a stratified drinking water reservoir: Behavior, transmission pathways and management strategy.

Storm events result in nutrient fluctuations and deterioration of reservoir water supply quality. Understanding of nutrient dynamics (e.g., concentration, composition, loads and transport pathways) and adoption of effective management strategies are critical for safeguarding water quality. A comprehensive monitoring was conducted for three storm events during the rainy season in 2023. Results showed nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) dynamics demonstrate a significant response to hydrological process. Rainfall resulted in the highest event mean concentrations (EMCs) of total nitrogen (TN), nitrate nitrogen (NO3--N), ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), total phosphorus (TP), and particulate phosphorus (PP) in the runoff being 1.97, 2.15, 2.30, 44.17, and 62.38 times higher than those observed in baseflow. On average, NO3--N/PP accounted for 82 %/96 % of N/P exports. Hysteresis analyses reveal that NH4+-N and PP were mainly transported by surface runoff from over-land sources, whereas TN and NO3--N were primarily delivered by subsurface runoff. Additionally, nutrient concentrations were significantly higher in the intrusive layer in reservoir compared to the pre-storm period, which gradually decreased from the tail to the head as particulate sedimentation and water column mixing occurred. Water-lifting-aerators (WLAs) were employed to alter the reservoir thermal stratification regime via artificial mixing to affect the intrusive layer of storm runoff. Comparison of the intrusive layer for three storms reveals that WLAs triggers the storm runoff to form an underflow via increasing the reservoir bottom water temperature above that the runoff, ensuring that water quality at the intake position remains unaffected by inflows. These findings serve as a reference for the response of reservoir eutrophication levels to storm events and present practical engineering experience for enhancing water quality safety during the rainy season.

A Preliminary Study on the Effect of Adding Sugarcane Syrup on the Flavor of Barley Lager Fermentation.

This study focuses on the diversified utilization of the sugarcane industry, and sugarcane syrup, as a by-product of the sugarcane industry, is a good raw material for fermentation. Bringing sugarcane syrup into beer is conducive to the enrichment of the sugar industry, and it can improve the flavor of beer and make it more aromatic. This study determined the optimal fermentation process for beer. By analyzing the consumption rate of the carbon and nitrogen sources of raw materials, the nutrient utilization of yeast, and the causes of differences in flavor substances, the flavor composition and flavor stability of beer were determined by SPME-HS-GC-MS technology. The results showed that beer brewed with sugarcane syrup as an auxiliary raw material met the basic specifications of beer. The addition of sugarcane syrup to the wort base increased the utilization of amino acids by the yeast, and LS (lager with added cane syrup) increased the nine flavor compounds of the beer, which constituted the basic flavor of the beer, bringing new flavor compounds compared with the normal all-barley beer. Forced aging experiments showed that LS produced fewer aging compounds than OWBL. Various experiments have shown that it is feasible to ferment beer with sugarcane syrup instead of partial wort.

MATI: Multimodal Adaptive Tracking Integrator for Robust Visual Object Tracking.

Visual object tracking, pivotal for applications like earth observation and environmental monitoring, encounters challenges under adverse conditions such as low light and complex backgrounds. Traditional tracking technologies often falter, especially when tracking dynamic objects like aircraft amidst rapid movements and environmental disturbances. This study introduces an innovative adaptive multimodal image object-tracking model that harnesses the capabilities of multispectral image sensors, combining infrared and visible light imagery to significantly enhance tracking accuracy and robustness. By employing the advanced vision transformer architecture and integrating token spatial filtering (TSF) and crossmodal compensation (CMC), our model dynamically adjusts to diverse tracking scenarios. Comprehensive experiments conducted on a private dataset and various public datasets demonstrate the model's superior performance under extreme conditions, affirming its adaptability to rapid environmental changes and sensor limitations. This research not only advances visual tracking technology but also offers extensive insights into multisource image fusion and adaptive tracking strategies, establishing a robust foundation for future enhancements in sensor-based tracking systems.

Ultrasonographic Predictors for Post-operative Ischemic Events After Indirect Revascularization Surgeries in Patients with Moyamoya Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Recurrent stroke after revascularization surgeries predicts poor outcome in patients with moyamoya disease (MMD). Early identification of patients with stroke risk paves the way for rescue intervention. This study aimed to investigate the role of ultrasound in identifying patients at risk of post-operative ischemic events (PIEs). METHODS: This prospective study enrolled patients with symptomatic MMD who underwent indirect revascularization surgeries. Ultrasound examinations were performed preoperatively and at 3 mo post-operatively to evaluate the hemodynamic changes in extracranial and intracranial arteries on the operated side. PIE was defined as ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack in the operated hemisphere within 1 y. The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves were compared between models for prediction of PIE. RESULTS: A total of 56 operated hemispheres from 36 patients (mean age, 23.0 ± 18.5 y) were enrolled in this study, and 27% developed PIE. In multivariate logistic regression models, PIE was associated with lower end-diastolic velocity and flow volume (FV) of the ipsilateral external carotid artery (ECA), and lower FV of ipsilateral superficial temporal artery and occipital artery at 3 mo post-operatively (all p < 0.05). Moreover, the post-operative FV of the ipsilateral ECA was the only one factor that significantly increased the areas under receiver operating characteristic curves from 0.727 to 0.932 when adding to a clinical-angiographic model for prediction of PIE (p = 0.017). This parameter was significantly lower in hemispheres with PIE, both in adult and pediatric patients. CONCLUSION: After indirect revascularization, surgeries in patients with symptomatic MMD, FV of ipsilateral ECA at 3 mo helps clinicians to identify patients at risk of PIE.

Tuning Proton Conduction by Staggered Arrays of Polar Preyssler-Type Oxoclusters.

Polyoxometalates (POMs), anionic nanosized oxoclusters that can be considered as fragments of metal oxides, have been extensively studied for their diverse composition and structure, showing promise in various fields such as catalysis and electronics. Proton conduction, relevant to catalysis and electronics, has attracted interest in materials chemistry, and POM anions are advantageous in terms of their proton carrier density and mobility. Recently, polar POMs have attracted attention for their unique ferroelectric behaviors, yet they have been little studied with regard to proton conduction, as their polarity has generally been believed to have a negative impact. Here, we propose that polar POMs can be used to align polar proton carriers, such as H2O and polymers, to construct efficient proton-conducting pathways. In this study, we present ionic crystals composed of polar Preyssler-type POMs ([Xn+(H2O)P5W30O110](15-n)-, Xn+ = Ca2+, Eu3+) and K+ exhibiting ultrahigh proton conductivity surpassing 10-2 S cm-1, which is required for practical applications. In contrast, ionic crystals with nonpolar Preyssler-type POMs show an order of magnitude lower proton conductivity. Structural and spectroscopic studies combined with theoretical calculations reveal that proton carriers align with the aid of staggered arrays of polar POMs, forming a hydrogen-bonding network favorable for proton conduction. This study integrates molecular chemistry by the design of POMs and solid-state chemistry by exploring long-range proton conduction mechanisms, offering novel insights for future materials design.

Exome-wide association study identifies KDELR3 mutations in extreme myopia.

Extreme myopia (EM), defined as a spherical equivalent (SE) ≤ -10.00 diopters (D), is one of the leading causes of sight impairment. Known EM-associated variants only explain limited risk and are inadequate for clinical decision-making. To discover risk genes, we performed a whole-exome sequencing (WES) on 449 EM individuals and 9606 controls. We find a significant excess of rare protein-truncating variants (PTVs) in EM cases, enriched in the retrograde vesicle-mediated transport pathway. Employing single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and a single-cell polygenic burden score (scPBS), we pinpointed PI16 + /SFRP4+ fibroblasts as the most relevant cell type. We observed that KDELR3 is highly expressed in scleral fibroblast and involved in scleral extracellular matrix (ECM) organization. The zebrafish model revealed that kdelr3 downregulation leads to elongated ocular axial length and increased lens diameter. Together, our study provides insight into the genetics of EM in humans and highlights KDELR3's role in EM pathogenesis.