Probing structural superlubricity of two-dimensional water transport with atomic resolution.

Low-dimensional water transport can be drastically enhanced under atomic-scale confinement. However, its microscopic origin is still under debate. In this work, we directly imaged the atomic structure and transport of two-dimensional water islands on graphene and hexagonal boron nitride surfaces using qPlus-based atomic force microscopy. The lattice of the water island was incommensurate with the graphene surface but commensurate with the boron nitride surface owing to different surface electrostatics. The area-normalized static friction on the graphene diminished as the island area was increased by a power of ~-0.58, suggesting superlubricity behavior. By contrast, the friction on the boron nitride appeared insensitive to the area. Molecular dynamic simulations further showed that the friction coefficient of the water islands on the graphene could reduce to <0.01.

The role of CO2 in the genesis of Dabie-type porphyry molybdenum deposits.

Porphyry-type molybdenum deposits, many of which are in China, supply most of the World's molybdenum. Of particular importance are the molybdenum deposits located in the Qinling-Dabie region that are responsible for more than half of China's molybdenum production. A feature that distinguishes this suite of deposits from the better-known Climax and Endako sub-types of porphyry molybdenum deposits is their formation from CO2-rich magmatic-hydrothermal fluids. The role of CO2, if any, in the transport of molybdenum by these fluids, however, is poorly understood. We conducted experiments on the partitioning of molybdenum between H2O-CO2, H2O-NaCl, and H2O-NaCl-CO2 fluids and a felsic melt at 850 °C and 100 and 200 MPa. Here we show that the exsolution of separate (immiscible) brine and vapor leads to the very high brine DMo values needed for efficient extraction of Mo from the magmas forming Dabie-type porphyry molybdenum deposits.

The impact of preoperative calcitonin screening on the prognosis of patients with medullary thyroid cancer: a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

PURPOSE: There is still controversy in different guidelines regarding the necessity of routine preoperative calcitonin (Ctn) testing in medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). The level of preoperative Ctn may influence the extent of surgery. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter cohort study involved 149 MTC patients from 6 centers between 2013 to 2023. Clinical characteristics, surgical procedure and clinical outcomes were compared between Ctn-screened and Non-screened group. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: In total, 127 MTC patients with preoperative Ctn screening and 22 MTC patients without screening were analyzed. MTC patients with preoperative Ctn screening underwent more radical surgical procedures including total thyroidectomy and lymph node dissection, compared to those without screening (84.3% vs. 68.2% and 91.3% vs. 72.7%, respectively). The rate of recurrence and death were lower in the Ctn-screened group (16.1% vs. 36.4%, 0.8% vs. 18.2%, respectively). The survival curve showed a significantly better overall survival in Ctn-screened group than Non-screened group (HR:17.932, 95% CI 1.888-170.294, p-value = 0.001), while no significant difference was observed of RFS between two groups (HR:1.6, 95% CI 0.645-3.966, p-value = 0.307). CONCLUSION: Preoperative Ctn screening can prompt surgeons choosing more radical initial surgical treatment for MTC patients, potentially leading to better long-term outcomes. Further evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of routine Ctn screening in thyroid nodule patients is warranted.

A Novel Classification System of Renal Hilar Tumors for Surgical Guidance: Technique, Outcome, and Safety.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to develop an innovative classification and guidance system for renal hilar tumors and to assess the safety and effectiveness of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) for managing such tumors. METHODS: A total of 179 patients undergoing RAPN for renal hilar tumors were retrospectively reviewed. A novel classification system with surgical techniques was introduced and the perioperative features, tumor characteristics, and the efficacy and safety of RAPN were compared within subgroups. RESULTS: We classified the tumors according to our novel system as follows: 131 Type I, 35 Type II, and 13 Type III. However, Type III had higher median R.E.N.A.L., PADUA, and ROADS scores compared with the others (all p < 0.001), indicating increased operative complexity and higher estimated blood loss [180.00 (115.00-215.00) ml]. Operative outcomes revealed significant disparities between Type III and the others, with longer operative times [165.00 (145.00-200.50) min], warm ischemia times [24.00 (21.50-30.50) min], tumor resection times [13.00 (12.00-15.50) min], and incision closure times [22.00 (20.00-23.50) min] (all p < 0.005). Postoperative outcomes also showed significant differences, with longer durations of drain removal (77.08 ± 18.16 h) and hospitalization for Type III [5.00 (5.00-6.00) d] (all p < 0.05). Additionally, Type I had a larger tumor diameter than the others (p = 0.009) and pT stage differed significantly between the subtypes (p = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: The novel renal hilar tumor classification system is capable of differentiating the surgical difficulty of RAPN and further offers personalized surgical steps tailored to each specific classification. It provides a meaningful tool for clinical practice.

Berberine hydrochloride delays citrus sour rot mainly by disrupting carbohydrate and energy metabolism of Geotrichum citri-aurantii spores.

Citrus sour rot is a common postharvest citrus disease caused by Geotrichum citri-aurantiiti, which has led to enormous economic losses, particularly during rainy seasons. In this study, we aimed to clarify the impact of berberine hydrochloride (BH), the hydrochloride form of an isoquinoline alkaloid, on the control efficiency of citrus sour rot and its antifungal mode against G. citri-aurantii. Results demonstrated that BH markedly impede the propagation of G. citri-aurantii by delaying the spores development from dormant stage into swollen and germinating stages, with the MIC and MFC value of 0.08 and 0.16 g L-1, respectively. When the artificially inoculated citrus fruit in control group were totally rotted, the disease incidence of BH-treated groups decreased by 35.00%-73.30%, which effectively delayed the disease progression and almost did not negatively affect fruit quality. SEM observation, CFW and PI staining images revealed that BH caused significant damage to both the cell membrane and cell wall of G. citri-aurantii spores, whereas only the cell membrane of the mycelium was affected. The impact of cell wall was related to the block of chitin and ß-1,3-glucan synthesis. Transcriptome results and further verification proved that 0.5 × MIC BH treatment affected the glycolysis pathway and TCA cycle mainly by inhibiting the production of acetyl-CoA and pyruvate. Subsequently, the activities of key enzymes declined, resulting in a further decrease in ATP levels, ultimately inhibiting the germination of spores. In conlusion, BH delays citrus sour rot mainly by disrupting carbohydrate and energy metabolism of G. citri-aurantii spores.

Graph convolutional network with attention mechanism improve major depressive depression diagnosis based on plasma biomarkers and neuroimaging data.

BACKGROUND: The absence of clinically-validated biomarkers or objective protocols hinders effective major depressive disorder (MDD) diagnosis. Compared to healthy control (HC), MDD exhibits anomalies in plasma protein levels and neuroimaging presentations. Despite extensive machine learning studies in psychiatric diagnosis, a reliable tool integrating multi-modality data is still lacking. METHODS: In this study, blood samples from 100 MDD and 100 HC were analyzed, along with MRI images from 46 MDD and 49 HC. Here, we devised a novel algorithm, integrating graph neural networks and attention modules, for MDD diagnosis based on inflammatory cytokines, neurotrophic factors, and Orexin A levels in the blood samples. Model performance was assessed via accuracy and F1 value in 3-fold cross-validation, comparing with 9 traditional algorithms. We then applied our algorithm to a dataset containing both the aforementioned protein quantifications and neuroimages, evaluating if integrating neuroimages into the model improves performance. RESULTS: Compared to HC, MDD showed significant alterations in plasma protein levels and gray matter volume revealed by MRI. Our new algorithm exhibited superior performance, achieving an F1 value and accuracy of 0.9436 and 94.08 %, respectively. Integration of neuroimaging data enhanced our novel algorithm's performance, resulting in an improved F1 value and accuracy, reaching 0.9543 and 95.06 %. LIMITATIONS: This single-center study with a small sample size requires future evaluations on a larger test set for improved reliability. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison to traditional machine learning models, our newly developed MDD diagnostic model exhibited superior performance and showed promising potential for inclusion in routine clinical diagnosis for MDD.

Erythroderma in Adult-Onset Still's Disease Alleviated After Tocilizumab Therapy: A Case Report.

Erythroderma, also known as exfoliative dermatitis, is a rarely reported atypical cutaneous manifestation of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD). We present the case of erythroderma in association with AOSD that was steroid dependent and responded to tocilizumab therapy. Skin rash, pruritis, and related laboratory findings were significantly improved upon the addition of tocilizumab, while prednisolone was successfully tapered to an ever-lowest maintenance level. To our knowledge, this is the first to report the sole therapeutic effect of tocilizumab in erythroderma related to AOSD.

Black Ultrathin Single-Crystalline Flakes of CuVP2S6 and CuCrP2S6 for Near-Infrared-Driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

The development of new near-infrared-responsive photocatalysts is a fascinating and challenging approach to acquire high photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) performance. Herein, near-infrared-responsive black CuVP2S6 and CuCrP2S6 flakes, as well as CuInP2S6 flakes, are designed and constructed for PHE. Atom-resolved scanning transmission electron microscopy images and X-ray absorption fine structure evidence the formation of ultrathin single-crystalline sheet-like structure of CuVP2S6 and CuCrP2S6. The synthetic CuVP2S6 and CuCrP2S6, with a narrow bandgap of ≈1.0 eV, shows the high light-absorption edge exceeding 1100 nm. Moreover, through the femtosecond-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy, CuCrP2S6 displays the efficient charge transfer and long charge lifetime (18318.1 ps), which is nearly 3 and 29 times longer than that of CuVP2S6 and CuInP2S6, respectively. In addition, CuCrP2S6, with the appropriate d-band and p-band, is thermodynamically favorable for the H+ adsorption and H2 desorption by contrast with CuVP2S6 and CuInP2S6. As a result, CuCrP2S6 exhibits high PHE rates of 9.12 and 0.66 mmol h-1 g-1 under simulated sunlight and near-infrared light irradiation, respectively, far exceeding other layered metal phospho-sulfides. This work offers a distinctive perspective for the development of new near-infrared-responsive photocatalysts.

Hydroxyl-Bonded Co Single Atom Site on Boroncarbonitride Surface Realizes Nonsacrificial H2O2 Synthesis in the Near-Infrared Region.

Photocatalytic synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from O2 and H2O under near-infrared light is a sustainable renewable energy production strategy, but challenging reaction. The bottleneck of this reaction lies in the regulation of O2 reduction path by photocatalyst. Herein, the center of the one-step two-electron reduction (OSR) pathway of O2 for H2O2 evolution via the formation of the hydroxyl-bonded Co single-atom sites on boroncarbonitride surface (BCN-OH2/Co1) is constructed. The experimental and theoretical prediction results confirm that the hydroxyl group on the surface and the electronic band structure of BCN-OH2/Co1 are the key factor in regulating the O2 reduction pathway. In addition, the hydroxyl-bonded Co single-atom sites can further enrich O2 molecules with more electrons, which can avoid the one-electron reduction of O2 to •O2 -, thus promoting the direct two-electron activation hydrogenation of O2. Consequently, BCN-OH2/Co1 exhibits a high H2O2 evolution apparent quantum efficiency of 0.8% at 850 nm, better than most of the previously reported photocatalysts. This study reveals an important reaction pathway for the generation of H2O2, emphasizing that precise control of the active site structure of the photocatalyst is essential for achieving efficient conversion of solar-to-chemical.

Identifying lncRNAs and mRNAs related to survival of NSCLC based on bioinformatic analysis and machine learning.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common histopathological type, and it is purposeful for screening potential prognostic biomarkers for NSCLC. This study aims to identify the lncRNAs and mRNAs related to survival of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The expression profile data of lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma were downloaded in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. A total of eight survival related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and 262 survival related mRNAs were filtered. By gene set enrichment analysis, 17 significantly correlated Gene Ontology signal pathways and 14 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes signal pathways were screened. Based on the clinical survival and prognosis information of the samples, we screened eight lncRNAs and 193 mRNAs by single factor Cox regression analysis. Further single and multifactor Cox regression analysis were performed, 30 independent prognostication-related mRNAs were obtained. The PPI network was further constructed. We then performed the machine learning algorithms (Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, Recursive feature elimination, and Random forest) to screen the optimized DEGs combination, and a total of 17 overlapping mRNAs were obtained. Based on the 17 characteristic mRNAs obtained, we firstly built a Nomogram prediction model, and the ROC values of training set and testing set were 0.835 and 0.767, respectively. By overlapping the 17 characteristic mRNAs and PPI network hub genes, three genes were obtained: CDC6, CEP55, TYMS, which were considered as key factors associated with survival of NSCLC. The in vitro experiments were performed to examine the effect of CDC6, CEP55, and TYMS on NSCLC cells. Finally, the lncRNAs-mRNAs networks were constructed.

Monomer-Recyclable Polyester from CO2 and 1,3-Butadiene.

Synthesis of monomer-recyclable polyesters solely from CO2 and bulk olefins holds great potential in significantly reducing CO2 emissions and addressing the issue of plastic pollution. Due to the kinetic disadvantage of direct copolymerization of CO2 and bulk olefins compared to homopolymerization of bulk olefins, considerable research attention has been devoted to synthesis of polyester via the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of a six-membered disubstituted lactone intermediate, 1,2-ethylidene-6-vinyl-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-one (𝜹-L), obtained from telomerization of CO2 and 1,3-butadiene. However, the conjugate olefin on the six-membered ring of 𝜹-L leads to serious Michael addition side reactions. Thus, the selective ROP of 𝜹-L, which can precisely control the repeating unit for the production of polyesters potentially amenable to efficient monomer recycling, remains an unresolved challenge. Herein, the first example of selective ROP of 𝜹-L is reported using a combination of organobase and N,N'-Bis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]urea as the catalytic system. Systematic modifications of the substituent of the urea show that the presence of electron-deficient 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl groups is the key to the extraordinary selectivity of ring opening over Michael addition. Efficient monomer recovery of oligo(𝜹-L) is also achieved under mild catalytic conditions.

Bismuth-Containing Quadruple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication: A Randomized Clinical Trial of 10 and 14 Days.

BACKGROUND: Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is the first-line treatment for eradicating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The optimal duration for H. pylori eradication using bismuth-containing quadruple therapy remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to compare the clinical effects of the 10- and 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple treatment regimen to eradicate H. pylori. METHODS: Treatment-naïve patients with H. pylori infection (n = 1300) were enrolled in this multicenter randomized controlled study across five hospitals in China. They were randomized into 10- or 14-day treatment groups to receive bismuth-containing quadruple therapy as follows: vonoprazan 20 mg twice daily; bismuth 220 mg twice daily; amoxicillin 1000 mg twice daily; and either clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily or tetracycline 500 mg four times daily. At least 6 weeks after treatment, we performed a 13C-urea breath test to evaluate H. pylori eradication. RESULTS: The per-protocol eradication rates were 93.22% (564/605) and 93.74% (569/607) (p < 0.001) and the intention-to-treat eradication rates were 88.62% (576/650) and 89.38% (581/650) (p = 0.007) for the 10- and 14-day regimens, respectively. Incidence of adverse effects was lower in patients who received 10- vs. 14 days of treatment (22.59% vs. 28.50%, p = 0.016). We observed no significant differences in the compliance to treatment or the discontinuation of therapy because of severe adverse effects between the groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with the 14-day bismuth-containing quadruple regimens, the 10-day regimen demonstrated a non-inferior efficacy and lower incidence of adverse effects. Therefore, the 10-day regimen is safe and tolerated and could be recommended for H. pylori eradication (NCT05049902).

Effect of commercial fibrolytic enzymes application to normal- and slightly lower energy diets on lactational performance, digestibility and plasma nutrients in high-producing dairy cows.

The inclusion of fibrolytic enzymes in the diet is believed to have positive effects on animal production. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the impact of supplementing diets with a commercial fibrolytic enzyme preparation (Vistamax; mixture of xylanase and cellulase) derived from Trichoderma reesei on lactational performance, digestibility, and plasma nutrient levels in high-producing dairy cows. Two dietary energy levels were considered: a normal energy diet (metabolizable energy = 2.68 Mcal/kg) and a slightly lower energy diet (metabolizable energy = 2.55 Mcal/kg). A total of 120 lactating Holstein cows (parity = 2; Days in Milk = 113 ± 23) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups using a 2 * 2 factorial arrangement. The dietary treatments consisted of: (1) normal energy diet without enzyme supplementation (NL); (2) normal energy diet with enzyme supplementation (NLE); (3) slightly lower energy diet without enzyme supplementation (SL); and (4) slightly lower energy diet with enzyme supplementation (SLE). The amount of enzyme added to the diets was determined based on previous in vitro studies and supplier recommendations. The enzyme and premix were mixed prior to the preparation of the total mixed ration, and the trial lasted for a duration of 42 days. The results indicated that the application of the fibrolytic enzyme did not have a significant effect on dry matter intake (DMI), but it did enhance the digestibility of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), potentially digestible NDF (pdNDF), organic matter (OM), milk production, milk urea nitrogen (MUN), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). On the other hand, the slightly lower energy diet resulted in a decrease in DMI, milk production, milk protein yield, plasma free amino acids (FAA), and an increase in plasma B-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA). In conclusion, the inclusion of the fibrolytic enzyme in the diets of dairy cows led to improvements in the digestibility of DM, NDF, pdNDF, OM, milk production, and feed efficiency. Furthermore, the application of the enzyme to the slightly lower energy diet resulted in milk production levels comparable to those observed in cows fed the untreated normal energy diet.

Scutellaria baicalensis water decoction ameliorates lower respiratory tract infection by modulating respiratory microbiota.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) has been demonstrated to be strongly associated with dysbiosis of respiratory microbiota. Scutellaria baicalensis, a traditional Chinese medicine, is widely used to treat respiratory infections. However, whether the therapeutic effect of S. baicalensis on LRTIs depends upon respiratory microbiota regulation is largely unclear. PURPOSE: To investigate the potential effect and mechanism of S. baicalensis on the respiratory microbiota of LRTI mice. METHODS: A mouse model of LRTI was established using Klebsiella pneumoniae or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Antibiotic treatment was administered, and transplantation of respiratory microbiota was performed to deplete the respiratory microbiota of mice and recover the destroyed microbial community, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine and quantify the chemical components of S. baicalensis water decoction (SBWD). Pathological changes in lung tissues and the expressions of serum inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-17A (IL-17A), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), were determined by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis was performed to detect the mRNA expression of GM-CSF. Metagenomic sequencing was performed to evaluate the effect of SBWD on the composition and function of the respiratory microbiota in LRTI mice. RESULTS: Seven main components, including scutellarin, baicalin, oroxylin A-7-O-ß-d-glucuronide, wogonoside, baicalein, wogonin, and oroxylin A, were identified and their levels in SBWD were quantified. SBWD ameliorated pulmonary pathological injury and inflammatory responses in K. pneumoniae and S. pneumoniae-induced LRTI mice, as evidenced by the dose-dependent reductions in the levels of serum inflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and TNF-α. SBWD may exert a bidirectional regulatory effect on the host innate immune responses in LRTI mice and regulate the expressions of IL-17A and GM-CSF in a microbiota-dependent manner. K. pneumoniae infection but not S. pneumoniae infection led to dysbiosis in the respiratory microbiota, evident through disturbances in the taxonomic composition characterized by bacterial enrichment, including Proteobacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and Klebsiella. K. pneumoniae and S. pneumoniae infection altered the bacterial functional profile of the respiratory microbiota, as indicated by increases in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, metabolic pathways, and carbohydrate metabolism. SBWD had a certain trend on the regulation of compositional disorders in the respiratory flora and modulated partial microbial functions embracing carbohydrate metabolism in K. pneumoniae-induced LRTI mice. CONCLUSION: SBWD may exert an anti-infection effect on LRTI by targeting IL-17A and GM-CSF through respiratory microbiota regulation. The mechanism of S. baicalensis action on respiratory microbiota in LRTI treatment merits further investigation.

Mechanical shear flow regulates the malignancy of colorectal cancer cells.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is notable for its high mortality and high metastatic characteristics. The shear force generated by bloodstream provides mechanical signals regulating multiple responses of cells, including metastatic cancer cells, dispersing in blood vessels. We, therefore, studied the effect of shear flow on circulating CRC cells in the present study. The CRC cell line SW620 was subjected to shear flow of 12.5 dynes/cm2 for 1 and 2 h separately. Resulting elevated caspase-9 and -3 indicated that shear flow initiated the apoptosis of SW620. Enlarged cell size associated with a higher level of cyclin D1 was coincident with the flow cytometric results indicating that the cell cycle was arrested at the G1 phase. An elevated phosphor-eNOSS1177 increased the production of nitric oxide and led to reactive oxygen species-mediated oxidative stress. Shear flow also regulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by increasing E-cadherin and ZO-1 while decreasing Snail and Twist1. The migration and invasion of sheared SW620 were also substantially decreased. Further investigations showed that mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly decreased, whereas mitochondrial mass and ATP production were not changed. In addition to the shear flow of 12.5 dynes/cm2, the expressions of EMT were compared at lower (6.25 dynes/cm2) and at higher (25 dynes/cm2) shear flow. The results showed that lower shear flow increased mesenchymal characteristics and higher shear flow increased epithelial characteristics. Shear flow reduces the malignancy of CRC in their metastatic dispersal that opens up new ways to improve cancer therapies by applying a mechanical shear flow device.

Association of Lipoprotein(a) Levels With Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Low-Attenuation Plaque.

BACKGROUND: Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI). However, the mechanism underlying this association has yet to be fully elucidated. OBJECTIVES: This multicenter study aimed to investigate whether association between Lp(a) and MI risk is reinforced by the presence of low-attenuation plaque (LAP) identified by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). METHODS: In a derivation cohort, a total of 5,607 patients with stable chest pain suspected of coronary artery disease who underwent CCTA and Lp(a) measurement were prospectively enrolled. In validation cohort, 1,122 patients were retrospectively collected during the same period. High Lp(a) was defined as Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dL. The primary endpoint was a composite of time to fatal or nonfatal MI. Associations were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 8.2 years (Q1-Q3: 7.2-9.3 years), the elevated Lp(a) levels were associated with MI risk (adjusted HR [aHR]: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.46-2.49; P < 0.001). There was a significant interaction between Lp(a) and LAP (Pinteraction <0.001) in relation to MI risk. When stratified by the presence or absence of LAP, Lp(a) was associated with MI in patients with LAP (aHR: 3.03; 95% CI: 1.92-4.76; P < 0.001). Mediation analysis revealed that LAP mediated 73.3% (P < 0.001) for the relationship between Lp(a) and MI. The principal findings remained unchanged in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated Lp(a) augmented the risk of MI during 8 years of follow-up, especially in patients with LAP identified by CCTA. The presence of LAP could reinforce the relationship between Lp(a) and future MI occurrence.

Synthesis of 2-(Trifluoromethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1-a]isoquinoline via Cycloaddition of C,N-Cyclic Azomethine Imine with CF3CN.

A [3 + 2] cycloaddition of C,N-cyclic azomethine imine with in situ-generated CF3CN for the construction of 2-(trifluoromethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1-a]isoquinoline is reported. Remarkably, this process shows a broad substrate scope with excellent functional group tolerance, which is scalable and enables a practical route to a library of 2-(trifluoromethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[5,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives in moderate to good yields.

Structural characteristics of alpha-fetoprotein, including N-glycosylation, metal ion and fatty acid binding sites.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a serum glycoprotein, is expressed during embryonic development and the pathogenesis of liver cancer. It serves as a clinical tumor marker, function as a carcinogen, immune suppressor, and transport vehicle; but the detailed AFP structural information has not yet been reported. In this study, we used single-particle cryo-electron microscopy(cryo-EM) to analyze the structure of the recombinant AFP obtained a 3.31 Å cryo-EM structure and built an atomic model of AFP. We observed and identified certain structural features of AFP, including N-glycosylation at Asn251, four natural fatty acids bound to distinct domains, and the coordination of metal ions by residues His22, His264, His268, and Asp280. Furthermore, we compared the structural similarities and differences between AFP and human serum albumin. The elucidation of AFP's structural characteristics not only contributes to a deeper understanding of its functional mechanisms, but also provides a structural basis for developing AFP-based drug vehicles.

What Metals Should Be Used to Mediate Electrosynthesis of Ammonia from Nitrogen and Hydrogen from a Thermodynamic Standpoint?

Recently, metal-mediated electrochemical conversion of nitrogen and hydrogen to ammonia (M-eNRRs) has been attracting intense research attention as a potential route for ammonia synthesis under ambient conditions. However, which metals should be used to mediate M-eNRRs remains unanswered. This work provides an extensive comparison of the energy consumption in the classical Haber Bosch (H-B) process and the M-eNRRs. The results indicate that when employing lithium and calcium, metals popularly used to mediate the M-eNRRs, the energy consumption is more than 10 times greater than that of the H-B process even assuming a 100% Faradaic efficiency and zero overpotentials. Only electrosynthesis with a cell voltage not exceeding 0.38 V might have the potential to rival the H-B process from an energetic perspective. A further analysis of other metals in the periodic table reveals that only some heavy metals, including In, Tl, Co, Ni, Ga, Mo, Sn, Pb, Fe, W, Ge, Re, Bi, Cu, Po, Tc, Ru, Rh, Ag, Hg, Pd, Ir, Pt, and Au, can potentially consume less energy than that of the H-B process purely from a thermodynamic standpoint, but whether they can activate N2 under ambient conditions is yet to be explored. This work shows the importance of performing thermodynamic analysis for the development of an innovative strategy to synthesize ammonia with the ultimate goal of replacing the H-B process on a large scale.

Isolation of undescribed cladosporols and spirobisnaphthalenes from a plant pathogen Cladosporium cladosporioides F-10-2-A.

Two undescribed cladosporol derivatives, cladosporols J-K (1-2), and three previously unreported spirobisnaphthalenes, urnucratins D-F (3-5), as well as eleven known cladosporols (6-16), were characterized from Cladosporium cladosporioides (Cladosporiaceae), a common plant pathogen isolated from the skin of Chinese toad. Cladosporols J-K (1-2) with a single double bond have been rarely reported, while urnucratins D-F (3-5) featured an unusual benzoquinone bisnaphthospiroether skeleton, contributing to an expanding category of undiscovered natural products. Their structures and absolute configurations were determined using extensive spectroscopic methods, including NMR, HRESIMS analyses, X-ray single crystal diffraction, as well as through experimental ECD analyses. Biological assays revealed that compounds 1 and 2 exhibited inhibitory activity against A549 cells, with IC50 values of 30.11 ± 3.29 and 34.32 ± 2.66 µM, respectively.