Successful Treatment of Severe Case of Lipid Overload Syndrome with Pancreatitis and Pneumonia: A Case Report.

Background: Fat overload syndrome is a rare and severe adverse reaction triggered by the infusion of a single source of lipid emulsion, resulting in elevated blood triacylglycerol (TG) levels. The majority of literature reports focus on cases of fat overload syndrome in patients with mild symptoms. This case is significant because it demonstrates the diagnostic and therapeutic experience and provide valuable insights for the management for severe fat overload syndrome. Case Presentation: We present a case report of a female patient who developed fat overload syndrome following prolonged and excessive infusion of lipid emulsion after colon resection surgery. In the setting of compromised immune function and malnutrition, the patient's pulmonary infection and respiratory distress symptoms have further exacerbated. Hence, in addition to severe pancreatitis, the patient has also contracted severe pneumonia. Upon admission, tracheal intubation, plasma exchange and blood perfusion were performed. Subsequently, comprehensive treatment was provided, including anti-infection, antispasmodic, acid suppression, enzyme inhibition, as well as targeted supportive measures to stabilize electrolytes and nutritional status. After treatment, there was a progressive reduction in blood lipid levels. After assessing the relevant risks, it was deemed necessary to perform an emergency computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous drainage tube placement procedure targeting the necrotic area of the pancreas while the patient was still intubated. Finally, the patient was discharged from the hospital. Conclusion: The case highlights the association between fat overload syndrome and pancreatitis as well as the use of lipid emulsions and suggests the treatment strategies for severe fat overload syndrome.

Validating interRAI Chinese self-reported carer needs (SCaN) assessment and predicting caregiving distress among informal Chinese caregivers of older adults.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to (1) determine the reliability and validity of the interRAI Chinese Self-reported Carer Needs (SCaN) assessment among informal Chinese caregivers of older adults, (2) identify predictors of caregiving distress in Asian regions with long-standing Confucian values of filial piety and family responsibility. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited 531 informal Chinese caregivers of older adults in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Singapore. The scale reliability was examined using Cronbach's alphas (α) and McDonald's omega coefficient (ω). The concurrent validity and discriminant validity were assessed using Spearman rank correlations (rho). To examine the predictors of caregiving distress among informal caregivers of older adults, we employed hierarchical linear regression analyses informed by the Model of Carer Stress and Burden and categorized the predictors into six domains. RESULTS: Results revealed good internal consistency reliability (α = 0.83-0.96) and concurrent validity (rho = 0.45-0.74) of the interRAI Chinese SCaN assessment. Hierarchical linear regression analysis revealed that entering the background factors, primary stressors, secondary stressors, appraisal, and exacerbating factors all significantly enhanced the model's predictability, indicating that the source of caregiving distress is multidimensional. In the full model, caregivers with longer informal care time, lack of support from family and friends, have unmet needs, experience role overload, have sleep problems, and low IADL functioning are at a higher risk of caregiving distress. CONCLUSIONS: The interRAI Chinese SCaN Assessment was found to be a reliable and valid tool among the Chinese informal caregivers of older adults. It would be useful for determining family caregivers' strengths, needs, and challenges, and tailoring interventions that address the potentially modifiable factors associated with caregiving distress and maximize support. Healthcare providers working in home and community settings should be aware of the early identification of caregiving distress and routine assessment of their needs and empower them to continue taking care of their needs and providing adequate care to the care recipient.

Insight into the Growth Mechanism of Low-Temperature Synthesis of High-Purity Lithium Slag-Based Zeolite A.

The utilization of lithium slag (LS), a solid waste generated during the production of lithium carbonate, poses challenges due to its high sulfur content. This study presents a novel approach to enhancing the value of LS by employing alkali fusion and hydrothermal synthesis techniques to produce zeolite A at low temperatures. The synthesis of high-purity and crystalline lithium-slag-based zeolite A (LSZ) at 60 °C is reported for the first time in this research. The phase, morphology, particle size, and structure of LSZ were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption, and UV Raman spectroscopy, respectively. High-purity and crystalline zeolite A was successfully obtained under hydrothermal conditions of 60 °C, an NaOH concentration of 2.0 mol/L, and a hydrothermal time of 8 h. The samples synthesized at 60 °C exhibited better controllability and almost no byproduct of sodalite occurred compared to zeolite A synthesized at room temperature or conventional temperature (approximately 90 °C). Additionally, the growth mechanism of LSZ was elucidated, challenging the traditional understanding of utilization of lithium and enabling the synthesis of various zeolites at lower temperatures.

Dual Function of Naphthalenediimide Supramolecular Photocatalyst with Giant Internal Electric Field for Efficient Hydrogen and Oxygen Evolution.

Organic supramolecular photocatalysts have garnered widespread attention due to their adjustable structure and exceptional photocatalytic activity. Herein, a novel bis-dicarboxyphenyl-substituent naphthalenediimide self-assembly supramolecular photocatalyst (SA-NDI-BCOOH) with efficient dual-functional photocatalytic performance is successfully constructed. The large molecular dipole moment and short-range ordered stacking structure of SA-NDI-BCOOH synergistically create a giant internal electric field (IEF), resulting in a remarkable 6.7-fold increase in its charge separation efficiency. Additionally, the tetracarboxylic structure of SA-NDI-BCOOH greatly enhances its hydrophilicity. Thus, SA-NDI-BCOOH demonstrates efficient dual-functional activity for photocatalytic hydrogen and oxygen evolution, with rates of 372.8 and 3.8 µmol h-1 , respectively. Meanwhile, a notable apparent quantum efficiency of 10.86% at 400 nm for hydrogen evolution is achieved, prominently surpassing many reported supramolecular photocatalysts. More importantly, with the help of dual co-catalysts, it exhibits photocatalytic overall water splitting activity with H2 and O2 evolution rates of 3.2 and 1.6 µmol h-1 . Briefly, this work sheds light on enhancing the IEF by controlling the molecular polarity and stacking structure to dramatically improve the photocatalytic performance of supramolecular materials.

Randomized controlled trials on promoting self-care behaviors among informal caregivers of older patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Informal caregivers of older patients often neglect their self-care, despite the mental and physical health effects of caregiving. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on self-care interventions for informal caregivers are lacking, making it difficult to determine effective strategies. This systematic review explored the definition and categories of self-care RCTs for informal caregivers and a meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effectiveness of these interventions. METHODS: Seven databases (Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, PubMed, ProQuest, CINAHL, and Embase) were searched for articles in English reporting on self-care intervention outcomes for informal caregivers of patients aged 60 years or older. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model. Subgroup, sensitivity, and publication bias analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Eighteen studies were included in the systematic review, of which fifteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. RCTs lacked a clear definition of self-care, mainly focused on promoting physical and mental health and individual capacity, and neglected disease prevention. The interventions focused on self-management for health and individual agency, with less attention on health literacy, decision-making capacity, self-monitoring for health status, and linkage to the health system. Meta-analysis results showed that RCTs had a small effect on reducing anxiety (SMD = -0.142, 95% CI [-0.302, 0.017], p = .081) but a significant effect on reducing depression (SMD = -0.214, 95% CI [-0.353, -0.076], p = .002). Country and type of caregiver significantly contributed to the effect of reducing caregivers' depression in subgroup analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Studies on caregiver-centered self-care interventions are limited, resulting in a lack of a clear definition and comprehensive intervention. RCTs indicated a small effect on informal caregivers' mental health, and interventions should consider both mental and physical health. More evidence is needed on the effectiveness of self-care interventions for informal caregivers' anxiety and physical health.

CsSPL13A directly binds and positively regulates CsFT and CsBAM to accelerate flowering in cucumber.

Flowering is an important developmental transition that greatly affects the yield of many vegetable crops. In cucumber (Cucumis sativus), flowering is regulated by various factors including squamosa promoter-binding-like (SPL) family proteins. However, the role of CsSPL genes in cucumber flowering remains largely unknown. In this study, we cloned the squamosa promoter-binding-like protein 13A (CsSPL13A) gene, which encodes a highly conserved SBP-domain protein that acts as a transcription factor and localizes to the nucleus. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that CsSPL13A was mainly expressed in flowers, and its expression level increased significantly nearing the flowering stage. Additionally, compared with the wild type(WT), CsSPL13A-overexpressing transgenic cucumber plants (CsSPL13A-OE) showed considerable differences in flowering phenotypes, such as early flowering, increased number of male flowers, and longer flower stalks. CsSPL13A upregulated the expression of the flowering integrator gene Flowering Locus T (CsFT) and the sugar-mediated flowering gene ß-amylase (CsBAM) in cucumber. Yeast one-hybrid and firefly enzyme reporter assays confirmed that the CsSPL13A protein could directly bind to the promoters of CsFT and CsBAM, suggesting that CsSPL13A works together with CsFT and CsBAM to mediate flowering in cucumber. Overall, our results provide novel insights into the regulatory network of flowering in cucumber as well as new ideas for the genetic improvement of cucumber varieties.

Early prediction of growth patterns after pediatric kidney transplantation based on height-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms.

BACKGROUND: Growth retardation is a common complication of chronic kidney disease in children, which can be partially relieved after renal transplantation. This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive model for growth patterns of children with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) after kidney transplantation using machine learning algorithms based on genomic and clinical variables. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 110 children who received kidney transplants between May 2013 and September 2021 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were recruited for whole-exome sequencing (WES), and another 39 children who underwent transplant from September 2021 to March 2022 were enrolled for external validation. Based on previous studies, we comprehensively collected 729 height-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in exon regions. Seven machine learning algorithms and 10-fold cross-validation analysis were employed for model construction. RESULTS: The 110 children were divided into two groups according to change in height-for-age Z-score. After univariate analysis, age and 19 SNPs were incorporated into the model and validated. The random forest model showed the best prediction efficacy with an accuracy of 0.8125 and an area under curve (AUC) of 0.924, and also performed well in the external validation cohort (accuracy, 0.7949; AUC, 0.796). CONCLUSIONS: A model with good performance for predicting post-transplant growth patterns in children based on SNPs and clinical variables was constructed and validated using machine learning algorithms. The model is expected to guide clinicians in the management of children after renal transplantation, including the use of growth hormone, glucocorticoid withdrawal, and nutritional supplementation, to alleviate growth retardation in children with ESRD.

Development and external evaluation of predictions models for mortality of COVID-19 patients using machine learning method.

To predict the mortality of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We collected clinical data of COVID-19 patients between January 18 and March 29 2020 in Wuhan, China . Gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), logistic regression (LR) model, and simplified LR were built to predict the mortality of COVID-19. We also evaluated different models by computing area under curve (AUC), accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) under fivefold cross-validation. A total of 2924 patients were included in our evaluation, with 257 (8.8%) died and 2667 (91.2%) survived during hospitalization. Upon admission, there were 21 (0.7%) mild cases, 2051 (70.1%) moderate case, 779 (26.6%) severe cases, and 73 (2.5%) critically severe cases. The GBDT model exhibited the highest fivefold AUC, which was 0.941, followed by LR (0.928) and LR-5 (0.913). The diagnostic accuracies of GBDT, LR, and LR-5 were 0.889, 0.868, and 0.887, respectively. In particular, the GBDT model demonstrated the highest sensitivity (0.899) and specificity (0.889). The NPV of all three models exceeded 97%, while their PPV values were relatively low, resulting in 0.381 for LR, 0.402 for LR-5, and 0.432 for GBDT. Regarding severe and critically severe cases, the GBDT model also performed the best with a fivefold AUC of 0.918. In the external validation test of the LR-5 model using 72 cases of COVID-19 from Brunei, leukomonocyte (%) turned to show the highest fivefold AUC (0.917), followed by urea (0.867), age (0.826), and SPO2 (0.704). The findings confirm that the mortality prediction performance of the GBDT is better than the LR models in confirmed cases of COVID-19. The performance comparison seems independent of disease severity. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at(10.1007/s00521-020-05592-1).

A novel parallel overlapping mode for complete ablation of large benign thyroid nodules in a single-session radiofrequency ablation.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been widely applied in patients with benign thyroid nodules (BTNs), and complete ablation in a single-session treatment brings great benefits to patients. While how the ablation should be planned and performed to achieve complete ablation in a single-session treatment in large BTNs remains unknown. Purpose: To determine a more suitable ablation strategy for sufficient treatment in a single-session treatment. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 108 BTNs receiving RFA treatment. These patients were divided into two groups: group A using one insertion point with a fan-shaped overlapping mode and group B using multiple insertion points with a novel parallel overlapping mode. All the treatments used a hydrodissection approach and moving-shot technique. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) was used to guide the supplementary ablation. Follow-ups were performed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The rates of supplementary ablation, initial ablation ratio (IAR), the rates of complete ablation (CAR), treatment effects and complications between the two groups were compared. Results: The group B had larger treated nodules (10.2ml vs 6.4ml, P<0.001) than group A, while group B had a lower rate of supplementary ablation (21.6% vs 75.4%, P<0.001), especially in the BTNs with craniocaudal diameters ≥30mm (22.0% vs 100%, P<0.001). With the assistance of supplementary ablation, both groups achieved similar IAR (100% vs 100%, P=0.372) and CAR (94.7% vs 94.1%, P=1.000). Two groups showed similar VRRs at 12-month follow-up (77.9% vs 77.5%, P=0.894) and similar rates of complications (3.5% vs 2.0%, P=1.000). Conclusions: Needle placement using the multiple insertion points with a novel parallel overlapping mode would be easier to achieve complete ablation with less supplementary ablation, especially in large nodules.

Implementation and Optimization of Zero-Knowledge Proof Circuit Based on Hash Function SM3.

With the increasing demand for privacy protection in the blockchain, the universal zero-knowledge proof protocol has been developed and widely used. Because hash function is an important cryptographic primitive in a blockchain, the zero-knowledge proof of hash preimage has a wide range of application scenarios. However, it is hard to implement it due to the transformation of efficiency and execution complexity. Currently, there are only zero-knowledge proof circuits of some widely used hash functions that have been implemented, such as SHA256. SM3 is a Chinese hash function standard published by the Chinese Commercial Cryptography Administration Office for the use of electronic authentication service systems, and hence might be used in several cryptographic applications in China. As the national cryptographic hash function standard, the zero-knowledge proof circuit of SM3 (Chinese Commercial Cryptography) has not been implemented. Therefore, this paper analyzed the SM3 algorithm process, designed a new layered circuit structure, and implemented the SM3 hash preimage zero-knowledge proof circuit with a circuit size reduced by half compared to the automatic generator. Moreover, we proposed several extended practical protocols based on the SM3 zero-knowledge proof circuit, which is widely used in blockchain.

Non-small molecule PROTACs (NSM-PROTACs): Protein degradation kaleidoscope.

The proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) technology has been rapidly developed since its birth in 2001, attracting rapidly growing attention of scientific institutes and pharmaceutical companies. At present, a variety of small molecule PROTACs have entered the clinical trial. However, as small molecule PROTACs flourish, non-small molecule PROTACs (NSM-PROTACs) such as peptide PROTACs, nucleic acid PROTACs and antibody PROTACs have also advanced considerably over recent years, exhibiting the unique characters beyond the small molecule PROTACs. Here, we briefly introduce the types of NSM-PROTACs, describe the advantages of NSM-PROTACs, and summarize the development of NSM-PROTACs so far in detail. We hope this article could not only provide useful insights into NSM-PROTACs, but also expand the research interest of NSM-PROTACs.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound improves the potency of fine-needle aspiration in thyroid nodules with high inadequate risk.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to determine the clinical value of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of high inadequate risky thyroid nodules. METHODS: During April 2018 and April 2021, consecutive 3748 thyroid nodules underwent FNA were retrospectively analyzed. CEUS guided FNA (CEUS-FNA) was applied in 115 nodules with high inadequate risk in Lingnan Campus. Ten nodules underwent CEUS-FNA presented non-enhancing, and would be further analyzed independently. Other 105 partial or total enhancing nodules were included as CEUS-FNA group, and 210 nodules with high inadequate risk in Tianhe Campus were match as the US-FNA control group. FNA specimens were collected for liquid-based preparation. Cytological results were classified following the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. RESULTS: The overall FNA specimen inadequate rate in our center was 6.6%. All of the ten non-enhancing nodules under CEUS have an inadequate result in cytopathological analyzes. The subsequent postoperative pathology and follow-up ultrasonography showed the non-enhancing nodules were benign or stable without further malignant features. Total specimen inadequate rate of high inadequate risk thyroid nodules in CEUS-FNA group was significantly lower than US-FNA group (6.7% vs. 16.7%, P = 0.014). Further stratified analyzed shown that FNA under US guidance, the inadequate rates in cystic, predominantly cystic, predominantly solid and solid sub-groups were 28.1%, 17.1%, 10.0% and 9.2% (P = 0.019). In contrast, the inadequate rates in cystic, predominantly cystic, predominantly solid and solid sub-groups were 7.4%, 6.7%, 5.6% and 6.7% (P = 0.996) in CEUS-FNA group. CONCLUSIONS: CEUS can improve the specimen adequacy of FNA in high inadequate risk thyroid nodules by avoiding unnecessary FNAs of the non-enhancing nodules, and accurately locating the viable tissue and precise guidance in real-time. CEUS is a recommend modality for FNA guidance of high inadequate risk thyroid nodules.

[Cucumber downy mildew and the mechanisms of host resistance: a review].

The cultivation and production of cucumber are seriously affected by downy mildew caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis. Downy mildew damages leaves, stems and inflorescences, and then reduces the yield and quality of cucumber. This review summarized the research advances in cucumber downy mildew, including pathogen detection and defense pathways, regulatory factors, mining of pathogens-resistant candidate genes, proteomic and genomic analysis, and development of QTL remarks. This review may facilitate clarifying the resistance mechanisms of cucumber to downy mildew.

Development of an Au-anchored Fe Single-atom nanozyme for biocatalysis and enhanced tumor photothermal therapy.

Near-infrared light-induced photothermal therapy (PTT) can achieve effective tumor ablation, but the associated hyperthermic temperatures result in off-target inflammatory damage to proximal tissues. Therefore, killing the tumor at a lower temperature is vital to improving the clinical effect of PTT. In this study, an Au-integrated Fe single-atom nanozyme (FeSAzyme) was developed through the immobilization of an ultrasmall Au nanozyme within a metal-organic framework via an in situ reduction approach. The nanozyme was found to exhibit favorable glucose oxidase- (GOD) like activity and photosensitizing properties to better achieve low-temperature PTT. The Au-carbon nanozyme was able to markedly inhibit tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo due to its GOD-like activity and enhanced photodynamic and photothermal properties. In addition, the integration of the Au nanozyme enhanced the FeSAzyme's peroxidase activity and catalyzed endogenous H2O2 species to generate reactive oxide species, thereby facilitating chemodynamic therapy. Furthermore, its integration markedly enhanced the PTT performance of the FeSAzyme, which achieved pronounced synergistic anti-tumor efficacy. The enzymatic activity and photothermal/photosensitive properties of the Au-FeSAzyme may help to overcome traditional therapeutic limitations, indicating its potential for catalytic cascade nanozymes in biomedical applications.

Acute transient swelling of the thyroid following fine-needle aspiration: A case series.

Acute transient swelling (ATS) of the thyroid is a rare complication following fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules. We present 31 cases with 35 nodules encountered at our institute and reported in the literature, to provide further information. The incidence rate in our institute was 0.46%. Of these nodules, 74.3% (26/35) were solid, 65.7% (23/35) exhibited hypervascularity, and 77.2% (27/35) were benign or follicular neoplasms. Although most cases (87.1%, 27/31) occurred within 2 h after FNA, four patients experienced delayed ATS after 7 h to 2 days. Therefore, awareness of this complication, especially its delayed occurrence, should be raised.

Stability Analysis and Structure Optimization of Unequal-Pitch End Mills.

The damping performance of unequal tooth milling cutters is controlled by the pitch parameters. How to improve the vibration damping and dynamic balance of milling cutters needs to be further studied. This paper analyzes the pitch angle through the stability of the lobe diagram and the spectral characteristics, and unequal-pitch end mills with asymmetric structure were determined to have better cutting stability. Due to the principle error of the asymmetrical tool, dynamic balance accuracy is poor. The dynamic balance of the tool is analyzed, and the centroid model of the tool is established. In order to improve the dynamic balance accuracy of tools, the parameters of the groove shape are analyzed and optimized, and balance accuracy is improved. Through modal and milling-force analysis, the relative vibration displacement and cutting force of the optimized tool were reduced by 17% and 10%, respectively, which determined that such tools have better dynamic performance. Here, unequal tooth end mills could reduce vibration and had higher accuracy in dynamic balance by adjusting the parameters of the pitch angles and chip pockets, so that the tool could have higher cutting stability.

Scalable nanoporous carbon films allow line-of-sight 3D atomic layer deposition of Pt: towards a new generation catalyst layer for PEM fuel cells.

Although nanoporous carbons are ubiquitous materials that are used in many clean energy and environmental applications, most are in powder form, thus requiring binders to hold particles together. This results in uncontrolled and complex pathways between particles, potentially exacerbating mass transport issues. To overcome these problems, we have developed an unprecedented binderless, self-supported, nanoporous carbon scaffold (NCS) with tunable and monodisperse pores (5-100+ nm), high surface area (ca. 200-575 m2 g-1), and 3-dimensional scalability (1-150+ cm2, 1-1000 µm thickness). Here, it is shown that NCS85 membranes (85 nm pores) are particularly promising as a host for the homogeneous and efficient 3-D atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Pt nanoparticles, due to the facile penetration of gas phase Pt precursor throughout the homogeneous, low tortuosity internal structure. Furthermore, the high density of surface defects of the as-synthesized NCS promotes uniform Pt nucleation with minimal agglomeration. These advantageous features are key to the rapid oxygen reduction kinetics observed under polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell MEA testing conditions. Cells constructed with an optimal ALD Pt loading of 30 cycles are shown to exhibit a specific activity of ≥0.4 mA cm-2Pt which is exemplary when compared to two commercial catalyst layers with comparable Pt mass loadings and tested under the same conditions. Furthermore, a maximum power density of 1230 mW cm-2 (IR-corrected) is obtained, with the limiting current densities approaching a very respectable 3 A cm-2.

Thyroid dysfunction following radiofrequency ablation for benign thyroid nodules: more likely to occur within one-week and in high-risk population.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been recommended as the treatment for benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) by some guidelines. However, detailed follow-up instructions for thyroid function about the timing and affected populations after RFA are lacked due to insufficient researches. This 12-month prospective study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of thyroid dysfunction at different time points after RFA, especially within 1 week that previous studies didn't concern. METHODS: Seventy-five euthyroid patients who underwent RFA for symptomatic BTNs were enrolled (ChiCTR-INR-16007884). The incidence of thyroid dysfunction within 1 week, at 1, 6, and 12 months after RFA was evaluated. The risk factors for different types of thyroid dysfunction in the different terms were further analyzed. RESULTS: Within 1 week after RFA, the incidence of thyroid dysfunction was as high as 36.00% unexpectedly, and only overt thyrotoxicosis and subclinical thyrotoxicosis occurred, which were significantly associated with the low-normal baseline thyrotropin (TSH) level (p = 0.001) and high ablation volume ratio (p = 0.008). From 1 to 12 months (the long term), the incidence dropped significantly and remained low (8.00-12.00%); and thyroid dysfunction presented as overt thyrotoxicosis, subclinical thyrotoxicosis, and subclinical hypothyroidism. The long-term thyrotoxicosis group had more cases with diabetes and lower baseline TSH levels. The long-term subclinical hypothyroidism group had more cases with positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies, higher baseline TSH levels, and higher ablation volume ratios. CONCLUSIONS: After the RFA of BTNs, thyroid dysfunction was more likely to occur within 1 week and in populations with risk factors.

Design and synthesis of Grp94 selective inhibitors based on Phe199 induced fit mechanism and their anti-inflammatory effects.

Glucose-regulated protein 94 (Grp94), a member of the Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) family, is implicated in many human diseases, including cancer, neurodegeneration, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Here, we describe our effort to design and develop a new series of Grp94 inhibitors based on Phe199 induced fit mechanism. Using an alkynyl-containing inhibitor as a starting point, we developed compound 4, which showed potent inhibitory activity toward Grp94 in a fluorescence polarization-based assay. With improved physicochemical properties and suitable pharmacokinetic properties, compound 4 was advanced into in vivo bioactivity evaluation. In a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC), compound 4 showed anti-inflammatory property and reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6). Together, these findings provide evidence that this approach may be promising for further Grp94 drug development efforts.

Direct Integration of Strained-Pt Catalysts into Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cells with Atomic Layer Deposition.

The design and fabrication of lattice-strained platinum catalysts achieved by removing a soluble core from a platinum shell synthesized via atomic layer deposition, is reported. The remarkable catalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), measured in both half-cell and full-cell configurations, is attributed to the observed lattice strain. By further optimizing the nanoparticle geometry and ionomer/carbon interactions, mass activity close to 0.8 A mgPt -1 @0.9 V iR-free is achievable in the membrane electrode assembly. Nevertheless, active catalysts with high ORR activity do not necessarily lead to high performance in the high-current-density (HCD) region. More attention shall be directed toward HCD performance for enabling high-power-density hydrogen fuel cells.