Tailoring iridium-palladium nanoparticles with Ir-rich skin: a highly durable anode electrocatalyst for acidic water electrolysis via a facile microwave-assisted chemical reduction method.

Electrochemical water splitting under acidic conditions is a clean way towards producing hydrogen fuels. The slow kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode is currently a bottleneck for commercial acceptance of this technology. Therefore, arriving at more efficient and sustainable OER electrocatalysts is highly desirable. We here demonstrate the synthesis of iridium-palladium (IrPd) alloy nanoparticles (2-5 nm) with variable average composition (Ir : Pd = 1 : 0, 1 : 1, 1 : 3, 1 : 6, 1 : 9 and 0 : 1) using a facile one-pot microwave-assisted chemical reduction method. The IrPd nanoparticles show structure- and composition-dependent OER performance in acidic media. Utilizing different reduction strengths and precursor ratios, successful alloy catalysts were prepared with Ir-rich skin and sublayers of different Pd compositions. Their structures were revealed using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and hydrogen underpotential deposition (Hupd) studies. It turned out that (1) the alloy OER catalyst also has a high electrochemically active surface area for hydrogen adsorption/desorption, (2) the OER performance is strongly dependent on the surface Ir contribution and (3) the intact Ir skin is essential for electrocatalyst stability.

Investigating the effect and mechanism of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae combination in ameliorating psoriatic lesions / 中国药理学通报

Aim In this study, a mouse model of psoriasis-like lesions induced by 62. 5 mg imiquimod was used to explore the effect and mechanism of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae combination for the topical treatment of psoriasis. Methods Firstly, the topical administration of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae combination for treating psoriasis in progressive and recurrent stages was evaluated by psoriatic mouse model and HE staining. Secondly, immunohistochemistry was used to study the regulatory effects of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae combination on the pivotal pathological mechanism of psoriasis-the positive feedback loop between the abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes and skin immune microenvironment. Finally, metabolomics technology was used to explore whether Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae combination topically treat psoriasis by regulating inflammation-related metabolism and lipid metabolism pathways. Results The combination of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae alleviated psoriasis-like lesions in mice. It effectively relieved the recurrence after the cure of psoriatic lesions in mice, and the efficacy is comparable to that of benweimod. The combination of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae inhibited the proliferation of mouse epidermal keratinocytes and reduced the number of T cells in the skin. The potential molecular mechanism was that the combination of Sophorae Flavescentis Radix and Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae regulated arachidonic acid metabolism, sphin- golipid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism. Conclusions The combination of Sophora Flavescens Radix and Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae can relieve psoriasis-like lesions in mice by inhibiting the proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes and reducing the number of T cells in the skin and regulating metabolism to intervene psoriasis recurrence. This study provides a potential topical drug of psoriasis for relieving psoriasis recurrence.

Recovery, Regeneration, and Reapplication of PFSA Polymer from End-of-Life PEMFC MEAs.

We have developed a recovery, regeneration, and reapplication process for Nafion, a perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer, from end-of-life (EoL) low-temperature proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells (FCs). Samples of PFSA PEM recovered from EoL membrane-electrode assemblies (MEAs) with a history of close to 19,000 h of operation were recycled by dissolving the polymeric material in ethanol and applying the dissolved PFSA ionomer for producing the ionomer phase of the catalyst layer of new PEMFC cathodes. Structural characterizations show a marginally lower abundance of sulfonic groups for the EoL PEM compared to a fresh sample. Sulfonation of the former was employed to regenerate sulfonic groups to compensate for the lost ones. New gas-diffusion electrodes (GDEs) were prepared with the recycled PFSA ionomer both with and without sulfonation, and MEAs with these GDEs as cathodes were assembled through a state-of-the-art procedure. Electrochemical characterizations of the GDEs and single-cell studies of the MEAs showed that the electrochemical performances of catalyst layers containing recycled PFSA ionomer were at least similar to those containing fresh. Durability studies of the GDEs and MEAs, performed through a three-electrode liquid cell and a single cell, respectively, show the highest durability for the GDE/MEA with PFSA ionomer recycled without applying the sulfonation step. However, the GDE with PFSA ionomer obtained from recycling a re-sulfonated PEM shows a durability comparable to that of the GDE with fresh PFSA ionomer. Hence, PFSA material aged during PEMFC operation may be employed to produce highly functional and durable regenerated PFSA ionomer for PEMFC catalyst layers. The studied process of PFSA ionomer recycling is highly attractive for industrial adoption.

Multiple Bubble Removal Strategies to Promote Oxygen Evolution Reaction: Mechanistic Understandings from Orientation, Rotation, and Sonication Perspectives.

Bubble coverage of catalytically active sites is one of the well-known bottlenecks to the kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, various bubble removal approaches (electrode orientation, rotating, and sonication) were considered for the OER performance evaluation of a state-of-the-art Ir-based electrocatalyst. Key parameters, such as catalyst mass loss, activity, overpotential, and charge- and mass-transfer mechanisms, were analyzed. First, it was suggested that a suitable orientation of the working electrode facilitates coalescence and sliding bubble effects on the catalyst surface, leading to better electrochemical performance than those of the traditional rotating disk electrode (RDE) configuration. Then, the convection and secondary Bjerknes force were explained as the responsible phenomena in improving the OER activity in the RDE and sonication methods. Finally, simultaneous implementation of the methods enhanced the catalyst mass activity up to 164% and provided fast charge-transfer kinetics and low double-layer capacitance, which eventually led to a 22% reduction in overpotential, while the catalyst loss slightly increased from 1.93 to 3.88%.

Comparison of Disease Burden Factors of Thyroid Cancer Between China and the World From 1990 to 2019 / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To compare the prevalence and disease burden of thyroid cancer and their trends between China and the globe from 1990 to 2019.Methods With the global disease burden data in 2019,Joinpoint was used to predict the trends of the disease burden of thyroid cancer in China and the globe from 1990 to 2019,and logarithmic linear model was used to test the predicted trends.The R language was used for predictive analysis and graphic plotting of the disease burden from 2020 to 2035.Results From 1990 to 2019,the standardized incidence rate and the standardized mortality rate of thyroid cancer in China were lower than those in the globe.The standardized incidence rate in China and the globe showed an increasing trend(with the increases of 102.65% and 40.65%,respectively),while the standardized mortality rate showed a decreasing trend(with the decreases of 7.63% and 4.91%,respectively).Compared with those of the female population,the standardized incidence and mortality rates of the Chinese male population increased significantly from 1990 to 2019(the rates of change in the male population were 48.65% and 214.60%,respectively;and the rates of change in the female population were -39.01% and 60.44%,respectively).China's overall standardized years of life lost(YLL),years lived with disability(YLD),and disability-adjusted life years(DALY)rates during the 30-year period were lower than the global average.The Chinese and global populations showed the standardized YLL rate decreasing by 16.61% and 6.88% and the standardized DALY rate decreasing by 10.77% and 3.65%,respectively,while the rates of standardized YLD increased by 128.91% and 46.89%,respectively.The magnitude of DALY in China and the world was mainly influenced by YLL.The standardized incidence,mortality,and DALY rates of the Chinese male population were gradually approaching the global levels.From 1990 and 2019,thyroid cancer showed a higher mortality rate in the population with the age ≥ 75 years and a higher incidence rate in the population with the age <75 years.It is projected that from 2020 to 2035,the standardized incidence rates in China and the world will increase by 36.66% and 21.15%,respectively;the standardized mortality rates will decrease by 20.19% and 3.46%,respectively;and the standardized DALY rate is expected to decrease by 7.08% in China and increase by 4.35% in the world.Conclusions From 1990 to 2019,China's standardized incidence rate of thyroid cancer increased and had a higher increase than the global level,and the standardized mortality rate decreased,with a slightly higher decrease than the global level.However,the increases in the standardized incidence rate and mortality rate of this disease in China's ≥75 years male population were severe.Although China's disease burden of thyroid cancer showed a decreasing trend in line with the global trend as a whole,the disease burden in the Chinese males was higher than that in the females.Specifically,the disease burden due to premature death was predominant,and the burden in specific populations requires policy attention.

Association between monocyte to lymphocyte ratio and mortality in patients with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective:To investigate the association of monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in patients with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).Methods:It was a retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of 495 incident CAPD patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cut-off value of baseline MLR was determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for predicting all-cause death in the first year of CAPD, and then the patients were divided into high MLR group and low MLR group. The differences of clinical data and laboratory tests were compared between the two groups. The endpoint events were death (all-cause death and CVD death), conversion to hemodialysis, conversion to kidney transplantation, or follow-up until March 31, 2020. The survival curve was drawn by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the Log-rank test was used to compare the survival difference between the two groups. A Cox regression model was established to analyze the relevant factors of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality in CAPD patients.Results:The study included 495 patients, with age of (43.79±12.16) years and 308 (62.22%) males. The median age of dialysis was 17(10, 30) months. By the end of follow-up, 61(12.32%) of 495 patients had died, 51(10.51%) had been converted to hemodialysis, and 28(5.66%) had been converted to kidney transplantation. Of the 61 patients who died, 36(59.02%) died of cardiovascular events. ROC curve analysis results showed that the optimal cut-off value was 38.24%, so there were 246 cases in the high MLR group (MLR>38.24%) and 249 cases in the low MLR group (MLR≤38.24%). The all-cause mortality rates were 6.83% in the low MLR group and 17.89% in the high MLR group, and the CVD mortality rates were 3.21% in the low MLR group and 11.38% in the high MLR group, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the survival rate of the low MLR group was significantly higher than that of the high MLR group (all-cause mortality, Log-rank χ2=18.369, P<0.001; CVD mortality, Log-rank χ2=16.142, P<0.001). Using all-cause death as the end event, the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year cumulative survival rates were 99.5%, 89.4% and 79.9%, respectively, with a median survival time of 64 months in the low MLR group. The 1-year, 3-year and 5-year cumulative survival rates were 95.0%, 68.3% and 49.6%, respectively, with a median survival time of 54 months in the high MLR group. Using CVD death as the end event, the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year cumulative survival rates were 99.5%, 95.2% and 91.2%, respectively, with a median survival time of 69 months in the low MLR group. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year cumulative survival rates were 97.8%, 78.6%, and 60.8%, respectively, with a median survival time of 60 months in the high MLR group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that MLR was independently associated with all-cause mortality ( HR=2.744, 95% CI 1.484-5.075, P=0.001) and CVD death ( HR=3.249, 95% CI 1.418- 7.443, P=0.005) in CAPD patients. According to the competing risk model analysis, MLR was still independently associated with all-cause mortality and CVD mortality in CAPD patients. Conclusion:MLR is associated with all-cause mortality and CVD mortality in CAPD patients, and can be used as a valuable indicator for judging the prognosis of CAPD patients.

Fatty acid metabolomic profile of frail patients in the elderly / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the metabolic profile of fatty acids in elderly frail patients, and its value as a biomarker of frailty.Methods:Forty-nine older adults were recruited, of whom 19 were non-frail while 15 were in the pre-frail or frail phase.Targeted metabolomics was used to detect the serum levels of fatty acids, concerning 38 short-, medium-and long-chain fatty acids.Results:Metabolomics indicated elevated levels of 9 long-chain fatty acids in the serum of the elderly frail patients, with a 1.056-fold increase in the risk of fatigue for every 1 unit increase in the level of HOMO-γ-linolenic acid( OR=2.056, P=0.016). No metabolic differences were found between the pre-frail and non-frail groups.Three and seven long-chain fatty acids were negatively correlated with the grip strength and gait speed, respectively.The γ-linolenic acid was positively correlated with body mass index(BMI), percent body fat, visceral fat area and other indicators reflecting adipose tissue.However, no correlation was found between skeletal muscle, laboratory indicators or fatty acids.Five metabolic pathways were correlated with frailty, namely fatty acid biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, fatty acid elongation in mitochondria, linoleic acid metabolism and α-linolenic acid metabolism. Conclusions:Nine unsaturated fatty acids, including HOMO-γ-linolenic acid and γ-linolenic acid, may be potential biomarkers of frailty in the elderly.However, the value of fatty acid metabolomics for identifying pre-frail elderly people needs to be further investigated.

Quantitative characterization of cell physiological state based on dynamical cell mechanics for drug efficacy indication / 药物分析学报

Cell mechanics is essential to cell development and function,and its dynamics evolution reflects the physiological state of cells.Here,we investigate the dynamical mechanical properties of single cells under various drug conditions,and present two mathematical approaches to quantitatively character-izing the cell physiological state.It is demonstrated that the cellular mechanical properties upon the drug action increase over time and tend to saturate,and can be mathematically characterized by a linear time-invariant dynamical model.It is shown that the transition matrices of dynamical cell systems signifi-cantly improve the classification accuracies of the cells under different drug actions.Furthermore,it is revealed that there exists a positive linear correlation between the cytoskeleton density and the cellular mechanical properties,and the physiological state of a cell in terms of its cytoskeleton density can be predicted from its mechanical properties by a linear regression model.This study builds a relationship between the cellular mechanical properties and the cellular physiological state,adding information for evaluating drug efficacy.

Association of peripheral axial length, retinal curvature with refraction in school-aged children / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To investigate the association of peripheral axial lengths and retinal curvatures with refractive status.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted out.Two hundred and eighty-seven eyes of 287 consecutive children aged 6-15 years old who recieved eye examinations at Beijing Tongren Hospital from July to October 2021 were enrolled, including 154 males and 133 females.Uncorrected and best corrected visual acuity were tested with a standard logarithmic visual acuity chart.Spherical equivalent (SE) was measured via an auto refractometer after cycloplegia with tropicamide.The hyperopic, emmetropic and myopic groups were defined with a SE >+ 0.5 D, SE >-0.5 D to ≤+ 0.5 D and SE≤-0.5 D, respectively.Central and 30° peripheral eye lengths (nasal, temporal, superior, inferior) were obtained using the Lenstar LS900.Retinal coordinates were derived from partial coherence interferometry modeling and converted to retinal curvatures.According to the median horizontal peripheral eye length differences (absolute difference between nasal and temporal), participants were assigned to H1 group (absolute difference <0.35 mm) or H2 group (absolute difference ≥0.35 mm). According to the median vertical peripheral eye length differences (absolute difference between superior and inferior), participants were assigned to V1 group (absolute difference <0.32 mm) or V2 group (absolute difference ≥0.32 mm). Four groups of V1H1, V1H2, V2H1 and V2H2 were constructed according to the grouping methods in both directions above.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University (No.TRECKY2021-162). Written informed consent was obtained from guardians of each subject prior to any medical examination.Results:The central axial length was 23.53(22.93, 24.10)mm.Peripheral eye lengths of temporal, nasal, superior and inferior were 22.75(22.11, 23.22)mm, 22.99(22.32, 23.45)mm, 23.24(22.58, 23.75)mm and 23.12(22.52, 23.56)mm, respectively.Temporal eye length was shorter than nasal, showing a statistically significant difference ( Z=-3.58, P<0.01). Compared with H2 group, H1 group had shorter central, nasal, superior and inferior eye lengths, showing statistically significant differences (all at P<0.05). Compared with V2 group, V1 group had shorter central, nasal and superior eye lengths, showing statistically significant differences (all at P<0.05). SE of H1 group was + 0.06 (-1.06, + 0.75) D, which was significantly greater than -0.32 (-1.64, + 0.56) D of H2 group ( Z=-2.10, P=0.04). SE of V1 group was + 0.13 (-0.81, + 0.80) D, which was significantly greater than -0.56 (-1.83, + 0.48) D of H2 group ( Z=-3.39, P<0.01). The myopia ratio of V1 group was 33.5% (58/173), which was significantly lower than 50.5% (53/105) of V2 group ( χ2=7.83, P<0.01). There was a significant overall difference in SE among VIH1, V1H2, V2H1 and V2H2 groups ( H=24.79, P<0.01). SE was greater in V1H1 group than V1H2, V2H1 and V2H2 groups (all at P<0.01). There was a significant difference in both horizontal and vertical retinal curvatures among different refractive groups ( H=22.34, 19.30; both at P<0.01). The retical curvature in both directions of hyperopic and emmetropic groups were significantly larger than those of myopic group (both at P<0.01). Conclusions:Peripheral eye lengths are asymmetric in school-aged children.Higher asymmetry is associated with myopic shifts.Myopic children have a steeper retina than the hyperopic and emmetropic children.

Insights into Degradation of the Membrane-Electrode Assembly Performance in Low-Temperature PEMFC: the Catalyst, the Ionomer, or the Interface?

Here, we report a study on the structural characteristics of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) samples obtained from a low-temperature (LT) polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell (FC) stack subjected to long-term durability testing for ∼18,500 h of nominal operation along with ∼900 on/off cycles accumulated over the operation time, with the total power production being 3.39 kW h/cm2 of MEA and the overall degradation being 87% based on performance loss. The chemical and physical states of the degraded MEAs were investigated through structural characterizations aiming to probe their different components, namely the cathode and anode electrocatalysts, the Nafion ionomer in the catalyst layers (CLs), the gas diffusion layers (GDLs), and the PEM. Surprisingly, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy studies suggested no significant degradation of the electrocatalysts. Similarly, the cathode and anode GDLs exhibited no significant change in porosity and structure as indicated by BET analysis and helium ion microscopy. Nevertheless, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, elemental analysis through a CHNS analyzer, and comprehensive investigations by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggested significant degradation of the Nafion, especially in terms of sulfur content, that is, the abundance of the -SO3- groups responsible for H+ conduction. Hence, the degradation of the Nafion, in both of the CLs and in the PEM, was found to be the principal mechanism for performance degradation, while the Pt/C catalyst degradation in terms of particle size enlargement or mass loss was minimal. The study suggests that under real-life operating conditions, ionomer degradation plays a more significant role than electrocatalyst degradation in LT-PEMFCs, in contrast to many scientific studies under artificial stress conditions. Mitigation of the ionomer degradation must be emphasized as a strategy to improve the PEMFC's durability.

Isolation and identification of an endophytic bacteria Bacillus sp. K-9 exhibiting biocontrol activity against potato common scab.

Potato scab is an important soil-borne disease that can significantly reduce the quality and economic value of potatoes. The purpose of this study was to isolate, screen and identify endophytic bacteria that have antagonistic and control effects on potato scab disease, and to determine the control effect and yield traits of the selected strains on potato scab disease in field conditions. A bacterial strain K-9 was isolated from the junction between scab spot and healthy epidermis of potato tuber. The K-9 strain was identified as Bacillus sp. through morphological, physiological and biochemical characterization, and 16S rDNA and gyrB gene sequence analysis. The diameter of the inhibition zone of strain K-9 against Streptomyces scabies on the YME plate was 3.82 cm. The K-9 strain could inhibit eight types of crop pathogens, with the highest inhibition rate (70.39%) against another soil-borne potato disease (potato black scurf). In the field test, the control effect of K-9 strain against potato scab was not significantly different from that of mixed bacteria or chemical agents, but the disease index and the scab index in the K-9 treatment were significantly lower than in the control. The potato yield in the K-9 treatment was 12.44% higher than the control. In summary, the K-9 strain can prevent not only potato scab, but also increase potato yield. Therefore, the endophytic bacterial K-9 strain may be a potential biological control agent.

Biological Mechanism of Pyroptosis and Its Research Progress in Breast Cancer / 肿瘤防治研究

Pyroptosis is a newly discovered way of proinflammatory programmed cell death. Pyroptosis is mediated by caspase-1 (Caspase-1). Through the cleavage and activation of GSDM family proteins, small pores are formed on the cell membrane, thus rapid lysis of the cell membrane process, and then leads to intracellular inflammatory content release thereby causing inflammatory response. The three pyroptosis pathways are the classical pathway of Caspase-1, the non-classical pathway of Caspase-4, 5, and 11, and the special pathway of Caspase-3 or Hela cells. Pyroptosis plays an important role in the occurrence, invasion, and metastasis of breast cancer, and is closely related to the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. This article reviews the biological mechanism of pyroptosis and its research progress in breast cancer, to provide a new idea for clinicians in the treatment of breast cancer.

Studies on the effects of hypothermia combined with hypoxia on rat skeletal muscle and lipid metabolism based on AMPK/PGC1α pathway.

AIM: To explore the effects of hypothermia and hypoxia on rat skeletal muscle and lipid metabolism. METHOD: Forty male rats were randomly divided into blank group, low-temperature group, hypoxia group, and hypothermia combined with hypoxia group. The body weight of the rats was monitored. The changes of Irisin were detected by ELISA, and LDL, HDL, TC, and TG levels in serum were detected by blood biochemistry. Western blot was used to detect the changes of lipid metabolism-related proteins. CCK8 was used to verify the effect of AMPK/PGC1α on the proliferation of rat skeletal muscle cells. RESULT: In the case of cold stimulation and hypoxia, the weight of the rats decreased significantly, and the levels of LDL, HDL, TC, and TG in the serum were abnormal. The activity of fatty acid metabolism factors Irisin, UCP-1, and FABP4 is down-regulated by hypothermia and hypoxia. The activity of fat metabolism-related enzymes, ATGL, HSL, and MGL increased under hypothermia and low oxygen conditions. Hypothermia and hypoxia affected the morphology of skeletal muscle, and AMPK/PGC-1α can regulate the proliferation of skeletal muscle cells. CONCLUSION: Hypothermia and hypoxia can reduce the body weight of rats, and affect the structure of skeletal muscle to promote lipid metabolism through AMPK/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

Efficacy of Proton Pump Inhibitors on Nighttime Reflux Symptoms in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in North China / 胃肠病学

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is strongly associated with sleep disturbances. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the main treatment to improve the reflux symptoms in GERD patients. Aims: To investigate the efficacy of PPIs on nighttime reflux symptoms and associated sleep disturbances in general GERD population in North China. Methods: In this multicenter, prospective observational study, adult GERD patients with nighttime heartburn or regurgitation were recruited from 11 tertiary hospitals in North China during July 2017 to March 2018. All the patients received oral PPIs treatment. Data on nighttime reflux symptoms and associated sleep disturbances were obtained by patient diary and self-report questionnaire, the quality of sleep was defined by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The efficacy of PPIs was estimated by the relief rate after 4-week treatment. Results: Of the 750 GERD patients analyzed, 585 (78.0%) reported nighttime reflux-associated sleep disturbances, and 427 (56.9%) were defined as poor sleepers with a PSQI score >5. After 4-week PPIs treatment, 51.3% of the patients achieved a relief of nighttime reflux symptoms. The complete relief rates for nighttime reflux symptoms and associated sleep disturbances were 32.5% and 51.5%, respectively. PSQI score was significantly improved from 6.82 ± 3.38 at baseline to 4.56±2.50 after 4-week PPIs treatment (P<0.05). Conclusions: PPIs treatment provides an effective relief of nighttime reflux symptoms and associated sleep disturbances and improving the sleep quality in general GERD population in North China.

Efficacy and safety of ribonucleic acid for injection Ⅱ combined with chemotherapy in treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter, retrospective and controlled study / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ribonucleic acid for injection Ⅱ combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:Based on the LinkDoc database, 2 111 patients who were diagnosed with stage Ⅲ B and Ⅳ NSCLC in 8 research centers such as Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from January 2014 to December 2017 were included. Patients were divided into observation group (1 039 cases) and control group (1 072 cases) according to whether or not they had used ribonucleic acid for injection Ⅱ during chemotherapy. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to correct the confounding factors of patients, and there were 1 078 cases in the control group and 1 033 cases in the observation group; the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and the occurrence of adverse events and chemotherapy-related adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results:The median OS time of the observation group and the control group was 18.51 months and 15.65 months, and the median PFS time was 7.00 months and 5.49 months, and the differences were statistically significant ( P values ??were 0.001 and 0.003). The incidence of adverse events in the observation group was slightly higher than that in the control group [75.6% (781/1 033) vs. 74.1% (799/1 078)], and the incidence of chemotherapy-related adverse reactions in the observation group was slightly higher than that in the control group [43.9% (453/1 033) vs. 40.7% (439/1 078)], but the differences were not statistically significant (both P > 0.05). Conclusions:Ribonucleic acid for injection Ⅱ can prolong the OS and PFS time of patients with stage Ⅲ B and Ⅳ NSCLC receiving chemotherapy. It is safe and can increase the clinical benefit of patients to a certain extent.

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic colorectal polypectomy with high-frequency electrotome / 中华消化内镜杂志

Data of 643 patients who underwent endoscopic polypectomy with high-frequency electrotome in 6 hospitals of Sichuan Province between June 2020 and September 2020 were summarized. The rate of complete polypectomy and the incidence of delayed post-polypectomy bleeding (DPPB) and perforation were analyzed. DPPB occurred in 18 cases (2.80%) and postoperative perforation occurred in 1 case (0.16%). All of the 1 828 polyps were completely resected (100.0%). Univariate analysis showed that polyps′ diameter≥10 mm, long peduncle or laterally spreading tumor (LST), adenomatous polyp, endoscopic mucosal resection, mixed cutting mode 1 of electrocoagulation were significantly correlated with DPPB( P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that polyp diameter≥10 mm ( P=0.001, OR=3.575, 95% CI: 1.175-9.955), morphology of long peduncle or LST ( P=0.004, OR=2.981, 95% CI: 1.233-14.858) were independent risk factors for DPPB. Endoscopic colorectal polypectomy with high-frequency electrotome is effective and safe. Polyps′ diameter≥10 mm, polyps with long pedicle or LST are the risk factors for DPPB.

Platinum recycling through electroless dissolution under mild conditions using a surface activation assisted Pt-complexing approach.

High industrial demand and limited global abundance of precious metals (PMs) make their recycling essential for industrial and societal sustainability. Owing to their high surface-to-volume ratio, recycling of nanoparticulate precious metals through dissolution in dilute acids at room temperature is quite relevant. However, their dissolution by approaches such as the cyclic oxidation-reduction of metal surfaces through surface potential manipulation may not be suitable for large-scale production. Here, we demonstrate fast dissolution of Pt-nanoparticles under mild conditions (normal temperature and pressure) in Cl- containing dilute acidic/neutral baths without using cyclic oxidation-reduction. We demonstrate that the dissolution of Pt nanoparticles through [PtClx]2- complexing is hindered by blockage of the Pt surface due to adsorption of non-oxide species (impurities), a phenomenon termed herein as non-oxide passivation (NOP). The nanoparticles can be kept active for the [PtClx]2- complexing through removal of the adsorbed species by surface activation, a process to remove the NOP layer by application of cyclic/continuous perturbation. As an example, average % dissolution rate (calculated on initial Pt loading) increases from ∼10% per h (∼30% dissolution in 3 h) for dissolution without NOP removal to ∼19% per h (∼55% dissolution in 3 h) for dissolution through cyclic activation of the Pt surface by HCl-water cycling. The approach may be implemented with a range of cost-efficient and non-toxic reagents for industrial-scale and environmentally friendly recycling of Pt.

Diagnosis value of cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6, neuron-specific enolase and S100B protein in patients with central nervous system infection / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 (IL-6), neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100B protein in patients with central nervous system infection.Methods:The clinical data of 78 patients with central nervous system infection (infected group) from October 2015 to February 2019 in the Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Among the patients, viral meningitis was in 41 cases, tuberculous meningitis was in 23 cases, and purulent meningitis was in 14 cases. Another 100 patients who were admitted to the hospital during the same period for cerebrospinal fluid and other related examinations and excluded central nervous system infection (control group) were selected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of IL-6, NSE and S100B protein.Results:The cerebrospinal fluid levels of IL-6, NSE and S100B protein in infected group were significantly higher than those in control group: 16.70 (8.54, 228.18) ng/L vs. 6.64 (4.96, 8.21) ng/L, 13.62 (11.50, 19.01) μg/L vs. 9.95 (7.54, 12.39) μg/L and 3.07 (0.24, 11.57) μg/L vs. 0.16 (0.12, 0.21) μg/L, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The cerebrospinal fluid levels of IL-6, NSE and S100B protein in patients with tuberculous meningitis were significantly higher than those in patients with viral meningitis and patients with purulent meningitis: 173.30 (13.74, 503.80) ng/L vs. 9.37 (4.80, 113.55) and 89.96 (14.02, 239.60) ng/L, (30.82 ± 14.09) μg/L vs. (12.00 ± 2.33) and (17.62 ± 5.63) μg/L, (18.29 ± 16.05) μg/L vs. (2.12 ± 1.24) and (5.79 ± 4.82) μg/L; the indexes in patients with purulent meningitis were significantly higher than those in patients with viral meningitis, and there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Cerebrospinal fluid IL-6, NSE and S100B proteins have different expressions in patients with different types of central nervous system infection, and have certain clinical application value for the diagnosis of central nervous system infection.

Prognostic analysis of end-stage renal disease patients without diabetes mellitus receiving hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective:To compare the prognosis of hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients without diabetes mellitus and identify related influencing factors.Methods:Patients who started hemodialysis with an arteriovenous graft or fistula or PD in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 1, 2013 to February 1,2019 were included. They were followed up until May 1, 2019. The patients were divided into HD group and PD group according to the initial dialysis modality. Kaplan-Meier method was used to obtain survival curves, the Cox regression model was used to evaluate influence factors for survival rates, and the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to eliminate influence of the confounders in the groups.Results:There were 371 patients with maintenance dialysis enrolled in this study, including 113 cases (30.5%) in HD group and 258 cases (69.5%) in PD group. At baseline, the scores of standard mean difference ( SMD) in age, body mass index (BMI), combined with cerebrovascular disease, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), blood potassium, plasma albumin and hemoglobin between the two groups were greater than 0.1. The score of SMD decreased after IPTW, and the most data were less than 0.1, which meant that the balance had been reached between the two groups. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the cumulative survival rates had no significant difference for all-cause death before using IPTW between the two groups (Log-rank χ2=0.094, P=0.759). After adjusting for confounders with IPTW, the Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the cumulative survival rates still had no significant difference for all-cause death between the two groups (Log-rank χ2=2.090, P=0.150). Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that there was no significant difference between HD and PD on survival rates in ESRD patients without diabetes mellitus for all-cause death (PD/HD, HR=1.171, 95% CI 0.426-3.223, P=0.760). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that there was no significant difference between HD and PD on survival rates in ESRD patients without diabetes mellitus (PD/HD, HR=1.460, 95% CI 0.515-4.144, P=0.477), and high plasma albumin ( HR=0.893, 95% CI 0.813-0.981, P=0.019) was an independent protective factor for survival in ESRD patients without diabetes mellitus. There was still no significant difference between HD and PD on survival rates in ESRD patients without diabetes mellitus after using IPTW (PD/HD, HR=1.842, 95% CI 0.514-6.604, P=0.348). Conclusion:The difference of cumulative survival rates between HD and PD is not significant in ESRD patients without diabetes mellitus.

Particle Size-Controlled Growth of Carbon-Supported Platinum Nanoparticles (Pt/C) through Water-Assisted Polyol Synthesis.

A water-assisted control of Pt nanoparticle size during a surfactant-free, microwave-assisted polyol synthesis of the carbon-supported platinum nanoparticles (Pt/C) in a mixture of ethylene glycol and water using (NH4)2PtCl6 as the Pt precursor is demonstrated. The particle size was tuned between ∼2 and ∼6 nm by varying either the H2O volume percent or the Pt precursor concentration during synthesis. The electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and the oxygen-reduction reaction activity obtained for the Pt/C electrocatalyst show a catalytic performance competitive to that of the state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C electrocatalysts used for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell electrodes (ECSA: ∼70 m2/g; half-wave potential for oxygen reduction reaction: 0.83 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode). The synthesized Pt/C electrocatalysts show durability equivalent to or better than that of the commercial Pt/C. The durability was found to improve with increasing particle size, with the ECSA loss values being ∼70 and ∼55% for the particle sizes of 2.1 and 4.3 nm, respectively. The study may be used as a route to synthesize Pt/C electrocatalysts from a convenient and economic Pt precursor (NH4)2PtCl6 and avoiding the use of alkaline media.