Adding salt to foods and risk of psoriasis: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: High salt intake may play a critical role in the etiology of psoriasis. Yet, evidence on the association of high salt intake with risk of psoriasis is limited. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the association between frequency of adding salt to foods and risk of psoriasis. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 433,788 participants from the UK Biobank. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of psoriasis in relation to frequency of adding salt to foods were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. We further evaluated the joint association of adding salt to foods and genetic susceptibility with risk of psoriasis. We conducted a mediation analysis to assess how much of the effect of adding salt to foods on risk of psoriasis was mediated through several selected mediators. RESULTS: During a median of 14.0 years of follow-up, 4279 incident cases of psoriasis were identified. In the multivariable-adjusted model, a higher frequency of adding salt to foods was significantly associated with an increased risk of psoriasis ("always" versus "never/rarely" adding salt to foods, HR = 1.25, 95 % CI: 1.10, 1.41). The observed positive association was generally similar across subgroups. In the joint association analysis, we observed that participants with a high genetic risk (above the second tertile) and the highest frequency of adding salt to foods experienced 149 % higher risk of psoriasis, when compared with participants with a low genetic risk (below the first tertile) and the lowest frequency of adding salt to foods (HR = 2.49, 95 % CI: 2.05, 3.02). Mediation analysis revealed that 1.8 %-3.2 % of the positive association between frequency of adding salt and risk of psoriasis was statistically significantly mediated by obesity and inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein and systemic immune-inflammation index (all P values < 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated a positive association between frequency of adding salt to foods and risk of psoriasis. The positive association was independent of multiple other risk factors, and may be partially mediated through obesity and inflammation.

Optimization of genetic distance threshold for inferring the CRF01_AE molecular network based on next-generation sequencing.

Introduction: HIV molecular network based on genetic distance (GD) has been extensively utilized. However, the GD threshold for the non-B subtype differs from that of subtype B. This study aimed to optimize the GD threshold for inferring the CRF01_AE molecular network. Methods: Next-generation sequencing data of partial CRF01_AE pol sequences were obtained for 59 samples from 12 transmission pairs enrolled from a high-risk cohort during 2009 and 2014. The paired GD was calculated using the Tamura-Nei 93 model to infer a GD threshold range for HIV molecular networks. Results: 2,019 CRF01_AE pol sequences and information on recent HIV infection (RHI) from newly diagnosed individuals in Shenyang from 2016 to 2019 were collected to construct molecular networks to assess the ability of the inferred GD thresholds to predict recent transmission events. When HIV transmission occurs within a span of 1-4 years, the mean paired GD between the sequences of the donor and recipient within the same transmission pair were as follow: 0.008, 0.011, 0.013, and 0.023 substitutions/site. Using these four GD thresholds, it was found that 98.9%, 96.0%, 88.2%, and 40.4% of all randomly paired GD values from 12 transmission pairs were correctly identified as originating from the same transmission pairs. In the real world, as the GD threshold increased from 0.001 to 0.02 substitutions/site, the proportion of RHI within the molecular network gradually increased from 16.6% to 92.3%. Meanwhile, the proportion of links with RHI gradually decreased from 87.0% to 48.2%. The two curves intersected at a GD of 0.008 substitutions/site. Discussion: A suitable range of GD thresholds, 0.008-0.013 substitutions/site, was identified to infer the CRF01_AE molecular transmission network and identify HIV transmission events that occurred within the past three years. This finding provides valuable data for selecting an appropriate GD thresholds in constructing molecular networks for non-B subtypes.

Landscape of the gut mycobiome dynamics during pregnancy and its relationship with host metabolism and pregnancy health.

OBJECTIVE: The remodelling of gut mycobiome (ie, fungi) during pregnancy and its potential influence on host metabolism and pregnancy health remains largely unexplored. Here, we aim to examine the characteristics of gut fungi in pregnant women, and reveal the associations between gut mycobiome, host metabolome and pregnancy health. DESIGN: Based on a prospective birth cohort in central China (2017 to 2020): Tongji-Huaxi-Shuangliu Birth Cohort, we included 4800 participants who had available ITS2 sequencing data, dietary information and clinical records during their pregnancy. Additionally, we established a subcohort of 1059 participants, which included 514 women who gave birth to preterm, low birthweight or macrosomia infants, as well as 545 randomly selected controls. In this subcohort, a total of 750, 748 and 709 participants had ITS2 sequencing data, 16S sequencing data and serum metabolome data available, respectively, across all trimesters. RESULTS: The composition of gut fungi changes dramatically from early to late pregnancy, exhibiting a greater degree of variability and individuality compared with changes observed in gut bacteria. The multiomics data provide a landscape of the networks among gut mycobiome, biological functionality, serum metabolites and pregnancy health, pinpointing the link between Mucor and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The prepregnancy overweight status is a key factor influencing both gut mycobiome compositional alteration and the pattern of metabolic remodelling during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: This study provides a landscape of gut mycobiome dynamics during pregnancy and its relationship with host metabolism and pregnancy health, which lays the foundation of the future gut mycobiome investigation for healthy pregnancy.

A channel-homogenized micro gas chromatography column for light alkane separation with uniform HKUST-1 stationary phase.

BACKGROUND: The micro gas chromatography column (µGCC) is one of the key components of the miniaturized gas chromatography system. However, light alkanes are difficult to be separated by a micro gas chromatography column, especially for methane and ethane, because the length of µGCC is limited by the area of a silicon substrate. More importantly, the heterogeneous microchannel surface formed by silicon glass bonding causes uneven stationary phase coating and the forces between the untreated microchannel surfaces and the stationary phase materials are weak, which will prevent the improvement of separation performance. RESULTS: In this paper, a micro gas chromatography column (µGCC) with uniform HKUST-1 stationary phase is reported. Significantly, an alumina film prepared by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique is used to homogenize the heterogeneous microchannels. The alumina is a hydrophilic material and the alumina made by the ALD technique is uniform. The forces between hydrophilic alumina film and HKUST-1 are strong, which can greatly improve the coating uniformity of the hydrophilic stationary phase HKUST-1. The test results show that the µGCC could baseline separate the light alkane mixtures (CH4, C2H6, C3H8, and C4H10) at the high testing temperature of 120 °C. The maximum resolution of the difficult-separated methane and ethane reached 19.2, which is 108 % higher than the µGCC using the same stationary phase without homogenizing the microchannel inner surface. SIGNIFICANCE: The µGCC uses ALD alumina film to homogenize the microchannel inner surface; meanwhile, hydrophilic ALD alumina has a strong electrostatic attraction with the hydrophilic stationary phase HKUST-1. Homogeneous microchannel surface and strong electrostatic attraction are favorable to obtain uniform stationary phase which greatly improves the separation performance, resulting in a large resolution for methane and ethane. The µGCC has broad application prospects in light alkane separation.

Oral tranexamic acid treats papulopustular rosacea by improving the skin barrier.

BACKGROUND: Papulopustular rosacea (PPR) is a chronic inflammatory disease with a significant impact on facial aesthetics. An impaired skin barrier is an important factor in the development and exacerbation of PPR. Tranexamic acid (TXA) has immune regulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, inhibits angiogenesis and endothelial hyperplasia, and promotes skin barrier repair. AIMS: We investigated the efficacy and safety of oral TXA for PPR treatment. PATIENTS/METHODS: In total, 70 patients were randomly assigned to receive traditional therapy plus oral TXA or traditional therapy alone for 8 weeks, with a 4-week follow-up period. The subjective improvement in rosacea was assessed using the clinical erythema assessment (CEA), investigator's global assessment (IGA), patient self-assessment (PSA) score, rosacea-specific quality of life (RQoL) score, and global aesthetic improvement score (GAIS). An objective improvement in rosacea was assessed using skin hydration, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), clinical photography, and an eight spectrum facial imager. RESULTS: CEA/IGA/PSA, dryness, and RQoL scores were significantly lower and GAIS was higher in the TXA group than in the traditional therapy group. Furthermore, oral TXA significantly improved skin barrier function, increased skin hydration, and decreased TEWL, with no significant side effects. Notably, we observed better outcomes and a greater improvement in skin barrier function with TXA treatment in patients with dry-type rosacea than in patients with oily skin. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of oral TXA to traditional therapy can lead to rapid and effective improvements in PPR, which may be attributed to improvements in skin barrier function.

The predictive value of PFKFB3 in bladder cancer prognosis.

6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase-3 (PFKFB3) influences cancer progression via participating in tumor aerobic glycolysis. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of PFKFB3 in bladder cancer (BLCA) patients by analyzing a combination of publicly available databases, clinical patient data, and bladder tumor samples from our hospital. Single-cell and bulk RNA-seq data of bladder cancer, obtained from ENA, GEO, and TCGA databases, were utilized for our analysis. The results indicated that PFKFB3 mRNA expression was markedly elevated in bladder cancer compared to paired normal tissue. Furthermore, BLCA patients with high PFKFB3 expression exhibited a significantly worse prognosis (P < 0.05). To validate these findings, clinical data and immunohistochemistry staining were performed on specimens obtained from 89 BLCA patients who underwent radical cystectomy at either Qingdao University Affiliated Hospital or Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The findings from this verification process confirmed that high expression of PFKFB3 serves as a biomarker for predicting worse prognosis in BLCA patients (OR: 2.462, 95 % CI: 1.202-5.042, P = 0.012). To facilitate clinical application, we developed a nomogram based on four variables, including PFKFB3 expression, to predict the survival of BLCA patients. Importantly, this nomogram demonstrated a low mean prediction error of 0.03. Taken together, our findings suggest that PFKFB3 has the potential to serve as both a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for BLCA patients.

FvOshC Is a Key Global Regulatory Target in Fusarium verticillioides for Fumonisin Biosynthesis and Disease Control.

Fusarium verticillioides has a substantial impact on maize production, commonly leading to maize ear rot and the production of fumonisin, a mycotoxin that poses health risks to both humans and animals. Currently, there is a lack of molecular targets for preventing the disease and controlling the toxin. The biological functions of oxysterol-binding proteins (OSBP) in filamentous fungi remain unclear. In this research, 7 oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins were identified in F. verticillioides, and these proteins were obtained through prokaryotic expression and purification. FvOshC was identified as the specific protein that binds to ergosterol through fluorescence titration. Gene knockout complementation techniques confirmed that FvOSHC plays a positive role, establishing it as a novel global regulatory protein involved in the pathogenicity and FB1 biosynthesis in F. verticillioides. Additionally, the interaction between FvOshC and FvSec14 was identified using yeast two-hybrid techniques. Moreover, computer-aided drug design technology was utilized to identify the receptor molecule Xanthatin based on FvOshC. The inhibitory effect of Xanthatin on the growth of F. verticillioides and the synthesis of FB1 was significantly demonstrated. These findings provide valuable insights that can aid in the management of mycotoxin pollution.

Enhanced Aquathermolysis of Water-Heavy Oil-Ethanol Catalyzed by B@Zn(II)L at Low Temperature.

In order to study the synergistic effects of exogenous catalysts and in situ minerals in the reservoir during heavy oil aquathermolysis, in this paper, a series of simple supported transition metal complexes were prepared using sodium citrate, chloride salts and bentonite, and their catalytic viscosity reduction performances for heavy oil were investigated. Bentonite complex catalyst marked as B@Zn(II)L appears to be the most effective complex. B@Zn(II)L was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. Under optimized conditions, the viscosity of the heavy oil was decreased by 88.3%. The reaction temperature was reduced by about 70 °C compared with the traditional reaction. The results of the group composition analysis and the elemental content of the heavy oil indicate that the resin and asphaltene content decreases, and the saturated and aromatic HC content increases. The results of TGA and DSC of the heavy oil show that the macromolecular substances in the heavy oil were cracked into small molecules with low boiling points by the reaction. GC-MS examination of water-soluble polar compounds post-reaction indicates that B@Zn(II)L can diminish the quantity of polar substances in heavy oil and lower the aromatic nature of these compounds. Thiophene and quinoline were utilized as model compounds to investigate the reaction mechanism. GC-MS analysis revealed that C-C, C-N and C-S bonds were cleaved during the reaction, leading to a decrease in the viscosity of heavy oil.

Six-dimensional quantum dynamics of an Eley-Rideal reaction between gaseous and adsorbed hydrogen atoms on Cu(111).

In the form of direct abstraction of a surface adsorbate by a gaseous projectile, the Eley-Rideal (ER) reaction at the gas-surface interface manifests interesting dynamics. Unfortunately, high-dimensional quantum dynamical (QD) studies for ER reactions remain very challenging, which demands a large configuration space and the coordinate transformation of wavefunctions. Here, we report the first six-dimensional (6D) fully coupled quantum scattering method for studying the ER reaction between gas phase H(D) atoms and adsorbed D(H) atoms on a rigid Cu(111) surface. Reaction probabilities and product rovibrational state distributions obtained by this 6D model are found to be quite different from those obtained by reduced-dimensional QD models, demonstrating the high-dimensional nature of the ER reaction. Using two distinct potential energy surfaces (PESs), we further discuss the influence of the PES on the calculated product vibrational and rotational state distributions, in comparison with experimental results. The lateral corrugation and the exothermicity of the PES are found to play a critical role in controlling the energy disposal in the ER reaction.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of poststroke depression among patients with poststroke depression and their family members in Heilongjiang Province, China: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of poststroke depression (PSD) among patients with PSD and their family members. DESIGN: Web-based cross-sectional study. SETTING: This study was conducted in Heilongjiang Province between October 2022 and April 2023. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with PSD and their family members. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: KAP scores. METHOD: The self-administered questionnaire comprised demographic characteristics, knowledge dimension, attitude dimension and practice dimensions. RESULTS: A total of 489 valid questionnaires were collected, with the average age of the subjects was 54.68±13.80 years, and including 258 (53.09%) patients who had a stroke. The mean scores for KAP were 6.36±2.66 (possible range: 0-10), 29.07±5.18 (possible range: 8-40) and 37.50±8.49 (possible range: 10-50), respectively. Concerning KAP scores, no differences were found between patients with PSD and their family members. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that retirement (OR=0.29, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.77, p=0.012) and monthly income less than ¥2000 (OR=0.46, 95% CI 0.27, 0.79, p=0.005) were independently associated with adequate knowledge. Knowledge (OR=2.12, 95% CI 1.44 to 3.14, p<0.001) was independently associated with positive attitude. Knowledge (OR=3.85, 95% CI 2.53 to 5.86, p<0.001) and attitude (OR=1.62, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.47, p=0.024) were independently associated with proactive practice. CONCLUSION: Patients and their family members had insufficient knowledge, positive attitude and moderate practice towards PSD. Retirement and low monthly income were associated with insufficient knowledge, while knowledge was associated with positive attitude and proactive practice.

Low hysteresis, water retention, anti-freeze multifunctional hydrogel strain sensor for human-machine interfacing and real-time sign language translation.

Hydrogel strain sensors have received increasing attention due to their potential applications in human-machine interfaces and flexible electronics. However, they usually suffer from both mechanical and electrical hysteresis and poor water retention, which limit their practical applications. To address this challenge, a poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) hydrogel crosslinked by silica nanoparticles is fabricated via photo polymerization and salting-out of hydrophilic ions for the strain sensor. The resulting hydrogel strain sensor possessed low electrical hysteresis (1.6%), low mechanical hysteresis (<7%), high cycle stability (>10 000 cycles), high durability, water retention and anti-freezing ability. Moreover, this strain sensor can be used as a wearable sensor for real-time control of robotic hands and hand gesture recognition. Finally, a sign language translation system has been demonstrated with the aid of machine learning, achieving recognition rates of over 98% for 15 different sign languages. This work offers a promising prospect for human-machine interfaces, smart wearable devices, and the Internet of Things.

Evaluation of aerobic granulation performance bioaugmented with the auto-aggregating bacterium Pseudomonas stutzeri strain XL-2 with heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification capacity.

In this study, the possibility of an auto-aggregating bacterium Pseudomonas strain XL-2 with heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification capacity for improving granulation and nitrogen removal was evaluated. The results showed that the supplementation of strain XL-2 promoted granulation, making R1 (experimental group with strain XL-2) dominated by granules at 14 d, which was 12 days earlier than R2 (control group without strain XL-2). This was attributed to the promotion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion, particularly proteins by adding strain XL-2, thereby improving the hydrophobicity of sludge and altering the proteins secondary structures to facilitate aggregation. Meanwhile, adding strain XL-2 improved simultaneous nitrification and denitrification efficiency of R1. Microbial community analysis indicated that strain XL-2 successfully proliferated in aerobic granule sludge and might induce the enrichment of genera such as Flavobacterium and Paracoccus that were favorable for EPS secretion and denitrification, jointly promoting granulation and enhancing nitrogen removal efficiency.

Fostering a Holistic Understanding of the Full Volatility Spectrum of Organic Compounds from Benzene Series Precursors through Mechanistic Modeling.

A comprehensive understanding of the full volatility spectrum of organic oxidation products from the benzene series precursors is important to quantify the air quality and climate effects of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and new particle formation (NPF). However, current models fail to capture the full volatility spectrum due to the absence of important reaction pathways. Here, we develop a novel unified model framework, the integrated two-dimensional volatility basis set (I2D-VBS), to simulate the full volatility spectrum of products from benzene series precursors by simultaneously representing first-generational oxidation, multigenerational aging, autoxidation, dimerization, nitrate formation, etc. The model successfully reproduces the volatility and O/C distributions of oxygenated organic molecules (OOMs) as well as the concentrations and the O/C of SOA over wide-ranging experimental conditions. In typical urban environments, autoxidation and multigenerational oxidation are the two main pathways for the formation of OOMs and SOA with similar contributions, but autoxidation contributes more to low-volatility products. NOx can reduce about two-thirds of OOMs and SOA, and most of the extremely low-volatility products compared to clean conditions, by suppressing dimerization and autoxidation. The I2D-VBS facilitates a holistic understanding of full volatility product formation, which helps fill the large gap in the predictions of organic NPF, particle growth, and SOA formation.

Characterization and health risks of short- and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins in the gas and size-fractionated particulate phases in ambient air.

Short-chain and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs and MCCPs) have garnered significant attention because they have persistence and potential toxicity, and can undergo long-distance transport. Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) inhaled in the size-fractionated particulate phase and gas phase can carry different risks to human health due to their ability to accumulate in different regions of the respiratory tract and exhibit varying deposition efficiencies. In our study, large-volume ambient air samples in both the size-fractionated particulate phase (Dp < 1.0 µm, 1.0-2.5 µm, 2.5-10 µm, and Dp ≥ 10 µm) and gas phase were collected simultaneously in Beijing using an active sampler. The overall levels of SCCPs and MCCPs were relatively high, the ranges being 57-881 and 30-385 ng/m3, respectively. SCCPs tended to be partitioned in the gas phase (on average 75% of the ΣSCCP concentration), while MCCPs tended to be partitioned in the particulate phase (on average 62% of the ΣMCCP concentration). Significant correlations were discovered between the logarithm-transformed gas-particle partition coefficients (KP) and predicted subcooled vapor pressures (PL0) (p < 0.01 for SCCPs and MCCPs) and between the logarithm-transformed KP values and octanol-air partition coefficients (KOA) (p < 0.01 for SCCPs and MCCPs). Thus, the slopes indicated that organic matter absorption was the dominant process involved in gas-particle partitioning. We used the ICRP model to calculate deposition concentrations for particulate-associated CPs in head airways region (15.6-71.4 ng/m³), tracheobronchial region (0.8-4.8 ng/m³), and alveolar region (5.1-21.9 ng/m³), then combined these concentrations with the CP concentrations in the gas phase to calculate estimated daily intakes (EDIs) for inhalation. The EDIs for SCCPs and MCCPs through inhalation of ambient air for the all-ages group were 67.5-184.2 ng/kg/day and 19.7-53.7 ng/kg/day, respectively. The results indicated that SCCPs and MCCPs in ambient air do not currently pose strong risks to human health in the study area.

N/P-doped NiFeV oxide nanosheets with oxygen vacancies as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction.

Plasma treatment as an effective strategy can simultaneously achieve surface modification and heteroatom doping. Here, an N/P-doped NiFeV oxide nanosheet catalyst (N/P-NiFeVO) constructed by Ar/PH3 plasma treatment is used to drive the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The introduction of V species leads to the formation of an ultrathin ordered nanostructure and exposure of more active sites. Compared to the 2D NiFeV LDH, the prepared N/P-NiFeVO by plasma treatment possesses multiple-valence Fe, V and Ni species, which regulate the intrinsic electronic structure and enable a superior catalytic activity for the OER in alkaline media. Specifically, the N/P-NiFeVO only require an overpotential of 273 mV to drive the current density of 100 mA cm-2. What's more, the electrode can maintain a stable current density in a long-term oxygen evolution reaction (∼120 h) under alkaline conditions. This work provides new insight for the rational design of mixed metal oxides for OER electrocatalysts.

Therapeutic potential of urine-derived stem cells in renal regeneration following acute kidney injury: A comparative analysis with mesenchymal stem cells.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical syndrome with high morbidity and mortality rates. The use of pluripotent stem cells holds great promise for the treatment of AKI. Urine-derived stem cells (USCs) are a novel and versatile cell source in cell-based therapy and regenerative medicine that provide advantages of a noninvasive, simple, and low-cost approach and are induced with high multidifferentiation potential. Whether these cells could serve as a potential stem cell source for the treatment of AKI has not been determined. AIM: To investigate whether USCs can serve as a potential stem cell source to improve renal function and histological structure after experimental AKI. METHODS: Stem cell markers with multidifferentiation potential were isolated from human amniotic fluid. AKI severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) mice models were induced by means of an intramuscular injection with glycerol. USCs isolated from human-voided urine were administered via tail veins. The functional changes in the kidney were assessed by the levels of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine. The histologic changes were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining and transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining. Meanwhile, we compared the regenerative potential of USCs with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). RESULTS: Treatment with USCs significantly alleviated histological destruction and functional decline. The renal function was rapidly restored after intravenous injection of 5 × 105 human USCs into SCID mice with glycerol-induced AKI compared with injection of saline. Results from secretion assays conducted in vitro demonstrated that both stem cell varieties released a wide array of cytokines and growth factors. This suggests that a mixture of various mediators closely interacts with their biochemical functions. Two types of stem cells showed enhanced tubular cell proliferation and decreased tubular cell apoptosis, although USC treatment was not more effective than MSC treatment. We found that USC therapy significantly improved renal function and histological damage, inhibited inflammation and apoptosis processes in the kidney, and promoted tubular epithelial proliferation. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated the potential of USCs for the treatment of AKI, representing a new clinical therapeutic strategy.

Universal, minute-scale synthesis of transition metal compound nanocatalysts via graphene-microwave system for enhancing sulfur kinetics in lithium-sulfur batteries.

The application of Li-S batteries on large scale is held back by the sluggish sulfur kinetics and low synthesis efficiency of sulfur host. In addition, the preparation of catalysts that promote polysulfide redox kinetics is complex and time-consuming, reducing the cost of raw materials in Li-S. Here, a universal synthetic strategy for rapid fabrication of sulfur cathode and metal compounds nanocatalysts is reported based on microwave heating of graphene. Heat-sensitive materials can achieve rapid heating due to graphene reaching 500 ℃ within 4 s via microwave irradiation. The MoP-MoS2/rGO catalyst demonstrated in this work was synthesized within 60 s. When used for catalysts for Li-S batteries whose graphene/sulfur cathodes were also synthesized by microwave heating, enhanced catalytic effect for sulfur redox reaction was verified via experimental and DFT theoretical results. Benefiting from fast redox reaction (MoP), smooth Li+ diffusion pathways (MoS2), and large conductive network (rGO), the assembled Li-S battery with MoP-MoS2/rGO-Add@CS displays a remarkable initial specific capacity, stable lithium anode and good cycle stability (in pouch cells) using this two-pronged strategy. The work provides a practical strategy for advanced Li-S batteries toward a wide range of applications.

Structural modification and biomechanical analysis of lumbar disc prosthesis: A finite element study.

BACKGROUND: Most ball-in-socket artificial lumbar disc implanted in the spine result in increased hypermobility of the operative level and overloading of the facet joint. METHODS: A finite element model was established and validated for the lumbar spine (L1-L5). The structure of the Mobidisc prosthesis was modified, resulting in the development of two new intervertebral disc prostheses, Movcore and Mcopro. The prostheses were implanted into the L3/L4 level to simulate total disc replacement, and the biomechanical properties of the lumbar spine model were analyzed after the operation. FINDINGS: Following the implantation of the prostheses, the mobility of operative level, peak stress of lumbar spine models, and peak stress of facet joint increased. The performance of mobility was found to be more similar between Movcore and Mobidisc. The mobility and facet joint peak stress of the Mcopro model decreased progressively with an increase in the Young's modulus of the artificial annulus during flexion, extension, and lateral bending. Among all the models, the Mcopro50 model had the mobility closest to the intact model. It showed a 3% decrease in flexion, equal range of motion in extension, a 9% increase in left lateral bending, a 7% increase in right lateral bending, and a 3% decrease in axial rotation. INTERPRETATION: The feasibility of the new intervertebral disc prostheses, Movcore and Mcopro, has been established. The Mcopro prosthesis, which features an artificial annular structure, offers significant advantages in terms of reduced mobility of the operative level and peak stress of facet joint.

Treatment of renal leiomyosarcoma with right atrial tumor embolus without cardiopulmonary bypass: a case report.

Objective: To investigate the clinical manifestations, imaging and pathological features, treatment methods and prognosis of primary leiomyosarcoma of kidney, and the choice of treatment with tumor thrombus. Methods: The clinical data of a patient with primary renal leiomyosarcoma complicated with inferior vena cava and right atrial tumor thrombus were retrospectively analyzed. Radical resection of right kidney without cardiopulmonary bypass and removal of inferior vena cava and right atrial tumor thrombus were performed. Adjuvant intravenous chemotherapy was given according to the results, and follow-up observation was made. Results: Postoperative pathological findings were: leiomyosarcoma (right renal tumor), the size of the mass was about 12.1 cm, and no cancer was found at the incision end of the right ureter. Conclusion: Primary leiomyosarcoma of kidney is rare in clinical practice, and complication of right atrial tumor embolus is even rarer. The disease has high malignant degree and poor prognosis. The clinical manifestations and imaging examinations were non-specific, and pathological diagnosis was the gold standard. Radical surgical resection is the main treatment method at present, and it provides experience for the treatment of grade IV tumor thrombus without cardiopulmonary bypass.