Measurement and Analysis of the Vibration Responses of Piano Soundboards with Different Structures.

The effect of structure on the vibration response was explored for four piano soundboards with different but commonly adopted structures. The vibration response was obtained using the free-vibration method, and the values of the dynamic modulus of elasticity and dynamic shear modulus obtained using the free-vibration frequency method (EF and GF) were compared with the dynamic modulus of elasticity obtained using the Euler beam method (EE) and dynamic shear modulus obtained using the free-plate torsional vibration method (GT), respectively. It was found that the soundboards with different structures had different vibration modes and that excitation at different locations highlighted different vibration modes. For all the soundboards analyzed, the EE and GT were higher than EF and GF by 2.2% and 24.3%, respectively. However, the trends of the results of these methods were the same. The four piano soundboards with different structures possessed varying dynamic moduli of elasticity and dynamic shear moduli. These rules are consistent with the grain directions of the soundboards and the anisotropy of the wood (the direction of the units of the soundboards). The results show that the vibration mode of the piano soundboard is complex. The dynamic elastic modulus of the soundboard can be calculated using the Euler beam method. The results provide a reference for studies on the vibration response, material selection, production technology, and testing of piano soundboards.

Allelic reprogramming of chromatin states in human early embryos.

The reprogramming of parental epigenomes in human early embryos remains elusive. To what extent the characteristics of parental epigenomes are conserved between humans and mice is currently unknown. Here, we mapped parental haploid epigenomes using human parthenogenetic and androgenetic embryos. Human embryos have a larger portion of genome with parentally specific epigenetic states than mouse embryos. The allelic patterns of epigenetic states for orthologous regions are not conserved between humans and mice. Nevertheless, it is conserved that maternal DNA methylation and paternal H3K27me3 are associated with the repression of two alleles in humans and mice. In addition, for DNA-methylation-dependent imprinting, we report 19 novel imprinted genes and their associated germline differentially methylated regions. Unlike in mice, H3K27me3-dependent imprinting is not observed in human early embryos. Collectively, allele-specific epigenomic reprogramming is different in humans and mice.

Natural Course of Ruptured but Untreated Intracranial Aneurysms: A Multicenter 2-Year Follow-Up Study.

BACKGROUND: The current understanding of untreated ruptured intracranial aneurysms has been limited by study design and inaccurate patient data. Multicenter clinical registry studies on untreated ruptured intracranial aneurysms in Chinese patients are scarce. We aimed to calculate the mortality of patients with untreated ruptured intracranial aneurysms in a current, clearly defined hospital cohort in China, with emphasis on mortality predictors over a 2-year period. METHODS: Patients with saccular untreated ruptured intracranial aneurysms were identified from the Chinese Multicenter Cerebral Aneurysm Database, a multicenter, prospective, observational database registered in China, which involved 32 tertiary medical centers covering 4 northern Chinese provincial regions. Patients with intracranial aneurysms, regardless of ruptured status, shape, age, or comorbidities, were consecutively included in 12 of 32 medical centers between 2017 and 2020. Survival probabilities were computed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to determine the risk factors for the cumulative 2-year mortality. We analyzed the reasons for treatment decisions stratified by demographic characteristics and clinical features. RESULTS: For 941 enrolled patients, 58.6% of patients died within 1 month of symptom onset; and 68.1% within 2 years. 98 patients underwent surgical repair during follow-up. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified Hunt and Hess grades 3 to 5 (hazard ratio, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.01-2.35]; P=0.047), loss of consciousness at symptom onset (hazard ratio, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.18-2.07]; P=0.002), and largest aneurysm size of ≥5 mm (hazard ratio, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.05-1.59]; P=0.014) as mortality predictors during the 2-year follow-up. Among patients who were successfully followed up, 42.6% (280) of them refused surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with poor Hunt and Hess grades, loss of consciousness at symptom onset, or largest aneurysms ≥5 mm in size showed a high mortality rate. A high number of treatment refusals was present in this study. These findings have implications for medical insurance policy, doctor-patient communication, and popular science education.

National Institute of Health Stroke Scale was associated with the immediate and long-term prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine whether the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale was associated with the short- and long-term prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis. METHODS: A total of 247 patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the hospital from April 2019 to October 2020 were retrospectively selected as study subjects, and the immediate and long-term prognosis after thrombolysis was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale and divided into good prognosis group (119 cases) and poor prognosis group (128 cases) based on the effect of thrombolysis. Both groups were treated with alteplase, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale of the two groups was compared, and the factors affecting the prognosis of acute ischemic stroke were analyzed. RESULTS: After intravenous thrombolysis, 24 h, and 7 days of treatment, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale in the poor prognosis group was higher than those of patients in the good prognosis group, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). The results of the multivariate analysis suggested that National Institute of Health Stroke Scale before treatment was an independent factor associated with the 3-month (OR: 1.068, 95%CI 1.015-1.123, p=0.011) and long-term poor prognosis (OR: 1.064, 95%CI 1.012-1.119, p=0.015) in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving intravenous thrombolysis after adjustment of age, gender, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumer, onset-to-door time, door-to-needle time, and imaging score. CONCLUSION: The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale could be a promising indicator for the prognosis, and active intervention is needed to improve the quality of life in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Dynamics of histone acetylation during human early embryogenesis.

It remains poorly understood about the regulation of gene and transposon transcription during human early embryogenesis. Here, we report that broad H3K27ac domains are genome-widely distributed in human 2-cell and 4-cell embryos and transit into typical peaks in the 8-cell embryos. The broad H3K27ac domains in early embryos before zygotic genome activation (ZGA) are also observed in mouse. It suggests that broad H3K27ac domains play conserved functions before ZGA in mammals. Intriguingly, a large portion of broad H3K27ac domains overlap with broad H3K4me3 domains. Further investigation reveals that histone deacetylases are required for the removal or transition of broad H3K27ac domains and ZGA. After ZGA, the number of typical H3K27ac peaks is dynamic, which is associated with the stage-specific gene expression. Furthermore, P300 is important for the establishment of H3K27ac peaks and the expression of associated genes in early embryos after ZGA. Our data also indicate that H3K27ac marks active transposons in early embryos. Interestingly, H3K27ac and H3K18ac signals rather than H3K9ac signals are enriched at ERVK elements in mouse embryos after ZGA. It suggests that different types of histone acetylations exert distinct roles in the activation of transposons. In summary, H3K27ac modification undergoes extensive reprogramming during early embryo development in mammals, which is associated with the expression of genes and transposons.

Human zygotic genome activation is initiated from paternal genome.

Although parental genomes undergo extensive epigenetic reprogramming to be equalized after fertilization, whether they play different roles in human zygotic genome activation (ZGA) remains unknown. Here, we mapped parental transcriptomes by using human parthenogenetic (PG) and androgenetic (AG) embryos during ZGA. Our data show that human ZGA is launched at the 8-cell stage in AG and bi-parental embryos, but at the morula stage in PG embryos. In contrast, mouse ZGA occurs at the same stage in PG and AG embryos. Mechanistically, primate-specific ZNF675 with AG-specific expression plays a role in human ZGA initiated from paternal genome at the 8-cell stage. AG-specifically expressed LSM1 is also critical for human maternal RNA degradation (MRD) and ZGA. The allelic expressions of ZNF675 and LSM1 are associated with their allelically epigenetic states. Notably, the paternally specific expressions of ZNF675 and LSM1 are also observed in diploid embryos. Collectively, human ZGA is initiated from paternal genome.

National Institute of Health Stroke Scale was associated with the immediate and long-term prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine whether the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale was associated with the short- and long-term prognosis of patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with intravenous thrombolysis. METHODS: A total of 247 patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the hospital from April 2019 to October 2020 were retrospectively selected as study subjects, and the immediate and long-term prognosis after thrombolysis was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale and divided into good prognosis group (119 cases) and poor prognosis group (128 cases) based on the effect of thrombolysis. Both groups were treated with alteplase, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale of the two groups was compared, and the factors affecting the prognosis of acute ischemic stroke were analyzed. RESULTS: After intravenous thrombolysis, 24 h, and 7 days of treatment, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale in the poor prognosis group was higher than those of patients in the good prognosis group, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). The results of the multivariate analysis suggested that National Institute of Health Stroke Scale before treatment was an independent factor associated with the 3-month (OR: 1.068, 95%CI 1.015-1.123, p=0.011) and long-term poor prognosis (OR: 1.064, 95%CI 1.012-1.119, p=0.015) in patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving intravenous thrombolysis after adjustment of age, gender, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumer, onset-to-door time, door-to-needle time, and imaging score. CONCLUSION: The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale could be a promising indicator for the prognosis, and active intervention is needed to improve the quality of life in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Mechanically Enhanced Nanocrystalline Cellulose/Reduced Graphene Oxide/Polyethylene Glycol Electrically Conductive Composite Film.

Traditional conductive materials do not meet the increasing requirements of electronic products because of such materials' high rigidity, poor flexibility, and slow biodegradation after disposal. Preparing flexible conductive materials with excellent mechanical properties is an active area of research. The key to flexible conductive materials lies in the combination of the polymer matrix and conductive components. This combination can be achieved by making a film of renewable nano-microcrystalline cellulose (NCC) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with excellent electrical conductivity-by simple filtration and introducing polyethylene glycol (PEG) to enhance the functionality of the composite film. Graphene imparted conductivity to the composite film, which reached 5.67 S·m-1. A reinforced NCC/rGO/PEG-4 composite film with a thickness of only 21 µm exhibited a tensile strength of 30.56 MPa, which was 83% higher than that of the sample without PEG (16.71 MPa), and toughness of 727.18 kJ·m-3, which was about 132% higher than that of the control sample (NCC/rGO, 313.86 kJ·m-3). This ultra-thin conductive composite film-which can be prepared simply, consists of environmentally sustainable and biodegradable raw materials, and exhibits excellent mechanical properties-has substantial potential for applications in e.g., flexible electronic wearable devices, electrodes, and capacitors.

Synthesis of hierarchical porous zirconium dioxide and its application in the detection of sulfonamides in animal-derived food.

In order to effectively remove grease for the detection of sulfonamides, a non-toxic and low-cost hierarchical porous zirconia material was synthesized using the dual template method. The lipid impurities in an animal-derived food matrix can be absorbed by hierarchical zirconia. A ZrO2 prepolymer was synthesized by mixing amphiphilic triblock copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (P123) with tannin extract as the double template and Zr(SO4)2 as the metal source. After aging, drying and calcination at high temperature, the prepolymer transforms into a hierarchical porous structure. The synthesized materials were characterized using SEM, XRD, FT-IR, and BET. The results show that the material has an abundant pore structure and hierarchical pore structure. The adsorption conditions were optimized. The hierarchical porous ZrO2 synthesized by this method is relatively uniform, and is characterized by large specific surface area as well as high lipid impurity adsorption capacity. Through the optimization experiment of adsorption conditions, we found that hierarchical porous ZrO2 can reach the maximum adsorption capacity in 60 min under weak acidic conditions. The samples are used for actual sample testing such as HPLC of sulfadiazine (SD), sulfamethazine (SM2), sulfamethoxydiazine (SMD), sulfamethoxazole (SIZ) and sulfadimethoxine (SDM), and the recovery experiment of sulfonamides in chicken was carried out. The recoveries were 80.9-97.6% and the detection limit was 3.8-17.6 µg L-1. This work provides a new strategy for oil removal using hierarchical porous materials.

Synthesis and bioimaging of a BODIPY-based fluorescence quenching probe for Fe3.

Iron is the main substance for maintaining life. Real-time determination of ferric ion (Fe3+) in living cells is of great significance for understanding the relationship of Fe3+ concentration changes with various physiological and pathological processes. Fluorescent probes are suitable for the detection of trace metal ions in cells due to their low toxicity and high sensitivity. In this work, a boron-dipyrromethene-based fluorescent probe (BODIPY-CL) for selective detection of Fe3+ was synthesized. The fluorescence emission of BODIPY-CL was determined at 516 nm. In a pH range of 1 to 10, the probe BODIPY-CL exhibits a quenching response to Fe3+. Meanwhile, BODIPY-CL showed a highly selective response to Fe3+ compared with 16 kinds of metal ions. The stoichiometry ratio of BODIPY-CL bound to Fe3+ was nearly 2 : 1. The fluorescence quenching response obtained by the sensor was linear with the Fe3+ concentration in the range of 0-400 µM, and the detection limit was 2.9 µM. BODIPY-CL was successfully applied to image Fe3+ in cells. This study provides a promising fluorescent imaging probe for further research on the physiological and pathological effects of Fe3+.

Comparison of chromatin accessibility landscapes during early development of prefrontal cortex between rhesus macaque and human.

Epigenetic information regulates gene expression and development. However, our understanding of the evolution of epigenetic regulation on brain development in primates is limited. Here, we compared chromatin accessibility landscapes and transcriptomes during fetal prefrontal cortex (PFC) development between rhesus macaques and humans. A total of 304,761 divergent DNase I-hypersensitive sites (DHSs) are identified between rhesus macaques and humans, although many of these sites share conserved DNA sequences. Interestingly, most of the cis-elements linked to orthologous genes with dynamic expression are divergent DHSs. Orthologous genes expressed at earlier stages tend to have conserved cis-elements, whereas orthologous genes specifically expressed at later stages seldom have conserved cis-elements. These genes are enriched in synapse organization, learning and memory. Notably, DHSs in the PFC at early stages are linked to human educational attainment and cognitive performance. Collectively, the comparison of the chromatin epigenetic landscape between rhesus macaques and humans suggests a potential role for regulatory elements in the evolution of differences in cognitive ability between non-human primates and humans.

Ultralight, Mechanically Enhanced, and Thermally Improved Graphene-Cellulose-Polyethyleneimine Aerogels for the Adsorption of Anionic and Cationic Dyes.

Graphene-cellulose-polyethyleneimine aerogels (GA-MCC-PEI) were prepared using a simple, environmentally friendly method to remove anionic and cationic dyes in water. Graphene-cellulose hydrogels were prepared using a hydrothermal method and then immersed in a polyethyleneimine aqueous solution for 48 h to obtain graphene-cellulose-polyethyleneimine hydrogels, which were then freeze-dried. The light and porous composite aerogels had a good compression resistance, and the maximum allowable pressure of the graphene-cellulose-polyethyleneimine aerogel with a cellulose content of 43% was 21.76 kPa, which was 827 times its weight. Adsorption of the anionic dye amaranth and the cationic dye methylene blue by the graphene-cellulose-polyethyleneimine aerogel was satisfactorily modeled using the Langmuir isothermal equation, indicating monolayer adsorption. When the cellulose content was 39%, the equilibrium adsorption capacities of the composite aerogel for amaranth and methylene blue were 369.37 mg/g and 237.33 mg/g, respectively. This graphene-cellulose-polyethyleneimine aerogel can be used to remove dye pollutants in water to maintain ecological balance, thus broadening the application space of aerogel materials, that is, as adsorbents in different environments.

Moisture- and mould-proof characteristics of surface modified wood for musical instrument soundboards.

Wood is the main material used for musical instrument soundboard fabrication, for practical and cultural reasons. As a natural material, however, wood is easily degraded due to moisture or fungal corrosion. Most traditional wood protection methods were devised for structural materials, and may thus not be suitable for application in musical instrument soundboard materials. In the current study, a novel nanomaterial-based modification method was applied to wood. The surface of wood was coated with polyurethane and MgAl-layered double hydroxide nanosheets after a convenient impregnation process. The modified wood exhibited improved hydrophobicity and mould-resistance, while maintaining its acoustic properties. This modified wood may facilitate the construction of soundboards with longer lifespans.

Preparation of Graphene Oxide/Cellulose Composites with Microcrystalline Cellulose Acid Hydrolysis Using the Waste Acids Generated by the Hummers Method of Graphene Oxide Synthesis.

The Hummers method is the most commonly used method to prepare graphene oxide (GO). However, many waste acids remain in the raw reaction mixture after the completion of this reaction. The aim of this study was to reuse these waste acids efficiently. In this study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was directly dissolved in the mixture after the high-temperature reaction of the Hummers method. The residual acid was used to hydrolyze MCC, and the graphene oxide/microcrystalline cellulose (GO/MCC) composites were prepared, while the acid was reused. The effects of MCC addition (0.5 g, 1.0 g, and 1.5 g in 20 mL) on the properties of the composites were discussed. The structure, composition, thermal stability, and hydrophobicity of GO/MCC composites were characterized and tested by SEM, XRD, FTIR, TG, and contact angle tests. The results showed that MCC could be acid hydrolyzed into micron and nano-scale cellulose by using the strong acidity of waste liquid after GO preparation, and it interacted with the prepared GO to form GO/MCC composites. When the addition amount of MCC was 1 g, the thermal stability of the composite was the highest due to the interaction between acid-hydrolyzed MCC and GO sheets. At the same time, the hydrophobic property of the GO/MCC composite is better than that of the GO film. The freeze-dried GO/MCC composites are more easily dispersed in water and have stronger stability.

Increased blood pressure variability predicts poor outcomes from endovascular treatment for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Predictors of outcomes following endovascular treatment (ET) for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) are not well-defined. Identifying them would be beneficial in determining which patients might benefit from ET. OBJECTIVE: To identify the predictive factors for poor outcomes following ET for aSAH. METHODS: 120 patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms underwent endovascular embolization between January 2017 and December 2018. Blood pressure variability was examined using the standard deviation of the 24-hour systolic blood pressure (24hSSD) and 24-hour diastolic blood pressure (24hDSD). Predictors were identified through univariate and multivariate regression analysis. All patients were followed up for three months. RESULTS: At follow-up, 86 patients (71.7%) had good outcomes and 34 (28.3%) had poor outcomes. Patients with poor outcomes had significantly higher 24hSSD than those with good outcomes (19.3 ± 5.5 vs 14.1 ± 4.8 mmHg; P < 0.001). The 24hDSD did not differ significantly between patients with good outcomes and those with poor outcomes (9.5 ± 2.3 vs 9.9 ± 3.5 mmHg; P = 0.464). The following were significant risk factors for poor outcomes after endovascular embolization: age ≥ 65 years (odds ratio [OR] = 23.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.0-175.9; P = 0.002); Hunt-Hess grade 3-4 (OR = 6.8; 95% CI: 1.1-33.7; P = 0.039); Fisher grade 3-4 (OR = 47.1; 95% CI: 3.8-586.5; P = 0.003); postoperative complications (OR = 6.1; 95% CI: 1.1-34.8; P = 0.042); and 24hSSD ≥ 15 mmHg (OR = 14.9; 95% CI: 4.0-55.2; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Elevated 24hSSD is a possibly treatable predictive factor for poor outcomes after ET for aSAH.

Mechanically Strong, Low Thermal Conductivity and Improved Thermal Stability Polyvinyl Alcohol-Graphene-Nanocellulose Aerogel.

Porous aerogel materials have advantages of a low density, low thermal conductivity and high porosity, and they have broad application prospects in heat insulation and building energy conservation. However, aerogel materials usually exhibit poor mechanical properties. Single-component aerogels are less likely to possess a good thermal stability and mechanical properties. It is necessary to prepare multiple-composite aerogels by reinforcement to meet practical application needs. In this experiment, a simple preparation method for polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-graphene (GA)-nanocellulose (CNF) ternary composite aerogels was proposed. This is also the first time to prepare ternary composite aerogels by mixing graphene, nanocellulose and polyvinyl alcohol. A GA-CNF hydrogel was prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method, and soaked in PVA solution for 48 h to obtain a PVA-GA-CNF hydrogel. PVA-GA-CNF aerogels were prepared by freeze drying. The ternary composite aerogel has advantages of excellent mechanical properties, a low thermal conductivity and an improved thermal stability, because strong hydrogen bonds form between the PVA, GA and CNF. The composite aerogels were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, dynamic thermal analysis, thermogravimetry and thermal constant analysis to characterize the properties of the ternary composite aerogels. The lightweight, low-density and porous PVA-GA-CNF composite aerogels withstood 628 times their mass. The thermal conductivity of the composite aerogels was 0.044 ± 0.005 W/mK at room temperature and 0.045 ± 0.005 W/mK at 70 °C. This solid, low thermal conductivity and good thermal stability PVA-GA-CNF ternary composite aerogel has potential application in thermal insulation.

Analysis of Gene Expression Profiles, Cytokines, and Bacterial Loads Relevant to Alcoholic Liver Disease Mice Infected With V. vulnificus.

Patients with liver disease are susceptible to infection with Vibrio vulnificus (V. vulnificus), but the specific reasons remain elusive. Through RNA-seq, we found that when mice with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) were infected with V. vulnificus by gavage, compared with the Pair group, the small intestinal genes affecting intestinal permeability were upregulated; and the number of differentially expressed genes related to immune functions (e.g., such as cell chemotaxis, leukocyte differentiation, and neutrophil degranulation) decreased in the liver, spleen, and blood. Further analysis showed that the number of white blood cells decreased in the Pair group, whereas those in the ALD mice did not change significantly. Interestingly, the blood bacterial load in the ALD mice was about 100 times higher than that of the Pair group. After the ALD mice were infected with V. vulnificus, the concentrations of T cell proliferation-promoting cytokines (IL-2, IL-23) decreased. Therefore, unlike the Pair group, ALD mice had weaker immune responses, lower T cell proliferation-promoting cytokines, and higher bacterial loads post-infection, possibly increasing their susceptibility to V. vulnificus infection. These new findings we presented here may help to advance the current understanding of the reasons why patients with liver disease are susceptible to V. vulnificus infection and provides potential targets for further investigation in the context of treatment options for V. vulnificus sepsis in liver disease patient.

Increased blood pressure variability predicts poor outcomes from endovascular treatment for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage / Aumento da variabilidade da pressão arterial prediz resultados ruins de tratamento endovascular para hemorragia subaracnóide aneurismática

ABSTRACT Background: Predictors of outcomes following endovascular treatment (ET) for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) are not well-defined. Identifying them would be beneficial in determining which patients might benefit from ET. Objective: To identify the predictive factors for poor outcomes following ET for aSAH. Methods: 120 patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysms underwent endovascular embolization between January 2017 and December 2018. Blood pressure variability was examined using the standard deviation of the 24-hour systolic blood pressure (24hSSD) and 24-hour diastolic blood pressure (24hDSD). Predictors were identified through univariate and multivariate regression analysis. All patients were followed up for three months. Results: At follow-up, 86 patients (71.7%) had good outcomes and 34 (28.3%) had poor outcomes. Patients with poor outcomes had significantly higher 24hSSD than those with good outcomes (19.3 ± 5.5 vs 14.1 ± 4.8 mmHg; P < 0.001). The 24hDSD did not differ significantly between patients with good outcomes and those with poor outcomes (9.5 ± 2.3 vs 9.9 ± 3.5 mmHg; P = 0.464). The following were significant risk factors for poor outcomes after endovascular embolization: age ≥ 65 years (odds ratio [OR] = 23.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.0-175.9; P = 0.002); Hunt-Hess grade 3-4 (OR = 6.8; 95% CI: 1.1-33.7; P = 0.039); Fisher grade 3-4 (OR = 47.1; 95% CI: 3.8-586.5; P = 0.003); postoperative complications (OR = 6.1; 95% CI: 1.1-34.8; P = 0.042); and 24hSSD ≥ 15 mmHg (OR = 14.9; 95% CI: 4.0-55.2; P < 0.001). Conclusion: Elevated 24hSSD is a possibly treatable predictive factor for poor outcomes after ET for aSAH.

RESUMO Antecedentes: Fatores preditores de resultados após tratamento endovascular (TE) para hemorragia subaracnóide aneurismática (HSA) não estão bem definidos. Identificá-los seria útil para determinar quais pacientes podem se beneficiar de TE. Objetivo: Identificar os fatores preditivos de resultados ruins após TE para HSA. Métodos: 120 pacientes com aneurismas cerebrais rompidos foram submetidos à embolização endovascular entre janeiro de 2017 e dezembro de 2018. A variabilidade da pressão arterial foi examinada usando-se o desvio padrão da PA sistólica de 24 horas (DPPAS- 24h) e da PA diastólica de 24 horas (DPPAD-24h). Os fatores preditores foram identificados por meio de análises de regressão univariada e multivariada. Todos os pacientes foram acompanhados por três meses. Resultados: No acompanhamento, 86 pacientes (71,7%) tiveram bons resultados e 34 (28,3%) tiveram resultados ruins. Pacientes com resultados ruins apresentaram DPPAS-24h significativamente maior do que aqueles com bons resultados (19,3 ± 5,5 vs 14,1 ± 4,8 mmHg; P <0,001). O DPPAD-24h não diferiu significativamente entre os pacientes com bons resultados e aqueles com resultados ruins (9,5 ± 2,3 vs 9,9 ± 3,5 mmHg; P = 0,464). Os fatores de risco significativos para resultados ruins após embolização endovascular foram os seguintes: idade ≥ 65 anos (razão de probabilidade [OR] = 23,0; intervalo de confiança de 95% [IC]: 3,0-175,9; P = 0,002); escala de Hunt-Hess 3-4 (OR = 6,8; IC 95%: 1,1-33,7; P = 0,039); escala de Fisher 3-4 (OR = 47,1; IC 95%: 3,8-586,5; P = 0,003); complicações pós-operatórias (OR = 6,1; IC 95%: 1,1-34,8; P = 0,042); e DPPAS 24h ≥ 15 mmHg (OR = 14,9; IC 95%: 4,0-55,2; P <0,001). Conclusão: O DPPAS 24h elevado é um fator preditivo possivelmente tratável para resultados ruins após TE para HSA.

Ultralight, High Capacitance, Mechanically Strong Graphene-Cellulose Aerogels.

With increasing energy demand driving the need for eco-friendly and efficient energy storage technology, supercapacitors are becoming increasingly prevalent in wearable devices because of their portability and stability. The performance of these supercapacitors is highly dependent on the choice of electrode material. The high capacitance and mechanical properties needed for these materials can be achieved by combining graphene's stable electrical properties with renewable cellulose's excellent mechanical properties into porous aerogels. In this study, graphene-cellulose hydrogels were prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method, with porous, ultra-light, and mechanically strong graphene-cellulose aerogels then prepared by freeze-drying. These composite aerogels possess excellent mechanical strength and high specific capacitance, capable of bearing about 1095 times the pressure of their own weight. Electrochemical tests show the specific capacitance of these composite aerogels can reach 202 F/g at a scanning rate of 5 mA/cm2. In view of their high surface area and fast charge transport provided by their 3D porous structure, graphene-cellulose aerogels have great potential as sustainable supercapacitor electrodes.

SD-36 promotes growth inhibition and induces apoptosis via suppression of Mcl-1 in glioma.

Glioma is one of the most commonly observed tumours, representing approximately 75% of brain tumours in the adult population. Generally, glioma therapy includes surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The transcription factor STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) is a promising target for the treatment of cancer and several other diseases. At nanomolar concentrations, SD-36 induces rapid cellular degradation of STAT3 but cannot degrade other STAT proteins. The current study demonstrates the therapeutic efficacies of the STAT3 degraders SD-36 against glioma, as well as understanding the elucidating mechanisms and identifying molecular markers that determine cell sensitivity to STAT3 degraders. Glioma cell lines possessed similar response patterns to SD-36 but different responses to the STAT3 inhibitor Stattic. SD-36 potently induced apoptosis in glioma cells along with a reduction in Mcl-1 levels, which are critical for mediating the induction of apoptosis and enhancing TMZ-induced apoptosis. Accordingly, SD-36 sensitizes the antitumour effect of TMZ in patient-derived xenograft. In addition, the downregulation of Mcl-1 expression-mediated antitumour effect of SD-36 was analysed in cell-derived xenograft. These observations need to be validated clinically to confirm the efficacy of STAT3 degraders in glioma.