The prognostic value of ubiquitin/ubiquitin-like-related genes along with immune cell infiltration and clinicopathological features in osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Ubiquitin/ubiquitin-like (Ub/UBL)-related genes have been reported to be associated with the survival of osteosarcoma patients but have not yet been systematically explored. METHODS: The prognostic value of Ub/UBL-related genes, immune cell infiltration and clinicopathological features of patients were explored by Cox and LASSO regression analyses. A prognostic model was established and then validated in the GSE21257 dataset. The differential expression of hub genes in osteosarcoma was confirmed by qRT-PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Tripartite Motif Containing 8 (TRIM8) and Ubiquitin Like With PHD And Ring Finger Domains 2 (UHRF2) were screened as genes with prognostic value in osteosarcoma. Kaplan-Meier analysis and scatter plots indicated that patients in the high gene significance score group tended to have a worse prognosis. The concordance index, calibration analysis and receiver operating characteristic analysis suggested that the model had good prediction accuracy and high sensitivity and specificity. Decision curve analysis revealed that patients could obtain greater net benefit from this model. Functional analyses of the differentially expressed genes indicated that they were involved in important functions and pathways. TRIM8 and UHRF2 were confirmed to be highly expressed in osteosarcoma cell lines and tissues. CONCLUSIONS: TRIM8 and UHRF2 are potential prognostic genes in osteosarcoma, and these results provide insights into the roles of these genes and their implications for patient outcomes.

2-week prevalence and associated factors of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea among children aged 6-23 months in rural Hunan Province.

Fever and diarrhea are key causes of malnutrition, growth and development disorders, and death among children. At present, most studies on the associated factors of fever and diarrhea in children are concentrated in African and South Asian countries, but relevant research in China is very limited. This study was aimed to analyze the two-week prevalence of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea among children aged 6-23 months in rural areas of Hunan Province and to explore the associated factors. The survey data of the Nutrition Improvement Program for Children in Poor Areas (NIPCPA) from 2016 to 2023 was used here. NIPCPA is a cross-sectional survey completed annually in Hunan to collect children's nutrition and health indicators. The two-week prevalence rates of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea among children aged 6-23 months were 12.2% (2066/16,985), 9.6% (1634/16,985), and 3.2% (542/16,985), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the risks of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea were higher among younger children. The high educational level of caregivers, effective consumption of Yingyangbao (a complementary food supplement containing iron, zinc, calcium, vitamins A, D, B1, B2, B12, folic acid, and other micronutrients), and complementary feeding meeting minimum dietary diversity and meeting minimum acceptable diet were protective factors against fever in children, with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of 0.87 (95%CI: 0.78-0.98), 0.78 (0.69-0.87), 0.73 (0.65-0.82), and 0.74 (0.66-0.84), respectively. Effective consumption of Yingyangbao, and complementary feeding meeting the minimum dietary diversity and meeting minimum acceptable diet were protective factors against diarrhea in children, with aORs of 0.72 (95%CI: 0.63-0.83), 0.79 (0.70-0.91), and 0.80 (0.70-0.92), respectively. Effective consumption of Yingyangbao, and complementary feeding meeting the minimum dietary diversity and meeting minimum acceptable diet were protective factors against coexisting fever and diarrhea among children, with aORs of 0.53 (95%CI: 0.43-0.66), 0.71 (0.58-0.89), and 0.70 (0.56-0.88), respectively. Fever, diarrhea, and the coexisting fever and diarrhea affect one in eight, one in ten, and one in thirty children respectively in rural areas of Hunan. Effective interventions should be actively taken, such as improving the education level of caregivers, enhancing their scientific feeding skills for children, and promoting children's compliance with Yingyangbao consumption, to further reduce the prevalence of fever and diarrhea in children.

Prognostic value of PRR11 and immune cell infiltration in Ewing sarcoma.

Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is the second most common bone and soft tissue malignancy in children and adolescents with a poor prognosis. The identification of genes with prognostic value may contribute to the prediction and treatment of this disease. The GSE17679, GSE68776, GSE63155, and GSE63156 datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and qualified. Prognostic value of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the normal and tumor groups and immune cell infiltration were explored by several algorithms. A prognostic model was established and validated. Finally, functional analyses of the DEGs were performed. Proline rich 11 (PRR11) and mast cell infiltration were noted as the key indicators for the prognosis of ES. Kaplan-Meier and scatter plots for the training and two validation sets showed that patients in the low-PRR11 expression group were associated with better outcomes than those in the high-PRR11 expression group. The concordance indices and calibration analyses of the prognostic model indicated good predictive accuracy in the training and validation sets. The area under the curve values obtained through the receiver operating characteristic analysis for 1-, 3-, 5-year prediction were ≥ 0.75 in the three cohorts, suggesting satisfactory sensitivity and specificity of the model. Decision curve analyses suggested that patients could benefit more from the model than the other strategies. Functional analyses suggested that DEGs were mainly clustered in the cell cycle pathway. PRR11 and mast cell infiltration are potential prognostic indicators in ES. PRR11 possibly affects the prognosis of patients with ES through the cell cycle pathway.

TiB4 and SrB8 monolayers: high capacity and zero strain-like anode materials for Li/Na/K/Ca ion batteries.

Storage capacity, average open circuit voltage (OCV), diffusion barrier, lattice parameter changes, etc. are key indicators of whether a material would be suitable for use as a Li-ion or non-Li-ion battery (LIB or NLIB) anode. The rapid development of 2D materials over the past few decades has opened up new possibilities for these metrics. Using first-principles calculations, we prove that two 2D materials, TiB4 and SrB8, show excellent performance in terms of the above metrics when used as anodes for LIBs or NLIBs. As detailed, TiB4 has an Li\Na\K\Ca storage capacity of 588 mA h g-1, 588 mA h g-1, 588 mA h g-1, and 1176 mA h g-1, respectively, and SrB8 has an Li\Na\K\Ca storage capacity of 308 mA h g-1, 308 mA h g-1, 462 mA h g-1, and 616 mA h g-1, respectively, and they show good electrical conductivity whether existing Li, Na, K or Ca is adsorbed or not. The diffusion barriers on both surfaces are low, indicating good rate performance. The average OCV is also very low. In particular, the lattice parameters of the two materials change very little during the embedding of Li\Na\K\Ca. For Ti9B36 the corresponding values are about 0.37% (Li), 0.33% (Na), 0.64% (K) and 0.03% (Ca), and for Sr8B64 the corresponding values are about 0.70% (Li), 0.16% (Na), 0.13% (K) and 0.004% (Ca), which imply zero strain-like character and great cycling performance. All the above results show that TiB4 and SrB8 monolayers are very promising Li\Na\K\Ca ion battery anodes.

Prognostic value of GLCE and infiltrating immune cells in Ewing sarcoma.

Background: The prognostic value of D-glucuronyl C5-epimerase (GLCE) and mast cell infiltration in Ewing sarcoma (ES) has not been well specified and highlighted, which may facilitate survival prediction and treatment. Methods: Several qualified datasets were downloaded from the GEO website. Common differentially expressed genes between normal subjects and ES patients in GSE17679, GSE45544, and GSE68776 were identified and screened by multiple algorithms to find hub genes with prognostic value. The prognostic value of 64 infiltrating cells was also explored. A prognostic model was established and then validated with GSE63155 and GSE63156. Finally, functional analysis was performed. Results: GLCE and mast cell infiltration were screened as two indicators for a prognostic model. The Kaplan‒Meier analysis showed that patients in the low GLCE expression, mast cell infiltration and risk score groups had poorer outcomes than patients in the high GLCE expression, mast cell infiltration and risk score groups, both in the training and validation sets. Scatter plots and heatmaps also indicated the same results. The concordance indices and calibration analyses indicated a high prediction accuracy of the model in the training and validation sets. The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analyses suggested high sensitivity and specificity of the model, with area under the curve values between 0.76 and 0.98. The decision curve analyses suggested a significantly higher net benefit by the model than the treat-all and treat-none strategies. Functional analyses suggested that glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-heparan sulfate/heparin, the cell cycle and microRNAs in cancer were upregulated in ES patients. Conclusions: GLCE and mast cell infiltration are potential prognostic indicators in ES. GLCE may affect the proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis of ES by affecting the biosynthesis of heparan sulfate and heparin.

Efficacy and safety of CM310 in severe eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CROWNS-1): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial.

Background: Severe eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (ECRSwNP) remains the most relapsed subtype of uncontrolled CRSwNP. CM310, a humanised anti-interleukin (IL)-4 receptor alpha monoclonal antibody, inhibits IL-4 and IL-13 signaling which underlying eosinophilic inflammation. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CM310 in patients with severe ECRSwNP. Methods: A multicentre, randomised, double-blind, and placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial was conducted. 56 eligible adult patients with severe ECRSwNP were randomised 1:1 to receive subcutaneously either CM310 (300 mg) or placebo every 2 weeks under the background therapy of mometasone furoate nasal spray (MFNS) for 16 weeks, with 8 weeks of follow-up. Coprimary endpoints included the changes from baseline in nasal polyp score (NPS) and nasal congestion score (NCS) at week 16. Key secondary endpoints included sinus Lund-Mackay CT score, change in sinus volume occupied by disease, University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test score, 22-item Sino-nasal Outcome Test score, and total symptom score. Safety, pharmacodynamics, and changes in type 2 inflammation biomarkers were assessed. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04805398. Findings: Between April 6, 2021, and March 18, 2022, 27 patients respectively in both the CM310 and placebo groups completed the study. Findings suggested that CM310 improved the coprimary efficacy endpoints of decreasing nasal polyp size and alleviating nasal congestion compared with the placebo. Least squares (LS) mean differences (CM310 vs placebo) of change from baseline in NPS and NCS at week 16 were -2.1 (95% CI -2.9, -1.4; p < 0.0001) and -0.9 (95% CI -1.4, -0.5; p < 0.0001), respectively. Sinus CT scan revealed that Lund-Mackay CT score (LS mean difference [95% CI] -7.6, [-9.4, -5.8]; p < 0.0001) and sinus volume occupied by disease (LS mean difference [95% CI] -37%, [-47%, -28%]; p < 0.0001) were significantly improved with CM310 compared with placebo. In addition, CM310 significantly relieved the daily symptoms of patients with CRSwNP and improved their quality of life reflected by the improvements in the TSS (-2.6 [95% CI -3.5, -1.6]), UPSIT (10.4 [95% CI 6.8, 14.0]) and SNOT-22 score (-19.1 [95% CI -29.8, -8.5]). Compared with placebo, CM310 administration significantly reduced type 2-related biomarkers including the serum TARC and total IgE, and tissue eosinophils. The most common adverse events were upper respiratory tract infection, blood cholesterol increased, and tinnitus, but none were considered drug-related. Interpretation: These findings support CM310 as an effective additional treatment option to the standard of care in patients with severe ECRSwNP. Funding: KeyMed Biosciences (Chengdu) Limited.

Docosahexaenoic acid improves cognition and hippocampal pyroptosis in rats with intrauterine growth restriction.

Background and Objective: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is defined as the failure of a fetus to reach its genetic growth potential in utero resulted by maternal, placental, fetal, and genetic factors. Previous studies have reported that IUGR is associated with a high incidence of neurological damage, although the precise causes of such damage remain unclear. We aimed to investigate whether cognitive impairment in rats with IUGR is related to pyroptosis of hippocampal neurons and determine the effect of early intervention with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Methods: Learning and memory function was assessed using the Morris water maze test. The morphological structure and ultrastructure of the hippocampus was examined via hematoxylin and eosin staining and electron microscopy respectively. The pyroptosis of hippocampal neuron was detected by gasdermin-D (GSDMD) immunofluorescence staining, mRNA and protein expression of nuclear localization leucine-rich-repeat protein 1 (NLRP1), caspase-1, GSDMD, and quantification of inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18 in the hippocampus. Results: IUGR rats exhibited decreased learning and memory function, morphological structure and ultrastructural changes in hippocampus compared to controls. IUGR rats also exhibited increased hippocampal quantification of GSDMD immunofluorescence staining, increased mRNA and protein expression of NLRP1, caspase-1, and GSDMD, and increased quantification of IL-1ß and IL-18 in the hippocampus. Intervention with DHA attenuated these effects. Conclusion: Cognitive impairment in rats with IUGR may be related to pyroptosis of hippocampal neurons. Early intervention with DHA may attenuate cognitive impairment and reduce hippocampal pyroptosis in rats with IUGR.

Correction: Mixing behavior of p-terphenyl-3,5,3',5'-tetracarboxylic acid with trimesic acid at the solid-liquid interface.

Correction for 'Mixing behavior of p-terphenyl-3,5,3',5'-tetracarboxylic acid with trimesic acid at the solid-liquid interface' by Wei Li et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2021, 23, 25896-25900, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1CP04770A.

Novel peripheral blood diagnostic biomarkers screened by machine learning algorithms in ankylosing spondylitis.

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology that is hard to diagnose early. Therefore, it is imperative to explore novel biomarkers that may contribute to the easy and early diagnosis of AS. Methods: Common differentially expressed genes between normal people and AS patients in GSE73754 and GSE25101 were screened by machine learning algorithms. A diagnostic model was established by the hub genes that were screened. Then, the model was validated in several data sets. Results: IL2RB and ZDHHC18 were screened using machine learning algorithms and established as a diagnostic model. Nomograms suggested that the higher the expression of ZDHHC18, the higher was the risk of AS, while the reverse was true for IL2RB in vivo. C-indexes of the model were no less than 0.84 in the validation sets. Calibration analyses suggested high prediction accuracy of the model in training and validation cohorts. The area under the curve (AUC) values of the model in GSE73754, GSE25101, GSE18781, and GSE11886 were 0.86, 0.84, 0.85, and 0.89, respectively. The decision curve analyses suggested a high net benefit offered by the model. Functional analyses of the differentially expressed genes indicated that they were mainly clustered in immune response-related processes. Immune microenvironment analyses revealed that the neutrophils were expanded and activated in AS while some T cells were decreased. Conclusion: IL2RB and ZDHHC18 are potential blood biomarkers of AS, which might be used for the early diagnosis of AS and serve as a supplement to the existing diagnostic methods. Our study deepens the insight into the pathogenesis of AS.

The prognostic value of autophagy related genes with potential protective function in Ewing sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Ewing sarcoma (ES) is the second most common primary malignant bone tumor mainly occurring in children, adolescents and young adults with high metastasis and mortality. Autophagy has been reported to be involved in the survival of ES, but the role remains unclear. Therefore, it's necessary to investigate the prognostic value of autophagy related genes using bioinformatics methods. RESULTS: ATG2B, ATG10 and DAPK1 were final screened genes for a prognostic model. KM and risk score plots showed patients in high score group had better prognoses both in training and validation sets. C-indexes of the model for training and validation sets were 0.68 and 0.71, respectively. Calibration analyses indicated the model had high prediction accuracy in training and validation sets. The AUC values of ROC for 1-, 3-, 5-year prediction were 0.65, 0.73 and 0.84 in training set, 0.88, 0.73 and 0.79 in validation set, which suggested high prediction accuracy of the model. Decision curve analyses showed that patients could benefit much from the model. Differential and functional analyses suggested that autophagy and apoptosis were upregulated in high risk score group. CONCLUSIONS: ATG2B, ATG10 and DAPK1 were autophagy related genes with potential protective function in ES. The prognostic model established by them exhibited excellent prediction accuracy and discriminatory capacities. They might be used as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in ES.

Etiology, antimicrobial resistance, and risk factors of neonatal sepsis in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis from data of 30 years.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the regional etiology, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pattern, and risk factors in neonates with sepsis in China. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science in December 2020. Studies of neonatal sepsis from China published between 2011 and 2020 were included. We pooled the proportion of pathogens and calculated the odds ratios of risk factors with 95% CIs using a random-effects model. RESULTS: We included 29 studies of 164,750 neonates with sepsis. The studies comprise data from 1990 to 2019. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp accounted for 33% (95% CI 24-43), 17% (13-20), and 14% (11-17), respectively. Group B streptococcus (GBS) was the predominant isolate in early-onset sepsis (EOS) (21%, 95% CI 10-31), while the proportion of CoNS was the largest in late-onset sepsis (LOS) (32%, 95% CI 22-43). Resistance of CoNS to penicillin was found in 95% (95% CI 92-98) of 511 cases and Klebsiella spp to ampicillin in 95% (95% CI 90-99) of 364 cases. Maternal underlying diseases (2.61, 95% CI 1.48-4.61), mechanical ventilation (2.41, 1.37-4.23), central venous catheter placement (2.74, 1.77-4.26), peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement (4.26, 2.80-6.49), multiple antibiotic uses (5.35, 1.85-15.43) and total parenteral nutrition (7.96, 2.04-31.02) were risk factors of neonatal sepsis. CONCLUSION: CoNS, E. coli, and Klebsiella spp were the predominant pathogens in neonatal sepsis in China. AMR was still a significant issue in NICUs. Total parenteral nutrition, multiple antibiotic uses, and PICC placement were the most relevant risk factors.

Application of Electrocardiogram Localization during Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Line Insertion into the Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava of Neonates.

BACKGROUND: Most neonates with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) have no clinical symptoms or hemodynamic changes, and this anomaly is only found during cardiac catheterization, pacemaker implantation, or central venous catheterization. Electrocardiogram (ECG) localization is helpful for the application of the peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) technique in neonates with PLSVC. OBJECTIVE: To explore the characteristic waveforms of the P wave when a PICC under ECG localization is applied in neonates with PLSVC. STUDY DESIGN: The observation and management strategies for the P wave changes during catheter insertion (CI) of two neonates with PLSVC admitted to our institution between January and July 2020, who underwent PICC line insertion, were summarized. RESULTS: The characteristic P wave changes in two children with a PICC line inserted via the PLSVC were observed. When a wide inverted P wave appeared on ECG, the catheter was immediately withdrawn by 0.5 cm, a bidirectional P wave gradually appeared and then disappeared. After that, the catheter was further withdrawn by 0.5 cm. After catheterization, the optimal position of the PICC was confirmed by X-ray photography and bedside B-ultrasound. The PICC line was removed as scheduled after indwelling for 18 and 29 days, respectively, in the two cases, and no PICC-related complications occurred during indwelling. CONCLUSION: The characteristic P wave changes on ECG during CI provide important clinical reference values for the application of the PICC technique under ECG localization in neonates with PLSVC. KEY POINTS: · Electrocardiogram localization.. · Peripherally inserted central catheter.. · Persistent left superior vena cava..

Mixing behavior of p-terphenyl-3,5,3',5'-tetracarboxylic acid with trimesic acid at the solid-liquid interface.

The molecular self-assembly of carboxylic acid molecules on a solid surface plays an important role in understanding the nanoscale-precision construction of functional patterns. In this study, the mixing behavior of p-terphenyl-3,5,3',5'-tetracarboxylic acid (TPTC) and trimesic acid (TMA) on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface was studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The STM images show how the presence of a small percentage of TPTC molecules adsorbed onto TMA molecules can drastically change the on-surface self-assembly behavior of aromatic tetracarboxylic acid by initiating the nucleation and growth of a different polymorph. Molecular mechanics and density functional theory simulations of the adsorption energy and the additional stabilizing energy, induced by hydrogen bonds during assembly formations, provide insights into the relative stability of different assembled structures. Moreover, STM-based "nanoshaving" was conducted to confirm that the template layer underneath the second layer is indeed a random network.

Docosahexaenoic acid activates the Nrf2 signaling pathway to alleviate impairment of spleen cellular immunity in intrauterine growth restricted rat pups.

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) impairs immune function in children. IUGR is associated with an imbalance of oxidative stress and abnormal apoptosis. Therefore, an IUGR rats model was established to determine the antioxidant capacity and apoptosis in newborn IUGR rats and explored whether these effects were regulated after Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation to rat pups. First, eight normal-birth-weight (NBW) and eight IUGR neonatal rats (a 10% low-protein diet) were used to obtain the antioxidant capacity and apoptosis in IUGR rat pups. Then, 32 newborn rats were randomly assigned to the normal birth weight (NBW), DHA supplementation for NBW (ND), IUGR, and DHA supplementation for IUGR (ID) groups. Starting from the 7th day after birth, DHA was given to the experimental group and the same volume of distilled water was given to the control group for 21 days. (1) DHA improved the serum and spleen CD4/CD8 ratios and IL-4 and IFN-γ mRNA expression. (2) DHA decreased the level of MDA, but increased T-AOC in serum and spleen. (3) DHA increased the protein expression of Bcl-2 while decreased Bax. (4) DHA increased protein expression of the Nrf2 signaling pathway and the downstream antioxidant genes GSH-PX and CAT. DHA may alleviate the impairment of spleen cellular immunity in IUGR rat pups by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis related to the activation of Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Mechanisms Underlying Neurologic Injury in Intrauterine Growth Restriction.

Intrauterine growth restriction is a condition that prevents normal fetal development, and previous studies have reported that intrauterine growth restriction is caused by adverse intrauterine factors. This condition affects both short- and long-term neurodevelopmental disorders. Studies have revealed that neurodevelopmental disorders can contribute to gray and white matter damage and decrease the brain volume of affected individuals. Further, these disorders are associated with increased risks of mental retardation, cognitive impairment, and cerebral palsy, which seriously affect the quality of life. Although the mechanisms underlying the neurologic injury associated with intrauterine growth restriction are not completely clear, studies have revealed that neuronal apoptosis, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, excitatory toxicity, disruption of blood-brain barrier, and epigenetics may be involved in this process. This article reviews the manifestations and possible mechanisms underlying neurologic injury in intrauterine growth restriction and provides a theoretical basis for the effective prevention and treatment of this condition.

Suppressing the oxygen-related parasitic reactions in NaTi2(PO4)3-based hybrid capacitive deionization with cation exchange membrane.

The parasitic reactions leading to capacity fading and charge loss remain a serious issue for capacitive deionization (CDI). NaTi2(PO4)3 (NTP) has recently emerged as a promising faradaic cathode in hybrid CDI (HCDI) with high Na+ uptake capacity and good Na+ selectivity, but it is still challenged by serious parasitic reactions. Although the irreversible faradaic reactions on carbon electrode are raising growing attention in CDI research field, the parasitic reactions on faradaic materials are seldom studied in HCDI by now. In this work, we evaluated the parasitic reactions of NTP-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) electrode in both three-electrode mode and full-cell HCDI mode. By using deaired electrolyte, the coulombic efficiency of NTP-rGO is significantly enhanced from 75.0% to 98.2% in 3rd cycle, and the capacity retention rate is promoted from 37.5% to 80.3% at the low current density of 0.1 mA g-1 in 100 cycles, suggesting that electrochemical reduction of oxygen and its derived reactions are the main parasitic reactions in NTP-based HCDI. In full-cell HCDI desalination tests, by introducing cation exchange membrane to block the penetration of dissolved oxygen, the parasitic reactions and pH fluctuations are successfully suppressed. The study here provides an insight into understanding and suppressing the parasitic reactions in HCDI, and should be of value to the development of efficient and stable HCDI for practical applications.

Construction of two-dimensional bimetal (Fe-Ti) oxide/carbon/MXene architecture from titanium carbide MXene for ultrahigh-rate lithium-ion storage.

The development of battery systems with high specific capacity and power density could fuel various energy-related applications from personal electronics to grid storage. (Fe2.5Ti0.5)1.04O4 possessing high theoretical specific capacity has been considered as a promising high rate anode material for lithium ion batteries due to the replacement of Fe3+ (0.64 Å) by Ti4+ (0.68 Å) with a larger radius to expand the interlayer space for ion intercalation. However, its extreme volume variation upon cycling as well as poor electrical conductivity hinder its further application. To tackle the above problems, in this work, we successfully synthesized two-dimensional (2D) (Fe2.5Ti0.5)1.04O4/C/MXene architecture derived from Ti3C2Tx MXene via solvo-hydrothermal, ultrasound hybridizing and high temperature annealing processes. The (Fe2.5Ti0.5)1.04O4/C/MXene shows a high discharge capacity of 757.2 mAh g-1 after 800 cycles at a current density of 3 A g-1 with excellent rate performance. The superior electrochemical performances are triggered primarily by the incorporation of carbon and MXene into (Fe2.5Ti0.5)1.04O4 moiety to construct a 2D layered structure, which can improve the ion diffusion and electron transport. In addition, the synergistic contributions from diffusion controlled and capacitive processes for (Fe2.5Ti0.5)1.04O4/C/MXene improve the ion diffusion rate and offer high specific capacity at high current density. The MXene-derived synthesis strategy in this work should be a promising pathway to synthesize other anode materials with 2D layered architecture for high performance lithium storage.

A longitudinally expanded Ni-based metal-organic framework with enhanced double nickel cation catalysis reaction channels for a non-enzymatic sweat glucose biosensor.

Nickel-based metal-organic frameworks (Ni-MOFs) have attracted increasing attention in non-enzymatic glucose sensing. However, the insufficient active Ni cation sites from a stacked MOF layer, the unclear Ni catalysis mechanism, and the severe liquid alkaline electrolyte remain challenging for practical applications. In this work, the sonication-induced longitudinal-expansion of Ni-MOFs increases the active nickel ion sites, which not only enhances the current response to glucose detection, but also shows the oxidation peak evolution of nickel ions with different sonication times, revealing the mechanism of different glucose detection channels. The Ni-MOF sonicated for 60 min (60 min Ni-MOF) displays enhanced Ni(iii)/Ni(ii) and more significant Ni(iv)/Ni(iii) double nickel cation channels for catalyzing glucose into glucolactone compared to the 0 min Ni-MOF (without sonication), showing optimized glucose detection ability with a high sensitivity of 3297.10 µA mM-1 cm-2, a low detection limit of ∼8.97 µM (signal-to-noise = 3) and a wide linear response range from 10 to 400 µM from the cyclic voltammetry test as well as a high sensitivity of 3.03 µA mM-1 cm-2, a low detection limit of ∼1.16 µM (signal-to-noise = 3) and a wide linear response range from 10 to 2000 µM from the chronoamperometry test. More importantly, an all-solid-state glucose biosensor using a PVA/NaOH solid-state electrolyte and a disposable 60 min Ni-MOF working electrode is assembled for non-enzymatic sweat glucose detection.

Caffeine citrate maintenance doses effect on extubation and apnea postventilation in preterm infants.

BACKGROUND: Caffeine citrate is used to prevent apnea in premature infants and help in extubation of invasive ventilation, but the optimal dose remains undetermined. METHODS: Neonates born at less than 30 weeks gestation who had received invasive ventilation for at least 48 hours and a loading dose of 20 mg/kg caffeine citrate were randomly assigned into high (10 mg/kg daily) or low (5 mg/kg daily) maintenance dose groups. The drug was discontinued if no apnea occurred for 7 consecutive days. RESULTS: A total of 111 infants were assigned into the high (54) or low (57) dose groups. Extubation failure (16.7% vs 36.8%), age of extubation (8.2 ± 2.1 vs 10.7 ± 2.3 day), duration of invasive ventilation (7.2 ± 2.1 vs 8.5 ± 2.4 day), duration of ventilation before extubation (8.0 ± 1.8 vs 10.1 ± 1.9 day), and number of days of apnea (1.8 ± 1.3 vs 3.2 ± 1.1 day) were significantly lower in the high dose group than the low dose group. Difference in time until failure (6.7 ± 1.7d vs 7.0 ± 1.9d) and duration of nasal continuous positive airway pressure(7.8 ± 1.8 vs 8.0 ± 2.2 day) were not significant. Furthermore, no significant differences in the incidence of tachycardia (9.3% vs 12.3%), abdominal distension (16.7% vs 12.3%), feeding intolerance (3.7% vs 5.3%), or irritability (7.4% vs 5.3%) were observed between groups. CONCLUSIONS: A higher maintenance dose of caffeine citrate reduced the incidence of extubation failure and apnea of prematurity without increasing the occurrence of adverse reactions.

The Evi5 oncogene promotes laryngeal cancer cells proliferation by stabilizing c-Myc protein.

BACKGROUND: The Ecotropic viral integration site 5 (Evi5) is recognized as a potential oncogene and a cell cycle regulator. Evi5 regulates the abundance of Emi1, an inhibitor of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome, to govern mitotic fidelity. Evi5 has been shown to be dysregulated in several cancer types. However, the expression and biological function of Evi5 in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) are still unknown. METHODS: Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based gene editing was used to generate Evi5 knockout (KO) LSCC cells. The proliferation and cell cycle distribution of LSCC cells was determined. The effect of Evi5 on LSCC tumor growth in vivo was studied in a tumor xenograft model in mice. The interaction between Evi5 and c-Myc was detected by immunoprecipitation (IP) assay. Luciferase assay was used to determine the transcriptional activity of c-Myc. RESULTS: Here, we show that Evi5 controls LSCC tumorigenesis via the stabilization of c-MYC oncogene. CRISPR-mediated knockout (KO) of Evi5 decreased the proliferation and decreased colony formation ability of LSCC cells. Knockout of Evi5 caused increased G1 phase and decreased S phase cells. In the tumor-bearing nude mice, The transplanted tumors originated from Evi5-KO TU212 cells were significantly decreased when compared with control TU212 cells. At the molecular level, we found that Evi5 interacted with c-MYC and Evi5 antagonized E3 ligase FBXW7-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of c-Myc protein, and promoted c-Myc-dependent transactivation. CONCLUSION: Given the critical role of c-Myc in tumorigenesis, our data suggest that Evi5 is a potential therapeutic target in LSCC, and inhibition of Evi5 should be a prospective strategy for LSCC therapy.