GlmS plays a key role in the virulence factor expression and biofilm formation ability of Staphylococcus aureus promoted by advanced glycation end products.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is well known for its biofilm formation ability and is responsible for serious, chronic refractory infections worldwide. We previously demonstrated that advanced glycation end products (AGEs), a hallmark of chronic hyperglycaemia in diabetic tissues, enhanced biofilm formation by promoting eDNA release via sigB upregulation in S. aureus, contributing to the high morbidity and mortality of patients presenting a diabetic foot ulcer infection. However, the exact regulatory network has not been completely described. Here, we used pull-down assay and LC-MS/MS to identify the GlmS as a candidate regulator of sigB in S. aureus stimulated by AGEs. Dual-luciferase assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) revealed that GlmS directly upregulated the transcriptional activity of sigB. We constructed NCTC 8325 ∆glmS for further validation. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that AGEs promoted both glmS and sigB expression in the NCTC 8325 strain but had no effect on NCTC 8325 ∆glmS. NCTC 8325 ∆glmS showed a significant attenuation in biofilm formation and virulence factor expression, accompanied by a decrease in sigB expression, even under AGE stimulation. All of the changes, including pigment deficiency, decreased haemolysis ability, downregulation of hla and hld expression, and less and sparser biofilms, indicated that sigB and biofilm formation ability no longer responded to AGEs in NCTC 8325 ∆glmS. Our data extend the understanding of GlmS in the global regulatory network of S. aureus and demonstrate a new mechanism by which AGEs can upregulate GlmS, which directly regulates sigB and plays a significant role in mediating biofilm formation and virulence factor expression.

An acute gastric volvulus in a child with congenital left diaphragmatic hernia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Acute complete gastric volvulus is a rare and life-threatening disease, which is prone to gastric wall ischemia, perforation, and necrosis. If it is not treated by surgery in time, the mortality rate can range from 30 to 50%. Clinical presentations of acute gastric volvulus are atypical and often mimic other abdominal conditions such as gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux, gastric dilation, and pancreatitis. Imaging studies are crucial for diagnosis, with barium meal fluoroscopy being the primary modality for diagnosing gastric volvulus. Cases of acute gastric volvulus diagnosed by ultrasound are rarely reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a rare case of acute gastric volvulus in a 4-year-old Chinese girl who presented with vomiting and abdominal pain. Ultrasound examination revealed the "whirlpool sign" in the cardia region, raising suspicion of gastric volvulus. Diagnosis was confirmed by X-ray barium meal fluoroscopy, which indicated left-sided diaphragmatic hernia and obstruction at the cardia region. Surgical intervention confirmed our suspicion of acute complete gastric volvulus combined with diaphragmatic hernia. CONCLUSION: In this case, we reported an instance of acute complete gastric volvulus. Ultrasound revealed a "whirlpool sign" in the cardia, which is likely to be a key sign for the diagnosis of complete gastric volvulus.

Axo-axonic synaptic input drives homeostatic plasticity by tuning the axon initial segment structurally and functionally.

The stability of functional brain network is maintained by homeostatic plasticity, which restores equilibrium following perturbation. As the initiation site of action potentials, the axon initial segment (AIS) of glutamatergic projection neurons (PyNs) undergoes dynamic adjustment that exerts powerful control over neuronal firing properties in response to changes in network states. Although AIS plasticity has been reported to be coupled with the changes of network activity, it is poorly understood whether it involves direct synaptic input to the AIS. Here we show that changes of GABAergic synaptic input to the AIS of cortical PyNs, specifically from chandelier cells (ChCs), are sufficient to drive homeostatic tuning of the AIS within 1-2 weeks, while those from parvalbumin-positive basket cells do not. This tuning is reflected in the morphology of the AIS, the expression level of voltage-gated sodium channels, and the intrinsic neuronal excitability of PyNs. Interestingly, the timing of AIS tuning in PyNs of the prefrontal cortex corresponds to the recovery of changes in social behavior caused by alterations of ChC synaptic transmission. Thus, homeostatic plasticity of the AIS at postsynaptic PyNs may counteract deficits elicited by imbalanced ChC presynaptic input. Teaser: Axon initial segment dynamically responds to changes in local input from chandelier cells to prevent abnormal neuronal functions.

Surface Crystallization Enhancement and Defect Passivation for Efficiency and Stability Enhancement of Inverted Wide-Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells.

Wide-bandgap (WBG) inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are used as the top cell for tandem solar cells, which is an effective way to outperform the Shockley-Queisser limit. However, the low efficiency and poor phase stability still seriously restrict the application of WBG inverted PSCs. Here, the surface of the WBG perovskite film was passivated by the synthesized 1,2,4-tris(3-thienyl)benzene (THB). The THB size well matches with the halogen ion vacancy on the perovskite surface, and the S atom in THB can strongly interact with Pb2+ on the surface of the WBG perovskite film to the greatest extent, which effectively passivates surface defects and suppresses the recombination of carriers caused by these defects. At the same time, the S atom in THB occupied the migration site of the halogen ions, which inhibits the migration of halogen ions. Due to the strong conjugation effect and stability of THB, it can be locked on the surface of perovskite to increase the lattice strength and inhibit the segregation of photoinduced halide, thus improving the performance and operational stability of PSCs. The THB-modified WBG (Eg = 1.71 eV) PSC achieves a maximum power conversion efficiency of 20.75%, and its 99.0% is retained after 1512 h at a relative humidity of 10-25%. Under the irradiation of 1000 lx LED light, the indoor power conversion efficiency of the THB-modified WBG PSC reaches 34.15%.

High-Quality TiO2 Electron Transport Film Prepared via Vacuum Ultraviolet Illumination for MAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells.

The electron transport layer (ETL) plays an important role in determining the conversion efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, TiO2 thin film was prepared by irradiating diisopropoxy diacetylacetone titanium precursor thin film with 172 nm vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) at a low temperature. The prepared TiO2 thin film has higher electron mobility and conductivity. As it is used as an ETL for MAPbI3 PSCs, its band structure is better matched with the perovskite, and at the same time, due to the good interface contact, more uniform perovskite crystals are formed. Most importantly, a large number of hydroxyl radicals were formed during VUV irradiation of the precursor film, which made up for the oxygen defect present on the surface of the TiO2 thin film, and were adsorbed to the film surface. These hydroxyl groups form hydrogen bonds with methylammonium (MA) components on the MAPbI3 buried surface, thus promoting the transfer of photogenerated electrons at the MAPbI3/ETL interface. The power conversion efficiency of PSCs fabricated in air with the ETL prepared by VUV irradiation is 20.46%, which is higher than that of the contrast solar cell based on the sintered ETL (17.96%).

Bifunctional ligand Co metal-organic framework derived heterostructured Co-based nanocomposites as oxygen electrocatalysts toward rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

Rational construction of efficient and robust bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts is key but challenging for the widespread application of rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs). Herein, bifunctional ligand Co metal-organic frameworks were first explored to fabricate a hybrid of heterostructured CoOx/Co nanoparticles anchored on a carbon substrate rich in CoNx sites (CoOx/Co@CoNC) via a one-step pyrolysis method. Such a unique heterostructure provides abundant CoNx and CoOx/Co active sites to drive oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively. Besides, their positive synergies facilitate electron transfer and optimize charge/mass transportation. Consequently, the obtained CoOx/Co@CoNC exhibits a superior ORR activity with a higher half-wave potential of 0.88 V than Pt/C (0.83 V vs. RHE), and a comparable OER performance with an overpotential of 346 mV at 10 mA cm-2 to the commercial RuO2. The assembled ZAB using CoOx/Co@CoNC as a cathode catalyst displays a maximum power density of 168.4 mW cm-2, and excellent charge-discharge cyclability over 250 h at 5 mA cm-2. This work highlights the great potential of heterostructures in oxygen electrocatalysis and provides a new pathway for designing efficient bifunctional oxygen catalysts toward rechargeable ZABs.

Conserved untranslated regions of multipartite viruses: Natural markers of novel viral genomic components and tags of viral evolution.

Viruses with split genomes are classified as being either segmented or multipartite based on whether their genomic segments occur within a single virion or across different virions. Despite variations in number and sequence during evolution, the genomic segments of many viruses are conserved within the untranslated regions (UTRs). In this study, we present a methodology that combines RNA sequencing with iterative BLASTn of UTRs (https://github.com/qq371260/Iterative-blast-v.1.0) to identify new viral genomic segments. Some novel multipartite-like viruses related to the phylum Kitrinoviricota were annotated using sequencing data from field plant samples and public databases. We identified potentially plant-infecting jingmen-related viruses (order Amarillovirales) and jivi-related viruses (order Martellivirales) with at least six genomic components. The number of RNA molecules associated with a genome of the novel viruses in the families Closteroviridae, Kitaviridae, and Virgaviridae within the order Martellivirales reached five. Several of these viruses seem to represent new taxa at the subgenus, genus, and family levels. The diversity of novel genomic components and the multiple duplication of proteins or protein domains within single or multiple genomic components emphasize the evolutionary roles of genetic recombination (horizontal gene transfer), reassortment, and deletion. The relatively conserved UTRs at the genome level might explain the relationships between monopartite and multipartite viruses, as well as how subviral agents such as defective RNAs and satellite viruses can coexist with their helper viruses.

A novel mutation in the FGG gene causes hypofibrinogenemia in a Chinese family.

Congenital fibrinogen disorders are a group of coagulation deficiencies caused by fibrinogen defects and are divided into four types, including afibrinogenemia, hypofibrinogenemia, dysfibrinogenemia, and hypodysfibrinogenemia. In this study, we collected a family with hypofibrinogenemia, and genetics analysis identify a novel pathogenic variants (c.668G > C, p.Arg223Thr) in the FGG gene. And electron microscope observation revealed significant changes in the ultrastructure of fibrin of the proband. Our research expands the phenotypic and genetic spectrum associated with the FGG gene, which would facilitate in genetic counselling and prenatal genetic diagnosis.

Mechanistic insights into photoinduced energy and charge transfer dynamics between magnesium-centered tetrapyrroles and carbon nanotubes.

Functionalizing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with light-harvesting molecules is a facile way to construct donor-acceptor nanoarchitectures with intriguing optoelectronic properties. Magnesium-centered bacteriochlorin (MgBC), chlorin (MgC), and porphyrin (MgP) are a series of tetrapyrrole macrocycles comprising a central metal and four coordinated aromatic or antiaromatic five-membered rings linked by methine units, which show excellent visible light absorption. To delineate the effects of the aromaticity of coordinated rings on the optoelectronic properties of the nanocomposites, the photoinduced energy and charge transfer dynamics between Mg-centered tetrapyrroles and SWNTs are explored. The results show that excited energy transfer (EET) can occur within MgP@SWNT ascribed to the stabilization of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) in MgP with the increase of aromatic coordinated rings, while only electron transfer can take place in MgBC@SWNT and MgC@SWNT. Non-adiabatic dynamics simulations demonstrate that electron and hole transfer from MgP to SWNT is asynchronous. The electron transfer is ultrafast with a timescale of ca. 50 fs. By contrast, the hole transfer is significantly suppressed, although it can be accelerated to some extent when using a lower excitation energy of 2.2 eV as opposed to 3.1 eV. Further analysis reveals that the large energy gaps between charge-donor and charge-acceptor states play a crucial role in regulating photoexcited state relaxation dynamics. Our theoretical insights elucidate the structure-functionality interrelations between Mg-centered tetrapyrroles and SWNTs and provide a comprehensive understanding of the underlying charge transfer mechanism within MgP@SWNT nanocomposites, which paves the way for the forthcoming development of SWNT-based photo-related functional materials with targeted applications.

Nano-Plumber Reshapes Glymphatic-Lymphatic System to Sustain Microenvironment Homeostasis and Improve Long-Term Prognosis after Traumatic Brain Injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Long-term changes in the microenvironment of the brain contribute to the degeneration of neurological function following TBI. However, current research focuses primarily on short-term modulation during the early phases of TBI, not on the critical significance of long-term homeostasis in the brain microenvironment. Notably, dysfunction of the glymphatic-lymphatic system results in the accumulation of danger/damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) in the brain, which is regarded as the leading cause of long-term microenvironmental disturbances following TBI. Here, a nanostructure, Nano-plumber, that co-encapsulates the microenvironment regulator pro-DHA and the lymphatic-specific growth factor VEGF-C is developed, allowing for a sustainable and orderly regulation of the microenvironment to promote long-term neurological recovery. Nano-plumber reverses the injury microenvironment by suppressing microglia and astrocytes activation and maintaining reduced activation via enhanced glymphatic-lymphatic drainage, and significantly improves the neurological function of rodents with TBI. This study demonstrates that glymphatic-lymphatic system reconstruction is essential for enhancing long-term prognosis following TBI, and that the Nano-plumber developed here may serve as a clinically translatable treatment option for TBI.

Recent advances in bifunctional dual-sites single-atom catalysts for oxygen electrocatalysis toward rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs) with high energy density and low pollutant emissions are regarded as the promising energy storage and conversion devices. However, the sluggish kinetics and complex four-electron processes of oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction occurring at air electrodes in rechargeable ZABs pose significant challenges for their large-scale application. Carbon-supported single-atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit great potential in oxygen electrocatalysis, but needs to further improve their bifunctional electrocatalytic performance, which is highly related to the coordination environment of the active sites. As an extension of SACs, dual-sites SACs with wide combination of two active sites provide limitless opportunities to tailor coordination environment at the atomic level and improve catalytic performance. The review systematically summarizes recent achievements in the fabrication of dual-site SACs as bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts, starting by illustrating the design fundament of the electrocatalysts according to their catalytic mechanisms. Subsequently, metal-nonmetal-atom synergies and dual-metal-atom synergies to synthesize dual-sites SACs toward enhancing rechargeable ZABs performance are overviewed. Finally, the perspectives and challenges for the development of dual-sites SACs are proposed, shedding light on the rational design of efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for practical rechargeable ZABs.

Near-Infrared Dual-Emission of a Thiolate-Protected Au42 Nanocluster: Excited States, Nonradiative Rates, and Mechanism.

Both DFT and TD-DFT methods are used to elaborate on the excited-state properties and dual-emission mechanism of a thiolate-protected Au42 nanocluster. A three-state model (S0, S1, and T1) is proposed with respect to the results. The intersystem crossing (ISC) process from S1 to T1 benefits from a small reorganization energy due to the similar geometric structures of S1 and T1. However, the ISC process is suppressed by relatively small spin-orbit coupling resulting from the similarity of the electronic structures of S1 and T1. As a result of the counterbalance, the ISC rate is comparable with the fluorescence emission rate. In the T1 state, the phosphorescence emission prevails the reverse ISC process back to the S1 state. Taken together, fluorescence and phosphorescence are achieved simultaneously. The present work provides deep mechanistic insights to aid the rational design of NIR dual-emissive metal nanoclusters.

An intussusception caused by a rare transverse colon lipoma: Case report.

INTRODUCTION: Intestinal lipoma is a rare benign tumor with a reported incidence of 0.2 % to 4.4 %. It is seen mainly in patients aged 50 to 70 years. Intestinal lipoma as a pathological lead point of intussusception is rare. There are few reports of colic lipoma in children. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We reported a 7-year-old girl with a 4-year history of intermittent abdominal pain. Ultrasound examination showed a homogeneous hyperechoic mass near the distal transverse colon, which was similar to the surrounding lipid tissue. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of intestinal lipoma. DISCUSSION: Colonic lipoma is very rare in children. If intussusception occurs repeatedly, or if it occurs in older children, we should consider the presence of pathological lead point. Early diagnosis and immediate surgical intervention are the key factors to a successful outcome. CONCLUSION: In this case we report a pediatric case of intussusception secondary to colonic lipoma, and describe imaging and pathologic signs suggestive of intestinal lipoma.

Phosphatase regenerating liver 3 participates in Integrinß1/FAK-Src/MAPK signaling pathway and contributes to the regulation of malignant behaviors in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Phosphatase regenerating liver 3 (PRL-3) was associated with cancer metastasis. However, the significance of PRL-3 in the prognosis of HCC remains elusive. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of PRL-3 in HCC metastasis and its prognosis. Methods: The expressions of PRL-3 in cancer tissues isolated from 114 HCC patients, who underwent curative hepatectomy from May to November in 2008, were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and its prognostic significance was evaluated. Thereafter, the migration, invasion, and metastatic alterations in MHCC97H cells with PRL-3 overexpression or knockdown were explored and compared with the tumor size and lung metastasis in orthotopic HCC model of nude mice derived from MHCC97H cells with PRL-3 overexpression or knockdown. The underlying mechanism involving PRL-3-mediated effect on HCC migration, invasion, and metastasis was further examined. Results: Univariate and multivariate analysis demonstrated PRL-3 overexpression was an independent prognostic factor for poor overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the HCC patients. Increased PRL-3 expression in MHCC97H cells was in accordance with the enhanced metastasis potential. PRL-3 knockdown inhibited the migration, invasiveness, and clone forming ability in MHCC97H cells, whereas PRL-3 overexpression reverted the above behavior. The growth of xenograft tumor in the liver was suppressed, and the lung metastasis in nude mice was inhibited by PRL-3 downregulation. The knockdown of PRL-3 could downregulate the expressions of Integrinß1 and p-Src (Tyr416), p-Erk (Thr202/Tyr204) activation, and reduce MMP9 expression. Both MEK1/2 inhibitor (U0126) and Src inhibitor could repress PRL-3-induced invasiveness and migration in MHCC97H cells. Conclusions: PRL-3 was significantly overexpressed and an independent prognostic factor to predict the death of HCC patients. Mechanically, PRL-3 plays a critical role in HCC invasive and metastasis via Integrinß1/FAK-Src/RasMAPK signaling. Validation of PRL-3 as a clinical prediction marker in HCC warrants further research.

Comparing the clinical efficacy of three surgical methods for cesarean scar pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of three surgical methods in the treatment of various types of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). METHODS: Herein, 314 cases of CSP were treated in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University between June 2017 and June 2020. The patients were divided into three groups based on the treatment received: group A (n = 146; curettage by pituitrin combined with ultrasonic monitoring and hysteroscopy-guided surgery), group B [n = 90; curettage after methotrexate (MTX) injection into the local gestational sac], and group C (n = 78; laparoscopic, transvaginal, and transabdominal cesarean scar resection). These groups were divided into three subgroups (type I, type II, and type III) according to the CSP type of the patients. RESULTS: The intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, hospitalization cost, menstrual recovery time, and serum ß-HCG normalization time were lower in groups A than in groups B or C with type I, II and III CSP (P < 0.05). Operative efficiency and Successful second pregnancy rate were higher in groups A than in groups B or C with type I and II CSP (P < 0.05). But in type III CSP, the complications were more serious in group A than group C. CONCLUSIONS: Curettage by pituitrin combined with ultrasonic monitoring and hysteroscopy-guided surgery is an effective and relatively safe treatment for patients with type I and II CSP. Laparoscopic surgery is more suitable for type III CSP.

Effect of summer acupoint application treatment (SAAT) on gut microbiota in healthy Asian adults: A randomized controlled trial.

Acupoint application has served as an important complementary and adjunctive therapy in China. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of summer acupoint application treatment (SAAT) on the abundance and biological structure of gut microbiota in healthy Asian adults. Based on the CONSORT guidelines, 72 healthy adults were included in this study, randomly divided into 2 groups, receiving either traditional (acupoint application within known relevant meridians, Group A) or sham (treated with placebo prepared by mixing the equal amount of starch and water, Group B) SAAT. SAAT stickers include extracts from Rhizoma Corydalis, Sinapis alba, Euphorbia kansui, Asari Herba, and the treatment group received 3 sessions of SAAT for 24 months, administered to BL13 (Feishu), BL17 (Geshu), BL20 (Pishu), and BL23 (Shenshu) acupoints. Fecal microbial analyses via ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) sequencing were performed on donor stool samples before and after 2 years of SAAT or placebo treatment to analyze the abundances, diversity, and structure of gut microbiota. No significant baseline differences were present between groups. At the phylum level, the baseline relative abundance of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Fusobacteria was identified in fecal samples collected from each group. After treatment, the relative abundance of Firmicutes was significantly increased in both groups (P < .05). Notably, a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Fusobacteria was observed in the SAAT treatment group (P < .001), while the abundance of Bacteroidetes was decreased significantly in the placebo group (P < .05). At the genus level, the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and Subdoligranulum species in the 2 groups were all significantly increased (P < .05). In addition, a significant reduction in the relative abundance of Blautia, Bacteroides, and Dorea in Group A (P < .05) and Eubacterium hallii group and Anaerostipes (P < .05) in Group B was observed after treatment. Our findings indicated SAAT substantially influenced the bacterial community structure in the gut microbiota of healthy Asian adults, which might serve as potential therapeutic targets for related diseases, and provided a foundation for future studies aimed at elucidating the microbial mechanisms underlying SAAT for the treatment of various conditions such as obesity, insulin resistance, irritable bowel syndrome.

Investigation on the Carbonation Behavior of Alkali-Activated Pastes Served under Windy Environments.

Most reinforced concrete structures serve under windy environments, and the carbonation resistance under that circumstance exhibits significant difference from that under the steady (no wind) environment. In this study, a windy environment was simulated using one self-developed wind tunnel, and alkali-activated slag/fly ash paste specimens were adopted for the carbonation under variant windy environments. Meanwhile, to reveal the effect of inner humidity on the carbonation, sliced alkali-activated materials (AAM) were mass-balanced first to variant humidity, and were then carbonated under a 2.5 m/s windy environment. With the assistance of computed tomography (CT), the structure of AAM at variant carbonation ages was rendered. The experimental result showed that wind is capable of promoting the exchange of moisture between the sample inside and the outer atmosphere, leading to faster carbonation as compared to that under no wind environment. When preconditioned to lower inner humidity, the carbonation rate of AAM was faster because the larger gaseous space benefited the intrusion of both CO2 and moisture. Furthermore, when preconditioned to lower humidity, the cracking extent of AAM was severer, which also contributed to the faster carbonation. Moreover, compared with ordinary Portland cement (OPC), the carbonation front on each instant 1D gray-scale value profile was broader, which suggested that the carbonation progress of AAM under windy environments was no longer controlled solely by diffusion. In addition, the gray-scale value on instant 1D profile fluctuated drastically, which verified cracking in AAM carbonated under windy environments. The current work not only deepens the understanding of the carbonation mechanism in-site (mostly under windy environments), but also helps to develop more environment-friendly construction material, with better durability performance.

Enhancement of tetrel bond involving tetrazole-TtR3 (Tt = C, Si; R = H, F). Promotion of SiR3 transfer by a triel bond.

When attached to a tetrazole, a TtR3 group (Tt = C, Si; R = H, F) engages in a Tt⋯N tetrel bond (TtB) with the Lewis base NCM (M = Li, Na). MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ calculations find that the Si⋯N TtB is rather strong, more than 20 kcal mol-1 for SiH3, and between 46 and 53 kcal mol-1 for SiF3. The C⋯N TtBs are relatively weaker, less than 8 kcal mol-1. All of these bonds are intensified when a BH3 or BF3 molecule forms a triel bond to a N atom of the tetrazole ring, particularly for the C⋯N TtB, up to 11 kcal mol-1. In these triads, the SiR3 group displaces far enough along the line toward the base that it may be thought of as half transferred.

An intelligent cooling material modified with carbon dots for evaporative cooling and UV absorption.

The emergence of cooling technology has brought about huge social benefits to society, but it is also accompanied by the serious problem of energy consumption. In countries close to the equator, intense solar radiation is accompanied by unbearable high temperatures and strong ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, we prepared a simple hydrogel with good evaporative cooling, which can work continuously and has good UV absorption, to solve the indoor cooling and UV radiation problems. Polyacrylamide (PAM) in the hydrogel provides a mechanically strong backbone, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) slows water loss and provides the hydrogel with the ability to reflect infrared light. Lithium bromide (LiBr) is a highly efficient water vapor absorbent, which can provide the hydrogel with water regeneration capability. Carbon dots (CDs) can provide excellent UV absorption for hydrogels, and CDs (4.28 kJ kg-1 K-1) have a higher specific heat capacity than water (4.20 kJ kg-1 K-1), which can store more heat for a better indoor cooling effect. The composite hydrogel has a good prospect of application in the windows of residential and high-rise buildings.

Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy with Oxaliplatin Plus Raltitrexed as an Alternative Option in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Failure of, or Unsuitability for, Transarterial Chemoembolization.

Background and Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with oxaliplatin plus raltitrexed (HAICROX) as an alternative treatment option for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who are ineligible for, or failed, the transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment. Materials and Methods: From July 2020 to November 2021, a total of 35 HCC patients were enrolled and received HAIC with oxaliplatin plus raltitrexed. The overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) were primary and secondary endpoints, respectively. The tumor response was assessed by the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (mRECIST), and the adverse events were investigated using the common terminology criteria for adverse events version 5.0 (CTCAE 5.0). Results: The median OS and TTP were 10 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 5.5-14.6) and 3.5 months (95% CI: 2.3-4.7), respectively. By means of multivariate analysis, anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) immunotherapy was found to be an independent prognostic factor for better survival. No patients experienced toxicity-related death. Thrombocytopenia, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) elevation were the most common toxicities. No grade 3 or higher adverse events related to HAICROX were observed. Conclusion: HAICROX showed valuable efficacy and tolerable toxicity in advanced HCC patients who progressed on TACE or were ineligible for TACE. HAICROX is a promising treatment for advanced-stage HCC patients with TACE failure or ineligibility.