Syntheses of heterometallic organic frameworks catalysts via multicomponent postmodification: For improving CO2 photoreduction efficiency.

To enhance the economic viability of photocatalytic materials for carbon capture and conversion, the challenge of employing expensive photosensitizer must be overcome. This study aims to improve the visible light utilization with zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks (Zr-MOFs) by employing a multi-component post-synthetic modification (PSM) strategy. An economical photosensitiser and copper ions are introduced into MOF 808 to enhance its photoreduction properties. Notably, the PSM of MOF 808 shows the highest CO yield up to 236.5 µmol g-1 h-1 with aHCOOH production of 993.6 µmol g-1 h-1 under non-noble metal, and its mechanistic insight for CO2 reaction is discussed in detail. The research results have important reference value for the potential application of photocatalytic metal-organic frameworks.

Successful treatment of cutaneous protothecosis with fluconazole: A case report and epidemiology study of Prototheca infection in China.

BACKGROUND: Protothecosis is an infection of humans and animals caused by a rare conditionally pathogenic fungus (prototheca). It can occur in immunocompromised or normal patients. AIMS: To describe the epidemiology of prototheca infection in China. METHODS: We report a case of successful treatment of cutaneous protothecosis with fluconazole and analyzed the epidemiological characteristics, risk factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of prototheca infections in China. RESULTS: We describe this case and 29 cases of prototheca infections in China. At present, Prototheca wickerhamii (Pw) infection is the most common infection in China, and single or combined itraconazole is the preferred treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide detailed information and relevant clinical treatment strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of protothecosis in China.

Identifying the genetic association between systemic lupus erythematosus and the risk of autoimmune liver diseases.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies on the relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) are inconclusive. Therefore, we employed Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the causal associations between SLE and AILDs. METHODS: A two-sample MR analysis was performed using summary-level statistics sourced from genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets. Inverse-variance weighting (IVW), MR‒Egger, and weighted median (WM) were further supported by several sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: We detected causal genetic associations between SLE and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) (odds ratio (OR) = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.15-1.51, P < 0.01; adjusted OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.39-1.90, P < 0.01) and between SLE and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) (OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.01-1.08, P = 0.03; adjusted OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.00-1.21, P = 0.04). No causal association was found between SLE and autoimmune hepatitis. CONCLUSIONS: We are the first to use MR analysis to explore the causal relationships between SLE and various AILDs, revealing an increased risk of PBC and PSC in individuals with SLE.

Psoas abscess: an uncommon disorder.

BACKGROUND: Psoas abscess (PA) is an uncommon disease that has been increasingly reported in the recent years. We reviewed patients with PA and analyzed their clinical characteristics to improve our understanding of this rare disorder. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical presentations, microbiology, and outcomes of patients with PA between 2011 and 2022 at the Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital in China. RESULTS: There were 40 adult patients identified with the discharge diagnosis of PA. The mean age was 60 years, and 67.5% of the patients were male. Primary symptoms were typically nonspecific. In all, 20 abscesses were considered secondary, and the most common was infective spondylitis. The most common causative organism for primary PA was Staphylococcus aureus, followed by Escherichia coli, whereas multiple bacterial species were found in secondary abscesses. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 5%. Patients with secondary PA had a longer hospital stay. CONCLUSION: PA, as a serious infectious condition, usually presents with nonspecific symptoms and laboratory test results, making early diagnosis difficult. These profiles differed from those reported in the present study. The initial clinical status and subsequent imaging studies can lead to favorable outcomes.

Development and validation of a noninvasive prediction model for significant hepatic liver fibrosis in Chinese patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a prevalent noninfectious liver disease. However, there is currently a lack of noninvasive tests appropriate for evaluating liver fibrosis in AIH patients. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a predictive model for noninvasive assessment of significant liver fibrosis (S ≥ 2) in patients to provide a reliable method for evaluating liver fibrosis in individuals with AIH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical data of 374 AIH patients were analyzed. A prediction model was established through logistic regression in the training set, and bootstrap method was used to validate the models internally. In addition, the clinical data of 109 AIH patients were collected for external verification of the model.The model was expressed as a nomogram, and area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis were used to evaluate the accuracy of the prediction model. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis revealed that age, platelet count (PLT), and the A/G ratio were identified as independent risk factors for liver fibrosis in AIH patients (P < 0.05). The diagnostic model that was composed of age, PLT and A/G was superior to APRI and FIB-4 in both the internal validation (0.872, 95%CI: 0.819-0.924) and external validation (0.829, 95%CI: 0.753-0.904). CONCLUSIONS: Our predictive model can predict significant liver fibrosis in AIH patients more accurately, simply, and noninvasively.

Establishment and evaluation of an early prediction model of hepatorenal syndrome in patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In China, hepatorenal syndrome is a serious complication in the decompensated stage of hepatitis B cirrhosis, which requires early clinical intervention, so the early diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome is crucial. This study establishes a new predictive model based on serum biomarkers for the early diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome. METHODS: Patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to the training dataset and validation dataset at a 7:3 ratio. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to screen the risk factors for hepatorenal syndrome. The identified risk factors were used to establish and verify a model. RESULTS: This study included 255 patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis, including 184 in the training group and 71 in the validation group. The multivariate logistic regression model was established in the training group and verified in the validation group. Logistic regression showed that hemoglobin (OR 0.938, 95% CI 0.908-0.969), total bilirubin (OR 1.014, 95% CI 1.008-1.021) and creatinine (OR 1.079, 95% CI 1.043-1.117) were independent risk factors for hepatorenal syndrome (P < 0.05). These were used to establish the model. In the training group and the validation group, the area under the ROC curve of the nomogram for the diagnosis of hepatorenal syndrome was 0.968 and 0.980, respectively. CONCLUSION: The three serum biomarkers, including hemoglobin, total bilirubin and creatinine, can be used as independent early predictors of hepatorenal syndrome in patients with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis.

Mechanical Properties and Coagulation Characteristics of Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum-Based Polymer Materials.

To resolve problems caused by the accumulation of flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG) in the environment, a polymer material was prepared using FGDG, granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS), fly ash (FA), and solid sodium silicate (SSS). The compressive strength of these polymer specimens cured for 3, 28, and 60 d was regularly measured, and their condensation behavior was analyzed. Both the formation behavior of mineral crystals and microstructure characteristics were analyzed further using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The compressive strength of pure FGDG polymer specimen (whose strength is generated by particle condensation crystallization) is insufficient and the condensation is slow. The addition of appropriate amounts of GBFS, FA, and SSS can continuously and considerably improve the compressive strength and shorten the setting time. The optimal proportions of FGDG, GBFS, and FA are 50%, 20%, and 30%, respectively, with the SSS addition amount of 20 g. The incorporation of GBFS, FA, and SSS can promote the polymerization of calcium, silicon, and aluminum in FGDG to form silicate and aluminosilicate minerals. Their formation is the main reason for the increased compressive strength and accelerated coagulation.

Coagulation Mechanism and Compressive Strength Characteristics Analysis of High-Strength Alkali-Activated Slag Grouting Material.

In deep coal mining, grouting reinforcement and water blockage are the most effective means for reinforcing the rock mass of extremely broken coal. However, traditional cement grouting materials are not suitable for use in complex strata because of their insufficient early mechanical strength and slow setting time. This study innovatively proposes using alkali-activated grouting material to compensate for the shortcomings of traditional grouting materials and strengthen the reinforcement of extremely unstable broken coal and rock mass. The alkali-activated grouting material was prepared using slag as raw material combined with sodium hydroxide and liquid sodium silicate activation. The compressive strength of specimens cured for 1 d, 3 d, and 28 d was regularly measured and the condensation behavior was analyzed. Using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, formation behavior of mineral crystals and microstructure characteristics were further analyzed. The results showed that alkali-activated slag grouting material features prompt and high strength and offers the advantages of rapid setting and adjustable setting time. With an increase in sodium hydroxide content, the compressive strength first increased (maximum increase was 21.1%) and then decreased, while the setting time continued to shorten. With an increase in liquid sodium silicate level, the compressive strength increased significantly (and remained unchanged, maximum increase was 35.9%), while the setting time decreased significantly (and remained unchanged). X-ray diffraction analysis identified the formation of aluminosilicate minerals as the main reason for the excellent mechanical properties and accelerated coagulation rate.

Three-years misdiagnosis of Niemann Pick disease type B with novel mutations in SMPD1 gene as Budd-Chiari syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The chronic visceral subtype of acid sphingomyelinase deficiency, commonly known as Niemann Pick disease type B (NPDB), is a relatively rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder that is caused by mutations in the SMPD1 gene. NPDB with sea-blue histiocytes (SBH) clinically mimics Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS), as it lacks specific clinical characteristics. This makes its diagnosis difficult. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we report a case of NPDB with SBH that was misdiagnosed as BCS for three years. A 20-year-old female with abdominal distension, hepatosplenomegaly, and haematological anomalies was initially diagnosed with BCS based on her imaging finding of a thin hepatic vein and rapid blood flow at the confluence of the hepatic vein and inferior vena cava. Her bone marrow cytology found sea-blue histiocytes. Liver biopsy showed foamy cytoplasm in hepatocytes surrounded by numerous Kupffer cells. Sequencing analysis of the SMPD1 gene led to the finding of two missense mutations in the heterozygous state: C.829 T > C (p.Trp277Arg) in exon 2 (novel) and c.1805G > A (p.Arg602His) in exon 6 (already described). These findings established the diagnosis of NPDB. CONCLUSION: The patient presented with hepatosplenomegaly, haematological anomalies, and dyslipidaemia. Thus, NPDB should be considered following the exclusion of related diseases. The diagnosis of NPDB was suspected by clinical symptoms and routine laboratory tests and was confirmed by liver biopsy and gene sequencing. The novel mutation c.829 T > C in exon 2 of the SMPD1 gene has never been reported and needs to be further investigated.

Atypical pneumonia caused by Chlamydia psittaci during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: Here, we retrospectively described the diagnosis and treatment of 32 cases diagnosed with Chlamydia psittaci pneumonia during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Clinical information was collected from all the patients. Reverse transcription-PCR and ELISAs were conducted for the detection of COVID-19 using nasal swabs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed for the identification of causative pathogens using BALF, peripheral blood and sputum samples. End-point PCR was performed to confirm the mNGS results. RESULTS: All 32 patients showed atypical pneumonia and had infection-like symptoms that were similar to COVID-19. Results of reverse transcription-PCR and ELISAs ruled out COVID-19 infection. mNGS identified C. psittaci as the suspected pathogen in these patients within 48 hours, which was validated by PCR, except for three blood samples. The sequence reads that covered fragments of C. psittaci genome were detected more often in BALF than in sputum or blood samples. All patients received doxycycline-based treatment regimens and showed favorable outcomes. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study, with the highest number of C. psittaci pneumonia enrolled cases in China so far, suggests that human psittacosis may be underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed clinically, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.