2023:A year of accomplishments for the 13 Science Citation Index Expanded-and Emerging Sources Citation Index-indexed Baishideng journals

In 2023,Baishideng Publishing Group(Baishideng)routinely published 47 openaccess journals,including 46 English-language journals and 1 Chinese-language journal.Our successes were accomplished through the collective dedicated efforts of Baishideng staffs,Editorial Board Members,and Peer Reviewers.Among these 47 Baishideng journals,7 are included in the Science Citation Index Expanded(SCIE)and 6 in the Emerging Sources Citation Index(ESCI).With the support of Baishideng authors,company staffs,Editorial Board Members,and Peer Reviewers,the publication work of 2023 is about to be successfully completed.This editorial summarizes the 2023 activities and accomplishments of the 13 SCIEand ESCI-indexed Baishideng journals,outlines the Baishideng publishing policy changes and additions made this year,and highlights the unique advantages of Baishideng journals.

Baishideng’s Reference Citation Analysis database announces the first Journal Article Influence Index of 101 core journals and a list of high-quality academic journals in gastroenterology and hepatology

After three rounds of rigorous evaluation of core journals in gastroenterology andhepatology conducted by the Reference Citation Analysis (RCA) editorial team ofBaishideng Publishing Group (Baishideng), the RCA database of Baishidengofficially released the 2022 Journal Article Influence Index (2022 JAII) of 101 corejournals in gastroenterology and hepatology, for the first time. The list of 101 corejournals can be found at: https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/Search-Journal. Among them, the highest 2022 JAII is 48.014 and the lowest is 3.900. Thisarticle highlights the top 20 journals, describes the calculation method for the 2022JAII, the evaluation process, and the inclusion principles for journals in the RCA.These steps are the underpinning of the RCA’s empirical journal academicevaluation service by which the digital platform addresses the needs of authors toselect reliable journals for submission, readers to select high-quality literature forreading, and editors to track their own journal citation performance. As such, theRCA core journal list will serve as a useful Find-a-Journal tool. Any interestedparty is welcome to use this journal list and recommend it to their peers.

Baishideng’s Reference Citation Analysis database announces the first Journal Article Influence Index of 104 core journals and a list of high-quality academic journals in orthopedics

After three rounds of rigorous evaluation of core journals in orthopedics conducted by the Reference Citation Analysis(RCA)editorial team of Baishideng Publishing Group(Baishideng),the RCA database of Baishideng officially released the 2022 Journal Article Influence Index(2022 JAII)of 104 core journals and a list of high-quality academic journals in orthopedics,for the first time on August 9,2022.The list of 104 core journals can be found at:https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/SearchJournal.Among them,the highest 2022 JAII is 55.015 and the lowest is 3.076.This article introduces the 21 high-quality academic journals and describes the calculation method for the 2022 JAII,the evaluation process,and the inclusion principles for journals in the RCA.These steps are the underpinning of the RCA’s empirical journal academic evaluation service by which the digital platform addresses the needs of authors to select reliable journals for submission,readers to select high-quality literature for reading,and editors to track their own journal citation performance.As such,the RCA core journal list will serve as a useful Find-a-Journal tool.Any interested party is welcome to use this journal list and recommend it to their peers.

Changes in the nutritional status of nine vitamins in patients with esophageal cancer during chemotherapy

BACKGROUND Many studies have investigated the relationships between vitamins and esophageal cancer(EC).Most of these studies focused on the roles of vitamins in the prevention and treatment of EC,and few studies have examined the changes in vitamin nutritional status and their influencing factors before and after chemotherapy for EC.Chemotherapy may have a considerable effect on EC patients’vitamin levels and hematological indicators.AIM To research the nutritional status of multiple vitamins in EC patients during chemotherapy and to assess its clinical significance.METHODS EC patients admitted to our center from July 2017 to September 2020 were enrolled in this study.Serum concentrations of nine vitamins(A,D,E,B9,B12,B1,C,B2 and B6),hemoglobin,total protein,albumin,blood calcium,blood phosphorus concentrations and body mass index(BMI)were measured in all EC patients.The changes in nine vitamins,hematological indicators and BMI were compared before and after two cycles of chemotherapy.The possible influential factors were analyzed.RESULTS In total,203 EC patients receiving chemotherapy were enrolled in this study.Varying degrees of vitamin A,D,C and B2 deficiency and weight loss were found in these patients,and the proportions of vitamin B2 and vitamin C deficiencies increased significantly after chemotherapy(both P<0.05).Serum concentrations of vitamins A,C,B2 and B6 and BMI before and after chemotherapy were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that vitamin A levels significantly differed between male and female EC patients,whereas vitamin D concentration significantly differed in EC patients in different stages(all P<0.05).Correlations were observed between the changes in serum concentrations of vitamin A and C before and after two cycles chemotherapy and the change in BMI(P<0.05).Hemoglobin,total protein,serum albumin and blood calcium concentrations significantly decreased in EC patients after chemotherapy(all P<0.05),while the blood phosphorus level significantly increased after chemotherapy(P<0.05).Using the difference in vitamin concentrations as the independent variables and the difference in BMI as the dependent variable,logistic regression analysis revealed statistically significant differences for vitamin A,vitamin D and vitamin C(F=5.082,P=0.002).CONCLUSION Vitamin A,D,C and B2 were mainly deficient in patients with EC during chemotherapy.Multivitamin supplementation may help to improve the nutritional status,chemotherapy tolerance and efficacy.

Baishideng’s Reference Citation Analysis database announces the first Article Influence Index of multidisciplinary scholars

After three rounds of rigorous evaluation of registered scholars conducted by the Reference Citation Analysis(RCA)editorial team of Baishideng Publishing Group(Baishideng),the RCA database of Baishideng officially released the 2022 Article Influence Index(2022 AII)of 632 scholars from 74 countries/territories in 98 research categories,for the first time.The list of 632 scholars can be found at:https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/searchscholar.Among them,the highest 2022 AII is 348.211,the highest number of total citations is 42830,and the highest number of total articles is 901.The category with the largest number of RCA scholars is Gastroenterology&Hepatology,with a total of 100(15.8%),and the second is Surgery,with a total of 46(7.3%).This article summarizes the RCA scholars and describes the mission of RCA,the openness and transparency of RCA evaluation,the calculation method for the 2022 AII,and the evaluation process of RCA scholars.The RCA scholar list will effectively serve as a useful Find-a-Scholar tool.Any interested scholar is welcome to register and join this RCA scholar list.

Meeting report of the chief editorial board meeting for World Journal of Diabetes 2021

The 2021 online editorial board meeting of the World Journal of Diabetes(WJD)was held on November 9,2021.Jin-Lei Wang,General Manager on behalf of the Baishideng Publishing Group,and Professor Islam,one of the Editors-in-Chiefs(EiCs)of the WJD,organized the meeting.Three EiCs and 18 Baishideng Publishing Group staff attended the meeting.The meeting goal was to brief the EiCs on the journal’s performance,discuss the issues of concern of the EiCs,and gather ideas for the journal’s development in 2022.As of November 8,the WJD had received 287 manuscripts since the year’s start,among which 122 met the criteria for publication.These numbers represent an increase of 117.4%for submissions and 110.3%for publications compared to those in 2020.However,how to effectively control the academic quality of manuscripts and attract highquality original article submissions remain a challenge.The EiCs provided feedback and suggestions centered on three topics:(1)Who should and how to control the academic quality of the manuscripts;(2)How the EiCs perform their responsibilities;and(3)The distinctive and shared responsibilities of the publisher and the EiCs.

Characterization of antennal sensilla of the wood-feeding cockroach Cryptocercus(Blattodea:Cryptocercidae):an exploration of taxonomy

Antennal sensilla are investigated in three xylophagous cockroaches： Cryptocercus meridianus, C. habaensis and C. changbaiensis, using scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. General morphology of the antenna is provided in detail, and no significant differences are found among the three species. Six primary types of sensilla are observed and measured： sensilla chaetica （Ch）, sensilla trichodea （Tr）, sensilla basiconica （Ba）, sensilla coeloconica （Co）, sensilla campaniformia （Ca） and sensilla capitula （Cp）. Sensilla trichodea 1 （Trl） is the most abundant sensillum in all three species. There are some statistical differences between sexes and among species. Comparing Cryptocercus with other cockroaches and termites, we briefly discuss the differences among them in terms of their habitat. According to the statistical analysis performed with the sensilla, these morphological characteristics are not enough to separate the three species and may not be suitable for a classification at species level.

Integrity of the editing and publishing process is the basis for improving an academic journal’s Impact Factor

BACKGROUND Journal Impact Factor™(JIF)is often used to evaluate the relative reputation and quality of academic journals in their respective fields,and can greatly influence the quality and scope of subsequent manuscript submissions.Therefore,many if not all academic journals are interested in increasing their JIF,to improve their academic impact.AIM To determine the importance of the integrity of the editorial and publication process in improving the academic influence of academic journals and the JIF of academic journals.METHODS In this paper,we describe our statistical analysis of bibliometric factors-including the 2021 JIFs released in the Journal Citation Report™2022,discipline rankings,received and published articles in 2019-2021,and webpage visits and downloads-for seven journals published by Baishideng Publishing Group(Baishideng)and indexed in Science Citation Index Expanded™;ultimately,we introduce and discuss the editing and publishing processes of Baishideng’s journals in their entirety,as they form the basis for our objective of safeguarding and bolstering integrity in academic publication.RESULTS For the seven journals assessed,their 2021 JIFs were basically unchanged from 2020,with the current metric ranging from 5.374 for World Journal of Gastroenterology(WJG)to 1.534 for World Journal of Clinical Cases(WJCC).Further assessments of the journals’bibliometrics from 2019 to 2020,showed that World Journal of Stem Cells has the highest self-citation rate(1.43%)and World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery has the lowest(0.21%).Additionally,the total 3012 articles published during this period were cited by more than 20000 articles in approximately 8000 academic journals.Of note,the 1102 articles published in WJG were cited by articles in 3059 journals,among which 171 journals have a JIF of>10,including internationally renowned academic journals such as CA-A Cancer Journal for Clinicians(2021 JIF 286.130,record count:1),Lancet(2021 JIF 202.731,record count:4),Nature Reviews Immunology(2021 JIF 108.555,record count:2),Nature Reviews Gastroenterology&Hepatology(2021 JIF 73.082,record count:9),Lancet Gastroenterology&Hepatology(2021 JIF 45.042,record count:8),Gastroenterology(2021 JIF 33.883,record count:19),and Gut(2021 JIF 31.793,record count:21).This suggests that Baishideng’s journals have been widely recognized for their academic quality.In the Reference Citation Analysis(RCA)database,all seven Baishidengpublished journals obtained a 2022 Journal Article Influence Index(JAII).For example,WJG has a 2022 JAII of 22.048,ranking 18th out of 102 journals in the field of gastroenterology&hepatology in the RCA,with 469909 total citations(6/102)and 21313 total articles(5/102).The numbers of manuscripts received and published in 2021 were both higher than those in 2019-2020.For example,WJCC received a total of 3650 manuscripts in 2021,which is 91.1%higher than those in 2019-2020(average:1910 papers/year).In 2021,WJCC published 1296 articles,representing an increase of 105.1%compared to those in 2019-2020(average:632 articles/year).The numbers of webpage visits and downloads received by the seven journals have increased year by year.For example,the number of total visits received by WJG in 2019-2021 was 1974052 in 2019,2317835 in 2020(increased by 17.4%compared with that in 2019),and 2652555 in 2021(increased by 4.4%compared with that in 2020).The visitors were from more than 220 countries and regions worldwide,such as the United States,China,and the United Kingdom.Open access(OA)plays a vital role in improving the quality,efficiency,transparency,and integrity of academic journal publishing.From 2019 to 2021,a total of 5543 OA articles were published in the seven journals,of which 2083(37.6%)were invited and published free-of-charge.During the same period,1683 articles were published in WJG,and the authors were from more than 70 countries and regions.For the total 5543 articles published in the seven journals from 2019 to 2021,3903 article quality tracking reports were received after the online publication of these articles.The quality of the articles was further evaluated through the Baishideng’s article quality and author evaluation tracking system,with 4655 articles(84.0%)having received author evaluation and feedback,which contributes to tracking metrics for authors’satisfaction with the collective publication processes.From March 25,2021 to June 28,2022,the seven journals received a total of 424 reader evaluations and 229 letters from readers;this subsequent reader engagement demonstrates that the popularity of the published articles and the volume of their readership audience were improved through the reader evaluation system.CONCLUSION Ultimately,the findings from our bibliometric assessments indicate that establishing,promoting and actively practicing processes that safeguard and bolster the integrity of the editing and publication process also help to improve the academic influence of academic journals,which itself is the cornerstone for improving JIF.

Differential expression of bcl-2 and bax genes during the E.coli-induced apoptosis of human U937 cells

To explore the role of bcl-2 and bax genes in the apoptosis of human U937 cells induced by E.coli, flow cytometry assay with annexinⅤ-FITC/PI double staining was used to determine the condition of apoptosis, and the expressions of mRNA of bcl-2 and bax genes were assayed with RT-PCR. It was found that the apoptosis of human U937 cells could be induced by E.coli at various concentration ratios between cells and bacteria for 30 min in a dose-dependent manner. The apoptotic rates at cell/bacteria ratios of 0, 1∶5, 1∶10, 1∶20, 1∶50 and 1∶100 were 3.16%±0.90%, 9.46%±0.84%, 17.90%±1.41%, 35.59%±3.76%, 38.35%±7.12% and 55.07%±5.82% respectively. Also, there was a tendency of alterations in the expression levels of bcl-2 and bax genes with an increased expression level of bax gene and a reduced expression level of bcl-2 gene. It is concluded that E.coli can induce apoptosis in human U937 cells with a down-regulated expression of Bcl-2 and an up-regulated expression of Bax, and this might be related to the induction of apoptosis of the infected cell.

UiO-66-NH_(2)nanoparticles supported on layered double hydroxides as an excellent adsorbent for levofloxacin capture

The adsorption performances of individual adsorbent such as UiO-66-NH_(2)and MgAl-layered double hydroxides(MgAl-LDH)toward levofloxacin(LVX)is less satisfactory due to the disappointing uptake capacity and adsorption efficiency.Herein,a 3D flower-like composite adsorbent prepared via iterative hydrothermal synthesis method anchoring UiO-66-NH_(2)nanoparticles onto the MgAl-LDH surface.Attributed to the synergistic effects of UiO-66-NH_(2),and MgAl-LDH,the MgAl-LDH@UiO-66-NH_(2)exhibits an outstanding adsorption performance toward LVX.Typically,the maximum LVX uptake capacity over MgAl-LDH@UiO-66-NH_(2)reached 268 mg/g,which was higher than that of the individual adsorption materials UiO-66-NH_(2)(41 mg/g),MgAl-LDH(140 mg/g),and some adsorbents reported in previous literature.The rapid adsorption process can reach equilibrium within 20 min,which conformed well to the pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model.Adsorption thermodynamic result also indicated that the adsorption was spontaneous and exothermic,simultaneous coexisting physical and chemical adsorption interactions.Importantly,the MgAl-LDH@UiO-66-NH_(2)still maintained excellent adsorption capacity with a slightly decrease after fifth cycle,exhibiting a remarkable reuse and stable performances.This work provides a highly novel strategy to prepare recyclable composite adsorbent for the LVX capture from aqueous solution.

A novel engineered IL-21 receptor arms T-cell receptor-engineered T cells(TCR-T cells)against hepatocellular carcinoma

Strategies to improve T cell therapy efficacy in solid tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)are urgently needed.The common cytokine receptorγchain(γc)family cytokines such as IL-2,IL-7,IL-15 and IL-21 play fundamental roles in T cell development,differentiation and effector phases.This study aims to determine the combination effects of IL-21 in T cell therapy against HCC and investigate optimized strategies to utilize the effect of IL-21 signal in T cell therapy.The antitumor function of AFP-specific T cell receptor-engineered T cells(TCR-T)was augmented by exogenous IL-21 in vitro and in vivo.IL-21 enhanced proliferation capacity,promoted memory differentiation,downregulated PD-1 expression and alleviated apoptosis in TCR-T after activation.A novel engineered IL-21 receptor was established,and TCR-T armed with the novel engineered IL-21 receptors(IL-21R-TCR-T)showed upregulated phosphorylated STAT3 expression without exogenous IL-21 ligand.IL-21R-TCR-T showed better proliferation upon activation and superior antitumor function in vitro and in vivo.IL-21R-TCR-T exhibited a less differentiated,exhausted and apoptotic phenotype than conventional TCR-T upon repetitive tumor antigen stimulation.The novel IL-21 receptor in our study programs powerful TCR-T and can avoid side effects induced by IL-21 systemic utilization.The novel IL-21 receptor creates new opportunities for next-generation TCR-T against HCC.

Well-construction of Zn_(2)SnO_(4)/SnO_(2)@ZIF-8 core-shell hetero-structure with efficient photocatalytic activity towards tetracycline under restricted space

Nowadays,efficient removal of antibiotic(e.g.tetracycline,TC) from water bodies has been of great global concern.Hereby,a novel Zn_(2)SnO_(4)/SnO_(2)@ZIF-8 photo-catalyst was first synthesized by a facile selfassembly in-situ growth method.Zn_(2)SnO_(4)/SnO_(2)@ZIF-8 exhibits a remarkable photocatalytic activity towards TC under visible-light driven with a rapid rate constant of 1.5 × 10^(-2)min^(-1), and a removal efficiency of 81.2%,which is superior to some catalysts in the literature.Importantly,the photocatalytic activity of Zn_(2)SnO_(4)/SnO_(2)@ZIF-8 could still remain ~77% after the fifth cycle,indicating its good stability and reusability.The remarkable performances of adsorption and photocatalytic were attributed to associative effects of catalytic activity of Zn_(2)SnO_(4)/SnO_(2)and the unique porous nanostructure and stability of ZIF-8.This work could aid the future design and preparation of novel MOFs composite catalysts for efficient elimination of antibiotics from water.

An Evaluation Approach of Subjective Trust Based on Cloud Model

As online trade and interactions on the internet are on the rise, a key issue is how to use simple and effective evaluation methods to accomplish trust decision-making for customers. It is well known that subjective trust holds uncertainty like randomness and fuzziness. However, existing approaches which are commonly based on probability or fuzzy set theory can not attach enough importance to uncertainty. To remedy this problem, a new quantifiable subjective trust evaluation approach is proposed based on the cloud model. Subjective trust is modeled with cloud model in the evaluation approach, and expected value and hyper-entropy of the subjective cloud is used to evaluate the reputation of trust objects. Our experimental data shows that the method can effectively support subjective trust decisions and provide a helpful exploitation for subjective trust evaluation.

Test Method of Laser Detection Sensitivity Based on Every Pulse Measurement and Rearrangement

It is very important to accurately measure the detection sensitivity of laser receiving equipment. Based on the traditional test method of detection probability curve, a new test method is proposed which works through measuring laser pulse one by one. Accurate measurement systems were constructed to improve the accuracy of laser energy measurement and energy regulation. A new data processing method of detection probability curve is put forward, which based on subsection statistics. The new data processing method in effect reduces the light source instability from 6.57% to 0.67%. These works improve the test accuracy of laser receiving detection sensitivity. It is a great support for the accurate evaluation of key technical indices of laser receiving equipment, which subsequently are done by models and simulation.

Boosted sustained-release with iron-based MOF-derived mesoporouscarbon-spheres as a nitroimidazole drugs carrier

Metal-organic framework(MoF)with a buildable internal structure has aroused great interest focus as self-sacrificing precursors of porous carbon(PC).However,as a drug carrier,the MOF-derived PC developed thus far are generally composed of irregular powder shape due to their crystalline nature,which consequently causing the cerebral infarction,cerebral thrombosis,and other blood diseases.In this article,we propose a novel approach to constructing amorphous carbon microspheres(AcMs)by dis-torting the topological network through hydrothermal treatment precursors of MIL-101(Fe).Then,a distinctive MIL-101(Fe)-derived spherical porous carbons(MSPC)is achieved through high temperature calcination toward ACMs.Effects of the glucose initial concentration and hydrothermal treatment time on the sphericity of the as-prepared mesoporous MsPC were investigated in depth.And the loading capacities and sustained-release performances of nitroimidazole drugs over MsPC through simulation internal environment of human body at different pH values was systematically evaluated.The nitro-imidazole drugs loading rate and release time of MsPC are 10% and 17 h under preferred process.Furthermore,the MSPC exhibited very low toxicity on Hela cells and 293T cells at the concentrations tested(10-800μg mL^(-1)).This study,therefore,supports the potential of the mesoporous carbon spheres as a carrierfor nitroimidazole drug delivery.

CEPC Technical Design Report

The Circular Electron Positron Collider(CEPC)is a large scientific project initiated and hosted by China,fostered through extensive collaboration with international partners.The complex comprises four accelerators:a 30 GeV Linac,a 1.1 GeV Damping Ring,a Booster capable of achieving energies up to 180 GeV,and a Collider operating at varying energy modes(Z,W,H,and tt).The Linac and Damping Ring are situated on the surface,while the subterranean Booster and Collider are housed in a 100 km circumference underground tunnel,strategically accommodating future expansion with provisions for a potential Super Proton Proton Collider(SPPC).The CEPC primarily serves as a Higgs factory.In its baseline design with synchrotron radiation(SR)power of 30 MW per beam,it can achieve a luminosity of 5×10^(34)cm^(-2)s^(-1)per interaction point(IP),resulting in an integrated luminosity of 13 ab^(-1)for two IPs over a decade,producing 2.6 million Higgs bosons.Increasing the SR power to 50 MW per beam expands the CEPC's capability to generate 4.3 million Higgs bosons,facilitating precise measurements of Higgs coupling at sub-percent levels,exceeding the precision expected from the HL-LHC by an order of magnitude.This Technical Design Report(TDR)follows the Preliminary Conceptual Design Report(Pre-CDR,2015)and the Conceptual Design Report(CDR,2018),comprehensively detailing the machine's layout,performance metrics,physical design and analysis,technical systems design,R&D and prototyping efforts,and associated civil engineering aspects.Additionally,it includes a cost estimate and a preliminary construction timeline,establishing a framework for forthcoming engineering design phase and site selection procedures.Construction is anticipated to begin around 2027-2028,pending government approval,with an estimated duration of 8 years.The commencement of experiments and data collection could potentially be initiated in the mid-2030s.

Rationale and study design for one-stop assessment of renal artery stenosis and renal microvascular perfusion with contrast-enhanced ultrasound for patients with suspected renovascular hypertension

Background:Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is always associated with abnormalities in renal microvascular perfusion (RMP).However,few imaging methods can simultaneously evaluate the degree of luminal stenosis and RMP.Thus,this study will aim to evaluate the feasibility of using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for assessing both RAS and RMP to achieve a one-stop assessment of patients with suspected renovascular hypertension. Methods:This will be a single-center diagnostic study with a sample size of 440.Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and suspected of having resistant hypertension will be eligible.Patients with Stages 1–3 CKD will undergo CEUS and computed tomography (CT) angiography (CTA).Values obtained by CEUS and CTA for diagnosing low-grade (lumen reduced by <60%) and high-grade (lumen reduced by ≥60%) RAS will be compared.Moreover,all patients will also undergo radionuclide imaging.The diagnostic value for RAS will be assessed by the receiver operating characteristic curve,including the accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive values,negative predictive values,and area under the ROC.Pearson correlation analysis will be performed to assess the association between CEUS findings for RMP and glomerular filtration rate measured by a radionuclide imaging method. Conclusion:The data gathered from this study will be used to evaluate the feasibility of expanding clinical applications of CEUS for evaluation of patients with suspected renovascular hypertension.

Dynamic changes of renal cortical blood perfusion before and after percutaneous transluminal renal artery stenting in patients with severe atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis

Background:This study aims to observe the dynamic changes of renal artery(RA)disease and cortical blood perfusion(CBP)evaluated by contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)after percutaneous transluminal renal artery stenting(PTRAS)in patients with severe atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis(ARAS)and to analyze the relationship between CBP and prognosis.Methods:This was a single-center retrospective cohort study.A total of 98 patients with unilateral severe ARAS after successful PTRAS in Beijing Hospital from September 2017 to September 2020 were included.According to renal glomerular filtration rate(GFR)detected by radionuclide imaging at 12 months after PTRAS,all patients were divided into the poor prognosis group(n=21,GFR decreased by≥20%compared with baseline)and the control group(n=77,GFR decreased by<20%or improved compared with baseline).Renal artery stenosis was diagnosed by digital subtraction angiography,and renal CBP was evaluated by CEUS using TomTec Imaging Systems(Germany)before PTRAS,at 6 months and 12 months after discharge.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve with area under the curve(AUC)was used to analyze the predictive value of CBP parameters,including area under ascending curve(AUC1),area under the descending curve(AUC2),rising time(RT),time to peak intensity(TTP),maximum intensity(IMAX),and mean transit time(MTT)for poor prognosis.Results:Among the 98 patients,there were 52 males(53.1%),aged 55–74 years old,with an average age of 62.1±8.7 years,and an average artery stenosis of 82.3±12.9%.The poor prognosis group was associated with significantly increased incidence of diabetes(76.2%vs.41.6%),and lower levels of GFR of the stenotic kidney(21.8 mL/min vs.25.0 mL/min)and total GFR(57.6 mL/min vs.63.7 mL/min)(all P<0.05),compared with the control group(P<0.05).In addition,the rate of RA restenosis was significantly higher in the poor prognosis group than in the control group(9.5%vs.0,χ^(2)=9.462,P=0.002).Compared with the control group,the poor prognosis group was associated with significantly decreased baseline AUC1 and AUC2,and extended duration of TTP and MTT(P<0.05).At 6 months and 12 months of follow-up,patients in the control group were associated with markedly increased AUC1,AUC2,and IMAX,and shorter duration of RT and MTT(P<0.05).The ROC curve showed that the predictive values of AUC1,AUC2,RT,TTP,IMAX,and MTT for poor prognosis were 0.812(95%CI:0.698–0.945),0.752(95%CI:0.591–0.957),0.724(95%CI:0.569–0.961),0.720(95%CI:0.522–0.993),0.693(95%CI:0.507–0.947),and 0.786(95%CI:0.631–0.979),respectively.Conclusions:Preoperative renal CBP in severe ARAS patients with poor prognosis is significantly reduced,and does not show significant improvement after stent treatment over the first year of follow-up.The parameter AUC1 may be a good predictor for renal dysfunction after PTRAS in severe ARAS patients.Trial Registration:ChiCTR.org.cn,ChiCTR1800016252.

Interface construction of NiCo LDH/NiCoS based on the 2D ultrathin nanosheet towards oxygen evolution reaction

Carbon-free hydrogen as a promising clean energy source can be produced with electrocatalysts via water electrolysis.Oxygen evolution reaction(OER)as anodic reaction determines the overall efficiency of water electrolysis due to sluggish OER kinetics.Thus,it’s much desirable to explore the efficient and earth-abundant transition-metal-based OER electrocatalysts with high current density and superior stability for industrial alkaline electrolyzers.Herein,we demonstrate a significant enhancement of OER kinetics with the hybrid electrocatalyst arrays in alkaline via judiciously combining earth-abundant and ultrathin NiCo-based layered double hydroxide(NiCo LDH)nanosheets with nickel cobalt sulfides(NiCoS)with a facile metal-organic framework(MOF)-template-involved surface sulfidation process.The obtained NiCo LDH/NiCoS hybrid arrays exhibits an extremely low OER overpotential of 308 mV at 100 mA·cm^(−2),378 mV at 200 mA·cm^(−2)and 472 mV at 400 mA·cm^(−2)in 1 M KOH solution,respectively.A much low Tafel slope of 48 mV·dec^(−1)can be achieved.Meanwhile,with the current density from 50 to 250 mA·cm^(−2),the NiCo-LDH/NiCoS hybrid arrays can run for 25 h without any degradation.Our results demonstrate that the construction of hybrid arrays with abundant interfaces of NiCo LDH/NiCoS can facilitate OER kinetics via possible modulation of binding energy of O-containing intermediates in alkaline media.The present work would pave the way for the development of lowcost and efficient OER catalysts and industrial application of water alkaline electrolyzers.

Investigation of Mechanism of Premature Ovarian Failure Regulation by Kidney-tonifying Herbs and Liver-clearing Herbs in Dingjing Decoction

Objective To investigate the mechanisms through which kidney-tonifying herbs（KTHs） and liver-clearing herbs（LCHs） in Dingjing Decoction（DJD） regulate premature ovarian failure（POF）. Methods One hundred and fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups such as control, model, KTHs, LCHs, and DJD groups. POF-related biological molecules were examined. Factor analysis was performed to investigate the regulatory networks and key biomolecules involved in mediating POF after treatment with KTHs and LCHs. Results The master regulatory factors in the reproductive endocrine network associated with KTHs intervention included four molecules in the pituitary-ovarian axis, cortisol（CORT） in the target gland of pituitary-adrenal axis, and some molecules in the hypothalamus. In contrast, the master regulatory factors associated with LCHs intervention included four molecules in the pituitary-ovarian axis and some molecules in the hypothalamus; No biomolecules in the pituitary-adrenal axis were involved in the LCH-mediated mechanisms.Gonadotropin-releasing hormone（Gn RH）, which was identified as a common biological molecule in the hypothalamus, was involved in regulating the reproductive endocrine network in association with KTHs intervention. Conclusion KTHs directly regulates biological molecules in the pituitary-adrenal axis and indirectly regulates those in the pituitary-adrenal axis through the hypothalamus, while the LCHs only exert its effects indirectly. Gn RH is the key biological molecule associated with KTHs intervention.