Deactivation mechanism for water splitting:Recent advances

Hydrogen(H_(2)) has been regarded as a promising alternative to fossil-fuel energy.Green H_(2) produced via water electrolysis(WE)powered by renewable energy could achieve a zero-carbon footprint.Considerable attention has been focused on developing highly active catalysts to facilitate the reaction kinetics and improve the energy efficiency of WE.However,the stability of the electrocatalysts hampers the commercial viability of WE.Few studies have elucidated the origin of catalyst degradation.In this review,we first discuss the WE mechanism,including anodic oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).Then,we provide strategies used to enhance the stability of electrocatalysts.After that,the deactivation mechanisms of the typical commercialized HER and OER catalysts,including Pt,Ni,RuO_(2),and IrO_(2),are summarized.Finally,the influence of fluctuating energy on catalyst degradation is highlighted and in situ characterization methodologies for understanding the dynamic deactivation processes are described.

Risk evaluation for diabetic retinopathy in Chinese renalbiopsied type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

AIM:To investigate diabetic retinopathy(DR)prevalence in Chinese renal-biopsied type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)patients with kidney dysfunction,and to further evaluate its relationship with diabetic nephropathy(DN)incidence and the risk factors for DR development in this population.METHODS:A total of 84 renal-biopsied T2DM patients were included.Fundus and imaging examinations were employed for DR diagnosis.Demographic information and clinical measures along with renal histopathology were analyzed for comparisons between the DR and non-DR groups.Risk factors on DR development were analyzed with multiple logistic regression.RESULTS:DR prevalence was 50%in total.The incidences of DN,non-diabetic renal disease(NDRD)and mixed-type pathology were 47.6%,19.0%and 33.3%in the DR group respectively,while 11.9%,83.3%and 4.8%in the non-DR group.Systolic blood pressure,ratio of urinary albumin to creatine ratio,urinary albumin,24-hours urinary protein,the incidence and severity of DN histopathology were found statistically increased in the DR group.Multiple logistic regression analysis showed histopathological DN incidence significantly increased the risk of DR development[odds ratio(OR)=21.664,95%confidential interval(CI)5.588 to 83.991,P<0.001 for DN,and OR=45.475,95%CI 6.949 to 297.611,P<0.001 for mixed-type,respectively,in reference to (NDRD)],wherein DN severity positively correlated.CONCLUSION:Renal histopathological evidence indicates DN incidence and severity increases the risk of DR development in Chinese T2DM patients inexperienced of regular fundus examinations.

A fast forward computational method for nuclear measurement using volumetric detection constraints

Owing to the complex lithology of unconventional reservoirs,field interpreters usually need to provide a basis for interpretation using logging simulation models.Among the various detection tools that use nuclear sources,the detector response can reflect various types of information of the medium.The Monte Carlo method is one of the primary methods used to obtain nuclear detection responses in complex environments.However,this requires a computational process with extensive random sampling,consumes considerable resources,and does not provide real-time response results.Therefore,a novel fast forward computational method(FFCM)for nuclear measurement that uses volumetric detection constraints to rapidly calculate the detector response in various complex environments is proposed.First,the data library required for the FFCM is built by collecting the detection volume,detector counts,and flux sensitivity functions through a Monte Carlo simulation.Then,based on perturbation theory and the Rytov approximation,a model for the detector response is derived using the flux sensitivity function method and a one-group diffusion model.The environmental perturbation is constrained to optimize the model according to the tool structure and the impact of the formation and borehole within the effective detection volume.Finally,the method is applied to a neutron porosity tool for verification.In various complex simulation environments,the maximum relative error between the calculated porosity results of Monte Carlo and FFCM was 6.80%,with a rootmean-square error of 0.62 p.u.In field well applications,the formation porosity model obtained using FFCM was in good agreement with the model obtained by interpreters,which demonstrates the validity and accuracy of the proposed method.

Progress of systematic psychological interventions in elderly patients with femoral fractures:A comprehensive review

This review aims to gain a deeper understanding of the psychological state of elderly patients with femoral fractures and provide more theoretical and practical support for clinical treatment and care.Through a literature analysis,we found that elderly patients with femoral fractures face various psychological issues such as anxiety,depression,sleep disorders,and social isolation.The application of systematic nursing interventions in clinical practice,including cognitivebehavioral therapy,mindfulness therapy,family therapy,art therapy,interpersonal therapy,emotion-focused therapy,and relaxation training,has yielded significant results.Systematic psychological interventions can improve the psychological state and quality of life of elderly patients with femoral fractures.Therefore,promoting the application and practice of systematic psychological interventions in the clinical care of elderly patients with fractures will provide more effective psychological services to a wider group of patients with fractures in the future.

Multi-focus image fusion via morphological similarity-based dictionary construction and sparse representation

Sparse representation has been widely applied to multi-focus image fusion in recent years. As a key step, the construction of an informative dictionary directly decides the performance of sparsity-based image fusion. To obtain sufficient bases for dictionary learning, different geometric information of source images is extracted and analysed. The classified image bases are used to build corresponding subdictionaries by principle component analysis. All built subdictionaries are merged into one informative dictionary. Based on constructed dictionary, compressive sampling matched pursuit algorithm is used to extract corresponding sparse coefficients for the representation of source images. The obtained sparse coefficients are fused by Max-L1 fusion rule first, and then inverted to form the final fused image. Multiple comparative experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is competitive with other the state-of-the-art fusion methods.

连续流动条件下硝酮的光化学合成在本科实验教学中的应用探索

为有效拓展现阶段本科有机化学教学实验开设的范围,让学生了解学科前沿研究热点与新合成技术,本实验以硝酮的光化学合成为导向,将连续流动化学和有机光化学融合运用于本科实验教学。反应以苯基重氮酸酯和亚硝基苯为起始原料,蓝色LED为光源,通过亚硝基苯对光照产生的卡宾中间体的捕捉实现硝酮的光化学合成。反应过程中无需使用无水无氧等复杂操作,且简易流动光化学反应器易于搭建、价格低廉,适合本科生在基础实验室中操作完成。通过本实验,还可以让学生熟悉微量有机反应中薄层分析法、柱层析及相关仪器的操作,并将所学的核磁共振氢谱/碳谱等理论知识运用到产物的结构分析中,提升学生的主观能动性、综合实践能力和环保意识。

Total flavonoids of hawthorn leaves promote motor function recovery via inhibition of apoptosis after spinal cord injury

Flavonoids have been reported to have therapeutic potential for spinal cord injury.Hawthorn leaves have abundant content and species of total flavonoids,and studies of the effects of the total flavonoids of hawthorn leaves on spinal cord injury have not been published in or outside China.Therefore,Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish a spinal cord injury model by Allen's method.Rats were intraperitoneally injected with 0.2 m L of different concentrations of total flavonoids of hawthorn leaves(5,10,and 20 mg/kg)after spinal cord injury.Injections were administered once every 6 hours,three times a day,for 14 days.After treatment with various concentrations of total flavonoids of hawthorn leaves,the Basso,Beattie,and Bresnahan scores and histological staining indicated decreases in the lesion cavity and number of apoptotic cells of the injured spinal cord tissue;the morphological arrangement of the myelin sheath and nerve cells tended to be regular;and the Nissl bodies in neurons increased.The Basso,Beattie,and Bresnahan scores of treated spinal cord injury rats were increased.Western blot assays showed that the expression levels of pro-apoptotic Bax and cleaved caspase-3 were decreased,but the expression level of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein was increased.The improvement of the above physiological indicators showed a dose-dependent relationship with the concentration of total flavonoids of hawthorn leaves.The above findings confirm that total flavonoids of hawthorn leaves can reduce apoptosis and exert neuroprotective effects to promote the recovery of the motor function of rats with spinal cord injury.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Guangxi Medical University of China(approval No.201810042)in October 2018.

Epigenetics of hepatocellular carcinoma:Role of microRNA

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)represents a major form of primary liver cancer in adults.MicroRNAs(miRs),small non-coding single-stranded RNAs of 19-24nucleotides in length,negatively regulate the expression of many target genes at the post-transcriptional and/or translational levels and play a critical role in the initiation and progression of HCC.In this review we have summarized the information of aberrantly expressed miRs in HCC,their mechanism of action and relationship to cancer.The recent advances in HCC research reveal that miRs regulate expression of various oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes,thereby contributing to the modulation of diverse biological processes including proliferation,apoptosis,epithelial to mesenchymal transition and metastasis.From a clinical viewpoint,polymorphisms within miR-binding sites are associated with the risk of HCC.Polymorphisms in miR related genes have been shown to correlate with survival or treatment outcome in patients.Furthermore,the review focuses on the potential role of miRs as novel biomarkers and their translational applications for diagnosis and therapy in HCC.With further insights into miR deregulation in HCC,it is expected that novel miR-based therapeutics will arise.Also,we orient the readers to other reviews that may provide better understanding of miR research in HCC.

Effects of intensive control of blood glucose and blood pressure on microvascular complications in patients with type Ⅱ diabetes mellitus

AIM: To evaluate the effects of intensive control of blood glucose and blood pressure on microvascular complications in patients with type Ⅱ diabetes by comparing the therapeutic effects of intensive and standard treatment in patients with type Ⅱ diabetes. METHODS: A total of 107 patients with type Ⅱ diabetes were randomly assigned into intensive and standard treatment groups. Patients in the intensive treatment group received preterax (perindopril/ indapamide) to control blood pressure, and gliclazide (diamicron) MR to control blood glucose. Patients in the standard treatment group received routine medications or placebo. Urinary microalbumin (UMA), urinary creatinine (UCR), the UMA/ UCR ratio, and visual acuity were monitored according to the study design of the ADVANCE trial. Direct ophthalmoscopy and seven-field stereoscopic retinal photography were used to examine the fundi at baseline,and repeated after 5 years of treatment. RESULTS: The characteristics of patients in both groups were well balanced at baseline. After 5 years of treatment, visual acuity was found to be decreased in the standard group (P=0.04), but remained stable in the intensive group. The severity of diabetic retinopathy had not progressed in patients in the intensive group, but had deteriorated in the standard group (P=0.0006). The UMA/UCR ratio was not obviously changed in patients in the intensive group, whereas it was significantly increased in the standard group (P=0.00). CONCLUSION: Intensive control of blood glucose and blood pressure can decrease the incidence or slow the progression of microvascular complications in patients with type Ⅱ diabetes, and maintain stable vision.

Molecular mechanisms of inhibiting glucosyltransferases for biofilm formation in Streptococcus mutans

Glucosyltransferases(Gtfs)play critical roles in the etiology and pathogenesis of Streptococcus mutans(S.mutans)-mediated dental caries including early childhood caries.Gtfs enhance the biofilm formation and promotes colonization of cariogenic bacteria by generating biofilm extracellular polysaccharides(EPSs),the key virulence property in the cariogenic process.Therefore,Gtfs have become an appealing target for effective therapeutic interventions that inhibit cariogenic biofilms.Importantly,targeting Gtfs selectively impairs the S.mutans virulence without affecting S.mutans existence or the existence of other species in the oral cavity.Over the past decade,numerous Gtfs inhibitory molecules have been identified,mainly including natural and synthetic compounds and their derivatives,antibodies,and metal ions.These therapeutic agents exert their inhibitory role in inhibiting the expression gtf genes and the activities and secretion of Gtfs enzymes with a wide range of sensitivity and effectiveness.Understanding molecular mechanisms of inhibiting Gtfs will contribute to instructing drug combination strategies,which is more effective for inhibiting Gtfs than one drug or class of drugs.This review highlights our current understanding of Gtfs activities and their potential utility,and discusses challenges and opportunities for future exploration of Gtfs as a therapeutic target.

Time serial transcriptome reveals Cyp2c29 as a key gene in hepatocellular carcinoma development

Objective:Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a severely lethal cancer that usually originates from chronic liver injury and inflammation.Although progress on diagnosis and treatment is obvious,the cause of HCC remains unclear.In this study,we sought to determine key genes in HCC development.Methods:To identify key regulators during HCC progression,we performed transcriptome sequencing to obtain time series gene expression data from a mouse model with diethylnitrosamine-induced liver tumors and further verified gene expression and function in vitro and in vivo.Results:Among the differentially expressed genes,Cyp2c29 was continuously downregulated during HCC progression.Overexpression of Cyp2c29 suppressed N F-kB activation and proinflammatory cytokine production by increasing the production o f 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid in vitro.Furthermore,overexpression of Cyp2c29 in vivo protected against liver inflammation in mouse models of liver injury induced by both acetaminophen and CC14.Two human homologs of mouse Cyp2c29,CYP2C8 and CYP2C9,were found to be downregulated in human HCC progression,and their expression was positively correlated with overall survival in patients with HCC(significance:P=0.046 and 0.0097,respectively).Conclusions:Collectively,through systematic analysis and verification,we determined that C yp2c29 is a novel gene involved in liver injury and inflammation,which may be a potential biomarker for HCC prevention and prognosis determination.

The regulation of cell wall lignification and lignin biosynthesis during pigmentation of winter jujube

Fruit lignification is due to lignin deposition in the cell wall during cell development.However,there are few studies on the regulation of cell wall lignification and lignin biosynthesis during fruit pigmentation.In this study,we investigated the regulation of cell wall lignification and lignin biosynthesis during pigmentation of winter jujube.The cellulose content decreased,while the lignin content increased in the winter jujube pericarp during pigmentation.Safranin O-fast green staining showed that the cellulose content was higher in the cell wall of winter jujube prior to pigmentation,whereas the lignin in the cell wall increased after pigmentation.The thickness of the epidermal cells decreased with pericarp pigmentation.A combined metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis showed that guaiacyl-syringyl(G-S)lignin was the main lignin type in the pericarp of winter jujube,and F5H(LOC107424406)and CCR(LOC107420974)were preliminarily identified as the key genes modulating lignin biosynthesis in winter jujube.Seventeen MYB and six NAC transcription factors(TFs)with potential regulation of lignin biosynthesis were screened out based on phylogenetic analysis.Three MYB and two NAC TFs were selected as candidate genes and further studied in detail.Arabidopsis ectopic expression and winter jujube pericarp injection of the candidate genes indicated that the MYB activator(LOC107425254)and the MYB repressor(LOC107415078)control lignin biosynthesis by regulating CCR and F5H,while the NAC(LOC107435239)TF promotes F5H expression and positively regulates lignin biosynthesis.These findings revealed the lignin biosynthetic pathway and associated genes during pigmentation of winter jujube pericarp and provide a basis for further research on lignin regulation.

More than Target 6.3： A Systems Approach to Rethinking Sustainable Development Goals in a Resource-Scarce World

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development outlines 17 individual Sustainable Development Goals （SDGs） that guide the needs of practice for many professional disciplines around the world, including engineering, research, policy, and development. The SDGs represent commitments to reduce poverty, hunger, ill health, gender inequality, environmental degradation, and lack of access to clean water and sanitation. If a typical reductionist approach is employed to address and optimize individual goals, it may lead to a failure in technological, policy, or managerial development interventions through unin- tended consequences in other goals. This study uses a systems approach to understand the fundamental dynamics between the SDGs in order to identify potential synergies and antagonisms. A conceptual system model was constructed to illustrate the causal relationships between SDGs, examine system structures using generic system archetypes, and identify leverage points to effectively influence intentional and minimize unintentional changes in the system. The structure of interactions among the SDGs reflects three archetypes of system behavior： Reinforcing Growth, Limits to Growth, and Growth and Underinvestment. The leverage points identified from the conceptual model are gender equality, sustainable management of water and sanitation, alternative resources, sustainable livelihood standards, and global partnerships. Such a conceptual system analysis of SDGs can enhance the likelihood that the development community will broaden its understanding of the potential synergistic benefits of their projects on resource management, environmental sustainability, and climate change. By linking the interactions and feedbacks of those projects with economic gains, women＇s empowerment, and educational equality, stakeholders can recognize holistic improvements that can be made to the quality of life of many of the world＇s poor.

Source-less density measurement using an adaptive neutron-induced gamma correction method

The use of radioactive isotopes,such as Cs-137,to measure formation density is a common practice;however,it poses high risks such as environmental contamination from lost sources.To address these challenges,the use of pulsed neutron sources for density measurements,also known as“source-less density”,has emerged as a promising alternative.By collecting gamma counts at different time gates according to the duty cycle of the pulsed sequence,the inelastic gamma component can be isolated to obtain more accurate density measurements.However,the collection of gamma rays during the neutron burst-on period often contains a proportion of capture gamma rays,which can reduce the accuracy of density measurements.This proportion can vary depending on the formation environment and neutron duty cycle.To address these challenges,an adaptive capture gamma correction method was developed for density measurements.This method distinguishes between“burst-on”and“burst-off”periods based on the gamma time spectra,and derives the capture ratio in the burst-on period by iteratively fitting the capture gamma time spectra,resulting in a more accurate net inelastic gamma.This method identifies the end of the pulse by automatically calculating the differential,and fits the capture gamma time spectra using Gaussian process regression,which considers the differences in formation attenuation caused by different environments.The method was verified through simulations with errors of below 0.025 g/cm3,demonstrating its adaptability and feasibility for use in formation density measurements.Overall,the proposed method has the potential to minimize the risks associated with radioactive isotopes and improve the accuracy of density measurements in various duty cycles and formation environments.

Ocular manifestations of Alport syndrome

AIMTo analyze the clinical manifestation of Alport syndrome, especially the ocular features.

New limonoids from the fruits of Melia toosendan

Two new limonoids,1α-tigloyloxy-3α-acetoxyl-7α-hydroxyl-12α-ethoxyl nimbolinin（1） and lα-benzoyloxy-3α-acetoxyl-7α- hydroxyl-12α-ethoxyl nimbolinin（2）,were isolated from the fruits of Melia toosendan.Their structures were established on the basis of various NMR spectroscopic analyses,including 2D-NMR techniques（HSQC,HMBC,NOESY） and HR-ESI-MS.

A method for neutron-induced gamma spectra decomposition analysis based on Geant4 simulation

In various monitoring and detection tools that use pulsed neutron generators as radiation sources,the gamma rays induced by the interaction with various nuclei at different stages of neutron transport can reflect information about the medium.These gamma rays are generated in two major interactions:inelastic scattering of fast neutrons and radiative capture of thermal neutrons,corresponding to the inelastic and capture gamma rays,respectively.However,the two types of gamma rays that reflect different properties of the medium are difficult to collect by normal detectors independently.The proportion of the two gamma rays needs to be solved for the separation of inelastic and capture gamma.Therefore,this study proposes an optimized spectra decomposition method to calculate the inelastic-to-capture ratio in the measured total gamma spectra based on the net inelastic and capture spectra obtained using the Geant4 simulation.Because the simulated data cannot reflect the energy resolution of the measured spectra,we introduce the Gaussian broadening function of the gamma detector while calculating the proportion of the spectra components,and achieve optimization of the proportion values and resolution parameters simultaneously.Based on the results,the total simulated spectra obtained by superimposing the broadened net inelastic and capture gamma spectra according to the calculated inelastic-to-capture ratio are in good agreement with their measured counterpart.

Expression of HIF-1α and Its Target Genes in the Nanorana parkeri Heart：Implications for High Altitude Adaptation

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha（HIF-1α） and its target genes vascular endothelial growth factor（VEGF） and transferrins（TF） play an important role in native endothermic animals＇ adaptation to the high altitude environments. For ectothermic animals – especially frogs – it remains undetermined whether HIF-1α and its target genes（VEGF and TF） play an important role in high altitude adaptation, too. In this study, we compared the gene sequences and expression of HIF-1α and its target genes（VEGF and TF） between three Nanorana parkeri populations from different altitudes（3008 m a.s.l., 3440 m a.s.l. and 4312 m a.s.l.）. We observed that the c DNA sequences of HIF-1A exhibited high sequence similarity（99.38%） among the three altitudinally separated populations; but with increasing altitude, the expression of HIF-1A and its target genes（VEGF and TF） increased significantly. These results indicate that HIF-1α plays an important role in N. parkeri adaptation to the high altitude, similar to its role in endothermic animals.

Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in deep angiomyxoma using a biplane transrectal probe:A case report

BACKGROUND Deep angiomyxoma(DAM)is a very rare tumor type.Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)is considered the best imaging modality for diagnosing DAM.Computed tomography(CT)is used mainly to assess the invasion range of DAM.The value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of DAM is still controversial.Through a literature review,we summarized the current state of ultrasonic examination for DAM and reported for the first time the contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)features of DAM seen using a biplane transrectal probe.CASE SUMMARY A 37-year-old woman presented with a sacrococcygeal mass that had gradually increased in size over the previous 6 mo.MRI and CT examinations failed to allow a definite diagnosis to be made.Transperineal core needle biopsy(CNB)guided by transrectal ultrasound and CEUS was suggested after a multidisciplinary discussion.Grayscale ultrasound of the lesion showed a layered appearance with alternating hyperechoic and hypoechoic patterns.Transrectal CEUS showed a laminated distribution of the contrast agent that was consistent with the layered appearance of the tumor on grayscale ultrasound.We performed transperineal CNB of the enhanced area inside the tumor under transrectal CEUS guidance and finally made a definitive diagnosis of DAM through histopathology.The patient underwent laparoscopic-assisted transabdominal surgery combined with transperineal surgery for large pelvic tumor resection and pelvic floor peritoneal reconstruction.No recurrence or metastasis was found at the ninemonth follow-up.CONCLUSION Transrectal CEUS can show the layered perfusion characteristics of the contrast agent,guiding subsequent transperineal CNB of the enhanced area within the DAM.

Functional recovery of injured sciatic nerve by intraperitoneal injection of multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Some evidence suggests that multiwalled carbon nanotubes can promote neuronal differentiation and growth. The present study investigated the effect of functional multiwalled carbon nanotubes （MWCNTs） on functional recovery of injured sciatic nerves in mice. The results revealed that MWCNTs accelerated the recovery of functional index scores of injured sciatic nerves in mice. Moreover, the medullary sheath was significantly thicker in the injured sciatic nerve following MWCNTs administration. These effects were dose-dependent.