[Clinical features and prognosis analysis of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-positive optic neuritis]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-positive optic neuritis (ON). Methods: The data of 39 patients with MOG antibody-positive ON in the Department of Neurology of Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 1, 2017 to October 31, 2019 were retrospectively collected. There were 25 males and 14 females, aged from 15 to 80 (40±16) years. According to the recurrence, the patients were divided into two groups: the recurrence group (n=12) and the non-recurrence group (n=27). The clinical manifestations, relapse-related factors, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) manifestations, treatment and prognosis of the two groups were analyzed. Results: A total of 63 eyes were involved, including 30 cases of optic perineuritis (OPN), accounting for 47.6% (30/63). The number of attacks ranged from 1 to 9, among which 12 patients had more than 2 attacks. There were 37 eyes [58.7% (37/63)] with severe visual loss (SVL) at the time of onset, and 7 eyes [11.1% (7/63)] with SVL at the final follow-up. Forty-eight eyes [76.2% (48/63)] had optic disc edema. Forty seven eyes [74.6% (47/63)] showed long-segment disease on optic nerve MRI. One case was complicated with aseptic meningitis and encephalitis. The recurrence group was younger than the non-recurrence group [(28.5±9.8) years vs (43.3±16.4) years, P=0.001]. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in gender, bilateral onset, initial visual acuity, final visual acuity, optic disc edema, head and spinal cord lesions, and immunosuppressant (all P>0.05). All patients were treated with methylprednisolone (MP) pulse therapy during the acute attack, and 16 of them were additively treated with immunosuppressive agents; the pain was alleviated or relieved significantly after the application of glucocorticoids. Conclusions: MOG antibody-positive ON often occurred in both eyes at the same time, often manifesting as OPN, often accompanied by optic disc edema, and SVL at the beginning of the disease, but most of the visual recovery was good, might be associated with meningitis and encephalitis. MRI of the optic nerve showed that the lesions often manifested as long-segment lesions. Glucocorticoids could alleviate pain and promote the recovery of visual function.

The formation and evolution of carbonate species in CO oxidation over mono-dispersed Fe on graphene

Fe is not only the most abundant metal on the planet but is also the key component of many enzymes in organisms that are capable of catalyzing many chemical conversions. Mono-dispersed Fe atoms on carbonaceous materials are single atom catalysts (SACs) that function like enzymes. To take advantage of the outstanding catalytic performance of Fe-based SACs, we extended a CO oxidation reaction network over mono-dispersed Fe atoms on graphene (FeGR) by first-principles based calculations. FeGR-catalyzed CO oxidation is initiated with a revised Langmuir-Hinshelwood pathway through a CO-assisted scission of the O-O bond in peroxide species (OCOO). We showed that carbonate species (CO3), which were previously generally considered as a persistent species blocking reaction sites, may form from CO2 and negatively charged O species. This pathway competes with desorption of CO2 and reduction of the Fe center with gaseous CO, and it is exothermic and inevitable, especially at low temperatures and with high CO2 content. Although direct dissociation of CO3 is demanding on FeGR, further adsorption of CO on Fe in CO3 is plausible and takes place spontaneously. We then showed that adsorbed CO may react with CO3, forming a cyclic-carbonate-like species that dissociates easily to CO2. These findings highlight the reaction condition-dependent formation and evolution of CO3 as well as its contribution to CO conversion, and it may extend the understanding of the performance of SACs in low temperature CO oxidation.

Recent Advances on Gallium-Modified ZSM-5 for Conversion of Light Hydrocarbons

Light olefins are key components of modern chemical industry and are feedstocks for the production of many commodity chemicals widely used in our daily life. It would be of great economic significance to convert light alkanes, produced during the refining of crude oil or extracted during the processing of natural gas selectively to value-added products, such as light alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, etc., through catalytic dehydrogenation. Among various catalysts developed, Ga-modified ZSM-5-based catalysts exhibit superior catalytic performance and stability in dehydrogenation of light alkanes. In this mini review, we summarize the progress on synthesis and application of Ga-modified ZSM-5 as catalysts in dehydrogenation of light alkanes to olefins, and the dehydroaromatization to aromatics in the past two decades, as well as the discussions on in-situ formation and evolution of reactive Ga species as catalytic centers and the reaction mechanisms.

Nitrogen-doped porous carbon-encapsulated copper composite for efficient reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Developing low-cost non-precious metals as efficient catalysts for the reduction of toxic 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to useful 4-aminophenol (4-AP) have received increasing attention in recent years. Herein, a novel and efficient Cu-based catalyst Cu/Cu_xO@CN (carbon doped with nitrogen) was prepared via a facile method from pyrolysis of bi-ligand MOFs material Cu₂(BDC)₂(BPY) (BDC = p-Phthalic acid, BPY = 4,4'-bipyridyl) in Ar atmosphere. Characterization results revealed that N doping in carbon matrix favors the development of mesoporous structure, the formation of more defect sites in carbon matrix, better dispersion of Cu/Cu_xO nano particles, and maintenance of Cu species in metallic Cu state (the active site), all of which contribute to a superior catalytic activity for 4-NP reduction with a pseudo-first-order rate constant as high as 0.126 s^-1 (the molar ratio of NaBH₄ to 4-NP is 400), nearly 11 times higher than its counterpart Cu/Cu_xO@C without N doping (0.011 s^-1). The activation energy for 4-NP reduction to 4-AP catalyzed by Cu/Cu_xO@CN was determined as 55.6 kJ mol^-1 (the molar ratio of NaBH₄ to 4-NP is 100). In addition, Cu/Cu_xO@CN showed excellent reusability in successive 6 cycles. The facile synthesis and superior catalytic activity make Cu/Cu_xO@CN a promising catalyst in industrial applications for many other similar reaction systems.

“Double guarantee mechanism” of Ca2+-intercalation and rGO-integration ensures hydrated vanadium oxide with high performance for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Ca²⁺-Intercalated hydrated V₂O₅/rGO (CaVOH/rGO) is synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process and applied as a cathode for ARZIBs with an admirable specific capacity (409 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.05 A g⁻¹) and excellent energy density (381 W h kg⁻¹).

[Effectiveness and safety of holmium laser therapy via flexible bronchoscopy in 40 children with tracheobronchial tuberculosis]

Objective: To explore the effectiveness and safety of holmium laser treatment via flexible bronchoscopy in children with tracheobronchial tuberculosis (TBTB). Methods: The clinical data of 40 children with TBTB admitted in Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University from February 2016 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the treatment approach, they were divided into conventional treatment group (20 cases) and holmium laser treatment group (20 cases). The sex, age, course of disease and lesion location before treatment, and the time till relief of atelectasis and airway obstruction after treatment were compared between the two groups with t test and χ² test. Results: Among the 40 cases, 24 were males and 16 females, and 35 had lymph node fistula (87.5%) and 5 had granulation proliferation (12.5%). There was no statistically significamt difference between the conventional group and laser group in sex (male ratio: 50%（10/20） vs. 75%（15/20）, χ²=2.66, P=0.10), age （(3.2±2.2） years vs. （2.2±1.8） years, t=1.41, P=0.16), course of disease (<1 month ratio: 30%（6/20） vs. 35%（7/20）, χ²=0.11, P=0.73), lesion location (single lesion ratio： 45%（9/20） vs. 60%(12/20), χ²=0.90, P=0.34). The effectiveness was evaluated after 3 months, and the total effective rate were 100% in laser group and 40% in conventional group, the difference was significant (χ²=25.34, P<0.01). No serious adverse events occurred in the two groups during the observational period. Conclusions: Holmium laser treatment via bronchoscopy is an effective way to remove the tuberculosis foci in the trachea, which can reduce the incidence of further related complications, and could be applied in clinical approach.

[Five cases of optic neuropathy associated with varicella zoster virus infection]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognosis of optic neuropathy associated with varicella zoster virus (VZV). Methods: Five cases of optic neuropathy associated with VZV infection from Department of Neurology between January 1, 2014 and March 31, 2019 were retrospectively collected. The clinical manifestations, treatment and prognosis were analyzed. Results: There were 7 eyes involved in 5 cases, 3 cases (3/5) involved only one eye, and 2 cases (2/5) involved both optic nerves. During the follow-up time, no recurrence was found. Severe visual impairment occurred in 4 eyes (4/7) and non-severe visual impairment in 3 eyes (3/7). Visual acuity improved significantly in 1 eye (1/7), turned better in 2 eyes (2/7), and remained unchanged in 4 eyes (4/7). In acute phase, abnormal signals of optic nerve and/or sheath were observed on MR images. Case 3 received antiviral and hormone therapy on the second day after the onset of the disease, and the visual acuity recovered well; the other 4 cases had poor prognosis. Conclusions: Head and face VZV infection can cause serious optic neuropathy, leading to severe visual dysfunction, and poor prognosis, but recurrence is rare. Early intravenous administration of antiviral drugs (acyclovir is the best) and hormones are recommended for VZV infection in this area. It is best to use drugs within 72 hours in order to avoid and reduce secondary optic neuropathy as far as possible.

Fabrication of vanadium sulfide (VS4) wrapped with carbonaceous materials as an enhanced electrode for symmetric supercapacitors

Exploring electrode materials with excellent electrochemical performance is the key to the development of applications in energy storage and conversion. Herein, three-dimensional (3D) vanadium sulfide/carbon nanotubes/reduced graphene oxide (VS₄/CNTs/rGO) composite is synthesized by a simple one-step hydrothermal method. VS₄ short nanorods cover the both sides of the rGO sheets, and CNTs distribute at the edge of the composite to form a sandwich-like structure, which effectively prevents the accumulation of rGO. Due to the special 3D hierarchical structure, VS₄/CNTs/rGO exhibits a large specific surface area and a rich pore structure, and the addition of CNTs and rGO also improves the electrochemical properties of VS₄. At 1 A·g^-1, VS₄/CNTs/rGO exhibits a capacitance of 497 F·g^-1 (1374.0 C·g^-1) in the voltage range of -1.4 to 1.4 V, which is much higher than those binary materials including CNTs/rGO, VS₄/CNTs and VS₄/rGO. The VS₄/CNTs/rGO symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) device shows a remarkable electrochemical performance in a large potential window up to 2.2 V. The capacitance of VS₄/CNTs/rGO SSC device can reach 1003.5 mF·cm^-2 (2207.6 mC·cm^-2) at 0.5 mA·cm^-2, and it exhibits an energy density of 6.75 Wh·m^-2 (72.07 Wh·kg^-1) at a power density of 1.38 W·m^-2 (14.69 W·kg^-1). The high capacitance and energy density of the VS₄/CNTs/rGO composite in the high voltage interval make it as the potential energy storage material.

Atomic Spatial and Temporal Imaging of Local Structures and Light Elements inside Zeolite Frameworks

Identifying the atomic structures of porous materials in spatial and temporal dimensions by (scanning) transmission electron microscope ((S)TEM) is significant for their wide applications in catalysis, separation and energy storage. However, the sensitivity of materials to electron beams made it difficult to reduce the electron damage to specimens while maintaining the resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. It is therefore still challenging to capture multiple images of the same area in one crystal to image the temporal changes of lattices. Usings integrated differential phase contrast (iDPC) STEM, atomic-resolution imaging of beam-sensitive zeolite frameworks is achieved with an ultralow dose of 40 e^- Å^-2 , 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than that of conventional STEM. Based on the iDPC technique, not only the atomic 3D architecture of ZSM-5 crystals but also the changes of frameworks are observed during in situ experiments. Local structures and light-element aromatics in ZSM-5 crystals can also be revealed directly under iDPC-STEM. These results provided not only an efficient tool to image beam-sensitive materials with ultralow beam current but also a new strategy to observe and investigate the hydrocarbon pools in zeolite catalysts at the single-molecule scale.

Adsorption, diffusion and aggregation of Ir atoms on graphdiyne: a first-principles investigation

Shifting the atomic diffusion thermodynamics, e.g. with involvement reactants, etc., would initiate the thermodynamically favorable aggregation of Ir atoms into clusters on graphdiyne.

Solid-state transformation of TMA-magadiite into zeolite omega and detailed insights into the crystallization process

Herein, we have studied the crystallization of zeolite omega by the solid-state transformation of TMA-magadiite at 100 °C for 12 h. The samples prepared at different times were subjected to XRD, SEM, IR, Raman and solid MAS NMR analyses to investigate the crystallization behaviors and changes in the medium-range structure during the synthesis process and a comprehensive mechanism was proposed. It has been demonstrated that the 5Rs and 6Rs in magadiite are partially retained in the system and participate in the growth of zeolite omega. The 4Rs were formed after heating for 4 h. The synthesis time of the zeolite omega using this method is shorter than that using the magadiite hydrothermal conversion method (about 72 h), because special composition building units, which have similarities to the structure of zeolite omega, were formed and adsorbed on the surface of the TMA-magadiite, and then provided a growth surface for the synthesis of targets. In addition, recycling the waste mother liquid produced in the preparation of the precursor was done to achieve the low cost and green synthesis. Finally, several factors influencing the reaction are discussed.

Molecular cloning and functional characterisation of duck (Anas platyrhynchos) tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 3

1. Tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3) is a key regulator of innate immunity and acquired immunity, and has a salient anti-viral role. 2. In this experiment, the duck TRAF3 (DuTRAF3) gene was cloned according to the Anas platyrhynchos TRAF3 sequence to explore its function. The TRAF3 open reading frame contains 1704 bp that encode a protein of 567 amino acids, which contain a RING finger domain, two zinc finger motifs, a coiled-coil region, and a MATH domain. 3. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed that DuTRAF3 was expressed in all the examined tissues, with a comparatively higher expression in the spleen and brain tissues. 4. In HEK293T cells, DuTRAF3 overexpression resulted in a significantly increased NF-κB activity and interferon (IFN)-β promoter activation. 5. Following resiquimod (R848) and poly(I:C) stimulation of duck peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), the expressions of TRAF3 and IFN-β were significantly upregulated; in addition, following R848 stimulation, the mRNA levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 were also significantly upregulated. After infection with the Newcastle Disease Virus LaSota vaccine strain, the mRNA levels of IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly upregulated, while that of TRAF3 was downregulated. 6. These results suggest that DuTRAF3 has an important role to play in innate antiviral immune responses.

[Value of serum HBV RNA in HBeAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B]

Objective: To analyze serum HBV-RNA levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B whose serum HBV-DNA has dropped to undetected levels after treatment with entecavir, and to explore the correlation between HBV-RNA level and liver biochemical parameters, which lay the research foundation for the clinical significance of new serological marker HBV-RNA. Methods: HBeAg negatively detected 107 cases with chronic hepatitis B whose serum HBV-DNA test results were lower than detection level for six consecutive months after receiving standard nucleoside therapy for more than 12 months were included. HBV-RNA level was detected by Perkin-Elmer reagent. HBV-DNA level was detected by Roche Cobas. Hitachi automatic biochemical analyzer was used to detect ALT and AST. Architect chemiluminescence analyzer was used to detect HBsAg, HBeAg, anti-HBe and anti-HBc. RStudio software was performed to analyze the correlation between HBV-RNA level and liver biochemical parameters. Logistic regression was used to analyze the independent factors influencing HBV-RNA level. Results: The positive detection rate of serum HBV-RNA in patients with chronic hepatitis B whose serum HBV-DNA had dropped to undetected levels after ETV treatment was 22.43%. HBsAg, ALT and AST levels in HBV-RNA positive group were slightly higher than HBV-RNA negative group, while anti-HBc levels were slightly higher in HBV-RNA negative group. There was no difference in the level of anti-HBe between the HBV-RNA negative and the positive group. Logistic regression analysis showed that anti-HBc was an independent factor influencing the level of HBV-RNA detection (P = 0.021). Conclusion: HBV-RNA can be detected in some patients with chronic hepatitis B whose serum HBV-DNA level has dropped to undetected levels after ETV treatment. Serum HBV-RNA only comes from the direct transcription of cccDNA, so it is better than HBV-DNA and HBsAg to reflect cccDNA level or activity. Anti-HBc, as an independent factor influencing the level of HBV-RNA, may be used in combination as a new marker to predict the efficacy of antiviral therapy.