Lattice Defects and Electronic Modulation of Flower-Like Zn3 In2 S6 Promote Photocatalytic Degradation of Multiple Antibiotics

Photocatalysis is an effective technique to remove antibiotic residues from aquatic environments. Typical metal sulfides like Zn3 In2 S6 have been applied to a wide range of photocatalytic applications. However, there are currently no readily accessible methods to increase its antibiotic-degrading activity. Here, a facile hydrothermal approach is developed for the preparation of flower-like Zn3 In2 S6 with tunable sulfur lattice defects. Photogenerated carriers can be separated and transferred more easily when there is an adequate amount of lattice defects. Moreover, lattice defect-induced electronic modulation enhances light utilization and adsorption properties. The modified Zn3 In2 S6 demonstrates outstanding photocatalytic degradation activity for levofloxacin, ofloxacin, and tetracycline. This work sheds light on exploring metal sulfides with sulfur lattice defects for enhancing photocatalytic activity.

Multi-d Electron Synergy in LaNi1-x Cox Ru Intermetallics Boosts Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Despite the fact that d-band center theory links the d electron structure of transition metals to their catalytic activity, it is yet unknown how the synergistic effect of multi-d electrons impacts catalytic performance. Herein, novel LaNi1-x Cox Ru intermetallics containing 5d, 4d, and 3d electrons were prepared. In these compounds, the 5d orbital of La transfers electrons to the 4d orbital of Ru, which provides adsorption sites for H*. The 3d orbitals of Ni and Co interact with the 5d and 4d orbitals to generate an anisotropic electron distribution, which facilitates the adsorption and desorption of OH*. The synergistic effect of multi-d electrons ensures efficient catalytic activity. The optimized LaNi0.5 Co0.5 Ru has an overpotential of 43mV at 10 mA cm-2 for alkaline electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. Beyond offering a variety of new electrocatalysts, this work reveals the multi-d electron synergy in promoting catalytic reaction.

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Automated Applicator Digitization for Fully-Automated Gynecological High-Dose Rate Brachytherapy Treatment Planning

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To automate the digitization of plastic and titanium applicators used in interstitial and hybrid gynecological (GYN) computed tomography (CT)-based high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy procedures to accelerate the planning and reduce the potential for planning errors. Our hypothesis is that artificial intelligence can accurately automate the identification and digitization of plastic and titanium applicators used in HDR brachytherapy.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Forty-eight patients who had received GYN procedures (7 tandem/ring: plastic applicators, 41 interstitial: titanium needles) were selected retrospectively. Patients were randomly split into training (n = 40) and test (n = 8) sets for this study. DICOM images and digitized needles from delivered plans were converted to 3D binary format. The points from each needle were transformed to individual contours and combined into a single binary mask using custom software. Using nnU-Net, a self-configuring deep convolutional neural network, 2D and 3D U-Net architectures were trained and ensembled. With the CT image as input, the nnU-Net model learned features to automatically segment the needle contours. Lastly, a 3D U-Net model was trained using 5 of the 7 tandem/ring cases (plastic applicators), with two reserved to evaluate this automated digitization. The models' performance was evaluated using the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) and identification rate for individual needles.

RESULTS

The model trained on 40 patients performed well on titanium needle cases [mean (+/- std. dev.) DSC = 0.738+/-0.034], but did not perform well on the tandem/ring cases [DSC = 0.408] in the test set. This model automatically identified 100% (54 out of 54) titanium needles but missed all plastic applicators from tandem/ring cases. Training a model with only a limited number of tandem/ring (plastic applicators) cases greatly improved segmentation accuracy [mean DSC = 0.646] for tandem/ring test cases. This model which was trained using only tandem/ring cases, automatically identified 7 out of 7 needles (100% vs 0% with previous model) from cases in the test set.

CONCLUSION

The nnU-Net can automatically detect HDR needles with high confidence. Using applicator-specific identification models may improve digitization accuracy. Further evaluation of these tools on larger datasets will confirm the findings of this study.

Nonlocal Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer by Transdimensional Plasmonics

Using transdimensional plasmonic materials (TDPM) within the framework of fluctuational electrodynamics, we demonstrate nonlocality in dielectric response alters near-field heat transfer at gap sizes on the order of hundreds of nanometers. Our theoretical study reveals that, opposite to the local model prediction, propagating waves can transport energy through the TDPM. However, energy transport by polaritons at shorter separations is reduced due to the metallic response of TDPM stronger than that predicted by the local model. Our experiments conducted for a configuration with a silica sphere and a doped silicon plate coated with an ultrathin layer of platinum as the TDPM show good agreement with the nonlocal near-field radiation theory. Our experimental work in conjunction with the nonlocal theory has important implications in thermophotovoltaic energy conversion, thermal management applications with metal coatings, and quantum-optical structures.

Chronic intermittent ethanol exposure disrupts stress-related tripartite communication to impact affect-related behavioral selection in male rats

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by loss of intake control, increased anxiety, and susceptibility to relapse inducing stressors. Both astrocytes and neurons contribute to behavioral and hormonal consequences of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure in animal models. Details on how CIE disrupts hypothalamic neuro-glial communication, which mediates stress responses are lacking. We conducted a behavioral battery (grooming, open field, reactivity to a single, uncued foot-shock, intermittent-access two-bottle choice ethanol drinking) followed by Ca²⁺ imaging in ex-vivo slices of paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) from male rats exposed to CIE vapor or air-exposed controls. Ca²⁺ signals were evaluated in response to norepinephrine (NE) with or without selective α-adrenergic receptor (αAR) or GluN2B-containing N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists, followed by dexamethasone (DEX) to mock a pharmacological stress response. Expectedly, CIE rats had altered anxiety-like, rearing, grooming, and drinking behaviors. Importantly, NE-mediated reductions in Ca²⁺ event frequency were blunted in both CIE neurons and astrocytes. Administration of the selective α1AR antagonist, prazosin, reversed this CIE-induced dysfunction in both cell types. Additionally, the pharmacological stress protocol reversed the altered basal Ca²⁺ signaling profile of CIE astrocytes. Signaling changes in astrocytes in response to NE were correlated with anxiety-like behaviors, such as the grooming:rearing ratio, suggesting tripartite synaptic function plays a role in switching between exploratory and stress-coping behavior. These data show how CIE exposure causes persistent changes to PVN neuro-glial function and provides the groundwork for how these physiological changes manifest in behavioral selection.

Nontrivial Topological Surface States in Ru3 Sn7 toward Wide pH-Range Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Nontrivial topological surface states (TSSs), which possess extraordinary carrier mobility and are protected by the bulk symmetry, have emerged as an innovative platform to search for efficient electrocatalysts toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, a Sn-based nontrivial metal Ru₃ Sn₇ is prepared using electrical arc melting method. The results indicate that the (001) crystal family of Ru₃ Sn₇ possesses nontrivial TSSs with linear dispersion relation and large nontrivial energy window. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that nontrivial TSSs of Ru₃ Sn₇ can significantly boost charge transfer kinetics and optimize adsorption of hydrogen intermediates due to bulk symmetry-protected band structures. As expected, nontrivial Ru₃ Sn₇ exhibits superior HER activity to Ru, Pt/C, and trivial counterparts (e.g., Ru₂ Sn₃ , IrSn₂ , and Rh₃ Sn₂ ) with higher ratios of noble metals. Furthermore, the wide pH-range activity of topologically nontrivial Ru₃ Sn₇ implies the robustness of its TSSs against pH variation during the HER. These findings provide a promising approach to the rational design of topologically nontrivial metals as highly efficient electrocatalysts.

Charge Redistribution of Co9S8/MoS2 Heterojunction Microsphere Enhances Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

The electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of transition metal sulfide heterojunctions are significantly increased when compared with that of a single component, but the mechanism behind the performance enhancement and the preparation of catalysts with specific morphologies still need to be explored. Here, we prepared a Co9S8/MoS2 heterojunction with microsphere morphology consisting of thin nanosheets using a facile two-step method. There is electron transfer between the Co9S8 and MoS2 of the heterojunction, thus realizing the redistribution of charge. After the formation of the heterojunction, the density of states near the Fermi surface increases, the d-band center of the transition metal moves downward, and the adsorption of both water molecules and hydrogen by the catalyst are optimized. As a result, the overpotential of Co9S8/MoS2 is superior to that of most relevant electrocatalysts reported in the literature. This work provides insight into the synergistic mechanisms of heterojunctions and their morphological regulation.

Phosphorus-modified cobalt single-atom catalysts loaded on crosslinked carbon nanosheets for efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction

Efficient and low-cost transition metal single-atom catalysts (TMSACs) for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) have been recognized as research hotspots recently with advances in delivering good catalytic activity without noble metals. However, the high-cost complex preparation of TMSACs and insufficient stability limited their practical applications. Herein, a simple top-down pyrolysis approach to obtain P-modified Co SACs loaded on the crosslinked defect-rich carbon nanosheets was introduced for alkaline hydrogen evolution, where Co atoms are locally confined before pyrolysis to prevent aggregation. Thereby, the abundant defects and the unsaturated coordination formed during the pyrolysis significantly improved the stability of the monatomic structure and reduced the reaction barrier. Furthermore, the synergy between cobalt atoms and phosphorus atoms was established to optimize the decomposition process of water molecules, which delivers the key to promoting the slow reaction kinetics of alkaline HER. As the result, the cobalt SAC exhibited excellent catalytic activity and stability for alkaline HER, with overpotentials of 70 mV and 192 mV at current densities of -10 mA cm^-2 and -100 mA cm^-2, respectively.

Integrated bioinformatic analyses investigate macrophage-M1-related biomarkers and tuberculosis therapeutic drugs

Tuberculosis (TB) is a common infectious disease linked to host genetics and the innate immune response. It is vital to investigate new molecular mechanisms and efficient biomarkers for Tuberculosis because the pathophysiology of the disease is still unclear, and there aren't any precise diagnostic tools. This study downloaded three blood datasets from the GEO database, two of which (GSE19435 and 83456) were used to build a weighted gene co-expression network for searching hub genes associated with macrophage M1 by the CIBERSORT and WGCNA algorithms. Furthermore, 994 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were extracted from healthy and TB samples, four of which were associated with macrophage M1, naming RTP4, CXCL10, CD38, and IFI44. They were confirmed as upregulation in TB samples by external dataset validation (GSE34608) and quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR). CMap was used to predict potential therapeutic compounds for tuberculosis using 300 differentially expressed genes (150 downregulated and 150 upregulated genes), and six small molecules (RWJ-21757, phenamil, benzanthrone, TG-101348, metyrapone, and WT-161) with a higher confidence value were extracted. We used in-depth bioinformatics analysis to investigate significant macrophage M1-related genes and promising anti-Tuberculosis therapeutic compounds. However, more clinical trials were necessary to determine their effect on Tuberculosis.

Construction of Cobalt Molybdenum Diselenide Three-phase Heterojunctions for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Acid Medium

Molybdenum diselenide and cobalt diselenide have been commonly implemented in electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, there have been few research on the creation of their three-phase heterojunctions and the associated HER process. Herein, we constructed a three-phase heterostructure sample consisting of orthorhombic CoSe₂ , cubic CoSe₂ and MoSe₂ and we investigated its HER performance. The sample shows microsphere morphology composed of nanosheets with interfacial interactions between the components. It possesses an overpotential of -136 mV at -10 mA cm^-2 in acid medium, which is superior to that of single component and most two-phase heterostructures. Especially, the overpotential at -200 mA cm^-2 is smaller than that of Pt/C. The excellent performance can be attributed to the d-orbital upshift of the Co active sites due to charge redistribution between the three-phase heterojunction and the optimization of the hydrogen free energy. This work provides inspiration for exploring the application of other multi-component heterojunctions in electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

Heart failure across the range of preserved ejection fraction in United States clinical practice

Introduction

Recent clinical trials of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have observed varying patient profiles by ejection fraction (EF), with attenuation of treatment benefits as EF increases. In routine clinical practice, the degree to which patients hospitalized for HF with EF≥60% may differ from those with lower EF is unknown.

Purpose

To compare patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes across the range of EF among patients hospitalized for HFpEF.

Methods

Using the Humedica electronic medical records database between Jan 2010 and Dec 2020, patients hospitalized for a primary diagnosis of HF with EF>40% and who were haemodynamically stable at admission, without concurrent acute coronary syndrome or end-stage renal disease, and treated with intravenous (IV) diuretic agents within 48 h of admission were identified. Patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes were compared by EF ranges of 41–49%, 50–59%, and ≥60%.

Results

Of 47,026 patients hospitalized with HFpEF, 6,335 (13%) had EF 41–49%, 18,603 (40%) had EF 50–59%, and 22,088 (47%) had EF≥60%. Across all 3 groups, patients were similar with respect to age (median 77 years for each group), race (83–84% White, 12–13% Black), systolic blood pressure (137–138 mmHg at admission), and eGFR (63–64 mL/min/1.73 m2 at admission). With progressively higher EF group, the proportion of women increased (45% vs 54% vs 65%) and median NT-proBNP decreased (4,221 vs 2,945 vs 2,234 pg/mL). Patients with EF ≥60% had the lowest rates of coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation, and the highest rates of chronic pulmonary disease (Figure 1, Panel A). Discharge medications were generally similar, with exception of less beta-blocker use and more calcium channel blocker use among those with EF ≥60% (Figure 1, Panel B). Discharge use of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor and sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor therapies were each <1% in all groups. Hospital length of stay (median 4 days for each group) and in-hospital mortality (1.1–1.3%) were similar across groups, but rates of in-hospital acute respiratory failure were higher among patients with EF ≥60% (27% vs 230-25% for lower EF groups). Rates of 30-day and 12-month post-discharge clinical events were high irrespective of EF, without meaningful differences between groups (Figure 2).

Conclusion

In a contemporary real-world population of US patients hospitalized for HF with EF >40%, nearly half had an EF≥60%. While clinical profiles and discharge medications varied, post-discharge outcomes were similarly poor irrespective of EF. There remain important opportunities to improve the care and outcomes for patients with HF across the range of preserved ejection fraction.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): MyoKardia, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Bristol Myers Squibb

Interlayer Spacing Regulation of Molybdenum Selenide Promotes Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Alkaline Media

The construction of heterostructures is a versatile tactic to enhance catalytic activity. However, it is still elusive to realize the modulation of the interlayer spacing in this way to further improve the performance. Here, strong interfacial coupling between CoSe₂ and MoSe₂ by constructing CoSe₂ /MoSe₂ heterostructures is achieved. The interlayer spacing of MoSe₂ is compressed by 0.3 Å. The enhanced charge transfer is validated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Coupled with the morphology of hollow microtubes, which can facilitate the exposure of active sites, CoSe₂ /MoSe₂ heterostructures reported here exhibit high activity (119 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 ) and excellent stability with small degradation after 50 h operation, surpassing other analogous powdered electrocatalysts. This work sheds light on the importance of tuning the interlayer spacing to improve electrocatalytic activity.

[Clinical characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and factors associated with co-infections in children]

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and analyze the factors associated with co-infections with other pathogens in children, and provide evidence for improvement of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) prevention and control in children. Methods: Based on the surveillance of hospitalized acute respiratory infections cases conducted in Soochow University Affiliated Children's Hospital (SCH), the CAP cases aged <16 years hospitalized in SCH between 2018 and 2021 were screened. The pathogenic test results of the cases were obtained through the laboratory information system, and their basic information, underlying conditions, and clinical characteristics were collected using a standardized questionnaire. The differences in clinical characteristics between M. pneumoniae infection and bacterial or viral infection and the effect of the co-infection of M. pneumoniae with other pathogens on clinical severity in the cases were analyzed; logistic regression was used to analyze the factors associated with the co-infections with other pathogens. Results: A total of 8 274 hospitalized CAP cases met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 2 184 were positive for M. pneumoniae (26.4%). The M. pneumoniae positivity rate increased with age (P<0.001), and it was higher in girls (P<0.001) and in summer and autumn (P<0.001). There were statistically significant differences in the incidence of wheezing, shortness of breath, wheezing sounds and visible lamellar faint shadow on chest radiographs, as well as fever and hospitalization days among M. pneumoniae, bacterial, and viral infection cases (all P<0.05). In the cases aged <60 months years, co-infection cases had higher rates of wheezing, gurgling with sputum and stridor; and in the cases aged ≥60 months, co-infection cases had a higher rate of shortness of breath (all P<0.05). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that being boys (aOR=1.38,95%CI:1.15-1.67), being aged <6 months (aOR=3.30,95%CI:2.25-4.89), 6-23 months (aOR=3.44,95%CI:2.63-4.51), 24-47 months (aOR=2.50,95%CI:1.90-3.30) and 48-71 months (aOR=1.77,95%CI:1.32-2.37), and history of respiratory infection within 3 months (aOR=1.28,95%CI:1.06-1.55) were factors associated with co-infections of M. pneumoniae with other pathogens. Conclusions: M. pneumoniae was the leading pathogen in children hospitalized due to CAP. M. pneumoniae infections could cause fever for longer days compared with bacterial or viral infections; M. pneumoniae was often co-detected with virus or bacteria. Being boys, being aged <72 months and history of respiratory infection within 3 months were associated factors for co-infections.

Highly Active Si Sites Enabled by Negative Valent Ru for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution in LaRuSi

The discovery and identification of novel active sites are paramount for deepening the understanding of the catalytic mechanism and driving the development of remarkable electrocatalysts. Here, we reveal that the genuine active sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in LaRuSi are Si sites, not the usually assumed Ru sites. Ru in LaRuSi has a peculiar negative valence state, which leads to strong hydrogen binding to Ru sites. Surprisingly, the Si sites have a Gibbs free energy of hydrogen adsorption that is near zero (0.063 eV). The moderate adsorption of hydrogen on Si sites during the HER process is also validated by in situ Raman analysis. Based on it, LaRuSi exhibits an overpotential of 72 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 in alkaline media, which is close to the benchmark of Pt/C. This work sheds light on the recognition of real active sites and the exploration of innovative silicide HER electrocatalysts.

Crystalline-Amorphous Interfaces Coupling of CoSe2 /CoP with Optimized d-Band Center and Boosted Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Amorphous and heterojunction materials have been widely used in the field of electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution due to their unique physicochemical properties. However, the current used individual strategy still has limited effects. Hence efficient tailoring tactics with synergistic effect are highly desired. Herein, the authors have realized the deep optimization of catalytic activity by a constructing crystalline-amorphous CoSe₂ /CoP heterojunction. Benefiting from the strong electronic coupling at the interfaces, the d-band center of the material moves further down compared to its crystalline-crystalline counterpart, optimizing the valence state and the H adsorption of Co and lowering the kinetic barrier of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The heterojunction shows an overpotential of 65 mV to drive a current density of 10 mA cm^-2 in the acidic medium. Besides, it also shows competitive properties in both neutral and basic media. This work provides inspiration for optimizing the catalytic activity through combining a crystalline and amorphous heterojunction, which can be implemented for other transition metal compound electrocatalysts.

Development of Older Adult Food Insecurity Index to Assess Food Insecurity of Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

Quantifying the number of older adults that are food insecure in a specific geographic area is critical in developing and scaling public health prevention and response programs at the local level. However, current estimates of older adult food insecurity only consider financial constraints, following the same methodology as the general population, even though the drivers for older adults are different and multidimensional. This study aims to build a general approach to quantify the food-insecurity among older adults at the local level, using publicly available data that can be easily obtained across the country.

METHODS

13 risk factors for food insecurity among older adults were identified leveraging existing studies, following the Social Ecological Model (SEM), and the weighted impact of each factor was determined. Publicly available data sources were identified for each factor, ZIP code level data was compared to national averages, and the weighted data for each factor were aggregated to determine the overall food insecurity at the local level.

RESULTS

Based on the averaged odds ratios across all the studies, of the 13 risk factors, beyond financial constraints, having a disability was the most impactful factor and distance to the nearest grocery store was the least impactful. A ZIP code level model of Honolulu County was developed as an example to demonstrate the approach, showing that food insecurity among older adults in the county was 2.5 times that which was reported from the Current Population Survey (16.5% versus 6.5%).

CONCLUSION

This evidence-based model considered factors that impact food insecurity among older adults across all the spheres of the SEM. The drivers of food insecurity among older adults are different than the drivers for the general population, resulting in a higher percentage of older adults being food insecure than currently reported.

Double-wall carbon nanotube assisted phase engineering in CoOxSy complex for efficient oxygen evolution reaction

Sluggish electron kinetics in oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is one of the main factors restricting the development of hydrogen production technology from electrical water splitting, while the key to break...

Efficacy of surgical navigation in zygomaticomaxillary complex fractures: randomized controlled trial

Accurate reduction is of vital importance in the treatment of zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) fractures. Computer-assisted navigation systems (CANS) have been employed in ZMC fractures to improve the accuracy of surgical reduction. However, randomized controlled trials on this subject are rare and the benefits of CANS remain controversial. The aim of this study was to compare reduction errors between navigation-aided and conventional surgical treatment for ZMC fractures. Thirty-eight patients with unilateral type B ZMC fractures were enrolled. Preoperative computed tomography data were imported into ProPlan software for virtual surgical planning. Open reduction and internal fixation was performed with CANS (experimental group) or without CANS (control group). Postoperative computed tomography scans were obtained to examine the difference between surgical planning and the actual postoperative outcome, namely reduction errors. The median translational reduction errors in the X, Y, and Z axes were 0.80 mm, 0.40 mm, and 0.80 mm, respectively, in the experimental group and 0.53 mm, 0.86 mm, and 0.83 mm, respectively, in the control group (P > 0.05). The median rotational reduction errors in pitch, roll, and yaw were 0.92°, 2.47°, and 1.54°, respectively, in the experimental group and 1.45°, 3.68°, and 0.76°, respectively, in the control group (P > 0.05). In conclusion, compared with conventional reduction surgery, navigation-aided surgery showed no significant improvement in reduction accuracy in the treatment of type B ZMC fractures (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, registration number ChiCTR1800015559).

[Short-term efficacy of anti-IgE monoclonal antibody in patients with recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps combined with asthma]

Objective: To investigate the short-term efficacy of anti-IgE monoclonal antibody (Omalizumab) in the treatment of recurrent chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) complicated with asthma. Methods: Patients with recurrent CRSwNP and comorbid asthma in Beijing TongRen Hospital from May to December of 2020 were continuously recruited and received a 4-month therapy of stable background treatment plus Omalizumab. Results of visual analog scales (VAS) of nasal symptoms, sino-nasal outcome test-22 (SNOT 22) and nasal polyp scores were collected at baseline and post-treatment (1, 2, 3 and 4 months after treatment). Blood routine tests, total nasal resistances (TNR), minimum cross-sectional areas (MCA), total nasal cavity volumes (NCV), forced expiratory volumes in one second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) and adverse events were collected at baseline and 4 months after treatment. All results were evaluated for short-term efficacy of Omalizumab. GraphPad Prism 8.2.1 was used for statistic analysis. Results: Ten patients were collected, including 3 males and 7 females, aged (41.13±12.64) years old (x¯±s). Compared to results at baseline, the VAS scores of nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, hyposmia and headache after 4 months treatment were significantly decreased (1.80±1.48 vs 6.70±2.83, 2.40±1.27 vs 6.40±3.44, 2.70±2.91 vs 8.20±2.25, 0.60±1.08 vs 3.60±2.72, t value was 5.045, 4.243, 5.312, 3.402, respectively, all P<0.01). The scores of SNOT-22 (25.6±20 vs 61.3±33.32, t=4.127, P=0.002 6), nasal polyp scores (2.20±0.92 vs 4.60±0.84, t=9.000, P<0.01) and the count and percentage of eosinophils in peripheral blood were significantly decreased ((94.10±97.78)×10⁹/L vs (360.00±210.80)×10⁹/L, (32.90±27.06)% vs (64.40±20.73)%, t value was 3.678, 2.957, respectively, all P<0.05). NCV (0-5 cm and 0-7 cm) of patients were improved from baseline ((12.62±2.84) cm³ vs (10.40±2.09) cm³, (27.50±14.15) cm³ vs (16.81±6.40) cm³, t value was 2.371, 2.445, respectively, all P<0.05). Conclusions: The 4-month treatment of Omalizumab can significantly improve the nasal symptoms and quality of life of patients with recurrent CRSwNP complicated with asthma, shrink nasal polyps size and reduce the number of peripheral blood eosinophils. Omalizumab can be used as an alternative therapy for refractory CRSwNP patients in the future.

Systematic characterization of chemical constituents in Mahuang decoction by UHPLC tandem linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry coupled with feature-based molecular networking

Comprehensive characterization of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions has long been a hurdle due to the chemical complexity and the lack of analytical tools. Mahuang decoction is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine prescription widely used for sweating and relieving the exterior, relieving cough and asthma, but it was insufficiently chemically scrutinized. In this study, the chemical component information of Mahuang decoction was investigated by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem linear ion trap-Orbitrap mass spectrometry. A new data processing tool, feature-based molecular networking, was introduced for grouping and elucidating the compounds. In this way, 156 chemical components were identified or tentatively characterized, including alkaloids, triterpenoid saponins, flavanone-O-glycosides, flavone-C-glycosides, and procyanidins. Thus, this research provides a solid foundation for further development of Mahuang decoction, and the adopted method is expected to be applied to other traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions.

[Diagnostic efficacy for predicting intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas with high grade dysplasia or invasive carcinoma based on the surgery indications in different guidelines]

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the European Evidence-based Guidelines on Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms (EEGPCN)(2018) and International Association of Pancreatology(IAP) Guideline(Version 2017) in predicting high grade dysplasia/invasive carcinoma-intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm(HGD/INV-IPMN). Methods: A retrospective analysis of 363 patients,who underwent surgical resection in Changhai Hospital affiliated to Navy Medical University from January 2012 to December 2018 and were pathologically identified as (intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, IPMN),was performed. The patients,including 230 males and 133 females,aging (61.7±10.1) years(range:19 to 83 years). The proportion of HGD/INV-IPMN who met with the absolute indication(AI) of EEGPCN and high risk stigma(HRS) of IAP were compared. The binary Logistic regression analysis was used to find the independent risk factors of HGD/INV-IPMN.Eight combinations of risk factors derived from relative indication/worrisome feature or risk factors in this study,were made to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy. The area under curve(AUC) of receiver operating characteristics was used to evaluate the the cutoff value of risk factors(①CA19-9≥37 U/ml,②diameter of main pancreatic duct 5.0-9.9 mm,③enhancing mural nodule<5 mm,④(acute) pancreatiti,⑤^acyst diameter ≥40 mm,⑤^bcyst diameter ≥30 mm, ⑥thickened or enhancing cyst walls,⑦neutrophile granulocyte to lymphocyte ratio(NLR)≥2, ⑧cyst located in head, uncinate or neck,⑨carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) ≥5 μg/L) number for predicting HGD/INV-IPMN.The accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,true positive,true negative,false positive,false negative,positive likelihood ratio,negative likelihood ratio,Youden index and F1 score were calculated. Results: Ninety-two patients(49.5%) of 186 ones who met AI and 85 patients(48.3%) of 176 ones who met HRS were respectively confirmed as HGD/INV-IPMN. In those patients who were not met AI,tumor location,thickened/enhancing cyst wall,CA19-9 elevated,NLR≥2 and CEA elevated were significantly (P<0.05) correlated with HGD/INV-IPMN. And tumor location(head/uncinate/neck vs. body/tail,OR=3.284,95%CI:1.268-8.503,P=0.014),thickened/enhancement cyst wall (with vs.without,OR=2.713,95%CI:1.177-6.252,P=0.019),CA19-9(≥37 U/L vs.<37 U/L, OR=5.086,95%CI:2.05-12.62,P<0.01) and NLR(≥2 vs.<2,OR=2.380,95%CI:1.043-5.434,P=0.039) were the independent risk factors of HGD/INV-IPMN. Patients with ≥4 risk factors of 9 in combination Ⅷ(①②③④⑤^b⑥⑦⑧⑨) were diagnosed as HGD/INV-IPMN with the moderate accuracy(71.0%),moderate sensitivity (62.0%) and moderate specificity (73.0%). Patients with ≥4 risk factors of 9 in Combination Ⅶ(①②③④⑤^a⑥⑦⑧⑨) were diagnosed as HGD/INV-IPMN with the highest specificity(83.0%) and patients with ≥3 risk factors of 8 in combination Ⅵ(①②③④⑤^b⑥⑧⑨) were diagnosed as HGD/INV-IPMN with the highest sensitivity(74.0%). The AUC for diagnosis of HGD/INV-IPMN in combination Ⅵ,Ⅶ and Ⅷ were 0.72,0.75 and 0.75,respectively. Older patients and younger patients could respectively refer to combination Ⅶ and combination Ⅵ to improve the management of IPMN. Conclusions: Patients who meet AI of EEGPCN should undertake resection, otherwise the method we explored is recommended. The method of improvement for diagnosis of HGD/INV-IPMN is relatively applicable and efficient for decision-making of surgery, especially for younger patients with decreasing of missed diagnosis and elder patients with decreasing of misdiagnosis.

Downregulation of long non-coding RNA AIRN promotes mitophagy in alcoholic fatty hepatocytes by promoting ubiquitination of mTOR

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial in chronic liver diseases, but the specific molecular mechanism of lncRNAs in alcoholic fatty liver (AFL) remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the in-depth regulatory mechanism of mTOR affected by AIRN non-protein coding RNA (lncRNA-AIRN) in the development of AFL. LncRNA-AIRN was highly expressed in the liver tissues of AFL C57BL/6mice and oleic acid+alcohol (O+A)treated AML-12cells by using quantitative real-timePCR. RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated that there was an interaction between lncRNA-AIRN and mTOR, and that interference with lncRNA-AIRN could promote the mTOR protein level. Results ofcycloheximide-chase assay showed that the proteinlevel of mTOR was decreased with the treatment time after the knockdown of lncRNA-AIRN. Furthermore, the knockdown of lncRNA-AIRN reducedmTOR protein level by promoting the E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXW7-mediated ubiquitination.The lncRNA-AIRN/mTORaxis was involved in the regulation of the mitophagy of O+A treated hepatocytes, which was confirmed by the cell transfection and the MTT assay.SPSS 16.0 was used for analyzing data. The difference between the two groups was analyzed by performing Student's t-test, and ANOVA was used to analyze the difference when more than two groups. P values < 0.05 were considered to be significantly different.Our findings demonstrated that the knockdown of lncRNA-AIRN influencedmitophagy in AFL by promoting mTOR ubiquitination.

Reversed Active Sites Boost the Intrinsic Activity of Graphene-like Cobalt Selenide for Hydrogen Evolution

Optimizing the hydrogen adsorption Gibbs free energy (ΔG_H ) of active sites is essential to improve the overpotential of the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We doped graphene-like Co_0.85 Se with sulfur and found that the active sites are reversed (from cationic Co sites to anionic S sites), which contributed to an enhancement in electrocatalytic HER performance. The optimal S-doped Co_0.85 Se composite has an overpotential of 108 mV (at 10 mA cm^-2 ) and a Tafel slope of 59 mV dec^-1 , which exceeds other reported Co_0.85 Se-based electrocatalysts. The doped S sites have much higher activity than the Co sites, with a hydrogen adsorption Gibbs free energy (ΔG_H ) close to zero (0.067 eV), which reduces the reaction barrier for hydrogen production. This work provides inspiration for optimizing the intrinsic HER activity of other related transition metal chalcogenides.

Laser ablation in air and its application in catalytic water splitting and Li-ion battery

Pulse laser has been widely used in both fundamental science and practical technologies. In this perspective, we highlight the employment of pulse laser ablation in air (LAA) in energy-related catalytic reactions. With LAA, samples are directly ablated in ambient air, which makes this technology facile to conduct. Materials can be modified by LAA in multiple aspects, such as morphology modulation, heterojunction fabrication, or defects engineering, which are desired features for energy-related catalytic reactions. We begin this perspective with a brief introduction of this technology, including the mechanism, the experimental setup, and the characteristic of laser-ablated materials. The recent works utilizing LAA are then summarized to prove the promising prospects of LAA in the energy field. Finally, several opportunities about the future usage of LAA are proposed and discussed.

[Wnt3a promotes osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cell and regeneration of alveolar bone in experimental periodontitis]

Objective: To explore the effects of Wnt3a on the proliferation, migration and osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cell (PDLSC) and to identify the role of Wnt3a in alveolar bone regeneration in mouse experimental periodontitis. Methods: The experiments were conducted by stimulating PDLSC using Wnt3a of 5 different concentrations (0, 20, 100, 200, 500 μg/L) respectively. Cell proliferation was detected by cell-counting assay, cell migration was evaluated by Transwell assay and the expressions of osteogenic related genes collagen Ⅰ (Col-Ⅰ), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) were examined by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA)-Wnt3a-hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel was injected locally into the gingival sulcus of mice with experimental periodontitis. After 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks of hydrogel injection, samples of maxillary alveolar bone were obtained. Micro-CT, HE staining and immunohistochemical staining of osteogenesis related markers, such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Runx2, osteocalcin (OCN), were used to evaluate alveolar bone regeneration. Results: After 10 d of culture, Wnt3a with concentrations of 20-500 μg/L significantly promoted the proliferation (P<0.01) and the migration (P<0.01) of PDLSC. After 21 d of culture, the expression levels of Col-Ⅰ mRNA were 0.96±0.27, 1.90±0.47, 2.18±0.24, 2.32±0.15 and 1.99±0.43 in 5 concentration groups respectively, and the expression levels of Runx2 mRNA were 1.08±0.15, 3.19±0.17, 6.19±0.28, 9.19±0.41 and 5.55±0.06, respectively. Both expressions had significant statistical differences compared with the negative control group (P<0.05). At 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks, the Wnt3a hydrogel group had less distance [(497.3±18.2), (455.7±12.5), (401.0±8.5), (362.3±15.5) μm] from the cemento-enamel junction to alveolar bone crest compared with the periodontitis group [(710.3±10.2), (614.0±16.4), (564.3±12.5), (502.3±6.8) μm] (P<0.01) and weaker periodontal inflammation. Immunohistochemical results showed that the expression levels of bone-related proteins of ALP (0.72±0.01), Runx2 (0.77±0.03) and OCN (0.72±0.07) in the Wnt3a hydrogel group were increased compared with the periodontitis group (P<0.01). Conclusions: Wnt3a might promote the proliferation, migration and osteogenic differentiation of PDLSC and the alveolar bone regeneration.

RhSe2 : A Superior 3D Electrocatalyst with Multiple Active Facets for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Both Acid and Alkaline Solutions

Layered 2D materials are a vital class of electrocatalys for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), due to their large area, excellent activity, and facile fabrication. Theoretical caculations domenstrate, however, that only the edges of the 2D nanosheets act as active sites, while the much larger basal plane exhibits passive activity. Here, from a distinguishing perspective, RhSe₂ is reported as a "3D" electrocatalyst for HER with top-class activity, synthesized by a facile solid-state method. Superior to 2D materials, multiple crystal facets of RhSe₂ exhibit near-zero free energy change of hydrogen adsorption (ΔG_H ), which guarantees high performance in most common morphologies. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the low-coordinated Rh atoms act as the active sites in acid, which enables the modified Kubas-mediated pathway, while the Se atoms act as the active sites in an alkaline medium. The overpotentials of HER activity of RhSe₂ are measured to be 49.9 and 81.6 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 in acid and alkaline solutions, respectively. This work paves the way to new transition metal chalcogenide catalysts.

[Exploring the effects of artesunate and fuzheng huayu decoction on mitochondria in the treatment of schistosomiasis liver fibrosis]

Objective: To compare the effects of artesunate (Art) and fuzheng huayu decoction on mitochondrial autophagy in the treatment of schistosomiasis liver fibrosis. Methods: Eighty C57BL/6 female mice were randomly divided into healthy control group, infection group, Art treatment group and Fuzheng Huayu Decoction treatment group, with 20 mice in each group. Mice in the infection group and treatment group were infected with 16 Schistosoma japonicum cercariae. After 6 weeks, praziquantel (300 mg/kg) was used for 2 days to kill the worms. The Art treatment group was treated with intraperitoneal injection of 100 mg/kg/day, while the Fuzheng Huayu Decoction treatment group was fed 16g of fuzheng huayu decoction per 1kg per day. After 6 weeks, fresh liver tissues of the four groups were collected. Masson staining and Western blot were used to observe the succinate dehydrogenase subunit A (SDHA) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH2), citrate synthase (CS), ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH), and target of rapamycin 1 (mTORC1) pathway involved in mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle in liver tissues. The relative expression levels of adenylate activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mitochondrial autophagy pathway kinase (PINK1) were detected. Liver tissue samples were extracted from each group to detect the mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate. Two-way ANOVA was used to compare the significance and difference between two sets of samples. Results: Masson staining showed that the infection group mice had significantly higher liver fibrosis area than the healthy control group, while the Art treatment group and Fuzheng Huayu Decoction treatment group mice had lower liver fibrosis area than the infection group. Western blot analysis showed that the infection group (0.82±0.05) had significantly lower relative expression of SDHA protein than the healthy control group (1.00±0.05) (t = 11.23, P = 0.0035), while the Art treatment group (0.73±0.05) had significantly higher relative expression of SDHA protein than the infection group (t = 10.79, P = 0.0073). However, there was no significant change in Fuzheng Huayu Decoction treatment group (0.98±0.05) (t = 1.925,P= 0.1266). The relative expression of p-AMPK protein was significantly higher in the infection group (1.15 ±0.05) than in the healthy control group (0.98±0.07,t= 12.18, P = 0.0029), and the expression of p-AMPK in the Art treatment group (0.50±0.05) was significantly lower than the infection group (t = 11.78,P= 0.0032). The relative protein expression of AMPK was significantly lower in the infection group (0.80±0.05) than in the healthy control group (1.00±0.05, t= 10.53, P= 0.0046). The expression of AMPK was significantly lower in the Art treatment group (0.54±0.05) than in the infection group (T = 13.98, P = 0.0036). The relative expression of p-mTORC1 protein (0.93±0.08) was not significantly different in the infection group than in the healthy control group (t = 2.28, P = 0.065), while the Art treatment group (0.63±0.05) had significantly lower relative expression of p-mTORC1 protein than the infection group (t = 10.58, P = 0.029). The expression of p-mTORC1/m-TORC1 was not significantly different in the infection group (0.98±0.03) than in the healthy control group (0.97±0.03, t = 0.98, P = 0.085), while the Art treatment group (0.63±0.05) had significantly lower relative expression of p-mTORC1/m-TORC1 than the infection group (t = 14.58, P = 0. 009). The relative protein expression of PINK1 was significantly lower in the infection group (0.55±0.05) than in the healthy control group (1.00±0.03, t = 13.49, P = 0.0011), while the Art treatment group (1.21±0.05, t = 9.98, P = 0.0046) and Fuzheng Huayu Decoction treatment group (1.31 ±0.35, t = 6.98, P = 0.027) had significantly higher relative protein expression of PINK1 than the infection group. Mitochondrial function tests showed that after adding substrate complex II, the oxygen consumption of the infection group was lower than the healthy control group, while the Art treatment group and the Fuzheng Huayu Decoction treatment group had higher oxygen consumption than the infection group. The oxygen consumption was significantly lower after adding the substrate complex III in the infection group than the healthy control group, while the Art treatment group and Fuzheng Huayu Decoction treatment group had higher oxygen consumption than the infection group. Conclusion: Art can alleviate schistosomiasis liver fibrosis by inhibiting AMPK/mTORC1 signaling pathway activity and enhancing mitochondrial oxygen consumption, autophagy and SDHA expression.

An optomechanogram for assessment of the structural and mechanical properties of tissues

The structural and mechanical properties of tissue and the interplay between them play a critical role in tissue function. We introduce the optomechanogram, a combined quantitative and qualitative visualization of spatially co-registered measurements of the microstructural and micromechanical properties of any tissue. Our approach relies on the co-registration of two independent platforms, second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy for quantitative assessment of 3D collagen-fiber microstructural organization, and nanoindentation (NI) for local micromechanical properties. We experimentally validate our method by applying to uterine cervix tissue, which exhibits structural and mechanical complexity. We find statistically significant agreement between the micromechanical and microstructural data, and confirm that the distinct tissue regions are distinguishable using either the SHG or NI measurements. Our method could potentially be used for research in pregnancy maintenance, mechanobiological studies of tissues and their constitutive modeling and more generally for the optomechanical metrology of materials.

Clinical Frailty Scale and Biomarkers for Assessing Frailty in Elder Inpatients in China

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the feasibility of the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and clinical biomarkers in assessing the frailty in elder inpatients in China.

DESIGN

The study was a cross-sectional study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

The study included 642 elder inpatients (295 females and 347 males) aged ≥65 years, from the Department of Geriatrics of Zhejiang Hospital between January 2018 and December 2019.

MEASUREMENTS

All participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment and blood tests. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between risk factors and frailty.

RESULTS

The average age of the participants was 82.72±8.06 years (range: 65-95 years) and the prevalence of frailty was 39.1% according to the CFS. Frail participants showed significantly lower short physical performance battery (SPPB), basic activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scores (all p<0.001), and lower hemoglobin, total protein and albumin levels (all P<0.05) than nonfrail participants. Frail participants had higher CRP, D-dimer and fibrinogen levels than nonfrail participants (all p<0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between frailty and age, comorbidity, polypharmacy, fall history, SPPB, ADL, and IADL scores, D-dimer, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, total protein and albumin levels (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age (odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI)= 1.151(1.042-1.272), P=0.006), SPPB scores (OR, 95% CI=0.901(0.601-1.350), P<0.001), and D-dimer (OR, 95% CI=4.857(2.182-6.983), P<0.001), fibrinogen (OR, 95% CI=2.665(0.977-4.254), P<0.001), hemoglobin (OR, 95% CI=0.837(0.725-0.963), P= 0.044), and albumin (OR, 95% CI=0.860 (0.776-1.188), P<0.001) levels were independently associated with frailty in all participants.

CONCLUSION

Frailty in elder inpatients in China is characterized by older age, a lower SPPB scores, higher D-dimer and fibrinogen levels and lower hemoglobin and albumin levels. Functional decline and malnutrition may be the targets of frailty interventions.

Correlations of the expression of γδ T cells and their co-stimulatory molecules TIGIT, PD-1, ICOS and BTLA with PR and PIBF in the peripheral blood and decidual tissues of women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion

Semi-allogeneic embryos are not rejected by the maternal immune system due to maternal-fetal immune tolerance. Progesterone (P) receptor (PR)-expressing γδ T cells are present in healthy pregnant women. In the presence of P, these cells secrete an immunomodulatory protein called progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF), which can facilitate immune escape and is important in preventing embryonic rejection. This work investigated the correlations of the expression of γδ T cells and their co-stimulatory molecules T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT), programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), inducible co-stimulator (ICOS) and B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) with progesterone receptor (PR) and progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) in peripheral blood and decidual tissue in women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) and normal pregnant (NP) women. We confirmed that γδ T cell proportions and PIBF expression in the peripheral blood and decidua of URSA women decreased significantly, while PR expression in decidua decreased. However, TIGIT, PD-1, ICOS and BTLA expression in γδ T cells in peripheral blood did not change, while TIGIT and PD-1 expression in γδ T cells in decidua increased significantly. Under the action of PHA-P (10 µg/ml), co-blocking of TIGIT (15 µg/ml) and PD-1 (10 µg/ml) antibodies further induced γδ T cell proliferation, but PIBF levels in the culture medium supernatant did not change. At 10^-10 M P, γδ T cells proliferated significantly, and PIBF concentrations in the culture medium supernatant increased. γδ T cells co-cultured with P, TIGIT and PD-1 blocking antibodies showed the most significant proliferation, and PIBF concentrations in the culture medium supernatant were the highest. These results confirm that P is necessary for PIBF production. The TIGIT and PD-1 pathways participate in γδ T cell proliferation and activation and PIBF expression and play important roles in maintaining pregnancy.

A multi-modal virtual reality treadmill intervention for enhancing mobility and cognitive function in people with multiple sclerosis: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Gait and cognitive impairments are common in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and can interfere with everyday function. Those with MS have difficulties executing cognitive tasks and walking simultaneously, a reflection of dual-task interference. Therefore, dual-task training may improve functional ambulation. Additionally, using technology such as virtual reality can provide personalized rehabilitation while mimicking real-world environments. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to establish the benefits of a combined cognitive-motor virtual reality training on MS symptoms compared to conventional treadmill training.

METHODS

This study will be a single-blinded, two arm RCT with a six-week intervention period. 144 people with MS will be randomized into a treadmill training alone group or treadmill training with virtual reality group. Both groups will receive 18 sessions of training while walking on a treadmill, with the virtual reality group receiving feedback from the virtual system. Primary outcome measures include dual-task gait speed and information processing speed, which will be measured prior to training, one-week post-training, and three months following training.

DISCUSSION

This study will provide insight into the ability of a multi-modal cognitive-motor intervention to reduce dual-task cost and to enhance information processing speed in those with MS. This is one of the first studies that is powered to understand whether targeted dual-task training can improve MS symptoms and increase functional ambulation. We anticipate that those in the virtual reality group will have a significantly greater increase in dual-task gait speed and information processing speed than those achieved via treadmill training alone.

Supercomputer-Based Ensemble Docking Drug Discovery Pipeline with Application to Covid-19

We present a supercomputer-driven pipeline for in-silico drug discovery using enhanced sampling molecular dynamics (MD) and ensemble docking. We also describe preliminary results obtained for 23 systems involving eight protein targets of the proteome of SARS CoV-2. THe MD performed is temperature replica-exchange enhanced sampling, making use of the massively parallel supercomputing on the SUMMIT supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, with which more than 1ms of enhanced sampling MD can be generated per day. We have ensemble docked repurposing databases to ten configurations of each of the 23 SARS CoV-2 systems using AutoDock Vina. We also demonstrate that using Autodock-GPU on SUMMIT, it is possible to perform exhaustive docking of one billion compounds in under 24 hours. Finally, we discuss preliminary results and planned improvements to the pipeline, including the use of quantum mechanical (QM), machine learning, and AI methods to cluster MD trajectories and rescore docking poses.

Influence of an InGaN superlattice pre-layer on the performance of semi-polar (11-22) green LEDs grown on silicon

It is well-known that it is crucial to insert either a single InGaN underlayer or an InGaN superlattice (SLS) structure (both with low InN content) as a pre-layer prior to the growth of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) served as an active region for a light-emitting diode (LED). So far, this growth scheme has achieved a great success in the growth of III-nitride LEDs on c-plane substrates, but has not yet been applied in the growth of any other orientated III-nitride LEDs. In this paper, we have applied this growth scheme in the growth of semi-polar (11–22) green LEDs, and have investigated the impact of the SLS pre-layer on the optical performance of semi-polar (11–22) green LEDs grown on patterned (113) silicon substrates. Our results demonstrate that the semi-polar LEDs with the SLS pre-layer exhibit an improvement in both internal quantum efficiency and light output, which is similar to their c-plane counterparts. However, the performance improvement is not so significant as in the c-plane case. This is because the SLS pre-layer also introduces extra misfit dislocations for the semi-polar, but not the c-plane case, which act as non-radiative recombination centres.

Cobalt doping of FePS3 promotes intrinsic active sites for the efficient hydrogen evolution reaction

Exploring Earth-abundant electrocatalysts to achieve the efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is important for the development of clean and renewable hydrogen energy. Herein, we focus on a representative transition metal phosphosulfide electrocatalyst FePS3. Enlightened by our theoretical calculations that Co dopants improve H affinity on P sites and electrical conductivity, we prepared a series of Fe1-xCoxPS3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25) compounds and characterized them by XRD, ICP, XPS, Raman, SEM, TEM, EDS, and resistivity and electrochemical measurement. It is found that the overpotential can be reduced by 166 mV, and the Tafel slope drops from 170 mV dec-1 to 80 mV dec-1. This work provides new insights to optimize the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of related transition metal phosphosulfides.

NiSe2/CdS composite nanoflakes photocatalyst with enhanced activity under visible light

Degrading organic pollutants using a photocatalyst under visible light is one of the effective ways to solve the increasingly serious environmental pollution problem. In this work, we have loaded a small amount of NiSe₂ nanoflakes on the surface of CdS using a simple and low-cost solvothermal synthesis method. The samples were characterized with detailed X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), photocurrent, photoluminescence spectrometer (PL), photocatalytic properties, etc. The results show that a 2 mol% load of NiSe₂ increases the rate of degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) to more than twice the original rate (0.01000 min⁻¹versus 0.00478 min⁻¹). Meanwhile, the sample has excellent stability. The improved photocatalytic properties can be attributed to the face-to-face contact between the nanoflakes, accelerated separation and transfer of photon-generated carriers. This work provides a suitable co-catalyst that can be used to optimize the performance of other photocatalytic materials.

The obtained NiSe₂/CdS composite nanoflakes exhibit greatly enhanced photocatalytic properties due to the accelerated separation of photon-generated carriers.