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Cyclic peptides with cyclophane linkers are an attractive compound type owing to the fine‐tuned rigid three‐dimensional structures and unusual biophysical features. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are capable of catalyzing not only the C−C and C−O oxidative coupling reactions found in vancomycin and other nonribosomal peptides (NRPs), but they also exhibit novel catalytic activities to generate cyclic ribosomally synthesized and post‐translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) through cyclophane linkage. To discover more P450‐modified multicyclic RiPPs, we set out to find cryptic and unknown P450‐modified RiPP biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) through genome mining. Synergized bioinformatic analysis reveals that P450‐modified RiPP BGCs are broadly distributed in bacteria and can be classified into 11 classes. Focusing on two classes of P450‐modified RiPP BGCs where precursor peptides contain multiple conserved aromatic amino acid residues, we characterized 11 novel P450‐modified multicyclic RiPPs with different cyclophane linkers through heterologous expression. Further mutation of the key ring‐forming residues and combinatorial biosynthesis study revealed the order of bond formation and the specificity of P450s. This study reveals the functional diversity of P450 enzymes involved in the cyclophane‐containing RiPPs and indicates that P450 enzymes are promising tools for rapidly obtaining structurally diverse cyclic peptide derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Inflammation has emerged as a prominent risk factor for cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). However, the specific association between various inflammatory biomarkers and the development of CSVD remains unclear. Serine proteinase inhibitor A3 (SERPINA3), Matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9), Tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase‐1 (TIMP‐1), Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein‐1 (MCP‐1) are several inflammatory biomarkers that are potentially involved in the development of CSVD. In this present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between candidate molecules and CSVD features. Method: The concentration of each biomarker was measured in 79 acute ischemic stroke patients admitted within 72 h after symptom onset. The associations between blood levels of inflammatory markers and CSVD score were investigated, as well as each CSVD feature, including white matter hyperintensities (WMH), lacunes, and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS). Results: The mean age was 69.0 ± 11.8 years, and 65.8% of participants were male. Higher SERPINA3 level (>78.90 ng/mL) was significantly associated with larger WMH volume and higher scores on Fazekas's scale in all three models. Multiple regression analyses revealed the linear association between absolute WMH burden and SERPINA3 level, especially in model 3 (β = 0.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04–0.24;p =0.008). Restricted cubic spline regression demonstrated a dose–response relationship between SERPINA3 level and larger WMH volume (p nonlineariy = 0.0366 and 0.0378 in model 2 and mode 3, respectively). Using a receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curve, plasma SERPINA3 level of 64.15 ng/mL distinguished WMH >7.8 mL with the highest sensitivity and specificity (75.92% and 60%, respectively, area under curve [AUC] = 0.668, p = 0.0102). No statistically significant relationship has been found between other candidate biomarkers and CSVD features. Conclusion: In summary, among four inflammatory biomarkers that we investigated, SERPINA3 level at baseline was associated with WMH severity, which revealed a novel biomarker for CSVD and validated its relationship with inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with early cognitive impairment in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients and to describe short‐term recovery trajectories among ICH patients with early cognitive impairment. Methods: We prospectively enrolled ICH patients without baseline dementia in our institutions. Cognitive function was assessed using mini‐mental state examination (MMSE), and functional outcome was evaluated at discharge, 3, and 6 months after symptoms onset using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). We used multinomial logistic regression models to investigate potential risk factors and generalized linear models to analyze the functional outcome data. Results: Out of 181 patients with ICH, 167 were included in the final analysis. Early cognitive impairment occurred in 60.48% of patients with ICH. Age (odds ratio [OR] per 1‐year increase, 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.003–1.071; p = 0.034), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (OR per 1‐point increase, 1.146; 95% CI, 1.065–1.233; p < 0.001) and lobar ICH location (OR, 4.774; 95% CI, 1.810–12.593; p = 0.002) were associated with early cognitive impairment in ICH patients. Patients with ≥10 years of education were less likely to experience early cognitive impairment (OR, 0.323; 95% CI, 0.133–0.783; p = 0.012). Participants with early cognitive impairment had a higher risk of poor outcome (OR, 4.315; 95% CI, 1.503–12.393; p = 0.005) than those without. Furthermore, there was a significantly faster functional recovery rate for those without early cognitive impairment compared with those with at 3 and 6 months (p < 0.05). Interpretation: Early cognitive impairment was prevalent and associated with poor outcomes in ICH patients, which decelerated short‐term functional recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] This study aims to ascertain the effects of temperature on the growth and development of Atractomorpha sinensis, as well as the response of adult antioxidant enzymes to different temperatures. [Methods] The developmental duration, survival rate, fecundity and population growth index of various larval age stages raised on soybeans, and adult antioxidant enzyme activity, were measured and compared at temperatures of 16, 20, 24, 28 and 32 °C. [Results] The duration of larval development and adult pre-oviposition (oviposition) were shorter at higher temperatures. The survival rate of the nymph stage was highest (68.97%) at 24 °C. The developmental threshold temperature and effective accumulated temperature of a complete generation were 10.77 °C and 1 481.52 degree-days, respectively. The population net reproduction rate (R0) and population trend index (I) were highest (75.33 and 21.22, respectively) at 24 °C, lowest (33.67 and 9.25, respectively) at 16 °C, and intermediate (41.75 and 12.51 respectively, at 28 °C. Adults have a free radical-scavenging, antioxidant enzyme system and adult longevity and population life table parameters are significantly, and positively, correlated with antioxidant enzyme activity. [Conclusion] The results suggest that 24 °C was the optimum temperature for the reproduction of A. sinensis and that there is a close relationship between ambient temperature and antioxidant enzyme activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective of this study was to define prehospital ultra-early neurological deterioration (UND) and to investigate the association with functional outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of consecutive acute ICH patients. The stroke severity at onset and hospital admission was assessed using the Chongqing Stroke Scale (CQSS), and prehospital UND was defined as a CQSS increase of ≥2 points between symptoms onset and admission. Early neurological deterioration (END) was defined as the increase of ≥4 points in NIHSS score within the first 24 h after admission. Poor outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 4–6 at 3 months. Results: Prehospital UND occurred in 29 of 169 patients (17.2%). Patients with prehospital UND had a median admission NIHSS score of 17.0 as opposed to those without prehospital UND with a median NIHSS score of 8.5. There were three patterns of neurological deterioration: prehospital UND only in 21 of 169 patients (12.4%), END but without prehospital UND in 20 of 169 patients (11.8%), and continuous neurological deterioration in both phases in 8 patients (4.7%). Prehospital UND was associated with worse 3-month outcomes (median mRS score, 4.0 vs. 2.0, p = 0.002). After adjusting for age, time from onset to admission, END, and systolic blood pressure, prehospital UND was an independent predictor of poor outcome (odds ratio [OR] 3.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26–8.48, p = 0.015). Conclusion: Prehospital UND occurs in approximately 1 in 7 patients between symptom onset and admission and is associated with poor functional outcome in patients with ICH. Further research is needed to investigate the prehospital UND in the prehospital phase in the triage of patients with ICH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riptortus pedestris is one of the most destructive pests of leguminous crops in East Asia. In this study, we assessed the effect of different leguminous plant species, including soybean, wild soybean, white kidney bean, runner bean, pea, cowpea, adzuki bean, mung bean, faba bean, and lentil vetch, on the development and reproduction of R. pedestris. We found that leguminous plant species significantly affect the developmental duration and survivability of the nymphs, adult longevity, and oviposition and fecundity in R. pedestris. The nymphs completed their development on all of these plants. The developmental duration of nymphs was the shortest (16.24 ± 0.57 days) on soybean and the longest (31.33 ± 1.76 days) on faba bean. The rates of survival of nymphs on soybean and pea were 93.2% and 93.0%, respectively. Female adults survived the longest on soybean (64.67 ± 6.64 days) and the shortest (13.27 ± 3.67 days) on white kidney bean. The fecundity on faba bean (decorticated pods) (143.0 ± 28.04 eggs) and soybean (116.63 ± 12.76 eggs) was higher than those on other plants. The age‐specific life table revealed that the population trend index values were all >1 except on wild soybean and faba bean, and the highest was on soybean (30.36), followed by pea (21.0). Soybean and pea were identified as the most suitable hosts for R. pedestris because of their shorter developmental duration, higher survivability, longevity and fecundity and greater population trend index on these hosts, while wild soybean and faba bean were relatively unsuitable host plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one‐dimensional (1D) coordination polymer [Co(btca)1/2(mbpy)]n (1, mbpy=4,4′‐Dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridyl, H4btca=1,2,4,5‐Benzenetetracarboxylic acid) constructed by a mixed tetracarboxylic‐dipyridyl ligand strategy with a ribbon topology was synthesized and magnetically characterized. Magnetic studies combined with theoretical calculations reveal large easy‐axis magnetic anisotropy of the central Co(II) ions in a highly distorted five‐coordination geometry. Interestingly, field‐induced single‐ion magnet (SIM) behavior was evidenced in the chain compound, making the cobalt(II) coordination ribbon to be the first five‐coordinate SIM chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Riptortus pedestris Fabricius (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is an economically important pest of soybean that causes serious damage in the Huang-Huai-Hai region of China, which is the main soybean-producing area. However, the basic biological and ecological attributes of the Chinese populations of R. pedestris are still unknown. Temperature is a critical factor influencing insect population dynamics; therefore, understanding the effects of temperature on individual development and population growth of R. pedestris is helpful to forecast the pest's phenology as part of its control. In this study, we determined age–stage, two-sex life table parameters of R. pedestris at five constant temperatures (19, 22, 25, 28, and 31 °C) under laboratory conditions. The results demonstrated that the developmental period, preadult time, adult longevity, adult preoviposition period (APOP), and total preoviposition period (TPOP) were all significantly shortened when the temperature increased from 19 to 31 °C. The developmental time from egg to adult was 55.00 d at 19 °C but decreased to 24.43 d at 31 °C. The developmental threshold temperatures of the egg, nymph, female adult, male adult, and total generation (from egg to adult death) were 13.31, 10.91, 16.21, 17.13, and 13.44 °C, respectively, and the corresponding stage-specific day degree totals were 95.91, 260.51, 114.22, 147.35, and 582.04. The net reproductive rate (R0 = 2.36 offspring), fecundity (58.00 ± 28.59 eggs), and population trend index (I) (7.89) were found to be optimal at 25 °C. These results could be useful for predicting the population dynamics of R. pedestris and improving the management of this pest in field crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the association between cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) and hematoma volume in primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: Patients from a prospective ICH cohort were enrolled. Admission and follow-up CT scan within 72 h after onset were reviewed to calculate the final hematoma volume. We evaluated cortical superficial siderosis and the global SVD score, including white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, enlarged perivascular space, and cerebral microbleeds on MRI. We conducted the multivariate logistic regression analyses to explore the association between SVD markers and small ICH, as well as hematoma volume. Hematoma location was stratified into lobar and non-lobar for subgroup analysis. Results: A total of 187 patients with primary ICH (mean age 62.4 ± 13.4 years, 67.9% male) were enrolled. 94 (50.2%) patients had small ICH. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed an association between global SVD score and small ICH [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.27, 95% CI 1.03–1.57, p = 0.027] and a trend of higher global SVD score towards non-lobar small ICH (aOR 1.23, 95% CI 0.95–1.58, p = 0.122). In the multivariate linear regression analysis, global SVD score was inversely related to hematoma volume of all ICH (β = −0.084, 95% CI −0.142 to −0.025, p = 0.005) and non-lobar ICH (β = −0.112, 95% CI −0.186 to −0.037, p = 0.004). Lacune (β = −0.245, 95% CI −0.487 to −0.004, p = 0.046) was associated with lower non-lobar ICH volume. Conclusion: Global SVD score is associated with small ICH and inversely correlated with hematoma volume. This finding predominantly exists in non-lobar ICH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the importance of crude oil prices in the world economy, accurate price prediction has drawn extensive attention. Nevertheless, because of the complexity of the crude oil market, most traditional forecasting algorithms fail to meet the accuracy requirements. To achieve higher precision, this paper proposes a novel hybrid model for crude oil price forecasting by combining a Hodrick-Prescott filter with X12 methods and adjusting the order used. Application of our model on both West Texas Intermediate and Brent oil prices forecasting demonstrates its accuracy. The results of various forecasting performance evaluation criteria indicate that the model has stronger stability and better accuracy. The mechanism of seasonal and periodic factors is also analyzed, which provides remarkable references to other time-series predictions. Establishing two different types of predictive models that combine multiple knowledge effectively has obvious advantages over other models and provides more reliable cutting-edge information for designing a Chinese energy development strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to assess the procedural and clinical results of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for nonraphe bicuspid aortic stenosis (AS) with coronary vs mixed cusp fusion.Background: It remains unclear whether cusp fusion morphology affects TAVR outcomes in patients with nonraphe bicuspid AS.Methods: This retrospective study enrolled consecutive patients with severe symptomatic AS and type-0 bicuspid aortic valve, who underwent TAVR at our institution between 2012 and 2017. TAVR outcomes were defined based on the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 recommendations.Results: Compared to patients with mixed cusp fusion (44/71), those with coronary cusp fusion (27/71) had a larger ellipticity index for the aortic annulus (21.9% ± 9.0% vs 15.6% ± 9.3%, p=0.007) and increased left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (31.1% ± 9.4% vs 26.9% ± 7.5%, p=0.04) but comparable rates of second valve implantation (15.9% vs 14.8%), mild paravalvular leakage (PVL, 38.5% vs 30.2%), permanent pacemaker implantation (PPM, 25.9% vs 15.9%), and 30-day mortality (7.4% vs 6.8%). Use of a first-generation transcatheter heart valve was associated with higher risk for mild PVL (odds ratio (OR) = 4.37; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.14-16.75; p=0.03) but not PPM (OR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.22-2.62; p=0.67), whereas a larger oversizing ratio tended to be associated with a higher PPM rate (OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 0.46-4.86; p=0.51) but lower incidence of mild PVL (OR = 0.51; 95% CI = 0.19-1.35; p=0.17).Conclusions: In AS patients with type-0 bicuspid valves, cusp fusion morphology does not affect the procedural or clinical results of TAVR. Use of second-generation transcatheter heart valves may provide more favorable results in such patients. This trial is registered with NCT01683474. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim:Proteins with legume lectin domains are known to possess a wide range of biological functions. Here, the antitumor effects of two representative legume lectins, concanavalin A (ConA) and Sophora flavescens lectin (SFL), on human breast carcinoma cells were investigated in vitro and in vivo.Methods:Human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells and human normal mammary epithelial MCF-10A cells were examined. Cell viability was detected using WST-1 and CCK-8 assays. Cell apoptosis was analyzed with Hoechst 33258 staining. Cell cycle was investigated using flow cytometry. The expression of relevant proteins was measured using Western blotting. Breast carcinoma MCF-7 bearing nude mice were used to study the antitumor effects in vivo. The mice were injected with ConA (40 mg/kg, ip) and SFL (55 mg/kg, ip) daily for 14 d.Results:ConA and SFL inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cells in dose- and time-dependent manners (IC50 values were 15 and 20 μg/mL, respectively). Both ConA and SFL induced apoptotic morphology in MCF-7 cells without affecting MCF-10A cells. ConA and SFL dose-dependently increased the sub-G1 proportion in MCF-7 cells, while SFL also triggered the G2/M phase cell cycle arrest. Both ConA and SFL dose-dependently increased the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9 and release of cytochrome C from mitochondria into cytoplasm, up-regulated Bax and Bid, and down-regulated Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL in MCF-7 cells. ConA reduced NF-κB, ERK, and JNK levels, and increased p53 and p21 levels, while SFL caused similar changes in NF-κB, ERK, p53, and p21 levels, but did not affect JNK expression. Administration of ConA and SFL significantly decreased the subcutaneous tumor mass volume and weight in MCF-7 bearing nude mice.Conclusion:ConA and SFL exert anti-tumor actions against human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells both in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Wettability of the binary mixed substrate is studied. • A surface potential energy analysis method is used to verify nucleation sites. • The binary mixed substrate can effectively enhance the nucleation process. • No sacrifice on the departure performance of the binary mixed substrate. • A moderated hydrophilic ratio is needed to enhance condensation performance. Sophisticated and expensive surface texture design and manufacturing are commonly needed to achieve efficient surfaces with enhanced condensation performances. The high nucleation rate and high droplet removal capacity of a substrate surface acquire trade-off, whose mechanisms have not explicitly been comprehended. Based on the assumption that hydrophilic spots would improve nucleation while a hydrophobic surface can facilitate droplet removal rate, this work studied the nucleation and departure processes on a binary mixed substrate with randomly distributed hydrophilic atoms, with homogeneous substrates being as comparison references. The molecular dynamics simulation results showed that the wettability of the binary mixed substrate could be estimated by the form of the Cassie equation. Unlike the randomly nucleated clusters on a homogeneous substrate, the surface energy analysis verifies that the clusters tend to form on the areas with enriched hydrophilic atoms on a binary mixed substrate. Conversely, the droplets also tend to stick on the hydrophilic areas to deteriorate droplet removal efficiency. Combined with a probability analysis by the Monte Carlo method and MD simulation, a moderated ratio(r m = 25% in this work) was shown to furnish better nucleation properties with minimal deterioration in departure properties than the mono-wettability substrate with the same contact angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial revolution has brought about great development in the economy, but it has also increased the dependence on fossil energy. The emissions of CO 2 and other greenhouse gases have contradicted economic development and the ecological environment. The establishment of the EU Emission Trading System (EU ETS) has improved the global carbon emission price mechanism, but as a new commodity, its price trend will affect buyers' risk evaluation. Therefore, it is influential to master the driving factors behind carbon emission prices and make effective predictions. First, the paper points out that the driving factors are divided into macroeconomic risk factors and energy factors. Second, the Bayesian Network is used to select variables and make prediction of carbon prices. The results show that its accuracy exceeds other machine learning algorithms. Third, a structural equation model is used to study the impact of the selected markets on the carbon market. Finally, from the perspective of global carbon emission reduction, the relationship between driving factors and the carbon futures market is explained. The empirical results show that Cotation Assistée en Continu 40, natural gas and Brent crude oil will directly affect the yield of European Union Allowances and Certified Emission Reduction futures, and the Standard Poor 500 and Global Clean Energy Index will indirectly affect the yield of European Union Allowances and Certified Emission Reduction futures. The energy market will affect the carbon market through the intermediary effect of the stock market, in which the clean energy index is the most relevant factor. From the perspective of how to improve the carbon trading system, this paper proposes suggestions for the sustainable development of the world to promote the virtuous cycle of the global carbon emission market and the high-quality development of the global economy. • Multimarket Carbon Factor Selection Model. • Forecasting Carbon Market Price by Bayesian Network. • Markets Impacts Research and Path Analysis with Structural Equation Model. • Clean Energy Investment and Global Energy Structure Analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid fluctuations in global crude oil prices are one of the important factors affecting both the sustainable development and the green transformation of the global economy. To accurately measure the risks of crude oil prices, in the context of big data, this study introduces the two-layer non-negative matrix factorization model, a kind of natural language processing, to extract the dynamic risk factors from online news and assign them as weighted factors to historical data. Finally, this study proposes a giant information history simulation (GIHS) method which is used to forecast the value-at-risk (VaR) of crude oil. In conclusion, this paper shows that considering the impact of dynamic risk factors from online news on the VaR can improve the accuracy of crude oil VaR measurement, providing an effective tool for analyzing crude oil price risks in oil market, providing risk management support for international oil market investors, and providing the country with a sense of risk analysis to achieve sustainable and green transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid-wetting surfaces with hydrophilic spots reduced from the micrometer to nanometer scale have been confirmed to enhance vapor nucleation while simultaneously minimizing droplet pinning. Given that surface topography also plays a critical role in influencing nucleation characteristics, the effect of competition between intrinsic wettability and topography on nucleation remains unclear when both surface topography and hydrophilic regions approach the critical nucleation size. This work investigated vapor nucleation on two types of hybrid-wetting nanoconvex surfaces. On random hybrid-wetting convex surfaces, the most negative potential energy sites were located at the sides of the convex structures, leading vapor to preferentially nucleate at these locations, consistent with observations on homogeneous surfaces. Despite similar average potential energy values across the surface, wettability variations in hydrophilic and hydrophobic atoms significantly alter the surface energy distribution. As the wettability difference between hydrophilic and hydrophobic atoms increases, stronger hydrophilic atoms generate relatively higher local energy regions, promoting vapor rapid nucleation. The edge effect still exists at a hydrophilic atom ratio of 10%, and competition among hydrophilic spots impedes vapor nucleation and growth. However, when the ratio increases to 40%, the increased surface average potential energy promotes the probability of vapor contacting the surface, leading to rapid vapor nucleation on the sides of the convex structures. In addition, surface potential energy analysis and the Monte Carlo method revealed that nucleation locations on nanoconvex surfaces are governed by the competition between intrinsic wettability and topography. When the magnitude of the potential energy generated by the hydrophilic atoms exceeds that from the topography, stronger solid-liquid interactions at the top of the convex structure increase the likelihood of vapor contacting the surface, resulting in nucleation at the top. Conversely, when the magnitude of the potential energy generated by hydrophilic atoms is lower than that from topography, nucleation preferentially still occurs on the sides.

Objectives: The aim of our observational study was to investigate the incidence, clinical characteristics and outcome of post-stroke recrudescence (PSR) in the Chinese population., Design and Setting: Single-centre prospective observational study in China., Participants: A total of 1114 patients who had a suspected stroke were prospectively screened from October 2020 to February 2022., Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with functional independence defined as a score of 0-2 on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes were: early neurological improvement (ENI), defined as a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score of 0 or an improvement of ≥2 points from admission at 24 hours; mortality within 3 months; stroke recurrence within 3 months and length of stay in hospital., Results: A total of 959 patients with cerebral infarction and 30 patients without an available magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan were excluded. Among the 125 included patients, 27 cases of PSR (2.4%), 50 cases of transient ischaemic attack (TIA) (4.5%) and 48 cases of stroke mimics (SMs) (4.3%) were identified. A higher frequency of infection at admission (22.2% vs 2%, p=0.007) was observed in patients with PSR compared with patients with TIA, and a lower proportion of functional independence at 3 months (80% vs 98%, p=0.015) was seen. Patients with TIA had a higher frequency of ENI compared with patients with PSR and SMs (98% vs 59.3%, p<0.001; 98% vs 52.1%, p<0.001). Patients with PSR exhibited a higher frequency of grade 2 Fazekas deep white matter hyperintensity compared with those with SMs (33.3% vs 8.3%, p=0.010)., Conclusions: PSR is not uncommon in patients presenting with stroke symptoms and can be distinguished from TIA and SMs based on a combination of clinical features and trigger in the Chinese population. The neurological deficits of patients with PSR often resolve within several days following the resolution of the trigger., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of the neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) for predicting stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) and functional outcome in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)., Methods: We analyzed our prospective database of consecutive ICH patients who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2016 to September 2021. We included subjects with a baseline computed tomography available and a complete NPAR count performed within 6h of onset. The patients' demographic and radiological characteristics were analyzed. Good outcome was defined as a modifed Rankin Scale score of 0-3 at 90 days. Poor outcome was defined as a modifed Rankin Scale score of 4-6 at 90 days. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between NPAR, SAP, and functional outcome. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to identify the optimal cutoff of NPAR to discriminate between good and poor outcomes in ICH patients., Results: A total of 918 patients with ICH confirmed by non-contrast computed tomography were included. Of those, 316 (34.4%) had SAP, and 258 (28.1%) had poor outcomes. Multivariate regression analysis showed that higher NPAR on admission was an independent predictor of SAP (adjusted odds ratio: 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.56-3.84; P<0.001) and was associated with increased risk of poor outcome (adjusted odd ratio:1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.90; P=0.040) in patients with ICH. In ROC analysis, an NPAR of 2 was identified as the optimal cutoff value to discriminate between good and poor functional outcomes., Conclusion: Higher NPAR is independently associated with SAP and poor functional outcome in patients with ICH. Our findings suggest that early prediction of SAP is feasible by using a simple biomarker NPAR., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Lv, Shen, Li, Deng, Wang, Cheng, Hu, Pu, Yang, Xie and Li.)

Background: Most complex renal stones are managed primarily with percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). However, PCNL is still a great challenge for surgeons because of poor comprehension on complex adjacent structures. Novel techniques are required to assist in planning and navigation., Aim: To apply and evaluate the Hisense computer-assisted surgery (CAS) system in PCNL., Methods: A total of 60 patients with complex renal stones were included. Thirty patients in the CAS group had three-dimensional (3D) virtual models constructed with the CAS system. The model assisted in planning and navigating in the CAS system. Thirty patients in the control group planned and navigated as standard PCNL, without the application of the CAS system. Success rate of one attempt, operation time, initial stone-free rate, decrease in hemoglobin, and complications were collected and analyzed., Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline characteristics or planning characteristics. The success rate of one puncturing attempt (90% vs 67%, P = 0.028) and the initial stone-free rate (87% vs 63%, P = 0.037) were significantly higher in the CAS group. However, there were no statistically significant differences in the operation time (89.20 ± 29.60 min vs 92.33 ± 33.08 min, P = 0.859) or in the decrease in hemoglobin (11.07 ± 8.32 g/L vs 9.03 ± 11.72 g/L, P = 0.300) between the CAS group and the control group. No statistically significant differences in the incidence of complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 2) were found., Conclusion: Compared with standard PCNL, CAS-assisted PCNL had advantages in terms of the puncturing success rate and stone-free rate. The Hisense CAS System was recommended to assist in preoperative planning and intraoperative navigation for an intuitive, precise and convenient PCNL., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors had no conflict-of-interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

The inherent porous structures and aligned functional units inside the skeleton of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) provide an extraordinary promise for post-modification and deservedly expand their application in the field of proton conduction. Herein, we tactfully introduced copper ions into a two-dimensional COF (TpTta) furnished with ample N,O-chelating sites by a post-modification strategy to achieve two copper(II)-modified products, namely, CuCl 2 @TpTta-3 and CuCl 2 @TpTta-10. Inspiringly, the two modified COFs demonstrated the higher conductivities of 1.77 × 10 -3 and 8.81 × 10 -3 S cm -1 under 100 °C and 98% relative humidity, respectively, among the previously reported COFs with higher σ values. In comparison to the pristine COFs, the σ values of CuCl 2 @TpTta-3 and CuCl 2 @TpTta-10 are boosted by 2 orders of magnitude. On the basis of structural analyses, nitrogen and water vapor adsorption tests, and proton conduction mechanism analysis, we deeply analyzed the reason why the conductivity of the modified COFs was significantly increased. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to employ the CuCl 2 -modified strategy to boost the conductivity of COFs, which offers a wise idea for the fabrication of highly conductive materials in the field of fuel cells.

Cyclodextrin can form host-guest inclusion complexes with a variety of organic pollutants and has unique advantages in removing complex dye molecules from water. In this study, a porous cyclodextrin polymer (P-CDP) was prepared using a rigid crosslinking agent, and the structure of the P-CDP was characterized by FT-IR, XPS, SEM, BET, and other technologies. The P-CDP was studied using isothermal adsorption and kinetic adsorption experiments. The inclusion adsorption performance and host-guest effect of the P-CDP for dye molecules in water were studied using competitive experiments. The characterization results showed that the P-CDP had strong thermal stability. It had a microporous structure with a specific surface area of 108.745 m 2 ·g -1 . The Langmuir model and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model had a higher fitting degree for the adsorption process. The results of the competition experiments showed that the electrostatic effect was stronger than the host-guest effect in the adsorption process. Pollutants whose molecular configurations were highly matched with the cyclodextrin cavity could form inclusion complexes with high molecular stability. Contaminants with strong hydrophobicity were more likely to be encapsulated in the cyclodextrin cavity. After the P-CDP adsorbed the dyes, the removal efficiency after the fifth cycle of elution and regeneration remained above 80%. This study showed that P-CDP has potential application value in the treatment of dye wastewater.

Objectives: We evaluated the safety and usefulness of preparatory anatomical reshaping with a geometric hourglass-shaped balloon to optimize transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) outcomes in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis., Background: TAVR has been increasingly performed for BAV stenosis; however, technical challenges remain. Procedural results are suboptimal given unfavorable valvular anatomies., Methods: Eligible patients with BAV stenosis were enrolled to undergo aortic valve predilatation with the hourglass-shaped TAV8 balloon before TAVR using the self-expandable Venus A-Valve. Procedural details and outcomes were compared to a sequential group of patients with BAV who underwent TAVR with the same device following preparatory dilatation using a cylindrical balloon., Results: A total of 22 patients were enrolled in the TAV8 group and 53 were included in the control group. Valve downsizing was less common in the TAV8 group (36.4 vs. 67.9%; p = .012). Stable valve release and optimal implant depth were consistently achieved in the TAV8 group with no requirement for a second valve (0 vs. 17.0%; p = .039) and with higher device success rates (100.0 vs 77.4%; p = .014). Residual aortic regurgitation graded as ≥mild was less common in the TAV8 group (13.6 vs 45.3%; p = .009). Mortality was similar (0 vs. 3.8%; p = 1); no major/disabling stroke or conversion to open-heart surgery was seen in either group within 30 days., Conclusions: Compared with standard cylindrical balloon valvuloplasty, preparatory reshaping with the hourglass-shaped balloon before self-expandable TAVR in BAV was associated with significantly better procedural results and may encourage more promising outcomes., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Mycophenolic Acid (MPA) is an immunosuppressive drug widely used in the treatment of organ transplantation and autoimmune diseases. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of MPA varies between individuals, the potential reasons being the genetic polymorphisms in key enzymes, drug transporters and target proteins of MPA., Objective: We try to provide pharmacogenomics information for drug selection and dose adjustment, aiming to improve drug efficacy and reduce side effects in clinical application of MPA., Methods: In this review, we summarize the literatures in Pubmed that reported MPA-related Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of renal transplant patients in recent 15 years., Results: Genetic polymorphisms involving uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase enzymes, organic anion transport polypeptides, multidrug resistance-associated protein 2, inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase and immune- response mediators may be associated with the metabolism, efficacy and toxicity of MPA, thus resulting in different MPA exposure and patient outcomes in renal transplantation., Conclusion: Several SNPs show significant association with MPA pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, but conflicting results are reported, and no studies on MPA genetic polymorphisms have been translated into clinical practice. More prospective studies are needed to clear the role of genetic polymorphisms on MPA in renal transplantation patients., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Alpinia pricei (Zingiberaceae) is a spicy herb indigenous to Taiwan. A potent anti-inflammatory compound, flavokawain B (FKB), was obtained from A. pricei. FKB significantly inhibited production of NO and PGE(2) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, it also notably decreased the secretion of TNF-alpha. Expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins was also inhibited by FKB in a dose-dependent manner. FKB blocked the nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB induced by LPS, which was associated with prevention IkappaB degradation, and subsequently decreased NF-kappaB protein levels in the nucleus. Similar anti-inflammatory activities of FKB were observed in an animal assay. NO concentrations in mouse serum rose dramatically from 3.2 to 28.8 microM after mice were challenged with LPS; however, preadministration of 200 mg/kg FKB reduced the NO concentration to 3.8 microM after challenge with LPS. Moreover, FKB strongly suppressed LPS-induced iNOS, COX-2, and NF-kappaB proteins expression in mouse liver.