Investigating Left Atrial Diameter and Heart Failure Onset in Middle-Aged and Elderly: A Retrospective-Prospective Study.

Background: Left atrium (LA) is an integral component of left heart remodeling, reflecting hemodynamics and ventricular status. It remains uncertain whether left atrial diameter (LAD) can be utilized for predicting and evaluating the occurrence of heart failure (HF) in middle-aged and elderly individuals.

Methods: The study aimed to explore the correlation between LAD and HF in middle-aged and elderly individuals, elucidating the timing of occurrence HF in relation to LAD.

Pd Ensemble Sites Tuned Local Environment of Cu Catalysts for Matching Propyne Semi-Hydrogenation.

Tailoring local environments of active sites to match targeted configuration of key species is significant for controlling reaction pathways in selective hydrogenations. Herein, differently typed Pd sites are introduced onto Cu catalysts to tune the local environment of Cu sites for controlling the configuration of semi-hydrogenation pathway of propyne hydrogenation used in production of polymer-grade propylene. Detailed structure characterizations demonstrate the controllable construction of Pd single-atom and Pd ensemble sites modified Cu surfaces and PdCu alloy via fine tuning the Pd/Cu ratios.

Taming Strong Metal-Support Interactions to Generalize Gold-Zinc Oxide Catalysts in Oxidative Coupling.

Strong metal-support interactions (SMSI) are at the cutting edge of catalysis research, yet their size-dependent nature remains both widespread and subject to ongoing debate. Here, we report the discovery of bell-shaped size-dependent SMSI, and we establish its structure-SMSI-performance relationship in oxidative C-H/O-H coupling reactions. Using Au/ZnO as a prototypical catalyst, we develop a thermodynamic equilibrium model that quantitatively captures the size-dependent surface energy and tension disparities, identifying the particle size ratio as the descriptor for bell-shaped encapsulation dynamics.

Tandem Switch-Triggered On-Demand Synthesis of Aromatic Amines in High Yields.

Tandem catalysis stands as a beacon of chemical sustainability. Although bifunctional catalysts have achieved wide success in two-step tandem reactions, achieving multi-step catalysis with three or more distinct and potentially incompatible catalytic sites and components remains an ambitious challenge. Here, we present a "tandem switch" strategy that transforms these incompatibilities into functional advantages, enabling on-demand production of primary, secondary, and tertiary aromatic amines, all with yields exceeding 96 %.

Outcomes of internal rib fixation through complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for multiple rib fractures and flail chest in severe chest trauma.

Background: Surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) is a standard treatment for multiple rib fractures and flail chest. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of internal rib fixation through complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for multiple rib fractures and flail chest in patients with severe chest trauma.

Methods: Thirty-nine patients with multiple rib fractures caused by severe chest trauma were divided into two groups according to the surgical approach used.

Phosphatidylserine improves aging sepsis survival, modulates gut microbiome, and prevents sepsis-associated encephalopathy.

Aged adults are prone to both short- and long-term complications following sepsis due to ineffective therapy. Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a membrane nutrient supplement known to enhance cognition and brain function, but its potential effects in treating sepsis are not well-documented. Our study aimed to explore the potential of PS in improving outcomes in sepsis and sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE).

Embedding Single Pd Atoms on NiGa Intermetallic Surfaces for Efficient and Selective Alkyne Hydrogenation.

Catalytic removal of alkynes is essential in industry for producing polymer-grade alkenes from steam cracking processes. Non-noble Ni-based catalysts hold promise as effective alternatives to industrial Pd-based catalysts but suffer from low activity. Here we report embedding of single-atom Pd onto the NiGa intermetallic surface with replacing Ga atoms via a well-defined synthesis strategy to design Pd-NiGa catalyst for alkyne semi-hydrogenation.

Nanoparticles as an antidote for poisoned gold single-atom catalysts in sustainable propylene epoxidation.

The development of sustainable and anti-poisoning single-atom catalysts (SACs) is essential for advancing their research from laboratory to industry. Here, we present a proof-of-concept study on the poisoning of Au SACs, and the antidote of Au nanoparticles (NPs), with trace addition shown to reinforce and sustain propylene epoxidation. Multiple characterizations, kinetics investigations, and multiscale simulations reveal that Au SACs display remarkable epoxidation activity at a low propylene coverage, but become poisoned at higher coverages.

Metabolomics analysis revealed the neuroprotective role of 2-phosphoglyceric acid in hypoxic-ischemic brain damage through GPX4/ACSL4 axis regulation.

Hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) is a cerebral injury resulting from the combination of ischemia and hypoxia in neonatal brain tissue. Presently, there exists no efficacious remedy for HIBD. A mounting body of evidence indicates that dynamic metabolites formed during metabolic procedures assume a vital role in neuronal maturation and recuperation.

Causal Relationship between Gut Microbiota and Aneurysm: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Introduction: Observational studies have suggested a possible relationship between gut microbiota (GM) and aneurysm development. However, the nature of this association remains unclear due to the inherent limitations of observational research, such as reverse causation and confounding factors. To address this knowledge deficit, this study aimed to investigate and establish a causal link between GM and aneurysm development.

Perioperative outcomes of bi-pigtail catheter drainage strategy versus conventional chest tube after uniportal video-assisted thoracic lung surgery.

Objectives: Chest tube (CT) drainage is a main cause of postoperative pain in lung surgery. Here, we introduced a novel drainage strategy with bi-pigtail catheters (PCs) and conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare with conventional CT drainage after uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery lung surgery.

Methods: A single-centre, prospective, open-labelled, randomized controlled trial (ChiCTR2000035337) was conducted with a preplanned sample size of 396.

Leveraging the Proximity and Distribution of Cu-Cs Sites for Direct Conversion of Methanol to Esters/Aldehydes.

Methanol serves as a versatile building-block for various commodity chemicals, and the development of industrially promising strategies for its conversion remains the ultimate goal in methanol chemistry. In this study, we design a dual Cu-Cs catalytic system that enables a one-step direct conversion of methanol and methyl acetate/ethanol into high value-added esters/aldehydes, with customized chain length and saturation by leveraging the proximity and distribution of Cu-Cs sites. Cu-Cs at a millimeter-scale intimacy triggers methanol dehydrogenation and condensation, involving proton transfer, aldol formation, and aldol condensation, to obtain unsaturated esters and aldehydes with selectivities of 76.

CircUsp9x/miR-599/stim1 axis regulates proliferation and migration in vascular smooth muscle cells induced by oxidized-low density lipoprotein.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) regulate the function of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in atherosclerosis (AS) progression. We aimed to explore the role of circUSP9X in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced VSMCs. Cell proliferation was assessed using cell counting kit-8 and EDU assays.

Time-restricted eating with calorie restriction on weight loss and cardiometabolic risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The effect of time-restricted eating (TRE) has been summarized in previous studies, but its benefits in combination with calorie restriction (CR) still need to be determined. The present meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TRE with CR on weight loss and cardiometabolic risk. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and gray literature databases were searched from inception to October 18, 2022, for potential randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Erratum to: "Fer exacerbates renal fibrosis and can be targeted by miR-29c-3p".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1515/med-2021-0319.].

Gut microbiome relationship with arrhythmias and conduction blocks: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Introduction: Past research based on observations has suggested that the gut microbiome (GM) could play a role in developing arrhythmias and conduction blocks. Nonetheless, the nature of this association remains uncertain due to the potential for reverse causation and confounding factors in observational research. The aim of this investigation is to elucidate the causal relationship between GM and the development of arrhythmias as well as conduction blocks.

Thermal management of natural gas production from coke oven gas by optimizing catalyst distribution and operation conditions.

In this work, 3D particle-resolved CFD simulations have been performed to investigate the thermal effects of natural gas production from coke oven gas. The catalyst packing structures with uniform, gradient rise and gradient descent distribution and the operating conditions of pressure, wall temperature, inlet temperature and feed velocity are optimized for reduced hot spot temperature. The simulation results show that compared with packing structures with uniform distribution and gradient descent distribution, the gradient rise distribution could effectively reduce the hot spot temperature without affecting the reactor performance in the reactor with upflow reactants feeding, of which the reactor bed temperature rise is 37 K.

Ruthenium/TiO -Catalyzed Hydrogenolysis of Polyethylene Terephthalate: Reaction Pathways Dominated by Coordination Environment.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hydrogenolysis can produce benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX), where the selectivity control is challenging. We report a reaction pathway dictated by the Ru coordination environment by examining the binding geometries of adsorbates on differently coordinated Ru centers and their evolution during PET hydrogenolysis. A BTX yield of 77 % was obtained using a Ru/TiO with a Ru coordination number of ca.

Association Between Aromatase Inhibitors and Myocardial Infarction Morbidity in Women With Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

Background: The cardiovascular toxicity of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) for women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is controversial. We aimed to evaluate the association between AIs and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer based on real-world studies.

Method: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify studies that estimated the association between MI risk and AIs.

Mesokinetics as a Tool Bridging the Microscopic-to-Macroscopic Transition to Rationalize Catalyst Design.

Heterogeneous catalysis is the workhorse of the chemical industry, and a heterogeneous catalyst possesses numerous active sites working together to drive the conversion of reactants to desirable products. Over the decades, much focus has been placed on identifying the factors affecting the active sites to gain deep insights into the structure-performance relationship, which in turn guides the design and preparation of more active, selective, and stable catalysts. However, the molecular-level interplay between active sites and catalytic function still remains qualitative or semiquantitative, ascribed to the difficulty and uncertainty in elucidating the nature of active sites for its controllable manipulation.

Increasing the Distance of Adjacent Palladium Atoms for Configuration Matching in Selective Hydrogenation.

Precisely tailoring the distance between adjacent metal sites to match adsorption configurations of key species for the targeted reaction pathway is a great challenge in heterogeneous catalysis. Here, we report a proof-of-concept study on the atomically sites-tailored pathway in Pd-catalyzed acetylene hydrogenation, i.e.

Design of Interconnected Carbon Fiber Thermal Management Composites with Effective EMI Shielding Activity.

Heat dissipation efficiency and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance are vital to integration, miniaturization, and application of electronic devices. Flexible and designable polymer-based composites are promising candidates but suffer from unavoidable interfacial thermal resistances, anisotropic thermal conductivity, and low shielding of EMI limiting application. Herein, multifunctional epoxy resin (EP)-based composites with an interconnected carbon fibers (CFs) network structure containing a low thermal resistance interfacial were prepared by high-temperature calcination and infiltration.

Carbon monoxide ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury via inhibition of alveolar macrophage pyroptosis.

Carbon monoxide (CO) has been reported to exhibit a therapeutic effect in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). However, the precise mechanism by which CO confers protection against ALI remains unclear. Pyroptosis has been recently proposed to play an essential role in the initiation and progression of ALI.