The development of electrocatalysts capable of efficient reduction of nitrate (NO
) to ammonia (NH
) is drawing increasing interest for the sake of low carbon emission and environmental protection. ...Herein, we present a CuCo bimetallic catalyst able to imitate the bifunctional nature of copper-type nitrite reductase, which could easily remove NO
via the collaboration of two active centers. Indeed, Co acts as an electron/proton donating center, while Cu facilitates NO
adsorption/association. The bio-inspired CuCo nanosheet electrocatalyst delivers a 100 ± 1% Faradaic efficiency at an ampere-level current density of 1035 mA cm
at -0.2 V vs. Reversible Hydrogen Electrode. The NH
production rate reaches a high activity of 4.8 mmol cm
h
(960 mmol g
h
). A mechanistic study, using electrochemical in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and shell-isolated nanoparticle enhanced Raman spectroscopy, reveals a strong synergy between Cu and Co, with Co sites promoting the hydrogenation of NO
to NH
via adsorbed *H species. The well-modulated coverage of adsorbed *H and *NO
led simultaneously to high NH
selectivity and yield.
In 2008, sorafenib became the first approved systemic therapeutic agent for advanced HCC. Although its pharmacological efficacy has been established, reimbursement for such a new, high‐cost drug, as ...well as physicians' awareness and prescription practice, likewise contribute to its clinical effectiveness. We therefore conducted a retrospective study using 38 sorafenib‐eligible, advanced HCC patients when sorafenib was approved but not yet reimbursed as a control and 216 patients during the reimbursed era. Study group showed longer survival at 8.2 months versus the control's 4.9 months (p = 0.0063 hazard ratio: 0.612 0.431 ~ 0.868, p = 0.0059). Among the 42 (19.4%) patients who survived more than 2 years, 50% had tumor rupture, and all 32 patients with portal vein tumor thrombus and/or extrahepatic metastasis received sorafenib (p = 0.003). Furthermore, during their first 2 years of HCC management, sorafenib had been given in 29.1% of the treatment courses among survivors between 2 and 5 years while it was prescribed in 55.8% among the more than 5 years survivor group (p < 0.001). In conclusion, survival of sorafenib‐eligible HCC patients significantly improved after reimbursement. Patients who underwent longer sorafenib treatment had a survival advantage, except for those with tumor rupture. Reimbursement and awareness of prescriptions for a newly introduced medication therefore improve clinical effectiveness.
Background and Aims
Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is rare and has limited treatment options. We aimed to examine aspirin use on cancer‐specific survival in various BTC subtypes, including gallbladder ...cancer, ampulla of Vater cancer, and cholangiocarcinoma.
Approach and Results
Nationwide prospective cohort of newly diagnosed BTC between 2007 and 2015 were included and followed until December 31, 2017. Three nationwide databases, namely the Cancer Registration, National Health Insurance, and Death Certification System, were used for computerized data linkage. Aspirin use was defined as one or more prescriptions, and the maximum defined daily dose was used to evaluate the dose–response relationship. Cox’s proportional hazards models were applied for estimating HRs and 95% CIs. Analyses accounted for competing risk of cardiovascular deaths, and landmark analyses to avoid immortal time bias were performed. In total, 2,519 of patients with BTC were exposed to aspirin after their diagnosis (15.7%). After a mean follow‐up of 1.59 years, the 5‐year survival rate was 27.4%. The multivariate‐adjusted HR for postdiagnosis aspirin users, as compared with nonusers, was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.51 to 0.58) for BTC‐specific death. Adjusted HRs for BTC‐specific death were 0.53 (95% CI: 0.48 to 0.59) and 0.42 (95% CI: 0.31 to 0.58) for ≤ 1 and > 1 maximum defined daily dose, respectively, and showed a dose–response trend (P < 0.001; nonusers as a reference). Cancer‐specific mortality was lower with postdiagnosis aspirin use in patients with all major BTC subtypes.
Conclusions
The nationwide study revealed that postdiagnosis aspirin use was associated with improved BTC‐specific mortality of various subtypes. The findings suggest that additional randomized trials are required to investigate aspirin’s efficacy in BTC.
Hybrid CO2 electroreduction (HCER) is recognized as an important strategy to improve the total value of redox products and energy conversion efficiency. In this work, a coordination catalyst model ...system (Ni8‐TET with active oxidation sites, Ni‐TPP with active reduction sites and PCN‐601 with redox‐active sites) for HCER was established for the first time. Especially, PCN‐601 can complete both anodic methanol oxidation and cathodic CO2 reduction with FEHCOOH and FECO over 90 %. The performance can be further improved with light irradiation (FE nearly 100 %). DFT calculations reveal that the transfer of electrons from NiII8 clusters to metalloporphyrins under electric fields results in the raised oxidizability of Ni8 clusters and the raised reducibility of metalloporphyrin, which then improves the electrocatalytic performance. This work serves as a well‐defined model system and puts forward a new design idea for establishing efficient catalysts for hybrid CO2 electroreduction.
The transfer of electrons from electron‐rich metal clusters (oxidation active sites) to electron‐deficient metalloporphyrins (reduction active sites) leads to stronger oxidizability of Ni8 clusters and stronger reducibility of metalloporphyrin. The enhanced oxidizability of Ni8 and reducibility of metalloporphyrin, therefore, result in improved methanol electrooxidation and CO2 electroreduction with the bifunctional crystalline coordination catalyst.
Epilepsy is a multifactorial neurologic disease that often leads to many devastating disabilities and an enormous burden on the healthcare system. Until now, drug-resistant epilepsy has presented a ...major challenge for approximately 30% of the epileptic population. The present article summarizes the validated rodent models of seizures employed in pharmacological researches and comprehensively reviews updated advances of novel antiseizure candidates in the preclinical phase. Newly discovered compounds that demonstrate antiseizure efficacy in preclinical trials will be discussed in the review. It is inspiring that several candidates exert promising antiseizure activities in drug-resistant seizure models. The representative compounds consist of derivatives of hybrid compounds that integrate multiple approved antiseizure medications, novel positive allosteric modulators targeting subtype-selective γ-Aminobutyric acid type A receptors, and a derivative of cinnamamide. Although the precise molecular mechanism, pharmacokinetic properties, and safety are not yet fully clear in every novel antiseizure candidate, the adapted approaches to design novel antiseizure medications provide new insights to overcome drug-resistant epilepsy.
Magnesium (Mg) alloys have been extensively used in various fields, such as aerospace, automobile, electronics, and biomedical industries, due to their high specific strength and stiffness, excellent ...vibration absorption, electromagnetic shielding effect, good machinability, and recyclability. Friction stir processing (FSP) is a severe plastic deformation technique, based on the principle of friction stir welding. In addition to introducing the basic principle and advantages of FSP, this paper reviews the studies of FSP in the modification of the cast structure, superplastic deformation behavior, preparation of fine-grained Mg alloys and Mg-based surface composites, and additive manufacturing. FSP not only refines, homogenizes, and densifies the microstructure, but also eliminates the cast microstructure defects, breaks up the brittle and network-like phases, and prepares fine-grained, ultrafine-, and nano-grained Mg alloys. Indeed, FSP significantly improves the comprehensive mechanical properties of the alloys and achieves low-temperature and/or high strain rate superplasticity. Furthermore, FSP can produce particle- and fiber-reinforced Mg-based surface composites. As a promising additive manufacturing technique of light metals, FSP enables the additive manufacturing of Mg alloys. Finally, we prospect the future research direction and application with friction stir processed Mg alloys.
A series of high‐symmetry Th6–metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are constructed using various metal complex units and the thorium (Th) cluster, and then being applied as a well‐defined catalyst model ...in the photocatalytic oxidation of methyl phenyl sulfide reactions. The integration of Th6‐MOFs by incorporating metal complex units and redox sites (Th6 cluster and single‐metal site) can effectively modulate the conversion rate and selectivity. Among them, Ni–PBA–Th6 (PBA = 4‐pyridin‐4‐yl benzoic acid) achieves up to ≈99% conversion and ≈97% selectivity for methyl phenyl sulfone. Experiments and theoretical calculations further elucidate that Th6 cluster is the catalytic site for the oxidation of methyl phenyl sulfide to methyl phenyl sulfone, while Ni–PBA is the catalytic site for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. This work sheds new insight into the structural design and photocatalytic application of more efficient thorium‐based MOF catalysts.
Twelve metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) are assembled by Th6 cluster and metal complex units and are applied to study active site, product selectivity, and interaction between monometallic site and cluster in the photocatalytic oxidation of methyl phenyl sulfide (MPS). It is noted that Ni─PBA (4‐pyridin‐4‐yl benzoic acid)─Th6 exhibits the highest conversion rate (>99%) and methyl phenyl sulfone (MPSO2) selectivity (>97%).
As a promising surface treatment technique, low‐temperature plasma (LTP) technology has been widely used over the past two decades. Herein, the surface modification of carbon materials using LTP ...treatment is reviewed to clarify the modification effects. First, the basic details of LTP treatment are summarized. Second, the surface morphology, pore structure, surface chemistry, adsorption performance, and catalytic characteristics of LTP‐treated carbon materials are reviewed. Finally, the research required to further develop LTP technology for the surface modification of carbon materials is discussed. This review will contribute toward advancing the application of LTP‐treated carbon materials in environmental pollution control.
The matrix properties of carbon materials (CMs) are not affected by low‐temperature plasma treatment. The surface physicochemical properties of CMs are influenced via a combination of plasma etching and surface functional group grafting effects. The performance of pollutants removal is improved by modifying CMs, which is explained in terms of the changes in surface chemistry properties.
Abstract
Clinical trials showed pangenotypic direct-acting antivirals’ (DAAs) excellent efficacy and safety when treating hepatitis C virus (HCV). Two pangenotypic regimens were examined, ...glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) and sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL), in a real-world Taiwanese setting, including all HCV patients treated with GLE/PIB or SOF/VEL from August 2018 to April 2020. The primary endpoint was sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment cessation (SVR12), including adverse events (AEs). A total of 1,356 HCV patients received pangenotypic DAA treatment during the study: 742 and 614 received GLE/PIB and SOF/VEL, respectively. The rates of SVR12 for GLE/PIB and SOF/VEL were 710/718 (98.9%) and 581/584 (99.5%), respectively, by per-protocol analysis, and 710/742 (95.7%) and 581/614 (94.6%), respectively, by evaluable population analysis. Eleven (GLE/PIB: 8, SOF/VEL: 3) did not achieve SVR12. The most common AEs for GLE/PIB and SOF/VEL were pruritus (17.4% vs. 2.9%), abdominal discomfort (5.8% vs. 4.4%), dizziness (4.2% vs. 2%), and malaise (3.1% vs. 2.9%). Laboratory abnormalities were uncommon; only < 1% exhibited elevated total bilirubin or aminotransferase levels with both regimens. Five drug discontinuations occurred due to AEs (bilirubin elevation: 3; dermatological issues: 2). Pangenotypic DAAs GLE/PIB and SOF/VEL are effective and well tolerated, achieving high SVR12 rates for patients with all HCV genotypes.
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