Under topological guidance, the self‐assembly process based on a tetratopic porphyrin synthon results in a hydrogen‐bonded organic framework (HOF) with the predicted square layers topology (sql) but ...unsatisfied stability. Strikingly, simply introducing a transition metal in the porphyrin center does not change the network topology but drastically causes noticeable change on noncovalent interaction, orbital overlap, and molecular geometry, therefore ultimately giving rise to a series of metalloporphyrinic HOFs with high surface area, and excellent stability (intact after being soaked in boiling water, concentrated HCl, and heated to 270 °C). On integrating both photosensitizers and catalytic sites into robust backbones, this series of HOFs can effectively catalyze the photoreduction of CO2 to CO, and their catalytic performances greatly depend on the chelated metal species in the porphyrin centers. This work enriches the library of stable functional HOFs and expands their applications in photocatalytic CO2 reduction.
Crystallographic and computational studies on a series of porphyrinic hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) reveal that metallization of porphyrin centers greatly alters the orbital overlap of the adjacent porphyrin, the geometry of the molecule/layer, and the strength of noncovalent interactions. Therefore, metalloporphyrin HOFs exhibit much higher stability, surface area, and catalytic activity than metal‐free porphyrinic HOFs.
Rational synthesis of hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) with predicted structure has been a long‐term challenge. Herein, by using the efficient, simple, low‐cost, and scalable ...mechanosynthesis, we demonstrate that reticular chemistry is applicable to HOF assemblies based on building blocks with different geometry, connectivity, and functionality. The obtained crystalline HOFs show uniform nano‐sized morphology, which is challenging or unachievable for conventional solution‐based methods. Furthermore, the one‐pot mechanosynthesis generated a series of Pd@HOF composites with noticeably different CO oxidation activities. In situ DRIFTS studies indicate that the most efficient composite, counterintuitively, shows the weakest CO affinity to Pd sites while the strongest CO affinity to HOF matrix, revealing the vital role of porous matrix to the catalytic performance. This work paves a new avenue for rational synthesis of HOF and HOF‐based composites for broad application potential.
Efficient and green mechanochemistry was performed to realize the reticular synthesis of hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks with predictable structures. Moreover, a series of Pd@HOF composites were generated by the one‐pot mechanosynthesis, which showed different catalytic activities for CO oxidation. The synergetic effect between Pd and HOF was revealed by in situ DRIFTS, proving the application potential of functionalized HOF‐composites.
Embedding plasmonic metals in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can build an advanced visible‐light photocatalyst architecture utilizing the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, while the ...practical performances have been restricted by the sluggish charge transfer at metal–MOF interface and through the secondary building units (SBUs) of the adopted carboxylate MOFs currently. Herein, a pyrazolate Ni‐MOF (PFC‐9) featured with an 1D SBU chain is selected to be the host catalyst to immobilize Au nanoparticles as a novel and optimized construction for LSPR photocatalysis. Compared with the common 3D‐connected SBUs of carboxyl‐ZrOx and pyrazole‐NiOx configurations in the reference MOFs, the 1D (−Ni−NPz−NPz−)∞ chain in PFC‐9 creates abundant Au/MOF contacts, a short and low‐resistant pathway for Au‐to‐Ni2+ transport of hot electrons, and enables fluent electron utilization at the continuous active Ni sites. Consequently, the Au/PFC‐9 photocatalyst achieves the optimum activity for visible‐light‐driven H2 production. This work shows an example to promote the LSPR‐sensitized photocatalysis taking the advantage of MOFs’ structural tunability, providing significant guidance for the rational design of highly efficient photocatalysts.
A novel Au/MOF photocatalyst is constructed by taking the advantage of the pyrazole groups and catalytically active Ni2+ nodes in the 1D coordination chain of PFC‐9. The short‐range and low‐resistant hot‐electron transfer, from Au to Ni and throughout the continuous Ni sites, results in optimum activity for Au‐sensitized photocatalytic H2 production superior to cases without 1D pyrazolate secondary building units.
Abstract Objectives There is a lack of evidence regarding the economic effects of nutrition support in patients at nutritional risk. The aim of this study was to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis ...by comparing an adequate nutrition support cohort with a no-support cohort. Method A prospective observational study was performed in the surgical and medical gastroenterology wards. We identified patients at nutritional risk and the provision of nutrition support by the staff, unaware of the risk status, was recorded. Cost data were obtained from each patient's statement of accounts, and effectiveness was measured by the rate of infectious complication. To control for potential confounding variables, the propensity score method with matching was carried out. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated based on the matched population. Results We screened 3791 patients, and 440 were recruited for the analysis. Patients in the nutrition support cohort had a lower incidence of infectious complications than those in the no-support cohort (9.1 versus 18.1%; P = 0.007). This result was similar in the 149 propensity matched pairs (9.4 versus 24.2%; P < 0.001). The median hospital length of stay was significantly reduced among the matched nutrition support patients (13 versus 15 d; P < 0.001). The total costs were similar among the matched pairs (US $6219 versus $6161). The incremental cost-effectiveness analysis suggested that nutrition support cost US $392 per patient prevented from having infectious complications. Conclusion Nutrition support was associated with fewer infectious complications and shorter length of stay in patients at nutritional risk. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio indicated that nutrition support had not increased costs significantly.
This study applies the dynamic slack-based measure (DSBM) model to evaluate the performance of 34 Chinese life insurance companies for the period 2006–2010. This study also examines the relationship ...between intellectual capital and performance using the truncated regression approach. Our findings indicate that over the period of the study, the mean efficiency scores of life insurers are relatively stable, ranging from 0.905 to 0.973. We verify that the efficiency scores of the DSBM model differ significantly from those of the traditional data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, which supports the use of the DSBM model. Our regression analysis reveals that intellectual capitals are significantly positively associated with firm operating efficiency. Our findings corroborate prior studies which show that intellectual capital can make a company rich. In this dynamic business world, life insurers' managers should invest and fully utilize intellectual capital to gain a competitive advantage.
•We utilize the dynamic slack-based measure (DSBM) model.•We evaluate changes in operating performance of Chinese life insurers over long-term periods.•Considering carry-over activities could lead to more accurate efficiency estimation.•We use the truncated regression with bootstrapping approach. We also present Tobit regression and robust cluster regression.•Intellectual capital has positive impacts on operating efficiency for Chinese life insurers.
This study analyzed the trend in semen quality of infertile male patients in Wenzhou, China, based on the data obtained from 38 905 patients during 2008-2016 in The First Affiliated Hospital of ...Wenzhou Medical University (Wenzhou, China). The results showed that only 24.9% of the patients had normal semen quality. For the semen quality of infertile male patients, that of the workers and 40-year-olds was significantly worse than the other occupational and age groups. For all the infertile patients, low semen volume, asthenozoospermia, and teratozoospermia accounted for 8.4%, 50.5%, and 54.1%, respectively. During 2008-2016, the annual mean percentage of fast forward motile spermatozoa, percentage of total forward motile spermatozoa, and percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology decreased linearly with slopes of −2.11, −2.59, and −0.70, respectively. The proportion of patients with asthenozoospermia and multi-abnormal spermatozoa increased during 2008-2016 with slopes of 4.70 and 4.87, respectively, while for low semen volume, it decreased with a slope of −0.47 in the same time period. The proportion of patients with teratozoospermia increased from 2008 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2016 with slopes of 17.10 and 2.09, respectively. In general, the deteriorating trend of semen quality of infertile male patients in Wenzhou was obvious. Future efforts should be made to reveal the adverse influences on semen quality, such as occupational exposure, environmental quality, and living habits. Furthermore, more pervasive reproduction health education is necessary.
The Boreas dataset was collected by driving a repeated route over the course of 1 year, resulting in stark seasonal variations and adverse weather conditions such as rain and falling snow. In total, ...the Boreas dataset includes over 350 km of driving data featuring a 128-channel Velodyne Alpha-Prime lidar, a 360° Navtech CIR304-H scanning radar, a 5MP FLIR Blackfly S camera, and centimetre-accurate post-processed ground truth poses. Our dataset will support live leaderboards for odometry, metric localization, and 3D object detection. The dataset and development kit are available at boreas.utias.utoronto.ca.
► We demonstrated that miR-20a is upregulated in cervical cancer tissues. ► miR-20a promoted migration and invasion in HeLa and C-33A cells. ► Our results show that TNKS2 is directly upregulated by ...miR-20a. ► Knockdown of TNKS2 could inhibit colony formation, migration and invasion.
miR-20a is an important member of the miR-17–92 cluster, and its real function in cervical cancer cells is unknown. Our study demonstrated that miR-20a was upregulated in cervical cancer tissues. Overexpression of miR-20a in cervical cancer-derived cell lines, HeLa and C-33A, enhanced long-term cellular proliferation, migration and invasion, whereas inhibition of miR-20a suppressed those functions. We also confirmed that oncogenic TNKS2 is directly upregulated by miR-20a. Furthermore, suppression of TNKS2 expression could inhibit colony formation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Therefore, we concluded that miR-20a can promote migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells through the upregulation of TNKS2.
Tea plant breeding or cultivation mainly involves propagation via cuttings, which not only ensures the inheritance of the excellent characteristics of the mother plant but also facilitates mechanized ...management. The formation of adventitious root (AR) determines the success of cutting-based propagation, and auxin is an essential factor involved in this process. To understand the molecular mechanism underlying AR formation in nodal tea cuttings, transcriptome and endogenous hormone analysis was performed on the stem bases of red (mature)- and green (immature)-stem cuttings of 'Echa 1 hao' tea plant as affected by a pulse treatment with naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). In this study, NAA significantly promoted AR formation in both red- and green-stem cuttings but slightly reduced callus formation. External application of NAA reduced the levels of endogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and cytokinin (TZR, trans-zeatin riboside). The number of DEGs (NAA vs. CK) identified in the green-stem cuttings was significantly higher than that in the red-stem cuttings, which corresponded to a higher rooting rate of green-stem cuttings under the NAA treatment. A total of 82 common DEGs were identified as being hormone-related and involved in the auxin, cytokinin, abscisic acid, ethylene, salicylic acid, brassinosteroid, and jasmonic acid pathways. The negative regulation of NAA-induced IAA and GH3 genes may explain the decrease of endogenous IAA. NAA reduced endogenous cytokinin levels and further downregulated the expression of cytokinin signalling-related genes. By the use of weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), several hub genes, including three cellulose synthase (CSLD2), SHAVEN3-like 1 (SVL1), SMALL AUXIN UP RNA (SAUR21) that are highly related to root development in other crops, were identified that might play important roles in AR formation in tea cuttings. NAA promotes the formation of AR of tea cuttings in coordination with endogenous hormones. The most important endogenous AR inductor, IAA, was reduced in response to NAA. DEGs potentially involved in NAA-mediated AR formation of tea plant stem cuttings were identified via comparative transcriptome analysis. Several hub genes, such as CSLD2, SVL1 and SAUR21, were identified that might play important roles in AR formation in tea cuttings.
The aim of this study is to validate the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria and determine the number of Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002)–positive patients who do ...not meet the GLIM, as well as examine whether these patients would benefit from nutritional support therapy.
A reanalysis of a published prospective observational study was performed. The subjects were rediagnosed per the NRS2002 and GLIM criteria. The prevalence of malnutrition was reported, and the difference in rate of infection complications and total complications between the nutritional support therapy and glucose-electrolyte cohorts was calculated.
Among 1831 cases in the original database, 827 cases (45.2%) were NRS2002-positive. A total of 391 cases were identified by the GLIM criteria as malnourished (21.4%) and of these, subjects in the nutritional support therapy cohort had fewer infection complications than those in the glucose-electrolyte cohort (13.0% vs. 23.0%; P = 0.010). The remaining 436 patients were NRS2002 positive but GLIM negative (23.8%). The rate of infection was also significantly lower in the support cohort than in the nonsupport cohort (8.0% vs. 15.7%; P = 0.011). Nutritional support was proven o be a protective factor for infection complications in both GLIM-positive (odds ratio: 0.407; 95% confidence interval, 0.232–0.714; P = 0.002) and NRS2002-positive/GLIM-negative patients odds ratio: 0.314; 95% confidence interval, 0.161–0.612; P = 0.001).
The GLIM criteria have been validated, and are useful in identifying malnourished patients who may have fewer infection complications due to nutritional support therapy. However, the criteria neglected half of the patients identified by NRS2002, among whom nutritional support therapy also decreased the rate of infection complications.
•Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria are a new consensus to diagnosis malnutrition, but needs validation•Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS2002) can be used as the first screening step of the GLIM criteria•NRS2002-positive patients have fewer infections due to nutritional support•Nutrition support reduces infection rates in malnourished patients, as determined by the GLIM criteria•Patients who are NRS2002 positive but GLIM negative also benefit from nutritional support
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