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. A random-effects model was used to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the predefined outcomes.
Results
A total of 134 476 patients from eight cohort studies were enrolled in our analysis. For MI incidence, no significant difference was found between the users of AIs and non-users (HR: .98, 95% CI: .83-1.17). The subgroup analysis of patients without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) suggested a reduced risk of MI (HR: .86, 95% CI: .77-.96). No significant difference was found for ischemic stroke (HR: .93, 95% CI: .82-1.07) and heart failure (HR: 1.24, 95% CI: .92-1.66) between the two groups.
Conclusion
Based on real-world data, AIs may be a safe treatment route for patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and those with a history of CVD. AIs caused a major decrease in MI in patients without CVD history. However, more in-depth investigations are needed to explore the association between AI use and the incidence of MI in the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.
Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) acts as a key regulator of vascular endothelial homeostasis, angiogenesis, and endothelial dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanism for SIRT1-mediated lung carcinoma ...angiogenesis remains unknown. Herein, we report that the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 1 (NAD1)-dependent deacetylase SIRT1 can function as an intrinsic negative modulator of Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4)/Notch signaling in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) xenograft-derived vascular endothelial cells (lung cancer-derived ECs).
SIRT1 negatively regulates Notch1 intracellular domain (N1IC) and Notch1 target genes HEY1 and HEY2 in response to Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4) stimulation. Furthermore, SIRT1 deacetylated and repressed N1IC expression. Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation (qChIP) analysis and gene reporter assay demonstrated that SIRT1 bound to one highly conserved region, which was located at approximately -500 bp upstream of the transcriptional start site of Notch1,and repressed Notch1 transcription. Inhibition of endothelial cell growth and sprouting angiogenesis by DLL4/Notch signaling was enhanced in SIRT1-silenced lung cancer-derived EC and rescued by Notch inhibitor DAPT. In vivo, an increase in proangiogenic activity was observed in Matrigel plugs from endothelial-specific SIRT1 knock-in mice. SIRT1 also enhanced tumor neovascularization and tumor growth of LLC xenografts.
Our results show that SIRT1 facilitates endothelial cell branching and proliferation to increase vessel density and promote lung tumor growth through down-regulation of DLL4/Notch signaling and deacetylation of N1IC. Thus, targeting SIRT1 activity or/and gene expression may represent a novel mechanism in the treatment of lung cancer.
Nitrogen‐doped carbon materials (N‐Cmat) are emerging as low‐cost metal‐free electrocatalysts for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), although the activities are still unsatisfactory ...and the genuine active site is still under debate. We demonstrate that the CO2RR to CO preferentially takes place on pyridinic N rather than pyrrolic N using phthalocyanine (Pc) and porphyrin with well‐defined N‐Cmat configurations as molecular model catalysts. Systematic experiments and theoretic calculations further reveal that the CO2RR performance on pyridinic N can be significantly boosted by electronic modulation from in‐situ‐generated metallic Co nanoparticles. By introducing Co nanoparticles, Co@Pc/C can achieve a Faradaic efficiency of 84 % and CO current density of 28 mA cm−2 at −0.9 V, which are 18 and 47 times higher than Pc/C without Co, respectively. These findings provide new insights into the CO2RR on N‐Cmat, which may guide the exploration of cost‐effective electrocatalysts for efficient CO2 reduction.
Nitrogen‐doped carbon catalysts are presented for application in the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Molecular probes were designed to clarify the genuine catalytically active sites. CO2RR takes place preferentially on pyridinic rather than pyrrolic nitrogen, and metallic cobalt nanoparticles enhance the CO2RR on pyridinic nitrogen significantly.
A theoretical formula is proposed to calculate the OET (optimal evaporation temperature) of subcritical ORC (organic Rankine cycle) based on thermodynamic theory when the net power output is selected ...as the objective function. The OETs of 22 working fluids including wet, isentropic and dry fluids are determined under the given conditions. In order to compare the accuracy of these results, the quadratic approximation method in EES (Engineering Equation Solver) is used to optimize the net power output and the OETs are obtained by numerical simulation. The results show that the OETs calculated by the theoretical formula are consistent with the numerical simulation results. In addition, the average computational accuracy of OETs from the theoretical formula is higher than that from the simplified formula recommended by the related literature. The larger net power output will be produced when the critical temperature of working fluid approaches to the temperature of the waste heat source. According to the maximum net power output, suitable working pressure, total heat transfer capacity and expander SP (size parameter), R114, R245fa, R123, R601a, n-pentane, R141b and R113 are suited as working fluids for subcritical ORC under the given conditions in this paper.
► We derive the formula for the optimal evaporation temperature of subcritical ORC. ► The formula is validated with 22 working fluids. ► The average relative deviation is less than 1% with the formula. ► Several working fluids are recommended based on some screening criteria.
•Two pretreatments affect differently the hydrochar properties and its pyrolysis behaviors.•Hydrochar by conventional hydrothermal pretreatment shows higher thermal stability.•Microwave hydrothermal ...pretreatment removes more acetyl.•Hydrochar by microwave hydrothermal pretreatment produces more glucopyranose and less acids.
Comparative study on microwave and conventional hydrothermal pretreatment of bamboo sawdust was carried out in this study. Microwave and conventional hydrothermal pretreatment both improved the hydrochar properties and its pyrolysis behaviors. Proximate and elemental analyses show that the properties of hydrochar from microwave hydrothermal pretreatment are better than conventional hydrothermal pretreatment in terms of calorific value and oxygen content except for 150°C. Microwave hydrothermal pretreatment removes more acetyl groups in hemicellulose compared to conventional hydrothermal pretreatment, which may be attributed to the hot spot effect of microwave irradiation. The peaks of thermogravimetric and derivative thermogravimetric curves of pretreated samples always shifted to higher temperature region. Also, the conventional hydrothermal pretreated samples are more thermally stable than those by microwave heating. In addition, the glucopyranose content in pyrolysis vapors of microwave hydrothermal pretreated bamboo sawdust (190°C) was 9.82% higher than that from conventional hydrothermal pretreated bamboo sawdust. However, the acids content from microwave hydrothermal pretreated bamboo sawdust (150°C) was 4.12% lower. In this regard, microwave hydrothermal pretreatment is more suitable for upgrading the pyrolysis oil quality than conventional hydrothermal pretreatment.
•A green system can efficiently extract Li+ in extremely dilute aqueous solutions.•A deep eutectic solvent and organic phosphoric acid system was proposed.•The effect of operating conditions on the ...efficiency of Li+ extraction was studied.•It can selectively extract Li+ from mixed ion solutions with high Na+ content.•The extraction system can realize stable recycling.
The efficient recovery of lithium-ion (Li+) from seawater is expected to be a promising solution to the shortage of lithium resources. This work demonstrated an application of a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (HDES) based system for Li+ recovery from dilute aqueous solutions (≤1 ppm). Methyltrioctyl ammonium chloride (N8881Cl) and decanoic acid (DecA) with a molar ratio of 1:2 were used as the extractant and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (DEHPA) as the co-extractant. N8881Cl/2DecA-DEHPA showed the highest extraction efficiency (80%) in a single extraction with the initial pH of the aqueous phase, the volume ratio of organic to the aqueous phase (O/A), and the volume fraction of HDES to be 11.10, 1/3 and 50%, respectively. FTIR analysis revealed the existence of cation exchange between Li+ and DEHPA. A total of ten regeneration cycles of extraction processes demonstrated that the extraction system was stable for selective extraction of Li+. The separation factor of Li/Na (βLi/Na) in the mixed ion solution was 9.76, indicating that the N8881Cl/2DecA-DEHPA system has the capability to selectively extract Li+ with a high Li/Na ratio. This will help design possible green HDES for lithium recovery from dilute aqueous solutions, e.g., raw and concentrated seawater.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, chronic, and ultimately fatal diffuse parenchymal lung disease. The molecular mechanisms of fibrosis in IPF patients are not fully understood and ...there is a lack of effective treatments. For decades, different types of drugs such as immunosuppressants and antioxidants have been tested, usually with unsuccessful results. Although two antifibrotic drugs (Nintedanib and Pirfenidone) are approved and used for the treatment of IPF, side effects are common, and they only slow down disease progression without improving patients’ survival. Macrophages are central to lung homeostasis, wound healing, and injury. Depending on the stimulus in the microenvironment, macrophages may contribute to fibrosis, but also, they may play a role in the amelioration of fibrosis. In this review, we explore the role of macrophages in IPF in relation to the fibrotic processes, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and their crosstalk with resident and recruited cells and we emphasized the importance of macrophages in finding new treatments.
Besides the pandemic caused by the coronavirus outbreak, many other pathogenic microbes also pose a devastating threat to human health, for instance, pathogenic bacteria. Due to the lack of ...broad‐spectrum antibiotics, it is urgent to develop nonantibiotic strategies to fight bacteria. Herein, inspired by the localized “capture and killing” action of bacteriophages, a virus‐like peroxidase‐mimic (V‐POD‐M) is synthesized for efficient bacterial capture (mesoporous spiky structures) and synergistic catalytic sterilization (metal–organic‐framework‐derived catalytic core). Experimental and theoretical calculations show that the active compound, MoO3, can serve as a peroxo‐complex‐intermediate to reduce the free energy for catalyzing H2O2, which mainly benefits the generation of •OH radicals. The unique virus‐like spikes endow the V‐POD‐M with fast bacterial capture and killing abilities (nearly 100% at 16 µg mL–1). Furthermore, the in vivo experiments show that V‐POD‐M possesses similar disinfection treatment and wound skin recovery efficiencies to vancomycin. It is suggested that this inexpensive, durable, and highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) catalytic active V‐POD‐M provides a promising broad‐spectrum therapy for nonantibiotic disinfection.
A bioinspired, spiky, and highly catalytic‐active virus‐like peroxidase‐mimic (V‐POD‐M) is synthesized for the localized “capture and killing” eradication of pathogenic bacteria. Experimental and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the V‐POD‐M exhibits strong bacterial interactions and efficient capture, synergistic catalytic sterilization, and similar in vivo disinfection efficiency to that of vancomycin, which provides a promising broad‐spectrum therapy for nonantibiotic disinfection.
Wet torrefaction (WT) is a sustainable subcritical water pretreatment technology to upgrade moist biomass into hydrochar solid fuel with superior fuel properties with the avoidance of ...energy-intensive conventional thermal drying. In order to obtain a holistic understanding of WT processing system, this review has comprehensively discussed recent advances in WT of biomass to produce high quality solid fuel and its subsequent thermochemical applications. This review has not only summarized distinct advantages of WT over dry torrefaction of biomass with high moisture content but also clarified the similarities and differences between WT and hydrothermal carbonization. According to structures and chemical compositions of components therein, four representative categories of diverse biomass materials were selected to describe the influence of intrinsic nature of biomass on fuel quality of hydrochar derived from WT. Furthermore, this article has attempted to figure out the inherent relationship between WT conditions and fuel properties with respect to operating conditions (e.g. temperature, pressure, and residence time), biomass to water ratio, acids and additives, torrefaction atmosphere, and heating techniques. Three conventional thermochemical applications of wet-torrefied biomass have been extensively reviewed to reveal that WT could benefit energy recovery from wet biomass in terms of improved quality of ultimate energy carriers and obviously reduced pollutants emissions. Nevertheless, critical concerns associated with optimization of operating cost, minimization and controlling of pollutants emissions, re-design of industrially applicable reactor, and system integration with downstream applications have been pointed out in order to make WT technology more environmentally and commercially viable.
Display omitted
•Wet torrefactoin of biomass to superior solid fuel has been extensively reviewed.•Effects of nature of biomass materials on mass and energy yields are discussed.•Relationship between wet torrefactoin conditions and fuel properties is presented.•Thermochemical applications of wet-torrefied biomass are analyzed.
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