Mechanistic study of visible light-driven CdS or g-C₃N₄-catalyzed C–H direct trifluoromethylation of (hetero)arenes using CF₃SO₂Na as the trifluoromethyl source

The mild and sustainable methods for C–H direct trifluoromethylation of (hetero)arenes without any base or strong oxidants are in extremely high demand. Here, we report that the photo-generated electron-hole pairs of classical semiconductors (CdS or g-C3N4) under visible light excitation are effective to drive C–H trifluoromethylation of (hetero)arenes with stable and inexpensive CF3SO2Na as the trifluoromethyl (TFM) source via radical pathway. Either CdS or g-C3N4 propagated reaction can efficiently transform CF3SO2Na to [rad]CF3 radical and further afford the desired benzotrifluoride derivatives in moderate to good yields. After visible light initiated photocatalytic process, the key elements (such as F, S and C) derived from the starting TFM source of CF3SO2Na exhibited differential chemical forms as compared to those in other oxidative reactions. The photogenerated electron was trapped by chemisorbed O2 on photocatalysts to form superoxide radical anion (O2[rad]−) which will further attack [rad]CF3 radical with the generation of inorganic product F− and CO2. This resulted in a low utilization efficiency of [rad]CF3 (&lt;50%). When nitro aromatic compounds and CF3SO2Na served as the starting materials in inert atmosphere, the photoexcited electrons can be directed to reduce the nitro group to amino group rather than being trapped by O2. Meanwhile, the photogenerated holes oxidize SO2CF3− into [rad]CF3. Both the photogenerated electrons and holes were engaged in reductive and oxidative paths, respectively. The desired product, trifluoromethylated aniline, was obtained successfully via one-pot free-radical synthesis.</p

Breaking Malus’ law: Highly efficient, broadband, and angular robust asymmetric light transmitting metasurface

High efficiency, broad bandwidth, and robust angular tolerance are key considerations in photonic device design. Here, a few‐layer, asymmetric light transmitting metasurface that simultaneously satisfies all the above requirements is reported. The metasurface consists of coupled metallic sheets. It has a measured transmission efficiency of 80%, extinction ratio of 13.8 dB around 1.5 μm, and a full width half maximum bandwidth of 1.7 μm. It is as thin as 290 nm, has good performance tolerance against the angle of incidence and constituent nano‐structure geometry variations. This work demonstrates a practical asymmetric light transmission device with optimal performance for large scale manufacturing.A few‐layer, asymmetric light transmitting metasurface consisting of coupled metallic sheets is reported. It has a measured transmission efficiency of 80%, extinction ratio of 13.8 dB around 1.5 μm, and a full width half maximum bandwidth of 1.7 μm. It is as thin as 290 nm, has good performance tolerance against the angle of incidence and constituent nano‐structure geometry variations.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134207/1/lpor201500328_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134207/2/lpor201500328.pd

Association of objective and subjective parameters of obstructive sleep apnea with plasma aldosterone concentration in 2,066 hypertensive and 25,368 general population

Study objectivesObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity has been suggested in aldosterone elevation in resistant hypertension, whereas it is undetermined in the rest population. We explored the association of OSA parameters with plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) in participants with and without hypertension.MethodsWe enrolled clinically hypertensive patients with polysomnography and PAC data under no interfering agents, compared (log) PAC, and assessed the linearity of log PAC by tertiles (T1/2/3) of sleep parameters and their association using linear regression by gender and age. We enrolled participants with and without hypertension who had No-SAS scale and PAC data from the community and duplicated the observations from clinical setting considering age, gender, and presence of hypertension.ResultsOf the 2,066 clinical patients with hypertension (1,546 with OSA), men participants (n=1,412), log apnea–hypopnea index (p=0.043), apnea index (AI, p=0.010), and lowest oxygen saturation (LSaO2, p=0.013) showed significant linearity with log PAC. Log AI (B=0.04, 95%CI: 0.01,0.07, p=0.022) and log LSaO2 (B=−0.39, 95%CI: −0.78,−0.01, p=0.044) showed significant positive and negative linear associations with log PAC in regression. In community dwellers, 6,417 participants with untreated hypertension (2,642 with OSA) and 18,951 normotensive participants (3,000 with OSA) were included. Of the men participants with and without hypertension, the OSA group showed significantly higher (log) PAC than did their counterparts, and log No-SAS score showed positive association with log PAC (hypertension: B=0.072, 95%CI: 0.002,0.142, p=0.043; normotension: B=0.103, 95%CI: 0.067,0.139, p&lt;0.001) in linear regression analysis, which were consistent in all age groups.ConclusionsOSA parameters were positively associated with PAC in normotensive and hypertensive participants, indicating that OSA may increase circulating aldosterone, especially in men

Minor Change of Plasma Renin Activity during the Saline Infusion Test Provide an Auxiliary Diagnostic Value for Primary Aldosteronism

Context. Failure of plasma aldosterone suppression during the saline infusion test (SIT) confirms primary aldosteronism (PA); recommendations for diagnostic strategies are currently controversial in the case of an inconclusive test result with a post-SIT PAC 5–10 ng/dl, while the renin change during SIT is not focused by the previous study. Objective. To clarify whether it has some hidden diagnostic values for PA, especially in the case of an inconclusive SIT result, we investigated the difference in changes of plasma renin activity (PRA) during SIT between patients with PA and non-PA. Methods. We measured and compared the SIT parameters of 159 PA patients, 368 non-PA patients, and 43 inconclusive patients who were included in this study. Results. The PA group showed a minor change of PRA during the SIT (ΔPRA, defined as (pre-SIT PRA–post-SIT PRA)) compared with the non-PA group (0.17 ng/ml/h vs. 1.07 ng/ml/h, P<0.001). According to ROC analysis, ΔPRA showed a greater AUC than post-SIT PRA (0.897 vs. 0.855, P<0.001). The cutoff value was 0.5 ng/ml/h, with 90.3% sensitivity and 78.6% specificity. When combined with ARR post-SIT, it showed 81.6% sensitivity and 97.0% specificity for PA diagnosis. Further analysis of 43 patients with an inconclusive SIT result who completed AVS found that ΔPRA was smaller in the confirmed PA group compared with the unconfirmed PA group (0.19 ng/ml/h vs. 0.29 ng/ml/h, P<0.05); there was no significant difference in PAC post-SIT between two groups. ΔPRA ≤ 0.21 ng/ml/h provides 71.4% sensitivity, 80.0% specificity, and 87.0% PPV for their PA diagnosis. Conclusions. PA patients show minor PRA change during SIT; the change of PRA during SIT provides an auxiliary diagnostic value for PA, especially in patients with an inconclusive SIT result

Multivariate patterns of brain functional connectome associated with COVID-19-related negative affect symptoms.

Severe mental health problems with the representation of negative affect symptoms (NAS) have been increasingly reported during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to explore the multivariate patterns of brain functional connectome predicting COVID-19-related NAS. This cohort study encompassed a group of university students to undergo neuroimaging scans before the pandemic, and we re-contacted participants for 1-year follow-up COVID-related NAS evaluations during the pandemic. Regularized canonical correlation analysis was used to identify connectome-based dimensions of NAS to compute pairs of canonical variates. The predictive ability of identified functional connectome to NAS dimensional scores was examined with a nested cross-validation. Two dimensions (i.e. mode stress and mode anxiety) were related to distinct patterns of brain functional connectome (r2 = 0.911, PFDR = 0.048; r2 = 0.901, PFDR = 0.037, respectively). Mode anxiety was characterized by high loadings in connectivity between affective network (AFN) and visual network (VN), while connectivity of the default mode network with dorsal attention network (DAN) were remarkably prominent in mode stress. Connectivity patterns within the DAN and between DAN and VN, ventral attention network, and AFN was common for both dimensions. The identified functional connectome can reliably predict mode stress (r = 0.37, MAE = 5.1, p < 0.001) and mode anxiety (r = 0.28, MAE = 5.4, p = 0.005) in the cross-validation. Our findings provide new insight into multivariate dimensions of COVID-related NAS, which may have implications for developing network-based biomarkers in psychological interventions for vulnerable individuals in the pandemic

Effect of spironolactone on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with hypertension and glucose metabolism disorders (ESCAM): a study protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

Introduction Hypertension combined with diabetes and hypokalemia is more likely to develop hyperaldosteronism and is at higher risk of cardiovascular events. There is evidence that activation of aldosterone and mineralocorticoid receptors may play a significant role in the occurrence of cardiovascular events in patients with hypertension and diabetes. Clinical studies have demonstrated that spironolactone can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney diseases or severe heart failure. However, the effect of spironolactone on cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension and glucose metabolism disorders (GMD) and low potassium has been scarcely studied. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate whether add-on spironolactone (conventional antihypertensive drugs alone vs conventional antihypertensive drugs+spironolactone) can reduce the morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular events in this population.Methods and analysis In this multicentre, randomised, parallel-controlled study, a total of 7140 hypertensive patients aged 45–75 years with GMD and low potassium will be randomised in a 1:1 manner to the control or the spironolactone group (20 mg/day or with a maximum dose of 40 mg). The primary objective is to estimate the difference in the HR of composite cardiovascular events between the two groups. We will also assess the effects of spironolactone on individual cardiovascular events and the progression of diabetes and renal dysfunction.Ethics and dissemination This protocol was approved by the Independent Ethics Committee of People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (no. 2020020618). The results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific conferences.Trial registration number ChiCTR2000028909

Detection of Secondary Causes and Coexisting Diseases in Hypertensive Patients: OSA and PA Are the Common Causes Associated with Hypertension

Background. Since the control rate of blood pressure is lower in mainland China, the aim of this study is to investigate the proportion of secondary causes and coexisting diseases of hypertension in hypertensive patients. Methods. Data on consecutive patients with hypertension who visited the Hypertension Center. Diseases were detected using an established strict screening protocol. Results. Detection rate of secondary causes and coexisting diseases of hypertension was 39.5% among 3003 hypertensive patients. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was the most common, accounting for 24.7% of patients, followed by primary aldosteronism (PA) (5.8%) and PA + OSA (4.9%). Endocrine hypertension accounted for 12.1% of patients, including 10.7% of patients with PA, 1.1% with hypothyroidism, 0.1% with pheochromocytoma, 0.1% with Cushing’s syndrome, and 0.1% with hyperthyroidism, respectively. Those who smoke, those who are obese, and those who have diabetes accounted for 31.3%, 27.5%, and 16.6% of total patients, respectively. There were overlapping conditions in secondary causes and coexisting diseases of hypertension. OSA was the most common in each age- and BMI-stratified group. Conclusion. Findings from the current study suggest an increasing frequency of secondary forms of hypertension, highlighting the burden of OSA and PA in hypertensive patients

Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in various ethnic groups (Hui, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Mongolian, Tajik) in Xinjiang, Northwest China

Purpose: Credible data is scarce in representative population aged ≥18 years, though hypertension is highly prevalent and poorly controlled in population aged ≥30 years in Xinjiang Northwest China. Therefore, we tried to provide data on hypertension status for reference. Materials and methods: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional survey between 2014 and 2015 using stratified multi-stage random sampling as part of a national survey. Hypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥140 mmHg, and/or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg and/or taking anti-hypertensive agents. We assessed prevalence, awareness, treatment and control rates of hypertension by rural and urban regions, by gender and by ethnicity, and related factors including agent prescription pattern. Results: Data for 6807 subjects ≥18 years with 79.2% rural and 52.0% women subjects are analyzed. Overall age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension in population aged ≥18 years is 22.2%, and shows no disparity between genders and regions. By ethnicity, the prevalence of hypertension was the highest in Tajik subjects (25.4%), followed by Mongolian (25.3%) and Kazakh (24.8%) subjects and the lowest in Kyrgyz (20.2%) subjects. Of the hypertensives, 55.5% have awareness, 43.9% receive anti-hypertensive treatment, whereas only 14.5% have their BP controlled. In different ethnic groups, the awareness, control and control in treatment rates showed no significant disparities, except for the treatment rate. It was the highest in Kazakh subjects (50.0%) and the lowest in Hui subjects (36.7%). The most common prescribed agent encompassed ACEI/ARBs (41.1%) and calcium channel blockers (30.4%). Over 87.2% of hypertensives were prescribed for single drug regimen. Conclusions: Hypertension is moderately prevalent in Xinjiang, whereas poorly controlled. Standardization of its treatment such as introducing treatment algorithm might be the priorities for future improvement, with healthy life promotion

Using graph convolutional network to characterize individuals with major depressive disorder across multiple imaging sites

BACKGROUND: Establishing objective and quantitative neuroimaging biomarkers at individual level can assist in early and accurate diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, most previous studies using machine learning to identify MDD were based on small sample size and did not account for the brain connectome that is associated with the pathophysiology of MDD. Here, we addressed these limitations by applying graph convolutional network (GCN) in a large multi-site MDD dataset. METHODS: Resting-state functional MRI scans of 1586 participants (821 MDD vs. 765 controls) across 16 sites of Rest-meta-MDD consortium were collected. GCN model was trained with individual whole-brain functional network to identify MDD patients from controls, characterize the most salient regions contributing to classification, and explore the relationship between topological characteristics of salient regions and clinical measures. FINDINGS: GCN achieved an accuracy of 81·5% (95%CI: 80·5–82·5%, AUC: 0·865), which was higher than other common machine learning classifiers. The most salient regions contributing to classification were primarily identified within the default mode, fronto-parietal, and cingulo-opercular networks. Nodal topologies of the left inferior parietal lobule and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were associated with depressive severity and illness duration, respectively. INTERPRETATION: These findings based on a large, multi-site dataset support the feasibility and effectiveness of GCN in characterizing MDD, and also illustrate the potential utility of GCN for enhancing understanding of the neurobiology of MDD by detecting clinically-relevant disruption in functional network topology. FUNDING: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 81621003, 82027808, 81820108018)