Myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (MCL-1) is an antiapoptotic protein that plays a key role in promoting cell survival in multiple myeloma (MM), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Overexpression of MCL-1 is associated with treatment resistance and poor prognosis; thus, MCL-1 inhibitors are rational therapeutic options for malignancies depending on MCL-1. Several MCL-1 inhibitors have entered clinical trials, including AZD5991, S64315, AMG 176, and AMG 397. A key area of investigation is whether MCL-1 inhibitors will complement the activity of BCL-2 inhibitors, such as venetoclax, and synergistically enhance anti-tumor efficacy when given in combination with other anti-cancer drugs. Another important question is whether a safe therapeutic window can be found for this new class of inhibitors. In summary, inhibition of MCL-1 shows potential as a treatment for hematologic malignancies and clinical evaluation of MCL-1 inhibitors is currently underway. This study investigated methylene blue (MB) degradation by the vacuum-ultraviolet/ultraviolet/persulfate (VUV/UV/PS) process using a mini-fluidic VUV/UV photoreaction system. Results show that MB degradation by the VUV/UV/PS process was significantly higher than that of the conventional UV/PS process, as the VUV photolysis of H2O and PS generated more reactive oxygen species (ROSs). HO• and SO4•-, identified as the main ROSs, were mostly consumed by dissolved organic carbon and Cl‒ in real waters, respectively. Additionally, the impacts of solution pH and the concentrations of PS, humic acid, and inorganic ions (HCO3‒, Cl‒, NO3‒, SO42‒, Fe(II), and Fe(III)) were systematically evaluated. The solution pH significantly affected the photon absorption distributions, as well as the contributions of photolysis and oxidation to MB degradation, resulting in different variations in the degradation rate constant and total organic carbon removal ratio with increasing solution pH. At all tested pH levels (3.0-11.0), particularly under acidic conditions, HO and SO4- were two predominant contributors to MB degradation, while VUV and UV photolysis contributed more when the solution pH increased. This study provides a highly efficient process for organic pollutant removal, which could be applied in water treatment. BACKGROUND The 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association cholesterol guideline recommends high-intensity statin (HIS) in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but little is known about the efficacy and safety of HIS in Asian ethnicity. We assessed the effects of HIS in Taiwanese with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS Consecutive patients admitted for new AMI between January 2010 and December 2013 without prior statin use were enrolled from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients were grouped based on the intensity of statin they took after discharge. The primary endpoint was the composite outcome of all-cause mortality, recurrent myocardial infarction, and stroke. We also compared the incidences of severe hepatitis and myopathy that need admission between HIS and non-HIS groups. We used propensity score analysis to match covariates between groups and Cox proportional hazards models with adjustment to estimate the risks of clinical outcomes. RESULTS After 14 propensity score match, there were 4402 patients in the HIS group and 17,608 patients in the non-HIS group. After follow-up for 3 years, 668 patients (15.2%) in the HIS group and 2749 (15.6%) in the non-HIS group had the primary composite endpoint. Cox proportional-hazards analyses showed that HIS did not further reduce composite endpoint (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.975; 95% confidence interval, 0.896-1.062); however, HIS patients had a lower risk of ischemic stroke at 3-year follow-up. Regarding safety, HIS did not increase hospitalization rates for severe hepatitis and myopathy. CONCLUSIONS Patients with AMI in Taiwan with HIS had similar clinical outcomes to those with non-HIS. Using HIS for the effective reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is safe in Taiwan. BACKGROUND The ability to predict readmission accurately after hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is limited in current statistical models. Machine-learning (ML) methods have shown improved predictive ability in various clinical contexts, but their utility in predicting readmission after hospitalization for AMI is unknown. METHODS Using detailed clinical information collected from patients hospitalized with AMI, we evaluated 6 ML algorithms (logistic regression, naïve Bayes, support vector machines, random forest, gradient boosting, and deep neural networks) to predict readmission within 30 days and 1 year of discharge. A nested cross-validation approach was used to develop and test models. We used C-statistics to compare discriminatory capacity, whereas the Brier score was used to indicate overall model performance. Model calibration was assessed using calibration plots. RESULTS The 30-day readmission rate was 16.3%, whereas the 1-year readmission rate was 45.1%. For 30-day readmission, the discriminative ability for the ML models was modest (C-statistic 0.641; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.621-0.662 for gradient boosting) and did not outperform previously reported methods. For 1-year readmission, different ML models showed moderate performance, with C-statistics around 0.72. Despite modest discriminatory capabilities, the observed readmission rates were markedly higher in the tenth decile of predicted risk compared with the first decile of predicted risk for both 30-day and 1-year readmission. CONCLUSIONS Despite including detailed clinical information and evaluating various ML methods, these models did not have better discriminatory ability to predict readmission outcomes compared with previously reported methods. Within palliative care, clear and open communication about death is encouraged. Euphemisms are discouraged as threats to promoting clear understanding of the prognosis; to opening communication about what a good death means to individual patients and families; and to fostering collaborative planning aimed at achieving this ‘good death’. Principles of patient-centred and culturally competent care, however, which reflect trends of individualisation, plurality and multiculturalism that are characteristic of late modernity, encourage respect for and support of patients’ and families’ preferences. Veliparib cell line These may include wishes to avoid open communication, preferences for euphemisms, and definitions of a ‘good death’ that vary from the practitioner’s, and within families. The aim of this study was to examine how physicians navigate these competing priorities. Analysis is based on interviews with 23 doctors, ranging in experience from medical students through to senior palliative care specialists, and eight recorded observations of palliative care multidisciplinary team meetings with 52 clinicians collected in 2017 at two hospitals in one Australian metropolitan area.