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In this paper, an online energy-saving control allocation strategy based on self-updating loss estimation for multi-motor drive systems is proposed, where the impact of variations in motor parameters and distribution coefficients is considered. Firstly, a drive system model for multi-motor drive systems incorporating iron loss in permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) is established. Then, a self-updating PMSM loss estimation method based on dynamic torque–current mapping is proposed. The torque–current mapping is initially identified based on the conv-fusion curve, and iteratively updated by optimal estimation. Subsequently, an online control allocation method based on line search is proposed, which mitigates the adverse effects caused by variations in distribution coefficients and reduces the total motor loss. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed strategy is verified on the hardware-in-the-loop (HIL)-based platform. The results demonstrate that the strategy effectively enhances energy efficiency while maintaining the original control performance of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to the wide application of 3D vision in the fields of autonomous driving, robot navigation, and the protection of cultural heritage, 3D point cloud registration has received much attention. However, most current methods are time-consuming and are very sensitive to noises and outliers, resulting in low registration accuracy. Therefore, we propose a two-stage framework based on graph neural network and attention—TSGANet, which is effective in registering low-overlapping point cloud pairs and is robust to variable noises as well as outliers. Our method decomposes rigid transformation estimation into two stages: global estimation and fine-tuning. At the global estimation stage, multilayer perceptrons are employed to estimate a seven-dimensional vector representing rigid transformation directly from the fusion of two initial point cloud features. For the fine-tuning stage, we extract contextual information through an attentional graph neural network consisting of attention and feature-enhancing modules. A mismatch-suppression mechanism is also proposed and applied to keep our method robust to partially visible data with noises and outliers. Experiments show that our method yields a state-of-the-art performance on the ModelNet40 dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a pancreatic inflammatory disease that varies greatly in course and severity. To further the understanding of the pathology of AP, we carried out data-independent acquisition-based proteomic analyses using proteins extracted from the plasma of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) (experimental group) and healthy volunteers (control group). Compared to the control group, there were 35 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the plasma of patients with SAP. Of those, the expression levels for 6 proteins were significantly increased, and 29 proteins were significantly decreased. Moreover, six candidate biomarkers—VWF, ORM2, CD5L, CAT, IGLV3-10, and LTF—were matched as candidate biomarkers of the disease severity of AP. The area under the receiver operating characteristic of 0.903 (95% CI: 0.839, 0.967) indicated that this combination of these six candidate biomarkers had a good prediction accuracy for predicting the severity of AP. Our study provides specific DEPs that may be useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of SAP, which suggests new theoretical bases for the occurrence and development of SAP and offers potential novel treatment strategies for SAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

aims to analyze the differentially expressed circRNA in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) and evaluate its diagnostic and prognostic value. Analyze associated circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in COAD. Methods and Materials: Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) was used to verify differentially expressed circRNA in COAD tissues and cells; Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluating its diagnostic and prognostic value; Meanwhile we conducted CCK-8, invasion, and migration experiments in cell lines to explore the function of circRNA. In addition, a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was established using bioinformatics methods to explore its prognostic value and potential functional mechanisms. Results: Our study found that hsa_circ_0084927 is highly expressed in COAD tissues and cell lines. Plasma hsa_circ_0084927 can be used as a diagnostic marker for COAD patients; hsa_circ_0084927 can promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of COAD cells. In addition, we effectively constructed a ceRNA: network has_circ_0084927/miR-106b-5p/VEGFA. The ceRNA network indicates that hsa_circ_0084927 may affect the prognosis of COAD through the regulation of cell cycle, apoptosis and other pathways. Conclusion: Our research results indicate that hsa_circ_0084927 has a cancer-promoting effect and may be used as a circulating tumor marker for COAD prognosis. In addition, this study proposes a new ceRNA network to provide new insights for the targeted therapy of COAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an equivalent temperature estimation‐based finite control set model predictive control (ETE‐FCS‐MPC) method to balance the thermal stress among transistors in three level neutral point clamp (3L‐NPC) traction inverters, which can be used to prolong the whole service life and improve the reliability of the traction inverter. Compared with other methods, the proposed ETE‐FCS‐MPC method requires lesser calculation without additional sensor. Firstly, an energy loss‐based equivalent temperature estimation method is proposed to avoid the complexity of junction temperature prediction. Secondly, an energy variance‐based thermal stress balance control objective is introduced. Then, a normalized evaluation function is established to select the optimal switching state. Finally, the effectiveness of this method is verified on hardware‐in‐the‐loop tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is a well-established prognostic factor for colon cancer. Preoperative LNM evaluation is relevant for planning colon cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to construct and evaluate a nomogram for predicting LNM in primary colon cancer according to pathological features. Patients and Methods: Six-hundred patients with clinicopathologically confirmed colon cancer (481 cases in the training set and 119 cases in the validation set) were enrolled in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from January 2010 to December 2019. The expression of molecular markers (p53 and β-catenin) was determined by immunohistochemistry. Multivariate logistic regression was used to screen out independent risk factors, and a nomogram was established. The accuracy and discriminability of the nomogram were evaluated by consistency index and calibration curve. Results: Univariate logistic analysis revealed that LNM in colon cancer is significantly correlated (P <0.05) with tumor size, grading, stage, preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, and peripheral nerve infiltration (PNI). Multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that CEA, grading, and PNI were independent prognostic factors of LNM (P <0.05). The nomogram for predicting LNM risk showed acceptable consistency and calibration capability in the training and validation sets. Conclusions: Preoperative CEA level, grading, and PNI were independent risk factor for LNM. Based on the present parameters, the constructed prediction model of LNM has potential application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different opinions exist on the relationship between the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) and the prognosis of colon cancer. This study is aimed at evaluating the relationship between CAR and prognosis of stage II–III colon cancer and establishing a clinical prognosis model. Patients were randomised to a training set (566 cases) and validation set (110 cases). The relationship between CAR and clinicopathological variables was calculated, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyse the overall survival (OS) rate of colon cancer. In the training set, colon cancer independent risk factors were included in the prognosis model and then tested in the validation set. The accuracy and discrimination of the model were assessed using the C-index and calibration curves. Compared with patients with low CAR, patients with high CAR showed significantly poorer survival (P = 0.020). In the multivariate analysis, CAR, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), lymph node metastasis, operation mode, and perineural invasion were identified as independent prognostic indicators and adopted to establish the prediction model. The C-index of the nomogram for predicting OS reached 0.751 in the training set and 0.719 in the validation set. The calibration curve exhibited good consistency. In the present study, the CAR may be an independent prognostic factor for stage II–III colon cancer, and the nomogram has a certain predictive value. However, further prospective large-sample research needs to be conducted to validate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STT-MRAM) offers nonvolatility, good scalability, high speed, and low-power benefits. Multilevel cell (MLC) is an efficient technology to boost the storage density of the STT-MRAM. However, the conventional MLC structure is not suitable for more than 2-b storage due to inefficient multistep read/write operations. In this article, combining the emerging spin-orbit torque (SOT) and STT mechanisms, we propose a novel STT/SOT hybrid triple-level cell (TLC) MRAM cell structure. Corresponding write and read schemes are designed for this hybrid bit-cell to achieve low-cost operations. Unlike the regular stacked TLC, 3-b data can be written in two steps in the proposed cell structure, and be read in parallel with the assistance of SOT. Simulation results show that the proposed structure achieves 32% and 43% savings on write delay and energy consumption, respectively. Monte Carlo statistic simulation results indicate 1.4 × improvement in sensing margin as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermal growth factor receptor kinase substrate 8 (EPS8) plays critical roles in a variety of solid tumors. However, the biologic functions and clinical significance of EPS8-like 3 (EPS8L3), an EPS8-related protein, in liver cancer remain unclear. To measure EPS8L3 expression in liver cancer cell lines, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot analyses were performed. The correlation between 338 patients with liver cancer and various clinicopathological factors obtained from the Oncomine database were evaluated using the χ2 test. Survival of patients with different expression of EPS8L3 was determined using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with a log rank test, and Cox regression analysis was performed to estimate the prognostic significance of EPS8L3 expression. Additionally, cell proliferation and migration were determined using Cell Counting Kit-8 and wound healing assays. The results revealed that EPS8L3 expression was significantly upregulated in liver cancer tissues and cell lines (P<0.01), and that the expression of EPS8L3 was closely associated with grade (P=0.024) and mortality (P=0.011). Furthermore, survival analysis suggested patients with high EPS8L3 expression exhibited shorter survival compared with those with low EPS8L3 expression. Cox regression analysis indicated that EPS8L3 could be regarded as a prognostic biomarker in patients with liver cancer (hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.085–2.301; P=0.017). Additionally, in vitro assays revealed that EPS8L3 depletion significantly inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation and migration, and reduced the levels of phosphorylated PI3K and AKT in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Collectively, the results of the present study, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, demonstrated that EPS8L3 serves as an oncogene in liver cancer development; therefore, EPS8L3 may be a valuable prognostic predictor for patients with liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2007, ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) for the management of anal fistula was all introduced with initial success and excitement. It remains controversial which surgical procedure is suitable for transsphincteric fistula, especially to complex anal fistula. This retrospective study was designed to evaluate the results in patients with recurrent anal fistula by LIFT. A retrospective study of 55 complex fistula patients who underwent LIFT procedure in a single medical center was analyzed. Patients and fistula characteristics, complications, and recurrences were reviewed. All 55 patients underwent the procedure with a median follow-up of 16 months. Median operative time was 44 (range 23–88) minutes. Of the 55 patients, 33 (60%) healed completely and did not require any further surgical treatment at end of follow-up. Twenty-two (40%) recurrences and six complications were observed. Compared with patients who had undergone more than two surgical procedures, LIFT was more suitable for patients who had undergone one to two surgical procedures, and significant difference was observed in number of operations before LIFT (p=0.002). Clinicians can consider the use of LIFT for the treatment of recurrent anal fistulas. A larger number of patients and prospective study are needed to be performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this analysis was to compare the advantages of the anal fistula plug ( AFP) with the mucosa advancement flap ( MAF) for complex anal fistulas. Methods Comparative studies of the efficacy of AFP and MAF were included. Two independent reviewers selected articles for inclusion. After information collection, a meta-analysis was performed using data on overall healing rates, complications, incontinences and recurrences. The quality of postoperative life and cost were also included with the clinical results. Results Ten studies included 778 patients who were divided into AFP and MAF groups in this meta-analysis. During the follow-up period, no significant difference in healing rates, complications and recurrences were found ( P = 0.55, P = 0.78 and P = 0.23, respectively). The incontinence rate of AFP was lower than that of MAF ( P = 0.04). The postoperative quality of life of AFP patients was superior to that of MAF patients. The AFP patients had less persistent pain of a shorter duration and shortened healing time and hospital stay. The treatment cost of AFP patient was lower than that of MAF. Conclusion Compared to the MAF procedure, the AFP procedure has some advantages for complex anal fistulas, but more and large randomized clinical trials comparing the two procedures for fistula management need to be conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We evaluated the efficacy of fistulectomy compared to fistulotomy, and which procedure was the best procedure for patients with low anal fistula. Methods: The literature search included PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, Google original studies and a manual search of reference on the topic of fistulectomy compared to fistulotomy for anal fistula that had a deadline for publication by June 2016. Randomized controlled trials studies were included in the review. The outcome variables were analyzed which including operative time, healing time, postoperative complications, recurrence and incontinence. Results: Six randomized controlled trials (fistulectomy = 280, fistulotomy = 285) were considered suitable for the meta-analysis, with a total of 565 patients. The result of meta-analysis indicated no statistically significant difference in operative time [OR 4.74, 95 % CI −2.74, 12.23, p = 0.21] and healing time [OR −3.32, 95 % CI −19.86, 13.23, p = 0.69] between the fistulectomy and fistulotomy procedures. Three main postoperative complications were included, and the combined result indicated no statistically significant difference in overall complications [OR 1.39, 95 % CI 0.51, 3.78, p = 0.52] and subgroup complication. At the end of follow up, two kinds of surgical methods have the same low recurrence rate and faecal incontinence. The result revealed that there was no significant difference in rate of fistula recurrence between the fistulectomy and the fistulotomy [OR 1.39, 95 % CI 0.70, 2.73, p = 0.34]. Conclusion: The meta-analysis indicates that there is no conclusive evidence if fistulectomy or fistulotomy procedure is better in the treatment of low anal fistula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNA LINC00657 has a critical role in multiple cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the regulatory effect of LINC00657 in pancreatic cancer (PC) and reveal its molecular mechanism of function. The expression levels of LINC00657 and microRNA (miR)-520h were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR in PC tissues and cell lines. MTT, wound healing and Transwell assays were used to detect cell viability, migration and invasion, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was utilized to examine the relationship between LINC00657 and miR-520h and that between miR-520h and cyclin-dependent kinases regulatory subunit 1 (CKS1B). Western blotting was performed to detect CKS1B expression. The expression levels of LINC00657 and CKS1B were enhanced and miR-520h expression level was reduced in PC tissues and cell lines compared with adjacent normal tissues or HPDE6 cells. LINC00657 knockdown decreased the viability, migration and invasion of PC cells. Additionally, LINC00657 targeted miR-520h and negatively modulated miR-520h expression. Furthermore, miR-520h overexpression inhibited the viability, migration and invasion of PC cells. In addition, miR-520h targeted CKS1B and reversely regulated CKS1B expression. miR-520h inhibition and CKS1B overexpression alleviated the inhibition effect of LINC00657 knockdown on the viability, migration and invasion of PACA-2 PC cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that LINC00657 knockdown repressed the viability, migration and invasion of PC cells via targeting the miR-520h/CKS1B axis, which may offer a future target for PC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hesperidin (HDN) has been reported to have hydrogen radical- and hydrogen peroxide-removal activities and to serve an antioxidant role in biological systems. However, whether HDN protects hepatocytes (HCs) against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced injury remains unknown. The present study aimed to explore the role of HDN in H/R-induced injury. HCs were isolated and cultured under H/R conditions with or without HDN treatment. HC damage was markedly induced under H/R, as indicated by cell viability, supernatant lactate dehydrogenase levels and alanine aminotransferase levels; however, HDN treatment significantly reversed HC injury. Oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathioneand reactive oxygen species) were increased markedly during H/R in HCs; however, this effect was significantly attenuated after exposure to HDN. Compared with those of the control group, the mRNA expression levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in HCs and the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α in the supernatants increased significantly following H/R, and HDN significantly ameliorated these effects. Western blotting demonstrated that microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3α (MAP1LC3A, also known as LC3) and Beclin-1 protein expression levels increased, while sequestosome 1 levels decreased during H/R following exposure to HDN. The number of GFP-LC3 puncta in HCs following exposure to HDN was increased compared with that observed in HCs without HDN exposure under the H/R conditions after bafilomycin A1 treatment. In summary, the present study demonstrated that HDN attenuated HC oxidative stress and inflammatory responses while enhancing autophagy during H/R. HDN may have a potential protective effect on HCs during H/R-induced injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the top five malignant tumors in the world in terms of morbidity and mortality. Numerous long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are specifically expressed in tumours and can affect various types of human cancer by participating in competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory networks. However, the specific mechanisms and complex networks of ceRNA regulatory patterns in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) remain unclear., Methods: Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we identified the differentially expressed lncRNA, microRNA (miRNA), and messenger RNA (mRNA) between colon cancer and normal tissues, as well as between groups with high and low CEACAM5 expression. Then, we constructed CEACAM5-related ceRNA networks, established the key lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory axis, and explored the biological mechanisms of this axis and its clinical significance in colon cancer from multiomic aspects., Results: We constructed a ceRNA network of 18 lncRNAs, 177 miRNAs, and 25 mRNAs associated with CEACAM5 and finally established the key LCMT1-AS2 /miR-454-3p/ribosomal protein S6 kinase A5 (RPS6KA5) axis associated with overall survival. Subsequent investigations have indicated that this regulatory axis could potentially participate in the progression of COAD and exert influence on the therapeutic outcomes of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. It may be involved in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and may modify the tumor immune microenvironment and influence the course of COAD. Additionally, it may be related to ferroptosis, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation, and tumor stemness and interfere with the sensitivity of tumor cells to 5-fluorouracil and immunotherapy., Conclusions: The LCMT1-AS2/RPS6KA5 axis may be instrumental in tumor progression, potentially acting as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jgo.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jgo-24-43/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology. All rights reserved.)

Objective. This study aimed to develop an automatic and accurate method for severity assessment and localization of coronary artery disease (CAD) based on an optically pumped magnetometer magnetocardiography (MCG) system. Approach. We proposed spatiotemporal features based on the MCG one-dimensional signals, including amplitude, correlation, local binary pattern, and shape features. To estimate the severity of CAD, we classified the stenosis as absence or mild, moderate, or severe cases and extracted a subset of features suitable for assessment. To localize CAD, we classified CAD groups according to the location of the stenosis, including the left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex artery (LCX), and right coronary artery (RCA), and separately extracted a subset of features suitable for determining the three CAD locations. Main results. For CAD severity assessment, a support vector machine (SVM) achieved the best result, with an accuracy of 75.1%, precision of 73.9%, sensitivity of 67.0%, specificity of 88.8%, F1-score of 69.8%, and area under the curve of 0.876. The highest accuracy and corresponding model for determining locations LAD, LCX, and RCA were 94.3% for the SVM, 84.4% for a discriminant analysis model, and 84.9% for the discriminant analysis model. Significance . The developed method enables the implementation of an automated system for severity assessment and localization of CAD. The amplitude and correlation features were key factors for severity assessment and localization. The proposed machine learning method can provide clinicians with an automatic and accurate diagnostic tool for interpreting MCG data related to CAD, possibly promoting clinical acceptance., (© 2023 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.)

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of sarcopenia diagnosed based on anthropometric equations for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC)., Methods: A total of 1,441 CRC patients who underwent surgical treatment between January 2012 and December 2016 were enrolled in this study. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to validated anthropometric equations. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was used to estimate the survival curve. Cox proportional hazards regression models with forward selection were used to evaluate risk factors affecting the prognosis of CRC patients. R package "survival" was used to build the prognostic nomograms to predict 1-5 years of PFS and OS in CRC patients. The concordance index (C-index) and calibration curve were used to evaluate the prognostic accuracy of the prognostic nomogram., Results: Two hundred and seventy-one patients (18.8%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was significantly associated with advanced age, large tumor size, and high mortality. Compared with the non-sarcopenia patients, the PFS of sarcopenia patients was worse (5-year PFS, 48.34 vs. 58.80%, p = 0.003). Multivariate survival analysis showed that patients with sarcopenia had a higher risk (23.9%) of adverse PFS (HR, 1.239; 95%CI: 1.019-1.505, p = 0.031) than patients without sarcopenia. The OS of patients with sarcopenia was significantly worse than that of patients without sarcopenia (5-year OS: 50.92 vs. 61.62%, p = 0.001). In CRC patients, sarcopenia was independently associated with poor OS (HR: 1.273, 95%CI: 1.042-1.556, p < 0.001). Moreover, sarcopenia effectively differentiated the OS of CRC patients in the normal carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) subgroup but not in the high CEA subgroup. Notably, sarcopenia can provide effective prognostic stratification in CRC patients at different pathological stages. Nomograms that integrated prognostic features were built to predict the risk of adverse outcomes in CRC patients. The C-index and calibration curves showed that these nomograms had good prediction accuracy. Internal validation confirmed that our nomogram has wide application potential., Conclusion: Sarcopenia diagnosed based on anthropometric equations is an independent risk factor for PFS and OS in CRC patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Xie, Wei, Gao, Liu, Liang, Yuan, Wang, Xu, Tang and Gan.)

The incidence rate of acute pancreatitis is increasing, and severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is associated with a high mortality rate, which may be reduced by a deeper understanding of its pathogenesis. In addition, an early determination of the severity of acute pancreatitis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to match potential biomarkers for early identification and monitoring of acute pancreatitis and to shed light on the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of SAP. The expression levels of plasma exosomal microRNA (miRNA) in patients with pancreatitis have been associated with the disease. Thus, this study compared the expression levels of exosomal miRNA in plasma collected from four patients with SAP and from four healthy participants. Analyses of the miRNA expression profiles indicated that three previously unreported miRNAs were differentially expressed in the patient group: Novel1, which was downregulated, and Novel2 and Novel3, which were upregulated. The miRNA target genes for those novel miRNAs were predicted using Metascape. Of these miRNA target genes, those that were also differentially expressed at different time points after disease induction in a mouse model of acute pancreatitis were determined. The gene for complement component 3 (C3), a target gene of Novel3, was the only gene matched in both the patient group and the mouse model. C3 appeared at most of the time points assessed after induction of acute pancreatitis in mice. These findings are foundational evidence that C3 warrants further study as an early biomarker of SAP, for investigating underlying pathogenic mechanisms of SAP, and as a therapeutic target for ameliorating the occurrence or development of SAP., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Xu, Sun, Yin, Dong, Song, Fang, Liu, Shen and Li.)

Immune-related genes (IRGs) are closely related to tumor progression and the immune microenvironment. Few studies have investigated the effect of tumor immune microenvironment on the survival and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors of patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA). We constructed two IRG-related prognostic signatures based on gene-immune interaction for predicting risk stratification and immunotherapeutic responses. We also verified their predictive ability on internal and overall data sets. Patients with BLCA were divided into high- and low-risk groups. The high-risk group had poor survival, enriched innate immune-related cell subtypes, low tumor mutation burden, and poor response to anti-PD-L1 therapy. Our prognostic signatures can be used as reliable prognostic biomarkers, which may be helpful to screen the people who will benefit from immunotherapy and guide the clinical decision-making of patients with BLCA., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Liang, Xu, Chen, Zhong, Wang, Nong and Zhong.)

The production and secretion of extracellular vesicles (EVs) are common features of cells (including various normal cells, neoplastic cell lines as well as bacteria) that span all domains of life. Tumor-derived exosomes are enriched with kinds of tumorigenesis mediators which are derived from the cytoplasm of cancer cells and fully reflect the tumor conditions. Indeed, the major topics and challenges on current oncological research are the identification of tumorigenic and metastatic molecules in tumor-cell-derived exosomes as well as elucidating the pathways that guarantee these components to be included in exosomes. The bacterial EVs have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal (GI) tumors and chronic inflammatory diseases; however, the possible function of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in tumorigenesis remains largely underestimated. We suggest that EVs from both eukaryotic cells and different microbes in GI tract act as regulators of intracellular and cross-species communication, thus particularly facilitate tumor cell survival and multi-drug resistance. Therefore, our review introduces comprehensive knowledge on the promising role of EVs (mainly exosomes and OMVs) production of GI cancer development and gut microbiome, as well as its roles in developing novel therapeutic strategies., Competing Interests: None., (AJCR Copyright © 2021.)

Pulmonary contusion (PC) is very common in blunt chest trauma, and always results in negative pulmonary outcomes, such as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), respiratory failure or even death. However, there are no effective biomarkers which can be used to predict the outcomes in these patients. The present study aimed to determine the value of interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-22 in predicting the severity and outcomes of PC in trauma patients. All trauma patients admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University between January 2015 and December 2017, were studied. Patients aged >14 years old with a diagnosis of PC upon their admission to the emergency department were included. Patients with PC were enrolled as the PC group, patients without PC were enrolled as the non-PC group, and healthy individuals were selected as the control group. Clinical information, including sociodemographic parameters, clinical data, biological findings and therapeutic interventions were recorded for all patients who were enrolled. Blood samples were collected and stored according to the established protocols. PC volume was measured by computed tomography and plasma cytokine levels were assayed by ELISA. A total of 151 patients with PC (PC group) and 159 patients without PC (non-PC group) were included in the present study. In addition, 50 healthy individuals were used as the control group. The primary cause of PC was motor vehicle crashes. PC patients had more rib fractures, but similar injury severity scores compared with other patients. More patients received Pleurocan drainage treatment and had pneumonia complications in the PC group compared with the other two groups. PC patients had a high incidence of ARDS and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). PC patients also experienced longer periods on mechanical ventilation and had longer stays in the ICU and hospital. PC volume was effective in predicting the outcomes of PC patients. IL-22 levels were similar in the PC group and non-PC group. However, IL-17 could be used as a biomarker to predict the severity of PC, and was strongly associated with PC volume. IL-17 was significantly associated with pro-inflammatory complications in PC patients and could be used as a biomarker for predicting in-patient outcomes of patients with PC. In conclusion, IL-17 is a potential biomarker for predicting the severity and outcomes of PC in trauma patients., (Copyright: © Li et al.)

Hesperidin (HDN) is a bioflavonoid that serves a role as an antioxidant in biological systems. However, although HDN has hydrogen radical‑ and hydrogen peroxide‑removal activities, the role of HDN in liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unknown. This study aimed to determine the role of HDN in liver I/R injury. Male C57BL/6J wild‑type (WT) mice were subjected to warm partial liver I/R injury. Liver damage was evaluated by measuring serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, cytokine production, oxidative stress indicators, tissue hematoxylin‑eosin staining and cell death. The Akt signaling pathway was examined to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. HDN had no effect on ALT levels and tissue damage in WT mice without liver I/R injury. However, HDN significantly ameliorated liver I/R injury as measured by serum ALT levels and necrotic tissue areas. HDN decreased malondialdehyde content, but increased the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione. In addition, HDN significantly attenuated the mRNA expression levels of TNF‑α, IL‑6 and IL‑1β after liver I/R injury. Furthermore, HDN protected the liver against apoptosis in liver I/R injury by increasing the levels of Bcl‑2 and decreasing the levels of cleaved‑caspase 3. Mechanistically, the levels of phosphorylated Akt were elevated by HDN during liver I/R injury. In addition, HDN could induce Akt activation in hepatocytes in vitro. Most importantly, treatment with the Akt inhibitor LY294002 in WT mice blocked the hepatoprotective effects of HDN in liver I/R injury. In summary, the results of the present study suggested that HDN may protect against liver I/R injury through activating the Akt pathway by ameliorating liver oxidative stress, suppressing inflammation and preventing hepatocyte apoptosis. HDN may be a useful factor for liver injury protection and a potential therapeutic treatment for liver I/R injury in the future.

Lithium metal batteries are vital devices for high-energy-density energy storage, but the Li metal anode is highly reactive with electrolyte and forms uncontrolled dendrite that can cause undesirable parasitic reactions and, thus, poor cycling stability and raise safety concerns. Despite remarkable progress to partially solve these issues, the Li metal still plates at the electrode/electrolyte interface where the parasitic reactions and dendrite formation invariably occur. Here, we demonstrate the inward-growth plating of Li atoms into a metal foil of thickness of tens of micrometers while avoiding surface deposition, which is driven by the reversible solid-solution-based alloy phase change. Lithiation of the solid-solution alloy phase allows the freshly generated Li atoms at the surface to sink into the metal foil, while the reversible alloy phase change is companied by the dealloying reaction during delithiation, which extracts Li atoms from inside of the metal foil. The yielded dendrite free Li anode produces an enhanced Coulombic efficiency of 99.5 ± 0.2% with a reversible capacity of 1660 mA h g -1 (3.3 mA h cm -2 ).

Background: The 'adenoma-carcinoma sequence' is a well-recognized model of colorectal cancer (CRC) development. However, the interaction between gut microbiota and genetic variation in the initiation of CRC is not clear. Our study attempts to demonstrate the relationship between gut microbiota and host genetics in patients with intestinal adenomatous polyps. Method: The entire exon region of the APC gene was sequenced in 35 patients with pathologically diagnosed adenomatous polyps. Patients with highly pathogenic APC mutation were classified as the case group, while the others were classified as the control group. The patients'stool and serum samples were respectively collected for metagenomics and metabolomics measurements. Results: In the analysis of gut microbiome, there were three most important species, in which Fusobacterium&#95;mortiferum was significantly increased while Faecalibacterium&#95;prausnitzii and Bifidobacterium&#95;pseudocatenulatum were significantly decreased in the case group. The significantly low abundance of the Photosynthesis pathway in patients with APC mutation was due to the low abundance of species Faecalibacterium&#95;prausnitzii and Bifidobacterium&#95;pseudocatenulatum. Moreover, there were two clusters of KEGG pathways correlated with two clusters of species characterized by Faecalibacterium&#95;prausnitzii and Fusobacterium&#95;mortiferum. As to serum metabolomics, the abundance of (R)-3-Hydroxybutyric acid and 2-Hydroxyphenethylamine were significantly higher in patients with APC mutation, while the abundance of 1-Aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid,7-Ketocholesterol, DL-lactate, and L-Pyroglutamic acid were significantly higher in controlgroup. After analyzing the metabolome and microbiome data by sparCCmethod, we found that there was a significantly negative correlation between the abundance of Faecalibacterium&#95;prausnitzii and Fusobacterium&#95;mortiferum, and a significantly positive correlation between Faecalibacterium&#95;prausnitzii abundance and the steroid hormone Hydrocortisone (Cortisol) in serum. Conclusions: Host's APC mutation was closely related to the changes of gut microbiota and serum metabolites, and some species of gut microbiome like Faecalibacterium&#95;prausnitzii and Fusobacterium&#95;mortiferum might have the potential to predict the development of CRC from intestinal adenomatous polyps., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

Adenoma detection rate (ADR) is considered as an important predictor of the risk of interval colorectal cancer following a screening colonoscopy. A retrospective review of all the patients who underwent colonoscopy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Nanning, China) between 2003 and 2012 was performed, with the aim of estimating the ADR in Southwest China and determine the effects of age, gender and polyp location on ADR. Demographic information and data regarding the timing of the colonoscopy, number of polyps removed, polyp location and pathological types of polyps were collected and analyzed. The patients were grouped according to colonoscopy date, polyp location, gender and age. The χ 2 test was used to compare the ADR between the different age and gender groups and the Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to calculate the statistical significance of the ADR trend across age groups. A two-tailed value of P<0.05 was considered to indicate statistically significant differences. A total of 41,010 patients were included, of whom 7,219 were diagnosed with at least one adenoma on pathological examination. Therefore, the ADR value of the 41,010 patients screened in the present study was 17.6%. There was a statistically significant trend of increasing ADR with increasing age in both genders (P<0.05). In addition, the ADR of male patients was significantly higher compared with that of female patients in all age groups (all P<0.05). The ADR of patients aged >50 years was significantly higher compared with that of patients aged <50 years (28.8 vs. 11.0%, respectively; P<0.05). In addition, 20% of the cases of detected adenomas occurred in the rectum, 47% in the left colon and 33% in the right colon.