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As a kind of bio-based polymer, poly (lactic acid) has potential application in fibers fields. Due to the weak nucleation ability, PLA crystallizes slowly and forms large spherulites during the forming process, which deteriorates the properties of PLA fibers. In this work, melt-spun method is employed for the fabrication of PLA/T composite fibers using succinate diphenyl dihydrazide (TMC-306) as the nucleating agent, and then the hot-drawing and heat setting is performed to the as-spun fibers. Compared with pure PLA fibers, PLA/T fibers show faster crystallization rate and improved performance due to the synergistic effect of heterogeneous nucleation and stress-induced crystallization. The characterization of non-isothermal crystallization behavior indicates that the peak crystallization temperature as well as crystallinity of PLA composites is increased to 121.5 °C and 36.78 % respectively by blending 0.3 wt% TMC-306. Meanwhile, the obtained PLA/0.3T composite fibers are highly crystallized and oriented at hot-drawing ratio of 2.4 folds and heat setting temperature of 100 °C, and the conformational stability is noticeably enhanced. Further, the tensile strength and storage modulus of PLA/0.3T composite fiber are 3.46 cN/dtex and 46,953 MPa respectively, which are increased by 42 % and 41 % compared with neat PLA fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have reported the association between the pattern and time point of recurrence in different groups stratified by age in postoperative survival of patients with gastric cancer. The clinicopathological data and recurrence data of 2028 patients with GC who underwent curative surgery from January 2010 to March 2015 were enrolled in this study. Patients were grouped according to age: young group (YG) (≤45 years old) (n = 180) and non-young group (OG) (>45 years old) (n = 1848). A total of 2028 patients were enrolled. The young group had better 5-year OS and DFS than the non-young group. In peritoneal recurrence, the cumulative incidence of recurrence in YG was higher than that in OG (P < 0.001). In distant recurrence, the cumulative incidence of recurrence YG was always lower than that of OG (P = 0.004). Recurrence hazard function varied over time between the two groups:in the peritoneal metastasis, the recurrence hazard for YG was higher and earlier than that of OG and the YG was observed during five years after surgery with two recurrence peaks in 8.5 months and in 41.5 months. In distant recurrence, the recurrence hazard for OG had an earlier and higher single peak than that of YG (6.0 months). The recurrence characteristics of patients with gastric cancer after curative resection between young group and older group are different. Personalized follow-up strategies should be developed according to the age and time point after operation for the early detection of recurrence and making decision for further treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective classifiers for the prediction of individual adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) benefits are scarce. This study aimed to construct a useful classifier to predict the AC benefit and recurrence hazard based on preoperative hematological indices through a multicenter database. Multivariate analysis revealing GCRF (comprehensive deep learning classifier) as an independent prognostic factor associated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) patients are categorized into the high-risk group (HRG) and low-risk group (LRG). In HRG, OS and DFS of the AC group are significantly higher than those of the non-AC group (all p˂0.05), whereas in LRG, OS and DFS of the AC group are comparable to those of the non-AC group (all p > 0.05). Furthermore, combined GCRF with 8th AJCC TNM staging system, only 650 (51.1%) patients can benefit most from AC among 1273 patients with pStage II-III. From the perspective of recurrence pattern, the recurrence rate of HRG is significantly higher than that of LRG in any recurrence type, including local recurrence, peritoneal recurrence, and distant recurrence (all p˂0.05). Furthermore, the mean time to peritoneal recurrence and lung metastasis in HRG is earlier than that in the LRG (p = 0.028 and 0.011, respectively). In summary, our novel classifier based on deep learning preoperative hematological indices can predict not only the AC benefit of LAGC patients, but also the recurrence hazard after surgery. This classifier is expected to be an effective supplement to the 8th AJCC TNM staging system for the prediction of AC benefits and is helpful for clinical decision in AC individual administration. Further large-scale western studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of achieving textbook oncological outcome (TOO) as a multimodal therapy quality indicator on the prognosis of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) remains inadequately assessed. Patients with AGC who underwent curative gastrectomy between January 2010 and December 2017 at two East Asian medical centers were included. TOO was defined as achieving the textbook outcome (TO) and receiving neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy (NCT or ACT). Cox and logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic and non-TOO-associated risk factors. Among 3626 patients, 57.6% achieved TOO (TOO group), exhibiting significantly better 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than the non-TOO group (both p < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression identified TOO as an independent prognostic factor for 5-year OS (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.61–0.74; p < 0.001) and DFS (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.66–0.81; p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that open gastrectomy, lack of health insurance, age ≥65 years, ASA score ≥ Ⅲ, and tumor size ≥50 mm are independent risk factors for non-achievement of TOO (all p < 0.05). On a sensitivity analysis of TOO's prognostic value using varying definitions of chemotherapy parameters, a stricter definition of chemotherapy resulted in a decrease in the TOO achievement rate from 57.6 to 22.3%. However, the associated reductions in the risk of death and recurrence fluctuated within the ranges of 33–39% and 28–37%, respectively. TOO is a reliable and stable metric for favorable prognosis in AGC. Optimizing the surgical approach and improving health insurance status may enhance TOO achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formulating critical clinical questions and outcomes is essential for developing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). This study aims to formulate the key clinical questions and outcomes for the CPG on acupuncture and moxibustion for allergic rhinitis (AR). PICO (patient, intervention, comparator, and outcome) question survey, Delphi survey, and consensus conference of the guideline development group (GDG) were employed. PICO questionnaires were used to gather and analyze the target users' key demands and interests. The GDG then selected the critical clinical questions and outcomes via a mixed method of Delphi survey and consensus conference. Fifteen potential clinical questions and ten types of outcomes were formulated based on the analysis of 123 responses from seventeen countries on five continents. After two rounds of the Delphi survey and complete discussions, a consensus was reached by the GDG that all potential questions were included. After three rounds of the Delphi survey and complete debate, the consensus was reached that nine outcomes were considered important. Fifteen key clinical questions and nine important outcomes were formulated for the CPG. These covered issues elicited the most attention from global users in acupuncture therapy and AR. The results will contribute to the CPGs development and future clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When applied to visual tasks, the diffractive neural network (DNN) based on light propagation between diffractive layers has advantages of all-optical, flexible, low-cost, easy to use as a plug-in, and also has good scalability. As the DNN goes deeper, some problems appear: slow convergence, over-fitting of network parameters, disappearance and explosion of gradients. Most of these problems are related to the redundancy of neurons brought by the standard size diffraction layer. Moreover, the energy loss caused by diffraction layer is inevitable. In this paper, we introduced a pyramid-ladder diffractive neural network (PDNN) which is high efficiency, low cost, strong scalability, able to improve DNN performance through imitation of residual structure and restrict gradients without additional optical hardware. What is more, the unique structure makes achievable layers number of PDNN break through the limitations of hardware and materials, so as to deal with complex problems such as object tracking. We also extended the network in multiple dimensions to make full use of the light and leverage the pyramid-ladder module as fundamental bricks. Code and an auxiliary software integrating functions of diffraction, 4 − f imaging system, supplementary light parameter selection assistance and pre-trained models for mechanism demonstration are available upon request. • A pyramid-ladder model improves DNN performance by imitating residual structure. • A strategy is proposed to increase DNN layers, reducing signal loss under limited hardware. • A paradigm of the diffractive neural network under multi-modal light inputs. • An auxiliary software "PDNNEDU" integrates optical calculation and trained models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Spectral stitching improves the detection ability towards minor and trace species. • Comprehensive molecular information and transfer behavior of O and N atoms are revealed. • Similarity and difference of samples are visually exhibited in PCA and HCA plots. The combination of mass spectrometry (MS) data and chemometrics methods is conducive to obtaining more comprehensive molecular information and evaluating the transfer behavior of O and N atoms during the conversion of biomass and coal. In this work, 12 thermal dissolution (TD) extracts of coal/biomass samples and the catalytic hydrogenation products of TD extracts were analyzed by Orbitrap MS using spectral stitching and in-source collision-activated dissociation (ISCAD) methods. Spectral stitching improves the detection ability towards minor and trace species, enhancing the number of identified compounds by two times. Meanwhile, ISCAD provides more comprehensive molecular structure information, which can illustrate the transfer patterns of heteroatoms and deepen the understanding of the structural characteristics of aromatic rings during the conversion of biomass and coal. Two chemometrics methods, principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), were introduced to dig out the detailed similarities and differences between O-containing and N-containing compounds in coal and biomass. HCA method not only recognized the category of O-containing and N-containing compounds in each sample, but also showed the removal behavior of O and N atoms in biomass and coal. Thus, the combination of MS methods and chemometrics method is expected to provide methodological support to elucidate the molecular structure and conversion pathways for complex coal and biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic oxalic acid (OA) activation for pharmaceutical wastewater degradation based on Fe-based catalysts are usually limited by the cycle of Fe3+/Fe2+ and low conversion efficiency of OA. Herein, an effective OA activator, FeOOH loaded FeWO 4 /WO 3 (FFW) heterojunction photocatalyst, were fabricated by electrostatic self-assembly for tetracycline (TC) degradation. Experimental results revealed that the introduction of FeOOH can greatly enhance the optical absorption and separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers of the FeWO 4 /WO 3 (FW) composite. Moreover, optimized FFW heterojunction exhibited the excellent photocatalytic OA activation activity and the highest OA conversion rate for TC degradation, which exhibited 97.3% photocatalytic performance for TC within 30 min under 420 nm light irradiation. The FFW heterojunction still revealed high photocatalytic OA activation activity for TC degradation even after six cycles. The possible degradation pathway of TC and photocatalytic OA activation mechanism of FFW heterojunction were also presented by ESR spectroscopy results, quenching tests, and LC-MS analysis. This work not only provides a fresh perspective on the surface photo-Fenton chemistry of catalytic redox processes, but also presents a valid reference for designing highly efficient photocatalytic OA-activation systems for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] • FeOOH loaded FeWO 4 /WO 3 heterojunction was fabricated for TC degradation via oxalic acid activation. • The introduced FeOOH can greatly enhance the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers. • FeOOH loaded FeWO 4 /WO 3 heterojunction showed high activity, stability and adaptability. • The mechanism of oxalic acid activation was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the fifth edition of the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) in clinical breast radiology by using prospective multicenter real-time analyses of ultrasound (US) images.Materials and Methods: We prospectively studied 2049 female patients (age range, 19-86 years; mean age 46.88 years) with BI-RADS category 4 breast masses in 32 tertiary hospitals. All the patients underwent B-mode, color Doppler US, and US elastography examination. US features of the mass and associated features were described and categorized according to the fifth edition of the BI-RADS US lexicon. The pathological results were used as the reference standard. The positive predictive values (PPVs) of subcategories 4a-4c were calculated.Results: A total of 2094 masses were obtained, including 1124 benign masses (54.9%) and 925 malignant masses (45.1%). For BI-RADS US features of mass shape, orientation, margin, posterior features, calcifications, architectural distortion, edema, skin changes, vascularity, and elasticity assessment were significantly different for benign and malignant masses (p< 0.05). Typical signs of malignancy were irregular shape (PPV, 57.2%), spiculated margin (PPV, 83.7%), nonparallel orientation (PPV, 63.9%), and combined pattern of posterior features (PPV, 60.6%). For the changed or newly added US features, the PPVs for intraductal calcifications were 80%, 56.4% for internal vascularity, and 80% for a hard pattern on elastography. The associated features such as architectural distortion (PPV, 89.3%), edema (PPV, 69.2%), and skin changes (PPV, 76.2%) displayed high predictive value for malignancy. The rate of malignant was 7.4% (72/975) in category 4a, 61.4% (283/461) in category 4b, and 93.0% (570/613) in category 4c. The PPV for category 4b was higher than the likelihood ranges specified in BI-RADS and the PPVs for categories 4a and 4c were within the acceptable performance ranges specified in the fifth edition of BI-RADS in our study.Conclusion: Not only the US features of the breast mass, but also associated features, including vascularity and elasticity assessment, have become an indispensable part of the fifth edition of BI-RADS US lexicon to distinguish benign and malignant breast lesions. The subdivision of category 4 lesions into categories 4a, 4b, and 4c for US findings is helpful for further assessment of the likelihood of malignancy of breast lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mortality rate of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)continues to increase because sensitive, early and readily available diagnostic tools are lacking. To address this problem, we aimed to identify diagnosticbio markers to be used for early detection of HCC. miR-93–5p was selected as a candidate biomarker based on the analyses of relevant Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets; it was validated using qPCR to quantify its expression levels in tissue, plasma and saliva sample sets. miR-93–5p was significantly upregulated in HBV-related HCC tissue. Notably, miR-93–5p in plasma and urine was also significantly increased in patients with early HBV-related HCC. The expression of miR-93–5p was significantly and positively correlated in pairwise comparisons of samples (tissue vs. plasma, tissue vs. urine, plasma vs. urine). Moreover, after curative hepatectomy,miR-93–5p in plasma and urine decreased significantly over one month after the curative hepatectomy and returned to normal levels. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that both plasma and urine miR-39–5p could detect be used to early, advanced and overall HBV-related HCC cases with more than 85% sensitivities and 93% of specificities. Finally, urine miR-93–5p could be used to predict progress-free survival for early HCC patients who received curative hepatectomy and overall survival for advanced HCC patients without curative treatments. Plasma and urine miR-93–5p show great promise as potential novel biomarkers for early detection of HBV-related HCC. Moreover, urine miR-93–5p could be used to predict the prognosis of patients with HBV-related HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungi cause diseases in a variety of marine animal hosts. After a thorough review of published literature, we identified 225 fungal species causing infections of 193 animal species, for a total of 357 combinations of pathogenic fungi and marine animal hosts. Among the 193 animal host species, Chordata (100 species, 51.8 %) and Arthropoda (68 species, 35.2 %) were discovered to be the most frequently reported hosts of fungal pathogens. Microsporidia (111 species, 49.3 %) constitutes over half of the described pathogenic fungal species of marine animals, followed by Ascomycota (85 species, 37.8 %), Mucoromycota (22 species, 9.8 %), Basidiomycota (6 species, 2.7 %) and Chytridiomycota (1 species, 0.4 %). Microsporidia primarily parasitize marine arthropods and Teleostei fish, while Basidiomycota are primarily known to cause respiratory diseases of marine mammals. Ascomycota has a diverse host range, from mammals, fish, crustaceans, soft corals and sea turtle. Few Mucoromycota and Chytridiomycota were reported to infect marine animals. Fungal diseases documented in this review likely represent a fraction of fungal diseases in the ocean, where it was estimated to be inhabited by 2.15 million animal species. Intensification of aquaculture practices, global warming and marine pollution may increase fungal disease outbreak of marine animals. All the topics mentioned above will be discussed in greater details in this review. • 225 fungal species cause infections of 193 marine animal species. • Chordata and Arthropoda are the main reported hosts of fungal pathogens. • Microsporidia is the major group of pathogenic fungi of marine animals. • Ascomycota has a diverse marine animal host range. • Few Mucoromycota and Chytridiomycota infect marine animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of smart grid, capacity of wind power that connects to the grid increases gradually, which makes the continuous and stable operation of wind turbine (WT) critically important. Therefore, by considering gearbox structure and operating condition, a diagnosis approach for coupling faults of WT gearbox is proposed based on multitask parallel convolutional neural network with reinforced input (RI-MPCNN). The overall information array of gearbox that fuses wavelet packet transform of vibration signals, domain knowledge of gearbox components and operating condition s used as RI-MPCNN input. Then, RI-MPCNN that has parallel sub-convolutional neural networks (sub-CNNs) and multiple classifiers realizes the diagnosis of coupling faults of multiple components simultaneously. Meanwhile, a reinforced input is added to each sub-CNN to improve the diagnosis accuracy of each component. It is notable that the proposed approach not only fuses the overall gearbox information at system level, but also realizes fault diagnosis at component level. In the approach evaluation based on two case studies, the proposed approach can improve diagnosis accuracies by about 3 and 20% compared with the existing methods, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]