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A heterogeneous treatment response and prognosis exists among patients with Ann Arbor stage I natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), and further risk stratification is required to identify high-risk patients. Here, we assessed the extent of local tumor invasion (LTI) in 185 patients with Ann Arbor stage I primary nasal NKTCL and proposed a novel four-level T staging system. We found that a more advanced T stage was associated with a significantly lower rate of complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy and a marginally lower rate of CR after radiotherapy. While patients with no LTI (T) or mild LTI (T) presented with similar 5-year overall survival (OS; 83.6 % vs. 86.0 %, P = 0.990), those with moderately or highly advanced local disease (T or T) had significantly worse survival (5-year OS was 63.3 % and 35.1 %, respectively). A more advanced T stage (T or T) was an independent prognostic factor for both OS and progression-free survival (PFS) in the Cox regression model. In addition, patients with T or T disease experienced locoregional failure more frequently than those with T or T disease, and patients with T disease had a significantly higher risk of distant failure. Our data demonstrated that the T staging system, based on the extent of LTI, could serve as an effective clinical parameter for further risk stratification among patients with primary nasal Ann Arbor stage I NKTCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presented here are two d metal-organic coordination polymers (CPs), [Zn(CO)( μ-OH)] ( 1) and [Cd(CO)(OX)(HO)] ( 2) (HOX = oxalic acid) constructed from squaric acid (HCO) tectons. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies indicated that both 1 and 2 show 3D structures. The two 3D CPs are assembled from 1D {[Zn( μ-OH)]} chains to 3D structure linked through CO ligands for 1 and 2D {[(Cd1)(CO)]} layers pillared by OX ligands for 2. The structure of compound 1 can be described as a trinodal (3,6,6)-connected net with the point symbol of {4}{4·6·8}{4·6}, whereas 2 possess a trinodal (4,5,6)-connected {4·8} {4·6·8} {4·6} topology. Furthermore, the fluorescent and thermal stabilities properties of these two compounds were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effectiveness of ketamine, a noncompetitive N-methyl- d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, in alleviating the enhanced anxiety and fear response in both a mouse model of PTSD induced by inescapable electric foot shocks and a rat model of PTSD induced by a time-dependent sensitization (TDS) procedure. First, we evaluated the effect of ketamine on behavioral deficits in a mouse model of PTSD that consisted of foot shocks followed by three situational reminders. Our results showed that the aversive procedure induced several behavioral deficiencies, such as increased freezing behavior and anxiety, as well as reduced time spent in an aversive-like context, which were reversed by repeated treatment with ketamine. The effect of ketamine on behavioral changes after exposure to TDS was also investigated, and the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus were measured. The results revealed that after TDS, the rats showed a significant increase in contextual freezing and a decrease in the percentage of time spent in and numbers of entries into open arms in the elevated plus maze test. As a positive control drug, sertraline (Ser, 15 mg/kg, i.g.), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) ameliorated these behavioral deficits. These behavioral effects were mimicked by chronic ketamine treatment. Furthermore, ketamine normalized the decreased BDNF level in the hippocampus in post-TDS rats. Taken together, these results suggest that ketamine exerts a therapeutic effect on PTSD that might be at least partially mediated by an influence on BDNF signaling in the hippocampus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-dopa) is the gold standard for symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD), but long-term therapy is associated with the emergence of L-dopa-induced dyskinesia (LID). In the present study, L-dopa and benserazide were loaded by poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres (LBM), which can release levodopa and benserazide in a sustained manner in order to continuous stimulate dopaminergic receptors. We investigated the role of striatal DR1/PKA/P-tau signal transduction in the molecular event underlying LID in the 6-OHDA-lesioned rat model of PD. We found that animals rendered dyskinetic by L-dopa treatment, administration of LBM prevented the severity of AIM score, as well as improvement in motor function. Moreover, we also showed L-dopa elicits profound alterations in the activity of three LID molecular markers, namely (ser396). These modifications are totally prevented by LBM treatment, a similar way to achieve continuous dopaminergic delivery (CDD). In conclusion, our experiments provided evidence that intermittent administration of L-dopa, but not continuous delivery, and (ser396) activation played a critical role in the molecular and behavioural induction of LID in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. In addition, LBM treatment prevented the development of LID by inhibiting the expression of DR1/PKA/p-tau, as well as PPEB mRNA in dyskintic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Concern about an increasing risk of acute pancreatitis associated with incretin-based drugs, including dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 analogs, has emerged recently.Objective: This nested case-control study examined the association between the use of DPP-4 inhibitors and acute pancreatitis using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database.Methods: From a study cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, we identified 1,957 acute pancreatitis cases (patients who had been admitted with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis) and 7,828 age-, sex-, and cohort entry year-matched controls between 2000 and 2011. Multivariate conditional regression models were used to estimate the association between the use of DPP-4 inhibitors and acute pancreatitis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted by varying the definitions of timing of exposure to DPP-4 inhibitors.Results: The risks of acute pancreatitis among current and past users of DPP-4 inhibitors were comparable with those of non-users (current users: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.04; 95% CI [0.89-1.21]; past users: aOR 1.61 [0.93-2.77]). Similar results were found in sensitivity analyses with various definitions of "current users" of DPP-4 inhibitors. Nevertheless, the adjusted risk of acute pancreatitis was found to be increased significantly in patients with gallstone disease (aOR 5.89 [4.71-7.35]), alcohol-related disease (aOR 5.36 [4.05-7.08]), hypertriglyceridemia (aOR 1.80 [1.26-2.56]), pancreatic disease (aOR 17.29 [10.60-28.19]), and a higher Diabetes Complications Severity Index (DCSI) score (DCSI 3-4: aOR 1.49 [1.21-1.84]; DCSI≥5: aOR 1.32 [1.01-1.73]).Conclusions: This population-based study extends previous evidence by exploring the potential association between DPP-4 inhibitor use and the risk of acute pancreatitis in an ethnic Chinese type 2 diabetic cohort. We found that underlying diseases and severity of diabetes but not DPP-4 inhibitor use were associated with acute pancreatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of manganese promotion on the catalytic performance of Rh/CNTs catalyst for ethanol production from syngas was investigated. With the addition of manganese, CO conversion and ethanol yield increased significantly. The effects of reaction temperature, pressure, and H/CO molar ratio on the manganese-promoted Rh/CNTs catalyst were studied. With pressure increase, alcohol selectivity increased, while methane selectivity decreased. The high H/CO molar ratio improved CO conversion and suppressed the formation of CO. The catalysts were characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, temperature-programmed desorption experiment, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to clarify their physical and chemical properties. It was found that the high activity of the Mn-Rh/CNTs catalyst and the corresponding high ethanol yield were attributed to the small and well dispersed active components and the enhancement of CO dissociation. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new two-dimensional polymeric [Zn(4-pzpt)(btc)(HO)·3HO] ( 1) (4-Hpzpt = 3-(pyridin-4-yl)-5-(pyrazin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole, Hbtc = 1,2,3-benzenetricarboxylate), has been synthesized and structurally characterized and features a 3D supramolecular framework with 1D hydrophilic channels formed by the interlayer hydrogen bonds. An unprecedented aqua ligand assisted octameric water cluster consisting of a quasiplanar cyclic hexameric core and two dangling water molecules is captured in 1. The thermal stability and solid state fluorescent property of 1 are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, we use the Parikh-Wilczek tunneling model of Hawking radiation to illustrate that a reformulation of Verlinde's entropic gravity is needed to derive Newton's law for a temperature-varying screen, required by the conservation of energy. Furthermore, the entropy stored in the holographic screen is shown to be additive and its temperature dependence can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two coordination polymers, namely, [Ni(L)(CHN)(HO)] ( 1), and [Mn(L)(HO)] ( 2) have been hydro(solvo)thermally synthesized through the reaction of 4-(4-hydroxypyridinium-1-yl)phthalic acid (HL) with divalent nickel and manganese salts. As a result of various coordination modes of the versatile 4-(4-hydroxypyridinium-1-yl)phthalic acid, these compounds exhibit structural diversity. Complex 1 exhibits a 3D coordination framework through the rich hydrogen bond. Complex 2 exhibits a 3D coordination network based on layers. These complexes have been characterized by powder X-ray diffractions (PXRD), IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetry, single-crystal X-ray crystallography and solid UV spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysfunction of extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) might cause early pregnancy failure by interfering with embryo implantation and/or placentation. We previously reported that the villus miR-3074-5p expression level was increased, whereas the peripheral level of GDF15, a predict target gene of miR-3074-5p, was decreased in recurrent miscarriages (RM) patients, and miR-3074-5p could enhance apoptosis but reduce invasion of human extravillous trophoblast cells (EVTs). The aim of this study was to further explore roles of miR-3074-5p/GDF15 pathway in regulation of EVTs function. It was validated that GDF15 was not the direct target of miR-3074-5p, whereas EIF2S1, an upstream regulator of GDF15 maturation and secretion, was the direct target of miR-3074-5p. The villus expression levels of GDF15 and EIF2S1 were significantly decreased in RM patients. Knockdown of GDF15 expression presented inhibitory effects on proliferation, migration, and invasion of HTR8/SVneo cells. Up-regulated miR-3074-5p expression led to the significant decreased GDF15 expression in HTR8/SVneo cells, and this effect could be efficiently reversed by the overexpression of EIF2S1. Meanwhile, the suppressive effects of miR-3074-5p on proliferation, migration, and invasion of HTR8/SVneo cells could be intercepted by the treatment of recombinant human GDF15 protein. Collectively, these data suggested that miR-3074-5p could reduce GDF15 production via targeting inhibition of EIF2S1 expression, and the deficiency in GDF15 function might lead to the early pregnancy loss by attenuating proliferation and invasion of EVTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new labdane diterpenoid, leojaponotin (1), and three known labdane diterpenoids (2–4), were isolated from Leonurus japonicus. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis including NMR and MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer, characterized by uncontrolled tumor cells growth, is a highly fatal disease worldwide. Molecular simplification of natural compounds is a modern and less costly strategy in drug discovery. Mono-carbonyl analogs of curcumin (MACs) are curcumin-originated anticancer agents possessing potent bioactivity in vitro. In this work, the cytotoxicity of methoxyl-substituted MACs toward HepG2 cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Among these, 2,2′-methoxyl MAC exhibited the most potent anti-proliferation activity, and it could promote the ROS production, redox imbalance, lipid peroxidation, the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and ultimately lead to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of HepG2 cells. These results suggest that enhancing ROS generation may be a potent strategy for the expansion of new anti-hepatocellular carcinoma agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ion suppression reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography method has been developed for the determination of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol in Irganox 1425. Separation was carried out on a Welch Material Ultimate XB-C column (5 μm, 150 mm × 4.6 mm), using methanol-water (0.1 % HClO) (75/25, v/v) mixture as the mobile phase in an isocratic elution. Detection was performed by UV absorption at a wavelength of 275 nm, and the limit of detection was 0.2 μg/mL. The method presented excellent repeatability and precision with both intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 2.0 %, as well as satisfactory accuracy with the recovery of 98.7-102.3 %, and therefore can be applied for the quality control analysis of Irganox 1425 industrial product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new metal-organic framework {[Cd(L)(4,4′-bpy)]·5HO} ( 1) had been synthesized by hydrothermal reaction of 5-(oxidediphenylphosphino)isophthalic acid, Cd(II) nitrate, NaOH and 4,4′-bipyridine (4,4′-bpy) as co-ligand. The novel compound was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffractometry as well as FTIR spectrum. Adjacent eight-member (CCdO) rings are connected each other through pairs of L ligands to result in a 1D double chain. Such ribbons are interconnected together by 4,4′-bpy to generate a 2D pillared layer, which are further held together by rich O-H···O hydrogen bonds to give a 3D supramolecular network. Solvent water molecules play an important role to bridge adjacent layers to form a 3D supramolecular architecture. The luminescence property and thermogravimetric analysis of title complex were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc hydrogen pyridine 2,6-dicarboxylate trihydrate (Zn(HDPC) · 3HO) was synthesized. The composition and crystal structure of the complex were determined by chemical analysis, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallography. Low-temperature heat capacities of the complex were measured with a small sample automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from 78 K to 379 K. The experimental heat capacities of the complex were fitted by the least-squares method, and a polynomial equation of experimental molar heat capacities versus reduced temperature was obtained. The smoothed molar heat capacities and thermodynamic functions of the complex relative to the standard reference temperature 298.15 K were calculated based on the fitted polynomial equation. A reasonable thermochemical cycle was designed, and the standard molar enthalpies of dissolution for the reactants and products of the synthesis reaction in a selected solvent were measured by an isoperibol solution-reaction calorimeter. The enthalpy change of the synthesis reaction of the titled compound was calculated to be −(15.95 ± 0.43) kJ · mol. Eventually, the standard molar enthalpy of formation of the title complex was derived to be −(2582.60 ± 3.02) kJ · mol by the Hess thermochemical cycle. In addition, the reliability of the designed thermochemical cycle was verified by UV-Vis spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which investigates the secondary metabolites and chemical constituents of Subergorgia mollis from South China Sea. The study used column chromatography and semi-preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results show that through isolation, 10 compounds have showed antifouling activity including four rare 24-ketal steroids, three briarane-type diterpenoids, and three common steroids.

Microautophagy, the non-selective lysosomal degradative process, involves direct engulfment of cytoplasmic cargo at a boundary membrane by autophagic tubes, which mediate both invagination and vesicle scission into the lumen. With its constitutive characteristics, microautophagy of soluble substrates can be induced by nitrogen starvation or rapamycin via regulatory signaling complex pathways. The maintenance of organellar size, membrane homeostasis, and cell survival under nitrogen restriction are the main functions of microautophagy. In addition, microautophagy is coordinated with and complements macroautophagy, chaperone-mediated autophagy, and other self-eating pathways. Three forms of selective microautophagy, including micropexophagy, piecemeal microautophagy of the nucleus, and micromitophagy, share common ground with microautophagy to some degree. As the accumulation of experimental data, the precise mechanisms that govern microautophagy are becoming more appreciated. Here, we review the microautophagic molecular machinery, its physiological functions, and relevance to human diseases, especially in diseases involving multivesicular bodies and multivesicular lysosomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve robust estimation for noisy data set, a recursive outlier elimination-based least squares support vector machine (ROELS-SVM) algorithm is proposed in this paper. In this algorithm, statistical information from the error variables of least squares support vector machine is recursively learned and a criterion derived from robust linear regression is employed for outlier elimination. Besides, decremental learning technique is implemented in the recursive training–eliminating stage, which ensures that the outliers are eliminated with low computational cost. The proposed algorithm is compared with re-weighted least squares support vector machine on multiple data sets and the results demonstrate the remarkably robust performance of the ROELS-SVM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient red organic light-emitting device consisted of a compound fluorescent-phosphor-sensitized emission layer was fabricated. A novel red fluorescent dye, 3-(dicyanomethylene)-5,5-dimethyl-1-(4-dimethylamino-styryl) cyclohexene (DCDDC), and a green phosphorescent dye, fac tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium [Ir(ppy)3] were codoped into a host material 4,4'-N,N'-dicarbazolebiphenyl (CBP). By adjusting the component ratio of doping system, a series of devices with different concentration proportion of Ir(ppy)3:DCDDC were constructed. The results demonstrated that the device with 0.2 wt% DCDDC had a maximum power efficiency (ηp) of 2.12 lm/W at a current density of 0.1 mA/cm², which was about 38% higher than that of conventional fluorescent device. When at a current density of 4 mA/cm² (100 cd/m²) and 52 mA/cm² (1000 cd/m³), the ηp percentage was about 160% and 143% higher than that of conventional device, respectively. A stable red light emission at a peak of 615 nm with Commissions Internationale de l'Eclairage coordinates near the region of (0.56, 0.42) in a wide bias range was also obtained. The improved performances were attributed to the efficient multiple-stage energy transfer from the host to the guest and the suppression of loss mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel poly(ethylene–vinyl acetate) film with fluorinated surface structure was prepared via sequential surface reactions, which are alcoholysis reaction with sodium ethoxide and located fluorination reaction with 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-[1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)propoxy] propionyl fluoride, respectively. The obtained novel film possesses ordered perfluoroalkyl ether surface layer proved by detailed ATR-FTIR, XPS, and contact angle measurement, which substantiates the success of this new route to get better-tailored surface meeting the biological needs. Hemocompatibility of the resultant films was evaluated by hemolysis test and platelet adhesion test. The results indicated that the poly(ethylene–vinyl acetate) film surface displayed low hemolytic activity and no platelet adhesion due to its extremely low surface tension, which results from the special micro-electric field of perfluoroalkyl ether layer. The yielded transparent film with good properties exhibits a promising application prospect in biology and medical science in view of its flexible substrate and unique biocompatible surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel and active Cu–MoO2 catalyst was synthesized by partial reduction of a precursor CuMoO4 mixed-metal oxide with CO or H2 at 200–250 °C. The phase transformations of Cu–MoO2 during H2 reduction and the water–gas shift reaction could be followed by in situ time resolved XRD techniques. During the reduction process the diffraction pattern of the CuMoO4 collapsed and the copper metal lines were observed on an amorphous material background that was assigned to molybdenum oxides. During the first pass of water–gas shift (WGS) reaction, diffraction lines for Cu6Mo5O18 and MoO2 appeared around 350 °C and Cu6Mo5O18 was further transformed to Cu/MoO2 at higher temperature. During subsequent passes, significant WGS catalytic activity was observed with relatively stable plateaus in product formation around 350, 400 and 500 °C. The interfacial interactions between Cu clusters and MoO2 increased the water–gas shift catalytic activities at 350 and 400 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cancer cells, loss of E-cadherin gene expression caused dysfunction of the cell-cell junction system, triggering cancer invasion and metastasis. Therefore, E-cadherin is an important tumor-suppressor gene. To understand how E-cadherin gene expression is regulated in cancer cells, we have used E-cadherin-positive and -negative expressing cells to find out the possible up- or downregulating transcription factors in human E-cadherin regulatory sequences. Functional analysis of human E-cadherin regulatory sequences constructs indicated that AML1, Sp1, and p300 may play important roles in promoting E-cadherin expression. in addition, we found there are four HNF3-binding sites in human E-cadherin regulatory sequences. The exogenous HNF3 can enhance the E-cadherin promoter activity in metastatic breast cancer cells and the met astatic breast cancer cells stably transfected with HNF3 showed re-expression of E-cadherin. The HNF3 stable transfectants changed from mesenchymal-like into epithelial morphology. The trans-well assays showed the re-expressed E-cadherin reduced cell motility of metastatic breast cancer cells. These results suggested HNF3 may play important roles in the upregulation of the E-cadherin promoter, with the consequent re-expression of E-cadherin, thus reducing the met astatic potential of breast cancer cells. These findings suggested HNF3 plays important roles in the upregulation of the E-cadherin gene and may be able to reduce the motility of metastatic breast cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two types of pathological tremors, essential and Parkinsonian, are studied using dynamical systems theory. It is shown that pathological tremors can be characterized as diffusional processes. The time-scale range for the diffusional scaling law to be valid starts from about one to several tens of the mean oscillation period. This time-scale range contrasts sharply with the predictable time scale for deterministic chaos, which is usually only a small fraction of the mean oscillation period. The diffusions in pathological tremors are usually anomalous. A number of quantities are designed to characterize the diffusions in the tremor. Their relevance to potential clinical applications is discussed. It is argued that in order to discriminate between Parkinsonian and essential tremors, quantities not of purely dynamical origin may be more useful, since purely dynamical quantities emphasize more the dynamical similarities between the two types of tremors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micropropagation system described is a commercially viable method for asexual propagation of a mature 'elite' tree of Acacia confusa. The main stem of a mature tree was hardly pruned to induce new shoots for the explants. This study showed that PPM™ (Plant Preservative Mixture) was an effective agent for controlling the contamination of nodal explants and was added to the initial culture medium. This medium consisted of Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal salts and vitamins, supplemented with 4.0 mg L−1 BA, 0.1 mg L−1 IBA, 10 mg L−1 GA, 12 mg L−1 AS, 3.2 g L−1 PVP, and 2.0 mL L−1 PPM™, and was adequate for the establishment of in vitro mother stock for proliferation. The excellent growth response of nodal explants, obtained from May to July in 2019 to 2020, had shoot formation rate ranging from 15.8 to 18.5%. The optimal shoot multiplication was derived on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L−1 BA, 0.5 mg L−1 TDZ, 12 mg L−1 AS, and 500 mg L−1 glutamine which could support feasible 23.7 ± 3.4 shoot proliferation per explant. Shoots generated in vitro with a length of 3 to 5 cm were excised and cultured on MS with 1.0 mg L−1 IBA for rooting. The rooting frequency could be increased to 72.2% within 6 wk. Rooted plantlets in vitro were acclimatized for 4 wk before transplanting to the pots in a greenhouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) estimation and cause-of-death discrimination of corpses in water have long been challenges in forensic practice. Recently, many studies have linked postmortem metabolic changes with PMI extension, providing a potential strategy for estimating PMSI using the metabolome. Additionally, there is a lack of potential indicators with high sensitivity and specificity for drowning identification. In the present study, we profiled the untargeted metabolome of blood samples from drowning and postmortem submersion rats at different PMSIs within 24 h by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). A total of 601 metabolites were detected. Four different machine learning algorithms, including random forest (RF), partial least squares (PLS), support vector machine (SVM), and neural network (NN), were used to compare the efficiency of the machine learning methods. Nineteen metabolites with obvious temporal regularity were selected as candidate biomarkers according to "IncNodePurity." Robust models were built with these biomarkers, which yielded a mean absolute error of 1.067 h. Additionally, 36 other metabolites were identified to build the classifier model for discriminating drowning and postmortem submersion (AUC = 1, accuracy = 95%). Our results demonstrated the potential application of metabolomics combined with machine learning in PMSI estimation and cause-of-death discrimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emulsion polymerization is an effective means of synthesizing high-molecular-weight polymers in order to reduce the consumption of fossil energy. This paper adopts isoamyl octanoate to replace white oil as the continuous phase of emulsion polymerization to synthesize the high molecular weight polyacrylamide emulsion RSE. S-80 and T-80 were chosen as the emulsifiers, and the test results showed that the HLB value is 5.72 when S-80/T-80 is 6.5. When S-80/T-80 is 6.5, the HLB value is 5.72. Water and isoamyl octanoate can produce ultra-low interfacial tension and stable arrangement in the interfacial membrane to form a stable emulsion, and the particle size is uniformly distributed in a normal manner. The test of the exothermic process of polymerization shows that the emulsion can be stabilized into nuclei, and polyacrylamide polymers with a molar mass of more than 18 million are obtained. The microstructure test observes that RSE molecules are in an aggregated state in the aqueous solution. A three-dimensional spatial network structure is formed, and the polymerization can be stabilized in a three-dimensional network structure after 120 °C, 170 s−1 shear, which still has good stability. After the variable shear performance test proved that the aqueous solution of RSE belongs to the typical non-Newtonian fluids, to shock test the viscoelasticity of different concentrations of RSE polymer, G′ > G″, the RSE solution to elasticity is dominant. In this paper, the capacity to form stable emulsions of isoamyl octanoate in the emulsion polymerization process is investigated to provide a basis for seeking the selection of a continuous phase with little environmental pollution and high functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the influence of the bed allocation and utilization efficiency in healthcare institutions on the isolation proportion of Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) to provide data to support prevention and control of MDROs. In this study, the provincial panel data from 2014 to 2020 in China on health resource indicators, including the number of beds per 1,000 population, hospital bed utilization rate, and average hospital stay from 2014 to 2020 in China were used to analyze the relationship between bed allocation or utilization efficiency and MDROs by the panel data quantile regression model. It was shown that the number of beds per 1,000 population had a negative effect on the isolation proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, and cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Escherichia coli (regression coefficient < 0, P < 0.05). The utilization rate of hospital bed had a positive effect on the isolation proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Escherichia coli, carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (regression coefficient > 0, P < 0.05). The average hospital stay had a positive effect on the isolation proportion for several antibiotic-resistant organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Escherichia coli, carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli, quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli, cefotaxime or ceftriaxone resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (regression coefficient > 0, P < 0.05). Bed allocation and utilization efficiency in healthcare institutions may affect the isolation proportion of MDROs in varying degrees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Articulated natural assemblages contain direct evidence of the element numbers, morphologies, positions and structures for reconstructing the feeding apparatuses of conodont animals, but these kind of materials are very rare in fossil records. Here we report ten new conodont natural assemblages from Member II of the Guanling Formation in Luoping County, eastern Yunnan Province, southwestern China. These assemblages were obtained from the fossil-bearing layers of the Luoping Biota, dated to the early Middle Triassic Anisian stage (Pelsonian substage). These fossiliferous laminated limestones mainly consist of calcites and dolomites, with platy clay minerals and pyrites as subordinate components, indicating that the conodont assemblages were preserved in a lower energy and anoxic sedimentary environment. The new natural assemblages preserve the primary collapse orientations of the Nicoraella feeding apparatus from the Luoping Biota, showing the relative original positions of the S, M and P elements, that could be further used to refine the architecture of this apparatus in space variable M elements and the position unclear P1 elements. Integrating previously reported three-dimensional and bilaterally symmetrical fused clusters, we statistically analyze the size of the positional homogenous elements within different sized materials, in particular S4, S3, or S2 elements, indicates that elements ontogenic changes do not affect the apparatus architecture. Architecture of Nicoraella apparatus remains stable in the process of ontogeny, so our reconstructed model is credible. It is the first time that ample types of materials have been used to restore a conodont apparatus within one genus, namely natural assemblages (articulated and disarticulated), fused clusters (articulated, disarticulated, compressed, and relatively three-dimensional), and abundant discrete elements, respectively. These materials together record the most complete information on architecture in the gondolelloid apparatuses, thus enabling us to reconstruct a reliable fifteen-element apparatus and propose it as a standard template for gondolelloid apparatus reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple in vitro shoot regeneration method was developed for Solanum tuberosum L. 'Yansi' using a simple continuous immersion airlift bioreactor culture system with Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Growth characteristics such as fresh weight, dry weight, length of shoots, and the number of nodes per shoot, length, and width of leaves were compared between cultures raised in bioreactor cultures and solid cultures. Shoots developed in bioreactor cultures showed higher values for these parameters than shoots grown in solid cultures. The leaf thickness and width of the upper epidermis, lower epidermis, palisade, and spongy tissues were also higher with shoots cultured in bioreactor cultures. Microscopic observation of the lower epidermal surface indicated that the stomata of leaves grown on liquid medium were normal and elliptical with narrow pores, whereas leaves grown on solid medium showed round, abnormal, and closed stomata. Studies on the optimization of the culture medium of bioreactor cultures were carried out. Of the varied strengths of MS media (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2.0 ×) tested, 2.0 × MS medium was found suitable for shoot cultures. Similarly, varied levels of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) (20/100, 40/80, 60/60, 80/40, and 100/20 mM) were tested for the growth of shoots in bioreactor cultures; 20/100 mM ratio of NH4+:NO3− was found suitable. The results indicate that bioreactor cultures with modified MS medium could be used for mass propagation of Solanum tuberosum L. 'Yansi' shoots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) has largely paralleled the paradigms used for invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) in the current National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines of breast cancer. However, patients with IDC and MBC have been shown to have a different prognosis, and there are significant differences in risk and failure patterns after treatment. The purpose of this study was to compare breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) and hazard function between IDC and MBC. We included patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program with stage I-III IDC and MBC between 2000 and 2012. Statistical analyses were including chi-square analysis, life-table methods, multivariate Cox proportional hazards models, and propensity score matching (PSM). We identified 294,719 patients; 293,199 patients with IDC and 1520 patients with MBC. Multivariate analyses showed that the MBC subtype had significantly lower BCSS than the IDC subtype before and after PSM (p < 0.001). There were significant differences in the hazard curve between IDC and MBC. The hazard curve for breast cancer mortality in the IDC cohort peaked at 3 years (2%), and then changed to a slowly decreasing plateau after prolonged follow up. However, the hazard curve for breast cancer mortality in the MBC cohort peaked at 2 years (7%), then declined sharply between 3 and 6 years, and changed to a low death rate after a follow-up time exceeding 6 years. Subgroup analyses revealed that the hazard curves significantly differed between IDC and MBC after stratifying by tumor stage and hormone receptor status. Our study suggests that patients with MBC should receive more effective systemic agents and intensive follow-up because of their significantly augmented risk of death compared to IDC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of drowning is one of the major challenges in forensic practice, especially when the corpse is in a state of decomposition. Novel indicators of drowning are desired in the field of forensic medicine. In the past decade, aquatic bacteria have attracted great attention from forensic experts because they can easily enter the blood circulation with drowning medium, and some of them can proliferate in the corpse. Recently, the advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has created new opportunities to efficiently analyze whole microbial communities and has catalyzed the development of forensic microbiology. We presumed that NGS could be a potential method for diagnosing drowning. In the present study, we verified this hypothesis by fundamental experiments in drowned and postmortem-submersed rat models. Our study revealed that detecting the bacterial communities with NGS and processing the data in a transparent way with unweighted UniFrac-based principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) could clearly discriminate the skin, lung, blood, and liver specimens of the drowning group and postmortem submersion group. Furthermore, the acquired information could be used to identify new cases. Taken together, these results suggest that we could build a microbial database of drowned and postmortem-submersed victims by NGS and subsequently use a bioinformatic method to diagnose drowning in future forensic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans are capable of associating actions with their respective consequences if there is reliable contingency between them. The present study examined the link between the reliability of action consequence and the readiness potential (RP), which is a negative potential observed from about 1-2 s prior to the onset of an action with electroencephalography. In a condition of constant outcome, the participants’ voluntary action always triggered beep sounds; thus, they were able to perceive the contingency between their action and the sound. In contrast, in a condition of inconstant outcome, the participants’ actions only triggered the sound in half the trials. We found that both the early and late RPs were larger in the condition of constant compared to the condition of inconstant outcome. Our results showed that the RPs preceding the voluntary action reflected the reliability of action consequence. In other words, the action-effect contingency enhanced neural activities prior to the action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum steganography is a tool using which the very act of communication can be concealed. To prevent steganography from being misused, the scheme of detection of least significant bit steganography in quantum images based on novel enhanced quantum representation of digital images is proposed. In this scheme, the quantum image is partitioning in pixel blocks at first. Then, according to how the value of the discrimination function f changes under the flipping function F, the pixel block can be divided into three types of groups that are regular group, singular group and unusable group, respectively. The number of regular and singular groups is used to determine whether the image is embedded with secret message and calculate the length (in percent of pixels) of secret message. A series of reversible logic circuits are designed to implement the scheme with the circuit complexity of O q 2 , where q is the number of qubits to represent gray scale. Finally, simulation-based experiments demonstrate the feasibility of the detection of secret message in quantum gray images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pain due to oral mucositis (OM) is a major problem during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients.Methods: We enrolled 56 NPC patients receiving CCRT and allocated them into two groups: moderate pain group (n = 27) and a severe pain group (n = 29) according to the degree of pain reported (moderate = numerical rating scale (NRS) score 4-6 or severe = NRS score 7-10) at initiation of controlled-release oxycodone (CRO) treatment.Results: Total dose of CRO was significantly higher in severe pain patients than in moderate pain patients (791.60 ± 332.449 mg vs. 587.27 ± 194.940 mg; P = 0.015). Moderate pain patients had significantly better quality of life (P = 0.037), lower weight loss (P = 0.030) and more active CCRT response (90.9% vs. 64.0%; P = 0.041). Although 24-h pain control rate was comparable in the two groups (85.2% vs. 86.2%; P = 0.508), the moderate pain group score eventually stabilized at ~ 2 vs. 3 in the severe pain group (P < 0.001); the titration time to reach bearable pain (NRS ≤ 3) was also significantly shorter in moderate pain patients (2.45 ± 0.60 days vs. 3.60 ± 1.98 days; P = 0.012). Incidence of adverse events was comparable in both groups.Conclusions: The study findings suggest that early introduction of low-dose CRO at the moderate pain stage could help reduce the total dose required, provide better pain control, improve quality of life, and enhance CCRT response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic value of gross tumor volume (GTV) in early-stage extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and explore the interactive effect of GTV and radiotherapy (RT) dose on locoregional recurrence (LRR). Methods: The data of 319 early-stage ENKTCL patients who underwent IMRT were reviewed retrospectively. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and locoregional control (LRC) were estimated using Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to identify independent risk factors for survival outcomes. Penalized spline regression was used to flexibly model the association of continuous predictors (GTV and RT dose) with mortality, progression, and relapse. Results: The 5-year OS, PFS, and LRC for the entire cohort were 72.9, 64.4, and 89.9%, respectively. The risks of disease mortality, progression, and recurrence increased steadily with increasing GTV. Patients with GTV < 35 mL had significantly higher 5-year OS (83.0% vs. 59.4%; P < 0.001), PFS (76.7% vs. 48.4%; P < 0.001), and lower 5-year cumulative LRR rate (4.9% vs. 14.5%; P = 0.004), than patients with GTV ≥ 35 mL. The risk of LRR was low with RT doses of 50-56 Gy, independent of GTV. For patients with GTV ≥ 35 mL, dose ≥ 56 Gy was not associated with decreased LRR. Conclusion: Larger GTV is associated with worse survival and higher LRR in early-stage ENKTCL patients treated with IMRT. A dose of 50–56 Gy may be appropriate to achieve lower risk of LRR, regardless of GTV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Ultrathin P and Fe co-doped NiSe2 nanosheets supported on modified Ni foam are synthesized, which shows desirable bifunctional electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)/hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) performance in hydrazine-assisted water electrolysis and Zn-Hz battery. The coexistence of P and Fe heteroatoms induces an accelerated "2 + 2" reaction mechanism with a two-step HER process and a two-step HzOR step. Hydrazine-assisted water electrolysis is a promising energy conversion technology for highly efficient hydrogen production. Rational design of bifunctional electrocatalysts, which can simultaneously accelerate hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)/hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) kinetics, is the key step. Herein, we demonstrate the development of ultrathin P/Fe co-doped NiSe2 nanosheets supported on modified Ni foam (P/Fe-NiSe2) synthesized through a facile electrodeposition process and subsequent heat treatment. Based on electrochemical measurements, characterizations, and density functional theory calculations, a favorable "2 + 2" reaction mechanism with a two-step HER process and a two-step HzOR step was fully proved and the specific effect of P doping on HzOR kinetics was investigated. P/Fe-NiSe2 thus yields an impressive electrocatalytic performance, delivering a high current density of 100 mA cm−2 with potentials of − 168 and 200 mV for HER and HzOR, respectively. Additionally, P/Fe-NiSe2 can work efficiently for hydrazine-assisted water electrolysis and Zn-Hydrazine (Zn-Hz) battery, making it promising for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the mid-nineteenth century, Chinese intellectuals turned to the West for truth. China's modern education system has since been built upon Western experience, with little space for China's vast indigenous intellectual traditions. Meanwhile, Chinese traditions remain omnipresent and ubiquitous in the society. Due to many fundamental differences, Chinese and Western traditions are not compatible with each other. Constant tensions between them have led to Chinese people's loss of spiritual homeland. Universities are both part of the reason for and a result of such a historical development. The shift of knowledge system from traditional learning to Western intellectual formation symbolizes the establishment of modern disciplines in Chinese universities. A better understanding of how traditional Chinese intellectual traditions were driven out of their homeland as Western knowledge became institutionalized is much needed in the literature. This article intends to fill the gap by exploring how the Chinese mind was transformed through the lens of institutionalization of social sciences. It focuses on internationalization and indigenization of China's social sciences with particular attention to the interactions between Chinese and Western intellectual traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and cost-effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and open thyroidectomy (OT) for benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) treatment. HRQoL and utility were assessed for 404 BTN patients immediately before treatments (RFA:OT = 137:267) and at 6-month visit. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed from societal perspective in the China context. Resource use (hospitalization, sick leaves) was collected. We used the net monetary benefit approach and computed cost-effectiveness acceptability curves for RFA and OT. Sensitivity analyses of costs of RFA were performed. At 6-month visit, patients treated with RFA had significantly better HRQoL than patients treated with OT on general health (68.5 versus 66.7, P = 0.029), vitality (71.3 versus 67.5, P < 0.001) and mental health (80.9 versus 79.3, P = 0.038). RFA was more effective than OT in terms of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs; 0.01QALY/patient) but more expensive (US$823/patient). The probability that RFA would be cost effective at a US$50,000/QALY threshold was 15.5% in China, and it would be increased to 88.4% when price of the RFA device was lowered by 30%. RFA exhibited a significant improvement of HRQoL relative to OT, but is unlikely to be cost effective at its current price in short time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dupilumab is the first human monoclonal antibody that treats atopic dermatitis (AD) by blocking interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 13 (IL-13), which can suppress the Th2 inflammatory reaction. Effective treatments for pediatric AD patients are limited; therefore, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in pediatric AD patients. Fifteen pediatric patients diagnosed with moderate to severe AD and treated with dupilumab were enrolled in this study. SPSS was used to analyze data and obtain the average values of Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), SCORing AD (SCORAD), and Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). GRAPHPAD was used to analyze and plot the statistics. The average EASI values were 19.23 ± 3.03 and 1.69 ± 0.54 at baseline and at following up for 6 months after standardized treatment protocol, respectively. The average SCORAD values were 43.27 ± 4.63 and 6.13 ± 1.41 at baseline and at following up for 6 months after standardized treatment protocol, respectively. The average CDLQI value at baseline was 13.53 ± 2.88 and following up for 6 months after standardized treatment protocol was 1.60 ± 0.63. The most frequent adverse event was conjunctivitis. No serious adverse events occurred during the treatment period. Dupilumab could reduce symptoms and improve pruritus in pediatric AD patients, and the frequent adverse events were reversible. It has a definite therapeutic effect on AD; nevertheless, further studies should be conducted to obtain information on its the long-term efficacy and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertilised eggs of the devil stringer (Inimicus japonicus) were incubated at different salinity levels (21, 25, 29, 33, and 37), and then the hatching performances, morphological parameters, and biochemical composition (protein, lipid and carbohydrate) of the larvae were assayed to determine the influence of salinity on the early development of I. japonicus. The tested salinity levels did not affect the times of hatching or mouth opening for yolk-sac larvae. However, the salinity significantly influenced the hatching and survival rates of open-mouthed larvae, as well as the morphology of yolk-sac larvae. The data indicated that 30.5 to 37.3 and 24.4 to 29.8 were suitable salinity ranges for the survival of embryos and larvae of I. japonicus, respectively. Larvae incubated at a salinity level of 29 had the greatest full lengths, and decreasing yolk volume was positively correlated with the environmental salinity. With increasing salinity, the individual dry weights of newly hatched larvae or open-mouthed larvae decreased significantly. Newly hatched larvae incubated at a salinity level of 29 had the greatest metabolic substrate contents and gross energy levels, while the openmouthed larvae's greatest values occurred at a salinity level of 25. Larvae incubated in the salinity range of 33 to 37 had the lowest nutritional reserves and energy values. Thus, the I. japonicus yolk-sac larvae acclimated more readily to the lower salinity level than the embryos, and higher salinity levels negatively influenced larval growth and development. In conclusion, the environmental salinity level should be maintained at 29–33 during embryogenesis and at 25–29 during early larval development for this species. Our results can be used to provide optimum aquaculture conditions for the early larval development of I. japonicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Despite the reported efficacy of methylphenidate (MET) against Alzheimer's disease (AD)–associated apathy, a recent larger clinical trial was not included in pooled analysis. Objectives: This study aimed at investigating the efficacy of MET for attenuating apathy in patients diagnosed with AD. Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases were searched from inception until March, 2022 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary outcome was apathy improvement assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) apathy subscale, Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES), or Clinical Global Impressions of Change scale (CGI-C apathy). Results: Meta-analysis of four RCTs revealed an improvement in apathy among patients receiving MET compared to placebo (MD = − 5.12, p = 0.04, three trials, 144 participants) at follow-ups of 1–3 months assessed with AES score. Despite the absence of improvement on NPI-apathy subscale at follow-ups of 1–2 months (MD = − 0.74, p = 0.37, three trials, 265 participants), significant improvement was noted at follow-ups of 6 months (MD = − 1.4, p = 0.02, one trial, 180 participants). Assessment with CGI-C apathy revealed no significant association between improvement in apathy with MET use (RR = 1.38, p = 0.05, three trials, 265 participants). No significant differences in global cognitive function (using the Mini Mental State Exam) or adverse events were noted between the two groups. Conclusion: While AES score suggested an early attenuation effect of MET on apathy in different domains, the NPI-apathy subscale did not show early improvement in apathy until the 6-month follow-up. Further studies with longer follow-ups are needed to elucidate the efficacy of MET for relieving caregiver burden and improving global functional performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Mutations in signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) cause a broad spectrum of disease phenotypes. Heterozygous STAT1 loss-of-function (LOF) mutations cause Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases (MSMD) infection, which is attributable to impaired IFN-γ signaling. The identification of novel mutations may extend the phenotypes associated with autosomal dominant (AD) STAT1 deficiency. Methods: Five patients with heterozygous STAT1 variations were recruited and their clinical and immunologic phenotypes were analyzed, with particular reference to JAK-STAT1 signaling pathways. Results: Four, heterozygous STAT1 deficiency mutations were identified, three of which were novel mutations. Two of the mutations were previously unreported mRNA splicing mutations in AD STAT1-deficient patients. Patients with heterozygous STAT1 deficiency suffered not only mycobacterial infection, but also intracellular non-mycobacterial bacterial infection and congenital multiple malformations. AD-LOF mutation impaired IFN-γ-mediated STAT1 phosphorylation, gamma-activated sequence (GAS), and IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) transcription activity and IFN-induced gene expression to different extents, which might account for the diverse clinical manifestations observed in these patients. Conclusion: The infectious disease susceptibility and phenotypic spectrum of patients with AD STAT1-LOF are broader than simply MSMD. The susceptibility to infections and immunological deficiency phenotypes, observed in AD-LOF patients, confirms the importance of STAT1 in host–pathogen interaction and immunity. However, variability in the nature and extent of these phenotypes suggests that functional analysis is required to identify accurately novel, heterozygous STAT1 mutations, associated with pathogenicity. Aberrant splice of STAT1 RNA could result in AD-LOF for STAT1 signaling which need more cases for confirmation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most optimal management for postoperative locoregional recurrence of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma is still controversial. Several studies have reported the feasibility and efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), mostly with three-weekly or four-weekly schedule of chemotherapy. However, treatment compliance was not quite satisfactory, probably due to treatment-related toxicities. Since CCRT with weekly chemotherapy regimens have demonstrated a favorable toxicity profile as well as promising survival in certain types of cancer, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of radiotherapy concurrently with weekly chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and platinum agents for patients with postoperative locoregional recurrence of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in our center. Twenty-seven consecutive patients who were diagnosed with postoperative locoregional recurrence of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma and received CCRT with weekly chemotherapy of 5-FU and platinum agents were retrospectively analyzed. Our data showed that the present protocol of radiotherapy combined concurrently with weekly chemotherapy of 5-FU and platinum agents was a safe and effective salvage treatment for postoperative locoregional recurrence of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CD4CD25 regulatory T cells (Tregs), an innate immunomodulator, suppress cerebral inflammation and maintain immune homeostasis in multiple central nervous system injury, but its role in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has not been fully characterized. This study investigated the effect of Tregs on brain injury using the mouse ICH model, which is established by autologous blood infusion. The results showed that tail intravenous injection of Tregs significantly reduced brain water content and Evans blue dye extravasation of perihematoma at day (1, 3 and 7), and improved short- and long-term neurological deficits following ICH in mouse model. Tregs treatment reduced the content of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and malondialdehyde, while increasing the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymatic activity at day (1, 3 and 7) following ICH. Furthermore, Tregs treatment obviously reduced the number of NF-κB, IL-6, TUNEL and active caspase-3 cells at day 3 after ICH. These results indicate that adoptive transfer of Tregs may provide neuroprotection following ICH in mouse models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen peroxide (HO) may have a biphasic effect on melanin synthesis and melanosome transfer. High HO concentrations are involved in impaired melanosome transfer in vitiligo. However, low HO concentration promotes the beneficial proliferation and migration of melanocytes. The aim of this study was to explore low HO and its mechanism in melanosome transfer, protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) expression and calcium balance. Melanosomes were fluorescein-labeled for clear visualization of their transfer. The expression of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) in keratinocytes was determined by western blot analysis. Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate the effects of HO on calcium levels in keratinocytes. Fluorescence microscopy showed the upregulation of melanosome transfer into keratinocytes following 0.3 mM HO treatment in the co-cultures rather than in the untreated control groups, which was associated with higher expression of PAR-2 protein and increased calcium concentration. The addition of a PAR-2 antagonist inhibited the positive activity of HO and calcium flow in keratinocytes. When calcium flow was blocked by a calcium chelator, the addition of HO did not increase the PAR-2 expression level in keratinocytes, therefore, inhibiting dendrite formation and melanosome transfer. Low HO concentration promotes melanosome transfer with increased PAR-2 expression level and calcium concentration in keratinocytes. In addition, the interaction between melanocytes and keratinocytes is more beneficial to enhance calcium levels in keratinocytes which mediate melanin transfer. Moreover, low HO concentration promotes dendrite formation, in which extracellular calcium and Par-2 were involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in circulating small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have been suggested to be potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. The present study was designed to explore whether plasma-derived sEV miRNAs could be utilized as diagnostic biomarkers for differentiating between early-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We compared the miRNA profiles of plasma-derived sEVs from healthy individuals, patients with early-stage SCLC and patients with early-stage NSCLC. Next-generation sequencing was used to screen for differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were used to predict the potential functions of these DEMs. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify the different pathology-related miRNA modules. We found that 22 DEMs were significantly different among healthy individuals, patients with early-stage SCLC, and patients with early-stage NSCLC. We selected six representative DEMs for validation by qRT‒PCR, which confirmed that miRNA-483-3p derived from plasma sEVs could be used as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of early-stage SCLC, miRNA-152-3p and miRNA-1277-5p could be used for the diagnosis of early-stage NSCLC respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forensic practice, determining the postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) and cause-of-death of cadavers in aquatic ecosystems has always been challenging task. Traditional approaches are not yet able to address these issues effectively and adequately. Our previous study proposed novel models to predict the PMSI and cause-of-death based on metabolites of blood from rats immersed in freshwater. However, with the advance of putrefaction, it is hardly to obtain blood samples beyond 3 days postmortem. To further assess the feasibility of PMSI estimation and drowning diagnosis in the later postmortem phase, gastrocnemius, the more degradation-resistant tissue, was collected from drowned rats and postmortem submersion model in freshwater immediately after death, and at 1 day, 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, and 10 days postmortem respectively. Then the samples were analyzed with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to investigate the dynamic changes of the metabolites. A total of 924 metabolites were identified. Similar chronological changes of gastrocnemius metabolites were observed in the drowning and postmortem submersion groups. The difference in metabolic profiles between drowning and postmortem submersion groups was only evident in the initial 1 day postmortem, which was faded as the PMSI extension. Nineteen metabolites representing temporally-dynamic patterns were selected as biomarkers for PMSI estimation. A regression model was built based on these biomarkers with random forest algorithm, which yielded a mean absolute error (± SE) of 5.856 (± 1.296) h on validation samples from an independent experiment. These findings added to our knowledge of chronological changes in muscle metabolites from submerged vertebrate remains during decomposition, which provided a new perspective for PMSI estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One debate in mathematical cognition centers on the single-representation model versus the two-representation model. Using an improved number Stroop paradigm (i.e., systematically manipulating physical size distance), in the present study we tested the predictions of the two models for number magnitude processing. The results supported the single-representation model and, more importantly, explained how a design problem (failure to manipulate physical size distance) and an analytical problem (failure to consider the interaction between congruity and task-irrelevant numerical distance) might have contributed to the evidence used to support the two-representation model. This study, therefore, can help settle the debate between the single-representation and two-representation models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]