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Abstract During the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai, we found many social exchanges within communities. In this study, we focus on exploring the driving forces behind social exchanges and their impacts on the social solidarity of local communities. Twenty-eight residents of separate communities are interviewed, and grounded theory is applied to have the motivation for social exchanges coded and analyzed. We find that reciprocal and generalized exchanges, rather than negotiated exchanges, occur in most communities. Among these exchanges, the willingness to share is stimulated by the traditional cultural norms taking place in online social groups. Residents will be propelled to carry on exchanges through sentiments cultivated within and to develop the micro social order through interactions in the media space. Social exchanges bring social solidarity to communities and develop it into a noticeable form consisting of functional, emotional, and communal aspects.

Porous polymer beads with grafted poly(tertiary amine) were prepared by grafting triethylenetetramine to porous crosslinked poly(methyl acrylate) beads via ester amidation reaction, followed by Eschweiler–Clarke methylation reaction using formaldehyde and formic acid to converting the primary and secondary amine groups to tertiary amines in the beads. The tertiary amine groups in the beads were protonated with hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid or hydriodic acid, and the protonated tertiary amine group-containing beads showed high catalytic activity and high selectivity for the formation of propylene carbonate through cycloaddition of propylene oxide with CO2, while free tertiary amine group-containing beads exhibited almost no catalytic activity. The recyclability of the catalyst was studied, and slight loss of the activity was observed after five runs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the operation performance, kinetic characteristics and bacterial community of the short-cut nitrification and denitrification (SND) system, the SND system with pre-cultured short cut nitrification and denitrification sludge was established and operated under different ferrous ion (Fe (II)) conditions. Experimental results showed that the average NH4+–N removal efficiency (ARE) of SND system was 97.3% on Day 5 and maintained a high level of 94.9% ± 1.3% for a long operation period. When the influent Fe(II) concentration increased from 2.3 to 7.3 mg L−1, the sedimentation performance, sludge concentration and organic matter removal performance were improved. However, higher Fe(II) of 12.3 mg L−1 decreased the removal of nitrogen and CODCr with the relative abundance (RA) of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes decreased to 30.28% and 19.41%, respectively. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla in SND system. Higher Fe(II) level of 12.3 mg L−1 increase the RA of denitrifying genus Trichococcus (33.93%), and the denitrifying genus Thauera and Tolumonas dominant at Fe(II) level of no more than 7.3 mg L−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August 2022, an unprecedented compound heatwave and drought event (CHDE) lasting 24 days occurred in the Yangtze River valley (YRV), leading to a severe reduction of the crop, fresh water, and power supply. We constructed a joint cumulative probability distribution of heatwave and drought intensity, and found that the lowest probability-based index (PI) of 0.06 in 2022 was estimated as a 1-in-662-year event over the 1961–2022 climate. We then detected the fingerprint of greenhouse gas forcing to the observed PI in a generalized extreme value framework, but not the aerosol forcing, suggesting the leading contribution of greenhouse gas forcing on such extreme CHDE. Furthermore, anthropogenic influence had increased the probability of such CHDE by more than 10 times compared to the counterfactual climate. Also, the PI decreased from about 0.30 at the present climate to about 0.14 at the 3 °C global warming level, indicating that CHDE will become more extreme over YRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parametric level set method (PLSM) using interpolation method, such as radial basis function (RBF) interpolation, exposes high computational cost and poor stability when solving structural topology optimization (STO) problems with large-scale nodes. However, the quasi-interpolation method can approximate the level set function (LSF) and its generalized functions without solving any system of linear equations. With this good property, this paper utilizes multiquadric (MQ) quasi-interpolation to parameterize the LSF and innovatively introduces it into the STO problem. Moreover, the MQ quasi-interpolation is utilized to compute the element density, which makes the level set band method (LSBM) more rigorous. The proposed methods were compared with the PLSM based on compactly supported radial basis functions (CSRBFs). The results show that the approximation accuracy, computational efficiency and stability of the evolution process of the proposed methods are better than those of CSRBFs when the shape parameter takes a suitable small value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact craters are formed due to the high-speed collisions between small to medium-sized celestial bodies. Impact is the most significant driving force in the evolution of celestial bodies, and the impact craters provide crucial insights into the formation, evolution, and impact history of celestial bodies. In this paper, we present a detailed review of the characteristics of impact craters, impact crater remote sensing data, recognition algorithms, and applications related to impact craters. We first provide a detailed description of the geometric texture, illumination, and morphology characteristics observed in remote sensing data of craters. Then we summarize the remote sensing data and cataloging databases for the four terrestrial planets (i.e., the Moon, Mars, Mercury, and Venus), as well as the impact craters on Ceres. Subsequently, we study the advancement achieved in the traditional methods, machine learning methods, and deep learning methods applied to the classification, segmentation, and recognition of impact craters. Furthermore, based on the analysis results, we discuss the existing challenges in impact crater recognition and suggest some solutions. Finally, we explore the implementation of impact crater detection algorithms and provide a forward-looking perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and feasibility of left subclavian artery (LSA) revascularization techniques during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR)—the in situ needle fenestration (ISNF) technique and the carotid-subclavian bypass (CS-Bp)—for complicated aortic pathologies. Methods: A retrospective single-center observational study was conducted to identify all patients with thoracic aortic pathologies who underwent TEVAR with LSA revascularization using either CS-Bp or ISNFs from January 2014 to December 2020. Results: One hundred and twelve consecutive patients who received TEVAR with LSA revascularization were included. Among them, 69 received CS-Bp and 43 received ISNF (29 using the Futhrough adjustable puncture needles, 14 using the binding stent-graft puncture systems). Technical success, defined as achieving aortic arch pathology exclusion and LSA preservation, was attained in 99.1% patients. Early mortality was 0.9%. Major adverse events within 30 days, including one cerebral hemorrhage, one cervical incision hemorrhage, one stroke and two paraplegia, were exclusively observed in the CS-Bp group. Immediate type I, II and III endoleaks occurred in 0%, 4.7% and 2.3% in the ISNF group, respectively, compared to 0%, 2.9% and 0% in the CS-Bp group.One hundred and eight (97.2%) patients were available for follow-up at a median 50 (maiximum of 103) months, revealing a LSA patency rates of 99.1%. Six patients died during follow-ups—five in the CS-Bp group and one in the ISNF group. Cause of death include one aortic-related stent-graft infection, three non-related and two with unknow causes. The survival exhibited no significantly different between the ISNF (97.7%) and CS-Bp (89.9%) groups (p = 0.22). Conclusions: Both CS-Bp and ISNF are feasible techniques for LSA reconstruction in TEVAR. ISNF, whether using Futhrough or BPS, seems to be competitive with CS-Bp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic semiconductors typically have limited p-type behavior due to the scarcity of holes and the localized valence band maximum, hindering the progress of complementary devices and circuits. In this work, we propose an inorganic blending strategy to activate the hole-transporting character in an inorganic semiconductor compound, namely tellurium-selenium-oxygen (TeSeO). By rationally combining intrinsic p-type semimetal, semiconductor, and wide-bandgap semiconductor into a single compound, the TeSeO system displays tunable bandgaps ranging from 0.7 to 2.2 eV. Wafer-scale ultrathin TeSeO films, which can be deposited at room temperature, display high hole field-effect mobility of 48.5 cm2/(Vs) and robust hole transport properties, facilitated by Te-Te (Se) portions and O-Te-O portions, respectively. The nanosphere lithography process is employed to create nanopatterned honeycomb TeSeO broadband photodetectors, demonstrating a high responsibility of 603 A/W, an ultrafast response of 5 μs, and superior mechanical flexibility. The p-type TeSeO system is highly adaptable, scalable, and reliable, which can address emerging technological needs that current semiconductor solutions may not fulfill. The authors report an inorganic tellurium-selenium-oxygen (TeSeO) alloyed semiconductor for high-mobility p-channel transistors and broadband photodetectors, through the scalable thermal evaporation method combined with post-oxygen implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purinergic receptor P2Y11, a G protein-coupled receptor that is stimulated by extracellular ATP, has been demonstrated to be related to the chemotaxis of granulocytes, apoptosis of neutrophils, and secretion of cytokines in vitro. P2Y11 mutations were associated with narcolepsy. However, little is known about the roles of P2RY11 in the occurrence of narcolepsy and inflammatory response in vivo. In this study, we generated a zebrafish P2Y11 mutant using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing and demonstrated that the P2Y11 mutant replicated the narcolepsy-like features including reduced HCRT expression and excessive daytime sleepiness, suggesting that P2Y11 is essential for HCRT expression. Furthermore, we accessed the cytokine expression in the mutant and revealed that the P2RY11 mutation disrupted the systemic inflammatory balance by reducing il4, il10 and tgfb, and increasing il6, tnfa, and il1b. In addition, the P2RY11-deficient larvae with caudal fin injuries exhibited significantly slower migration and less recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages at damaged site, and lower expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines during tissue damage. All these findings highlight the vital roles of P2RY11 in maintaining HCRT production and secreting anti-inflammatory cytokines in the native environment, and suggested that P2RY11-deficient zebrafish can serve as a reliable and unique model to further explore narcolepsy and inflammatory-related diseases with impaired neutrophil and macrophage responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion-positive colorectal cancer (CRC) is a rare and chemotherapy-refractory subtype that lacks established and effective treatment strategies. Additionally, the efficacy and safety of ALK inhibitors (ALKi) in CRC remain undetermined. Herein, we examined a series of ALK-positive CRC patients who underwent various lines of ALKi treatment. Notably, we detected an ALK 1196M resistance mutation in a CRC patient who received multiple lines of chemotherapy and ALKi treatment. Importantly, we found that Brigatinib and Lorlatinib demonstrated some efficacy in managing this patient, although the observed effectiveness was not as pronounced as in non-small cell lung cancer cases. Furthermore, based on our preliminary analyses, we surmise that ALK-positive CRC patients are likely to exhibit inner resistance to Cetuximab. Taken together, our findings have important implications for the treatment of ALK-positive CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key strategy for designing environmental barrier coatings is to incorporate multiple rare-earth (RE) components into β- and γ-RE2Si2O7 to achieve multifunctional performance optimization. However, the polymorphic phase presents significant challenges for the design of multicomponent RE disilicates. Here, employing decision fusion, a machine learning (ML) method is crafted to identify multicomponent RE disilicates, showcasing notable accuracy in prediction. The well-trained ML models evaluated the phase formation capability of 117 (RE10.25RE20.25Yb0.25Lu0.25)2Si2O7 and (RE11/6RE21/6RE31/6Gd1/6Yb1/6Lu1/6)2Si2O7, which are unreported in experiments and validated by first-principles calculations. Utilizing model visualization, essential factors governing the formation of (RE10.25RE20.25Yb0.25Lu0.25)2Si2O7 are pinpointed, including the average radius of RE3+ and variations in different RE3+ combinations. On the other hand, (RE11/6RE21/6RE31/6Gd1/6Yb1/6Lu1/6)2Si2O7 must take into account the average mass and the electronegativity deviation of RE3+. This work combines material-oriented ML methods with formation mechanisms of multicomponent RE disilicates, enabling the efficient design of superior materials with exceptional properties for the application of environmental barrier coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that the water intrusion control factors of multi-stage fracturing horizontal wells in tight gas reservoirs in edge and bottom water are not clear, the linear supply boundary is used to characterize the water intrusion characteristics and derive the mathematical characterization formula, considering the stress sensitivity and diffusion mechanisms of tight gas, and the water intrusion flow model of multi-stage fracturing horizontal well in tight gas reservoirs in edge and bottom water is established, and the bottom pressure and its derivative curves are obtained by Laplace and perturbation transformation. Furthermore, the influence of water intrusion strength, matrix-fracture channeling capacity, storage capacity coefficient, fracture segment spacing, fracture conductivity and other factors on the degree of water intrusion and water exposure time were analyzed. By fitting the well test data of the established model, the water intrusion intensity parameters can be obtained, and the water intrusion control of gas wells can be guided according to this parameter. The data analysis of two typical wells in the western oilfield was carried out by applying the established model, and the analysis results were well matched with the actual production, which verified the reliability of the model, and according to the analysis results, the treatment measures of the two wells were proposed, and the two wells obtained good production results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer is a highly prevalent disease that poses a serious threat to public health. In clinical practice, gastroscopy is frequently used by medical practitioners to screen for gastric cancer. However, the symptoms of gastric cancer at different stages of advancement vary significantly, particularly in the case of early gastric cancer (EGC). The manifestations of EGC are often indistinct, leading to a detection rate of less than 10%. In recent years, researchers have focused on leveraging deep learning algorithms to assist medical professionals in detecting EGC and thereby improve detection rates. To enhance the ability of deep learning to detect EGC and segment lesions in gastroscopic images, an Improved Mask R-CNN (IMR-CNN) model was proposed. This model incorporates a "Bi-directional feature extraction and fusion module" and a "Purification module for feature channel and space" based on the Mask R-CNN (MR-CNN). Our study includes a dataset of 1120 images of EGC for training and validation of the models. The experimental results indicate that the IMR-CNN model outperforms the original MR-CNN model, with Precision, Recall, Accuracy, Specificity and F1-Score values of 92.9%, 95.3%, 93.9%, 92.5% and 94.1%, respectively. Therefore, our proposed IMR-CNN model has superior detection and lesion segmentation capabilities and can effectively aid doctors in diagnosing EGC from gastroscopic images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction of La1.2Sr0.8NiO4-δ electrodes were examined as a function of electrode thickness. The length of catalytically active region and optimal thickness of La1.2Sr0.8NiO4-δ electrode at 800 °C were gauged to be about 2 and 10 μm, respectively. Varying amounts of Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 were infiltrated into the electrodes with the optimal thickness. The phase structure, microstructure and electrocatalytic properties of the infiltrated electrodes were investigated with respect to infiltrate loading and the history of cathodic polarization under different conditions. It was demonstrated that infiltrating an appropriate amount of Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 into the electrode helped to improve the electrode performance, not only enhancing the electrocatalytic activity but also alleviating the degradation of the electrode property after experiencing cathodic polarization. The mechanisms underneath the beneficial effect were explained in relation to the microstructure of the infiltrated electrodes. The electrode infiltrated with 12 vol% Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 showed a low polarization resistance of 0.049 Ω·cm2 at 800 °C, while the increment of the polarization resistance of the infiltrated electrode after experiencing cathodic polarization was nearly half that of the pristine electrode after being likewise polarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate deformation monitoring of geotechnical infrastructures using distributed fiber optic sensing requires a strong interfacial bond between strain sensing cables and surrounding soil. Micro-anchors provide a straightforward solution to enhance the interlocking effect at the cable–soil interface, but their anchorage mechanism remains unclear. This paper presents an experimental study on the interfacial behavior of anchored strain sensing cables embedded in soil. A series of pullout tests were conducted to investigate the effect of various factors on interfacial performance, including anchor spacing, anchor diameter, and confining pressure. The test results indicate that the anchor spacing and confining pressure substantially influenced the pullout resistance of anchored cables, while the anchor diameter had a minor effect. In contrast with unanchored cables, anchored cables exhibited strain hardening behavior during the pullout process instead of strain softening. The micro-anchors on cables played a reinforcing role sequentially with increasing pullout displacements, and those closer to the cable head exerted reinforcing effect earlier. Due to the pullout resistance of micro-anchors, the anchored cables have unique step-like strain profiles throughout the pullout tests, and they are not prone to interface decoupling under large deformation conditions. However, for closely spaced micro-anchors, the overlapping of interfacial shear zones led to a loss in the pullout resistance, which becomes insignificant with increasing anchor spacing. This study not only provides improved insight into the interpretation of fiber optic strain measurements but also sheds light on soil–inclusion interaction mechanisms in geotechnical analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fractures in the pyriform buttress area adversely affect facial appearance and nasal airway patency. Nasal airway function has received less attention than aesthetic problems in the literature. This retrospective study classified the different fracture types in this area and determined their impact on nasal airway function. Mathods: Three-dimensional computed tomography images of patients with fractures in the pyriform buttress area were analyzed to identify the exact fracture pattern. The nasal airway functions were evaluated and compared between patients with different fracture patterns using acoustic rhinometry, rhinomanometry, and the nasal obstruction symptom evaluation scale. Results: Overall, 47 patients, including 16 with type I fractures (high fracture line; group I), 16 with type II fractures (intermediate fracture line; group II), and 15 with type III fractures (low fracture line; group III), were included in the study. The mean minimal cross-sectional area (MCA), total nasal inspiratory resistance (Tri) and total nasal expiratory resistance (Tre) of group I were 0.51 ± 0.06 cm2, 1.67 ± 0.11 kPa L−1 s−1, and 1.66 ± 0.12 kPa L−1 s−1, respectively; those of group II were 0.48 ± 0.07 cm2, 1.89 ± 0.15 kPa L−1 s−1, and 1.88 ± 0.14 kPa L−1 s−1, respectively; and those of group III were 0.36 ± 0.04 cm2, 1.94 ± 0.21 kPa L−1 s−1, and 2.01 ± 0.34 kPa L−1 s−1, respectively. The nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scale scores for groups I, II, and III were 7.188, 9.813, and 13.27, respectively. Conclusion: Therefore, the severity of the nasal airway obstruction depends on the displacement of the fractured bones in patients with fractures in the pyriform buttress area. The most profound nasal obstruction occurs in patients with the lowest fracture line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The tumor microenvironment (TME) encompasses a variety of cells that influence immune responses and tumor growth, with tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) being a crucial component of the TME. TAM can guide prostate cancer in different directions in response to various external stimuli. Methods: First, we downloaded prostate cancer single-cell sequencing data and second-generation sequencing data from multiple public databases. From these data, we identified characteristic genes associated with TAM clusters. We then employed machine learning techniques to select the most accurate TAM gene set and developed a TAM-related risk label for prostate cancer. We analyzed the tumor-relatedness of the TAM-related risk label and different risk groups within the population. Finally, we validated the accuracy of the prognostic label using single-cell sequencing data, qPCR, and WB assays, among other methods. Results: In this study, the TAM_2 cell cluster has been identified as promoting the progression of prostate cancer, possibly representing M2 macrophages. The 9 TAM feature genes selected through ten machine learning methods and demonstrated their effectiveness in predicting the progression of prostate cancer patients. Additionally, we have linked these TAM feature genes to clinical pathological characteristics, allowing us to construct a nomogram. This nomogram provides clinical practitioners with a quantitative tool for assessing the prognosis of prostate cancer patients. Conclusion: This study has analyzed the potential relationship between TAM and PCa and established a TAM-related prognostic model. It holds promise as a valuable tool for the management and treatment of PCa patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we assessed mortality after major bleeding events in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients taking four direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Drawing data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database between 2016 and 2019, we focused on AF patients on DOACs who had major bleeding episodes. Using propensity score stabilized weighting, we established four comparable pseudo-DOAC groups. Among 2770 patients (460 dabigatran, 1322 rivaroxaban, 548 apixaban, 440 edoxaban), 85.3% were prescribed low-dose regimens. The 7-day mortality rate was 9.0%, surging to 16.0% by the 30th day. Compared with dabigatran, there was a distinct divergence in 7-day mortality of factor Xa inhibitors (p = 0.012), with hazard ratios of 1.83 (95% CI 1.11–3.00, p = 0.017) for rivaroxaban, 2.13 (95% CI 1.23–3.66, p = 0.007) for apixaban, and 2.41 (95% CI 1.39–4.19, p = 0.002) for edoxaban. This pattern remained consistent when analyzing the subgroup that received lower dosages of DOACs. In conclusion, factor Xa inhibitors were associated with a significantly higher risk of 7-day mortality following major bleeding events than dabigatran among AF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kagome metals AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs) present an ideal sandbox to study the interrelation between multiple coexisting correlated phases such as charge order and superconductivity. So far, no consensus on the microscopic nature of these states has been reached as the proposals struggle to explain all their exotic physical properties. Among these, field-switchable electric magneto-chiral anisotropy (eMChA) in CsV3Sb5 provides intriguing evidence for a rewindable electronic chirality, yet the other family members have not been likewise investigated. Here, we present a comparative study of magneto-chiral transport between CsV3Sb5 and KV3Sb5. Despite their similar electronic structure, KV3Sb5 displays negligible eMChA, if any, and with no field switchability. This is in stark contrast to the non-saturating eMChA in CsV3Sb5 even in high fields up to 35 T. In light of their similar band structures, the stark difference in eMChA suggests its origin in the correlated states. Clearly, the V kagome nets alone are not sufficient to describe the physics and the interactions with their environment are crucial in determining the nature of their low-temperature state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel reactive flame retardant based on L-cysteines containing P, N and S flame retardant elements was synthesized, and using its good water solubility, different concentrations of flame retardant poplar wood powder were prepared, and using the hot pressing process method, flame retardant density boards were made and their flame retardancy was studied. The thermogravimetric infrared coupler (TG-FTIR) test and thermal cracking gas mass spectrometer (Py-GC–MS) test both revealed that the flame retardant modified the thermal decomposition pathway of the wood, forming many residues and producing only a small amount of combustible gas. The ultimate oxygen index (LOI) of poplar density board treated with 20% cysteine-based flame retardant was as high as 60.9%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed that the surface of the treated wood powder was rough and that the wood powder particles were interconnected by the flame retardant. This suggests that the flame-retardant molecules have a bridging effect on the inner structure of the density board. Moreover, the cone calorimetry (CONE) experiments showed that with the flame-retardant treatment, there was significant reduction of total heat release (THR) and heat release rate (HRR) of the density board. The outcomes demonstrated the excellent flame retardancy and catalytic carbon formation of the poplar density board treated with the flame retardant. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the cysteine-based flame retardant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Magnetic fields (MF) have been proven efficient in bioaugmentation, and the internal MFs have become competitive because they require no configuration, despite their application in waste gas treatment remaining largely unexplored. In this study, we firstly developed an intensity-regulable bioaugmentation with internal MF for gaseous chlorobenzene (CB) treatment with modified packing in batch bioreactors, and the elimination capacity increased by up to 26%, surpassing that of the external MF. Additionally, the microbial affinity to CB and the packing surface was enhanced, which was correlated with the ninefold increased secreted ratio of proteins/polysaccharides, 43% promoted cell surface hydrophobicity, and half reduced zeta potential. Furthermore, the dehydrogenase content was promoted over 3 times, and CB removal steadily increased with the rising intensity indicating enhanced biofilm activity and reduced CB bioimpedance; this was further supported by kinetic analysis, which resulted in improved cell adhesive ability and biological utilisation of CB. The results introduced a novel concept of adjustable magnetic bioaugmentation and provided technical support for industrial waste gas treatments. Key points: • Regulable magnetic bioaugmentation was developed to promote 26% chlorobenzene removal • Chlorobenzene mineralisation was enhanced under the magnetic field • Microbial adhesion was promoted through weakening repulsive forces [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous biochar was prepared from agricultural and forestry wastes to remove Cr(VI) in sewage, which solved the problem of water pollution and realized the reuse of wastes. Herein, in this work, the bagasse pith residues after alkali pre-extraction have been used as the raw material for preparing porous biochars (BPR-BC), which could be further used for efficiently purifying the simulated Cr(VI) wastewater. The results showed that the as-prepared biochars had an ultra-high specific surface area of 2745.7 m3/g and Cr(VI) removal capacity of 185.07 mg/g. The kinetic and isotherms studies were best described by pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, respectively. The thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. Furthermore, based on the concept of "waste to waste," the Cr-contained waste adsorbent by doping Cu has been converted into a bagasse pith residues biochar supported Copper-Chromium catalyst (Cu-CrOx/BPR-BC) for further hydrogenation of furfural. The catalytic experimental result showed that the furfural 1 can be selectively converted into furfuryl alcohol (FOL) and difurfuryl ether (DEF) catalyzed by the prepared Cu-CrOx/BPR-BC catalyst, provided a new idea for the further utilization of Cr(VI) containing adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the mainstay approach for prostate cancer (PCa) management. However, the most commonly used ADT modality, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: The PCa Cardiovascular (PCCV) Expert Network, consisting of multinational urologists, cardiologists and oncologists with expertise in managing PCa, convened to discuss challenges to routine cardiovascular risk assessment in PCa management, as well as how to mitigate such risks in the current treatment landscape. Results: The experts identified several barriers, including lack of awareness, time constraints, challenges in implementing risk assessment tools and difficulties in establishing multidisciplinary teams that include cardiologists. The experts subsequently provided practical recommendations to improve cardio-oncology care for patients with PCa receiving ADT, such as simplifying cardiovascular risk assessment, individualising treatment based on CVD risk categories, establishing multidisciplinary teams and referral networks and fostering active patient engagement. A streamlined cardiovascular risk-stratification tool and a referral/management guide were developed for seamless integration into urologists’ practices and presented herein. The PCCV Expert Network agreed that currently available evidence indicates that GnRH antagonists are associated with a lower risk of CVD than that of GnRH agonists and that GnRH antagonists are preferred for patients with PCa and a high CVD risk. Conclusion: In summary, this article provides insights and guidance to improve management for patients with PCa undergoing ADT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alternating copolymerization of hydroxyalkyl vinyl ethers and dialkyl maleates is investigated by conventional radical polymerization and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT). The influence of comonomer structure, comonomer feeding ratios, and monomer concentrations on the copolymerization and the copolymer structure have been investigated systematically. With 2-hydroxyethyl vinyl ether (HEVE) and dimethyl maleates (DMM) as comonomers, a well-defined alternating copolymer is prepared with Mn=3400 and Mw/Mn=1.93 up to 71.6% monomer. The alternating sequential chain structure of the copolymers has been proved by both NMR and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The experimental reactivity ratios and theoretical calculated highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of vinyl ethers and alkyl maleates support that these monomer pairs have tendency to form alternating copolymers. With 2-cyanopropan-2-yl N-methyl-N-(pyridin-4-yl)carbamodithioate as the RAFT agent, the molecular weight of HEVE and DMM copolymer increases with the monomer conversion, demonstrating a controlled radical polymerization feature with well-controlled molecular weight and relatively narrower molecular weight distribution. With alternating copolymer of HEVE and DMM as macro-CTA (Mn=5200 and Mw/Mn=1.46), both the chain extension with HEVE and DMM (Mn=10400 and Mw/Mn=1.72) and block copolymerization with vinyl acetate have been successfully achieved (Mn=8500 and Mw/Mn=1.52). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single injection of 12 mg pegfilgrastim was used to mobilize peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs) from healthy donors in some studies. The purpose of this study was to determine if 6 mg of pegfilgrastim was effective and safe for mobilizing CD34+ cells in donors for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We conducted a retrospective case-matched design. A single dosage of 6 mg pegfilgrastim was used to mobilize PBPCs from 60 healthy donors. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, 10 μg/kg) was administered daily to the matched donors. Leukapheresis was scheduled to commence on day 4 of the mobilization regimen. The median yielded CD34+ cell in the pegfilgrastim group was higher than those in the G-CSF group, at 5.06 × 106/kg recipient weight. The 73.3% of donors mobilized with pegfilgrastim yielded >4 × 106 cells/kg CD34+ cells in a single apheresis procedure when compared to the 33.3% of donors mobilized with G-CSF (P < 0.001). The myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) proportion in the pegfilgrastim group was significantly higher than that in the G-CSF group (P < 0.001). The cumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was higher in the G-CSF group than that in the pegfilgrastim group (26.7% vs. 11.7%), without statistical difference. In comparison to the G-CSF group, the pegfilgrastim group had a reduced median pain intensity numerical rating scale score (1 vs. 2). A single 6 mg dosage of pegfilgrastim is effective and safe for allogeneic PBPCs collection from healthy donors. Pegfilgrastim may decrease the incidence of aGVHD by boosting MDSCs, which need further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates the potential impact of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) on patients with heart failure (HF) and dementia. ChEIs are known to boost acetylcholine levels and benefit cognition in patients with dementia; however, their effect on patients with HF is uncertain. This study aimed to assess whether cardiovascular events and mortality among patients with HF and dementia are altered by ChEI therapy. Methods: Data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan were retrospectively analyzed. Dementia patients diagnosed with HF were followed for 5 years until all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, hospitalization for worsening HF, or the end of the study. Multivariable Cox models and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were employed. Results: Out of 20,848 patients with dementia, 5138 had HF. Among them, 726 were ChEI users and 4412 were non-users. Based on IPTW, the ChEI users had significantly lower estimated risks of all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 0.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38–0.49, p < 0.001] and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.41; 95% CI 0.33–0.53, p < 0.001) compared with the non-users, but there was no significant difference in hospitalization for worsening HF (HR 0.73; 95% CI 0.51–1.05, p = 0.091) after 5 years. The survival benefits of ChEIs were consistent across subgroups. Conclusions: The results of this retrospective cohort study suggest that ChEIs may be beneficial in reducing all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with dementia with HF. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore the potential benefits of ChEIs in all patients with HF, including those without dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of lignocellulosic biomass to produce biofuels and biobased products requires effective fractionation and valorization of the three main lignocellulose constituents. A novel two-step process was developed using acetone/H2O as solvent to fractionate lignocellulose into cellulose, hemicellulose derivatives, and lignin, followed by non-enzymatic hydrolysis of recovered cellulose into soluble sugars by ultra-low concentration acid. In the first step, about 87.6% of the hemicelluloses and 88.7% of the lignin were successfully removed and recovered in different streams, under the reaction condition of 140 °C for 1 h with 0.6 wt% H2SO4 in acetone/H2O medium. Then the recovered cellulose residues were hydrolyzed into monomers and soluble oligomers catalyzed by 0.25 wt% H2SO4 at the temperature of 180 °C for 15 min in the solvent mixture. This two-step method avoided the mutual interference of different components during the degradation process and successfully hydrolyzed and recovered 77.2% of the total carbohydrates from the raw corn stover without using expensive cellulase enzymes. This method has potential application in the effective utilization of lignocellulose and could serve as an alternative to current lignocellulosic derived sugar platform scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GH4169 superalloy is widely used in the manufacture of key components such as high-pressure turbine disks, turbine blades, and combustion chambers of gas turbines and aero-engines. However, mechanical and metallurgical properties of the surface layer have changed significantly on account of the cutting process, which is easy to cause fatigue failure. Therefore, surface strengthening of GH4169 superalloy subjected to ultrasonic surface rolling process (USRP) is investigated, involved with the mechanical properties and microstructure of the surface layer. The findings demonstrate that the USRP treatment reduces the surface roughness of the basis sample by 93% (from 1.17 to 0.08 µm). The USRP treatments improve the degree of the grain refinement, the number proportion of low-angle grain boundaries, and dislocation density. The depth of residual compressive stress layer and hardened layer of the samples subjected to USRP treatment are improved to 0.6 mm. Moreover, finite element models are utilized to aid in the research of the USRP treatment, especially the stress and strain fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Epidermal growth factor receptor–tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR–TKIs) are the first-line therapy for patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) harboring activating EGFR mutations. However, the emergence of drug resistance to EGFR–TKIs remains a critical obstacle for successful treatment and is associated with poor patient outcomes. The overarching objective of this study is to apply bioinformatics tools to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying resistance to EGFR–TKIs and develop a robust predictive model. Methods: The genes associated with gefitinib resistance in the LUAD cell Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were identified using gene chip expression data. Functional enrichment analysis, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), and immune infiltration analysis were performed to comprehensively explore the mechanism of gefitinib resistance. Furthermore, a GRRG_score was constructed by integrating genes related to LUAD prognosis from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database with the screened Gefitinib Resistant Related differentially expressed genes (GRRDEGs) using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and Cox regression analyses. Furthermore, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the tumor microenvironment (TME) features and their association with immune infiltration between different GRRG_score groups. A prognostic model for LUAD was developed based on the GRRG_score and validated. The HPA database was used to validate protein expression. The CTR-DB database was utilized to validate the results of drug therapy prediction based on the relevant genes. Results: A total of 110 differentially expression genes were identified. Pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in Mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis, Cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, Sphingolipid metabolism. Gene set enrichment analysis showed that biological processes strongly correlated with gefitinib resistance were cell proliferation and immune-related pathways, EPITHELIAL_MESENCHYMAL_TRANSITION, APICAL_SURFACE, and APICAL_JUNCTION were highly expressed in the drug-resistant group; KRAS_SIGNALING_DN, HYPOXIA, and HEDGEHOG_SIGNALING were highly expressed in the drug-resistant group. The GRRG_score was constructed based on the expression levels of 13 genes, including HSPA2, ATP8B3, SPOCK1, EIF6, NUP62CL, BCAR3, PCSK9, NT5E, FLNC, KRT8, FSCN1, ANGPTL4, and ID1. We further screened and validated two key genes, namely, NUP62CL and KRT8, which exhibited predictive value for both prognosis and drug resistance. Conclusions: Our study identified several novel GRRDEGs and provided insight into the underlying mechanisms of gefitinib resistance in LUAD. Our results have implications for developing more effective treatment strategies and prognostic models for LUAD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hippocampus is a brain region associated with memory, learning and spatial navigation, its aging-related dysfunction is a common sign of Alzheimer's disease. Pig is a good model for human neurodegenerative disease, but our understanding of the regulatory program of the pig hippocampus and its cross-species conservation in humans remains limited. Here, we profiled chromatin accessibility in 33,409 high-quality nuclei and gene expression in 8,122 high-quality nuclei of the pig hippocampus at four postnatal stages. We identified 510,908 accessible chromatin regions (ACRs) in 12 major cell types, among which progenitor cells such as neuroblasts and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells showed a dynamic decrease from early to later developmental stages. We revealed significant enrichment of transposable elements in cell type-specific ACRs, particularly in neuroblasts. We identified oligodendrocytes as the most prominent cell type with the greatest number of genes that showed significant changes during the development. We identified ACRs and key transcription factors underlying the trajectory of neurogenesis (such as POU3F3 and EGR1) and oligodendrocyte differentiation (RXRA and FOXO6). We examined 27 Alzheimer's disease-related genes in our data and found that 15 showed cell type-specific activity (TREM2, RIN3 and CLU), and 15 genes displayed age-associated dynamic activity (BIN1, RABEP1 and APOE). We intersected our data with human genome-wide association study results to detect neurological disease-associated cell types. The present study provides a single nucleus-accessible chromatin landscape of the pig hippocampus at different developmental stages and is helpful for the exploration of pigs as a biomedical model in human neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Without any type of surfactant or dispersing agent, precipitation polymerization has great superiorities in both polymer synthesis and applications. In the present work, the polymerization of vinyl chloride (VC), n-butyl acrylate (BA), and vinyl acetate (VAc) are conducted in the precipitation polymerization system and series of their random terpolymers poly(vinyl chloride-co-n-butyl acrylate-co-vinyl acetate) (PCBV) are synthesized successfully. The effects of various polymerization conditions, including solvent polarity, temperature, initiator concentration, and monomer feed ratios on the polymerization kinetics, number-average molecular weight (Mn), and terpolymer composition are investigated systematically. The solvent and the monomer feed ratio are crucial factors not only for the polymer morphology, but also for the reaction kinetic. In the non-polar solvent such as n-hexane, the PCBV displays particle morphology when the composition of BA ratio lower than 10 wt%. Otherwise, the PCBV forms a uniform polymer phase and precipitates out from the mixture. In the polar solvent, e.g., dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and ethanol, the PCBV polymer maintains a slurry state either in low or in high monomer feed ratio. Impressively, VC based ternary copolymer that obtained in n-hexane has much lower Mn (<20 kDa) and much higher BA units mass fraction (>40 wt%) compared with emulsion and suspension polymerization. Additionally, the terpolymer can be easily separated by simple centrifugation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Natural World Heritage site (NWH) has a dual role of protection and utilization. The buffer zone of the South China Karst (SCK) World Heritage (WH) site is scattered with village dwellings, which adds pressure to preserve the outstanding universal value (OUV) and integrity protection of the WH site. The development of agroforestry is an essential means to maintain rural livelihoods, protect the ecological environment, and realize the protection and development of the heritage site. Studying the synergy and regulation of the heritage site integrity protection and the buffer zone agroforestry development is essential. This study takes the Shibing and Libo–Huanjiang karst WH as the study areas and administrative villages as the evaluation unit. From 2020 to 2023, through data methods such as remote sensing data interpretation, information data survey and collection, comprehensive index analysis, coupling coordination degree model, and GIS spatial analysis, a systematic study was conducted on the basic frontier research, synergy relationship, and regulation of the heritage site integrity protection and the buffer zone agroforestry development. The results demonstrate that the Shibing and Libo–Huanjiang karst WH sites integrity protection and agroforestry development in the buffer zone have a high coupling degree and a good coupling coordination relationship. This reveals that the heritage site integrity protection and the buffer zone agroforestry development are an interconnected and mutually influential whole, which the synergistic relationship between them is developing in a positive direction; The buffer zone agroforestry development lags behind the heritage site integrity protection, based on which proposed the regulatory measures for the synergy development of the heritage site integrity protection and agroforestry development in the buffer zone. The findings in this study provide references for the synergies development of the WH karst site integrity protection and agroforestry development in the buffer zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karst World Heritage Site (KWHS) combines high-grade landscape resources and a fragile ecological environment. As an essential tool for heritage conservation and maintaining local interests, its buffer zone is primarily located in remote villages, a crucial and challenging area for rural revitalization. The conflict between heritage conservation and development is particularly acute at the site. How to deal with the relationship between the heritage site's OUV conservation and the buffer zone's tourism industry development and realize the synergy between the two subsystems? Few studies have focused on it. There is an urgent need to explore the synergistic mechanism of the KWHS's OUV conservation and the buffer zone's tourism industry development. Accordingly, this study takes the Libo-Huanjiang KWHS, one of the 'South China Karst' series of heritage sites, as a case study. The coupling coordination degree model, gray correlation analysis (GCA), and Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial analysis are used. The results show that: (1) There is a synergistic effect between the Libo-Huanjiang KWHS's OUV conservation and its buffer zone's tourism industry development, showing a favorable trend. The mean value of the coupling coordination degree increased from 0.57 in 2015 to 0.63 in 2020, and the overall situation improved from barely coupling coordination state to primary coupling coordination. (2) Influenced by the main driving factors, such as NDVI, landscape dominance, government support for tourism development, tourists' satisfaction, and residents' support, the coupling coordination of the four tourist scenic areas in the study area differed slightly in 2015 and 2020. Yaoshan Ancient Village Scenic Area is the highest in both years, increasing from 0.69 to 0.81, followed by the Mengliu Buyi Scenic Area (0.59), Wanmu Meiyuan Scenic Area is relatively stable with a slight increase, and Lianshanwan Scenic Area (0.45) is the lowest. (3) The four dimensions of ecological resources, policy drivers, economy drivers, and social facilitators work together to create a synergistic mechanism between the KWHS's OUV conservation and the buffer zone's tourism industry development. Future research can promote synergy between the two by formulating a comprehensive plan, encouraging sustainable tourism, establishing a diversified tourism industry, strengthening heritage education and training, enhancing community participation, and reinforcing stakeholder cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the time series characteristics of soil moisture changes in the core planting area of tobacco, a soil moisture prediction model based on the combination of principal component analysis (PCA) and long-term short-term memory neural network (LSTM) was established and evaluated for tobacco precise production management and tobacco field water-saving irrigation applications. This study proposed a method using PCA to optimize the model of LSTM to predict soil moisture in tobacco-growing areas at different time intervals. The PCA method is mainly used to reduce the dimension of the original input layer meteorological data. The data are processed by dimensionality reduction to solve the input variables, and the neural network has a larger network size, resulting in reduced efficiency. LSTM network is used to solve the defects of traditional neural network model in time series data analysis. Experimental analysis shows that the LSTM prediction model of tobacco field soil moisture using PCA method can provide good short-term and medium-term prediction. The average absolute percentage error (MAPE) of the predicted soil moisture in tobacco fields is 0.27%, which is better than the full factorial radial basis function neural network (RBF NN), recurrent neural network (RNN) and traditional LSTM. The PCA and LSTM model meets the precise management requirements of actual tobacco cultivation and provides a new method for automated water-saving irrigation control of tobacco cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A predictive model for biochemical recurrence (BCR) of prostate cancer (PCa) after neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (nADT) has not been established. This study was aimed at determining multiparameter variables that could be used to construct a nomogram to predict the post-nADT BCR of PCa. Methods: Overall, 43 radical prostatectomy specimens from PCa patients who had undergone nADT were collected. Multiparameter variables were analyzed by univariate and then multivariate logistic analyses to identify the independent prognostic factors for predicting BCR. The predictive model was established using Lasso regression analysis. Results: Univariate logistic analysis revealed six variables, pathology stage; margins; categorization as group A, B, or C; nucleolus grading; percentage of tumor involvement (PTI); and PTEN status were significantly associated with the BCR of PCa (all p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that categorization as group C, severe nucleolus grading, PTI less than or equal to 5%, and PTEN loss were positively correlated with BCR (all p < 0.05). A nomogram comprising the four variables predicting BCR was constructed, and it exhibited good discrimination (AUC: 0.985; specificity: 86.2%; sensitivity: 100%). Calibration plots for the probability of freedom from BCR at 1 and 2 years showed a good match between the prediction by the nomogram. Conclusions: We constructed and validated a nomogram to predict the risk of BCR in PCa patients after nADT. This nomogram is a complement to the existing risk stratification systems for PCa, which could have marked implications for clinical decision-making for PCa patients after nADT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-quality whole-genome resequencing in large-scale pig populations with pedigree structure and multiple breeds would enable accurate construction of haplotype and robust selection-signature detection. Here, we sequence 740 pigs, combine with 149 of our previously published resequencing data, retrieve 207 resequencing datasets, and form a panel of worldwide distributed wild boars, aboriginal and highly selected pigs with pedigree structures, amounting to 1096 genomes from 43 breeds. Combining with their haplotype-informative reads and pedigree structure, we accurately construct a panel of 1874 haploid genomes with 41,964,356 genetic variants. We further demonstrate its valuable applications in GWAS by identifying five novel loci for intramuscular fat content, and in genomic selection by increasing the accuracy of estimated breeding value by 36.7%. In evolutionary selection, we detect MUC13 gene under a long-term balancing selection, as well as NPR3 gene under positive selection for pig stature. Our study provides abundant genomic variations for robust selection-signature detection and accurate haplotypes for deciphering complex traits in pigs. Accurate haplotypes with abundant genomic variations benefit genetic research. Here, the authors accurately construct 1,874 pig haplotypes and demonstrate their applications in genome-wide association studies, prediction of breeding values and analyses of evolutionary selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, rechargeable solid-state sodium metal batteries have become promising energy storage devices with potentially high energy density and low cost. However, eliminating dendrite growth and achieving a stable electrode–electrolyte interface are primary challenges to be addressed. A type of "quasi-liquid" sodium-potassium alloy (Na-K) anode containing only 2 wt% potassium (NaK-2) together with a gel polymer electrolyte exhibits excellent electrochemical performance and can be cycled reversibly for 250 h at 0.2 mA cm−2. In addition, it was found that the formation of the inorganic compound K2O phase during cycling may strengthen the electrode–electrolyte interface, which is helpful for a uniform electrode–electrolyte interface and inhibits dendrite growth, thus improving the cycle performance of the electrode. The quasi-liquid NaK-2 anode paired with Na3V2(PO4)3 exhibits excellent electrochemical performance in the whole battery compared with the pristine metal sodium anode. Our work shows that NaK-2 as an anode material may promote the application of solid-state Na metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The effect of pretreatment infarct location on clinical outcome after successful mechanical thrombectomy is not understood. Our aim was to evaluate the association between computed tomography perfusion (CTP)-based ischemic core location and clinical outcome following excellent reperfusion in late time windows. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent thrombectomy for acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusion in late time windows from October 2019 to June 2021 and enrolled 65 patients with visible ischemic core on admission CTP who had received excellent reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade 2c/3). Poor outcome was defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 3–6 at 90 days. The ischemic core infarct territories were classified into the cortical and subcortical areas. Multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used in this study. Results: Of the 65 patients analyzed, 38 (58.5%) had a poor outcome. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that the subcortical infarcts (OR 11.75; 95% CI 1.79–77.32; P = 0.010) and their volume (OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.04–1.32; P = 0.011) were independently associated with poor outcome. The ROC curve indicated the capacity of the subcortical infarct involvement (areas under the curve (AUC) = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.53–0.77, P < 0.001) and subcortical infarct volume (AUC = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.60–0.83, P < 0.001) in predicting poor outcome accurately. Conclusion: Subcortical infarcts and their volume on admission CTP are associated with poor outcome after excellent reperfusion in late time windows, rather than cortical infarcts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore whether 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT-derived parameters could predict biochemical response to abiraterone acetate (AA) treatment and prognosis in metastatic prostate cancer patients developing castration resistance after chemohormonal therapy at hormone-sensitive stage. Methods: The clinicopathologic data of 106 mCRPC cases receiving AA treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent predictors of biochemical response to AA treatment. Cox analyses were applied to investigate the independent prognostic factors for time to biochemical progression (TTBP) and radiological progression-free survival (rPFS). Survival analysis and ROC curve were also used. Results: Multivariable Logistic analysis demonstrated that prior ADT duration ≥ 12 months, low prostate specific membrane antigen receptor-expressing tumor volume (PSMA-TV), low tumor to liver ratio (TLR) were independent predictors of biochemical response to AA treatment. Multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that low PSMA-TV and low TLR were independent prognostic factors of longer TTBP and rPFS. The TTBP and rPFS of patients with higher PSMA-TV or TLR were significantly decreased compared with that of patients with lower PSMA-TV and TLR. The area under ROC curve (AUC) of combining ADT duration, PSMA-TV and TLR was 0.82 for predicting biochemical response to AA, which was significantly increased compared with that of other 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT-derived parameters alone. Conclusions: Low PSMA-TV, low TLR were vital independent predictors of biochemical response to AA treatment and were associated with preferable prognosis in mCRPC patients. Combining ADT duration, PSMA-TV and TLR performed well in distinguishing AA responders from non-responders in mCRPC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Phyllodes tumor of the breast is a kind of rare neoplasm, which accounts for less than 1% of all breast tumors. Malignant phyllodes tumor (MPT) is the highest risk subtype of phyllodes tumor, and is characterized by the tendency of local recurrence and distant metastasis. The prediction of prognosis and the individual therapy for MPT is still challenging. It's urgent to develop a new reliable in vitro preclinical model in order to understand this disease better and to explore appropriate anticancer drugs for individual patients. Methods: Two surgically resected MPT specimens were processed for organoid establishment. MPT organoids were subsequently subjected to H&E staining, immunohistochemical analysis and drug screening, respectively. Results: We successfully established two organoid lines from different patients with MPT. The MPT organoids can well retain the histological features and capture the marker expression in original tumor tissues, including p63, vimentin, Bcl-2, CD34, c-Kit, and Ki-67, even after a long-term culture. The dose titration tests of eight typical chemotherapeutic drugs (paclitaxel, docetaxel, vincristine, doxorubicin, cisplatin, gemcitabine, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide) on the two MPT organoid lines showed patient-specific drug responses and varying IC50 values. Of all the drugs, doxorubicin and gemcitabine showed the best anti-tumor effect on the two organoid lines. Conclusion: Organoids derived from MPT may be a novel preclinical model for testing personalized therapies for patients with MPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In July-August 2022, Yangtze River Valley (YRV) experienced unprecedented hot summer, with the number of heatwave days exceeding climatology by four standard deviations. The heatwaves and associated severe droughts affected about 38 million people and caused devastating economic losses of about five billion US dollars. Here we present convergent empirical and modelling evidence to show that the record-breaking Pakistan rainfall, along with the 2022 tripe-dip La Niña, produces anomalous high pressure over YRV, causing intense heatwaves. The La Niña-induced second-highest sea surface temperature gradient in the equatorial western Pacific suppresses western Pacific convection and extends the subtropical high westward. More importantly, the tremendous diabatic heating associated with the unprecedented Pakistan rainfall reinforces the downstream Rossby wave train, extending the upper-level South Asia High eastward and controlling the entire YRV. The overlay of the two high-pressure systems sustains sinking motion and increases solar radiation reaching the ground, causing recurrent heat waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a characterization of upper semi-Fredholm operators due to A. Lebow and M. Schechter, we introduce and investigate a new quantity characterizing upper semi-Fredholm operators. This quantity and several well-known quantities are used to characterize bounded compact approximation property. Similarly, a new quantity characterizing lower semi-Fredholm operators is introduced, investigated and used to characterize the bounded compact approximation property for dual spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ta2O5-Y2O3 co-doped ZrO2 (TYSZ) powders were prepared by high-temperature solid-phase synthesis, and a TYSZ coating was prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). The phase structures, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and thermal conductivity of the TYSZ and YSZ coating were studied. Thermal cycling was performed at 1400 °C to evaluate the feasibility of TYSZ as an optimal ceramic material for next-generation gas-turbine thermal barrier coatings. The results indicate that the sintered agglomerated TYSZ powders are regular solid spheres with uniform particle size and good flow performance, which meet the requirements of the APS. The TYSZ coating had a typical layered structure, and the coating bond strength was 27.5 MPa. In contrast to the stable t phase of the powder, the TYSZ coating has a cubic phase due to oxygen defects caused by oxygen escaping during spraying. After high-temperature heat treatment (>1300 °C), the cubic phase of the TYSZ coating reverted to the t phase. Due to the specially designed substitution defects, the coefficient of thermal expansion of TYSZ is slightly lower than that of YSZ, and the thermal conductivity is much lower than that of the YSZ coating. After 84 cycles, spalling and cracking occurred in the TYSZ coating near the bond coat and ceramic interface. The mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the TYSZ coating and the substrate appears to be the primary reason for the coating failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An adaptive higher order sliding mode controller based on a novel finite-time extended state observer is designed for rotational shell magazine position tracking control. The design of observer does not need to use the eigenvalue of a specific matrix and thus the observer design can be greatly simplified. Based on the observer, the controller does not rely on the bound of disturbance. The values of controller gains could be reduced and chattering will be restrained. Observation error and tracking error are both finite-time stable. The close-loop stability has been proven via Lyapunov theory. Simulation and experiment results show that compared with twisting controller and proportional-integral controller, the proposed scheme can reduce the overshoot, weaken the chattering and reach the steady state faster in the presence of time-varying disturbance, parameter uncertainties and measurement noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of cancer characterized by high recurrence rates. Overcoming chemoresistance can reduce HCC recurrence and improve patients' prognosis. This work aimed to identify HCC chemoresistance-associated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and find an effective drug targeting the identified lncRNA for ameliorating the chemoresistance. In this investigation, bioinformatics analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed a new chemoresistance index and suggested LINC02331 as an HCC chemoresistance and patients' prognosis-associated lncRNA that served as an independent prognostic indicator. Moreover, LINC02331 promoted DNA damage repair, DNA replication, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition as well as attenuated cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling, thus stimulating HCC resistance to cisplatin cytotoxicity, proliferation, and metastasis. Interestingly, we developed a novel oxidative coupling approach to synthesize a dimeric oxyberberine CT4-1, which exerted superior anti-HCC activities without obvious side effects measured by in vivo mice model and could downregulate LINC02331 mice model and could downregulate LINC02331 to mitigate LINC02331-induced HCC progression by suppressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling. RNA sequencing analyses verified the involvement of CT4-1-affected differential expression genes in dysregulated pathways and processes, including Wnt, DNA damage repair, cell cycle, DNA replication, apoptosis, and cell adhesion molecules. Furthermore, CT4-1 was demonstrated to be an effective cytotoxic drug in ameliorating HCC patients' prognosis with a prediction model constructed based on RNA-sequencing data from CT4-1-treated cancer cells and public cancer database. In summary, HCC chemoresistance-associated LINC02331 independently predicted poor patients' prognosis and enhanced HCC progression by promoting resistance to cisplatin cytotoxicity, proliferation, and metastasis. Targeting LINC02331 by the dimeric oxyberberine CT4-1 that exhibited synergistic cytotoxicity with cisplatin could alleviate HCC progression and improve patients' prognosis. Our study identified LINC02331 as an alternative target and suggested CT4-1 as an effective cytotoxic drug in HCC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]