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The planthopper Nilaparvata muiri is a sister species to N. lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), a notorious insect pest in Asian rice fields. N. muiri and N. lugens have a different host preference despite the similarities in many biological features. To better understand the adaptive evolution of planthoppers, comprehensive genomic information on N. muiri and N. lugens are urgently needed. In this study, we used ultra-low input PacBio HiFi libraries and Hi-C sequencing technologies to assemble a reference genome of a single N. muiri at the chromosomal level. The genome size was determined to be 531.62 Mb with a contig N50 size of 2.47 Mb and scaffold N50 size of 38.37 Mb. Totally, 96.61% assembled sequences were anchored to the 15 pseudo-chromosomes. BUSCO analysis yielded an Insecta completeness score of 98.6%. A total of 22,057 protein-coding genes were annotated, and 168.16 Mb repetitive sequences occupying 31.63% of genome were pinpointed. The assembled genome is valuable for evolutionary and genetic studies of planthoppers, and may provide sights to pest control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the mitral valve calcification and mitral structure detected by cardiac computed tomography (cardiac CT) and establish a scoring model based on cardiac CT and clinical factors to predict early good mitral valve repair (EGMR) and guide surgical strategy in rheumatic mitral disease (RMD). Materials and methods: This is a retrospective bi-center cohort study. Based on cardiac CT, mitral valve calcification and mitral structure in RMD were quantified and evaluated. The primary outcome was EGMR. A logical regression algorithm was applied to the scoring model. Results: A total of 579 patients were enrolled in our study from January 1, 2019, to August 31, 2022. Of these, 443 had baseline cardiac CT scans of adequate quality. The calcification quality score, calcification and thinnest part of the anterior leaflet clean zone, and papillary muscle symmetry were the independent CT factors of EGMR. Coronary artery disease and pulmonary artery pressure were the independent clinical factors of EGMR. Based on the above six factors, a scoring model was established. Sensitivity = 95% and specificity = 95% were presented with a cutoff value of 0.85 and 0.30 respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic of external validation set was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.73–0.93). Conclusions: Mitral valve repair is recommended when the scoring model value > 0.85 and mitral valve replacement is prior when the scoring model value < 0.30. This model could assist in guiding surgical strategies for RMD. Clinical relevance statement: The model established in this study can serve as a reference indicator for surgical repair in rheumatic mitral valve disease. Key Points: • Cardiac CT can reflect the mitral structure in detail, especially for valve calcification. • A model based on cardiac CT and clinical factors for predicting early good mitral valve repair was established. • The developed model can help cardiac surgeons formulate appropriate surgical strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells hold great promise for realizing high power conversion efficiency at low cost. However, achieving scalable fabrication of wide-bandgap perovskite (~1.68 eV) in air, without the protective environment of an inert atmosphere, remains challenging due to moisture-induced degradation of perovskite films. Herein, this study reveals that the extent of moisture interference is significantly influenced by the properties of solvent. We further demonstrate that n-Butanol (nBA), with its low polarity and moderate volatilization rate, not only mitigates the detrimental effects of moisture in air during scalable fabrication but also enhances the uniformity of perovskite films. This approach enables us to achieve an impressive efficiency of 29.4% (certified 28.7%) for double-sided textured perovskite/silicon tandem cells featuring large-size pyramids (2–3 μm) and 26.3% over an aperture area of 16 cm2. This advance provides a route for large-scale production of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells, marking a significant stride toward their commercial viability. The scalable fabrication of wide-bandgap perovskites in air remains challenging due to moisture-induced degradation of perovskites. Here, authors utilize low polarity and moderately volatile n-butanol to enhance film uniformity, achieving efficiency of 29.4% for double-sided textured tandem cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI) and the Fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) has not been extensively investigated. The objective of this study was to determine the independent relationship between FAR and SIRI in people with osteoporotic fractures (OPF). A cross-sectional study was conducted using retrospective data from 3431 hospitalized OPF patients. The exposure variable in this study was the baseline FAR, while the outcome variable was the SIRI. Covariates, including age, gender, BMI, and other clinical and laboratory factors, were adjusted. Cross-correlation analysis and linear regression models were applied. The generalized additive model (GAM) investigated non-linear relationships. Adjusted analysis revealed an independent negative association between FAR and SIRI in OPF patients (β = − 0.114, p = 0.00064, 95% CI − 0.180, − 0.049). A substantial U-shaped association between FAR and SIRI was shown using GAM analysis (p < 0.001). FAR and SIRI indicated a negative association for FAR below 6.344% and a positive correlation for FAR over 6.344%. The results of our study revealed a U-shaped relationship between SIRI and FAR. The lowest conceivable FAR for a bone-loose inflammatory disease might be 6.344%, suggesting that this has particular significance for the medical diagnosis and therapy of persons with OPF. Consequently, the term "inflammatory trough" is proposed. These results offer fresh perspectives on controlling inflammation in individuals with OPF and preventing inflammatory osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical compartmentalization, a hallmark of both primitive and modern cells, enables the concentration and isolation of biomolecules, and facilitates spatial organization of biochemical reactions. Coacervate-based compartments can sequester and recruit a large variety of molecules, making it an attractive protocell model. In this work, we report the spontaneous formation of core-shell cell-sized coacervate-based compartments driven by spontaneous evaporation of a sessile droplet on a thin-oil-coated substrate. Our analysis reveals that such far-from-equilibrium architectures arise from multiple, coupled segregative and associative liquid-liquid phase separation, and are stabilized by stagnation points within the evaporating droplet. The formation of stagnation points results from convective capillary flows induced by the maximum evaporation rate at the liquid-liquid-air contact line. This work provides valuable insights into the spontaneous formation and maintenance of hierarchical compartments under non-equilibrium conditions, offering a glimpse into the real-life scenario. Coacervate-based compartments are attractive as potential protocells, but formation and control of the compartments can be challenging. Here, the authors report the spontaneous formation of core-shell, cell-sized coacervate compartments driven by droplet evaporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To propose a novel model-free data-driven approach based on the voxel-wise mapping of DCE-MRI time-intensity-curve (TIC) profiles for quantifying and visualizing hemodynamic heterogeneity and to validate its potential clinical applications. Materials and methods: From December 2018 to July 2022, 259 patients with 325 pathologically confirmed breast lesions who underwent breast DCE-MRI were retrospectively enrolled. Based on the manually segmented breast lesions, the TIC of each voxel within the 3D whole lesion was classified into 19 subtypes based on wash-in rate (nonenhanced, slow, medium, and fast), wash-out enhancement (persistent, plateau, and decline), and wash-out stability (steady and unsteady), and the composition ratio of these 19 subtypes for each lesion was calculated as a new feature set (type-19). The three-type TIC classification, semiquantitative parameters, and type-19 features were used to build machine learning models for identifying lesion malignancy and classifying histologic grades, proliferation status, and molecular subtypes. Results: The type-19 feature-based model significantly outperformed models based on the three-type TIC method and semiquantitative parameters both in distinguishing lesion malignancy (respectively; AUC = 0.875 vs. 0.831, p = 0.01 and 0.875vs. 0.804, p = 0.03), predicting tumor proliferation status (AUC = 0.890 vs. 0.548, p = 0.006 and 0.890 vs. 0.596, p = 0.020), but not in predicting histologic grades (p = 0.820 and 0.970). Conclusion: In addition to conventional methods, the proposed computational approach provides a novel, model-free, data-driven approach to quantify and visualize hemodynamic heterogeneity. Clinical relevance statement: Voxel-wise intra-lesion mapping of TIC profiles allows for visualization of hemodynamic heterogeneity and its composition ratio for differentiation of malignant and benign breast lesions. Key Points: • Voxel-wise TIC profiles were mapped, and their composition ratio was compared between various breast lesions. • The model based on the composition ratio of voxel-wise TIC profiles significantly outperformed the three-type TIC classification model and the semiquantitative parameters model in lesion malignancy differentiation and tumor proliferation status prediction in breast lesions. • This novel, data-driven approach allows the intuitive visualization and quantification of the hemodynamic heterogeneity of breast lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate measurements derived from plain and enhanced spectral CT in differentiating osteoblastic bone metastasis (OBM) from bone island (BI). Materials and methods: From January to November 2020, 73 newly diagnosed cancer patients with 201 bone lesions (OBM = 92, BI = 109) having received spectral CT were retrospectively enrolled. Measurements including CT values of 40–140 keV, slope of the spectral curve, effective atomic number (Zeff), water (calcium) density, calcium (water) density, and Iodine (calcium) density were derived from manually segmented lesions on plain and enhanced spectral CT, and then analyzed using Student t-test and Pearson's correlation. Multivariate analysis was performed to build models (plain spectral model, enhanced spectral CT model, and combined model) for the discrimination of OBM and BI with performance evaluated using receiver operator characteristics curve and DeLong test. Results: All features were significantly different between the BI group and OBM group (all p < 0.05), highly correlated with the corresponding features between plain and enhanced spectral CT both in OBM (r: 0.392–0.763) and BI (r: 0.430–0.544). As for the model performance, the combined model achieved the best performance (AUC = 0.925, 95% CI: 0.879 to 0.957), which significantly outperformed the plain spectral CT model (AUC = 0.815, 95% CI: 0.754 to 0.866, p < 0.001) and enhanced spectral CT model (AUC = 0.901, 95% CI: 0.852 to 0.939, p = 0.024) in differentiating OBM and BI. Conclusion: In addition to plain spectral CT measurements, enhanced spectral CT measurements would further significantly benefit the differential diagnosis. Clinical relevance statement: Measurements derived either from plain or enhanced spectral CT could provide additional valuable information to improve the differential diagnosis between OBM and BI in newly diagnosed cancer patients. Key Points: • We intend to investigate plain and enhanced spectral CT measurements in differentiating OBM from BI. • Both plain and enhanced spectral CT help in discriminating OBM and BI in newly diagnosed cancer patients. • Enhanced spectral CT measurements further improve plain spectral CT measurements-based differential diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of drug-resistant superbugs has necessitated a pressing need for innovative antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have demonstrated broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, reduced susceptibility to resistance, and immunomodulatory effects, rendering them promising for combating drug-resistant microorganisms. This study employed computational simulation methods to screen and design AMPs specifically targeting ESKAPE pathogens. Particularly, AMPs were rationally designed to target the BamA and obtain novel antimicrobial peptide sequences. The designed AMPs were assessed for their antibacterial activities, mechanisms, and stability. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations demonstrated the interaction of both designed AMPs, 11pep and D-11pep, with the β1, β9, β15, and β16 chains of BamA, resulting in misfolding of outer membrane proteins and antibacterial effects. Subsequent antibacterial investigations confirmed the broad-spectrum activity of both 11pep and D-11pep, with D-11pep demonstrating higher potency against resistant Gram-negative bacteria. D-11pep exhibited MICs of 16, 8, and 32 μg/mL against carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli, carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, respectively, with a concomitant lower resistance induction. Mechanism of action studies confirmed that peptides could disrupt the bacterial outer membrane, aligning with the findings of molecular dynamics simulations. Additionally, D-11pep demonstrated superior stability and reduced toxicity in comparison to 11pep. The findings of this study underscore the efficacy of rational AMP design that targets BamA, along with the utilization of D-amino acid replacements as a strategy for developing AMPs against drug-resistant bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-perovskite tandem solar cells promise higher power-conversion efficiency (PCE) than single-junction perovskite solar cells (PSCs) while maintaining a low fabrication cost1–3. However, their performance is still largely constrained by the subpar performance of mixed lead–tin (Pb–Sn) narrow-bandgap (NBG) perovskite subcells, mainly because of a high trap density on the perovskite film surface4–6. Although heterojunctions with intermixed 2D/3D perovskites could reduce surface recombination, this common strategy induces transport losses and thereby limits device fill factors (FFs)7–9. Here we develop an immiscible 3D/3D bilayer perovskite heterojunction (PHJ) with type II band structure at the Pb–Sn perovskite–electron-transport layer (ETL) interface to suppress the interfacial non-radiative recombination and facilitate charge extraction. The bilayer PHJ is formed by depositing a layer of lead-halide wide-bandgap (WBG) perovskite on top of the mixed Pb–Sn NBG perovskite through a hybrid evaporation–solution-processing method. This heterostructure allows us to increase the PCE of Pb–Sn PSCs having a 1.2-µm-thick absorber to 23.8%, together with a high open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.873 V and a high FF of 82.6%. We thereby demonstrate a record-high PCE of 28.5% (certified 28.0%) in all-perovskite tandem solar cells. The encapsulated tandem devices retain more than 90% of their initial performance after 600 h of continuous operation under simulated one-sun illumination.All-perovskite tandem solar cells with an immiscible 3D/3D bilayer heterojunction demonstrate a record-high PCE of 28%, as well as the ability to retain more than 90% of their initial performance after 600 h of continuous operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the predictive power of mono-exponential, bi-exponential, and stretched exponential signal models of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) in prognosis and survival risk of laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LHSCC) patients after chemoradiotherapy. Materials and methods: Forty-five patients with laryngeal or hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively enrolled. All patients had undergone pretreatment IVIM examination, subsequently, mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmean), maximum ADC (ADCmax), minimum ADC (ADCmin) and ADCrange (ADCmax − ADCmean) by mono-exponential model, true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f) by bi-exponential model, distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC), and diffusion heterogeneity index (α) by stretched exponential model were measured. Survival data were collected for 5 years. Results: Thirty-one cases were in the treatment failure group and fourteen cases were in the local control group. Significantly lower ADCmean, ADCmax, ADCmin, D, f, and higher D* values were observed in the treatment failure group than in the local control group (p < 0.05). D* had the greatest AUC of 0.802, with sensitivity and specificity of 77.4 and 85.7% when D* was 38.85 × 10–3 mm2/s. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that the curves of N stage, ADCmean, ADCmax, ADCmin, D, D*, f, DDC, and α values were significant. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed ADCmean and D* were independently correlated with progression-free survival (PFS) (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.125, p = 0.001; HR = 1.008, p = 0.002, respectively). Conclusion: The pretreatment parameters of mono-exponential and bi-exponential models were significantly correlated with prognosis of LHSCC, ADCmean and D* values were independent factors for survival risk prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commonly-used superstrate configuration (depositing front subcell first and then depositing back subcell) in all-perovskite tandem solar cells is disadvantageous for long-term stability due to oxidizable narrow-bandgap perovskite assembled last and easily exposable to air. Here we reverse the processing order and demonstrate all-perovskite tandems in a substrate configuration (depositing back subcell first and then depositing front subcell) to bury oxidizable narrow-bandgap perovskite deep in the device stack. By using guanidinium tetrafluoroborate additive in wide-bandgap perovskite subcell, we achieve an efficiency of 25.3% for the substrate-configured all-perovskite tandem cells. The unencapsulated devices exhibit no performance degradation after storage in dry air for 1000 hours. The substrate configuration also widens the choice of flexible substrates: we achieve 24.1% and 20.3% efficient flexible all-perovskite tandem solar cells on copper-coated polyethylene naphthalene and copper metal foil, respectively. Substrate configuration offers a promising route to unleash the commercial potential of all-perovskite tandem solar cells. The superstate configuration in all-perovskite tandem solar cells is disadvantageous for long-term stability. Here, the authors reverse the processing order and demonstrate substrate configuration to bury oxidizable narrow-bandgap perovskites, and achieve efficiency of 25.3% with long stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of implantable bioelectronics is driven by emerging applications including continuous health monitoring and human-machine interfacing. The mechanical mismatch between implanted bioelectronics and tissues not only compromises device accuracy, but also causes interference with tissues undesirably. To address this issue, it is necessary to develop ultrasoft and biocompatible fiber strain sensor with proper stretchability and sensitivity. Here, we fabricate a bacterial cellulose-based sensing fiber which possesses the stretchability and elastic modulus (∼ 102 kPa) close to those of soft tissues. In addition, such fiber has high sensitivity to tiny tensile force/strain (8.8 × 10−3 N/2.5%) and low cell cytotoxicity. These excellent properties make the bacterial cellulose (BC)-based sensing fiber an excellent candidate of implantable bioelectric devices for monitoring subtle motions of organs. We demonstrate this by applying it for continuous monitoring of human pulse and bullfrog heartbeats. The (BC/oxBC)@PANI (ox = oxidized and PANI = polyaniline) fibers can further be woven into an array sensor and serve more complex sensing functions, such as multipoint force perception and shape recognition as demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been widely applied for the study of disease biomarkers. Oral exhalation and nasal exhalation are two of the most common sampling methods. However, VOCs released from food residues and bacteria in the mouth or upper respiratory tract were also sampled and usually mistaken as that produced from body metabolism. In this study, exhalation from deep airway was first directly collected through intubation sampling and analyzed. The exhalation samples of 35 subjects were collected through a catheter, which was inserted into the trachea or bronchus through the mouth and upper respiratory tract. Then, the VOCs in these samples were detected by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). In addition, fast gas chromatography proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (FGC-PTR-MS) was used to further determine the VOCs with the same mass-to-charge ratios. The results showed that there was methanol, acetonitrile, ethanol, methyl mercaptan, acetone, isoprene, and phenol in the deep airway. Compared with that in oral exhalation, ethanol, methyl mercaptan, and phenol had lower concentrations. In detail, the median concentrations of ethanol, methyl mercaptan, and phenol were 7.3, 0.6, and 23.9 ppbv, while those in the oral exhalation were 80.0, 5.1, and 71.3 ppbv, respectively, which meant the three VOCs mainly originated from the food residues and bacteria in the mouth or upper respiratory tract, rather than body metabolism. The research results in our study can provide references for expiratory VOC research based on oral and nasal exhalation samplings, which are more feasible in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bubbles and foams are ubiquitous in daily life and industrial processes. Studying their dynamic behaviors is of key importance for foam manufacturing processes in food packaging, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Bare bubbles are inherently fragile and transient; enhancing their robustness and shelf lives is an ongoing challenge. Their rupture can be attributed to liquid evaporation, thin film drainage and the nuclei of environmental dust. Inspired by particle-stabilized interfaces in Pickering emulsions, armored bubbles and liquid marble, bubbles are protected by an enclosed particle-entrapping liquid thin film, and the resultant soft object is termed gas marble. The gas marble exhibits mechanical strength orders of magnitude higher than that of soap bubbles when subjected to overpressure and underpressure, owing to the compact particle monolayer straddling the surface liquid film. By using a water-absorbent glycerol solution, the resulting gas marble can persist for 465 d in normal atmospheric settings. This particle-stabilizing approach not only has practical implications for foam manufacturing processes but also can inspire the new design and fabrication of functional biomaterials and biomedicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are a high-risk group for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thus, a reliable prediction of the conversion from MCI to AD based on three-dimensional (3D) texture features of MRI images could help doctors in developing effective treatment protocols. Methods: The 3D texture features of the whole-brain were deduced based on the gray-level co-occurrence matrix. Then, the embedded feature selection method based on least squares loss and within-class scatter (LSWCS) was employed to select the optimal subsets of features that were used for binary classification (AD, MCI_C, MCI_S, normal control in pairs) based on SVM. A tenfold cross validation was repeated ten times for each classification. LASSO, fused_LASSO, and group LASSO are used in feature selection step for comparison. Results: The accuracy and the selected features are the focus of clinical diagnosis reports, indicating that the feature selection algorithm is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

7-Met, a derivative of soybean isoflavone, is a natural flavonoid compound that has been reported to have multiple signaling pathways regulation effects. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of 7-Met on mice with atopic dermatitis induced by fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), or oxazolone (OXZ). 7-Met ameliorated FITC or OXZ-induced atopic dermatitis symptoms by decreasing ear thickness, spleen index, mast cell activation, neutrophil infiltration and serum IgE levels in female BALB/c mice. In FITC-induced atopic dermatitis mice, 7-Met reduced Th1 cytokines production and regulated Th1/Th2 balance by downregulating the secretion of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) via inactivation of the NF-κB pathway. In OXZ-induced atopic dermatitis, 7-Met functioned through the reduction of Th17 cytokine production. Our study showed that 7-Methoxyisoflavone alleviated atopic dermatitis by regulating multiple signaling pathways and downregulating chemokine production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T helper cell 22 are abundant in Hepatitis B Virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma tissue, and the main cytokine interleukin 22 produced by Th22 cells is closely related to the initiation and development of HCC. Understanding the role of Th22/IL-22 in the progression of HBV-related HCC will facilitate new therapeutic development. Th22 cells were isolated from peripheral blood of healthy donors and co-cultured with HBV positive HepG2.2.15 cells. IL-22 secretion and HepG2.2.15 cell proliferation and apoptosis were monitored. Expressions of p-STAT3, Cyclin D1, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase 3 were detected by Western blot analysis. Th22 cells significantly promoted the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of HepG2.2.15 cells; up-regulated expression of p-STAT3, Cyclin D1 and Bcl-2, and down-regulated cleaved caspase 3 in HepG2.2.15 cells. These effects were significantly attenuated when IL-22 and STAT3 was knockdown in Th22 and HepG2.2.15 cells, respectively. Our data suggests that HBV induces host Th22 cells to overexpress IL-22, which in turn triggers over-activation of STAT3 and its downstream signaling proteins to promote HCC progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial crystallization of polyoxymethylene/poly(butylene succinate) blends induced by the polyamide 6 (PA6) fiber was investigated. Due to strong heterogeneous nucleating ability, dense nuclei were generated on the surface of the PA6 fiber, which compelled the growth of twisted lamellae perpendicular to the PA6 fiber. As a result, unique interfacial banded transcrystallization was formed, which is rarely found before. Crystallization temperature was dominant in determining the nucleation activity of the PA6 fiber, further affecting the architecture of banded transcrystallization. With the increase of crystallization temperature, the nucleation density decreased to give more growth space for the twisted lamellae around the fiber. The wave-like banded stripes were transformed into fan-like stripes. Accordingly, band spacing and eccentricity respectively showed positive and negative correlation with crystallization temperature. These meaningful results shed light on regulating the architecture of banded crystals in polymer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous studies have suggested that subtype B HIV-1 proviruses in the brain are associated with physiological changes and immune activation accompanied with microgliosis and astrogliosis, and indicated that both HIV-1 subtype variation and geographical location might influence the neuropathogenicity of HIV-1 in the brain. The natural course of neuropathogenesis of the most widespread subtype C HIV-1 has not been adequately investigated, especially for people living with HIV (PLWH) in sub-Saharan Africa. To characterize the natural neuropathology of subtype C HIV-1, postmortem frontal lobe and basal ganglia tissues were collected from nine ART-naïve individuals who died of late-stage AIDS with subtype C HIV-1 infection, and eight uninfected deceased individuals as controls. Histological staining was performed on all brain tissues to assess brain pathologies. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) against CD4, p24, Iba-1, GFAP, and CD8 in all brain tissues was conducted to evaluate potential viral production and immune activation. Histological results showed mild perivascular cuffs of lymphocytes only in a minority of the infected individuals. Viral capsid p24 protein was only detected in circulating immune cells of one infected individual, suggesting a lack of productive HIV-1 infection of the brain even at the late-stage of AIDS. Notably, similar levels of Iba-1 or GFAP between HIV + and HIV- brain tissues indicated a lack of microgliosis and astrogliosis, respectively. Similar levels of CD8 + cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) infiltration between HIV + and HIV- brain tissues indicated CTL were not likely to be involved within subtype C HIV-1 infected participants of this cohort. Results from this subtype C HIV-1 study suggest that there is a lack of productive infection and limited neuropathogenesis by subtype C HIV-1 even at late-stage disease, which is in contrast to what was reported for subtype B HIV-1 by other investigators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-perovskite tandem solar cells hold the promise of surpassing the efficiency limits of single-junction solar cells1–3; however, until now, the best-performing all-perovskite tandem solar cells have exhibited lower certified efficiency than have single-junction perovskite solar cells4,5. A thick mixed Pb–Sn narrow-bandgap subcell is needed to achieve high photocurrent density in tandem solar cells6, yet this is challenging owing to the short carrier diffusion length within Pb–Sn perovskites. Here we develop ammonium-cation-passivated Pb–Sn perovskites with long diffusion lengths, enabling subcells that have an absorber thickness of approximately 1.2 μm. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that widely used phenethylammonium cations are only partially adsorbed on the surface defective sites at perovskite crystallization temperatures. The passivator adsorption is predicted to be enhanced using 4-trifluoromethyl-phenylammonium (CF3-PA), which exhibits a stronger perovskite surface-passivator interaction than does phenethylammonium. By adding a small amount of CF3-PA into the precursor solution, we increase the carrier diffusion length within Pb–Sn perovskites twofold, to over 5 μm, and increase the efficiency of Pb–Sn perovskite solar cells to over 22%. We report a certified efficiency of 26.4% in all-perovskite tandem solar cells, which exceeds that of the best-performing single-junction perovskite solar cells. Encapsulated tandem devices retain more than 90% of their initial performance after 600 h of operation at the maximum power point under 1 Sun illumination in ambient conditions.A certified efficiency of 26.4% in all-perovskite tandem solar cells, exceeding that of the best-performing single-junction perovskite solar cells, is achieved by control over surface defects in the Pb–Sn subcell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Picture fuzzy linguistic set (PFLS) is an extension of the intuitionistic fuzzy set (IFS) and linguistic variables (LVs), which has been applied successfully in the process of decision making. Considering the lack of closeness of extant PFLS operations and the interrelationship among input attributes do not consider. In this paper, for the sake of addressing those limitations, we firstly redefine some novel operational laws for PFLS by introducing linguistic scale functions and the related properties are studied. Then, a novel score function and accuracy function are also defined to compare PFLSs. Subsequently, in consideration of the superiority of the Muirhead Mean (MM) operator in capturing the interaction relationship between the input parameters, we extend the MM operator to the Picture fuzzy linguistic context and then propose Picture fuzzy linguistic weighted MM operator and its dual form in a new light. After that, these operators have adopted to build two novel models to solve multiple attribute decision-making (MADM) problems. Finally, a practical example for the selection of the innovative "Mobike" sharing bike design is provided to illustrate the practicality and effectiveness of proposed approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite tandem solar cells have recently received extensive attention due to their promise of achieving power conversion efficiency (PCE) beyond the limits of single-junction cells. However, their performance is still largely constrained by the wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells which show considerable open-circuit voltage (VOC) losses. Here, we increase the VOC and PCE of wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells by changing the hole transport layer (HTL) from commonly used poly(bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine) (PTAA) to in-situ cross-linked small molecule N4,N4′-di(naphthalen-1-yl)-N4,N4′-bis(4-vinylphenyl) biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (VNPB). The stronger interaction and lower trap density at the VNPB/perovskite interface improve the PCE and stability of wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells. By using the cross-linked HTL for front wide-bandgap subcells, PCEs of 24.9% and 25.4% have been achieved in perovskite/perovskite and perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells, respectively. The results demonstrate that cross-linkable small molecules are promising for high-efficiency and cost-effective perovskite tandem photovoltaic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single image super-resolution (SISR) has witnessed substantial progress recently by deep learning-based methods, due to the data-driven end-to-end training. However, most existing DL-based models are built intuitively, with little thought on priors. And the lack of interpretability limits their further improvements. To avoid this, this paper presents an end-to-end trainable unfolding network which leverages both DL- and prior-based methods. Specifically, we introduce the reweighted algorithm into CSC model and solve it by learning weighted iterative soft thresholding algorithm in a convolutional manner. Based on this, we present a SISR model by learning weighted convolutional sparse coding, in which the channel attention is resorted to learn the weight. Extensive experiments demonstrate the superiority of our method to recent state-of-the-art SISR methods, in terms of both quantitative and qualitative results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO nanorod films prepared using different electrochemical deposition processes have been employed as photoelectrodes for Sb2S3 quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. The density and diameter of the ZnO nanorods were adjusted by varying the electrochemical deposition time. The optical absorption and photoluminescence spectra of the different Sb2S3-sensitized ZnO nanorod photoelectrodes were investigated, revealing that the best optical absorption and charge separation properties were exhibited by the Sb2S3-sensitized ZnO nanorod photoelectrodes obtained using an electrochemical deposition time of 120 min. The charge transfer property of the quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells was also optimized by using ZnO nanorods with different structures. The Sb2S3-based quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells based on the ZnO nanorod photoelectrodes with relatively high density and low diameter fabricated using a deposition time of 120 min exhibited excellent charge generation and transfer properties, enabling higher current density and thereby a photovoltaic power conversion efficiency of 2.04%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometriosis is a common disease in women, which impairs the quality of life in patients. Recently, accumulating evidences reported that miRNAs play an essential role in diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. However, the regulatory mechanism of miRNAs has not been fully explored. The expression of miR-17-5p and VEGFA was detected using qRT-PCR. The protein level of VEGFA was measured via Western blot. Cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay. Cell migration and invasion were measured via transwell assay. The relationship of miR-17-5p and VEGFA were verified via luciferase reporter assay. Then miR-17-5p was remarkably down-regulated in endometriosis tissues, serums and cells, and overexpression of miR-17-5p inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion in endometriosis. Results showed that VEGFA was significantly up-regulated in endometriosis tissues and cells and acted as a target of miR-17-5p. Moreover, miR-17-5p negatively regulated VEGFA expression in endometriosis. Otherwise, up-regulation of VEGFA improved cell proliferative, migrated and invasive ability in ECSCs with transfection of miR-17-5p mimics group. Our data showed miR-17-5p inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion in endometriosis by directly repressing VEGFA expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: With the development of photovoltaic industry, the cost of photovoltaic power generation has become the significant issue. And the metallization process has decided the cost of original materials and photovoltaic efficiency of the solar cells. Nowadays, double printing process has been introduced instead of one-step printing process for front contact of polycrystalline silicon solar cells, which can effectively improve the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of silicon solar cells. Here, the relative cheap Cu paste has replaced the expensive Ag paste to form Ag/Cu composite front contact of silicon solar cells. The photovoltaic performance and the cost of photovoltaic power generation have been investigated. With the optimization on structure and height of Cu finger layer for Ag/Cu composite double-printed front contact, the silicon solar cells have exhibited a photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 18.41%, which has reduced 3.42 cent per Watt for the cost of photovoltaic power generation.Graphical Abstract: Partial Ag is replaced by Cu to reduce the manufacture cost of silicon solar cells. Cu-Ag double layer front contact has exhibited more excellent photovoltaic performance of silicon solar cells than that of Cu/Ag composite layer. Ag/Cu double-printed finger lines exhibits excellent photovoltaic performance, which can reduce 3.42 cent per watt for the cost of photovoltaic power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the notable success of combination antiretroviral therapy, how to eradicate latent HIV-1 from reservoirs poses a challenge. The Tat protein plays an indispensable role in HIV reactivation and histone demethylase LSD1 promotes Tat-mediated long terminal repeats (LTR) activation. However, the role of LSD1 in remodeling chromatin and the role of its component BHC80 in activation of latent HIV-1 in T cells are unknown. Our findings indicate that LSD1 could decrease the level of histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) at the HIV-1 promoter by recruiting histone lysine demethylase 5A (KDM5A) and preventing histone methyltransferase Set1A and WD-40 repeat protein 5 (WDR5) from binding to LTR. Moreover, BHC80 is necessary for LSD1-triggered LTR activation and assists LSD1 in activating LTR by binding to nucleotides 305-631 of LTR. In activated J-Lat-A2 cells, BHC80 expression was elevated and its isoform BHC80-6 promoted the association of BHC80 with LSD1. These results suggest that the LSD1-BHC80 complex enhances HIV-1 transcription by a decrease of H3K4me3 level at the viral promoter. Therefore, it might be used as a new drug target to reactivate latent HIV-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) contributes to the Alzheimer's-like pathogenesis, but the relationship between CCH and the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains obscure. The aim is to elucidate the potential pathophysiological mechanism in the field of amyloid-beta (Aβ) pathology induced by CCH. A rat model of CCH has been developed with permanent bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries (BCCAO). The cognitive function of rats was tested by the Morris water maze. The levels of Aβ (Aβ40 and Aβ42) and soluble amyloid precursor protein (sAPP: sAPPα and sAPPβ) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), presenilin1 (PS1), nicastrin (NCT), anterior pharynx-defective 1alpha (Aph-1α) and presenilin enhancer 2 (Pen-2), sAPPα and sAPPβ were detected by Western blotting. Morris water maze test showed that CCH induced decline in learning and memory related to Aβ levels in the hippocampus. The levels of sAPPα, ADAM10 and ADAM17 in the hippocampus of CCH rats were higher than the control ones (P < 0.05); the levels of sAPPβ, BACE and BACE1 increased more than the control ones (P < 0.05). CCH intervention (1-week or 4-week) markedly increased the expression of PS1, Aph-1α and Pen-2 in the hippocampus of rats, but had no effect on NCT. CCH contributed to cognitive impairment and altered the amyloidogenic and non-amyloidogenic pathway of APP processing by boosting the activity of β-secretase/γ-secretase and α-secretase respectively. The non-amyloidogenic pathway can't overcome the damage role of the amyloidogenic pathway in the process of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion which promotes amyloid-beta pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance often refers to a pathological condition in which cells fail to respond to the normal actions of insulin. Increasing literature has noted a critical role of insulin resistance in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Insulin resistance plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke via enhancing advanced changes of atherosclerosis. A variety of literature indicates that insulin resistance enhances platelet adhesion, activation and aggregation which are conducive to the occurrence of ischemic stroke. Insulin resistance also induces hemodynamic disturbances and contributes to the onset of ischemic stroke. In addition, insulin resistance may augment the role of the modifiable risk factors in ischemic stroke and induce the occurrence of ischemic stroke. Preclinical and clinical studies have supported that improving insulin resistance may be an effective measure to prevent or delay ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past several decades have given rise to more insights into the role of astrocytes in normal brain function and diseases. Astrocytes elicit an effect which may be neuroprotective or deleterious in the process of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Impairments in astrocytes and their other functions, as well as physiological reactions of astrocytes to external injury, can trigger or exacerbate hyperphosphorylated tau and amyloid-beta (Aβ) pathologies, leading to the formation of both amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), as well as neuronal dysfunction. This review addresses the involvement of astrocytes in the Aβ pathology, where the main mechanisms include the generation and clearance of Aβ, and the formation of NFTs. It is also discussed that metabolic dysfunction from astrocytes acts as an initiating factor in the pathogenesis of AD and a contributor to the onset and development of clinical presentation in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Target tracking across lenses is a popular research topic for video surveillance recently. This paper presents a method of target tracking across lenses with overlap regions. First, the target detection and tracking are completed with a single camera. Second, in order to obtain the location-invariant feature of the same target in the images with various cameras, the camera calibration is completed based on a three-dimension (3D) model. After that, for all images via multiple cameras, the coordinates of the 3D model are unified. Finally, referring to the assumption of spatial and temporal consistency of the target location across multiple cameras, the association among detected objects for the same target with different cameras is established. And a feature pool is built which contains perspective and scale features. Thus the same target is continuously tracked across multiple lenses. At last, the performance of the proposed approach is compared with KSP and PABC and demonstrated with indoor and outdoor experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of AD is a topic that has puzzled researchers for many years. Current mainstream theories still consider Aβ to be the most important target for the cure of AD. In this study, we attempted to explore multiple targets for AD treatments with the aim of identifying a qualified compound that could both inhibit the aggregation of Aβ and block the RAGE/Aβ axis. We believed that a compound that targets both Aβ and RAGE may be a feasible strategy for AD treatment. A novel and small natural compound, Matrine (Mat), was identified by high-throughput screening of the main components of traditional Chinese herbs used to treat dementia. Various experimental techniques were used to evaluate the effect of Mat on these two targets both in vitro and in AD mouse model. Mat could inhibit Aβ42-induced cytotoxicity and suppress the Aβ/RAGE signaling pathway in vitro. Additionally, the results of in vivo evaluations of the effects of Mat on the two targets were consistent with the results of our in vitro studies. Furthermore, Mat reduced proinflammatory cytokines and Aβ deposition and attenuated the memory deficits of AD transgenic mice. We believe that this novel, multi-target strategy to inhibit both Aβ and RAGE, is worthy of further exploration. Therefore, our future studies will focus on identifying even more effective multi-target compounds for the treatment of AD based on the molecular structure of Mat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed aging or deterioration in rice ( Oryza sativa L.) is a major problem for agronomic production and germplasm preservation. Deciphering the genetic mechanism involved in seed aging and improving seed storability is therefore a vital goal for rice breeding. A set of 85 backcross inbred lines derived from the backcross 'Sasanishiki' ( japonica cv.)/'Habataki' (an indica cv. with strong seed storability)//'Sasanishiki' was used here to detect quantitative trait locus (QTL) controlling seed storability. Seeds were treated under natural (conventional storage for 48 months) and artificial aging storage conditions (i.e. increased temperature and relative humidity) and germination rate was used to evaluate seed storability. A total of thirteen QTLs for seed storability were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11 and 12, respectively. Among them, two QTLs, viz. qSSh- 2- 1 and qSSh- 2- 2, were repeatedly detected in both treatment conditions. In contrast, four ( qSSh- 4, qSSs- 5- 1, qSSs- 5- 2 and qSSh- 12) and seven QTLs ( qSSh- 1, qSSh- 3- 1, qSSh- 3- 2, qSSh- 3- 3, qSSh- 7- 1, qSSh- 7- 2 and qSSh- 11) were detected only once in natural and artificial aging treatments, respectively. The 'Habataki'-derived alleles were observed to increase seed storability at all the loci except qSSs- 5- 1 and qSSs- 5- 2. The existence of QTLs qSSh- 1, qSSh- 3- 1, qSSh- 3- 2, qSSh- 3- 3, qSSh- 4, qSSh- 7- 1, qSSh- 7- 2 and qSSh- 11 was confirmed using Habataki chromosome segment substitution lines in a Sasanishiki genetic background. These results provide an opportunity for map-based cloning of major QTLs for seed storability, thereby gaining an understanding of seed storability in rice and possibilities for its improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim:The proteolytic cleavage of Tau is involved in Aβ-induced neuronal dysfunction and cell death. In this study, we investigated whether atorvastatin could prevent Tau cleavage and hence prevent Aβ1-42 oligomer (AβO)-induced neurotoxicity in cultured cortical neurons.Methods:Cultured rat hippocampal neurons were incubated in the presence of AβOs (1.25 μmol/L) with or without atorvastatin pretreatment. ATP content and LDH in the culture medium were measured to assess the neuronal viability. Caspase-3/7 and calpain protease activities were detected. The levels of phospho-Akt, phospho-Erk1/2, phospho-GSK3β, p35 and Tau proteins were measured using Western blotting.Results:Treatment of the neurons with AβO significantly decreased the neuronal viability, induced rapid activation of calpain and caspase-3/7 proteases, accompanied by Tau degradation and relatively stable fragments generated in the neurons. AβO also suppressed Akt and Erk1/2 kinase activity, while increased GSK3β and Cdk5 activity in the neurons. Pretreatment with atorvastatin (0.5, 1, 2.5 μmol/L) dose-dependently inhibited AβO-induced activation of calpain and caspase-3/7 proteases, and effectively diminished the generation of Tau fragments, attenuated synaptic damage and increased neuronal survival. Atorvastatin pretreatment also prevented AβO-induced decreases in Akt and Erk1/2 kinase activity and the increases in GSK3β and Cdk5 kinase activity.Conclusion:Atorvastatin prevents AβO-induced neurotoxicity in cultured rat hippocampal neurons by inhibiting calpain- and caspase-mediated Tau cleavage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decades, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a promising cell candidate have received the most attention in the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). However, due to the low survival rate and low neural differentiation rate, the grafted MSCs do not perform well as one would have expected. In the present study, we tested a combinational therapy to improve on this situation. MSCs were loaded into three-dimensional gelatin sponge (GS) scaffold. After 7 days of induction with neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and retinoic acid (RA) in vitro, we observed a significant increase in TrkC mRNA transcription by Real-time PCR and this was confirmed by in situ hybridization. The expression of TrkC was also confirmed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Differentiation potential of MSCs in vitro into neuron-like cells or oligodendrocyte-like cells was further demonstrated by using immunofluorescence staining. The pre-induced MSCs seeding in GS scaffolds were then grafted into the transected rat spinal cord. One day after grafting, Governor Vessel electro-acupuncture (GV-EA) treatment was applied to rats in the NR-MSCs + EA group. At 30 days after GV-EA treatment, it found that the grafted MSCs have better survival rate and neuron-like cell differentiation compared with those without GV-EA treatment. The sustained TrkC expression in the grafted MSCs as well as increased NT-3 content in the injury/graft site by GV-EA suggests that NT-3/TrkC signaling pathway may be involved in the promoting effect. This study demonstrates that GV-EA and pre-induction with NT-3 and RA together may promote the survival and differentiation of grafted MSCs in GS scaffold in rat SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutionarily conserved Lsm1-7-Pat1 complex is the most critical activator of mRNA decapping in eukaryotic cells and plays many roles in normal decay, AU-rich element-mediated decay, and miRNA silencing, yet how Pat1 interacts with the Lsm1-7 complex is unknown. Here, we show that Lsm2 and Lsm3 bridge the interaction between the C-terminus of Pat1 (Pat1C) and the Lsm1-7 complex. The Lsm2-3-Pat1C complex and the Lsm1-7-Pat1C complex stimulate decapping in vitro to a similar extent and exhibit similar RNA-binding preference. The crystal structure of the Lsm2-3-Pat1C complex shows that Pat1C binds to Lsm2-3 to form an asymmetric complex with three Pat1C molecules surrounding a heptameric ring formed by Lsm2-3. Structure-based mutagenesis revealed the importance of Lsm2-3-Pat1C interactions in decapping activation in vivo. Based on the structure of Lsm2-3-Pat1C, a model of Lsm1-7-Pat1 complex is constructed and how RNA binds to this complex is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate factors in penile squamous cell carcinoma predictive of pelvic lymph node metastasis and survival. Materials and methods: Data were collected and analyzed retrospectively in 146 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of penis who underwent bilateral inguinal lymph node dissection in our center between January 1998 and April 2011. Variables recorded included serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen, primary tumor p53 immunoreactivity, histological grade, pathological tumor stage, lymphatic or vascular invasion, absent/unilateral or bilateral inguinal lymph node involvement, number of metastatic inguinal lymph nodes, presence of extracapsular growth and lymph node density. Results: Seventy patients had inguinal lymph node metastasis (LNM). Of these, 33 (47.1 %) had pelvic LNM. Primary tumor strong p53 expression, lymphatic or vascular invasion, involvement of more than two inguinal lymph nodes and 30 % or greater lymph node density were significant predictors of pelvic LNM. Primary tumor strong p53 expression (odds ratio [OR] 5.997, 95 % confidence intervals [CI] 1.615–22.275), presence of extracapsular growth (OR 2.209, 95 % CI 1.166–4.184), involvement of more than two inguinal lymph nodes (OR 2.494, 95 % CI 1.086–5.728) and pelvic lymph node involvement (OR 18.206, 95 % CI 6.807–48.696) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Conclusions: Primary tumor expression of p53, lymphatic or vascular invasion, number of metastatic inguinal lymph nodes and lymph node density were all predictors of pathologic pelvic lymph node involvement. Patients with pelvic LNM had an adverse prognosis, with a 3-year overall survival rate of approximately 12.1 %. Pelvic lymph node dissection should be considered in these cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research is to evaluate the age-specific differential effects of gender on outcomes in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Between August 1998 and October 2010, we retrospectively reviewed the data from 285 (67.7 %) men and 136 (32.3 %) women treated with RNU for UTUC at our two institutions. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates the age-specific effect of gender on cancer-specific survival (CSS). Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to address the effect of gender on CSS. No significant sex-related differences were found in age and diagnosis, clinicopathologic features, and treatment (all P values >0.05). Women had a 18.7 % increased risk of death from UTUC than men (hazard ratio [HR] 1.187; 95 % confidence interval [95 % CI] 1.017-1.893; P = 0.021). The survival disadvantage was only present in patients aged 59 years and older ( P < 0.001). Conversely, the survival advantage for women was found in women aged 42 to 58 years ( P = 0.011) and in the age group <42 years ( P = 0.019). On multivariable Cox regression analyses that adjusted for the effects of clinicopathologic features, the female gender was associated with decreased CSS ( P = 0.036). In conclusion, the impact of gender on UTUC outcomes after RNU is age-specific. Females who aged 59 years and older experienced worse outcomes than their male counterparts, while women in the age group <42 years and 42-58 years have better outcomes than men. Further research is needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the age-specific differential effect of gender on UTUC outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To assess diastolic function and coronary artery reserve in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) using single-photon emission computer tomography (SPECT). Methods: Patients with OSA who had normal echocardiograph/electrocardiogram findings were divided into three groups based on OSA severity: mild ( n = 15), moderate ( n = 13), or severe ( n = 18). A control group of participants without OSA ( n = 17) was included. SPECT (with technetium-99 m-labeled red blood cells) was performed after the induction of cardiac stress by injection of dobutamine. The following ventricular parameters were determined: left ventricular ejection fraction, peak filling rate (PFR), peak ejection rate, 1/3 filling fraction (1/3FF), and regional ejection fractions (rEF). Results: The median ages of OSA and control participants were 45.0 and 51.0 years, respectively. Median apnea-hypopnea index scores were 3.3, 9.1, 38.5, and 65.2 for the control, mild OSA, moderate OSA, and severe OSA groups, respectively. Post-stress, 1/3FF was significantly lower in the overall OSA group compared with the control group ( P < 0.05). PFR was significantly lower in the overall OSA group compared with the control group ( P < 0.05) and was significantly lower in the severe OSA group compared with the mild OSA group. Regional ejection fractions rEF3 (cardiac apex and a small part of the inferior wall) and rEF4 (anteroseptal wall) were significantly lower in the overall OSA group compared with the control group, suggesting decreased coronary artery reserve. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that SPECT can be used to detect abnormalities in diastolic function and coronary reserve in patients with OSA who have normal electrocardiogram or echocardiograph findings. SPECT may be useful for the early detection of cardiovascular disease in patients with OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the significance of tumor location and superficial urothelial bladder carcinoma (UBC) history on oncological outcomes in patients treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for ureteral urothelial carcinoma (UC). Methods: One hundred and thirty-two patients treated with RNU for ureteral UC between January 1999 and July 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Recurrence probabilities and survival rates were analyzed, stratified by tumor location and superficial UBC history. Results: Comparison of patients with proximal, middle, and distal ureteral UC showed that percentage of bladder recurrence was 13.3, 14.7, and 25.0 %, respectively ( P = 0.285); retroperitoneal (tumor bed or lymph node) recurrence was 26.7, 14.7, and 27.9 % ( P = 0.319); and contralateral recurrence was 0, 2.9, and 0 % ( P = 0.234). Comparison of patients with and without history of superficial UBC revealed that percentage of bladder recurrence was 15.4 and 20.2 %, respectively ( P = 0.681); retroperitoneal recurrence was 15.4 and 25.2 % ( P = 0.433); and contralateral recurrence was 0 and 0.84 % ( P = 0.740). Using multivariable Cox regression analyses, there were no significant differences of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) with regard to neither tumor location nor superficial UBC history (RFS: P = 0.282 and 0.762, CSS: P = 0.272 and 0.818, respectively). Conclusions: Tumor location and history of superficial UBC could not be used to predict oncological outcomes of patients who underwent RNU for ureteral UC. Therefore, operative strategies or postoperative surveillance should not be affected by tumor location or history of superficial UBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the necessity of aircraft engineering design and the progress of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), techniques of accurately predicting aerodynamic drag are being increasingly explored. According to the momentum balance, the drag can be represented by an integral over a cross-flow plane (called wake integration method) at an arbitrary distance behind the configuration. A formulation to reduce the size of the wake cross plane region required for calculating the drag is developed by using cutoff parameters of vorticity and entropy. This increases the calculation accuracy and decreases the computation time required. Numerical experiments are made to obtain the threshold values of these cutoff parameters. The wake integration method is applied to predict drags of some examples including airfoil, a variety of wings and wing-body combination. Numerical results are compared with those of traditional surface integration method, showing that the predicting drag values with the wake integration method are closer to the experimental data. The results also show that drag prediction within engineering accuracy is possible by using CFD and the numerical drag optimization of complex aircraft configurations is possible, too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sb2S3 quantum dot is prepared as the optical absorber on the ZnO nanorod films to fabricate high-efficiency quantum dot–sensitized solar cells. The band energy of the solar cells is modulated by the different concentration of Cu-doping. Meanwhile, the optical absorption spectra and photoluminescence spectra of different ZnO/Sb2S3 photoelectrodes are investigated, which had exhibited the enhancement on optical absorption property and charge separation property by Cu-doping process. The charge transfer properties of the solar cells had also been enhanced by the modulation on band energy structure by different Cu-doping concentration. With the relatively larger optical absorption edge, the 0.3 mM Cu–doped ZnO/Sb2S3 quantum dot–sensitized solar cells have exhibited optimal band energy structure for charge transfer, which can obtain higher current density to enhance the photovoltaic power conversion efficiency from 2.55 to 3.14%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postsurgical recurrence is of great concern for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We aim to investigate the value of computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics features and conventional clinical factors in predicting the recurrence of PTC., Methods: Two-hundred and eighty patients with PTC were retrospectively enrolled and divided into training and validation cohorts at a 6:4 ratio. Recurrence was defined as cytology/pathology-proven disease or morphological evidence of lesions on imaging examinations within 5 years after surgery. Radiomics features were extracted from manually segmented tumor on CT images and were then selected using four different feature selection methods sequentially. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify clinical features associated with recurrence. Radiomics, clinical, and combined models were constructed separately using logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and neural network (NN), respectively. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to evaluate the model performance in predicting recurrence. A nomogram was established based on all relevant features, with its reliability and reproducibility verified using calibration curves and decision curve analysis (DCA)., Results: Eighty-nine patients with PTC experienced recurrence. A total of 1218 radiomics features were extracted from each segmentation. Five radiomics and six clinical features were related to recurrence. Among the 4 radiomics models, the LR-based and SVM-based radiomics models outperformed the NN-based radiomics model (P = 0.032 and 0.026, respectively). Among the 4 clinical models, only the difference between the area under the curve (AUC) of the LR-based and NN-based clinical model was statistically significant (P = 0.035). The combined models had higher AUCs than the corresponding radiomics and clinical models based on the same classifier, although most differences were not statistically significant. In the validation cohort, the combined models based on the LR, SVM, KNN, and NN classifiers had AUCs of 0.746, 0.754, 0.669, and 0.711, respectively. However, the AUCs of these combined models had no significant differences (all P > 0.05). Calibration curves and DCA indicated that the nomogram have potential clinical utility., Conclusions: The combined model may have potential for better prediction of PTC recurrence than radiomics and clinical models alone. Further testing with larger cohort may help reach statistical significance., (© 2023. The Author(s).)