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Land use and cover change (LUCC) significantly impacts global carbon cycles and land surface properties, accounting for 25% of the historical atmospheric CO2 increase. We explore a previously overlooked role of LUCC in driving the land carbon cycle by using a three-level meta-analysis and Land Use Harmonization data to drive an ecosystem model. Our findings reveal that a loss of 39.2% of soil organic carbon (SOC) change in China due to LUCC, mitigated by afforestation, doubles gross primary productivity at 0.02 Pg C yr−1, countering central China's urbanization decline. Indirect climate effects, especially soil bulk density, significantly impact SOC compared to direct climate effects. LUCC has significantly increased the Chinese terrestrial carbon sink, with net ecosystem productivity reaching 0.02 ± 0.12 Pg C yr−1. Our study underscores the importance of reforestation and afforestation in addressing climate change and enhancing carbon sinks in future carbon management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-fidelity simulations incorporate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models into a thermodynamic model, enabling the simulation of the overall performance of an entire gas turbine with high-fidelity components. Traditional iterative coupled methods rely on characteristic maps, while fully coupled methods directly incorporate high-fidelity simulations. However, fully coupled methods face challenges in simulating rotating components, including weak convergence and complex implementation. To address these challenges, a fully coupled method with logarithmic transformations was developed to directly integrate high-fidelity CFD models of multiple rotating components. The developed fully coupled method was then applied to evaluate the overall performance of a KJ66 micro gas turbine across various off-design simulations. The developed fully coupled method was also compared with the traditional iterative coupled method. Furthermore, experimental data from ground tests were conducted to verify its effectiveness. The convergence history indicated that the proposed fully coupled method exhibited stable convergence, even under far-off-design simulations. The experimental verification demonstrated that the multi-fidelity simulation with the fully coupled method achieved high accuracy in off-design conditions. Further analysis revealed inherent differences in the coupling methods of CFD models between the developed fully coupled and traditional iterative coupled methods. These inherent differences provide valuable insights for reducing errors between the component-level model and CFD models in different coupling methods. The developed fully coupled method, introducing logarithmic transformations, offers more realistic support for the detailed and optimal design of high-fidelity rotating components within the overall performance platform of gas turbines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Β-site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme (BACE1) is a crucial protease in the production of amyloid-β (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. However, the side effects observed in clinical trials of BACE1 inhibitors, including reduction in brain volume and cognitive worsening, suggest that the exact role of BACE1 in AD pathology is not fully understood. To further investigate this, we examined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of BACE1 and its cleaved product sAPPβ that reflects BACE1 activity in the China Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorder Initiative cohort. We found significant correlations between CSF BACE1 or sAPPβ levels and CSF Aβ40, Aβ42, and Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio, but not with amyloid deposition detected by 18F-Florbetapir PET. Additionally, CSF BACE1 and sAPPβ levels were positively associated with cortical thickness in multiple brain regions, and higher levels of sAPPβ were linked to increased cortical glucose metabolism in frontal and supramarginal areas. Interestingly, individuals with higher baseline levels of CSF BACE1 exhibited slower rates of brain volume reduction and cognitive worsening over time. This suggests that increased levels and activity of BACE1 may not be the determining factor for amyloid deposition, but instead, may be associated with increased neuronal activity and potentially providing protection against neurodegeneration in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish an automated, multitask, MRI-based deep learning system for the detailed evaluation of supraspinatus tendon (SST) injuries. Methods: According to arthroscopy findings, 3087 patients were divided into normal, degenerative, and tear groups (groups 0–2). Group 2 was further divided into bursal-side, articular-side, intratendinous, and full-thickness tear groups (groups 2.1–2.4), and external validation was performed with 573 patients. Visual geometry group network 16 (VGG16) was used for preliminary image screening. Then, the rotator cuff multitask learning (RC-MTL) model performed multitask classification (classifiers 1–4). A multistage decision model produced the final output. Model performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and calculation of related parameters. McNemar's test was used to compare the differences in the diagnostic effects between radiologists and the model. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess the radiologists' reliability. p < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Results: In the in-group dataset, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of VGG16 was 0.92, and the average AUCs of RC-MTL classifiers 1–4 were 0.99, 0.98, 0.97, and 0.97, respectively. The average AUC of the automated multitask deep learning system for groups 0–2.4 was 0.98 and 0.97 in the in-group and out-group datasets, respectively. The ICCs of the radiologists were 0.97–0.99. The automated multitask deep learning system outperformed the radiologists in classifying groups 0–2.4 in both the in-group and out-group datasets (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The MRI-based automated multitask deep learning system performed well in diagnosing SST injuries and is comparable to experienced radiologists. Clinical relevance statement: Our study established an automated multitask deep learning system to evaluate supraspinatus tendon (SST) injuries and further determine the location of SST tears. The model can potentially improve radiologists' diagnostic efficiency, reduce diagnostic variability, and accurately assess SST injuries. Key Points: • A detailed classification of supraspinatus tendon tears can help clinical decision-making. • Deep learning enables the detailed classification of supraspinatus tendon injuries. • The proposed automated multitask deep learning system is comparable to radiologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the potential applicability of AI-assisted compressed sensing (ACS) in knee MRI to enhance and optimize the scanning process. Methods: Volunteers and patients with sports-related injuries underwent prospective MRI scans with a range of acceleration techniques. The volunteers were subjected to varied ACS acceleration levels to ascertain the most effective level. Patients underwent scans at the determined optimal 3D-ACS acceleration level, and 3D compressed sensing (CS) and 2D parallel acquisition technology (PAT) scans were performed. The resultant 3D-ACS images underwent 3.5 mm/2.0 mm multiplanar reconstruction (MPR). Experienced radiologists evaluated and compared the quality of images obtained by 3D-ACS-MRI and 3D-CS-MRI, 3.5 mm/2.0 mm MPR and 2D-PAT-MRI, diagnosed diseases, and compared the results with the arthroscopic findings. The diagnostic agreement was evaluated using Cohen's kappa correlation coefficient, and both absolute and relative evaluation methods were utilized for objective assessment. Results: The study involved 15 volunteers and 53 patients. An acceleration factor of 10.69 × was identified as optimal. The quality evaluation showed that 3D-ACS provided poorer bone structure visualization, and improved cartilage visualization and less satisfactory axial images with 3.5 mm/2.0 mm MPR than 2D-PAT. In terms of objective evaluation, the relative evaluation yielded satisfactory results across different groups, while the absolute evaluation revealed significant variances in most features. Nevertheless, high levels of diagnostic agreement (κ: 0.81–0.94) and accuracy (0.83–0.98) were observed across all diagnoses. Conclusion: ACS technology presents significant potential as a replacement for traditional CS in 3D-MRI knee scans, allowing thinner MPRs and markedly faster scans without sacrificing diagnostic accuracy. Clinical relevance statement: 3D-ACS-MRI of the knee can be completed in the 160 s with good diagnostic consistency and image quality. 3D-MRI-MPR can replace 2D-MRI and reconstruct images with thinner slices, which helps to optimize the current MRI examination process and shorten scanning time. Key Points: • AI-assisted compressed sensing technology can reduce knee MRI scan time by over 50%. • 3D AI-assisted compressed sensing MRI and related multiplanar reconstruction can replace traditional accelerated MRI and yield thinner 2D multiplanar reconstructions. • Successful application of 3D AI-assisted compressed sensing MRI can help optimize the current knee MRI process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous studies have discovered that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MALAT1 and its target microRNA-125b-5p (miR-125b-5p) are implicated in neurological diseases via regulating neuroinflammation and neuronal injury. This study aimed to further explore the relationship between lncRNA MALAT1 and miR-125b-5p, as well as their effect on microglial activation, neuroinflammation, and neural apoptosis in spinal cord injury (SCI). Primary microglia from Sprague Dawley rats were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Then, microglia were transfected with lncRNA MALAT1 overexpression or knock-down adenovirus-associated virus with or without miR-125b-5p mimic. The culture medium of microglia was incubated with primary neurons. SCI rats were established for in vivo validation. LncRNA MALAT1 expression was reduced by LPS treatment in a dose-dependent manner. LncRNA MALAT1 overexpression suppressed the microglial M1 polarization (decreased iNOS but increased ARG1), neuroinflammation (declined PTGS2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), and microglia-induced neural apoptosis (lower TUNEL positive cells and C-caspase3 but higher BCL2) under LPS treatment; its knock-down displayed the opposite trend. Moreover, lncRNA MALAT1 directly bound to and negatively regulated miR-125b-5p. MiR-125b-5p mimic promoted microglial M1 polarization, neuroinflammation, and microglia-induced neural apoptosis following LPS treatment; also, it could attenuate the effect of lncRNA MALAT1. Further in vivo study displayed that lncRNA MALAT1 overexpression elevated the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan motor function score and improved neural injury. Also, in vivo validation indicated a similar effect of lncRNA MALAT1 on microglial polarization and neuroinflammation as in vitro. LncRNA MALAT1 improves SCI recovery via miR-125b-5p mediated microglial M1 polarization, neuroinflammation, and neural apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is challenging to diagnose and easily missed. Diffusion MRI (dMRI) has the potential to identify early CSM. Methods: Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), a 1:1 matched case-control study was conducted to evaluate the potential of dMRI in identifying early CSM and assessing uncompressed segments of CSM patients. CSM patients and volunteers were matched by age and spinal location. The differences in dMRI parameters between groups were assessed by the paired t-test, the multicollinearity of the dMRI parameters was evaluated by the variance inflation factor (VIF), and the value of dMRI parameters in distinguishing controls from CSM patients was determined by logistic regression. The univariate t-test was used to analyse differences between CSM patients and volunteers in adjacent uncompressed areas. Results: In total, 56 CSM patients and 56 control volunteers were included. Paired t-tests revealed significant differences in nine dMRI parameters between groups. Multicollinearity calculated through VIF and combined with logistic regression showed that the orientation division index (ODI) was significantly positively correlated (r = 2.12, p = 0.035), and the anisotropic water fraction (AWF) was significantly negatively correlated (r = −0.98, p = 0.015). The fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), isotropic volume fraction (ISOVF), ODI, and AWF were significantly different in the upper and lower uncompressed areas at all ages. Conclusion: dMRI can noninvasively identify early CSM patients and potentially identify the extent of CSM lesions involving the cervical spinal cord. Critical relevance statement: Diffusion MRI (dMRI) can identify early cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and has the potential to help determine the extent of CSM involvement. The application of dMRI can help screen for early CSM and develop clinical surgical and rehabilitation treatment plans. Key points: • Diffusion MRI can differentiate between normal and early-stage cervical spondylotic myelopathy patients. • Diffusion MRI has the ability to identify the extent of spinal cord involvement in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. • Diffusion MRI enables the early screening of cervical spondylotic myelopathy and helps guide clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: MR arthrography (MRA) is the most accurate method for preoperatively diagnosing superior labrum anterior–posterior (SLAP) lesions, but diagnostic results can vary considerably due to factors such as experience. In this study, deep learning was used to facilitate the preliminary identification of SLAP lesions and compared with radiologists of different seniority. Methods: MRA data from 636 patients were retrospectively collected, and all patients were classified as having/not having SLAP lesions according to shoulder arthroscopy. The SLAP-Net model was built and tested on 514 patients (dataset 1) and independently tested on data from two other MRI devices (122 patients, dataset 2). Manual diagnosis was performed by three radiologists with different seniority levels and compared with SLAP-Net outputs. Model performance was evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the ROC curve (AUC), etc. McNemar's test was used to compare performance among models and between radiologists' models. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to assess the radiologists' reliability. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: SLAP-Net had AUC = 0.98 and accuracy = 0.96 for classification in dataset 1 and AUC = 0.92 and accuracy = 0.85 in dataset 2. In dataset 1, SLAP-Net had diagnostic performance similar to that of senior radiologists (p = 0.055) but higher than that of early- and mid-career radiologists (p = 0.025 and 0.011). In dataset 2, SLAP-Net had similar diagnostic performance to radiologists of all three seniority levels (p = 0.468, 0.289, and 0.495, respectively). Conclusions: Deep learning can be used to identify SLAP lesions upon initial MR arthrography examination. SLAP-Net performs comparably to senior radiologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow has been carried out through a two-dimensional approximation known as the PSM model within the FlowCube platform (Pothérat and Klein, 2014). The platform itself is a cubic vessel featuring alternating positive and negative electrodes that are uniformly located on its bottom. The flow is driven by the Lorentz force, which is induced by injected currents and imposed magnetic fields. The energy spectrum of two-dimensional flow agrees well with our three-dimensional one, confirming the two-dimensionality of MHD turbulence under strong magnetic fields. For quasi-two-dimensional (Q2D) flow in FlowCube, the energy spectrum displays ∼ k−3 and ∼ k2 slopes, corresponding to direct enstrophy cascade from forcing scale li to small scale and statistical equilibrium state of large scale (> li), where li is electrodes space in FlowCube. Moreover, a comprehensive study has been conducted on the transition from a laminar state to a turbulent state, revealing various flow states, including periodic, quasi-periodic, and chaotic states. Furthermore, under the same driving force, the periodic network of alternating vortices, which are typical structures in the FlowCube configuration, display different flow states. This observation may correspond to a large-scale intermittency in MHD flows due to the complex interaction between the driving force and dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The six species of lungfish possess both lungs and gills and are the closest extant relatives of tetrapods. Here, we report a single-cell transcriptome atlas of the West African lungfish (Protopterus annectens). This species manifests the most extreme form of terrestrialization, a life history strategy to survive dry periods that can last for years, characterized by dormancy and reversible adaptive changes of the gills and lungs. Our atlas highlights the cell type diversity of the West African lungfish, including gene expression consistent with phenotype changes of terrestrialization. Comparison with terrestrial tetrapods and ray-finned fishes reveals broad homology between the swim bladder and lung cell types as well as shared and idiosyncratic changes of the external gills of the West African lungfish and the internal gills of Atlantic salmon. The single-cell atlas presented here provides a valuable resource for further exploration of the respiratory system evolution in vertebrates and the diversity of lungfish terrestrialization. The water-to-land transition of vertebrates is a landmark event in evolutionary history. This work utilizes single-cell RNA sequencing to explore the adaptations in African lungfish lungs and gills to terrestrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore how the thickness of the femoral lateral wall influences the effectiveness of internal fixation systems used to treat intertrochanteric fractures. CT images of the pelvis and femur of a male adult were used to construct an intertrochanteric fracture model (AO/OTA 31-A2) with various thicknesses of the femoral lateral wall (FLW). Four finite element (FE) models were created with the lateral femoral walls being 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm, and 40 mm thick. The fracture models were fixed with a dynamic hip screw (DHS), a proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA), and a proximal femoral locking compression plate (P-FLCP). A simulated vertical load was applied to the femoral head. The stress and displacement of the implant and femur in each model were recorded for comparison. The FE analysis of the intertrochanteric fracture models showed that the PFNA system could provide better stability than the DHS and P-FLCP with the same thickness of FLW. The FLW provided buttress support to the femoral head and neck when using a DHS and PFNA, and the buttress strength was proportional to the thickness of FLW. The maximum stress in the DHS model was recorded on the DHS plate which accommodated the lag screw. For the PFNA model, the maximum stress appeared at the connection between the nail and blade. In the P-FLCP model, the maximum stresses were highly concentrated at the connection between the cephalic nails and the proximal plate. The thickness of the femoral lateral wall should be considered an important factor when selecting a suitable internal fixation system for intertrochanteric fractures. Based on the FE analysis, intramedullary fixation, such as PFNA, experiences lower stress levels and a moderate displacement in comparison to DHS and P-FCLP when used to treat intertrochanteric fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a diffuser passage compressor design is introduced via optimization to improve the aerodynamic performance of the exit rotor in a multistage axial compressor. An in-house design optimization platform, based on genetic algorithm and back propagation neural network surrogate model, is constructed to perform the optimization. The optimization parameters include diffusion angle of meridian passage, diffusion length of meridian passage, change of blade camber angle and blade number. The impacts of these design parameters on efficiency and stability improvement are analyzed based on the optimization database. Two optimized diffuser passage compressor designs are selected from the optimization solution set by comprehensively considering efficiency and stability of the rotor, and the influencing mechanisms on efficiency and stability are further studied. The simulation results show that the application of diffuser passage compressor design can improve the load coefficient by 12.1% and efficiency by 1.28% at the design mass flow rate condition, and the stall margin can be improved by 12.5%. According to the local entropy generation model analysis, despite the upper and lower endwall loss of the diffuser passage rotor are increased, the profile loss is reduced compared with the original rotor. The efficiency of the diffuser passage rotor can be influenced by both loss and load. At the near stall condition, decreasing flow blockage at blade root region can improve the stall margin of the diffuser passage rotor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excellent performance has been demonstrated in implementing challenging agricultural production processes using modern information technology, especially in the use of artificial intelligence methods to improve modern production environments. However, most of the existing work uses visual methods to train models that extract image features of organisms to analyze their behavior, and it may not be truly intelligent. Because vocal animals transmit information through grunts, the information obtained directly from the grunts of pigs is more useful to understand their behavior and emotional state, which is important for monitoring and predicting the health conditions and abnormal behavior of pigs. We propose a sound classification model called TransformerCNN, which combines the advantages of CNN spatial feature representation and the Transformer sequence coding to form a powerful global feature perception and local feature extraction capability. Through detailed qualitative and quantitative evaluations and by comparing state-of-the-art traditional animal sound recognition methods with deep learning methods, we demonstrate the advantages of our approach for classifying domestic pig sounds. The scores for domestic pig sound recognition accuracy, AUC and recall were 96.05%, 98.37% and 90.52%, respectively, all higher than the comparison model. In addition, it has good robustness and generalization capability with low variation in performance for different input features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the value of metabolic and heterogeneity parameters of 2-deoxy-2[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in predicting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in patients with lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 157 patients with lung ADC between September 2015 and June 2021, who had undergone both EGFR mutation testing and [18F]FDG PET/CT examination. Metabolic and heterogeneity parameters were measured and calculated, including maximum diameter (Dmax), maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and heterogeneity factor (HF). Relationships between PET/CT parameters and EGFR mutation status were evaluated and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was analyzed to establish a combined prediction model. Results: 108 (68.8%) patients exhibited EGFR mutations. EGFR mutations were more likely to occur in females (51.9% vs. 48.1%, P = 0.007), non-smokers (83.3% vs. 16.7%, P < 0.001) and right lobes (55.6% vs. 44.4%, P = 0.017). High Dmax, MTV and HF and low SUVmean were significantly correlated with EGFR mutations, and the areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) measuring 0.647, 0.701, 0.757, and 0.661, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that non-smokers (OR = 0.30, P = 0.034), low SUVmean (≤ 7.75, OR = 0.63, P < 0.001) and high HF (≥ 4.21, OR = 1.80, P = 0.027) were independent predictors of EGFR mutations. The AUC of the combined prediction model measured up to 0.863, significantly higher than that of a single parameter. Conclusions: EGFR mutant in lung ADC patients showed more intratumor heterogeneity (HF) than EGFR wild type, which was combined clinical feature (non-smokers), and metabolic parameter (SUVmean) may be helpful in predicting EGFR mutation status, thus playing a guiding role in EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) targeted therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to report on the use of Robotic-assisted total joint arthroplasty (RA-TJA) in China as well as the experience and expectations of Chinese doctors regarding this technology. Method: A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the current status of RA-TJA in China, the practical experience and suggestions for improvement of the technology by joint surgeons who have performed RA-TJA, and the interest and expectations of orthopaedic surgeons who have not used RA-TJA. The questionnaire was administered to all the physicians of the Chinese Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (CAOS). Result: A total of 372 qualified questionnaires were generated, among which 28% (n = 104) of the respondents had performed RA-TJA, among those who had performed RA-TJA. When asked how helpful the joint replacement robot was actually/expected to be, there was no significant difference between the expected and actual experience of nonusers and users (p ≥ 0.05); the biggest disadvantage of the current development of RA-TJA was perceived as additional charges to the patient by those who had used it, while those who had not used it perceived it as a limitation of their hospital, both of which were significant differences. Most respondents in both groups (used: 94.2%; not used: 91.4%) were confident in the clinical development of the joint replacement robot. Conclusion: This survey provides cross-sectional data on the current status of Chinese joint surgeons using or not using robots in their daily clinical practice. Improving surgical precision was the consensus of most respondents, while high surgical costs and limitations of hospital conditions were barriers to its development in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate image quality and diagnostic performance of carotid dual-energy computed tomography angiography (DECTA) using deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) compared with images using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-Veo (ASIR-V). Methods: Carotid DECTA datasets of 28 consecutive patients were reconstructed at 50 keV using DLIR at low, medium, and high levels (DLIR-L, DLIR-M, and DLIR-H) and 80% ASIR-V algorithms. Mean attenuation, image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) at different levels of arteries were measured and calculated. Image quality for noise and texture, depiction of arteries, and diagnostic performance toward carotid plaques were assessed subjectively by two radiologists. Quantitative and qualitative parameters were compared between the ASIR-V, DLIR-L, DLIR-M, and DLIR-H groups. Results: The image noise at aorta and common carotid artery, SNR, and CNR at all level arteries of DLIR-H images were significantly higher than those of ASIR-V images (p = 0.000–0.040). The quantitative analysis of DLIR-L and DLIR-M showed comparable denoise capability with ASIR-V. The overall image quality (p = 0.000) and image noise (p = 0.000–0.014) were significantly better in the DLIR-M and DLIR-H images. The image texture was improved by DLR at all level compared to ASIR-V images (p = 0.000–0.008). Depictions of head and neck arteries and diagnostic performance were comparable between four groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Compared with 80% ASIR-V, we recommend DLIR-H for clinical carotid DECTA reconstruction, which can significantly improve the image quality of carotid DECTA at 50 keV but maintain a desirable diagnostic performance and arterial depiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of wake structure in a flow around an impulsively stopped sphere in an incompressible viscous fluid is investigated under the influence of a streamwise magnetic field at moderate Reynolds numbers. The research parameter range is 600 ≤ Re ≤ 1400 and 0 ≤ N ≤ 10, where Re and N are the Reynolds number and the interaction parameter, respectively. A vortex ring system is developed, which contains the primary and secondary vortex rings after stopping the sphere. The flow will keep axisymmetric before stopping the sphere for the purpose to investigate the instability of shedding vortex rings. Without the magnetic field, an azimuthal instability will develop on the secondary vortex ring when the Reynolds number is large enough, e.g., Re = 1200. It is caused by the centrifugal movement of the secondary vortex ring and this instability can be suppressed by the streamwise magnetic field. Furthermore, an obvious oscillation caused by the motion of the primary vortex ring on the drag force is found after stopping the sphere. The amplitude of such oscillation increases with enlarging the Reynolds number but decreases with enlarging the magnetic field intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Understanding the types of haemocytes involved in the immune response in insects, and the mechanism involved in determining that response, can provide a scientific reference for developing effective microbial insecticides. Therefore, the current study examined haemocytes from Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) larvae infected with Escherichia coli in terms of their morphology, total counts, and relative proportions at different time points post-infection by optical microscopy technology. The results revealed six types of haemocytes (prohemocytes, plasmatocytes, granulocytes, spherule cells, oenocytoids, and cystocytes) in the haemolymph of sixth-instar larvae. Haemocyte deformation, disruption, nuclear changes, and vacuoles were recorded after infection with different dosages of E. coli. At each time period post-infection, the total haemocyte count was significantly higher than in the controls, peaking at 24 h post-infection and then decreasing by 48 h post-infection. The proportion of prohemocytes decreased significantly until 24 h post-infection, and then began to increase. By contrast, the proportions of plasmatocytes, granulocytes, spherule cells, oenocytoids, and cystocytes relatively increased, and peaked by 24 h post-infection, and then decreased. This revealed that strong immune response was stimulated in larva of A. ipsilon in a short time after infection with E.coli, and the results shed addition light on the cellular immune response of insects to pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives : Conventional MRI may not be ideal for predicting cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) prognosis. In this study, we used radiomics in predicting postoperative recovery in CSM. We aimed to develop and validate radiomic feature-based extra trees models. Methods: There were 151 patients with CSM who underwent preoperative T2-/ T2*-weighted imaging (WI) and surgery. They were divided into good/poor outcome groups based on the recovery rate. Datasets from multiple scanners were randomised into training and internal validation sets, while the dataset from an independent scanner was used for external validation. Radiomic features were extracted from the transverse spinal cord at the maximum compressed level. Threshold selection algorithm, collinearity removal, and tree-based feature selection were applied sequentially in the training set to obtain the optimal radiomic features. The classification of intramedullary increased signal on T2/T2*WI and compression ratio of the spinal cord on T2*WI were selected as the conventional MRI features. Clinical features were age, preoperative mJOA, and symptom duration. Four models were constructed: radiological, radiomic, clinical-radiological, and clinical-radiomic. An AUC significantly > 0.5 was considered meaningful predictive performance based on the DeLong test. The mean decrease in impurity was used to measure feature importance. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: On internal and external validations, AUCs of the radiomic and clinical-radiomic models, and radiological and clinical-radiological models ranged from 0.71 to 0.81 (significantly > 0.5) and 0.40 to 0.55, respectively. Wavelet-LL first-order variance was the most important feature in the radiomic model. Conclusion: Radiomic features, especially wavelet-LL first-order variance, contribute to meaningful predictive models for CSM prognosis. Key Points: • Conventional MRI features may not be ideal in predicting prognosis. • Radiomics provides greater predictive efficiency in the recovery from cervical spondylotic myelopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between intra-tumor metabolic heterogeneity parameters of 18F-FDG and KRAS mutation status in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and which threshold heterogeneity parameters could better reflect the heterogeneity characteristics of colorectal cancer. Methods: Medical data of 101 CRC patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT and KRAS mutation analysis were selected. On PET scans, 18F-FDG traditional indices maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), and heterogeneity parameters coefficient of variation with a threshold of 2.5 (CV2.5), CV40%, heterogeneity index-1 (HI-1), and HI-2 of the primary lesions were obtained. We inferred correlations between these 18F-FDG parameters and KRAS mutation status. Results: 41 patients (40.6%) had KRAS gene mutation. Assessment of FDG parameters showed that SUVmax (19.00 vs. 13.16, p < 0.001), MTV (11.64 vs. 8.83, p = 0.001), and TLG (102.85 vs. 69.76, p < 0.001), CV2.5 (0.55 vs. 0.46, p = 0.006), and HI-2 (14.03 vs. 7.59, p < 0.001) of KRAS mutation were higher compared to wild-type (WT) KRAS. CV40% (0.22 vs. 0.24, p = 0.001) was lower in the KRAS mutation group, while HI-1 had no significant difference between the two groups. Multivariate analysis showed that MTV (OR = 4.97, 1.04–23.83, p = 0.045) was the only significant predictor in KRAS mutation, using a cut-off of 7.62 (AUC = 0.695), and MTV showed a sensitivity of 90.2% and specificity of 45.0%. However, the PET parameters were not independent predictors in KRAS mutation. Conclusion: KRAS gene mutant CRC patients had more 18F-FDG uptake (SUVmax, MTV, TLG) and heterogeneity (CV2.5, HI-2) than WT KRAS. MTV was the only independent predictor of KRAS gene mutation in colorectal cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of plant introductions in China is inextricably associated with globalization and trade. There have been two periods in which China has opened to the world, punctuated by periods of isolation. Here, we analyse data on first records for 538 non-native plants in China for the period 1840–2011, asking how annual rates have changed and comparing the relative contribution from intentional and non-intentional introductions. The highest period of introductions occurred between 1904 and 1935, where the mean annual first record rate was 8.77 species. The period post 2002 had the second highest rate, but this was still little over half that of the earlier period at 4.43 species per year. Intentional and non-intentional introductions shared similar temporal trajectories but intentional introductions contributed more than two-thirds of first records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant nitrogen (N) uptake is a critical ecosystem function, especially when terrestrial ecosystems are threatened worldwide by increasing anthropogenic N deposition. However, the mechanisms by which biotic factors mediate the effects of increases in N addition on community N uptake remain unknown. Here, we determine how inter- and intraspecific differences contribute to this response by decomposing N uptake in a specific community in a 7-year NH4NO3 addition experiment in a Tibetan alpine meadow using variance partitioning approach. We measured both plant N uptake from ammonium and nitrate of 25 common species in control plots and community-level uptake along a N addition gradient, using short-term in situ 15N labeling. Plant community composition, soil properties (soil ammonium and nitrate, pH, Al3+ and base cations), soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were measured and recorded. We found that N addition increased community-level N uptake by significantly increasing individual species' variability of N uptake (that is, positive intraspecific variability), although with limited effect of community composition shift. The significantly positive intraspecific variability from ammonium and nitrate along the N addition gradient was caused by increased soil available N and soil acidification with N addition. The limited effect of community composition shift means that N addition increased community-level N uptake with only limited species filtering. Our results provide a novel insight into the mechanism of how N addition affects community-level N uptake, by linking physiological, community and ecosystem function, and highlight the important role that intraspecific variability of N uptake plays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of venetoclax plus azacitidine and donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) in treating patients with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Twenty-six AML patients who relapsed after allo-HSCT were enrolled and treated with venetoclax plus azacitidine and DLI. Complete remission with incomplete recovery (CRi), partial remission (PR), and objective remission rate (ORR) were assessed, and then event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Besides, adverse events were documented. Additionally, whole exome sequencing was performed in bone marrow samples. The CRi, PR, and ORR rates were 26.9%, 34.6%, and 61.5%, respectively. The median time of EFS and OS was 120 (95% CI: 71–610) days and 284.5 (95% CI: 81–610) days, respectively. The most common adverse events were hematologic system adverse events including agranulocytosis, anemia, and thrombocytopenia, while the adverse events of other systems were relatively less and milder. In addition, no serious adverse events existed. Of note, there were 6 (23.1%) patients who developed GVHD. As for gene mutation, 49 mutated genes were found, which were categorized as first-, second-, and third-class mutations, and then further analysis revealed that the first-class mutations were not correlated with EFS or OS. Additionally, the most frequent mutated genes were FLT3, CEBPA, DNMT3A, KIT, KRAS, and NRAS. Venetoclax plus azacitidine and DLI is efficient and tolerant in treating patients with relapsed AML after allo-HSCT, implying this combined therapy as a potential treatment option in the studied patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MinION nanopore sequencing device (Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford, UK) is the smallest commercially available sequencer and can be used outside of conventional laboratories. The use of the MinION for forensic applications, however, is hindered by the high error rate of nanopore sequencing. One approach to solving this problem is to identify forensic genetic markers that can consistently be typed correctly based on nanopore sequencing. In this pilot study, we explored the use of nanopore sequencing for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and short tandem repeat (STR) profiling using Verogen's (San Diego, CA, USA) ForenSeq DNA Signature Prep Kit. Thirty single-contributor samples and DNA standard material 2800 M were genotyped using the Illumina (San Diego, CA, USA) MiSeq FGx and MinION (with R9.4.1 flow cells) devices. With an optimized cutoff for allelic imbalance, all 94 identity-informative SNP loci could be genotyped reliably using the MinION device, with an overall accuracy of 99.958% (1 error among 2926 genotypes). STR typing was notably error prone, and its accuracy was locus dependent. We developed a custom-made bioinformatics workflow, and finally selected 13 autosomal STRs, 14 Y-STRs, and 4 X-STRs showing high consistency between nanopore and Illumina sequencing among the tested samples. These SNP and STR loci could be candidates for panel design for forensic analysis based on nanopore sequencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panic disorder (PD) is a prevalent anxiety disorder but its neurobiology remains poorly understood. It has been proposed that the pathophysiology of PD is related to an abnormality in a particular neural network. However, most studies investigating resting-state functional connectivity (FC) have relied on a priori restrictions of seed regions, which may bias observations. This study investigated changes in intra and internetwork FC in the whole brain of patients with PD using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. A voxel-wise data-driven independent component analysis was performed on 26 PD patients and 27 healthy controls (HCs).We compared the differences in the intra and internetwork FC between the two groups of subjects using statistical parametric mapping with two-sample t-tests. PD patients exhibited decreased intra-network FC in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of the anterior default mode network, the left precentral and postcentral gyrus of the sensorimotor network, the right lobule V/VI, the cerebellum vermis, and the left lobule VI of the cerebellum network compared with the HCs. The intra-network FC in the right ACC was negatively correlated with symptom severity. None of the pairs of resting state networks showed significant differences in functional network connectivity between the two groups. These results suggest that the brain networks associated with emotion regulation, interoceptive awareness, and fear and somatosensory processing may play an important role in the pathophysiology of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive growth of filamentous green algae in rivers has attracted much attention due to their functional importance to primary production and carbon cycling. However, comprehensive knowledge of how filamentous green algae affect carbon cycling, especially the CH4 emissions from river ecosystems, remains limited. In this study, incubation experiments were conducted to examine the factors regulating CH4 emissions from a eutrophic river with dense growth of filamentous green algae Spirogyra through combinations of biogeochemical, molecular biological, and stable carbon isotope analyses. Results showed that although water dissolved oxygen (DO) in the algae+sediment (A+S) incubation groups increased up to 19 mg L−1, average CH4 flux of the groups was 13.09 μmol m−2 day−1, nearly up to two times higher than that from sediments without algae (S groups). The significant increase of sediment CH4 oxidation potential and methanotroph abundances identified the enhancing sediment CH4 oxidation during Spirogyra bloom. However, the increased water CH4 concentration was consistent with depleted water δ 13 C C H 4 and decreased apparent fractionation factor (αapp), suggesting the important contribution of Spirogyra to the oxic water CH4 production. It can thus be concluded that high DO concentration during the algal bloom promoted the CH4 consumption by enhancing sediment CH4 oxidation, while algal-linked oxic water CH4 production as a major component of water CH4 promoted the CH4 emissions from the river. Our study highlights the regulation of Spirogyra in aquatic CH4 fluxes and will help to estimate accurately CH4 emissions from eutrophic rivers with dense blooms of filamentous green algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Apnoea of prematurity (AOP) is among the most common diagnoses in the neonatal intensive care unit. Caffeine treatment is a preferred treatment choice. However, neonatal caffeine therapy results in significant intersubject variability. This study aimed to determine the effects of plasma caffeine levels based on standard dose and genetic variability on clinical response to caffeine citrate in Chinese preterm infants.Methods: This single-center and retrospective study examined data from 112 preterm infants (< 35 weeks gestational age) between July 2017 and July 2018. Subjects were divided into apnoea-free (n = 48) and apnoeic (n = 64) groups, and their clinical outcomes were summarized. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure levels of caffeine and its primary metabolites. Eighty-eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms were chosen for genotyping by a MassARRAY system.Results: Preterm infants in the apnoea-free group were associated with a reduction in the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and a reduced requirement for patent ductus arteriosus ligation. No significant association was observed between plasma-trough-concentration-to-dose (C0/D) ratio and birth weight, gestational age, or postnatal age in either group. Polymorphisms in CYP1A2 and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) genes did not affect plasma caffeine levels. Polymorphisms in adenosine receptor genes ADORA1 (rs10920568 and rs12744240), ADORA2A (rs34923252 and rs5996696), and ADORA3 (rs10776727 and rs2298191), especially in AHR (rs4410790) and adenosine deaminase (rs521704), play critical roles in the interindividual response to caffeine therapy.Conclusions: Genetic polymorphisms in caffeine's target receptors, but not the exposure levels based on the standard dosing, were associated with variable responses to caffeine therapy in preterm neonates. Future studies are needed to uncover how these genetic variants affect responses to caffeine therapy in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly become a major international public health concern. This study was designed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and risk factors of COVID-19-associated liver injury. Methods: A fraction of 657 COVID-19 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and laboratory data were derived from electronic medical records and compared between patients with or without liver injury. Multivariate logistic regression method was used to analyze the risk factors for liver injury. Results: Among 657 patients, 303 (46.1%) patients had liver injury with higher rate in severe/critically ill patients [148/257 (57.6%)] than those in moderate cases [155/400 (38.8%)]. The incidence of liver injury was much higher in male [192/303 (63.4%)] than female [111/303 (36.6%)], and in severe/critical patients [148/303 (48.8%)] with percutaneous oxygen saturation ≤ 93% [89/279 (31.9%)] or peak body temperature ≥ 38.5 °C [185/301 (61.5%)] on admission. Liver injury-related inflammations included increased white blood cells, neutrophils and decreased lymphocytes. More patients with liver injury than without had increased serum IL-2R, TNFα, ferritin, hsCRP, PCT, ESR, γ-GT, and LDH. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that increasing odds of liver injury were related to male, higher serum hsCRP (≥ 10 mg/L), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (≥ 5). Moreover, more deceased patients (14/82 (17%)) had significantly elevated serum TBIL than discharged patients [25/532 (4.7%)]. Conclusion: Liver injury is a common complication in COVID-19 patients. The potential risk factors of liver injury include male, hsCRP and NLR score. A close monitor of liver function should be warned in COVID-19 patients, especially in severe/critical individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has become the primary option for the treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC). Thus, it is necessary to diagnose whether residual cancer cells exist in the ESD specimen margins, which can affect tumor recurrence and survival rates in the future. Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) can be suitably used for nondestructive imaging of biological tissue on a cellular level to enable real-time guidance during endoscopic therapy. Considering this, the objective of this study is to explore the practicality of MPM for the diagnosis of ESD specimen margins in the case of EGC.Methods: First, a total of 20 surgical samples was imaged using the proposed MPM technique to obtain two-photo excited fluorescence signal from the intrinsic fluorescent substances within cells and second-harmonic generation signal from collagen; these signals were used to determine MPM pathological features for margin diagnosis. Then, a double-blind study of 50 samples was conducted to evaluate the diagnosis results based on the obtained MPM pathological features.Results: Multiphoton microscopy can accurately identify the cytological and morphological differences between tissue in the negative and positive margin. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, negative predictive, and positive predictive values of MPM in the diagnosis of ESD specimen margins were 97.62, 75.00, 94.00, 95.35, and 85.71%, respectively.Conclusion: These results indicate that MPM can be used as an effective, real-time, and label-free novel method to determine intraoperative resection margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A silicon heterojunction solar cell structure consisting of a gradient doping emitter layer, which possesses a potential to obtain high power conversion efficiency, is explored by the numerical simulation tool automat for simulation of heterostructures. We have demonstrated that the gradient doping solar cell has a higher open-circuit voltage than a uniform doping solar cell, due to the introduction of an additional electric field, which can achieve a better conversion efficiency, whereas their thickness and defect state distribution are identical. A high conversion efficiency of 29.5% is achieved by using a gradient doping for the n-type emitter layer with the same reference as the uniform doping. In addition, through the investigation of the effect of gradient doping, we find that the field-effect passivation can appropriately explain the interesting behaviors that the recombination rate is less sensitive to the defect density state, and that the open-circuit voltage is enhanced when increasing the doping gradient in the n-a-Si emitter layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The competitive superiority of invasive plants plays a key role in the process of plant invasions, enabling invasive plants to overcome the resistance of local plant communities. Fast aboveground growth and high densities lead to the competitive superiority of invasive species in the competition for light. However, little is understood of the role belowground root competition may play in invasion. We conducted an experiment to test the effect of root growth on the performance of an invasive shrub Cassia alata, a naturalized, non-invasive shrub Corchorus capsularis, and a native shrub Desmodium reticulatum. We compared seedling growth of the three species and their competitive ability in situ. The roots of the C. alata seedlings grew much faster than those of C. capsularis and D. reticulatum during the entire growth period although C. alata had shorter shoots than D. reticulatum. Furthermore, C. alata showed an apparent competition advantage compared to the other two species as evidenced by less biomass reduction in intraspecific competition and higher competitive effects in interspecific competition. Our study reveals that fast seedling root growth may be important in explaining the competitive advantages of invasive plants. Future studies should pay more attention to the belowground traits of invasive plants, the trade-off between shoot and root growth, and the role of root competition in affecting the population dynamics of invasive plants and the structures of invaded communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing the operation of coal-fired power plants to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions requires accurate modeling of the NOx emission process. The careful selection of input parameters not only forms the basis of accurate modeling, but can also be used to reduce the complexity of the model. The present study employs the least squares support vector machine-supervised learning method to model NOx emissions based on historical real time data obtained from a 1000-MW once-through boiler. The initial input parameters are determined by expert knowledge and operational experience, while the final input parameters are obtained by sensitivity analysis, where the variation in model accuracy for a given set of data is analyzed as one or several input parameters are successively omitted from the calculations, while retaining all other parameters. Here, model accuracy is evaluated according to the mean relative error (MRE). This process reduces the parameters required for NOx emission modeling from an initial number of 33 to 7, while the corresponding MRE is reduced from 3.09% to 2.23%. Moreover, a correlation of 0.9566 between predicted and measured values was obtained by applying the model with just these seven input parameters to a validation dataset. As such, the proposed method for selecting input parameters serves as a reference for related studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The retinacular arteries provide major supply to the femoral head, their injuries may lead to the femoral head necrosis (FHN) in femoral neck fractures. Although the femoral neck fracture was seriously displaced in some patients, FHN did not occur, which suggests that the blood supply is not fully blocked. This study was aimed to find the association between the structure of the retinacula of Weitbrecht and the mechanism of protecting retinacular arteries from being injured. Materials and Methods: Fourteen formalin-fixed cadaveric specimens (in 28 hips) with no significant vascular disease were observed. The retinacula were cut longitudinally and then cut into three parts: medial, middle, and lateral. These specimens were stained using hematoxylin and eosin and improved Masson Trichrome stain. The microstructure and tightness of the retinacula fixed to the bone and the distribution of vessels were examined under a stereoscope, an optical microscope, and a scanning electron microscope. Results: The microstructure and compactness in each part of retinacula were different, and the tightness of the fibers of the retinacula fixed to the bone in each part were different. A particular structure which resembled a Sandwich panels was observed, and it may be an effective mechanism of protecting retinacular arteries. Conclusion: The Sandwich panels structure existed generally in the retinacula of Weitbrecht, and this sandwich panelture may play very important role in protecting the retinaculum artery from being injured, which show the importance of protecting the retinacular artery in the treatment of femoral neck fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been progressively developing for decades in neurosurgery, there remains a lack of data to fully understand this topic. This study was aimed to evaluate extensively EBM related to neurosurgery through the analysis of neurosurgical EBM publications. We searched the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database for all EBM publications related to neurosurgery. The number of publications and other information were obtained. Data were extracted from the search results to obtain the following information: document type, countries/territories, funding agencies, organizations, publication year, source of titles, and research area. From among all of the publications, we extracted randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for further analysis at RCT characteristic and funding agencies. According to the search strategy, 6907 publications were related to EBM in neurosurgery. A total of 91 countries/territories participated in neurosurgical EBM publications. English-speaking countries (USA, England, and Canada) contributed most of the publications. 'University of Toronto' is the organization which published the most EBM publications. In total, 1654 neurosurgical RCTs were found. We summarize their characteristics and record the highest cited (more than 400) RCTs, which we descript the distribution in different neurosurgical fields and stages. We also found that more than half of the RCTs were directly funded by industrial companies, and government-funded agencies accounted for no more than one fifth of the RCTs. EBM in neurosurgery has a good foundation but also needs to be constantly revised and improved to synchronize with evidence-based medicine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to construct the dual-gene expression vector pHsa-miR16-siRNA which can express human miR-16 and HBV X siRNA, and examine its regulatory effect on HBV gene expression in the HepG2.2.15 cell line. The expression vectors siR-1583 and pHsa-miR16-siRNA were designed and constructed. HepG2.2.15 cells were transfected with the empty vector, siR-1583, pmiR-16 and pHsa-miR16-siRNA, respectively. ELISA was performed to measure the expression of HBsAg and HBeAg in the culture supernatant 48 and72 h post transfection. Fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to measure the HBV mRNA degradation efficiency and HBV DNA copy number. The results showed that the expression of HBV genes was significantly inhibited in HepG2.2.15 cells transfected with siR-1583, pmiR-16 and pHsa-miR16-siRNA, respectively, when compared with that in cells transfected with the empty vectors, with the inhibitory effect of pHsa-miR16-siRNA being the most significant. ELISA showed that the inhibitory rates of HBsAg and HBeAg in pHsa-miR16-siRNA transfected cells were correspondingly 87.3% and 85.0% at 48 h, and 88.6% and 86.5% at 72 h post transfection ( P<0.01 vs. control group). RT-PCR showed that the level of HBV mRNA decreased by 80.2% ( t=-99.22, P<0.01), the genomic HBV DNA by 92.8% ( t=-73.06, P<0.01), and the supernatant of HBV DNA copy number by 89.8% ( t=-47.13, P<0.01) in pHsa-miR16-siRNA transfected group. It was suggested that the dual-gene expression vector pHsa-miR16-siRNA can inhibit the replication of HBV more efficiently than a single-gene expression vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of mechanochemical method and thermal desorption for remediating polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in contaminated soil was tested in this study. The effects of grinding time and heating time on PCB removal efficiency were investigated. The contaminated soil, mixed with CaO powder at a weight ratio of 1:1, was first ground using a planetary ball mill. After 4 h of grinding, the total PCB concentration and its toxic equivalence quantity (TEQ) decreased by 74.6 and 75.8%, respectively. Then, after being heated at 500 °C for 60 min, the residual PCBs in mechanochemical + thermal treated soil decreased to 247 ng/g, resulting in a removal efficiency of 99.95%. The removal effect can be promoted by longer grinding time and heating time; however, increased energy consumption was inevitable. The combination of grinding time and heating time should be optimized in a practical remediation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise knowledge of the vascular supply of the femoral head is critical when contemplating surgery around the femoral head and neck junction. To determine the blood supply to the femoral neck, 2417 nutrient foramina from 76 cadaveric specimens were analyzed based on size, number, and distribution. Within the subcapital, transcervical, and basicervical regions of the femoral neck, the largest numbers of nutrient foramina were found on the superior (lateral) surface, followed by the anterior and posterior surfaces, and then the inferior (medial) surface (all p < 0.001). The diameters of most of the nutrient foramina were less than 1 mm. For the posterior and superior surfaces, the nutrient foramina in the basicervical region were significantly larger than those within the transcervical or subcapital regions (nutrient foramina >2 mm posteriorly: 23.6, 12.7, and 9.0 % in the basicervical, transcervical, and subcapital regions, respectively; superiorly: 23.7 vs. 15.4 vs. 16.8 %, respectively). In conclusion, neither the anterior nor the inferior surfaces in the basicervical, transcervical, and subcapital regions showed any significant differences in nutrient foraminal size. The areas containing densely distributed nutrient foramina were consistent with the regions covered by the retinacula of Weitbrecht. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The locking plate and percutaneous crossing metallic screws and crossing absorbable screws have been used clinically to treat intra-articular calcaneal fractures, but little is known about the biomechanical differences between them. This study compared the biomechanical stability of calcaneal fractures fixed using a locking plate and crossing screws. Three-dimensional finite-element models of intact and fractured calcanei were developed based on the CT images of a cadaveric sample. Surgeries were simulated on models of Sanders type III calcaneal fractures to produce accurate postoperative models fixed by the three implants. A vertical force was applied to the superior surface of the subtalar joint to simulate the stance phase of a walking gait. This model was validated by an in vitro experiment using the same calcaneal sample. The intact calcaneus showed greater stiffness than the fixation models. Of the three fixations, the locking plate produced the greatest stiffness and the highest von Mises stress peak. The micromotion of the fracture fixated with the locking plate was similar to that of the fracture fixated with the metallic screws but smaller than that fixated with the absorbable screws. Fixation with both plate and crossing screws can be used to treat intra-articular calcaneal fractures. In general, fixation with crossing metallic screws is preferable because it provides sufficient stability with less stress shielding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to evaluate the differences in cardiovascular manifestations between ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with and without kyphosis. A retrospective review of consecutive AS patients treated at our hospital between June 2013 and June 2015 was performed. There were 122 patients who met all of the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Among these patients, there were 57 (ASK group) patients with global kyphosis (GK) > 40° and 65 (AS group) patients with GK < 40°. General information, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), electrocardiography, and echocardiography were record. ESR and CRP levels in the ASK group were significantly higher than the AS group ( P < 0.05). Fifteen patients in ASK group but 3 patients in AS group suffered from a left ventricular high voltage ( P < 0.05). Heart rate in ASK group was 83.91 ± 13.68 beats/min, and it was 73.88 ± 13.04 beats/min in AS group ( P < 0.05). The E/A ratio was 1.13 ± 0.38 in ASK group and 1.32 ± 0.49 in AS group ( P < 0.05). The mitral E-wave deceleration time and isovolumetric relaxation time were, respectively, 236.25 ± 34.26 ms and 101.86 ± 17.57 ms in ASK group, which were shorter in AS group ( P < 0.05). This study showed that AS patients with kyphosis had a statistically increased incidence of cardiovascular complications including a more rapid heart rate, left ventricular high voltage, and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impulsive solution for a semi-linear singularly perturbed differential-difference equation is studied. Using the methods of boundary function and fractional steps, we construct the formula asymptotic expansion of the problem. At the same time, Based on sewing techniques, the existence of the smooth impulsive solution and the uniform validity of the asymptotic expansion are proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]