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Hand choice is an unconscious decision frequently made in daily life. The electroencephalogram before target presentation correlates with hand choice for the target where hand choice probability reaches equilibrium. However, whether neurophysiological interventions before target presentation influence hand choice remains unknown. Therefore, this study determined whether instantaneous somatosensory electrical stimulation administered to the unilateral wrist at 0, 300, or 600 ms before the target presentation facilitates or inhibits stimulated hand choice for targets around the hand selection equilibrium point. A single electrical stimulation comprised five trains of 1 ms electrical pulses, with a 20 ms inter-pulse interval. The stimulus intensity was set at 80% of the motor threshold. This study included 14 right-handed healthy adults (five females and nine males; mean age, 25.1 ± 4.64 years). Unilateral wrist stimulation significantly increased the probability of choosing the stimulated hand and led to a faster reaction time than bilateral wrist stimulation and no-stimulation conditions. The results suggest that prior somatosensory stimulation significantly affects the hand-choice process, effectively promoting the selection of the stimulated hand. These findings highlight the potential application of this stimulation method in stroke rehabilitation to facilitate the use of the paretic hand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a classical predator–prey system with linear cross-diffusion and Holling-II type functional response and subject to homogeneous Neuamnn boundary condition is considered. The spatially homogeneous Hopf bifurcation curve and Turing bifurcation curve of the constant coexistence equilibrium are established with the help of the linearized analysis. When the bifurcation parameters are restricted to the Turing instability region and near the Turing bifurcation curve, the associated amplitude equations of the original system near the constant coexistence equilibrium are obtained by means of multiple-scale time perturbation analysis. According to the obtained amplitude equations, the stability and classification of spatiotemporal patterns of the original system near the constant coexistence equilibrium are determined. It is shown that the cross-diffusion in the classical predator–prey system plays an important role in formation of spatiotemporal patterns. Also, the theoretical results are verified numerically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A coagulation factor called fibrinogen is produced by the liver and is proteolyzed by thrombin to become fibrin. The latest studies have revealed that fibrin(ogen) palys an essential role in the regulation of cardiovascular disease. Understanding the relationship and mechanism between fibrin(ogen) and cardiovascular disease is of great significance for maintaining overall health. The objective of this review is to discuss the specific involvement and underlying mechanisms of fibrin(ogen) in cardiovascular disease. Methods: A review was conducted using the PubMed database to identify and analyze the emerging role of fibrinogen in cardiovascular disease. Results: The literature review revealed that fibrin(ogen) plays a pivotal role in maintaining cardiovascular disease and are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Fibrin(ogen) mainly influence various pathophysiological processes, such as participating in thrombosis formation, stimulating the inflammatory response, and other molecular pathways. Conclusion: This review focuses on the involvement of fibrin(ogen) in cardiovascular disease, with a particular emphasis on the main functions and underlying mechanisms by which fibrin(ogen) influence the pathogenesis and progression of these conditions. This review underscores the potential of fibrin(ogen) as therapeutic targets in managing cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Ensuring adequate and balanced nutrient supply is crucial for enhancing citrus fruit quality. Some plants could modulate nutrient bioavailability in soil through the enhancement of root exudation. The study aimed to reveal how citrus change its root exudates metabolism profile to adapt to the soil with secondary nutrients and micronutrients deficiency. Methods: Citrus sinensis Osbeck cv. Newhall ×Poncirus trifoliate (L.) Raf grown in Ganzhou citrus orchards was used to evaluate the effect of soil applied and foliar sprayed secondary nutrients and micronutrients (Ca, Mg, B, Fe, Zn, Se) on the mineral elements concentration, external and intrinsic quality of citrus. The hydroponic experiment was conducted with Poncirus trifoliate (L.) Raf grown either in full nutrient solutions or in specific nutrient shortage conditions (Ca, Mg, B) for 45 days to obtain root exudate and perform untargeted metabolomic analysis (UHPLC-MS/MS). Results: Adequate supplementation of secondary nutrients and micronutrients effectively enhanced the nutritional value and intrinsic quality (TSS/TA) of citrus. 791 features were identified in citrus root exudates. Some metabolites was identified as root exudates for the first time, such as hecogenin, bergaptol and limonin. In the absence of secondary nutrients and micronutrients, citrus roots will secrete more substances related to plant disease resistance, nutrient acquisition and plant-microbial interactions, such as resveratrol, cinnamaldehyde, scopoletin, and phloretin. Conclusion: These findings highlight the value of secondary nutrients and micronutrients in regulating fruit quality and root exudates metabolism profile of citrus. It reveal the strategies of citrus to mitigate the nutrient deficiency in soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in payload capacity of trucks has heightened the demand for cost-effective yet high performance brake discs. In this work, the thermal fatigue and wear of compacted graphite iron brake discs were investigated, aiming to provide an experimental foundation for achieving a balance between their thermal and mechanical properties. Compacted graphite iron brake discs with different tensile strengths, macrohardnesses, specific heat capacities and thermal diffusion coefficients were produced by changing the proportion and strength of ferrite. The peak temperature, pressure load and friction coefficient of compacted graphite iron brake discs were analyzed through inertia friction tests. The morphology of thermal cracks and 3D profiles of the worn surfaces were also discussed. It is found that the thermal fatigue of compacted graphite iron discs is determined by their thermal properties. A compacted graphite iron with the highest specific heat capacity and thermal diffusion coefficient exhibits optimal thermal fatigue resistance. Oxidization of the matrix at low temperatures significantly weakens the function of alloy strengthening in hindering the propagation of thermal cracks. Despite the reduced hardness, increasing the ferrite proportion can mitigate wear loss resulting from low disc temperatures and the absence of abrasive wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy combination has shown remarkable advances in the management of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the identification of a reliable biomarker for predicting the response to this chemo-immunotherapy regimen remains elusive. While computed tomography (CT) is widely utilized for response evaluation, its inherent limitations in terms of accuracy are well recognized. Therefore, in this study, we present a novel technique to predict the response of ESCC patients before receiving chemo-immunotherapy by testing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath. Methods: This study employed a prospective-specimen-collection, retrospective-blinded-evaluation design. Patients' baseline breath samples were collected and analyzed using high-pressure photon ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPPI-TOFMS). Subsequently, patients were categorized as responders or non-responders based on the evaluation of therapeutic response using pathology (for patients who underwent surgery) or CT images (for patients who did not receive surgery). Results: A total of 133 patients were included in this study, with 91 responders who achieved either a complete response (CR) or a partial response (PR), and 42 non-responders who had stable disease (SD) or progressive disease (PD). Among 83 participants who underwent both evaluations with CT and pathology, the paired t-test revealed significant differences between the two methods (p < 0.05). For the breath test prediction model using breath test data from all participants, the validation set demonstrated mean area under the curve (AUC) of 0.86 ± 0.06. For 83 patients with pathological reports, the breath test achieved mean AUC of 0.845 ± 0.123. Conclusions: Since CT has inherent weakness in hollow organ assessment and no other ideal biomarker has been found, our study provided a noninvasive, feasible, and inexpensive tool that could precisely predict ESCC patients' response to neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy combination using breath test based on HPPI-TOFMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in promoting recovery of the facial function with the involvement of autophagy, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Methods: Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into the control, sham-operated, facial nerve injury (FNI), EA, EA+3-methyladenine (3-MA), and EA+GDNF antagonist groups using a random number table, with 12 rats in each group. An FNI rat model was established with facial nerve crushing method. EA intervention was conducted at Dicang (ST 4), Jiache (ST 6), Yifeng (SJ 17), and Hegu (LI 4) acupoints for 2 weeks. The Simone's 10-Point Scale was utilized to monitor the recovery of facial function. The histopathological evaluation of facial nerves was performed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of Beclin-1, light chain 3 (LC3), and P62 were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Additionally, IHC was also used to detect the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR. Results: The facial functional scores were significantly increased in the EA group than the FNI group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). HE staining showed nerve axons and myelin sheaths, which were destroyed immediately after the injury, were recovered with EA treatment. The expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3 were significantly elevated and the expression of P62 was markedly reduced in FNI rats (P<0.01); however, EA treatment reversed these abnormal changes (P<0.01). Meanwhile, EA stimulation significantly increased the levels of GDNF, Rai, PI3K, and mTOR (P<0.01). After exogenous administration with autophagy inhibitor 3-MA or GDNF antagonist, the repair effect of EA on facial function was attenuated (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Conclusions: EA could promote the recovery of facial function and repair the facial nerve damages in a rat model of FNI. EA may exert this neuroreparative effect through mediating the release of GDNF, activating the PI3K/mTOR signaling pathway, and further regulating the autophagy of facial nerves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nuclear factor κappa B (NF-κB) signaling plays a well-known function in inflammation and regulates a wide variety of biological processes. Low-grade chronic inflammation is gradually considered to be closely related to the pathogenesis of Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this review, we provide an overview on the involvement of NF-κB in the progression of PCOS particularly, such as hyperandrogenemia, insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases, and endometrial dysfunction. From a clinical perspective, progressive recognition of NF-κB pathway provides opportunities for therapeutic interventions aimed at inhibiting pathway-specific mechanisms. With the accumulation of basic experimental and clinical data, NF-κB signaling pathway was recognized as a therapeutic target. Although there have been no specific small molecule NF-κB inhibitors in PCOS, a plethora of natural and synthetic compound have emerged for the pharmacologic intervention of the pathway. The traditional herbs developed for NF-κB pathway have become increasingly popular in recent years. Abundant evidence elucidated that NF-κB inhibitors can significantly improve the symptoms of PCOS. Herein, we summarized evidence relating to how NF-κB pathway is involved in the development and progression of PCOS. Furthermore, we present an in-depth overview of NF-κB inhibitors for therapy interventions of PCOS. Taken together, the NF-κB signaling may be a futuristic treatment strategy for PCOS. NF-κB affects various aspects of polycystic ovary syndrome, such as hyperandrogenemia, insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases, endometrial dysfunction, and hypothalamic endocrine gonadal axis disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose : Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) improves the prognoses of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but is ineffective in some patients. The lung immune prognostic index (LIPI) can predict response to ICIs treatment in European patients with NSCLC. This study assessed the correlation of LIPI score with outcomes in Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC receiving ICIs. Methods: A total of 305 Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC who received ICIs were ultimately included. LIPI score was determined by a high derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR > 3) and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and classified as "good" (0), "intermediate" (1), or "poor" (2). The effects of baseline LIPI on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), disease control rate (DCR), and overall response rate (ORR) were analyzed. Results: The good LIPI group had better OS (26.0 months, P < 0.0001) and PFS (10.5 months, P < 0.0001) than the other two groups, but the three groups had similar ORR (P = 0.222). DCR was 79%, 65%, and 47% in the good, intermediate, and poor LIPI groups, respectively (P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis indicated that an intermediate LIPI score (HR = 1.56, P = 0.005) and a poor LIPI score (HR = 2.68, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of poor OS. The findings were similar for PFS. DCR had a significant negative correlation with the LIPI score (P = 0.045). Conclusion: Our results confirmed that a good LIPI score was related to prolonged survival and better response to ICIs in Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC. The LIPI score might be useful for selecting patients most likely to benefit from ICIs treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research aims to explore the efficiency and safety of endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (Micro-ECIRS) composed of micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (Micro-perc) and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) in the Galdakao-modified supine Valdivia (GMSV) position for a single session for the treatment of complex nephrolithiasis in children. Materials and methods: This study retrospectively reviewed patients aged < 18 years who underwent Micro-ECIRS in the GMSV position for renal stones larger than 2 cm under ultrasound guidance between August 2020 to May 2022 at our institution. Results: A total of 13 patients (8 males and 5 females) received Micro-ECIRS for renal stones under ultrasound guidancewhile adopting the GMSV position. The average stone size was 2.7 cm (range: 2.1–3.7 cm). Among them, 6 patients had left kidney stones, 5 patients had right kidney stones, and 2 patients had bilateral kidney stones. The mean operative time was 70.5 min (range: 54–93 min). The mean hospital stay was 6.4 days (range: 4–9 days). The mean hemoglobin decrease was 8.2 g/L (range: 5.1–12.4 g/L). The total number of kidneys that had complete stone clearance was 8 kidneys at 48 h postoperatively, 11 kidneys at 2 weeks postoperatively, and 14 kidneys at 1 month postoperatively. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that Micro-ECIRS while patients are in the GMSV position is a safe and effective method for the treatment of complex children nephrolithiasis. However, all children made three hospital visits and received anesthesia three times. Further research is needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent programmed cell death associated with severe kidney diseases, linked to decreased glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). However, the spatial distribution of renal GPX4-mediated ferroptosis and the molecular events causing GPX4 reduction during ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) remain largely unknown. Using spatial transcriptomics, we identify that GPX4 is situated at the interface of the inner cortex and outer medulla, a hyperactive ferroptosis site post-I/R injury. We further discover OTU deubiquitinase 5 (OTUD5) as a GPX4-binding protein that confers ferroptosis resistance by stabilizing GPX4. During I/R, ferroptosis is induced by mTORC1-mediated autophagy, causing OTUD5 degradation and subsequent GPX4 decay. Functionally, OTUD5 deletion intensifies renal tubular cell ferroptosis and exacerbates acute kidney injury, while AAV-mediated OTUD5 delivery mitigates ferroptosis and promotes renal function recovery from I/R injury. Overall, this study highlights a new autophagy-dependent ferroptosis module: hypoxia/ischemia-induced OTUD5 autophagy triggers GPX4 degradation, offering a potential therapeutic avenue for I/R-related kidney diseases. Understanding the role of GPX4 in cell ferroptosis at the interface of the inner cortex and medulla is crucial in the context of renal injury. Here, the authors demonstrate that the OTUD5 interaction with GPX4 is key in resisting ischemia/reperfusion-induced ferroptosis in renal cells, offering a new strategy for treating acute kidney injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive value of the 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5) for postoperative mortality, delirium and pneumonia in patients over 65 years of age undergoing elective lung cancer surgery. Methods: Data were collected from a single-center retrospective cohort study conducted in a general tertiary hospital from January 2017 to August 2019. In total, the study included 1372 elderly patients aged over 65 who underwent elective lung cancer surgery. They were divided into frail group (mFI-5, 2–5), prefrail group (mFI-5, 1) and robust group (mFI-5, 0) on the basis of mFI-5 classification. The primary outcome was postoperative 1-year all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were postoperative pneumonia and postoperative delirium. Results: Frailty group had the highest incidence of postoperative delirium (frailty 31.2% versus prefrailty 1.6% versus robust 1.5%, p < 0.001), postoperative pneumonia (frailty 23.5% versus prefrailty 7.2% versus robust 7.7%, p < 0.001), and postoperative 1-year mortality (frailty 7.0% versus prefrailty 2.2% versus robust 1.9%. p < 0.001). Frail patients have significantly longer length of hospitalization than those in the robust group and prefrail patients (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed a clear link between frailty and increased risk of postoperative delirium (aOR 2.775, 95% CI 1.776–5.417, p < 0.001), postoperative pneumonia (aOR 3.291, 95% CI 2.169–4.993, p < 0.001) and postoperative 1-year mortality (aOR 3.364, 95% CI, 1.516–7.464, p = 0.003). Conclusions: mFI-5 has potential clinical utility in predicting postoperative death, delirium and pneumonia incidence in elderly patients undergoing radical lung cancer surgery. Frailty screening of patients (mFI-5) may provide benefits in risk stratification, targeted intervention efforts, and assist physicians in clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing eco-friendly chiral organocatalysts with the combined advantages of homogeneous catalysis and heterogeneous processes is greatly desired. In this work, a family of amphiphilic one-handed helical polyisocyanides bearing phosphine pendants is prepared, which self-assembles into well-defined chiral micelles in water and showed thermo-responsiveness with a cloud point of approximately 38.4 °C. The micelles with abundant phosphine moieties at the interior efficiently catalyze asymmetric cross Rauhut-Currier reaction in water. Various water-insoluble substrates are transferred to target products in high yield with excellent enantioselectivity. The yield and enantiomeric excess (ee) of the product generated in water are up to 90% and 96%, respectively. Meanwhile, the yields of the same R-C reaction catalyzed by the polymer itself in organic solvents is <16%, with an ee < 72%. The homogeneous reaction of the chiral micelles in water turns to heterogeneous at temperatures higher than the cloud point, and the catalyst precipitation facilitates product isolation and catalyst recovery. The polymer catalyst is recycled 10 times while maintaining activity and enantioselectivity. Developing eco-friendly chiral organocatalysts with the combined advantages of homogeneous catalysis and heterogeneous processes is challenging. Here, the authors present, a family of amphiphilic one handed helical polyisocyanides bearing phosphine pendants which self-assembled into well-defined chiral micelles in water and show thermo-responsiveness [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gynecological cancers are a leading cause of mortality for women, including ovarian cancer (OC), cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CESC), and uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC). Nevertheless, these gynecological cancer types have not elucidated the role of cuproptosis and the correlated tumor microenvironment (TME) infiltration features. CRGs had important potential molecular functions and prognostic significance in gynecological cancers, especially in UCEC. Hub CRG, FDX1, was correlated with the CD8+ T cell immune infiltration in UCEC and CESC. FDX1 OE could significantly repress the proliferation ability in UCEC cells by MTT, EdU, and clone formation. High levels of FDX1 could repress ATP and lactic acid but enhance ROS and glucose levels by metabolism assay. The xenograft tumor model indicated that FDX1 OE significantly inhibited the growth of UCEC and attenuated the PCNA, HK2, PKM2, and Ki-67 expression. These CRGs are significant roles that could be potential markers and treatment targets to optimize the TME immune cell infiltration features for gynecological cancer types. FDX1 is a hub CRGs in UCEC to promote immune infiltration and attenuate proliferation and metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for infants, we used a medical polymer gel pad to assist ultrasonic positioning, so that the ultrasonic probe could be far away from the shock wave energy field. Although not affecting the ultrasonic positioning and monitoring effect, we discussed the protective effect of this method on the ultrasonic probe. A retrospective analysis was made on 21 infants (0–3 years old) who received ESWL in our hospital from June 2021 to February 2023. After the stones were accurately located by B-ultrasound before surgery, a 4 * 5 * 10 cm medical polymer gel pad was placed between the skin and the ultrasonic probe to keep the ultrasonic probe away from the shock wave energy field. The B-ultrasonic wave source locked the target stone through the gel pad, and the lithotripter Dornier Compact Delta II was used for lithotripsy. The extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was completed under the whole process of B-ultrasonic monitoring. All patients completed the surgery under ultrasound monitoring, and there were no abnormalities in the ultrasound probe during the surgery. The average stone size was 0.60 ± 0.21 cm, the surgical time was 39.8 ± 13.8 min, and the total energy of lithotripsy was 7.41 ± 4.35 J. There were no obvious complications in all patients after the surgery. After 2 weeks of ultrasound examination, the success rate of lithotripsy in 21 patients reached 85.7%. We believe that the use of the gel pad increases the distance between the ultrasonic probe and the skin, leaving the probe away from the shock wave energy field, avoiding the damage of the shock wave source to the ultrasonic probe, and does not affect the monitoring effect of ultrasound on stones and the success rate of lithotripsy, which is worthy of further promotion in the field of children's urinary stones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional remote sensing water identification methods lack texture and shape information extraction, and the previous algorithms lack the versatility of satellite images of different resolutions. Therefore, for the remote sensing image water segmentation task, this paper first collects GF-2 images to establish a remote sensing image water segmentation dataset. PSPNet, Deeplab v3+, and U-Net have achieved good training results on this dataset. Secondly, to further improve the accuracy of water body segmentation, an attention module is introduced in the feature fusion part of the U-Net model to improve the feature fusion efficiency. Among them, a channel-spatial attention module, CBAM, performs the best. The experimental results show that the U-Net model introduced with CBAM has various degrees of improvement in the six evaluation indicators of remote sensing water body segmentation. The IoU and MIoU of CBAM-vgg16-UNet reach 92.66% and 95.91%, respectively. Finally, the experimental results show that the method also performs well on GF-1, GF-6, Landsat8 and EO-1 datasets, verifying the generality of the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the differences and explored the donor/recipient factors between marginal and standard donor heart recipients after heart transplantation (HT) by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). Seventy-two HT patients were enrolled: 25 standard and 47 marginal donor heart recipients. Thirty HT patients completed 2-year continuous follow-up (1, 6, 12, 24 months). Thirty healthy volunteers were controls. STE was used to track the strain characteristics of the left ventricle and atrium for detecting early changes in marginal donor heart recipients, including left ventricular global longitudinal, circumferential and radial strain (LVGLS, LVGCS, LVGRS) and left atrial strain in systole (LAS-S) and late diastole (LAS-A). The perioperative parameters were similar between the standard and marginal groups. No significant differences were found in left heart size, systolic and diastolic function parameters. Left ventricular systolic strain (LVGLS, LVGCS, LVGRS) and systolic and late diastolic left atrial strain (LAS-S, LAS-A) were lower in the HT recipients than the control group (P < 0.05), but there was no difference between the marginal and standard groups (P > 0.05). LVGLS, LVGCS, and LAS-S were low in the marginal group 1 month after surgery but recovered gradually at 6 months. The patients with donor/recipient body weight ratio < 0.8 group had lower LVGLS and LAS-S. STE showed no significant difference between marginal and standard donor recipients. The LVGLS and LAS-S were lower in those with a smaller donor/recipient body weight ratio. The cardiac function of HT patients was lower in the early postoperative period but gradually recovered over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The threshold condition for leakage inception is of great interest to many engineering applications, and it is essential for seal design. In the current study, the leakage threshold is studied by means of a numerical method for a mechanical contact problem between an elastic bi-sinusoidal surface and a rigid flat surface. The coalesce process of the contact patches is first investigated, and a generalized form of solution for the relation between the contact area ratio and the average applied pressure is acquired. The current study shows that the critical value of the average applied pressure and the corresponding contact area required to close the percolation path can be represented as a power law of a shape parameter, if the effect of the hydrostatic load from the pressurized fluid is ignored. With contact patches merged under a constant applied load, the contact breakup process is investigated with elevated sealed fluid pressure condition, and it is shown that the leakage threshold is a function of the excess pressure, which is defined as a ratio between the average applied pressure and the critical pressure under dry contact conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toughened poly(L-lactic acid)/poly(butylene succinate-butylene terephthalate) (PLLA/PBST) blend with enhanced melt strength and excellent low temperature toughness and strength was prepared by melt compounding through in situ compatibilization reaction in presence of multifunctional epoxy compound (ADR). The PLLA/PBST blend was an immiscible system, and the compatibility of the PLLA/PBST blend was improved after adding ADR. FTIR and GPC curves confirmed the formation of the PLLA-g-PBST copolymer, which improved the interfacial bonding of the blend and therefore the PLLA/PBST/ADR blend showed excellent melt strength and mechanical properties. For the PLLA/PBST/ADR blend with 70/30 PLLA/PBST content, the complex viscosity increased significantly with increasing ADR content. Moreover, the tensile strength, elongation at break and impact strength all increased obviously with increasing the ADR content. The elongation at break of the blend reached the maximum value of 392.7%, which was 93.2 times that of neat PLLA. And the impact strength of the blend reached the maximum value of 74.7 kJ/m2, which was 21.3 times that of neat PLLA. Interestingly, the PLLA/PBST/ADR blend exhibited excellent low-temperature toughness and strength. At −20 °C, the elongation at break of the PLLA/PBST/ADR blend was as high as 93.2%, and the impact strength reached 18.8 kJ/m2. Meanwhile, the tensile strength of the blend at low temperature was also high (64.7 MPa), which was beneficial to the application of PLA in the low temperature field. In addition, the PLLA/PBST/ADR blend maintaind good biodegradability, which was of great significance to the wide application of PLLA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to explore the applicability and safety of micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (micro-perc) in the treatment of children with kidney stones in the Galdakao-modified supine Valdivia (GMSV) position under the guidance of whole-course ultrasound. Materials and methods: Patients were aged < 18 years in the GMSV position who underwent micro-perc for kidney stones under ultrasound guidance between August 2020 and May 2022 at our institution were reviewed retrospectively. Results: A total of 23 patients, 15 males and 8 females, received micro-perc. The average stone size was 1.6 cm (range 1.1–2.0 cm). Among them, 12 patients had left kidney stones, 10 patients had right kidney stones, and 1 patient had bilateral kidney stones. The mean operative time was 55.3 min (range 35–86 min). The mean hospital stay was 2.9 days (range 2–4 days). The mean hemoglobin decrease was 1.7 g/L (range 0.9–3.2 g/L). A total of 17 patients had complete stone clearance at 48 h postoperatively. A total of 22 patients had complete stone clearance at 2 weeks postoperatively. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that micro-perc under ultrasound guidance is a safe and effective method for the treatment of children with kidney stones in the GMSV position. Further research is warranted to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In grass, the lemma is a unique floral organ structure that directly determines grain size and yield. Despite a great deal of research on grain enlargement caused by changes in glume cells, the importance of normal development of the glume for normal grain development has been poorly studied. In this study, we investigated a rice spikelet mutant, degenerated lemma (del), which developed florets with a slightly degenerated or rod-like lemma. More importantly, del also showed a significant reduction in grain length and width, seed setting rate, and 1000-grain weight, which led to a reduction in yield. The results indicate that the mutation of the DEL gene further affects rice grain yield. Map-based cloning shows a single-nucleotide substitution from T to A within Os01g0527600/DEL/OsRDR6, causing an amino acid mutation of Leu-34 to His-34 in the del mutant. Compared with the wild type, the expression of DEL in del was significantly reduced, which might be caused by single base substitution. In addition, the expression level of tasiR-ARF in del was lower than that of the wild type. RT-qPCR results show that the expression of some floral organ identity genes was changed, which indicates that the DEL gene regulates lemma development by modulating the expression of these genes. The present results suggest that the normal expression of DEL is necessary for the formation of lemma and the normal development of grain morphology and therefore has an important effect on the yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anti-angiogenic drugs increase anti-tumor efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, the optimal dose of anti-angiogenic drugs remains unclear. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed efficacy and safety data from patients diagnosed with advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that received PD-1 blockade with low-doses of anlotinib, a highly selective receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor mainly targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, as second or later line therapy. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and safety profile. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify prognostic factors. Results: A total of 40 eligible patients were included. The median PFS was 11.4 months. The median OS of the entire cohort was 27.0 months. ORR was achieved in 16 patients (40.0%) and DCR was maintained in 33 patients (82.5%). The overall incidence of adverse events (AEs) was 52.5%, and the most common all grade AE was gastrointestinal reactions, which occurred in four patients (10.0%). Treatment-related grade 3/4 toxicity was observed in one patient (2.5%). Conclusions Low-dose anlotinib may be an effective and well-tolerated anti-angiogenesis partner for combination therapy with ICIs in second-line and later settings for advanced NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sequestrate genus Melanogaster is rich in mainland China. A total of ten taxa are supported by molecular evidence in this study, including five known species, four new species, and one putatively new species (supported by an ITS sequence from ectomycorrhizal root tip). Based on our morphological reexamination of the type or authentic specimens, four species recorded in China, including M. natsii, M. obovatisporus, M. ovoidisporus, and M. ovoidisporus var. angustatisporus, are treated as questionable species. Consequently, four new species, M. minobovatus, M. panzhihuaensis, M. quercicola, and M. tomentellus, are described and illustrated; M. fusisporus var. obovatus is recombined as M. obovatus; both M. spinisporus and M. subglobisporus are epitypified and re-described. A key for Chinese Melanogaster species is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with a reaction–diffusion predator–prey system with a Beddington–DeAngelis functional response and subject to Neumann boundary conditions. The stability criteria and Turing instability conditions of the constant positive steady state of the system are provided. Some prior estimates, conditions to the nonexistence and the existence of non-constant positive steady-state solutions to the system are established and Turing patterns are also explored. The existence of spatially homogeneous and nonhomogeneous Hopf bifurcations of the constant positive equilibrium are discussed. Their achievements provide that the presence of the Beddington–DeAngelis functional response essentially increases the spatiotemporal complexity of the model and also leads to the appearance of Turing instability. Finally, some numerical tests are given to illustrate the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the threat of wildfire increases, it is imperative to enhance the understanding of household evacuation behavior and movements. Mobile GPS data provide a unique opportunity for studying evacuation routing behavior with high ecological validity, but there are little publicly available data. We generated a highway vehicle routing dataset derived from GPS trajectories generated by mobile devices (e.g., smartphones) in Sonoma County, California during the 2019 Kincade Fire that started on October 23, 2019. This dataset contains 21,160 highway vehicle routing records within Sonoma County from October 16, 2019 to November 13, 2019. The quality of the dataset is validated by checking trajectories and average travel speeds. The potential use of this dataset lies in analyzing and modeling evacuee route choice behavior, estimating traffic conditions during the evacuation, and validating wildfire evacuation simulation models. Measurement(s) highway vehicle routing Technology Type(s) GPS location tracking Sample Characteristic - Location Sonoma County, California, USA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) has been proposed as promising biomaterials with the advantages of host accumulation of platelets and leukocytes with entrapment of growth factors and fibrin scaffold. However, limitations including fast resorption rate (~ 2 weeks) restricts its clinical application. Recent studies have demonstrated heating treatment can prolong PRF degradation. Current published articles used the method of 75 °C for 10 min to obtain longer degradation, while few studies investigated the most suitable temperature for heating horizontal PRF. Our present study was to discover and confirm the optimum temperature for heat treatment before obtaining H-PRF gels by investigating their structure, mechanical properties, and bioactivity of the H-PRF gels after heating treatment. Methods: In the present study, 2-mL upper layer of horizontal PRF was collected and heated at 45 °C, 60 °C, 75 °C, and 90 °C to heat 2-mL upper layer of horizontal PRF for 10 min before mixing with the 2-mL lower layer horizontal PRF. The weight, solidification time and the degradation properties were subsequently recorded. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and rheologic tests were carried out to investigate the microstructure and rheologic properties of each H-PRF gel. The biological activity of each H-PRF gel was also evaluated using live/dead staining. Results: H-PRF gel prepared at 75 °C for 10 min had the fast solidification period (over a tenfold increase than control) as well as the best resistance to degradation. The number of living cells in H-PRF gel is greater than 90%. SEM showed that H-PRF gel becomes denser as the heating temperature increases, and rheologic tests also revealed that the heat treatment improved the mechanical properties of H-PRF gels when compared to non-heated control group. Future clinical studies are needed to further support the clinical application of H-PRF gels in tissue regeneration procedures. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that the H-PRF gel obtained at 75 °C for 10 min could produce a uniform, moldable gel with a short time for solidification time, great rheologic behavior and, high percent of live cells in PRF gel. A promising use of the commonly utilized PRF gel was achieved facilitating tissue regeneration and preventing degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sealing surfaces subjected to the hydrostatic load from the sealed fluid can deform to such an extent that leakage occurs when the sealed fluid pressure is sufficiently high, and this critical pressure that the seal can sustain without leakage is a fundamental aspect of the seal design. This paper presents a new numerical method based on the bisection algorithm and the boundary element method, which can be utilized to capture the critical pressure with high accuracy. The present method is employed to study the relationship between the critical pressure and the non-planar geometry of the sealing surfaces, under a wide range of loading conditions. The results show that the critical pressure can be acquired from the surface’s dry contact state with a dimensionless correction factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) can evaluate microvascular perfusion abnormalities, its prognostic value is uncertain in acute anterior wall ST-Segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with successful epicardial recanalization. Therefore, the study aims to investigate the prognostic role of qualitative and quantitative MCE in acute anterior wall STEMI with successful epicardial recanalization. 153 STEMI patients were assessed by MCE within 7 days after successful epicardial recanalization. Qualitative perfusion parameters (microvascular perfusion score index, MPSI) and quantitative perfusion parameters (A, β, and Aβ) were acquired using a 17-segment model. And corrected A and Aβ were calculated. Patients were all followed for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). During median follow-up of 27 (4) months, 39 (25.49%) patients experienced MACEs, while 114 (74.51%) were free from MACEs. Patients with MACEs had higher MPSI (1.65 ± 0.13 vs. No-MACEs 1.35 ± 0.20, P < 0.001), lower β (1.09 ± 0.19 s−1 vs. No-MACEs 1.34 ± 0.30 s−1, P < 0.001), corrected A (0.17 ± 0.03 dB vs. No-MACEs 0.19 ± 0.04 dB, P = 0.039) and lower corrected Aβ (0.19 ± 0.06 dB/s vs. No-MACEs 0.25 ± 0.08 dB/s, P < 0.001). MPSI of 1.44 provided an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.872, while β of 1.18 s−1 and corrected Aβ of 0.22 dB/s provided AUCs of 0.759 and 0.724, respectively. The combination of MPSI, β and corrected Aβ provided an increased AUC of 0.964 (all P < 0.05). Time-dependent ROC analysis showed that the AUCs of the MPSI, β, corrected Aβ and the combination at 1, 1.5 and 2 years indicated a strong predictive power for MACEs (AUC = 0.900/0.894/0.881 for MPSI, 0.648/0.704/0.732 for β, 0.674/0.686/0.722 for corrected Aβ, and 0.947/0.962/0.967 for the combination, respectively). Patients with MPSI < 1.44, β > 1.18 s−1, or corrected Aβ > 0.22 dB/s had lower event rate (all Log Rank P ≤ 0.001). MPSI, β, corrected Aβ, GLS and WBC were independent predictors of MACEs with adjusted hazard ratio of 34.41 (8.18–144.87), P < 0.001 for MPSI; 39.29 (27.46–65.44), P < 0.001 for β; 8.93 (1.46–54.55), P = 0.018 for corrected Aβ; 10.88 (2.83–41.86), P = 0.001 for GLS; and 1.43 (1.16–1.75), P = 0.001 for WBC. Qualitative and quantitative MCE can accurately predict MACEs in acute anterior wall STEMI with successful epicardial recanalization, and their combined predictive value is higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: LY2963016 insulin glargine (LY IGlar), a biosimilar of Lantus® insulin glargine (IGlar), demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety versus the reference product in Chinese patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in the randomized, phase III ABES trial. This post hoc analysis aimed to provide the first evidence for switching from IGlar to LY IGlar in Chinese patients with T1DM. Methods: This analysis included 210/272 patients with T1DM (77.2%) from the ABES trial who were receiving IGlar at screening. We compared antihyperglycemic efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity in patients randomized to LY IGlar (n = 104) versus those who continued to receive IGlar (n = 106). Results: There was no significant difference between groups in least-squares mean (LSMean) change in HbA1c from baseline to 24 weeks (LY IGlar − 0.10%, IGlar − 0.08%; LSMean difference [95% confidence interval] − 0.02% [− 0.24, 0.19]). At 24 weeks (last observation carried forward), a similar proportion of patients in each group achieved glycated hemoglobin less than 7.0% (LY IGlar 26.5%, IGlar 32.1%; P = 0.447) and 6.5% or less (LY IGlar 16.7%, IGlar 20.8%; P = 0.482). There were no significant differences between groups in LSMean of self-monitored blood glucose values, or total or basal insulin dose at 24 weeks. Patients in the LY IGlar and IGlar groups had a similar incidence of total hypoglycemia (blood glucose level 70 mg/dL or less, 91.4% vs. 92.5%) and treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs; 75.0% vs. 67.0%), and a low and similar incidence of serious AEs, injection site AEs, and allergic AEs. Similar proportions of patients in the LY IGlar and IGlar groups had treatment-emergent antibody responses (LY IGlar 27.2%, IGlar 28.3%) and detectable insulin antibodies (LY IGlar 52.4%, IGlar 53.8%). Conclusion: In Chinese patients with T1DM previously treated with IGlar, switching to LY IGlar for 24 weeks resulted in similar efficacy and safety outcomes as remaining on IGlar therapy. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT03338023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initiation and propagation of thermal fatigue cracks in gray cast iron and vemicular graphite cast iron were investigated by Uddeholm method to reveal the complex thermal fatigue behaviors of cast iron. Differences of thermal fatigue behaviors of gray cast iron and vemicular graphite cast iron were observed and analyzed. It is found that the observed differences are related to the combination of graphite morphology and the oxidization of matrix. More oxidized matrix is observed in gray cast iron due to its large specific surface area. The brittle oxidized matrix facilitates the propagation of microcracks along the oxidization layer. By contrast, the radial microcracks are formed in vermicular graphite at the edge of graphite due to fewer oxidization layers. It indicates that the thermal fatigue resistance of gray cast iron is dominated by graphite content and morphology while that of vermicular graphite cast iron strongly relates to the strength of the matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During brain development, neural stem cells (NSCs) undergo multiple fate-switches to generate various neuronal subtypes and glial cells, exhibiting distinct transcriptomic profiles at different stages. However, full-length transcriptomic datasets of NSCs across different neurodevelopmental stages under similar experimental settings are lacking, which is essential for uncovering stage-specific transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms underlying the fate commitment of NSCs. Here, we report the full-length transcriptome of mouse NSCs at five different stages during embryonic and postnatal development. We used fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) to isolate CD133+Blbp+ NSCs from C57BL/6 transgenic mice that express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the control of a Blbp promoter. By integrating short- and long-read full-length RNA-seq, we created a transcriptomic dataset of gene and isoform expression profiles in NSCs at embryonic days 15.5, 17.5, and postnatal days 1.5, 8, and 60. This dataset provides a detailed characterization of full-length transcripts in NSCs at distinct developmental stages, which could be used as a resource for the neuroscience community to study NSC fate determination, neural development, and disease. Measurement(s) transcriptomic datasets of neural stem cells Technology Type(s) Next-Generation Sequencing(NGS) • third-generation full-length sequencing(TGS) Sample Characteristic - Organism Mus musculus Sample Characteristic - Environment laboratory facility Sample Characteristic - Location China [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers a reaction–diffusion predator–prey model with schooling behavior both in predator and prey species and subject to the homogeneous Neumann boundary condition on a square domain. With the help of the standard linearized analysis, the spatially homogeneous Hopf bifurcation curve and the Turing bifurcation curve of the unique constant positive steady state are obtained. These curves divide the existence domain of the constant positive steady state of the model into the stable, the Hopf unstable, the Turing unstable and the Hopf–Turing unstable regions. When the parameters are in the Turing unstable domain and near the Turing bifurcation curve, by applying the multiple-scale analysis and the successive approximations, the amplitude equations of the system near the constant steady state are derived. Meanwhile, the classification and stability of the patterns of the system are presented in terms of the existence and stability of the stationary solutions of the derived amplitude equations. Numerical simulations show that the presented model can exhibit complicated dynamical behaviors and may help us better understand the interaction between two species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Niujuan-Yingfang Pb-Zn-Ag deposit in northern North China Craton (NCC) is hosted at the contact zone between Permian biotite monzogranite and Hongqiyingzi Group migmatitic gneiss. The orebodies are structurally controlled by NE-trending F1 fault. Mineralization can be divided into three stages: (1) siliceous-chlorite-pyrite stage, (2) quartz-Ag-base metal stage, and (3) fluoritecalcite stage. Four types of fluid inclusions were identified, including: (1) liquid-rich aqueous inclusions, (2) vapor-rich inclusions, (3) liquid-rich, solid-bearing inclusions, and (4) CO2-bearing inclusions. Microthermometric measurements reveal that from stage I to III, the homogenization temperatures range from 317 to 262 °C, from 297 to 192 °C, and from 248 to 151 °C, respectively, and the fluid salinities are in the ranges from 1.1 wt.% to 6.5 wt.%, 1.2 wt.% to 6.0 wt.% and 0.7 wt.% to 4.0 wt.% NaCl equivalents, respectively. Fluid boiling and cooling are the two important mechanisms for ore precipitation according to microthermometric data, and fluid-rock interaction is also indispensable. Laser Raman spectroscopic analyses indicate the fluid system of the deposit is composed of CO2-NaCl-H2O±N2. Metallogenic fluorites yielded a Sm-Nd isochron age of 158±35 Ma. The δ34SV-CDT values of sulfides range from −1.3‰ to 6.3‰, suggesting that the sulfur may be inherited from the basement metamorphic igneous rocks. Hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions of quartz indicate a metamorphic origin for the ore-forming fluid, and the proportion of meteoric water increased during the ore-forming processes. Sr-Nd isotopes of fluorites show a crustal source for the ore-forming fluid, with primary metamorphic fluid mixed with meteoric water during ascent to lower crustal levels. Combined with the geological, metallogenic epoch, fluid inclusions, H-O-S and Sr-Nd isotopes characteristics of the deposit, we suggest that the Niujuan-Yingfang deposit belongs to the medium-low temperature hydrothermal vein-type Pb-Zn-Ag polymetallic deposit, with ore-forming fluids dominantly originated from metamorphic fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liver metastasis is an indicator of unfavorable responses to immunotherapy in colorectal cancer patients. However, the difference of immune microenvironment between primary tumors and liver metastases has not been well understood. Patients and Methods: Fifty-four colon cancer with liver metastasis patients who received resection of both primary and metastasis lesions have been analyzed. The immune score is based on the density of infiltrating immune cells (CD3+ cell, CD8+ cell, CD11b+ cell, CD11c+ cell, and CD33+ cell) in the center and margin of the tumor. The expression of immune markers between the primary tumor and hepatic metastases was analyzed using Wilcoxon's signed rank test. Results: All the five markers had higher expression in tumor margins than center tumor in both primary tumor and hepatic metastases lesions. The expression of CD11c and CD11b had no difference between metastatic lesions and primary tumor. In tumor margins, except CD11b, all the other 4 markers expressed significantly higher in hepatic metastases than in primary tumor. Intra-tumor, CD3 had higher expression in primary tumor than in hepatic metastases, while CD33 had higher expression in hepatic metastases than in primary tumor. CD8+ CD3+ cells of the total CD8+ cell population in primary tumor was significantly higher than in hepatic metastases (36.42% vs. 24.88%, p = 0.0069). Conclusions: The immune microenvironment between primary tumor and hepatic metastasis is different. More immunosuppressing cells in liver may partially explain why immunotherapy in colon cancer is less effective with liver metastatic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an effective therapy for motor deficits in Parkinson's disease (PD), but commonly causes weight gain in late-phase PD patients probably by increasing feeding motivation. It is unclear how STN neurons represent and modulate feeding behavior in different internal states. In the present study, we found that feeding caused a robust activation of STN neurons in mice (GCaMP6 signal increased by 48.4% ± 7.2%, n = 9, P = 0.0003), and the extent varied with the size, valence, and palatability of food, but not with the repetition of feeding. Interestingly, energy deprivation increased the spontaneous firing rate (8.5 ± 1.5 Hz, n = 17, versus 4.7 ± 0.7 Hz, n = 18, P = 0.03) and the depolarization-induced spikes in STN neurons, as well as enhanced the STN responses to feeding. Optogenetic experiments revealed that stimulation and inhibition of STN neurons respectively reduced (by 11% ± 6%, n = 6, P = 0.02) and enhanced (by 36% ± 15%, n = 7, P = 0.03) food intake only in the dark phase. In conclusion, our results support the hypothesis that STN neurons are activated by feeding behavior, depending on energy homeostatic status and the palatability of food, and modulation of these neurons is sufficient to regulate food intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: For men with a suspicion of prostate cancer (PCa), the transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy (TRUS-Bx) was recommended. Multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) could be more useful to more accurately selected patients who are with a clinical suspicion of PCa and eligible for biopsy, and avoid a biopsy if the result was negative. In the present study, we compared the MRI-targeted biopsy (MRI-TBx) with TRUS-Bx. Methods: We searched the following online database: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and the search was updated to March 2019. Results: Finally, a total of 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comprising 2593 patients were enrolled in the final analysis. MRI-TBx and TRUS-Bx did not significantly differ in overall PCa (RR = 1.30; 95% CI 0.98–1.72; P = 0.067), clinically significant PCa (RR = 1.35; 95% CI 0.98–1.86; P = 0.065), and clinically insignificant PCa (RR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.40–1.46; P = 0.416). While in patients with initial biopsy, MRI-TBx had a significantly higher detection rate of overall PCa (RR = 1.40; 95% CI 1.01–1.94; P = 0.045). Conclusion: In the present study, we found that MRI-TBx potentially benefits the detection of overall and clinically significant PCa compared with TRUS-Bx in patients with a suspicion of PCa. Furthermore, in patients with initial biopsy, MRI-TBx had a significantly higher detection rate of overall PCa and a potentially higher detection rate of clinically significant PCa. While for patients with prior negative biopsy, we did not detect significant differences in overall and clinically significant PCa between two groups. More large and multicenter RCTs are further required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Open surgery remains the preferred surgical treatment of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), while the role of minimally invasive adrenalectomy surgery (MIS) in ACC is still controversial. The present study was conducted to compare MIS with open adrenalectomy (OA) in ACC. Methods: The Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases were comprehensively searched. The weighted mean difference (WMD), relative risk (RR), and hazard ratio (HR) were pooled. Results: A total of 15 studies incorporating 2207 patients were included in the present study. MIS approaches were likely to have a comparable operation time (WMD − 17.77; p = 0.150) and postoperative complications (RR 0.74; p = 0.091) compared with OA, and were significantly associated with less blood loss (WMD − 1761.96; p = 0.016) and shorter length of stay (WMD − 2.96; p < 0.001). MIS approaches were also more likely to have an earlier recurrence (WMD − 8.42; p = 0.048) and more positive surgical margin (RR 1.56; p = 0.018) and peritoneal recurrence (RR 2.63; p < 0.001), while the overall recurrence (RR 1.07; p = 0.559) and local recurrence (RR 1.33; p = 0.160) were comparable between the two groups. Furthermore, surgical approaches did not differ in overall survival (HR 0.97; p = 0.801), cancer-specific survival (HR 1.04; p = 0.869), and recurrence/disease-free survival (HR 0.96; p = 0.791). Conclusions: In the present study, MIS approaches were likely to have a better recovery. Although MIS approaches were associated with earlier recurrence and more positive surgical margin and peritoneal recurrence, no significant differences in survival outcomes were found. OA should still be considered as the standard treatment, but MIS approaches could be offered for selected ACC cases, and performed by surgeons with appropriate laparoscopic expertise, ensuring an improved survival for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Directionally solidified porous copper is considered as a potential candidate in the field of microchannel heat sinks. By the Bridgman-type directional solidification method, a porous copper ingot was fabricated. Evolution of the porosity, pore number density, average pore diameter and average interpore spacing at different ingot heights was investigated. The results show that with the increase of ingot height, the porosity firstly increases and then basically remains unchanged from the ignot height of 65 mm; the pore number density rapidly decreases at first, and the decreasing speed becomes slower when the ignot height higher than 85 mm; the average pore diameter increases and then remains unchanged from the ingot height of 85 mm; the average interpore spacing increases, and the increasing speed of average interpore spacing becomes slower with the increase of height to higher than 85 mm. In order to study the evolution of diameter and spatial distribution of pores, the distribution ranges of pore diameter, nearest-neighbor distance and radial cumulative pore number were analyzed. As the ingot height increases, the distribution ranges of pore diameter and nearest-neighbor distance firstly increase and then tend to be stable. There are no pore clusters and for long distance, the spatial distribution of pores is uniform at different ingot heights. Pore structure and 3D pore morphology of porous copper were observed with the help of light illumination and X-ray tomography. Pore nucleation, pore interruption, pore coalescence, diameter change of pores and lateral displacement of pores were found to exist in the pore structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the performance of plaster molds for investment casting, a diverse content of glass fiber and polypropylene (PP) fiber was incorporated into the slurry for the preparation of a fiber-reinforced mold. The green and fired bending strengths, thermal expansion properties, permeability, and thermal shock resistance of the mold were examined, and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) was applied for the observation of fracture morphology. With appropriate content, the introduction of glass fiber was proved to increase the green bending strength and fired bending strength, restrain the thermal expansion and improve the thermal shock resistance of the mold, while the polypropylene fiber added was able to raise the green bending strength and the permeability, reduce the thermal expansion and heighten the thermal shock resistance as well, though the fired bending strength would be weakened slightly. Evenly distributed fibers were capable of enhancing the mechanical properties of the matrix, but agglomerations and bundles of fibers resulting from excessive addition had a negative impact. Meanwhile, it was also manifested that micropores left by ablative polypropylene fibers could improve the permeability and reduce the thermal expansion of the mold, and the fired bending strength would be decreased slightly by the deterioration of continuous structure. Three different ratios of hybrid fiber were employed in plaster molds, which can meet altered requirement of castings. The samples modified with hybrid fiber possessed lower thermal deformation, higher air permeability, and better resistance of thermal shock, while the mechanical strength was equal to the fiber free sample or slightly increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gut microbiota is crucial in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the metabolism of T2DM patients is not well-understood. We aimed to identify the differences on composition and function of gut microbiota between T2DM patients with obesity and healthy people. In this study, 6 T2DM patients with obesity and 6 healthy volunteers were recruited, and metagenomic approach and bioinformatics analysis methods were used to understand the composition of the gut microbiota and the metabolic network. We found a decrease in the abundance of Firmicutes, Oribacterium, and Paenibacillus; this may be attributed to a possible mechanism and biological basis of T2DM; moreover, we identified three critical bacterial taxa, Bacteroides plebeius, Phascolarctobacterium sp. CAG207, and the order Acidaminococcales that can potentially be used for T2DM treatment. We also revealed the composition of the microbiota through functional annotation based on multiple databases and found that carbohydrate metabolism contributed greatly to the pathogenesis of T2DM. This study helps in elucidating the different metabolic roles of microbes in T2DM patients with obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the detail type of chromosomal polymorphisms (1/9/16qh+/−, D/G group polymorphisms, and inv(9)) on the IVF-ET outcomes. Methods: A total of 1335 infertile couples undergoing IVF/ICSI were enrolled and comprehensively analyzed the correlation between three detail types of chromosomal polymorphisms (1/9/16qh+/−, D/G group polymorphisms, and inv(9)) and the outcome of IVF/ICSI embryo transfer. The fertilized rate, cleaved embryo rate, good-quality embryo rate, clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, and early stage miscarriage rate were compared between the chromosomal polymorphisms groups and the control group. Results: Both the inv(9) and D/G group chromosomal polymorphisms related to female infertility significantly lead to a lower 2PN cleavage rate (86.44% vs. 97.58% and 90.67% vs. 97.58%, respectively, P < 0.05) undergoing IVF insemination, the inv(9) adversely increasing the early miscarriage rate, either undergoing IVF (21.4% vs. 3.0%, P < 0.05) or ICSI (50.0% vs. 2.0%, P < 0.05) insemination, female carriers (23.08% vs. 2.87%, P < 0.05) or male carriers (44.44% vs. 2.87%, P < 0.05). For D/G groups, ICSI insemination may increase the implantation rate (44.8% vs. 23.69%, P < 0.05) and clinical pregnancy rate (78.6% vs. 40.65%, P < 0.05). 1/9/16qh+/− had no apparent adverse effect on the patient's clinical outcomes. Conclusions: Our study suggests that chromosome karyotype analysis is necessary for IVF patients in clinical practice; we should afford individual genetic counseling suggestion according to the polymorphism types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new theoretical model of gray cast iron taking into account a locally interconnected structure of flake graphite was designed, and the corresponding effective thermal conductivity was calculated using the thermal resistance network method. The calculated results are obviously higher than that of the effective medium approximation assuming that graphite is distributed in isolation. It is suggested that the interconnected structure significantly enhances the overall thermal conductivity. Moreover, it is shown that high anisotropy of graphite thermal conductivity, high volume fraction of graphite, and small aspect ratio of flake graphite will cause the connectivity effects of graphite to more obviously improve the overall thermal conductivity. Higher graphite volume fraction, lower aspect ratio and higher matrix thermal conductivity are beneficial to obtain a high thermal conductivity gray cast iron. This work can provide guidance and reference for the development of high thermal conductivity gray cast iron and the design of high thermal conductivity composites with similar locally interconnected structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]