Search

Single degradation systems based on dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBDP) or persulfate (PS) oxidation cannot achieve the desired goals (high degradation efficiency, high mineralization rate and low product toxicity) of degrading atrazine (ATZ) in river sediment. In this study, DBDP was combined with a PS oxidation system (DBDP/PS synergistic system) to degrade ATZ in river sediment. A Box–Behnken design (BBD) design including five factors (discharge voltage, air flow, initial concentration, oxidizer dose and activator dose) and three levels (-1, 0 and 1) was established to test a mathematical model by response surface methodology (RSM). The results confirmed that the degradation efficiency of ATZ in river sediment was 96.5% in the DBDP/PS synergistic system after 10 min of degradation. The experimental total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency results proved that 85.3% of ATZ is mineralized into CO2, H2O and NH4+, which effectively reduces the possible biological toxicity of the intermediate products. Active species (sulfate (SO4•−), hydroxy (•OH) and superoxide (•O2−) radicals) were found to exert positive effects in the DBDP/PS synergistic system and illustrated the degradation mechanism of ATZ. The ATZ degradation pathway, composed of 7 main intermediates, was clarified by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This study indicates that the DBDP/PS synergistic system is a highly efficient, environmentally friendly, novel method for the remediation of river sediment containing ATZ pollution.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a worldwide problem with high morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis of congenital heart disease is still a challenge in clinical work. In recent years, few studies indicated that placental methylation may be predictors of CHD. More studies are needed to confirm the association between placental methylation and CHD. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between prenatal placental DNA methylation and CHD. Placental tissues were obtained from four fetuses during the second trimester with isolated, non-syndromic congenital heart disease, including three cases with double outlet right ventricle (DORV) and one case with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), and four unaffected fetuses as controls. The Illumina Infinium Human Methylation 850K BeadChip assay was employed to identify differential methylation sites (DMSs) and differential methylation regions (DMRs). Differential methylation was evaluated by comparing the β-values for individual CpG loci in cases vs. controls. In addition, the function of genes was assessed through KEGG enrichment analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and KEGG pathway analysis. Compared with the control group, we identified 9625 differential methylation genes on 26,202 DMSs (p 0.05), of which 6997 were hyper-methylation and 2628 were hypo-methylation. The top 30 terms of GO biological process and KEGG enrichment analysis of DMSs were connected with multiple important pathways of heart development and disease. Ten differentially methylated regions and the genes related to DMRs, such as TLL1, CRABP1, FDFT1, and PCK2, were identified. The deformity caused by the loss of function of these genes is remarkably consistent with the clinical phenotype of our cases. The DNA methylation level of placental tissue is closely associated with fetal congenital heart disease.

Degradation of methylene blue is a critical procedure in its wastewater remediation, thus has inspired wide catalysis research with semiconductors such as Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and rare metals such as gold (Au). In this study we report bacterial cells assisting biosynthesis for Au@TiO2 as an efficient catalyst for the degradation of methylene blue. Multiple complementary characterization for bio-Aux@TiO2 evidenced the evenly distributed Au NPs on the bio-TiO2 layers. Meanwhile, bio-Au2@TiO2 displayed the superior catalytic activity in the degradation of methylene blue with the highest k value of 0.195 min-1. The origin of the catalytic activity was explored by the hydroxyl radical fluorescence quantitative analysis. In the bio-Au2@TiO2 catalytic system, Au NPs decreased the band gap energy of TiO2, increased charge separation between the excited (h+)–(e-) pairs, enabling the generation of a large amount of photogeneration hydroxyl radicals, resulting in an enhanced photocatalytic activity. Our microbial synthesized bio-TiO2 and bio-Aux@TiO2 study would be useful for developing green synthesis catalyst technologies.

Anti-reflux mucosectomy (ARMS) is a choice for proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-dependent patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We present an extended anti-reflux mucosectomy, named ligation-assisted anti-reflux mucosectomy (L-ARMS). The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of the procedure and short-term outcomes on PPI use and symptom resolution.Institutional review board approval was obtained for retrospective review of a prospectively collected database including patients who underwent L-ARMS. L-ARMS includes mucosa ligation and endoscopic mucosectomy without submucosal injection around the squamocolumnar junction. The GERD symptoms, endoscopy, 24-h pH monitoring results, and manometry were collected by chart review. Voluntary validated surveys assessed symptomatic improvement over time.There were 69 patients available for review. The procedure was technically completed in all cases with no severe complications, and the average operation time was 33 min. At 6 months after L-ARMS, treatment with PPIs had been halted in 55.1% of the patients, 30.4% of the enrolled patients used PPIs occasionally, and the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, DeMeester scores, and GERD-health-related quality of life questionnaire (GERD-HRQL) scores showed a significant improvement compared with the baseline measurements (P 0.001). Forty-five patients complained of mild dysphagia and were relieved in 4 weeks with no specific treatment. Compared to patients without dysphagia, patients complained of dysphagia after surgery had better clinical benefits indicated by GERD-HRQL and DeMeester score.As a modified ARMS, L-ARMS is an effective procedure for controlling GERD symptoms, esophageal acid exposure, and LES pressure, which can be safely performed endoscopically in a time-saving and simple manner.

To develop high-efficiency antibiotic adsorbents, β-cyclodextrin and dopamine hydrochloride were used to modify graphene oxide to prepare a new type of ternary composite material (β-cyclodextrin/dopamine hydrochloride-graphene oxide, CD-DGO). The material was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier infrared spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, and specific surface area optical analysis. Two typical sulfonamides antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, sulfadiazine) adsorption capacity were evaluated in terms of the dosage of composite materials, the ratio of each component, and the pH of the solution. We analyzed the adsorption characteristics via adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms, and then investigated the stability of the adsorbent through desorption and regeneration of the adsorbent. The results show that the adsorption effect of sulfonamides antibiotics is best at pH = 2; the adsorption kinetics conform to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the adsorption equilibrium follows the Langmuir adsorption isotherm; the maximum adsorption capacity of CD-DGO for sulfamethoxazole and sulfadiazine is 144 mg·g

Urban trees, especially their leaves, have the potential to capture atmospheric particulate matter (PM) and improve air quality. However, the amount of PM deposited on leaf surfaces detected by different methods varies greatly, and quantitative understanding of the relationship between PM retention capacity and various microstructures of leaf surfaces is still limited. In this study, three measurement methods, including the leaf washing (LW) method, aerosol regeneration (AR) method, and scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) method, were used to determine the PM retention capacity of leaf surfaces of three coniferous species. Additionally, we analyzed the leaf traits and elemental composition of PM on leaves collected from different sites. The results showed that Pinus tabulaeformis and Abies holophylla were more efficient species in capturing PM than Juniperus chinensis, but different measurement methods could affect the detected results of PM accumulation on leaf surfaces. The concentrations of trace elements accumulated on leaf surfaces differed considerably between different sites. The greatest accumulation of elements that occurred on the leaf surface was at the Shenfu Highway site exposed to high PM pollution levels and the smallest accumulation at the Dongling park site. The stomatal density and contact angle were highly correlated with the PM retention capacity of leaf surfaces of the tested species (Pearson coefficient: r = 0.87, p 0.01 and r = - 0.70, p 0.05), while the roughness and groove width were not significantly correlated (Pearson coefficient: r = 0.16 and r = - 0.03). This study suggests that a methodological standardization for measuring PM is urgently required and this could contribute to selecting greening tree species with high air purification capacity.

Diet can impact on gut health and disease by modulating intestinal stem cells (ISCs). However, it is largely unknown if and how the ISC niche responds to diet and influences ISC function. Here, we demonstrate that Lepr(+) mesenchymal cells (MCs) surrounding intestinal crypts sense diet change and provide a novel niche signal to maintain ISC and progenitor cell proliferation. The abundance of these MCs increases upon administration of a high-fat diet (HFD) but dramatically decreases upon fasting. Depletion of Lepr(+) MCs resulted in fewer intestinal stem/progenitor cells, compromised the architecture of crypt–villus axis and impaired intestinal regeneration. Furthermore, we showed that IGF1 secreted by Lepr(+) MCs is an important effector that promotes proliferation of ISCs and progenitor cells in the intestinal crypt. We conclude that Lepr(+) MCs sense diet alterations and, in turn, modulate intestinal stem/progenitor cell function via a stromal IGF1–epithelial IGF1R axis. These findings reveal that Lepr(+) MCs are important mediators linking systemic diet changes to local ISC function and might serve as a novel therapeutic target for gut diseases.

Cholangiocytes play a crucial role in bile formation. Cholangiocyte injury causes cholestasis, including primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). However, the etiology of PBC remains unclear despite being characterized as an autoimmune disease. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), fluorescence-activated-cell-sorting, multiplex immunofluorescence (IF) and RNAscope analyses, we identified unique DUOX2+ACE2+ small cholangiocytes in human and mouse livers. Their selective decrease in PBC patients was associated with the severity of disease. Moreover, proteomics, scRNA-seq, and qPCR analyses indicated that polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) was highly expressed in DUOX2+ACE2+ cholangiocytes. Serum anti-pIgR autoantibody levels were significantly increased in PBC patients, regardless of positive and negative AMA-M2. Spatial transcriptomics and multiplex IF revealed that CD27+ memory B and plasma cells accumulated in the hepatic portal tracts of PBC patients. Collectively, DUOX2+ACE2+ small cholangiocytes are pathogenic targets in PBC, and preservation of DUOX2+ACE2+ cholangiocytes and targeting anti-pIgR autoantibodies may be valuable strategies for therapeutic interventions in PBC.

Objective Current studies have suggested that fetal congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are caused by various factors. However, few data in this field is available in China. This study aimed to detect associated factors of prenatally diagnosed fetal CHD in a large sample in China. Study design Pregnant women who underwent fetal echocardiography were recruited in our hospital between May 2018 and September 2019. The maternal sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics and some fetal factors were obtained. We used forward stepwise logistic regression analysis to assess risk of fetal CHD associated with various factors. Results A total of 5024 subjects were enrolled, of whom 875 had CHD fetuses. Among the fetal CHD group (N = 875), critical CHDs account for 27%, of which Tetralogy of Fallot is the most (7.1%), followed by coarctation of aorta (4.0%), double-outlet right ventricle (2.9%). The forward stepwise logistic regression models revealed that history of spontaneous abortion (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.33–1.91, P = 0.000), upper respiratory tract infection during early pregnancy (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.04–1.62, P = 0.020), mental stress during early pregnancy (OR = 2.37, 95% CI 1.15–4.91, P = 0.020), single umbilical artery (OR = 2.30, 95% CI 1.18–4.51, P = 0.015), and paternal smoking (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.02–1.44, P = 0.027) are positively associated with an increased risk of fetal CHD. Conclusion We identified several factors positively associated with fetal CHD. These findings suggest that it is important to strengthen healthcare and prenatal counseling for women with these factors.

Biological cell membranes can efficiently switch Na+/K+ selectivity in response to external stimuli, but achieving analogous functions in a single artificial membrane is challenging. Here, we report highly crystalline covalent organic framework (COF) membranes with well-defined nanochannels and coordinative sites (i. e., amino acid) that act as ion-selective switches to manipulate Na+ and K+ transport. The ion selectivity of the COF membrane is dynamic and can be switched between K+-selective and Na+-selective in a single membrane by applying a pH stimulus. The experimental results combined with molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the switchable Na+/K+ selectivity originates from the differentiated coordination interactions between ions and amino acids. Benefiting from the switchable Na+/K+ selectivity, we further demonstrate the membrane potential switches by varying electrolyte pH, miming the membrane polarity reversal during neural signal transduction in vivo, suggesting the great potential of these membranes for in vitro biomimetic applications.

Introduction Functional dyspepsia (FD) is diagnosed based on self-reported symptoms and negative upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings. The Rome criteria were not adopted as a diagnostic instrument in clinical guidelines due to their complexity. Different guidelines used relatively simple symptom assessment schemes with contents that vary significantly. A previously evaluated short Reference Standard may serve as a more standardised tool for guidelines. We evaluated its diagnostic accuracy against the Rome IV criteria in a cross-sectional study in Hong Kong. Methods A total of 220 dyspeptic patients sampled consecutively from a tertiary hospital and the community completed the Rome IV diagnostic questionnaire, which was translated into Cantonese-Chinese, and the Reference Standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs), and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated. Results Among the participants, 160 (72.7%) fulfilled the Reference Standard with negative upper gastrointestinal endoscopic results. The Reference Standard identified patients with Rome IV-defined FD with 91.1% (95% CI 82.6%–96.4%) sensitivity and 37.6% (95% CI 29.6%–46.1%) specificity. The positive and negative LRs were 1.46 (95% CI 1.26–1.69) and 0.24 (95% CI 0.11–0.49), respectively. The AUC value was 0.64 (95% CI 0.59–0.69). Conclusions The Reference Standard can rule out patients without Rome IV-defined FD. It may be used as an initial screening tool for FD in settings where the use of the Rome IV criteria is impractical. It may also provide a uniform definition and diagnostic rule for future updates of clinical guidelines.

Twiddler’s syndrome (TS) is a hardware-related complication of deep brain stimulation which has not been well documented and is probably underreported. The objective of this study is to comprehensively describe TS by systematically reviewing the related literature. The methods include selecting the eligible studies based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data about studies and TS were collected. A descriptive statistical analysis of the extracted data was performed. We found 18 eligible studies describing 23 patients with TS. The mean age of the 23 patients was 61.4 ± 15.9 years (range, 16–79 years.). The percentage of TS in the female population was 91.3% (females: 21/23). The incidence of postoperative TS was 1.4% (6 out of 437) per patient and 1.1% (8 out of 709) per extension wire. The mean time to clinical presentation was 9.9 ± 10.3 months (range, 0.5–36 months). Nineteen of the twenty-three patients presented with a rebound of previous symptoms. Twelve of the twenty-three patients had high impedance at the postoperative checkup of the DBS system. A plain X-ray indicated twisted extension wires in almost all these patients. All patients meeting the definition of postoperative device-related TS underwent revision surgery. TS is more prevalent in females. Based on the typical clinical symptoms (rebound of the previous symptoms, high impedance, and X-ray demonstration), the differential diagnosis can often be straightforward. TS should thus be taken into consideration when attempting to explain or rule out hardware malfunction. The timely recognition and proper revision of TS can prevent further serious damage.

Polypyrrole nanotube/ferrocene-modified graphene oxide composites (PNT/GO-Fc, PNT/GO-Fc-GO, PNT/GO-EDA-Fc and PNT/GO-EDA-Fc-EDA-GO) were fabricated via in situ chemical oxidative polymerization. The prepared composites were characterized by FTIR, XRD, XPS, Raman, TGA, SEM, TEM and EDS. The electromagnetic interference shielding performance of the prepared composites was evaluated by a coaxial method within the frequency range of 1.0–4.5 GHz. The results demonstrated that the composite of PNT/GO-EDA-Fc-EDA-GO-7:1 exhibited the best electromagnetic interference shielding property with 28.73 dB (at the frequency of 1.0175 GHz with the thickness of 3.0 mm) of total shielding effectiveness by adding 50 wt% of the composite in the paraffin matrix. And the composite of PNT/GO-EDA-Fc-EDA-GO-7:1 exhibited good conductivity with a value of 1.320 S/cm. The relationship between the conductivities of prepared samples and the EMI shielding performance was investigated.

To investigate the biological functions and the molecular mechanisms of PTTG1 in PDGF-BB-induced ASMCs. QPCR and western blotting were used to detect PTTG1 levels in PDGF-BB-induced ASMCs. MTT, BrdU incorporation, cell apoptosis and cell invasion assays were performed to evaluate the effect of PTTG1 on cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis, respectively. Western blotting was also used to assess the extracellular matrix and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway components in PDGF-BB-induced ASMCs. PTTG1 was highly expressed in PDGF-BB-induced ASMCs. The depletion of PTTG1 suppressed the proliferation and motility of PDGF-BB-induced ASMCs. The data further showed that PTTG1 ablation stimulated cell apoptosis, and inhibited the production of extracellular matrix by PDGF-BB-induced ASMCs. Mechanically, PTTG1 depletion inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, thereby inhibiting proliferation, motility, and extracellular matrix production. PTTG1 could serve as a promising molecular target for the treatment of asthma.

The objective of this study was to explore a new method for the differential diagnosis between fetal double aortic arch (DAA) and right aortic arch with mirror-image branches (RAA-MB). Clinical data and prenatal echocardiographic features of the DAA (n = 22) and RAA-MB (n = 65) confirmed by postnatal or autopsy findings were analyzed retrospectively. The angles between the two aortic arches in the DAA group and between the right aortic arch and the mirror branch were measured. The differences between the two groups and differential diagnosis value of the angles were compared and analyzed based on the receiver operating characteristic curve. The proportion of left-sided ductal arteriosus (100%) was higher in the DAA group than that (32.3%) in the RAA-MB group, (P

Fetal aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is a relatively common sonographic finding. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common structural abnormality in patients with ARSA. We aimed to assess the prevalence of genetic abnormalities, particularly sequence variants, in fetuses with CHD and ARSA. By clinical phenotyping and genomic sequencing, we retrospectively reviewed all fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis of CHD combined with ARSA at a single center. As a result, we identified 30 fetuses with ARSA combined with CHD, with conotruncal anomalies being the most common (n = 12, 40%), followed by left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (n = 6, 20%) and atrioventricular septal defects (n = 6, 20%). Overall, 18 (60%) cases had a genetic diagnosis. Copy number variation sequencing analysis identified six (20%) fetuses with aneuploidy and seven (23%) with pathogenic copy-number variants. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) analysis of the remaining 17 cases revealed diagnostic genetic variants in five (29%) cases, indicating that the diagnostic yield of WES for the entire cohort was 17% (5/30). Our findings reveal the high burden of genetic abnormalities in fetal CHD with ARSA. Single-gene disorders contribute substantially to the genetic etiology of fetal CHD with ARSA.

To determine the optimal embryogenic capacity (somatic embryo production) of the selected elite nematode-resistant genotypes of Pinus thunbergii, variables such as embryogenic tissue (ET) morphology, maternal genotype, proliferation rate and tissue age were analyzed. ET morphology and histological evaluation of the proliferation stage showed a decrease in filamentous clump and protuberant surfaces and a decline in the acetocarmine-staining area, which indicates a decrease in somatic embryo production (SEP). Variations in cell physiology during the proliferation stage showed that SEP was positively correlated with soluble sugars and proteins, but negatively correlated with starch, peroxidase, and superoxidase. In addition, SEP was significantly (p r = 0.98, p r = − 0.95, p P. thunbergii somatic embryogenesis.

Jaundice occurs as a symptom of various diseases, such as hepatitis, the liver cancer, gallbladder or pancreas. Therefore, clinical measurement with special equipment is a common method that is used to identify the total serum bilirubin level in patients. Fully automated multi-class recognition of jaundice combines two key issues: (1) the critical difficulties in multi-class recognition of jaundice approaches contrasting with the binary class and (2) the subtle difficulties in multi-class recognition of jaundice represent extensive individuals variability of high-resolution photos of subjects, huge coherency between healthy controls and occult jaundice, as well as broadly inhomogeneous color distribution. We introduce a novel approach for multi-class recognition of jaundice to detect occult jaundice, obvious jaundice and healthy controls. First, region annotation network is developed and trained to propose eye candidates. Subsequently, an efficient jaundice recognizer is proposed to learn similarities, context, localization features and globalization characteristics on photos of subjects. Finally, both networks are unified by using shared convolutional layer. Evaluation of the structured model in a comparative study resulted in a significant performance boost (categorical accuracy for mean 91.38%) over the independent human observer. Our work was exceeded against the state-of-the-art convolutional neural network (96.85% and 90.06% for training and validation subset, respectively) and showed a remarkable categorical result for mean 95.33% on testing subset. The proposed network makes a performance better than physicians. This work demonstrates the strength of our proposal to help bringing an efficient tool for multi-class recognition of jaundice into clinical practice.

With the development of industry and technology, mechanical systems’ safety has strong relations with the diagnosis of bearing faults. Accurate fault diagnosis is essential for the safe and stable operation of rotating machinery. Most former research depends too much on the fault signal specificity and learning model’s choices. To overcome the disadvantages of lacking intrinsic mode function (IMF) modal aliasing, low degree of discrimination between data of different fault types, high computational complexity. This paper proposes a method that combines multi-scale weighted entropy morphological filtering (MWEMF) signal processing and bidirectional long-short term memory neural networks (Bi-LSTM). The developed rolling bearing fault diagnosis strategy is then implemented to different databases and potential models to demonstrate the greatly improved system’s ability to reconstruct the time-to-frequency domain characteristics of fault signature signals and reduce learning cost. After verification, the classification accuracy of the proposed model reaches 99%.

In this paper, an intelligent recognition system for insulator based on dimension correction and optimized faster region with convolutional neural network (R-CNN) is proposed. In the process of insulator pictures shooting, a laser radar is used to calculate the UAV correction vector. The position of the UAV is adjusted to ensure the consistency of the spatial dimensions of the pictures taken in different time dimensions. Based on the almost invariant spatial dimension, the faster R-CNN image recognition algorithm is optimized. When the target detection frame is generated, marked reference pictures are added to narrow the search range, improve the target detection frame generation speed, and reduce the number of pictures during training. Experiments and comparison analysis are included. They verify the optimized faster R-CNN image recognition algorithm requires less pictures and recognition time, and the recognition accuracy increased from 85.6 to 97.3%.

Valleytronics, based on the valley degree of freedom rather than charge, is a promising candidate for next-generation information devices beyond complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology1–4. Although many intriguing valleytronic properties have been explored based on excitonic injection or the non-local response of transverse current schemes at low temperature4–7, demonstrations of valleytronic building blocks similar to transistors in electronics, especially at room temperature, remain elusive. Here, we report a solid-state device that enables a full sequence of generating, propagating, detecting and manipulating valley information at room temperature. Chiral nanocrescent plasmonic antennae8 are used to selectively generate valley-polarized carriers in MoS2 through hot-electron injection under linearly polarized infrared excitation. These long-lived valley-polarized free carriers can be detected in a valley Hall configuration9–11 even without charge current, and can propagate over 18 μm by means of drift. In addition, electrostatic gating allows us to modulate the magnitude of the valley Hall voltage. The electrical valley Hall output could drive the valley manipulation of a cascaded stage, rendering the device able to serve as a transistor free of charge current with pure valleytronic input/output. Our results demonstrate the possibility of encoding and processing information by valley degree of freedom, and provide a universal strategy to study the Berry curvature dipole in quantum materials. A MoS2 transistor with chiral nanocrescent plasmonic antennae enables the generation, propagation, detection and manipulation of valley information at room temperature.

Early diagnosis of gastric cancer is difficult in China due to the lack of a valid method for endoscopic screening. Early gastric cancer, especially flat gastric cancer, lacks specific endoscopic features. Many cases appear to be similar to ordinary gastritis cases under normal white light endoscopy, which can lead to misdiagnosis. In order to find a new method to improve detection rate of early gastric cancer in China, we designed a trial to validate linked color imaging (LCI) for screening of early gastric cancer in a high-risk population, as compared to white light imaging (WLI). Subjects were randomly allocated to either the LCI + WLI or WLI group and then subjected to gastroscopy and all endoscopies were made after special preparation. All endoscopists had knowledge of this experiment. The main indicator was the rate of detection of gastric neoplastic lesions. The difference in the detection rate between the two groups is reported. The detection rate was 4.31% in the WLI group and 8.01% in the LCI + WLI group. This is a difference of 3.70% with a P value

Backgroud As the elderly stroke population continues to increase, we will have to confront greater challenges regarding how to choose suitable patients to reduce thrombolysis-related bleeding events and accurately judge their prognosis. Therefore, we evaluated the relationship among leukoaraiosis (LA), haemorrhagic transformation (HT) and the prognosis at 3 months after intravenous (IV) thrombolysis in elderly patients aged ≥ 60 years with acute cerebral infarction (ACI). Methods We prospectively and consecutively chose 125 elderly patients aged ≥ 60 years with ACI who could accept and be suitable for IV recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) after excluding 6 cases. Brain computed tomography(CT) was used to assess LA by using the modified Van Swieten scale (mVSS) before treatment and the modified Rankin scale (mRS) to appraise prognosis at 3 months after IV rtPA. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse the predictors of HT and the prognosis of ACI. Results Our data indicated that by brain CT, 26.4% of all patients showed severe LA, and the rate of HT and symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (sICH) were 12.0% and 9.6%, respectively. Severe LA was evidently associated with HT (odds ratio [OR] 3.272, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.010–10.598, P = 0.048) rather sICH (P > 0.05). Moreover, we also found that severe LA was associated with poor functional prognosis (OR 5.266, 95% CI 1.592–17.419, P = 0.006). Conclusion Our results showed that LA was associated with HT and adverse clinical prognosis rather sICH after IV rtPA in elderly patients aged ≥60 years with ACI. Although LA may increase the risk of bleeding but not fatal haemorrhage after IV thrombolysis, therefore, we should actively select an appropriate elderly population for thrombolytic treatment and have reasonable judgments on the outcomes.

A label-free fluorescent nanoprobe for iodide ion (I−) detection was developed based on the direct fluorescence quenching of spermine-functionalized carbon dots (SC-dots), whether in complex biological fluids or living cells. The positively charged SC-dots were fabricated via one-step microwave synthesis and exhibited excellent optical properties. Due to the strong quenching ability of I−, SC-dots were utilized for I− detection with high sensitivity and excellent selectivity, which offered a relatively low detection limit of 0.18 μM. This strategy was also successfully applied for I− detections in human serum and HeLa cells. The detection process is facile, highly sensitive and selective, providing a new insight into the potential applications of SC-dots for anion nanoprobe designs in clinical diagnosis and other biologically related areas.

The soil non-exchangeable potassium (K) pool contributes significantly to meeting crop K requirements. The objective of this study was to determine wheat and rice grain yield responses to different concentrations of sodium tetraphenylboron (NaTPB) extractable non-exchangeable K in soils. A field experiment was conducted over a period of 4 years using three K application strategies in soils with high (JY) and low (GD) levels of non-exchangeable K. In both soils, rice yield was unaffected by K application during the 4-year study period. However, in GD soil, wheat was unable to produce grains without K additions (0 K) during the fourth wheat season. In JY soil, wheat grain yield decreased only in the 0 K (by 11%) compared with the recommended K application during the fourth wheat season. Different responses in wheat between the two soils indicated that NaTPB-non-exchangeable K better represented the soil K supplying capacity than it did exchangeable K. Lower amounts of non-exchangeable K extracted by NaTPB in GD soil were mainly due to lower amounts extracted during the 0–5 s and 5–10 min time periods. Straw retention alone resulted in negative K balances, with 100 kg K ha−1 yr−1 in JY soil and 95 kg ha−1 yr−1 in GD soil. In conclusion, recommended K application combined with NaTPB-K monitoring would be useful for sustaining crop yield and soil K fertility among different soils in rice–wheat cropping systems.

Background and objectives Both fractional flow reserve (FFR) and instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) are widely used to evaluate ischemia-causing coronary lesions. A new method of CT-iFR, namely AccuiFRct, for calculating iFR based on deep learning and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has been proposed. In this study, the diagnostic performance of AccuiFRct was thoroughly assessed using iFR as the reference standard. Methods Data of a total of 36 consecutive patients with 36 vessels from a single-center who underwent CCTA, invasive FFR, and iFR were retrospectively analyzed. The CT-derived iFR values were computed using a novel deep learning and CFD-based model. Results Mean values of FFR and iFR were 0.80 ± 0.10 and 0.91 ± 0.06, respectively. AccuiFRct was well correlated with FFR and iFR (correlation coefficients, 0.67 and 0.68, respectively). The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of AccuiFRct ≤ 0.89 for predicting FFR ≤ 0.80 were 78%, 73%, 81%, 73%, and 81%, respectively. Those of AccuiFRct ≤ 0.89 for predicting iFR ≤ 0.89 were 81%, 73%, 86%, 79%, and 82%, respectively. AccuiFRct showed a similar discriminant function when FFR or iFR were used as reference standards. Conclusion AccuiFRct could be a promising noninvasive tool for detection of ischemia-causing coronary stenosis, as well as facilitating in making reliable clinical decisions.

Purpose To investigate the clinical manifestations of orbital involvement in a large cohort of Chinese patients with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). Methods A total of 573 patients with IgG4-related disease were included. We described and compared the demographic, clinical, laboratory and histopathologic findings from 314 patients with IgG4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD) and 259 with extra-ophthalmic IgG4-RD. Results Male predominance was found significant in extra-ophthalmic IgG4-RD only. Patients with IgG4-ROD showed younger age at diagnosis and longer duration from onset till diagnosis. In patients with extra-ophthalmic IgG4-RD, the most commonly involved extra-ophthalmic organ was pancreas; while in IgG4-ROD patients, salivary gland was most frequently affected. Multivariate analysis exhibited IgG4-ROD was associated with allergy history, higher serum IgG4/IgG ratio, multiple organs involvement and sialoadenitis. Orbital images were reviewed in 173 (55.1%) IgG4-ROD patients. Fifty-one (29.5%) patients had multiple lesions. Lacrimal gland involvement was detected in 151 (87.3%) patients, followed by extraocular muscles (40, 23.1%), other orbital soft tissue (40, 23.1%) and trigeminal nerve (8, 4.6%). Biopsy was performed from various organs in 390 cases. A dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration and fibrosis were the main feature in orbital specimens. Storiform fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis were absent in lacrimal gland. Conclusions Lacrimal gland involvement was the most common orbital manifestation of IgG4-ROD. Patients with IgG4-ROD showed different characteristic in demographic, clinical, laboratory findings compared to patients with extra-ophthalmic IgG4-RD. These features might indicate potential differences in the pathogenesis of these two subgroups of IgG4-RD.

In this paper, a low-dimensional boron nitride nanoribbon with ultra-large aspect ratio was successfully prepared. Attractively, the singe BNNR, which carries the different metal electrode materials, exhibits excellent ohmic contact properties. The contact characteristics between single BNNR and Aurum electrode are better than Platinum electrode and Aluminum electrode. In addition, C-doping will change the semiconductor behavior of BNNR into metal behavior and the electrons have more chances to penetrate the barrier directly and reduce the ohmic contact resistance of the device which is of great significance in the design, assembly, and fabrication of high-performance semiconductor devices and the research of high-power radioresistance devices.

Background Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome (WRS) is a rare autosomal recessive neonatal progeroid disorder characterized by prenatal and postnatal growth retardation, short stature, a progeroid appearance, hypotonia, and mental impairment. Case presentation A 6-year-old patient, who initially presented with multiple postnatal abnormalities, facial dysplasia, micrognathia, skull appearance, hallux valgus, and congenital dislocation of the hip, was recruited in this study. The patient was initially diagnosed with progeria. The mother of the patient had abnormal fetal development during her second pregnancy check-up, and the clinical phenotype of the fetus was similar to that of the patient. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) of the patient was performed, and POLR3B compound heterozygous variants—c.2191G > C:p.E731Q and c.3046G > A:p.V1016M—were identified in the patient. Using Sanger sequencing, we found that the phenotypes and genotypes were segregated within the pedigree. These two variants are novel and not found in the gnomAD and 1000 Genomes databases. The two mutation sites are highly conserved between humans and zebrafish. Conclusions Our study not only identified a novel WRS-associated gene, POLR3B, but also broadened the mutational and phenotypic spectra of POLR3B. Furthermore, WES may be useful for identifying rare disease-related genetic variants.

Background Minichromosome maintenance complex component 6 (MCM6), as an important replication permission factor, is involved in the pathogenesis of various tumors. Here we studied the expression of MCM6 in neuroblastoma and its influence on tumor characteristics and prognosis. Methods Publicly available datasets were used to explore the influence of the differential expression of MCM6 on neuroblastoma tumor stage, risk and prognosis. In cell experiments, human neuroblastoma cell lines SK-N-SH and SK-N-BE [ (2)] were utilized to verify the ability of MCM6 to promote cell proliferation, migration and invasion. We further explored the possible molecular mechanism of MCM6 affecting the phenotype of neuroblastoma cells by mutual verification of RNA-seq and western blotting, and flow cytometry to inquire about its potential specific roles in the cell cycle. Results Through multiple datasets mining, we found that high expression of MCM6 was positively correlated with elevated tumor stage, high risk and poor prognosis in neuroblastoma. At the cellular level, neuroblastoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion were significantly inhibited after MCM6 was interfered by siRNA. Mutual verification of RNA-seq and western blotting suggested that the downstream cell cycle-related genes were differentially expressed after MCM6 interference. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that neuroblastoma cells were blocked in G1/S phase after MCM6 interference. Conclusion MCM6 is considered to be the driving force of G1/S cell cycle progression, and it is also a prognostic marker and a potential novel therapeutic target in neuroblastoma.

One major role of an accurate distribution of abdominal adipose tissue is to predict disease risk. This paper proposes a novel effective three-level convolutional neural network (CNN) approach to automate the selection of abdominal computed tomography (CT) images on large-scale CT scans and automatically quantify the visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue. First, the proposed framework employs support vector machine (SVM) classifier with a configured parameter to cluster abdominal CT images from screening patients. Second, a pyramid dilation network (DilaLab) is designed based on CNN, to address the complex distribution and non-abdominal internal adipose tissue problems of biomedical image segmentation in visceral adipose tissue. Finally, since the trained DilaLab implicitly encodes the fat-related learning, the transferred DilaLab learning and a simple decoder constitute a new network (DilaLabPlus) for quantifying subcutaneous adipose tissue. The networks are trained not only all available CT images but also with a limited number of CT scans, such as 70 samples including a 10% validation subset. All networks are yielding more precise results. The mean accuracy of the configured SVM classifier yields promising performance of 99.83%, while DilaLabPlus achieves a remarkable performance improvement an with average of 98.08 ± 0.84% standard deviation and 0.7 ± 0.8% standard deviation false-positive rate. The performance of DilaLab yields average 97.82 ± 1.34% standard deviation and 1.23 ± 1.33% standard deviation false-positive rate. This study demonstrates considerable improvement in feasibility and reliability for the fully automated recognition of abdominal CT slices and segmentation of selected abdominal CT in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, and it has a high agreement with a manually annotated biomarker.

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are one-dimensional dielectric and piezoelectric nanomaterials with non-cytotoxic properties and superb chemical and thermal stabilities. Regarding practical applications, a flexible, nanoporous, self-assembled film is one of the most low-cost usable structures. Here, we reveal a unique nanocatalyst-assisted ink spray coating method to synthesize 4.69-eV optical bandgap NTs and an easy mechanical peeling method to obtain an attractive nanoporous freestanding NT thin film with high flexibility and 91.45% porosity. Importantly, the piezoelectric d33 coefficient of the 90-nm-radius NT is 41.12 pm V−1, more than triple the value reported previously, due to the inner bamboo structure, and this coefficient is a function of radius. The nanoporous bamboo-type NT film shows excellent dielectric properties, with a relation dielectric constant of 5.15 and a dielectric constant of 9.78 for the solid type (ignoring air), which is more than triple the value of the cylindrical type. Moreover, the capacitance loss and electrical conductance versus frequency have great potential for a dielectric layer under high-frequency capacitance. Hence, bamboo-type BNNTs and their films can reasonably be widely applied in flexible electronic devices, high-precision piezoelectric sensors, and intelligent bioelectronic devices in harsh environments.

We propose an approach based on self-attention generative adversarial networks to accomplish the task of image completion where completed images become globally and locally consistent. Using self-attention GANs with contextual and other constraints, the generator can draw realistic images, where fine details are generated in the damaged region and coordinated with the whole image semantically. To train the consistent generator, i.e. image completion network, we employ global and local discriminators where the global discriminator is responsible for evaluating the consistency of the entire image, while the local discriminator assesses the local consistency by analyzing local areas containing completed regions only. Last but not least, attentive recurrent neural block is introduced to obtain the attention map about the missing part in the image, which will help the subsequent completion network to fill contents better. By comparing the experimental results of different approaches on CelebA dataset, our method shows relatively good results.

Elevated CO2 can alter plant resistance against insect herbivores. In this study, we investigated the effect of elevated CO2 on the callose synthesis involved in the resistance of Phaseolus vulgaris against Frankliniella occidentalis, which is one of the most important invasive insect pests worldwide. Elevated CO2 elevated the silver damage, callose deposition, and the expression level of CalS3 and CalS10 genes involved in callose synthase (CalS) in thrips-infested bean leaves, while reducing PR2 gene expression related to the hydrolysis of callose. In addition, both infestation by thrips and mechanical damage increased the callose deposition in leaves and induced CalS and β-1,3-glucanases (BG) expression at both transcriptional and translational levels. Under ambient CO2, callose content in the mechanically damaged plants (MDPs) and thrips-infested plants (TIPs) was positively correlated with CalS activity and the expression level of CalS3 and CalS10; BG activity was positively correlated with PR2 gene expression. Under elevated CO2, callose content in MDPs and TIPs was negatively correlated with BG activity which also negatively correlated with the expression level of CalS10 and PR2. F. occidentalis feeding can induce callose synthesis and deposition in P. vulgaris leaves, especially under elevated CO2. Specifically, genes associated with CalS defense are up-regulated, while the expression level of PR2 gene is downregulated. These results suggest that elevated CO2 can modulate callose synthesis leading to a higher level of resistance in host plants against thrips infestation.

Spatial frequency shift (SFS) microscopy with evanescent wave illumination shows intriguing advantages, including large field of view (FOV), high speed, and good modularity. However, a missing band in the spatial frequency domain hampers the SFS superresolution microscopy from achieving resolution better than 3 folds of the Abbe diffraction limit. Here, we propose a novel tunable large-SFS microscopy, making the resolution improvement of a linear system no longer restricted by the detection numerical aperture (NA). The complete wide-range detection in the spatial frequency domain is realized by tuning the illumination spatial frequency actively and broadly through an angle modulation between the azimuthal propagating directions of two evanescent waves. The vertical spatial frequency is tuned via a sectional saturation effect, and the reconstructed depth information can be added to the lateral superresolution mask for 3D imaging. A lateral resolution of λ/9, and a vertical localization precision of ∼λ/200 (detection objective NA = 0.9) are realized with a gallium phosphide (GaP) waveguide. Its unlimited resolution enhancing capability is demonstrated by introducing a designed metamaterial chip with an unusual large refractive index. Besides the great resolution enhancement, this method shows better anti-noise capability than classical structured illumination microscopy without SFS tunability. This method is chip-compatible and can potentially provide a mass-producible illumination chip module achieving the fast, large-FOV, and deep-subwavelength 3D nanoscopy.

We present the calibration strategy for the 20 kton liquid scintillator central detector of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO). By utilizing a comprehensive multiple-source and multiple-positional calibration program, in combination with a novel dual calorimetry technique exploiting two independent photosensors and readout systems, we demonstrate that the JUNO central detector can achieve a better than 1% energy linearity and a 3% effective energy resolution, required by the neutrino mass ordering determination. [Figure not available: see fulltext.], 0, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Pore size uniformity is one of the most critical parameters in determining membrane separation performance. Recently, a novel type of conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) has shown uniform pore size and high porosity. However, their brittle nature has prevented them from preparing robust membranes. Inspired by the skin-core architecture of spider silk that offers both high strength and high ductility, herein we report an electropolymerization process to prepare a CMP membrane from a rigid carbazole monomer, 2,2’,7,7’-tetra(carbazol-9-yl)-9,9’-spirobifluorene, inside a robust carbon nanotube scaffold. The obtained membranes showed superior mechanical strength and ductility, high surface area, and uniform pore size of approximately 1 nm. The superfast solvent transport and excellent molecular sieving well surpass the performance of most reported polymer membranes. Our method makes it possible to use rigid CMPs membranes in pressure-driven membrane processes, providing potential applications for this important category of polymer materials., Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have great potential in membrane applications but are often brittle. Here, the authors develop an electropolymerization process to form a skin-core architecture which allows them to overcome mechanical limitations while keeping the excellent separation performance of CMP membranes.

Directional transport of water droplet on curved track attracts considerable research interest in microfluidics. In this work, we first study the directional transport of water droplet on super-hydrophilic curved track. The water droplet can quickly move along the whole super-hydrophilic track without deviation. The speed of the water droplet on the super-hydrophilic track is 0.075 m/s. In theory, the van der Waals’ force existing in the super-hydrophilic track keeps the water droplet from deviating during rapid movement. In addition, we further study the influence of track geometry and water droplet size on the transport capacity of the super-hydrophilic track. Compared with track depth, the track width has a great effect. The water droplet deviates from the track with a width of 50 μm. But the water droplet can directionally move along the super-hydrophilic track with a width of 100 μm and 150 μm without deviation. In addition, for the same super-hydrophilic track, the larger the water droplet volume, the easier it is to deviate from the track. Finally, to demonstrate the application of super-hydrophilic track on superhydrophobic surface, we performed the rapid mixing and directional collection of water droplets. This strategy is of great significance for extending it to applications such as microchannels in microfluidics, water collection systems, and others.

Purpose In this study, we employed a gated recurrent unit (GRU)-based recurrent neural network (RNN) using dosimetric information induced by individual beam to predict the dose-volume histogram (DVH) and investigated the feasibility and usefulness of this method in biologically related models for nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) treatment planning. Methods and materials One hundred patients with NPC undergoing volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) between 2018 and 2019 were randomly selected for this study. All the VMAT plans were created using the Monaco treatment planning system (Elekta, Sweden) and clinically approved: > 98% of PGTVnx received the prescribed doses of 70 Gy, > 98% of PGTVnd received the prescribed doses of 66 Gy and > 98% of PCTV received 60 Gy. Of these, the data from 80 patients were used to train the GRU-RNN, and the data from the other 20 patients were used for testing. For each NPC patient, the DVHs of different organs at risk were predicted by a trained GRU-based RNN using the information given by individual conformal beams. Based on the predicted DVHs, the equivalent uniform doses (EUD) were calculated and applied as dose constraints during treatment planning optimization. The regenerated VMAT experimental plans (EPs) were evaluated by comparing them with the clinical plans (CPs). Results For the 20 test patients, the regenerated EPs guided by the GRU-RNN predictive model achieved good consistency relative to the CPs. The EPs showed better consistency in PTV dose distribution and better dose sparing for many organs at risk, and significant differences were found in the maximum/mean doses to the brainstem, brainstem PRV, spinal cord, lenses, temporal lobes, parotid glands and larynx with P-values Conclusion The GRU-RNN-based DVH prediction method was capable of accurate DVH prediction. The regenerated plans guided by the predicted EUDs were not inferior to the manual plans, had better consistency in PTVs and better dose sparing in critical OARs, indicating the usefulness and effectiveness of biologically related model in knowledge-based planning.