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Background: Currently, endoscopic‐assisted lateral neck dissection (EALND) is performed to reduce postoperative scarring of the anterior neck. This study aimed to compare surgical outcomes between EALND and conventional open lateral neck dissection (COLND) for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with lateral lymph node metastases (LNM). Methods: The study reviewed 103 PTC patients who were classified on the basis of surgical type and statistically compared using propensity score matching analysis. Results: The mean operation time is longer, and the cost of surgery is higher in the EALND group than COLND group (all p < 0.05). The numbers of retrieved and positive level II LNs, the rate of level II LNs detection between two groups do not differ significantly (all p > 0.05). The incidence of postoperative neck numbness is lower, and patients are more satisfied with postoperative neck scarring in the EALND group than COLND group (all p < 0.05). The common complications of two groups are transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and transient hypoparathyroidism. Conclusions: EALND is safe and feasible compared with COLND. The incision is more aesthetically satisfactory, which makes EALND a surgical approach for PTC patients with lateral LNM. Level of Evidence: 3 Laryngoscope, 134:2221–2227, 2024 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large earthquakes that occur away from plate boundaries (i.e., large intraplate earthquakes), though rare, could cause heavy damage. Understanding their causes could help with seismic hazard assessment. In this study, we image the seismogenic structure under the 1969 Ms6.4 Yangjiang intraplate earthquake within the stable South China Block with a high‐resolution three‐dimensional shear‐wave velocity model constructed from ambient noise tomography based on a dense nodal seismic array. The model images relatively low velocities at a fault intersection region from the surface to at least 13 km depth in the Yangjiang seismogenic zone. Given spatial links among the intersection zone of faults, surface seawater, and low velocities, we interpret the low velocities to reflect the presence of seawater‐filled, highly fractured rocks created by the intersection of faults. We infer that the seawater infiltration through densely‐fractures could have elevated pore pressure in the long term, as evidenced by low earthquake b values at 8–13 km depths. We hypothesize that this long‐term seawater infiltration could have lowered the stress threshold of earthquake occurrence and contributed to the generation of the 1969 Ms6.4 Yangjiang earthquake. We propose that the large intraplate earthquakes within stable plates tend to occur in regional weakening regions (e.g., fault intersections) favorable to stress buildup. Given sufficient tectonic stress accumulation, the long‐term hydrologically driven crustal stress variations could play an essential role in triggering large intraplate earthquakes. This study could potentially contribute to improving seismic hazard assessment in the Guangdong‐Hong Kong‐Macao‐Greater‐Bay‐Area, China. Plain Language Summary: Large earthquakes usually occur at boundaries between two tectonic plates (i.e., interplate earthquakes). Away from a plate boundary, some large earthquakes, though rare relative to the interplate earthquakes, could occur within the interior of plates (i.e., intraplate earthquakes), such as the most notable Mw > 7.0 New Madrid earthquakes in 1811–1812. Why and how these large intraplate earthquakes occurred remain enigmatic. The Yangjiang region (South China) that hosted the 1969 Ms6.4 Yangjiang intraplate earthquake is one of the best places to study the causes of intraplate earthquakes. This study uses ambient noise tomography to image a low‐seismic‐velocity "chimney" (in the upper crust to 13 km depth) along the seismogenic fault zone. We interpret this low‐velocity "chimney" as a path for seawater infiltration through dense fractures created by the intersection of faults. The fault intersection zone at depths of 8–13 km is a favorable place for stress buildup, as indicated by low earthquake b‐values. We further hypothesize that seawater infiltration in the long term could have lowered effective stress through elevating pore pressure, probably explaining the cause of the Ms6.4 Yangjiang earthquake. We propose that long‐term hydrologically driven crustal stress variations could be essential in triggering large intraplate earthquakes given sufficient tectonic stress accumulation. Key Points: An upper crustal seismic shear‐wave velocity model was constructed under the 1969 Ms6.4 Yangjiang earthquake in South ChinaAmbient noise tomography images low velocities under the 1969 Yangjiang earthquake seismogenic regionWater‐filled dense fractures in fault zones can probably explain the presence of low velocities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer metastasis remains the most common cause of death in breast cancer patients. Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Despite the good anti‐cancer activity of garcinone E (GE), there are no reports on its therapeutic effects on breast cancer metastasis. The objective of this study was to examine the anti‐cancer effects of GE on metastatic breast cancer. RAW 264.7 and THP‐1 cells were polarized to M2 macrophages by IL‐4/IL‐13 in vitro. A 4T1 mouse breast cancer model and the tail vein breast cancer metastasis model were used to explore the effect of GE on breast cancer growth and metastasis in vivo. In vitro studies showed that GE dose‐dependently suppressed IL‐4 + IL‐13‐induced expression of CD206 in both RAW 264.7 cells and differentiated THP‐1 macrophages. However, GE did not affect the LPS + IFN‐γ‐induced polarization to the M1‐like macrophages in vitro. GE inhibited the expression of the M2 macrophage specific genes in RAW 264.7 cells, and simultaneously impaired M2 macrophage‐induced breast cancer cell proliferation and migration, and angiogenesis. In animal studies, GE significantly suppressed tumor growth, angiogenesis, and lung metastasis in 4T1 tumor‐bearing mice, without causing toxicity. In both tumor and lung tissues, the proportion of M2‐like TAMs was significantly decreased while the proportion of M1‐like TAMs was markedly increased by GE treatment. Mechanistically, GE inhibited phosphorylation of STAT6 in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrate for the first time that GE suppresses breast cancer growth and pulmonary metastasis by modulating M2‐like macrophage polarization through the STAT6 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefits of prophylactic lymph node dissection in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) patients without radiographically lateral neck metastases. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. Participants: Patients who underwent primary surgery for MTC between 2011 and 2019 and without structural disease of the lateral neck preoperatively. Main outcome measures: Locoregional recurrence, disease‐free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were examined. Results: The patients were divided into two groups: the central lymph node dissection (CLND) only group and the prophylactic lateral lymph node dissection (PLND) group, which included CLND and ipsilateral lateral lymph node dissection (LLND). A total of 89 patients were included: 71 patients in the CLND group and 18 patients in the PLND group. Although there were no significant differences in age, gender, multifocality, capsule invasion or TNM stage between the two groups, the tumour size and preoperative median calcitonin levels were different. The recurrence rate was 4.2% for the CLND group and 5.6% for the PLND group (p > 0.05). DFS among the CLND and PLND groups was 95.4% and 94.4%, and OS among the groups was 100% and 94.1% (p > 0.05) at 5 years. The biochemical cure rates were similar. Conclusions: PLND in the absence of structural disease of the lateral neck preoperatively is not associated with improved survival in patients with sporadic MTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Patch technology has been the new technique in the treatment of partial thickness of the rotator cuff tear (PTRCTs) to address the limitation of traditional techniques. Compared with allogeneic patches and artificial materials, coracoacromial ligament is obviously closer to their own biology. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the functional and radiographic outcomes following arthroscopic autologous coracoacromial ligament augment technique for treatment of PTRCTs. Method: This study included three female patients with PTRCTs who underwent arthroscopy operation in 2017 with an average age of 51 years (range from 50 to 52 years). The coracoacromial ligament implant was attached to the bursal side surface of the tendon. The clinical results were evaluated by American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Simple Shoulder Test (SST), acromiohumeral distance (AHD) and muscle strength before and 12 months after operation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed 24 months after operation to assess the integrity of the anatomical structure of the original tear site. Result: The average ASES score improved significantly from 57.3 preoperatively to 95.0 at 1‐year follow‐up. The strength improved significantly from grade 3 preoperatively to grade 5 at 1 year. Two of three patients underwent the MRI at 2‐year follow‐up. Radiographic released the complete healing of rotator cuff tear. No implant‐related serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion: The new technique of using autogenous coracoacromial ligament patch augment provides good clinical results on patients with PTRCTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 hydrogenation to methane is gaining increasing interest as one of the most promising ways to store intermittent renewable energy in the form of chemical fuels. Ni particles supported on CeO2 represent a highly efficient, stable and inexpensive catalyst for this reaction. Herein, Ni‐doped CeO2 nanoparticles were tested for CO2 methanation showing an extremely high Ni mass‐specific activity and CH4 selectivity. Operando characterization reveals that this performance is tightly associated with ionic Νi and Ce3+ surface sites, while formation of metallic Ni does not seem to considerably promote the reaction. Theoretical calculations confirmed the stability of interstitial ionic Ni sites on ceria surfaces and highlighted the role of Ce‐O frustrated Lewis pair (FLP), Ni‐O classical Lewis pair (CLP) and Ni‐Ce pair sites to the activation of H2 and CO2 molecules. To a large extent, the theoretical predictions were validated by in situ spectroscopy under H2 and CO2 : H2 gaseous environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Strong tendon grasping is vital to the success of a tenodesis operation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the initial tendon‐fixation strength of the Lark‐Loop technique in arthroscopic suprapectoral biceps tenodesis and compare it with others commonly used techniques. Methods: Thirty‐three porcine superficial flexor digitorum tendons were harvested from a local slaughterhouse and randomly divided into three groups to perform three tendon fixation techniques (Lasso‐Loop stich group, Lark‐Loop stich group or Krackow stich group; 11 tendons each group) with a No. 2 suture, respectively. Each tendon was pre‐tensioned in 5°N for 2 min and then cyclically loaded 5 to 30°N for 500 cycles to assess displacement. After cyclic loading, the tendon was loaded to ultimate tendon‐suture configuration failure at the rate of 1 mm/s. Finally, the mode of failure and the construct stiffness of the tendon were recorded and calculated. Results: After cyclical loading, the displacement of the Lark‐Loop group was equivalent to the Krakow group (P > 0.9999) but significantly smaller than the Lasso‐Loop group (P = 0.0009). The ultimate load to failure for the Lark‐Loop was equivalent to the Krakow technique group (P = 0.1463) but significantly greater than the Lasso‐Loop group (P < 0.0001). The stiffness for the Lark‐Loop was equivalent to the Krakow group (P = 0.4718) but significantly greater than the Lasso‐Loop technique group (P < 0.0001). In the Lark‐Loop and Krackow group, all the tendons failed by suture breakage, while all the tendons failed by suture cutting through the tendon in the Lasso‐Loop technique group. Conclusion: Lark‐Loop suture technique has biomechanical properties comparable to Krackow and superior to the Lasso‐Loop in terms of suture displacement, ultimate load to failure, and stiffness. Therefore, the Lark‐Loop suture fixation technique may be beneficial for arthroscopic biceps tenodesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fault prediction is an important part of the safe operation and maintenance of pure electric vehicles, and it is crucial to predict faults efficiently and accurately. To address the problems that the pure electric vehicle fault prediction model has less than ideal prediction effect and classification bias to most classes due to unbalanced data set categories and high dimensionality of features, this paper firstly obtains a low dimensional balanced dataset based on hybrid sampling and joint feature selection. Then the classification ability of the model is improved through ensemble learning. Finally, a new hybrid model STLRF‐Stack is proposed to realize efficient fault prediction of pure electric vehicles. This paper is validated on a real operating dataset of pure electric vehicles. The experimental results show that the prediction effect of the hybrid model proposed in this paper is better than that of the single model and related literature. In addition, this model can successfully predict the fault 5 min before the actual fault of electric vehicles occurs, which provides the drivers with the opportunity of accident prevention and early treatment. Therefore, the model has specific feasibility and practical application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep convective clouds and associated anvils exert opposite radiative effects. The impact of different aerosol types on these two categories of clouds remains a major challenge in understanding aerosol‐cloud interactions. Using 11‐year satellite retrievals, we find that cloud top height (CTH) and ice cloud fraction of deep convective clouds and anvil cirrus identified by Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization increase with small aerosol loadings and level off or even decrease with further aerosol increase. Compared with continental aerosols, CTH affected by marine aerosols starts to decrease at smaller aerosol loadings. Moreover, cloud optical depth (COD) of deep convective clouds decreases with aerosol loadings. COD of anvil cirrus increases with increased loadings of most aerosol types but decreases with smoke aerosol. These relationships are mainly attributed to the aerosol effect rather than the meteorological effects. Our findings contribute to the development of models and better assessment of aerosol‐cloud radiative forcing. Plain Language Summary: By acting as the seeds of clouds, aerosols affect the formation and development of clouds, thereby affecting climate. Deep convective clouds and associated anvil cirrus are often accompanied with severe weather events. These two types of clouds have opposite climate effects: the former generally cools the Earth system while the latter warms the Earth system. Using 11 years of satellite data, we find that with the increase of aerosol loadings, the cloud top height (CTH) and cloud fraction of deep convective clouds and anvil cirrus identified by Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization first increase and then remain virtually unchanged or even decrease. We also analyze the effects of different types of aerosols on deep convective clouds and anvil cirrus. We find that, compared with continental aerosols, CTH affected by marine aerosols starts to decrease at smaller aerosol loadings. As the aerosol loadings increase, the cloud optical depth of deep convective clouds decreases while the optical thickness of the anvil cirrus increases. Therefore, these two categories of clouds as well as the effects from various aerosol types should be carefully considered when quantifying the aerosol effects on deep convective cloud systems. Key Points: The height and amount of Cloud‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization‐identified deep convective clouds and anvil cirrus first increase and then level off with aerosol increaseMarine aerosols start to decrease cloud top height when aerosol optical depth is relatively smaller than continental aerosolsWith increased aerosol loadings, deep convective clouds have a decreased cloud optical depth (COD) while anvils have an increased COD. One exception is for smoke [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with excellent EMI shielding effectiveness (SE), and superior mechanical performance is of great importance in daily life and in the military, where they are used for intelligent transportation systems and ammunition. Generally, shielding performances can be realized via reflection loss and absorption loss. However, it is still a challenge to enhance these two kinds of electromagnetic wave loss in the same material at the same time to achieve ideal shielding performance. Herein, a flexible Ag NDs/CNT@PC/Ni‐9 film composed of five conductive layers and four porous layers is prepared by alternating Ag NDs/CNT layers and PC/Ni layers through self‐assembly. The obtained film with a thickness of 890 μm exhibits a remarkable SE performance of 138 dB in the X‐band. Additionally, with a series of continuous volcanic mechanical impacts (>10 000 g), the maximum instantaneous acceleration is decreased by 30.02% due to the buffering of the film, which constitutes a much‐improved energy absorption cushion relative to that of traditional buffering materials, such as foam metal and rubber. A material integrated with strong EMI shielding and high mechanical shock resistance is designed, which provides an effective strategy for the development of functional materials for extreme environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the therapeutic effect of Rhein on ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice and its possible mechanism. LPS‐induced UC cell model and DSS‐induced UC mouse model were used to analyze the antiinflammatory effect of Rhein on UC in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Network pharmacology analysis was conducted to identify potential signaling pathways involved in Rhein treating UC, and the results were further confirmed through western blotting assay. 16sRNA sequencing was performed to study the regulatory effect of Rhein on gut microbiota in UC mice. As indicated by the results, Rhein could significantly inhibit the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines (e.g., TNF‐α, IL‐6 and IL‐1β) in vivo and in vitro, and alleviate DSS‐induced UC‐associated symptoms in mice (e.g., colon shortening, weight loss, diarrhea and hematochezia). The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway was predicted as the potential interacting protein of Rhein in the treatment of UC through network pharmacology analysis. It was found through western blotting assay that the Rhein treatment could significantly inhibit the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway by decreasing the phosphorylated protein levels of PI3K, Akt, mTOR and p70S6K1. By 16sRNA gene sequencing analysis, Rhein administration could partially reverse the gut dysbacteriosis of mice induced by DSS and decrease pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Enterobacteriaceae and Turicibacter). It was positively correlated with the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines above, whereas the increase in probiotics (e.g., Unspecified‐S24‐7 and Rikenellaceae) was negatively correlated with the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, Rhine had anti‐UC efficacy, which was demonstrated by mitigating the UC symptoms and reducing intestinal inflammation by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and modulating gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Patients with obstructive jaundice (OJ) are considered to be prothrombotic with increased risk of thromboembolism complications. The role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in procoagulant activity (PCA) and thrombosis risk in patients with OJ is unclear. In this study, we investigated NETs formation in OJ patients and the role of elevated unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) in inducing NETs, resulting in enhanced PCA and endothelial injury. Methods: NETs of OJ patients and healthy controls were measured. NETs PCA was assessed via coagulation time (CT), fibrin formation and purified coagulation complex production assays. Visualization of NETs and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (MitoROS) were performed with a fluorescence microscope. We further used confocal microscopy to quantify the exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS), fibrin strands and FVa/Xa on Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Results: Assessment of NETs components levels revealed greater NETs production in OJ patients than in healthy controls. Importantly, OJ‐NETs were responsible for enhanced PCA. UCB induced NETs formation via MitoROS accumulation and mitochondrial mobilization. HUVECs cocultured with OJ NETs lost their cell–cell junctions and consequently converted to a procoagulant phenotype. The PCA was attenuated by using DNase I alone or in combination with lactadherin. Conclusions: Our results suggest that UCB‐induced NETs play a prominent role in promoting the hypercoagulable and prothrombotic state in OJ patients. The increased MitoROS accumulation in neutrophils initiated NETosis. NETs are promising targets for indicating or improving coagulation disorders in OJ patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 gas separation is of significant importance to protect the environment and utilize the carbon resource. In this work, two kinds of new cellulose esters containing imidazolium cation, cellulose acetate (CA) 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride and CA 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (CA‐BmimTf2N), are designed and synthesized. The resultant cationized cellulose esters effectively lock various ionic liquids (ILs) via electrostatic interactions. Due to the strong attraction interactions, the obtained cellulose ester/ILs composite membranes are uniform, smooth, and highly transparent. Moreover, the added ILs with a long alkyl chain in the cation and a bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide anion remarkably improve the CO2 permeability of the cellulose ester/ILs membranes, because of the dramatic increase of the CO2 diffusion rate. The CA‐BmimTf2N/C10mimTf2N membranes exhibit the highest CO2 permeability, which is 3800% higher than that of CA membrane and 1700% higher than that of CA‐BmimTf2N membrane. More importantly, the CA‐BmimTf2N/C10mimTf2N membranes have good mechanical properties and thermal stability. Such high‐performance CO2 separation membranes with high CO2 permeability, high transparency, and good mechanical property have a huge potential in the practical utilization for gas separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of methacrylate‐acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (MABS) resins was prepared using bulk polymerization. The polarity of the continuous phase and the compatibility of two phases were changed by adjusting the methyl methacrylate (MMA) content, choosing values that were close to styrene‐butadiene rubber solubility value. The possibility of controlling the microstructure of the MABS resin by changing the polarity of the components and the compatibility of two phases was assessed. The dynamic mechanical analysis shows that the compatibility of two phases varies with the MMA content. The morphological analysis shows that increasing MMA contents results in a gradual decrease in the sub‐inclusion structure with a network skeleton of rubber particles, and that all the particles become solid rubber when the MMA content reaches 75%. The sub‐inclusion structure reappears but does not have a network skeleton when the MMA content is 90%. The impact strength and morphological analysis indicate that the solid rubber particles and the sub‐inclusion structure with a network skeleton provide excellent toughness, while the sub‐inclusion structure without a network skeleton does not. In contrast, the transmittance of the ABS resin first increased and then decreased with increasing MMA content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Content balancing is one of the most important issues in computerized classification testing. To adapt to variable‐length forms, special treatments are needed to successfully control content constraints without knowledge of test length during the test. To this end, we propose the notions of 'look‐ahead' and 'step size' to adaptively control content constraints in each item selection step. The step size gives a prediction of the number of items to be selected at the current stage, that is, how far we will look ahead. Two look‐ahead content balancing (LA‐CB) methods, one with a constant step size and another with an adaptive step size, are proposed as feasible solutions to balancing content areas in variable‐length computerized classification testing. The proposed LA‐CB methods are compared with conventional item selection methods in variable‐length tests and are examined with different classification methods. Simulation results show that, integrated with heuristic item selection methods, the proposed LA‐CB methods result in fewer constraint violations and can maintain higher classification accuracy. In addition, the LA‐CB method with an adaptive step size outperforms that with a constant step size in content management. Furthermore, the LA‐CB methods generate higher test efficiency while using the sequential probability ratio test classification method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the study mainly focused on the association between systemic inflammation and liver fibrogenesis, it may be better to define systemic inflammation in the article. We read the recent study by Benedikt et al.[1] with great interest, reporting that systemic inflammation is associated with liver fibrogenesis in patients with advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD). [Extracted from the article]

We report the design, synthesis, and evaluation of a new series of benzylpiperazine derivatives as selective σ1 receptor ligands. All seven ligands possessed low nanomolar affinity for σ1 receptors (Ki(σ1) = 0.31‐4.19 nM) and high subtype selectivity (Ki(σ2)/Ki(σ1) = 50‐2448). The fluoroethoxy analogues also exhibited high selectivity toward the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (Ki(VAChT)/Ki(σ1) = 99‐18252). The corresponding radiotracers [18F]13, [18F]14, and [18F]16 with high selectivity (Ki(σ2)/Ki(σ1) > 100, Ki(VAChT)/Ki(σ1) > 1000) were prepared in 42% to 55% radiochemical yields (corrected for decay), greater than 99% radiochemical purity (RCP), and molar activity of about 120 GBq/μmol at the end of synthesis (EOS). All three radiotracers showed high initial brain uptake in mouse (8.37‐11.48% ID/g at 2 min), which was not affected by pretreatment with cyclosporine A, suggesting that they are not substrates for permeability‐glycoprotein (P‐gp). Pretreatment with SA4503 or haloperidol resulted in significantly reduced brain uptake (35%‐62% decrease at 30 min). In particular, [18F]16 displayed high brain‐to‐blood ratios and high invivo metabolic stability. Although it may not be an optimal neuroimaging agent because of its slow kinetics in the mouse brain, [18F]16 can serve as a lead compound for further structural modifications to explore new potential radiotracers for σ1 receptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal types vary around the world because of geochemical differences in their source deposits; however, the influence of coal emissions from different deposits on human health remains unexplored. To address this issue, we conducted the first study of the relationship between coal use from various deposits and lung cancer risk in Xuanwei and Fuyuan, counties in China where lung cancer rates are among the highest in the world among female never‐smokers due to use of bituminous ("smoky") coal for heating and cooking. We conducted a population‐based case–control study of 1031 lung cancer cases and 493 controls among never‐smoking women in Xuanwei and Fuyuan. Logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between coal use from various deposits across the lifecourse and lung cancer risk. There was substantial heterogeneity in risks by coal deposit (p = 7.8E‐05). Compared to non‐smoky coal users, risks by smoky coal deposit ranged from OR = 7.49 (95% CI: 3.43–16.38) to OR = 33.40 (95% CI: 13.07–85.34). Further, women born into homes that used smoky coal and subsequently changed to non‐smoky coal had a higher risk (OR = 10.83 (95% CI: 4.61–25.46)) than women born into homes that used non‐smoky coal and changed to smoky coal (OR = 4.74 (95% CI: 2.03–11.04, pdifference = 0.04)). Our study demonstrates that various sources of coal have considerably different impact on lung cancer in this population and suggests that early‐life exposure to carcinogenic emissions may exert substantial influence on health risks later in life. These factors should be considered when evaluating the health risks posed by exposure to coal combustion emissions. What's new? Indoor coal combustion emissions have been designated as Group 1 carcinogens. However, the influence of emissions from coal originating from different geological deposits remains unexplored. Lung cancer rates in the rural counties of Xuanwei and Fuyuan in China are among the highest in the world due to indoor combustion of bituminous ("smoky") coal. Using detailed lifecourse data on household fuel sources, the authors conducted the first study to show that lung cancer risk varies by the geological deposit of household coal. Notably, childhood exposure to smoky coal may have an important impact on lung cancer risk later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoparticles possess unique size‐dependent physical and chemical properties and hold considerable interest as ideal, defect‐free building blocks for nanostructured materials. However, due to irreversible and intrinsic self‐aggregation, it is challenging to obtain dried nanoparticle powders with good redispersibility. In this work, we propose a general method to increase the dispersibility of typical 1D and 2D nanoparticles, including cellulose nanowhiskers, graphene, Laponite and montmorillonite, by combining sol‐gel transitions and supercritical CO2 drying. In the resulting dried powders, the nanoparticles adopt a non‐full‐contact mode and maintain a loose packing structure formed during the gelation process; thus, they can be perfectly redispersed in water and some organic solvents under mild conditions. Such a promising strategy, without using a surfactant, deliberate surface‐modification and high energy consumption, provides a practical solution to the transportation, storage and large‐scale industrial applications of nanoparticles. Hang loose: Maintaining loose packing structures formed in the sol‐gel process is shown to be an efficient strategy to increase the dispersibility of 1D and 2D nanoparticles, including cellulose nanowhiskers, graphene, Laponite and montmorillonite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incidence rates of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and distributions of certain viruses differ between East Asian and Western populations. There are limited data on associations between serologic markers of multiple viral infections in pre‐diagnostic blood and NHL risk in East Asians. We conducted a nested case‐control study of 214 NHL cases and 214 matched controls from three population‐based prospective cohorts in Shanghai and Singapore. Antibodies against antigens from herpesviruses, Hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) virus and polyomaviruses were measured in plasma or serum using fluorescent bead‐based multiplex assays. Conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between antibody levels and NHL risk. An increased risk of NHL was observed for higher compared to lower EA‐D (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.04, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.10‐3.81; ptrend = 0.005) and ZEBRA (OR = 2.17, 95% CI = 0.96‐4.89; ptrend = 0.008) Epstein‐Barr Virus (EBV) antibodies, as well as for antibody seropositivity against the IE1A human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV‐6) antigen (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.04‐3.29). An increased NHL risk was also observed for higher compared to lower antibodies against the HBV‐HBc and HBe antigens. An increased risk of NHL in relation to EBV and HBV infection in East Asians is consistent with findings in several studies of Western populations, suggesting similar viral risk factors for NHL in these diverse populations with distinct patterns of NHL. The association between HHV‐6 antibodies and NHL has not previously been reported in a prospective study in this population and will require replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Under the generalizability‐theory (G‐theory) framework, the estimation precision of variance components (VCs) is of significant importance in that they serve as the foundation of estimating reliability. Zhang and Lin advanced the discussion of nonadditivity in data from a theoretical perspective and showed the adverse effects of nonadditivity on the estimation precision of VCs in 2016. Contributing to this line of research, the current article directs the discussion of nonadditivity from a theoretical perspective to a practical application and highlights the importance of detecting nonadditivity in G‐theory applications. To this end, Tukey's test for nonadditivity is the only method to date that is appropriate for the typical single‐facet G‐theory design, in which a single observation is made per element within a facet. The current article evaluates the Type I and Type II error rates of Tukey's test. Results show that Tukey's test is satisfactory in controlling for falsely detecting nonadditivity when the data are actually additive and that it is generally powerful in detecting nonadditivity when it exists. Finally, the article demonstrates an application of Tukey's test in detecting nonadditivity in a judgmental study of educational standards and shows how Tukey's test results can be used to correct imprecision in the estimated VC in the presence of nonadditivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tannins, polyphenols in medicinal plants, have been divided into two groups of hydrolysable and condensed tannins, including gallotannins, ellagitannins, and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Potent anticancer activities have been observed in tannins (especially EGCG) with multiple mechanisms, such as apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and inhibition of invasion and metastases. Furthermore, the combinational effects of tannins and anticancer drugs have been demonstrated in this review, including chemoprotective, chemosensitive, and antagonizing effects accompanying with anticancer effect. However, the applications of tannins have been hindered due to their poor liposolubility, low bioavailability, off-taste, and shorter half-life time in human body, such as EGCG, gallic acid, and ellagic acid. To tackle these obstacles, novel drug delivery systems have been employed to deliver tannins with the aim of improving their applications, such as gelatin nanoparticles, micelles, nanogold, liposomes, and so on. In this review, the chemical characteristics, anticancer properties, and drug delivery systems of tannins were discussed with an attempt to provide a systemic reference to promote the development of tannins as anticancer agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic solid-state fluorescent materials have exhibited great potential application in optoelectronics, imaging, sensing, and security printing. However, the conventional conjugated luminogens such as perylene and pyrene derivatives are not highly recommended for preparation of the solid fluorescent materials because they always undergo fluorescence self-quenching in solid state, i.e., aggregation caused quenching (ACQ) phenomenon. Herein, a series of solid materials with excellent fluorescent emission have been realized via covalently bonding the ACQ luminogens onto the cellulose chains and subsequently ionizing process. The synergy between the anchoring and diluting effect on luminogens of cellulose skeleton and the electrostatic repulsion among the ACQ luminogens efficiently inhibits the aggregation and the self-quenching of luminogens. Such a general strategy is suitable for different ACQ luminogens and various partially substituted cellulose derivatives. Furthermore, the prepared fluorescent solids preserve the excellent properties of original cellulose derivatives such as good solubility and processibility. Therefore, they can be readily processed into materials in different forms, including printing pattern, coating, film, fiber, colloid, etc. This simple and effective strategy gives added impetus to the applications of solid fluorescent materials in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Yes-associated protein (YAP) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) have been considered as key regulators in tissue homeostasis, organ development, and tumor formation. However, the roles of YAP and ERK in the mediating strain mechanosensing in the growth plate cartilage have not been determined. In this study, chondrocytes obtained from the growth plate cartilage of 2-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the mechanical strain with different magnitudes and durations at a frequency of 0.5 Hz. We found that YAP and ERK activation in response to mechanical strain was time and magnitude dependent. Pretreatment with a RhoA inhibitor (C3 toxin) or a microfilament cytoskeleton disrupting reagent (cytochalasin D) could suppress their activation. In addition, activated YAP and ERK were able to induce cell cycle progression by up-regulating the expression of cell cycle-related genes. These results shed new light on the function of YAP and ERK in mechanical strain-promoted growth plate development. Our results also provided evidence that RhoA and cytoskeletal dynamics are required for this mechanotransduction. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1121-1129, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the design and synthesis of several 4-phenylpiperidine-4-carbonitrile derivatives as σ1 receptor ligands. In vitro radioligand competition binding assays showed that all the ligands exhibited low nanomolar affinity for σ1 receptors ( Ki(σ1) = 1.22-2.14 nM) and extremely high subtype selectivity ( Ki(σ2) = 830-1710 nM; Ki(σ2)/ Ki(σ1) = 680-887). [18F]9 was prepared in 42-46% isolated radiochemical yield, with a radiochemical purity of >99% by HPLC analysis after purification, via nucleophilic 18F- substitution of the corresponding tosylate precursor. Biodistribution studies in mice demonstrated high initial brain uptakes and high brain-to-blood ratios. Administration of SA4503 or haloperidol 5 min prior to injection of [18F]9 significantly reduced the accumulation of radiotracers in organs known to contain σ1 receptors. Two radioactive metabolites were observed in the brain at 30 min after radiotracer injection. [18F]9 may serve as a lead compound to develop suitable radiotracers for σ1 receptor imaging with positron emission tomography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An IRT-based sequential procedure is developed to monitor items for enhancing test security. The procedure uses a series of statistical hypothesis tests to examine whether the statistical characteristics of each item under inspection have changed significantly during CAT administration. This procedure is compared with a previously developed CTT-based procedure through simulation studies. The results show that when the total number of examinees is fixed both procedures can control the rate of type I errors at any reasonable significance level by choosing an appropriate cutoff point and meanwhile maintain a low rate of type II errors. Further, the IRT-based method has a much lower type II error rate or more power than the CTT-based method when the number of compromised items is small (e.g., 5), which can be achieved if the IRT-based procedure can be applied in an active mode in the sense that flagged items can be replaced with new items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The homogeneous preparation of amino-reserved chitosan-graft-polycaprolactone copolymer (ACS-g-PCL) was achieved in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate via a protection-ring-opening graft polymerization-deprotection procedure. The molar substitution of PCL (MSPCL) in ACS-g-PCL copolymers was in the range 17.1-45.6 and could be well controlled by altering reaction conditions. The resultant ACS-g-PCL copolymers were soluble in some common organic solvents such as dimethylsulfoxide, ethanol and toluene. As the increment of MSPCL increased, the hydrophilicity of the ACS-g-PCL copolymers decreased. Eventually, ACS-g-PCL microspheres with a diameter of 100-200 μm were fabricated by an emulsion evaporation method. Among them, the ACS-g-PCL copolymer with an MSPCL of 26.8 formed into porous microspheres. The fluorescence microscopy and cytotoxicity results suggested that all of the microspheres, especially the ACS-g-PCL microspheres with MSPCL of 17.1 and 26.8, showed high cell adhesion and cytocompatibility to the human osteosarcoma cell line (MG-63), indicating their great prospects in tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homogeneous carbanilation of cellulose with nine kinds of substituted phenyl isocyanates, in which the substituents were varied from electron-donating to electron-withdrawing groups, was carried out in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AmimCl) without any catalyst. The degree of substitution (DS) of cellulose phenylcarbamates in a range from 0 to 3 was readily controlled by altering reaction temperature, reaction time andmolar ratio of phenyl isocyanate/anhydroglucose unit. Furthermore, the electronic effect of the substituents on the aromatic ring had a prominent impact on the reactivity of phenyl isocyanates. The phenyl isocyanates with stronger electron-withdrawing substituents exhibited a higher reactivity. A plot of DS and Hammett substituent constants exhibited linearity with a positive slope. Subsequently, four kinds of partially substituted cellulose phenylcarbamates with DS of 2.0 were synthesized successfully in AmimCl, and then employed as coated-type chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for high-performance liquid chromatography. The enantioseparation results demonstrated that these CSPs exhibited high chiral recognition abilities for some racemates. The substituents on the phenyl moieties had a considerable effect on the chiral recognition ability of cellulose phenylcarbamate-based CSPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homogeneous esterification of cellulose, which can control themolecular structure of the resultant cellulose esters and facilitate the versatility of cellulose-based materials, has drawn much attention. Recently, the advent of room temperature ionic liquids (ILs) capable of dissolving cellulose hasprovided anewandversatile platform for theefficient andhomogeneousesterification of cellulose. A variety of conventional, novel and functional cellulose esters have been successfully synthesized in ILs. Mean while, development of esterification techniques, utilization of agricultural residues and up-scaling of pilot schemes of esterification in ILs have been in progress. This review summarizes the advances and developments in homogeneous synthesis of cellulose esters in ILs in recent decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic opioid abuse can cause damage to dopamine neurons. However, there are currently no effective pharmacotherapies to reverse this damage, even though progress has been made in the development of therapeutic strategies for opioid dependence. The Jitai tablet (JTT) is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation most commonly used for opioid addiction treatment in China. In a morphine spontaneous withdrawal rat model we investigated the effects of JTT, either given before (pre-treatment) or after (post-treatment) morphine administration, on the dopamine system. Our study has shown the following: (1) pre- and post-treatment with JTT were effective at alleviating the wet dog shakes and episodes of writhing; (2) pre-treatment with JTT inhibited the morphine-induced decreases in dopamine transporter (DAT), dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels in the striatum ( p < 0.01, compared with morphine group) and maintained them at normal levels; and (3) post-treatment with JTT restored the densities of DAT, D2R and TH in the striatum to normal levels ( p < 0.01, compared with morphine group). These results support the notion that modulation of the dopamine system in the striatum may play a role for JTT's therapeutic effect on the alleviation of opioid withdrawal symptoms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Sonogashira coupling reaction led to star-shaped 1,3,5-tris({5-[7-(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[ c][1,2,5]thiadiazol-4-yl]thiophen-2-yl}ethynyl)benzene derivatives. The star-shaped molecules were optically analyzed, and - depending on their substitution pattern - they displayed bathochromically shifted absorptions, which were compared to their nonlinked arm precursors. The materials displayed a highly interesting morphology in bulk when blended with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). One derivative formed columnar structures and revealed prospective use in photodiodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which examined the WIDA English language Proficiency Standards against the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Mathematics and English Language Arts for English language learners (ELLs). The study organized the CCSS for Mathematics by grade, content domain and standards. Results showed a familiarity effect of target standards on reviewer reliability of their Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels.

The solenopsis mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a polyphagous insect known to cause severe damage to cotton (especially transgenic varieties) in South Asia, and currently poses a serious threat in Asia and potentially elsewhere. Stylet penetration behavior of P. solenopsis on cotton was monitored using the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique (DC system) and the EPG characteristics were compared with those previously published from Phenacoccus manihoti Matile-Ferrero and Planococcus citri (Risso). We identified and further characterized typical waveforms of A, B, C, and pd (together pathway), E1 and E2 (phloem), F (derailed stylet mechanics), and G (xylem). Five novel EPG aspects were distinguished in the EPG waveforms from P. solenopsis: (1) obvious B waveforms occurred following waveform A, (2) during waveform C, some aphid-like E1e waveforms were observed, (3) prolonged potential drops (pd) up to >1 h occurred with two continuously alternating sub-phases pd1 and pd2, (4) the pd1 waveform always occurred as the first waveform related to phloem sieve elements, preceding the other phloem waveforms (E), the labeling of which we changed to achieve a better comparison to the aphid E waveforms, and (5) waveform F, related to derailed stylet mechanics occurred but was not reported from other mealybugs so far. This is mainly a waveform morphology study to extend existing knowledge on mealybug EPGs to investigate mealybug-host plant interactions. Further experimental verification of waveform correlations with plant tissue positions of stylet tips and insect activities is still needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural biomaterial from silk, which has outstanding biocompatibility. However, regeneration SF materials usually suffer from brittleness, which restricts their applications. Here, a novel supramolecular co‐assembly strategy is reported for the preparation of a Bolas‐shaped polyethylene glycol peptide (BPP)/SF film, where the peptide and SF form a robust payload co‐assembled network and polyethylene glycol (PEG) fragments form supramolecular cross‐linking in this network. The obtained BPP/SF film shows both high stress (27.8 MPa), high toughness (3.64 MJ m−3), high transparency (89%), and high mid‐infrared (MIR) emissivity (90.5%). In passive radiative cooling, the BPP/SF film results in a 2.7 °C reduction in the temperature of the human arm skin and a 14.6 °C reduction in the temperature of the solar cell. More importantly, this novel BPP co‐assembly SF material can be recycled and reused while maintaining its original mechanical strength. This work provides a novel strategy for fabricating regenerative SF materials with ultra‐strong and ultra‐tough mechanical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siwu decoction (SWD), a traditional Chinese medicinal formula with over 1000 years of clinical history, is widely used for gynecological disease, especially blood deficiency syndrome, which is similar to anemia in modern medicine. In view of metabonomics being useful approach to investigate the potential mechanisms of action from the point of view of systems biology, in this study an ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole‐time of flight mass spectrometry method was employed for a holistic evaluation of SWD on a blood‐deficiency rat model induced by N‐acetylphenylhydrazine and cyclophosphamide via plasma metabonomics study. Routine blood examination results showed that SWD could significantly improve the declining hemogram indices. Meanwhile, the plasma metabonomics profiles in different groups were analyzed and differentiating metabolites were primarily visualized through chemometric analysis. Seven biomarkers were identified in plasma samples of blood‐deficiency rat model compared with the normal group. Five main metabolism pathways were suggested using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway Analysis and Pathway Activity Profiling algorithm analysis. This indicated that SWD played a therapeu role in blood deficiency by regulating the aberrant endogenous metabolites. To sum up, this study provides clear evidence that a metabonomics study could serve as a useful tool to elucidate the systematic therapeutic profiles and mechanisms for blood deficiency syndrome of Chinese herbal medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the title compound, C(18)H(20)F(2)N(4)O(2)S, the triazinane-2-thione ring adopts an envelope conformation, the ring substituents lie on the same side of the mean plane of the heterocyclic ring and the exo lp-N-C-N(triaz) unit (lp is a lone pair and triaz is the triazinane ring) exhibits an antiperiplanar orientation, which is shown to be governed by strong anomeric effects. Molecules are linked into a complex three-dimensional framework by a combination of two N-H...S hydrogen bonds, three C-H...F hydrogen bonds and a pi-pi stacking interaction.