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Patients with diabetic nephropathy suffer from impaired albumin reabsorption by proximal tubular epithelial cells. Here authors use diabetic and transgenic mouse models and in vitro models to show the cause for this lies in the down regulation and internalization of the ion channels, ORAI1-3.

This paper studies the optimal hub routing problem of merged tasks in collaborative transportation. This problem allows all carriers’ transportation tasks to reach the destinations optionally passing through 0, 1, or 2 hubs within limited distance, while a cost discount on arcs in the hub route could be acquired after paying fixed charges. The problem arises in the application of logistics, postal services, airline transportation, and so forth. We formulate the problem as a mixed-integer programming model, and provide two heuristic approaches, respectively, based on Lagrangian relaxation and Benders decomposition. Computational experiments show that the algorithms work well.

Purpose: The cumulative effect of measurable parameters on proximal ureteral stone clearance followed by the shock wave lithotripsy was assessed via the application of an artificial neural network.Methods and Patients: From January 2015 to January 2020, 1182 patients with upper ureteral stone underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) with supine position. The corresponding significance of each variable inputted in this network was determined by means of Wilk's generalized likelihood ratio test. If the connection weight of a given variable can be set to zero while maximizing the accuracy of the network classification, the variable is not considered an important predictor of stone removal.Results: A total of 1174 cases (excluding 8 cases) were randomly assigned into a training group (813 cases), testing group (270 cases), and keeping group (91 cases). We evaluated artificial neural network analysis to the stone clearance rate of the training group, with a predictive accuracy of 93.2% (482/517 cases). While the predictive accuracy of the stone clearance rate of the training group was 75.3% (223 cases/296 cases). The order of importance of independent variables was stone length > course (d) > patient's age > Stone Width > PH value.Conclusion: The neural network possess a huge prediction potential for the invalidation of ESWL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The external physical vibration lithecbole (EPVL) is a new device that accelerates the discharge of urinary stones by changing the patient's body position and providing multi-directional simple harmonic waves. It is clinically employed to improve the stone-free rate (SFR). However, it is not widely accepted in clinical practice due to the lack of high-level evidentiary support and a standard protocol. The present meta-analysis aims at the evaluation of the efficacy and safety of EPVL treatment in improving the SFR. Methods: This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Medline, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as recent as April 2020 that evaluated the efficacy and safety of EPVL treatment for patients with stones/residual stones in the upper urinary tract. Results: In total, 7 prospective studies with 1414 patients were included. Compared with patients in the control group, patients treated with an EPVL (the intervention group) had higher SFRs (95% CI: 0.59-0.86, RR = 0.71, P = .0004) and lower complication rates (95% CI: 1.37-3.12, RR = 2.07, P = .0006). In a subgroup analysis based on previous surgery (ESWL, RIRS), the intervention group had an improved SFR as compared to the control group (95% CI: 0.59-0.95, RR = 0.75, P = .02; 95% CI: 0.56-0.73, RR = 0.64, P < .00001, respectively). In a subgroup analysis based on stone location, the SFRs for stones in the upper/middle/lower calyx and renal pelvis were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group: for residual stones in the upper and middle calyx, 95% CI: 0.63-0.98, RR = 0.79, and P = .03; for residual stones in the lower calyx, 95% CI: 0.54-0.75, RR = 0.64, and P < .00001; for residual stones in the renal pelvis, 95% CI: 0.47-0.79, RR = 0.61, and P = .0002. However, the SFRs for ureter stones were not significantly different between groups (95% CI: 0.82 -1.05, RR = 0.93, P = .23). Conclusion: The external physical vibration lithecbole can effectively improve the SFR after ESWL and RIRS without significant side effects, especially for residual stones in the upper/middle/lower calyx and renal pelvis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-memory computing has carried out calculations in situ within each memory unit and its main power consumption comes from data writing and erasing. Further improvements in the energy efficiency of in-memory computing require memory devices with sub-femto-Joule energy consumption. Floating gate memory devices based on two-dimensional (2D) material heterostructures have outstanding characteristics such as non-volatility, multi-bit storage, and low operation energy, suitable for application in in-memory computing chips. Here, we report a floating gate memory device based on a WSe2/h-BN/Multilayer-graphene/h-BN heterostructure, the energy consumption of which is in sub-femto Joule (0.6 fJ) per operation for program/erase, and the read power consumption is in the tens of femto Watt (60 fW) range. We show a Hopfield neural network composed of WSe2/h-BN/Multilayer-graphene/h-BN heterostructure floating gate memory devices, which can recall the original patterns from incorrect patterns. These results shed light on the development of future compact and energy-efficient hardware for in-memory computing systems.