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Few large-sample research data sets exist on long-term survival and prognostic factors among patients with primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME), a rare malignancy associated with poor outcomes. We sought to investigate postoperative survival and prognostic factors in patients with PMME.We retrospectively analyzed long-term follow-up results for patients with PMME who underwent surgery at 10 Chinese centers between January 1998 and January 2018. We performed uni- and multivariate analyses to investigate clinicopathologic factors associated with survival.Median overall survival for the entire group (N = 70 patients) was 13.5 months. Female sex (hazard ratio [HR], 0.352; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.138-0.900; P = .029), ≥12 lymph nodes dissected (HR, 0.274; 95% CI, 0.133-0.563; P .001), absence of lymph node metastasis (HR, 0.195; 95% CI, 0.084-0.451; P .001), and postoperative adjuvant therapy (HR, 0.474; 95% CI, 0.249-0.901; P = .023) were factors of favorable prognosis. Preoperative pathologic diagnosis of PMME was as low as 47.1%. A high proportion of patients had lymph node metastasis, including those with early-stage tumors. Rates of lymph node metastasis were 54.2% (13/24) for pT1, 44.4% (12/27) for pT2, 57.1% (8/14) for pT3, and 100% (5/5) for pT4. Regional lymph node recurrence (N = 43 [61.4%]) was the predominant postoperative pattern of recurrence or metastasis.Female sex, pN0, increased number of lymph nodes dissected, and postoperative adjuvant therapy were associated with better outcomes among patients with PMME. Preoperative pathologic diagnosis of PMME was low, patients had lymph node metastasis (even those with early-stage tumors), and regional lymph node recurrence was common.

Effective feature extraction is crucial for accurate fault diagnosis of rolling bearings. A novel feature extraction method called hierarchical dispersion entropy (HDE) based on hierarchical analysis is proposed in this study. The proposed method includes the following three steps: 1) bearing vibration signal is decomposed into a series of subband signal components; 2) dispersion entropies of the components in different frequency bands are calculated as the original feature vector; and 3) joint approximate diagonalization of eigenmatrices (JADE) is used to extract fusion features from the original features. The main contributions of the proposed method are as follows: 1) the HDE method can characterize the complexity and uncertainty of the signal in full frequency band; 2) the JADE method further eliminates redundant information while greatly retaining fault-relevant information; and 3) the proposed method combines the advantages of HDE’s hierarchical analysis and JADE’s information fusion capabilities, so the fusion features extracted by the proposed method can be more effective for the establishment of fault pattern identification model. In the analysis of two experimental cases, the feature extracted by the proposed method shows better feature clustering effect and higher recognition rate than other methods. The results show that compared with other methods, the proposed method can more accurately characterize the health condition of the bearing.

Fasciolopsis buski, also called the giant intestinal fluke, is the largest intestinal fluke of the zoonotic trematode parasites and found mainly in Southeast Asian countries, including China. Fasciolopsis buski infection was formerly a common health problem in many countries, but it is now rare. Typically, it can be cured by oral drugs, but some infected patients need surgical intervention because of the severity of their condition or because of an unclear diagnosis or even misdiagnosis. Here, we report a case of a 15-year-old girl from Guizhou Province, China, presenting with recurrent upper-middle abdominal pain that was misdiagnosed as a choledochal cyst. Through laparotomy combined with postoperative histopathological examination, the source of the pain was proven to be mechanical biliary obstruction caused by F. buski infection. In the past, mechanical obstruction, especially biliary obstruction, caused by F. buski infection leading to surgery was not uncommon, but it is very rare in modern society. Moreover, delayed treatment and misdiagnosis of parasitic infection can lead to severe consequences. Therefore, we reviewed the previous literature on F. buski infection treated by surgical operation and summarized the characteristics and therapeutic strategies of these cases to raise clinicians’ awareness of this rare infection.

Objective The current study aims to explore the establishment of the patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model. Materials and methods Twenty patients with gastric cancer, 10 males and 10 females, were enrolled in the current study. Firstly, the volume, invasion and metastasis of the xenografts were observed. Subsequently, the correlation between tumor tissues of the PDTX mouse model and the patients' primary tumor tissues was evaluated by pathological H&E staining and immunohistochemistry. Results The results showed that the PDTX models corresponding to 15 of the 20 patients were successfully established, and the success rate of PDTX model establishment was 75%. Furthermore, the PDTX models maintained the differentiation degree, morphological characteristics and structural characteristics of tumor cells. Conclusion A PDTX model can be used as a substitute for cancer patients in clinical practice and may be suitable for clinical pharmacodynamic screening and new drug development.

Guo-Qiang Xue, Cheng-Peng Li, Ang Lv, Xiu-Yun Tian, Jian-Hui Wu, Hui Qiu, Chun-Yi Hao Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Chun-Yi HaoKey laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, No. 52 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-10-88196182Fax +86-10-88196548Email haochunyi@bjmu.edu.cnBackground: Previous studies have shown that nutrition and systemic inflammation plays an essential role in the development of soft tissue sarcoma. However, few studies have explored the association of clinicopathologic features and local recurrence with nutritional and inflammatory markers in retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RPLS). This study sought to evaluate the prognostic value of the preoperative nutritional and inflammatory markers for local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) among surgical RPLS patients.Methods: The study included 111 RPLS patients who underwent surgery between May 2010 and June 2019 at the Peking University Cancer Hospital Sarcoma Center. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (time-ROC) curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the ability of markers to predict LRFS. The associations of the CONUT-FAR score with clinicopathological variables and LRFS were evaluated.Results: In the time-ROC curve analysis, the CONUT-FAR score was superior to other nutritional and inflammatory markers in predicting LRFS. The CONUT-FAR score was the only nutritional and inflammatory marker that independently predicted LRFS in the multivariate analysis, and patients with a high CONUT-FAR score (> 11) showed significantly decreased LRFS. Although the CONUT-FAR score failed to discriminate patients with low grade (G1) (p = 0.327) or undergoing incomplete (R2) resection (p = 0.072), it stratified patients with high grade (G2 and G3) or undergoing complete resection (R0/R1) into subgroups with significantly distinct LRFS (p < 0.001). The CONUT-FAR score also showed good clinical utility among patients with different clinical characteristics.Conclusion: The preoperative CONUT-FAR score reflects both nutritional and inflammatory factors and is an effective predictor of LRFS for surgical RPLS patients.Keywords: nutritional status, fibrinogen–albumin ratio, retroperitoneal liposarcoma, prognostic factor, time-dependent ROC

BackgroundReducing peritoneal recurrence after radical surgery is an important choice to improve the prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer. Intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy has the potential to be a promising treatment strategy. In the present study, we conducted a multi-center, randomized, controlled clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intraoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy using sustained-release fluorouracil implants plus radical gastrectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy for cTNM stage III gastric cancer.MethodsThe patients were randomized into intraperitoneal chemotherapy group (sustained-release fluorouracil implants administration after standard D2 radical gastrectomy, and followed by XELOX adjuvant chemotherapy) and control group (standard D2 radical gastrectomy, and followed by XELOX adjuvant chemotherapy). A total of 122 patients from three centers were enrolled from September 2015 to February 2017.ResultsOne hundred and two eligible patients completed the treatment course. The median follow-up time was 41.7 months (36.1–52.9 months). The 3-year progression-free survival rate and overall survival of patients in the intraperitoneal chemotherapy group were 43.9% and 49.1%, respectively, which were significantly better than those of the control group, 31.0% and 38.4%. In the intraperitoneal chemotherapy group, the number of cases with peritoneal recurrence was significantly less than that of the control group, 9 cases (17.3%) vs. 19 cases (44.2%). There were neither significant differences between the groups in the incidence of hematogenous metastasis, lymph node metastasis, nor local metastasis.ConclusionFor cTNM stage III gastric cancer, intraoperative sustained-release fluorouracil implants after radical resection combined with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, could significantly reduce the risk of peritoneal recurrence and prolong PFS.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier (NCT02269904).

Resistive switching behaviors of amorphous MoOx thin films prepared by magnetron sputtering at room temperature have been investigated. Ag/MoOx/ITO device shows a bipolar resistive switching without electroforming process. A very low set voltage of about 0.4 V and a reduced set power below 50 μW can be achieved based on the amorphous MoOx thin films. Schottky emission and oxygen vacancies in the amorphous film can be used to understand the physical mechanism for the observed resistive switching behaviors. Moreover, analog resistive switching is demonstrated in the device. The synaptic plasticity of the device can be controlled by the interval, and amplitude of input voltage pulse stimulation. This study provides us opportunity to investigate the potential applications in neuromorphic computing based on our Ag/MoOx/ITO memristors.

A multi-terminal hybrid system named memtransistor has recently been proposed by combining the concepts of both memristor and field effect transistor (FET) with two-dimensional (2D) layered materials as the active semiconductor layer. In the memtransistors, the gate voltages are capable of modulating not only the transport properties of the fabricated FET, but also the resistive switching (RS) behaviors of the memristor. Herein, we employ mechanically exfoliated 2D layered GaSe nanosheets to prepare GaSe based three-terminal memtransistors. By using Ag as the electrodes, the memristor exhibits non-volatile bipolar RS characteristics. More importantly, under exposure to air for one week, the RS behaviors are dramatically enhanced with the ON/OFF ratio reaching up to 5.3 × 105 and ultralow threshold electric field of ~3.3 × 102 V cm−1. The ultralow threshold electric field of GaSe based memristor could be related to the low migration energy of the intrinsic Ga vacancy in p-type GaSe. Moreover, the GaSe-based memristor shows long-term retention (~104 s) and high cycling endurance (~5000 cycles) simultaneously. Hence, the fabricated three-terminal 2D GaSe memtransistors possess high performance with large switching ratios, ultralow threshold electric field, good endurance and long-term retention. Furthermore, the device demonstrates gate tunability in RS characteristics, suggesting the promising applications in multi-terminal electronic devices with low power consumption and complex functionalities, ranging from non-volatile memory, logic device to neuromorphic computing.

Neurovascular unit (NVU) is organized multi-cellular and multi-component networks that are essential for brain health and brain homeostasis maintaining. Neurovascular unit dysfunction is the central pathogenesis process of ischemic stroke. Thus integrated protection of NVU holds great therapeutic potential for ischemic stroke. Catalpol, classified into the iridoid monosaccharide glycoside, is the main active ingredient of the radix from traditional Chinese medicine, Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch, that exhibits protective effects in several brain-related diseases. In the present study, we investigated whether catalpol exerted protective effects for NVU in ischemic stroke and the underlying mechanisms. MCAO rats were administered catalpol (2.5, 5.0, 10.0 mg·kg(−1)·d(−1), i.v.) for 14 days. We showed that catalpol treatment dose-dependently reduced the infarction volume and significantly attenuated neurological deficits score in MCAO rats. Furthermore, catalpol treatment significantly ameliorated impaired NVU in ischemic region by protecting vessel-neuron-astrocyte structures and morphology, and promoting angiogenesis and neurogenesis to replenish lost vessels and neurons. Moreover, catalpol treatment significantly increased the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) through up-regulating PI3K/AKT signaling, followed by increasing FAK and Paxillin and activating PI3K/AKT and MEK1/2/ERK1/2 pathways. The protective mechanisms of catalpol were confirmed in an in vitro three-dimensional NVU model subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation. In conclusion, catalpol protects NVU in ischemic region via activation of PI3K/AKT signaling and increased VEGF production; VEGF further enhances PI3K/AKT and MEK1/2/ERK1/2 signaling, which may trigger a partly feed-forward loop to protect NVU from ischemic stroke.

Spatial light modulators (SLMs) exhibited the powerful capability of controlling the electromagnetic wave. They have found numerous applications at terahertz (THz) frequencies, including wireless communication, digital holography, and compressive imaging. However, the development towards large-scale, multi-level and multi-functional THz SLM encounters technical challenges. Here, we present an electrically programmable THz metamaterial consisting of an array of 8⊆8 pixels, in which the phase change material of vanadium dioxide (VO2) is embedded. After successfully suppressing the crosstalk from adjacent pixels, the THz wave could be modulated in a programmable manner. The switching speed of each pixel was on the order of 1 kHz. In particular, utilising the hysteresis effect of VO2, the memory effect is demonstrated. The THz amplitude of each pixel can be written and erased by individual current pulses. Furthermore, multi-state THz images could be generated and stored, with a retention time of more than 5 hours. This programmable metamaterial with memory effect can be extended to other frequency bands and opens a route for electromagnetic information processing.

Background: Belonging to the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) family, UBE2V2 demonstrated a remarkable tumourigenic ability in many kinds of cancers. However, the interrelationship between UBE2V2 expression and morbidity of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is still unknown. Methods: By using TCGA predictions and clinical tissue samples, we assessed the expression of UBE2V2 mRNA and protein in LUAD and analyzed its relationship with different clinicopathological factors as well as survival prognosis. Besides, we further studied the EMT signaling pathway that promotes LUAD metastasis and other phenotypic experiments by using lentivirus to transfect LUAD cells. Results: Our research results showed that compared with normal tissues, the expression of UBE2V2 mRNA and protein in LUAD was significantly increased (PConclusions: In summary, UBE2V2 might play an important role in the progression of LUAD.

Neurovascular dysfunction is a primary or secondary cause in the pathogenesis of several cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, including stroke. Therefore, the overall protection of the neurovascular unit (NVU) is a promising therapeutic strategy for various neurovascular diseases. However, the complexity of the NVU limits the study of the pathological mechanisms of neurovascular dysfunction. Reconstituting the in vitro NVU is important for the pathological study and drug screening of neurovascular diseases. In this study, we generated a spontaneously assembled three‐dimensional NVU (3D NVU) by employing the primary neural stem cells and brain microvascular endothelial cells in a Matrigel extracellular matrix platform. This novel model exhibits the fundamental structures and features of the NVU, including neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, vascular‐like structures, and blood–brain barrier‐like characteristics. Additionally, under oxygen‐glucose deprivation, the 3D NVU exhibits the neurovascular‐ or oxidative stress‐related pathological characteristics of cerebral ischemia and the injuries can be mitigated, respectively, by supplementing with the vascular endothelial growth factor or edaravone, which demonstrated that the availability of 3D NVU in ischemic stroke modeling. Finally, the 3D NVU promoted the angiogenesis and neurogenesis in the brain of cerebral ischemia rats. We expect that the proposed in vitro 3D NVU model will be widely used to investigate the relationships between angiogenesis and neurogenesis and to study the pathology and pharmacology of neurovascular diseases., The proposed 3D NVU model provides a valuable platform and precise spatiotemporal control for neurogenesis and angiogenesis research and the investigation of brain functions, which rely on interactions among brain cells, drug screening studies as a therapeutic strategy, and clinical applications (e.g., in the case of degenerative disease).

The technique of elbow arthroscopy has been well developed in the past decades and the indications for this technique expand rapidly. Appropriate portal design is a prerequisite for performing elbow arthroscopic procedure and there are number of basic techniques to prevent complications during surgery, especially nerve injury.

Hypoxia-induced apoptosis is linked to the pathogenesis of myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 7 (USP7) is related to catabolic/pro-apoptotic signaling. However, its role in cardiomyocyte injury is unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role and the underlying regulatory mechanism of USP7 in MI. H9c2 cardiomyocytes were cultured in hypoxia to establish an in vitro model of myocardial hypoxic/ischemic injury. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used to establish animal models with MI. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot assays were performed to evaluate the expression levels of miR-409-5p, USP7, and p53, respectively. After USP7 and miR-409-5p were selectively regulated in H9c2 cells, the inflammatory response, apoptosis, and cell viability were detected by ELISA, flow cytometry, and MTT assay, respectively. The interaction between USP7 and miR-409-5p was determined by bioinformatics analysis, qRT-PCR, Western blot, and dual-luciferase reporter assay. LVEF, LVIDd, and LVIDs of rats after MI were also measured. USP7 expression was markedly elevated while miR-409-5p expression was significantly down-regulated in H9c2 cells under hypoxic culture. Augmentation of USP7 expression led to a dramatic promotion of hypoxia-induced apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, accompanied by an increase in the secretion of the cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. Myocardial injury markers LDH, cTnI, and CK-MB expressions were also increased. Besides, overexpression of USP7 aggravated left ventricular remodeling and decreased left ventricular function of the rats. Conversely, the up-regulation of miR-409-5p expression protected H9c2 cells from apoptosis and inhibited the release of cytokines and myocardial injury. Left ventricular remodeling and left ventricular function were also improved by miR-409-5p overexpression. Furthermore, USP7 was identified as a target of miR-409-5p and the overexpression of miR-409-5p reversed the effects of USP7 on H9c2 cells. USP7 exacerbates myocardial ischemic injury by promoting inflammation and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, and the up-regulation of its expression is partly caused by the down-regulation of miR-409-5p expression.

Introduction: Memory impairment and mood disorders are among the most troubling sequelae following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The relationships between comorbid psychiatric disorders and memory function have not been well illustrated. The aim of the study was to explore the relationships of comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms with memory function following TBI. Methods: A total of 46 TBI participants across all levels of injury and 23 healthy controls were enrolled in this case-control study. Wechsler Memory Scale-Chinese Revision (WMS-CR) picture, recognition, associative learning, comprehension memory, and digit span were administered to evaluate several categories of memory capacity. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was employed to evaluate the anxiety and depressive symptoms. Stepwise multiple linear regressions were conducted. Results: Compared to healthy controls, the participants with TBI reported more anxiety and depressive symptoms. In the meanwhile, they performed more poorly on memory tests, showing 1.84 SDs, 1.07 SDs, and 0.68 SDs below healthy participants on visuospatial memory, working memory, and verbal memory, respectively. A variety of variables, including HADS depression, HADS anxiety, age, GCS, and education were associated with posttraumatic memory function in the bivariate models. The stepwise multiple linear regressions demonstrated a negative association between HADS depression and posttraumatic memory function, especially performance on visuospatial and verbal memory and a positive association between education and posttraumatic memory function. Conclusion: More depressive symptoms rather than anxiety symptoms and less years of education are significant predictors for posttraumatic memory dysfunction.

Local recurrence is the most difficult postoperative challenge and the leading cause of death in patients with retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS). We aimed to establish a postoperative nomogram exclusively focused on RLPS for predicting local recurrence-free survival (LRFS). A cohort of 124 patients after surgical resection with curative intent in the Peking University Cancer Hospital Sarcoma Center were included in the study. Demographic, clinicopathologic, and treatment variables were analyzed using the Cox regression model. Significant clinically relevant variables in multivariable analysis were incorporated into the RLPS-specific nomogram. The discriminative ability and predictive accuracy of the nomogram were assessed by calculating the concordance index and drawing a calibration plot. At a median follow-up of 26.5 (interquartile range 10.9–39.4) months, 71 patients had recurrent disease. The 3-year and 5-year LRFS rates were 35.6% (95% confidence interval, 27.0–46.9%) and 28.2% (95% CI 15.8–38.6%), respectively. Multivariate analysis identified the French Federation of Cancer Centers Sarcoma Group (FNCLCC) grade and completeness of resection as independent predictors of LRFS. Variables included in our nomogram were: presentation status, multifocality, completeness of resection, histologic subtypes, and FNCLCC grade. The concordance index of our nomogram was 0.732 (95% CI 0.667–0.797) and the calibration plot was excellent. Our novel nomogram for patients with resected RLPS could improve recurrence risk stratification to explore molecular analysis associated with recurrence.

Background The initial factor in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of cerebral ischemia is vascular dysfunction in the brain, and vascular remodeling of the brain is the key therapeutic target and strategy for ischemic tissue repair. Catalpol is the main active component of the radix of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch, and it exhibits potential pleiotropic protective effects in many brain-related diseases, including stroke. Purpose The present study was designed to investigate whether catalpol protects vascular structure and promotes angiogenesis in cerebral ischemic rats and to identify its possible mechanisms in vivo and in vitro. Study design Cerebral ischemic rats and oxygen-glucose deprivation-exposed brain microvascular endothelial cells were used to study the therapeutic potential of catalpol in vivo and in vitro. Methods First, neurological deficits, histopathological morphology, infarct volume, vascular morphology, vessel density, and angiogenesis in focal cerebral ischemic rats were observed to test the potential treatment effects of catalpol. Then, oxygen-glucose deprivation-exposed brain microvascular endothelial cells were used to mimic the pathological changes in vessels during ischemia to study the effects and possible mechanisms of catalpol in protecting vascular structure and promoting angiogenesis. Results The in vivo results showed that catalpol reduced neurological deficit scores and infarct volume, protected vascular structure, and promoted angiogenesis in cerebral ischemic rats. The in vitro results showed that catalpol improved oxygen-glucose deprivation-induced damage and promoted proliferation, migration, and in vitro tube formation of brain microvascular endothelial cells. The HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor 1α)/VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) pathway was activated by catalpol both in the brains of cerebral ischemic rats and in primary brain microvascular endothelial cells, and the activating effects of catalpol were inhibited by SU1498. Conclusion The results of both the in vivo and in vitro studies proved that catalpol protects vascular structure and promotes angiogenesis in focal cerebral ischemic rats and that the mechanism is dependent on HIF-1α/VEGF.

An analytical method is proposed to predict and optimize cogging torque accurately. It is derived by the exact subdomain model, equivalent current sheet of magnet, and modified particle swarm optimization (PSO), in surface-mounted permanent magnet machines (SPMs) accounting for the effect of stator slotting and tooth-tips. The analysis works for internal/external rotor motor topologies, radial/parallel magnetization, as well as for any combinations of pole and slot numbers. Then, four important design parameters, viz. magnet thickness, air-gap length, slot-opening to slot pitch ratio, and pole-arc to pole-pitch ratio, are adopted as optimal variables, and the peak of fundamental order of the radial component of the air-gap flux density is constrained to optimize cogging torque by modified PSO based on forgoing model. Finally, the cogging torque of two prototype machines with both radial and parallel magnetizations is optimized notably. The paper validates the results of analytical prediction by finite-element analysis.

This paper presents an analytical method for calculating and optimizing magnetic field in spoke-type permanent-magnet machines accounting for eccentric pole-arc shape. Normalized flux density is derived from conformal transformation taking into account eccentric pole-arc shape, and final field solution is predicted according to the flux continuity theorem. The optimal results show the harmonic content of flux density can be reduced a lot by optimizing eccentric distance of eccentric pole arc while fundamental content will reduce a little. The proposed analytical solution on prototype machines is implemented. The finite element (FE) and experimental results confirm that the developed analytical method has high accuracy for predicting and optimizing magnetic field.

We aim to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the prognostic value of decompressive craniectomy (DC) in patients with traumatic intracranial hypertension. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Web of Science, http://clinicaltrials.gov/ were searched for eligible studies. Ten studies were included in the systematic review, with four randomized controlled trials involved in the meta-analysis, where compared with medical therapies, DC could significantly reduce mortality rate [risk ratio (RR), 0.59; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.47–0.74, P P P P = 0.02), but increase complications rate (RR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.31–2.87, P P = 0.33), while in subgroup analysis, early DC would possibly result in improved prognosis (P = 0.04). Results from observational studies supported pooled results except prolonged length of ICU and hospital stay. Conclusively, DC seemed to effectively lower ICP, reduce mortality rate but increase complications rate, while its benefit on functional outcomes was not statistically significant.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose a new approach for aerodynamic parameter identification of hypersonic vehicles, which is based on Pigeon-inspired optimization (PIO) algorithm, with the objective of overcoming the disadvantages of traditional methods based on gradient such as New Raphson method, especially in noisy environment. Design/methodology/approach The model of hypersonic vehicles and PIO algorithm is established for aerodynamic parameter identification. Using the idea, identification problem will be converted into the optimization problem. Findings A new swarm optimization method, PIO algorithm is applied in this identification process. Experimental results demonstrated the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed method: it can guarantee accurate identification results in noisy environment without fussy calculation of sensitivity. Practical implications The new method developed in this paper can be easily applied to solve complex optimization problems when some traditional method is failed, and can afford the accurate hypersonic parameter for control rate design of hypersonic vehicles. Originality/value In this paper, the authors converted this identification problem into the optimization problem using the new swarm optimization method – PIO. This new approach is proved to be reasonable through simulation.

// Rupeng Zhang 1, 4, 5 , Yuenan Guo 1, 4, 5 , Zhenchi Ma 1, 4, 5 , Gang Ma 2, 4, 5 , Qiang Xue 1, 4, 5 , Fangxuan Li 3, 4, 5 , Liren Liu 2, 4, 5 1 Department of Gastric Cancer Surgery, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China 2 Department of Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China 3 Department of Cancer Prevention Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin 300060, China 4 National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China 5 Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin 300060, China Correspondence to: Rupeng Zhang, email: tijzhangrp@163.com Liren Liu, email: liuliren@tjmuch.com Keywords: PTENP1, miR-106b, miR-93, long non-coding RNA, gastric cancer Received: October 20, 2016 Accepted: January 29, 2017 Published: February 13, 2017 ABSTRACT Recent studies have shown that competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) play an important role in the regulation of gene expression, and participate in a wide range of biological processes, including carcinogenesis. Long non-coding RNA PTENP1, the pseudogene of PTEN tumor suppressor, has been reported to exert its tumor suppressive function via modulation of PTEN expression in many malignancies. However, whether a PTENP1~miRNA~PTEN ceRNA network exists and how it functions in gastric cancer (GC) remains elusive. In order to identify and characterize the PTENP1~miRNA~PTEN ceRNA network in GC, we first determined PTENP1 levels in clinical GC samples and found that PTENP1 and PTEN were concurrently downregulated in these samples. We further demonstrated that PTENP1 could act as a ceRNA to sponge miR-106b and miR-93 from targeting PTEN for downregulation using a novel ceRNA in vitro gradient assay. Thus, we revealed a tumor suppressive role of PTENP1 as ceRNA in GC and pinpointed the specific miRNAs decoyed by PTENP1, highlighting the emerging roles of ceRNAs in the biological regulation of GC cells and their possible clinical significance.

In this paper, a robust attitude control system based on fractional order sliding mode control and dynamic inversion approach is presented for the reusable launch vehicle U+0028 RLV U+0029 during the reentry phase. By introducing the fractional order sliding surface to replace the integer order one, we design robust outer loop controller to compensate the error introduced by inner loop controller designed by dynamic inversion approach. To take the uncertainties of aerodynamic parameters into account, stochastic robustness design approach based on the Monte Carlo simulation and Pigeon-inspired optimization is established to increase the robustness of the controller. Some simulation results are given out which indicate the reliability and effectiveness of the attitude control system.

Ethnopharmacological relevance You-Gui-Yin (YGY) is a famous Chinese traditional medicine compound that has been used to treat renal function diseases for more than 300 years. It is recorded in Jing Yue Quanshu, which was written by a famous medical scientist named Jiebing Zhang in the Ming Dynasty. Aim of the study Reproductive dysfunction is one of the most serious complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to observe the effect of You-Gui-Yin (YGY) on reproductive dysfunction of male rats with adenine-induced CKD and to determine if any effects occurred via regulation of the HIF1α-STAT5 pathway. Materials and methods UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to detect the main medicinal components and conduct quality control of YGY. A total of 60 rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: the NC group (10 rats) and the CKD model group (50 rats). The CKD model rats was established by administration of adenine 150 mg kg−1 orally for 14 days. After that, the CKD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: the CKD group, YGY (10 g kg−1 group, 20 g kg−1 group, 40 g kg−1 group) and the GUI-LU-ER-XIAN-JIAO (GL) 10 g kg−1 group with 10 rats in each group. From the 15th day to the 45th day rats were given 150 mg kg−1 adenine orally every other day to maintain the model (except in the NC group). The YGY groups and the GL group were orally administered the relevant drug once per day for 30 days. The NC group and the CKD group were orally administered an equal volume of normal saline for 30 days. On the 45th day, the rats’ sexual behavior index was tested. On the 46th day, the rats were sacrificed. Biochemical indexes, histopathological changes of the kidneys and testes, sperm morphology, sperm abnormality rate, and key proteins in the HIF1α-STAT5 pathway in the kidney and testis were detected. Results Thirteen components in the YGY extract were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS for quality control of the YGY extract. The results of the biochemical and physiological tests validated the success of inducing CKD accompanied by reproductive dysfunction in rats. YGY significantly retarded the CKD progression and improved the hormone levels of male CKD rats. Sexual behavior tests showed YGY can significantly improve CKD rats’ sexual function. In addition, the pathological changes of the kidney and testis, sperm abnormality rate and sperm morphological abnormalities of the CKD rats were reduced by YGY. Furthermore, decreased expression of HIF1α and EPO, and increased expression of p-EPOR (Tyr368), p-JAK2 (Tyr570) and p-STAT5 (Ser725) were observed in the kidney and the testis of the CKD rats. The YGY extract dramatically increased the expression of HIF1α and EPO, and decreased the expression of p-EPOR (Tyr368), p-JAK2 (Tyr570) and p-STAT5 (Ser725) to regulate key proteins in the HIF1α-STAT5 pathway of the kidney and testis. Conclusions YGY has obvious reversal effects on the abnormal symptoms of adenine-induced CKD and the abnormal symptoms of rats with hypothyroidism and male reproductive hypotension. Its mechanism is related to its ability to regulate the HIF1α-STAT5 pathway.

e16041 Background: Chemotherapy and PD-1 inhibitor have shown significant clinical benefits in first-line treatment of GC, overall survival was still dismal. The surgical intervention with curative or life prolonging intention was evaluated as feasible for stage IV GC from clinical trials and retrospective cohorts. Our previous study of cytotoxic chemotherapy (S-1 & PTX) in combination with multi-targets anti-angiogenic TKIs illustrated increased response and R0 resection rate. Given the enhanced response from chemo, PD-1 and TKIs regimens, this trial was designed to assess the feasibility of surgical conversion from this combination in stage IV GC. Methods: This is a prospective, single-arm, single-center, phase II trial. Eligible criteria were treatment naïve, histopathologically confirmed stage IV (AJCC8th) and ECOG PS 0-1 GC adenocarcinoma. Pts were given with sintilimab (200mg, iv, d1) combined with Nab-PTX (w/o peritoneal spread: 260 mg/m2, iv, d1; w/ peritoneal spread: 180 mg/m2, iv, d1 and 80 mg/m2, ip, d1), S-1 (60mg, po, bid, d1-14), and apatinib (250mg, po, qd) every 3 wks. Tumor response was assessed every 2-4 cycles by radiologic imaging and MDT was employed to determine surgical feasibility. Safety run-in was employed in the first 3+3 pts by DLTs to determine the tolerability. The primary endpoint was ORR and R0 surgical conversion rate. Results: 42 pts were enrolled up to 2/2021. The median follow-up was 3.5m (range 0.7-11.3). The median age was 56 yrs (range 31-72), male was 47.6%, and PS 1 was 31.0%. The metastatic factors were characterized as No.16 lymph nodes 54.8% (23), liver 23.8% (10), peritoneum 40.5% (17), Krukenberg 2.4% (1), and extensive metastases (≥2 organs) 42.9% (18). No DLT occurred in initial 6 pts. Of 36 evaluable pts, ORR was 61.1% and DCR was 97.2%. Surgical conversion was currently identified in 18 pts with 94.4% (17) R0 resection, and the R0 surgical conversion rate was 47.2% (17/36). Median treatment cycle in converted pts was 4. 22.2% (4/18) pts achieved pathological complete response (TRG 0), and 27.8% (5/18) pts had major response (TRG 0-1). The most common AEs were grade 1-2, and 1 SAE of hemorrhage grade 4 occurred. No increase of anastomotic leakage, hemorrhage, and abdominal infection, and no surgery caused death and complication caused second operation occurred. The median postoperative length of stay was 9.5d (range 6-16). Conclusions: These preliminary results showed favorable tumor response and acceptable tolerability for potential surgical resection. Sintilimab, doublet chemotherapy, and apatinib might offer an opportunity of cure for stage IV gastric cancer. Trial ID: NCT04267549. Clinical trial information: NCT04267549. [Table: see text]

Dynamic terahertz (THz) beam steering is a promising technique for numerous applications, including communication, high-resolution imaging, and radar. However, advances in this technology are considerably limited by inadequate broadband and active phase shifters at THz frequencies. In this paper, we developed a type of VO2-based device capable of broadband THz beam steering. The effect of the tunable Brewster angle of the VO2 thin film along with the insulator-to-metal transition process was verified. We demonstrated that the VO2 grating could realize a dispersive beam deflector in a broad frequency band. Furthermore, upon heating, the VO2 grating could switch between three states of mirror reflector, “rainbow” deflector, and metallic grating. We believe that the proposed reconfigurable and broadband THz beam deflector offers a powerful avenue for manipulating THz beams.

Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots (LLRERs) play a positive role in lower limb rehabilitation and assistance for patients with lower limb disorders, and they are helpful to improve patients’ physical status. More and more experiments pay more attention to the kinematic and dynamic data characteristics of different patient groups. However, it is not clear whether these devices have broad adaptability and their clinical significance, so it is necessary to summarize and analyze these research results. This paper summarizes the LLRERs prototype and product in recent years, also compares the advantages and disadvantages of the theory and technology used in these research, and compares the functional characteristics of the devices, finally summarizes the aspects of the LLRERs to be improved. These devices apply advanced theories, techniques or structures, as well as human kinematics and dynamics data. However, due to the complexity of human body characteristics and movement rules, the theory or technology applied in the study design of LLRERs remains to be further studied, which can be improved in many aspects, such as improve the human-computer cooperation of equipment or carry out clinical trials. This paper can provide reference for researchers and designers in the future study, as well as understanding and selecting LLRERs for all kinds of therapist and patients.

Targeted therapies and immunotherapy have brought substantial benefits to patients with melanoma. However, brain metastases remain the biggest threat to the survival and quality of life of melanoma patients. One of the major challenges to an effective therapy is the inability of drugs to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Anti-schizophrenic drugs can cross the BBB, and many of them have demonstrated anti-cancer effects. Repurposing existing drugs for new clinical indications is an alluring strategy for anticancer drug discovery. Herein, we applied this strategy and screened a small collection of existing anti-schizophrenic drugs to use as anti-melanoma agents. Among them, trifluoperazine dihydrochloride (TFP) exhibited promising potencies for suppressing the growth and metastasis of melanoma, both in vitro and in vivo. TFP obviously suppressed the viability of melanoma cells within the micromolar range and inhibited the growth of melanoma in the subcutaneous mice models. Notably, intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of TFP (40 mg/kg/day) obviously inhibited the growth of intra-carotid-injection established melanoma brain metastasis and extended the survival of brain metastasis-bearing mice. Moreover, TFP significantly suppressed lung metastasis and bone metastasis of melanoma in preclinical metastasis models. Mechanistically, TFP caused G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and mitochondrial-dependent intrinsic apoptosis of melanoma cells. In addition, TFP treatment increased the expression of microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta-II (LC3B-II) and p62 in vitro, suggesting an inhibition of autophagic flux. TFP decreased LysoTracker Red uptake after treatment, indicating impaired acidification of lysosomes. Moreover, the colocalization of LC3 with lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1), a lysosome marker, was also suppressed after TFP treatment, suggesting that TFP might block the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes, which led to autophagosome accumulation. Taken together, our data highlight the potential of repurposing TFP as a new adjuvant drug for treating melanoma patients with brain, lung, and bone metastases.

With deep mining of coal mines, prospecting multilayer water-filled goaf has become a new content that results from geophysical exploration in coalfields. The central loop transient electromagnetic (TEM) method is favorable for prospecting conductive layers because of the coupling relationship between its field structure and formation. However, the shielding effect of conductive overburden would not only require a longer observation time when prospecting the same depth but also weaken the anomalous response of underlying layers. Through direct time domain numerical simulation and horizontal layered earth forward modeling, this paper estimates the length of observation time required to prospect the target, and the distinguishable criterion of multilayer water-filled goaf is presented with observation error according to the effect of noise on observation data. The observed emf curves from Dazigou Coal Mine, Shanxi Province can distinguish multilayer water-filled goaf. In quantitative inversion interpretation of observed curves, using electric logging data as initial parameters restrains the equivalence caused by coal formation thin layers. The deduced three-layer and two-layer water-filled goafs are confirmed by the drilling hole. The result suggests that when observation time is long enough and with the anomalous situation of underlying layers being greater than the observation error, the use of the central loop TEM method to prospect a multilayer water-filled goaf is feasible.

The rationality of air injection well for operation parameter design is important for effective repair and safety of aeration systems in landfills. On the basis of the literature, the operating results of the air injection systems used in field sites were summarized, and the key design parameters were addressed. The operation and assessment of aeration systems were presented. First, the behavior of oxygen transport was caused by the characteristics of the pore media in the waste body. A mathematical model was needed to address the spatial–temporal evolutions of oxygen concentration in landfill. The optimum design method of gas injection well should be developed to elevate the oxygen content at maximum level across the field site, applying to most landfills. Second, an effective leachate exchange and recirculation plan should be developed to ensure sustained aerobic reaction in full scale. Some experiences of leachate discharge in field sites were presented. Third, the relationship between oxygen consumption and stability indicators should be determined to create an effective aeration plan. This function will help evaluate the reliability of aeration systems. This study provides evidence for the design, construction, operation, and effectiveness assessment of air injection well in repair engineering of landfills. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2016

The expression of let-7 family members was differentiated in ischemic stroke (IS), functioning as an important regulating molecular in the pathophysiology of stroke. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphism in the promoters of let-7 family may be associated with the risk of IS. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the association of the rs10877887 and rs13293512 in the promoters of let-7 family with the susceptibility to IS. A hospital-based case-control study was performed. The rs10877887 genotype was determined by using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay, and the rs13293512 genotype was determined by using a TaqMan assay. We found that the rs13293512CC genotype was associated with a reduced risk of IS (CC vs. TT: adjusted OR = 0.43, 95 % CI 0.26-0.71; dominant model: adjusted OR = 0.70, 95 % CI 0.49-0.98; recessive model: adjusted OR = 0.45, 95 % CI, 0.28-0.73). Stratification analysis showed that the rs10877887TT carriers had a higher level of total cholesterol compared to rs10877887TC/CC carriers (P = 0.03). Combined analysis showed that the rs10877887TC/CC and rs13293512TC/CC genotypes had a reduced risk of IS risk (adjusted OR = 0.58, 95 % CI 0.36-0.95). Our findings suggest that the rs13293512 polymorphism may be a protective factor for the development of IS.

Solidification and stabilization (S/S) treatment via cement is common and effective for improving soil strength and stabilizing heavy metals in contaminated soils, but has certain drawbacks, such as high fossil energy consumption, big carbon footprint, poor chemical compatibility, and ambiguous long-term stability. This paper innovatively proposes bacterial-induced mineralization (BIM) as an eco-friendly and efficient S/S method. In the BIM-S/S treatment, life activities of bacteria produce minerals to cement the soil particles and fix the heavy metals. This review firstly summarizes the basic theories of BIM technology followed by the evaluation on remediation effects and long-term stability in terms of soil solidification and heavy metal stabilization. Then the factors in BIM-S/S application are reviewed. Emphasis is put on the comparison of the BIM-S/S effect with that of cement-based-S/S technology. It is concluded that BIM-S/S technology is promising with outstanding performance in sustainability. On the other hand, current limitations and deficiencies with this technology are identified finally, hereby the directions for future research are pointed to make a major advancement in the BIM-S/S technology.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality because of highly malignant and metastatic potential. The current status of lung cancer treatment is limited, and more treatment options are needed. Interesting, antipsychotic drugs have been reported to show anti-cancer effects. In this present study, we investigated the anticancer potential of penfluridol (PF), an anti-schizophrenic drug, in lung cancer and its underlying mechanism in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, it could inhibit the viability of various lung cancer cells with G0/G1 phase arrest via increasing the expression level of p21/p27 and decreasing the expression levels of cyclin-CDK complex. Meanwhile, cell-cycle arrest causes DNA repair in the nucleus, which was associated with the upregulation of H2A.X and p-H2A.X. Moreover, PF could also decrease mitochondrial membrane potential and increase reactive oxygen species levels in the lung cancer cells. These results implied that PF might induce the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptosis. In addition, PF inhibits the migration and invasion of lung cancer cells via downregulation of FAK-MMP signaling. In vivo, oral administration of PF at concentration of 10 mg/kg inhibited tumor growth in A549 xenograft model. Notably, PF is an approved drug and the price is exceedingly cheap, so this study demonstrates the potential of PF to treat lung cancer.

Purpose. Different microRNAs (miRs) have been demonstrated to relate with the outcome of glioma patients, while the conclusions are inconsistent. We perform a meta-analysis to clarify the relationship between different miRs and prognosis of glioma.Methods. Related studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) of different miRs expression for survival and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects model.Results. A total of 15 miRs with 4708 glioma patients were ultimately included. Increased expression of miR-15b (HR, 1.584; 95% CI, 1.199-2.092), 21 (HR, 1.591; 95% CI, 1.278-1.981), 148a (HR, 1.122; 95% CI, 1.023-1.231), 196 (HR, 1.877; 95% CI, 1.033-3.411), 210 (HR, 1.251; 95% CI, 1.010-1.550), and 221 (HR, 1.269; 95% CI, 1.054-1.527) or decreased expression of miR-106a (HR, 0.809; 95% CI, 0.655-0.998) and 124 (HR, 0.833; 95% CI, 0.729-0.952) was correlated with poor outcome of glioma patients.Conclusions. miR-15b, 21, 148a, 196, 210, 221, 106a, and 124 are valuable biomarkers for the prognosis of glioma which might be used in clinical settings.

Women with aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are at high risk of brain metastasis, which has no effective therapeutic option partially due to the poor penetration of drugs across the blood−brain barrier. Trifluoperazine (TFP) is an approved antipsychotic drug with good bioavailability in brain and had shown anticancer effect in several types of cancer. It drives us to investigate its activities to suppress TNBC, especially the brain metastasis. In this study, we chose three TNBC cell lines MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, and 4T1 to assess its anticancer activities along with the possible mechanisms. In vitro, it induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest via decreasing the expression of both cyclinD1/CDK4 and cyclinE/CDK2, and stimulated mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. In vivo, TFP suppressed the growth of subcutaneous xenograft tumor and brain metastasis without causing detectable side effects. Importantly, it prolonged the survival of mice bearing brain metastasis. Immunohistochemical analysis of Ki67 and cleaved caspase-3 indicated TFP could suppress the growth and induce apoptosis of cancer cells in vivo. Taken together, TFP might be a potential available drug for treating TNBC with brain metastasis, which urgently needs novel treatment options.

Natural frequency and modes of rocket sled system were gained by modal analysis. In order to decrease the influence of the resonance on the structure destruction, vibration characteristics of rocket sled was analyzed as dynamic testing after designing of sled structure. The rocket sled geometry is established in Solid Works and the geometry is imported into ANSYS Workbench to conduct a modal analysis in order to obtain the natural frequency and vibration model of track and single track sled. Frequency dimension and deformation position were obtained. The results shows that natural frequency of track and single track sled differed greatly and resonance of sled system hadn't happen as dynamic test.

Traumatic brachial plexus injuries are severe lesions, and the incidence of these injuries has been increasing in recent years. The clinical data of 510 operated patients with brachial plexus injury recruited from 74 hospitals in Guangxi from 2004 to 2016 were retrospectively studied. Our study included 447 males and 63 females, with an average age of 29.04 years. Traffic accidents were the most common cause of injury (64.71%), especially motorcycle accidents. Closed injuries accounted for 88.24% of cases, and 83.53% of patients had associated injuries, the most common of which were fractures (76.27%). The preoperative predictive value of root injury of MRI and CT was 74.71% and 71.28%, respectively. 44.71% of patients underwent an initial operation within 6 months after the trauma. Regarding the surgery, neurolysis alone, brachial plexus reconstruction, and free functioning gracilis graft accounted for 16.67%, 75.50%, and 4.51%, respectively. A total of 415 patients were followed up with an average time of 47.95 (25–68) months, and anxiety or depression were found among 81.20% of them. Two hundred seventy-six patients suffered from nerve pain, with mild pain present in 67.03% of patients. Additionally, 347 patients were followed up for more than 3 years, 76.81% of patients with C5-C6 injury recovery to useful function, and the procedure of neurolysis alone demonstrated the best efficacy (79.45%). Brachial plexus injury is still a challenging trauma for surgeons, and traffic accidents are the dominant cause. Timely and effective surgery is important for functional limb recovery.

In this paper, sewage sludge, a solid waste from wastewater treatment plant, which eagerly requires proper treatment was reused as solid support in the form of sewage sludge biochar, then modified with carboxymethyl chitosan to form a bio-adsorbent. Further, carboxymethyl chitosan coating on sewage sludge biochar improved carboxymethyl chitosan's stability in water. The prepared bio-adsorbent revealed a shorter equilibrium time (60 min) for Pb(II) adsorption and a superior capacity of 594.17 mg g

Non-orthogonal transmission is considered to be one of the promising techniques for improving the throughput of the existing and future wireless communication networks. We concentrate on the transmission of both independent and correlated binary sources over a non-orthogonal multiple access relay channel (MARC), which consists of two sources, one relay, and one destination. The lossy decode-and-forward (DF), developed from the conventional DF, is adopted at the relay. Two time slots are required with non-orthogonal transmission over such network setup, while three time slots are required with the conventional orthogonal transmission. We analyze the outage probability of transmission of independent binary sources over the non-orthogonal MARC based on the theorem of multiple access channel (MAC) with a helper, which combines the Slepian-Wolf rate region and the MAC capacity region. For the performance verification, we implement a practical coding-decoding chain, which is applicable to the transmission of both independent and correlated binary sources. Exclusive-OR based multi-user complete decoding is introduced at the relay node, and iterative joint decoding is utilized at the destination by taking into consideration the estimated intra-link error probability and correlation information between the sources. The practical simulation results are well matched with the theoretical analyses.

Background and Purpose. Hematoma expansion (HE) is related to clinical deterioration after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) signs are indicated as predictors for HE but with inconsistent conclusions. We aim to clarify the correlations of NCCT heterogeneity signs with HE by meta-analysis of related studies. Methods. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library were searched for eligible studies exploring the relationships between NCCT heterogeneity signs (hypodensity, mixed density, swirl sign, blend sign, and black hole sign) and HE. Poor outcome and mortality were considered as secondary outcomes. Odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were selected as the effect size and combined using random effects model. Results. Fourteen studies were included, involving 3240 participants and 435 HEs. The summary results suggested statistically significant correlations of heterogeneity signs with HE (OR, 5.17; 95% CI, 3.72–7.19, P<0.001), poor outcome (OR, 3.60; 95% CI, 1.98–6.54, P<0.001), and mortality (OR, 4.64; 95%, 2.96–7.27, P<0.001). Conclusions. Our findings suggested that hematoma heterogeneity signs on NCCT were positively associated with the increased risk of HE, poor outcome, and mortality rate in ICH.

Background: Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) may lead to serious neurological disorders; however, little is known about the risk factors for recurrent CVT. Our aim was to determine the association between elevated fibrinogen and decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels with recurrent CVT. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included participants if they had a first episode of objectively defined CVT and were admitted to Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University from August 2005 to September 2009. Demographic and clinical variables were collected, as well as laboratory parameters, including plasma fibrinogen and HDL-C. Patients with CVT were followed for recurrent symptomatic CVT. Follow-up was through the end of September 2010. Potential predictors of recurrence were analyzed using Cox survival analysis. Results: At the end of the follow-up, 95 patients were eligible for the study. Twelve of 95 patients (12.6%) had recurred CVT. The median time of recurrence was 7 months (range: 1-39 months). Eight of these 12 (66.7%) experienced recurrence within the first 12 months after their initial CVT. The recurrence rate of CVT was 2.76 per 100 patient-years. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the coexistence of high fibrinogen (>4.00 g/L) and low HDL-C (

The phytoestrogen puerarin has been shown to protect neurons and astrocytes in the brain, and is therefore an attractive drug in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and cerebral ischemia. Whether puerarin exhibits the same biological processes in neurons and astrocytes in vitro has rarely been reported. In this study, cortical neurons and astrocytes of newborn Sprague-Dawley rats were separated, identified and co-cultured in a system based on Transwell membranes. The retention time and distribution of puerarin in each cell type was detected by fluorescence spectrophotometry and fluorescence microscope. The concentration of puerarin in both co-cultured and separately cultured neurons was greater than that of astrocytes. Puerarin concentration reached a maximum 20 minutes after it was added. At 60 minutes after its addition, a scant amount of drug was detected in astrocytes; however in both separately cultured and co-cultured neurons, the concentration of puerarin achieved a stable level of about 12.8 ng/mL. The results indicate that puerarin had a higher concentration and longer retention time in neurons than that observed in astrocytes.

Exploration of a nanoplatform that benefits precise cancer diagnosis and treatment in vivo is particularly valuable. In recent years, aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) have emerged as advanced fluorescent materials for the design and preparation of organic nanoparticles (NPs); they also have unique advantages in biomedical applications, especially in cancer diagnosis and theranostics. In this review, we summarize the current status of the development of AIEgen-based NPs for in vivo cancer research, including in vivo tumor diagnosis, drug delivery, and photodynamic therapy. We hope that our review will inspire more exciting research in cross-disciplinary fields, contributing to precise cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

This paper aims at the phenomenon of uneven wear of working roll and the work-side wear is much higher than the drive-side of an acid rolling mill tension leveler for dynamics simulation analysis, analyzes the vibration characteristics of working roll in different process parameters and different bias conditions of rolls and vibration test is carried out to test the rolls by Donghua5920 test-collection system, and combined with the field vibration data of bending roll, points that unilateral severe wear of bending roll is mainly the zero problems of tension leveler.

We have designed a high resolution and dule-path optical turbidimeter. The right angle scatted light turbidimeter is mainly for water in low turbidity levels, especially for drinking water. Mechanical design of the optoelectronic receiving room and the realizing circuit for modulation and demodulation are described in detail. To achieve good linearity in the measuring range from 0 to 5 NTU, pulse width modulation (PWM) and demodulation techniques are proposed, in this way, low temperature-drift and good anti-jamming ability can be obtained without the interference of background light. To improve the precision, the ratio algorithm which measures the ratio of the scattered light and reflected light is introduced in a dule-path optical system so that the interference of light emission can be eliminated effectively. Through the analysis and comparison of the experimental results, the linearity is improved by the ratio algorithm with a correlation coefficient for about 0.99932.

Aim To explore the therapeutic effects of Morinda officinalis capsules (MOP) on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats. Methods Six-month-old female Sprague–Dawley rats were induced for postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) by bilateral ovariectomy and divided into seven groups as follows: sham-operated group, ovariectomized (OVX) control group, OVX treated with xianlinggubao (XLGB) (270 mg·kg −1 ·d −1 ), OVX treated with alendronate sodium (ALN) (3 mg·kg −1 ·d −1 ), and OVX treated with Morinda officinalis capsule (MOP) of graded doses (90, 270 and 810 mg·kg −1 ·d −1 ) groups. Oral treatments were administered daily on the 4 th week after ovariectomy and lasted for 12 weeks. The bone mineral density was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and osteocalcin (OC) levels in the serum and plasma were determined by standard colorimetric and enzyme immunoassays methods. Bone biomechanical properties and morphological parameters were analyzed by three-point bending test and histomorphometry respectively. Results Morinda officinalis capsules at all doses were able to significantly prevent the OVX-induced loss of bone mass due to diminishing serum AKP and TRAP levels while elevating OC level in the plasma. Morinda officinalis capsules also enhanced the bone strength and prevented the deterioration of trabecular microarchitecture. Conclusion Morinda officinalis capsules possess potent anti-osteoporotic activity in OVX rats which could be an effective treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Catalpol and puerarin are active ingredients isolated from Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch and Radix Puerariae, respectively. They are popular in research for their poly-pharmacological effects. This research focused on effect of anti-stroke by lyophilized powder of catalpol and puerarin (C-P) and potential mechanisms. At the beginning of research, C-P was identified and analyzed by HPLC. Neurological function was evaluated by Longa score, neurological complex function score and beam balance score after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (PMCAO) in mice. Infarct volume and water content were evaluated after treatment of C-P. Anti-oxidative stress, anti-apoptosis, angiogenesis and neurogenesis were investigated by ELISA, WB and immunohistochemical stain respectively. With treatment of C-P, neurological deficiency of PMCAO mice was ameliorated. Morphologically, infarct volume and water content in ischemic hemisphere were significantly reduced by C-P. In vivo and in vitro, oxidative stress injury was extenuated by C-P. Meanwhile, Caspase-3 was down-regulated and Bxl-2 was up-regulated by C-P in vivo. In addition, C-P enhanced angiogenesis around the infarct of cortex and neurogenesis in the Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus (DG). Hence, C-P ameliorated stroke-induced neurological deficiency through its multiple neuroprotections. What's more, this article provides us a novel formula of active ingredients for stroke.

We read with great interest the review by Kawsara et al. [(1)][1], in which the investigators succinctly summarized aneurysmal coronary disease. They mentioned some therapeutic targets in coronary artery aneurysms; however, they did not discuss multiple overlapping stents. The multilayer aneurysm