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Background The Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) and collateral score (CS) are two readily available imaging metrics for the evaluation of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with large vessel occlusion (LVO). Objective To investigate the predictive value of the ASPECTS combined with CS in detecting patients with CT perfusion (CTP) target mismatch in delayed time windows. Methods One hundred and sixty-four patients with LVO-AIS were included. ASPECTS was assessed on noncontrast CT (NCCT). CS was evaluated on single-phase CT angiography (sCTA). Target mismatch was defined as a CTP core volume ≤70 mL, mismatch ratio ≥1.8, and absolute mismatch volume ≥15 mL. Spearman correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed. Results The median NCCT ASPECTS of the 164 patients was 8 (IQR 6-9), median sCTA-CS was 2 (IQR 1-2), and median CTP core volume was 8 mL (IQR 0-29.5). There was a strong correlation between NCCT ASPECTS and CTP core volume (rs=-0.756, p<0.0001) and a moderate correlation between the sCTA-CS and CTP core volume (rs=-0.450, p<0.0001). Integrating NCCT ASPECTS and sCTA-CS provided a higher area under the curve (AUC) for predicting target mismatch (AUC=0.882; sensitivity, 89.1%; specificity, 77.8%; p<0.001). Conclusions NCCT ASPECTS had a strong correlation with CTP core volumes in patients with LVO-AIS in delayed time windows. Combining NCCT ASPECTS with sCTA-CS resulted in a more accurate prediction of target mismatch. If a CTP scan is not available, NCCT ASPECTS combined with sCTA-CS may guide clinicians in making treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to explore the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and prognosis in patients with diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO). Three hundred twenty‐one DFO inpatients were enrolled and classified into four groups according to the eGFRs as follows: normal (≥90), mildly reduced (60‐89), moderately reduced (30‐59) and severely reduced (<30). These patients were followed‐up for 6 months to observe the outcomes, including ulcer healing and amputation. The associations between eGFR and the outcomes were analysed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Compared with patients with normal eGFR, patients with severely reduced eGFR group had higher risk of healing failure (OR = 4.72, 95% CI: 1.44‐15.48), total amputation (OR = 4.50, 95% CI: 1.18‐17.13) and minor amputation (OR = 4.05, 95% CI: (1.04‐15.87). Severely reduced eGFR in patients with DFO was an independent predictor for amputation and healing failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Nutritional deficiency soon after birth is a risk factor of chronic lung disease (bronchopulmonary dysplasia, BPD). Afflicted infants are further prone to inadequate growth during hospitalization (extrauterine growth restriction, EUGR). This multi-center retrospective study investigated risk factors of EUGR, specifically in very preterm infants with BPD.Method: Data of infants with BPD who were born less than 32 weeks gestation (n = 1010) were collected from 7 regions of China. All infants were non-small for gestational age at birth. Infants were characterized as EUGR or non-EUGR at 36 weeks gestation or discharge, or stratified by gestational age or birthweight. Logistic regression analysis was applied.Results: In 65.5% of the population, the BPD was mild. Infants with severe BPD (8.3%) had the highest rate of EUGR (72.6%, P < 0.001). Groups stratified by gestational age did not differ in rates of EUGR, but the birthweight of the EUGR group was significantly lower than that of the non-EUGR (P < 0.001). Birthweights of < 1000, 1000-1499, and ≥ 1500 g showed EUGR rates of 65.9%, 43.4%, and 23.8%, respectively (P < 0.001). Overall, the independent risk factors of EUGR were: moderate-to-severe BPD, gestational hypertension, cesarean section, cumulative fasting time, time required to achieve 110 kcal/kg/d, and hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA).Conclusion: In very preterm infants with BPD, the lower the birthweight or the more severe the BPD, the greater the risk of EUGR. In those with hsPDA, or moderate-to-severe BPD, it is especially important to prevent EUGR through perinatal management, enteral nutrition, and nutritional strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The G protein-coupled receptor P2RY2 protein of the purinergic receptor family is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Naturally occurring antibodies against P2RY2 (NAbs-P2RY2) are present in human plasma, with their clinical relevance in AD unknown.Objective: To explore the alteration of NAbs-P2RY2 in AD patients and its associations with biomarkers and cognition of AD patients.Methods: The levels of naturally occurring antibodies against the four extracellular domains of P2RY2 (NAbs-P2RY2-1, NAbs-P2RY2-2, NAbs-P2RY2-3, and NAbs-P2RY2-4) were measured in the plasma of 55 AD patients, 28 non-AD dementia patients, and 70 cognitively normal participants. The correlations of autoantibody levels with cognitive scale scores, AD plasma biomarkers, and brain amyloid burden were examined.Results: NAbs-P2RY2-1, NAbs-P2RY2-3, and NAbs-P2RY2-4 were reduced in AD patients. Plasma levels of NAbs-P2RY2-2 and NAbs-P2RY2-3 levels were positively associated with cognitive and functional performances. Among these antibodies, plasma NAbs-P2RY2-2 levels were positively associated with plasma amyloid-β 42 levels. While plasma NAbs-P2RY2-3 levels were negatively associated with brain amyloid burden in AD patients.Conclusion: These findings indicate an alteration of humoral immunity against P2RY2 in AD patients. Further mechanistical investigations are needed to reveal the role of NAbs-P2RY2 in the pathogenesis of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies have shown that monocytes can phagocytize the tau protein, which may ameliorate tau-type pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there are few clinical studies on the relationship between monocytes and tau-type pathology in AD patients.Objective: We aimed to explore changes in peripheral monocytes and their association with tau protein in AD patients.Methods: A total of 127 clinically diagnosed AD patients and 100 age- and sex-matched cognitively normal controls were recruited for analysis of the correlation of plasma tau levels with the blood monocyte count. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 46 AD patients and 88 controls were further collected to analyze the correlation of CSF tau and amyloid-β (Aβ) levels with the blood monocyte count. 105 clinically diagnosed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients and 149 age- and sex-matched cognitively normal controls were recruited from another cohort for verification.Results: Compared to normal controls, AD patients showed a significant reduction in the blood monocyte count. In addition, the monocyte count of AD patients was negatively correlated with CSF t-tau and p-tau levels but not with plasma tau levels. In normal people, monocyte count lack correlation with tau levels both in plasma and CSF. Monocyte count were not correlated with CSF Aβ levels in either group but were negatively correlated with CSF tau/Aβ42 levels in the AD group. We had further verified the correlations of monocyte count with CSF tau levels in another cohort.Conclusion: This study suggests that monocytes may play an important role in the clearance of tau protein in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal neuroendocrine carcinomas (CRNECs) are highly aggressive tumours with poor prognosis and low incidence. To date, the genomic landscape and molecular pathway alterations have not been elucidated.Methods: Tissue sections and clinical information of CRNEC (n = 35) and CR neuroendocrine tumours (CRNETs) (n = 25) were collected as an in-house cohort (2010-2020). Comprehensive genomic and expression panels (AmoyDx® Master Panel) were applied to identify the genomic and genetic alterations of CRNEC. Through the depiction of the genomic landscape and transcriptome profile, we compared the difference between CRNEC and CRNET. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining were performed to confirm the genetic alterations.Results: High tumour mutation load was observed in CRNEC compared with CRNET. CRNECs showed a "cold" immune landscape and increased endothelial cell activity compared with NETs. Importantly, PAX5 was aberrantly expressed in CRNEC and predicted a poor prognosis of CRNECs. CCL5, a factor that is considered an immunosuppressive factor in several tumour types, was strongly expressed in CRNEC patients with long-term survival and correlated with high CD8+ T cell infiltration.Conclusion: Through the depiction of the genomic landscape and transcriptome profile, we demonstrated alterations in molecular pathways and potential targets for immunotherapy in CRNEC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has been one of the most frequent endocrine malignancies around the world. Although most PTC patients have a favorable prognosis, a subgroup of patients die, especially when disease recurrence occurs. There is a pressing need for clinically relevant preclinical thyroid cancer models for personalized therapy because of the lack of in vitro models that faithfully represent the biology of the parental tumors.Objective: To understand thyroid cancer and translate this knowledge to clinical applications, patient-derived PTC organoids as a promising new preclinical model were established.Methods: Surgically resected PTC primary tissues were dissociated and processed for organoid derivation. Tumor organoids were subsequently subjected to histological characterization, DNA sequencing, drug screen, and cell proliferation assay, respectively.Results: We describe a 3-dimensional culture system for the long-term expansion of patient-derived PTC organoid lines. Notably, PTC organoids preserve the histopathological profiles and genomic heterogeneity of the originating tumors. Drug sensitivity assays of PTC organoids demonstrate patient-specific drug responses, and large correlations with the respective mutational profiles. Estradiol was shown to promote cell proliferation of PTC organoids in the presence of estrogen receptor α (ERα), regardless of the expression of ERβ and G protein-coupled ER.Conclusion: These data suggest that these newly developed PTC-derived organoids may be an excellent preclinical model for studying clinical response to anticancer drugs in a personalized way, as well as provide a potential strategy to develop prevention and treatment options for thyroid cancer with ERα-specific antagonists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients with liver metastases are poor, which may be related to a different tumor microenvironment in liver metastases from primary tumors. This study was aimed to analyze PD-L1 expression and the immune microenvironment status in liver metastases and compare the differences of PD-L1 expression between primary tumors and liver metastases of colorectal cancer.Methods: 74 cases of pathologically confirmed colorectal cancer with liver metastasis underwent resection from our hospital were included. Tissue microarrays were used for the interpretation of PD-L1 expression, cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) and CD8 density by immunohistochemistry. We evaluated the disparity between primary tumor and liver metastasis in PD-L1 expression, CD4 and CD8 density and analyzed the factors associated with obvious PD-L1 disparity.Results: The expression of PD-L1 was positively related to the density of CD4 and CD8 in liver metastases. The expression of PD-L1 in liver metastases was higher than in primary tumors in certain subgroups, including patients with concurrent liver metastases (n = 63, p = 0.05), patients receiving concurrent resection of primary and metastatic tumors (n = 56, p = 0.04). The two subgroups generally reflected those without inconsistent external influences, such as treatment and temporal factors, between primary tumors and liver metastases. In these subgroups, the intrinsic differences of microenvironment between primary tumors and liver metastases could be identified. Furthermore, tumor differentiation [moderate vs. poor: OR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.03-0.99, p = 0.05)] were demonstrated to be associated with obvious discordance of PD-L1 expression between primary tumors and liver metastases.Conclusions: The expression of PD-L1 in liver metastases was higher than in primary tumors in subgroups, reflecting intrinsic microenvironment differences between primary and metastatic tumors. Obvious discordance of PD-L1 expression between primary tumor and liver metastasis was significantly related to the tumor differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important structural system for effectively improving power delivered to the load (PDL) and power transmission range, multiple-transmitter (TX) and single-receiver (RX) wireless power transfer (WPT) system is gaining more and more attention in both academic circles and the industrial fields. Based on the Lagrange multiplier method, this paper first provides a current- and voltage-optimized circuit scheme to maximize the PDL of the multiple-TX WPT system. Then, for a determined WPT system, the current-optimized circuit scheme is proposed to maximize the PDL effectively with constant source voltages and feeding currents for TXs. While voltage-optimized circuit scheme can effectively adjust the source voltages and feeding currents and maintain the same level of input power and PDL as a current-optimized solution. Through comparative study, the voltage-optimized solution shows its advantages in adjustable source voltage and feeding current without any degradation of PDL. Finally, the theoretical analysis results are confirmed by the results of full-wave electromagnetic simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As a nucleolar protein associated with ribosome biogenesis, pescadillo homolog 1 (PES1) has been reported to participate in the development of many cancers. However, its role in prostate cancer is not clearly defined. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the effects and the specific mechanism of PES1 in prostate cancer.Methods: A microarray-based analysis was performed to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between prostate cancer and normal samples. Next, the interaction between PES1 and microRNA-1271 (miR-1271) was investigated using bioinformatics analysis in combination with dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. The expression of miR-1271 in prostate cancer cells and tissues was determined using RT-qPCR. Its effects on downstream estrogen receptor β (ERβ) signaling pathway were further examined. Moreover, we analyzed whether miR-1271 affects proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells by EdU assay, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay. Lastly, a prostate cancer mouse model was conducted to measure their roles in the tumor growth.Results: PES1 was identified as a prostate cancer-related DEG and found to be upregulated in prostate cancer. miR-1271, which was poorly expressed in both cells and tissues of prostate cancer, can specifically bind to PES1. Additionally, overexpression of miR-1271 activated the ERβ signaling pathway. Overexpression of miR-1271 or depletion of PES1 inhibited prostate cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, promoted apoptosis in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo.Conclusions: Taken together, overexpression of miR-1271 downregulates PES1 to activate the ERβ signaling pathway, leading to the delayed prostate cancer development. Our data highlights the potential of miR-1271 as a novel biomarker for the treatment of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA damage repair is a key factor in the maintenance of cell genome stability, plays an important role in the regulation of tumour evolution, and can affect the prognosis of cancer patients. This study aimed to detect the protein expression of the DNA damage repair protein P53 and its upstream and downstream regulators, CHK1, GADD45A, and MDM2, in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), in order to analyse the association between the expression of these proteins and overall survival, and to assess their prognostic implications for OSCC patients. The expression of the above proteins was detected by immunohistochemistry in 80 human OSCC tissue samples and in non‐cancerous tissue samples. Compared to that in the non‐cancerous tissue, the expression of CHK1, GADD45A, and MDM2 in OSCC tissue was significantly increased. The protein expression of the tumour suppressor gene P53 was also increased. Patients with high CHK1 and MDM2 expression levels had a reduced survival time and a poor prognosis, whereas patients with high GADD45A expression levels had a good prognosis. Our results indicate that high CHK1 expression is an independent risk factor for poor OSCC prognosis, and that CHK1 may be a potential target for OSCC clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Saline-alkaline stress is a major abiotic stress that is harmful to plant growth worldwide. Two peach cultivars (GF677 and Maotao) display distinct phenotypes under saline-alkaline stress. The molecular mechanism explaining the differences between the two cultivars is still unclear. Results: In the present study, we systematically analysed the changes in GF677 and Maotao leaves upon saline-alkaline stress by using cytological and biochemical technologies as well as comparative transcriptome analysis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations showed that the structure of granum was dispersive in Maotao chloroplasts. The biochemical analysis revealed that POD activity and the contents of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, as well as iron, were notably decreased in Maotao. Comparative transcriptome analysis detected 881 genes with differential expression (including 294 upregulated and 587 downregulated) under the criteria of |log2 Ratio| ≥ 1 and FDR ≤0.01. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that all differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were grouped into 30 groups. MapMan annotation of DEGs showed that photosynthesis, antioxidation, ion metabolism, and WRKY TF were activated in GF677, while cell wall degradation, secondary metabolism, starch degradation, MYB TF, and bHLH TF were activated in Maotao. Several iron and stress-related TFs (ppa024966m, ppa010295m, ppa0271826m, ppa002645m, ppa010846m, ppa009439m, ppa008846m, and ppa007708m) were further discussed from a functional perspective based on the phylogenetic tree integration of other species homologues. Conclusions: According to the cytological and molecular differences between the two cultivars, we suggest that the integrity of chloroplast structure and the activation of photosynthesis as well as stress-related genes are crucial for saline-alkaline resistance in GF677. The results presented in this report provide a theoretical basis for cloning saline-alkaline tolerance genes and molecular breeding to improve saline-alkaline tolerance in peach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mutations in gap junction protein beta 1 (GJB1) on the X chromosome represent one of the most common causes of hereditary neuropathy. We assessed manifestations associated with a rare 3' untranslated region mutation (UTR) of GJB1 in a large family with X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMTX).Methods: Clinical, electrophysiological, and molecular genetic analyses were performed on an 8-generation family with CMTX.Results: There were 22 affected males and 19 symptomatic females, including an 83-year-old woman followed for 40 years. Electrophysiological studies showed a primarily axonal neuropathy. The c.*15C>T mutation in the GJB1 3' UTR was identified in 4 branches of the family with a log of odds (LOD) of 4.91. This created a BstE II enzyme recognition site that enabled detection by restriction digestion.Discussion: The c.*15C>T mutation in the GJB1 3' UTR segregates with CMTX1 in 8 generations. Penetrance in males and females is essentially complete. A straightforward genetic method to detect this mutation is described. Muscle Nerve 57: 859-862, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Determine ancillary test utilization for the workup of isolated eosinophilia in otherwise morphologically unremarkable bone marrow (BM).Methods: We evaluated BM ancillary testing performed in cases with isolated eosinophilia and otherwise morphologically unremarkable BM. Cases with abnormal morphology (eg, dysplasia, basophilia) and/or findings suggestive of a disorder (eg, unexplained thromboses, lymphoma) are specifically excluded.Results: A total of 132 cases met inclusion criteria. Ten cases had an ancillary testing abnormality that warranted a more specific hematologic diagnosis: four cases of lymphocytic variant of hypereosinophilic syndrome, three cases of myeloid neoplasm with PDGFRA rearrangement, and one case each of myeloid neoplasm with PDGFRB rearrangement, chronic eosinophilic leukemia, and morphologically occult systemic mastocytosis. No cases revealed a cryptic PDGFRB or BCR/ABL1 rearrangement or JAK2 V617F mutation.Conclusions: Findings from our institutional experience support initial testing in isolated eosinophilia with otherwise unremarkable BM to include PDGFRA rearrangement, tryptase/CD25 immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, and T-cell flow cytometry/receptor gene rearrangement. This approach achieves diagnostic quality and test utilization efficiency in our clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy is currently considered to be the standard treatment regimen for patients with advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but has well known side-effects such as gastrointestinal reactions, nephrotoxicity, and ototoxicity. Nedaplatin was developed to decrease the toxic effects induced by cisplatin, and in this trial we assessed whether a nedaplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy regimen was non-inferior to a cisplatin-based regimen in patients with locoregional, stage II-IVB nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods: We did an open-label, non-inferiority, phase 3, randomised, controlled trial at two centres in China. Patients aged 18-65 years with non-keratinising stage II-IVB (T1-4N1-3 or T3-4N0) nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a Karnofsky score of at least 70, and adequate haematological, renal, and hepatic function were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive intravenously either nedaplatin 100 mg/m2 or cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on days 1, 22, and 43 for three cycles concurrently with intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Randomisation was done manually using a computer-generated random number code and patients were stratified by treatment centre and clinical stage. Patients and clinicians were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival at 2 years; non-inferiority was shown if the upper limit of the 95% CI for the difference in 2-year progression-free survival between the two groups did not exceed 10%. Analyses were by both intention to treat and per protocol, including all patients who received at least one complete cycle of chemotherapy. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01540136, and is currently in follow-up.Findings: Between Jan 16, 2012, and July 16, 2014, we randomly assigned 402 patients to nedaplatin-based (n=201) or cisplatin-based (n=201) concurrent chemoradiotherapy. In the intention-to-treat population, 2-year progression-free survival was 89·9% (95% CI 85·8-94·0) in the cisplatin group and 88·0% (83·5-94·5) in the nedaplatin group, with a difference of 1·9% (95% CI -4·2 to 8·0; pnon-inferiority=0·0048). In the per-protocol analysis (cisplatin group, n=197; nedaplatin group, n=196), 2-year progression-free survival was 89·7% (95% CI 85·4-94·0) in the cisplatin group and 88·7% (84·2-94·5) in the nedaplatin group, with a difference of 1·0% (95% CI -5·2 to 7·0; pnon-inferiority=0·0020). A significantly higher frequency of grade 3 or 4 vomiting (35 [18%] of 198 in the cisplatin group vs 12 [6%] of 200 in the nedaplatin group, p<0·0001), nausea (18 [9%] vs four [2%], p=0·0021), and anorexia (53 [27%] vs 26 [13%], p=0·00070) was observed in the cisplatin group compared with the nedaplatin group. 11 (6%) patients in the nedaplatin group had grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia compared with four (2%) in the cisplatin group (p=0·065). Patients in the cisplatin group had a higher frequency of any grade or grade 3 or 4 late auditory or hearing toxicities than did patients in the nedaplatin group (grade 3 or 4: three [2%] in the nedaplatin group vs 11 [6%] in the cisplatin group, p=0·030). No patients died from treatment-related causes.Interpretation: Our findings show that nedaplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy represents an alternative doublet treatment strategy to cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy for patients with locoregional, advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Further investigations are needed to explore the potential use of this treatment as induction or adjuvant chemotherapy or in combination with other agents.Funding: National Key R&D Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Sun Yat-sen University Clinical Research 5010 Program, Sci-Tech Project Foundation of Guangzhou City, National Key Basic Research Program of China, Special Support Plan of Guangdong Province, Sci-Tech Project Foundation of Guangdong Province, Health & Medical Collaborative Innovation Project of Guangzhou City, National Science & Technology Pillar Program during the Twelfth Five-year Plan Period, PhD Start-up Fund of Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, Cultivation Foundation for the Junior Teachers in Sun Yat-sen University, and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies demonstrate that patients with sleep disorders are at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), with the mechanism unknown. It is suggested that acute sleep deprivation induces an increase of amyloid-β (Aβ), the major pathological agent in AD, in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In the present study, we recruited 23 patients with chronic insomnia aged between 46 to 67 years and 23 healthy controls aged between 43 to 67 years. We investigated the CSF levels of Aβ and tau, another pathological hallmark in the AD pathogenesis. We found that CSF Aβ42 levels were significantly increased in insomnia patients. However, no significant difference was found in Aβ40, total tau (t-Tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-Tau) between the two groups. Furthermore, we found that CSF Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels are significantly correlated with the sleep quality, as reflected by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores. But no significant correlation was found in CSF t-Tau and p-Tau levels with PSQI. Our results indicate that chronic sleep disorders may induce the disruption of Aβ metabolism in the brain, thus increase the risk for developing AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SOX4 transcription factor is involved in various cellular processes, such as embryonic development and differentiation. Deregulated expression of Sox4 in several human cancers has been reported to date, but its biological functions in the progression of osteosarcoma remain unclear. In this study, we found that the expression levels of SOX4 protein were significantly higher in high-grade osteosarcoma tissues and metastatic osteosarcoma tissues. Its overexpression was associated with poor prognosis in osteosarcoma. Knockdown of the SOX4 gene in the osteosarcoma cell lines resulted in decreased cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and induced apoptosis. After SOX4 gene silencing, the protein expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3, and P53 in osteosarcoma cells were significantly elevated, while the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, MMP2, and MMP9 were obviously decreased. In vivo analysis in nude mice further confirmed that knockdown of SOX4 suppressed tumor growth. In conclusion, SOX4 appears to be an important tumor oncogene in the regulation of osteosarcoma cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion, and it may be a potential target for effective osteosarcoma therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroacupuncture (EA) at Zusanli is a widely used method for the treatment of intestinal ischemic disease. The current study attempts to investigate the possible mechanism from the point of cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP) in rats. Thirty rats were divided into five groups: control group, I/R group, EA group (I/R + EA), PNU group (I/R + α7 nAChR agonist), and α-BGT group (I/R + EA + α7 nAChR antagonist). EA and medicine injection were performed immediately after ischemia. After 2 h of reperfusion, blood and intestine samples were collected and intestinal histopathological score, mRNA expression of mucosal α7 nAChR and NF-κBp65, and serum cytokine levels (IL-6, TNF-α) were examined. Compared with the I/R group, the EA group and PNU group could significantly attenuate the mucosal damage, promote α7 nAChR mRNA expression, and reduce levels of NF-κBp65, IL-6, and TNF-α. Compared with the EA group, α7 nAChR mRNA was decreased, while concentrations of NF-κBp65, IL-6, and TNF-α increased in the α-BGT group. EA at Zusanli could inhibit NF-κBp65 and proinflammatory cytokines production after intestinal I/R injury; its mechanism may be related to the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To prospectively assess the diagnostic performance of supersonic shear wave elastography (SSWE) in identifying biliary atresia (BA) among infants with conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia by comparing this approach with grey-scale ultrasonography (US).Methods: Forty infants were analysed as the control group to determine normal liver stiffness values. The use of SSWE values for identifying BA was investigated in 172 infants suspected of having BA, and results were compared with the results obtained by grey-scale US. The Mann-Whitney U test, unpaired t-test, Spearman correlation and linear regression were also performed.Results: The success rates of SSWE measurements in the control and study group were 100% (40/40) and 96.4% (244/253), respectively. Age, direct bilirubin, and indirect bilirubin all significantly correlated with SSWE in the liver (all P < 0.001). Linear regression showed that age had a greater effect on SSWE values than direct or indirect bilirubin. The diagnostic performance of liver stiffness values in identifying BA was lower than that of grey-scale US (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.790 vs 0.893, P < 0.001).Conclusions: SSWE is feasible and valuable in differentiating BA from non-BA. However, its diagnostic performance does not exceed that of grey-scale US.Key Points: • SSWE could be successfully performed in an infant population. • For infants, the liver stiffness will increase as age increases. • SSWE is potentially useful in assessing infants suspected of biliary atresia. • SSWE is inferior to grey-scale US in identifying biliary atresia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The first one-arm phase II trial aimed to evaluate and predict efficacy and safety of S-1 plus oral leucovorin (S-1/LV) as first-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC), using S-1 pharmacogenetic pathway approach.Patients and Methods: A total of 39 patients orally took S-1 at conventional dose and LV simultaneously at a dose of 25 mg twice daily for a week, within a 2-week cycle. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR), while the secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), time to failure (TTF), overall survival (OS), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events (AEs). Peripheral blood was sampled prospectively for baseline expression of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT), thymidine phosphorylase (TP), and thymidylate synthase (TS), CYP2A6 gene polymorphisms, and 5-FU pharmacokinetics.Results: The ORR and DCR were 41.0 and 76.9%. The median PFS, TTF, and OS were 4.13, 3.70, and 11.40 months. Grade 3-4 AEs occurred in only 13 patients, and grade 4 AEs occurred in only 1 of them. High OPRT/TS and peritoneal metastasis (vs. liver metastasis) independently predicted responding. High OPRT/DPD independently predicted grade 3-4 AEs. High AUC0-24h of 5-FU and metastatic/recurrent sites ≤2 (vs. >3) independently predicted prolonged PFS. Low baseline plasmic DPD independently predicted prolonged OS.Conclusions: Two-week, oral S-1/LV regimen demonstrated promising efficacy and safety as first-line chemotherapy for AGC. CLINICALTRIALS.Gov Identifier: NCT02090153. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Experimental evidence suggests that anesthetic preconditioning and postconditioning could effectively attenuate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. In this study, we aimed at investigating whether there are age-associated differences in response to sevoflurane postconditioning during myocardial I/R injury in young and old rats, and explore the underlying molecular mechanisms.Methods: Young and old rats were subjected to 30 min myocardial ischemia, followed by 2 h of reperfusion, with or without sevoflurane postconditioning.Results: Both 1 and 2 minimal aveolar concentration (MAC) sevoflurane postconditioning reduced infarct size (IS) (34 ± 3% and 32 ± 2% vs. 58 ± 5%, p < 0.05) and apoptotic index (8 ± 1% and 7 ± 1% vs. 15 ± 2%, p < 0.05) in young rats, compared to young control group. In contrast, they could not reduce IS (45 ± 3% and 43 ± 3% vs. 47 ± 3%, p > 0.05) and apoptotic index (28 ± 3% and 25 ± 2%, vs. 26 ± 2%, p > 0.05) in old rats, compared to old control group. Mechanistically, we found that the phosphorylation of both Akt and ERK1/2 but not STAT3 was substantially enhanced after sevoflurane postconditioning in young rats, compared to young control group, but not in old rats, relative to old control group.Conclusion: There are age-related differences after exposure to sevoflurane postconditioning that protects young, but not old rat hearts against I/R injury, which may be at least associated with the inability to activate Akt and ERK1/2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the efficacy and the safety of Greenlight(TM) high-performance system (HPS) 120-W laser photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) compared with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The related original studies only including randomized controlled trials were searched by databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register. The databases were updated till July 2014. The risk ratio, mean difference, and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Risk of bias of the enrolled trials were assessed according to Cochrane Handbook. A total of four trials involving 559 patients were enrolled. Statistical analysis was performed by software Review Manager (V5.3.3). There was no significant difference in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and maximum flow rate (Qmax) between PVP and TURP at 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up. Patients in the PVP group were associated with significantly lower risk of capsule perforation (risk ratio (RR) = 0.06, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.01 to 0.46; p = 0.007), significantly lower transfusion requirements (RR = 0.12, 95%CI = 0.03 to 0.43; p = 0.001), a shorter catheterization time (mean difference (MD) = -41.93, 95%CI = -54.87 to -28.99; p < 0.00001), and a shorter duration of hospital stay (MD = -2.09, 95%CI = -2.58 to -1.59; p < 0.00001) than that in the TURP group. In the TURP group, the patients were associated with a lower risk of re-operation (RR = 3.68, 95%CI = 1.04 to 13.00; p = 0.04) and a shorter operative time (MD = 9.28, 95%CI = 2.80 to 15.75; p = 0.005) than those in the PVP group. In addition, no statistically significant differences were detected between groups in terms of the rates of transurethral resection syndrome, urethral stricture, bladder neck contracture, incontinence, and infection. Greenlight(TM) 120-W laser PVP is as effective as TURP for symptom reduction and improvement of the quality of life. Laser PVP shows advantages over TURP in terms of intraoperative safety, whereas TURP is found to have a shorter operative time and lower re-operative risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of arthroscopic and open surgical techniques on the treatment of shoulder multidirectional instability.Methods: Literature searches were conducted using the databases MEDLINE, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, the Cochrane Library, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Original articles on the surgical management of multidirectional instability were retrieved against selection criteria. Data were extracted and divided into three groups by surgical technique. Proportion and mean meta-analyses were performed for comparison.Results: The available evidence was from 35 level IV and 1 level II studies. The recurrent instability rate was 9.9 % (95 % CI 7.3-12.9 %) in open capsular shift (OCS) group and 6.0 % (95 % CI 3.7-8.9 %) in arthroscopic capsular plication (ACP) group, between which no difference was observed. However, thermal capsular shrinkage (TCS) group resulted in a recurrent instability rate of 23.9 % (95 % CI 16.6-32.2 %), significantly higher than the above two groups. OCS and ACP groups revealed low reoperation rates of approximately 5.2 % (95 % CI 2.7-8.5 %) and 4.8 % (95 % CI 2.3-8.0 %), respectively, which are lower than that in TCS group of 16.9 % (95 % CI 12.4-21.8 %). OCS caused more loss of external rotation than ACP, losing 7.0 (95 % CI 3.3-10.6) degrees versus 2 (95 % CI 0.9-2.4) degrees, respectively.Conclusions: ACP and OCS techniques have similar primary outcomes, but the former causes less post-operative stiffness. It is suggestible to avoid TCS in the treatment of MDI.Level Of Evidence: Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inactivation of microorganisms in papaya beverage (PB) by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) at different pressures (350, 450, 550 and 650 MPa) and for different times (5 and 10 min) was studied. Besides, the effects of HHP (550 MPa/5 min) and high temperature short time (HTST) (110 °C/8.6 s) on microorganisms, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, color, total carotenoids, total phenols, antioxidant capacity, viscosity and sensory characteristics were comparatively studied immediately after treatments and during storage of 40 days at 4 °C. HHP at 550 MPa/5 min inactivated microorganisms totally. The microbial safety in samples treated by HHP (550 MPa/5 min) and HTST (110 °C/8.6 s) was ensured immediately after treatments during storage. TSS, pH, total carotenoids and viscosity experienced no significant impacts immediately after HHP and HTST treatments, while change of the original color and significant decreases of total phenols and antioxidant capacity were observed after HTST treatment. During storage, color changed and total carotenoids, total phenol, antioxidant capacity, viscosity and sensory evaluation decreased, whereas TSS and pH did not change. Kinetic data of changes in L *, a *, b *, ΔE * and antioxidant capacities measured by DPPH and FRAP methods fitted well into the combined model, while kinetic data of changes in total carotenoids and total phenols fitted well into the zero-order model. In both samples, total carotenoids and total phenols were positively and significantly correlated to antioxidant capacity. The HHP-treated sample showed higher total carotenoids content, total phenols content and antioxidant capacity, compared with the HTST-treated sample during 40-day storage. Industrial relevance Papaya beverage, one of the most popular fruit juice products, is of high nutrition and economic value. This study presents a fair comparison between HHP- and HTST-treated papaya beverages immediately after processing and during storage. The available data show the different effects of HHP and HTST on quality and storage stability of microorganisms, color, antioxidant compounds, antioxidant capacity and other quality-related aspects. This study would provide technical support for the application of HHP or HTST in papaya beverage industry and the criteria establishment for commercial production of high quality papaya beverage. Besides, a non-thermal technique to meet consumers' growing demand for healthier food products is provided in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High-dose intravenous esomeprazole is the only approved pharmacological treatment for the prevention of peptic ulcer rebleeding (currently approved in over 100 countries worldwide), but has not yet been approved in China. This study aimed to evaluate a high-dose esomeprazole intravenous regimen vs. an active control (cimetidine) for the prevention of rebleeding in Chinese patients with a high risk of peptic ulcer rebleeding who had undergone primary endoscopic hemostatic treatment.Methods: This was a parallel-group study conducted at 20 centers in China. The study comprised a randomized, double-blind, intravenous treatment phase of 72 h in which 215 patients received either high-dose esomeprazole (80 mg + 8 mg/h) or cimetidine (200 mg + 60 mg/h), followed by an open-label oral treatment phase in which all patients received esomeprazole 40 mg tablets once daily for 27 days. The primary outcome was the rate of clinically significant rebleeding within the first 72 h after initial endoscopic hemostatic therapy. Secondary outcomes included the rates of clinically significant rebleeding within 7 and 30 days; proportions of patients who had endoscopic retreatment and other surgery due to rebleeding; and number of blood units transfused.Results: The rate of clinically significant rebleeding within 72 h was low overall (3.3%) and numerically lower in patients treated with esomeprazole compared with cimetidine (0.9% vs. 5.6%). Overall, the results of the secondary outcomes also showed a numerical trend towards superiority of esomeprazole over cimetidine. All treatments were well tolerated.Conclusion: In this phase 3, multicenter, randomized trial conducted in China, esomeprazole showed a numerical trend towards superior clinical benefit over cimetidine in the prevention of rebleeding in patients who had successfully undergone initial hemostatic therapy of a bleeding peptic ulcer, with a similar safety and tolerability profile. These findings suggest that esomeprazole may be an alternative treatment option to cimetidine for this indication in China.Funding: AstraZeneca.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01757275. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ten gigabit ethernet passive optical network (10G EPON),which is viewed by many as an attractive solution to deliver very high-speed broadband access, is widely deployed in some data transmission areas with confusing security issues such as eavesdrop and masquerade caused by its point-to-multi-point topology. To solve the security problems, a new authentication scheme based on NSS signature algorithm using Hash is proposed. It possesses perfect mutual authentication of ONUs and OLTs as well as embedded session key. Besides, our new scheme can provide lower power dissipation, lower computing cost and better security attributes when comparing with RSA, ECC, and ElGamal in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intraventricular fibrinolysis (IVF) through bilateral external ventricular drains (EVD) may provide better access of the thrombolytic agent to the intraventricular clot, potentially leading to faster clot clearance. Objective: To compare the feasibility and safety between single and bilateral EVD groups. Methods: Patients with spontaneous intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) (Graeb score ≥ 5) were treated with IVF. The selection for placement of one or two EVDs was randomized. The average daily CSF drainage volume, the indwelling EVD time, the time for monitoring in intensive care unit (ICU), intracranial re-haemorrhage and intracranial infection, Glasgow coma score (GCS), Graeb score and the reserved IVH volume have been analysed for patients with one (group I, n = 22) or two EVDs (group II, n = 25). Results: Significant difference was found in the average daily CSF drainage volume between the two groups (85.2 (SD = 13.7) vs. 108.5 (15.9) ml). No difference was found in the indwelling EVD time, the time for monitoring in the ICU. Through repeated measurements of the variance analysis, the test for a difference in IVH volume over time was statistically significant ( F = 466.981, p = 0.000) and the test for the interaction between treatment and time was also significant ( F = 5.033, p = 0.002), indicating that the IVH volume decreased over time in both groups, with a sharper decrease in Group II. Intracranial re-haemorrhage and infection was not found in this study. Conclusion: The results provide some evidence to support the use of bilateral EVDs for IVF in patients with severe IVH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Inactivation of microorganisms and its kinetic model of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) processing of cloudy pomegranate juice at different pressures (300 and 400MPa) and different treatment times (2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25min) were studied. Besides, HHP (400MPa/5min) and high temperature short time (HTST) (110°C/8.6s) treatment were comparatively evaluated by examining their impacts on microorganisms, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), color, total phenols, anthocyanins, antioxidant capacity and shelf-life characteristics of 90days at 4°C. The inactivation effect of microorganisms by HHP fitted Weibull model well and HHP at 400MPa/5min inactivated microorganisms effectively. The microbial safety was ensured in HHP-treated and HTST-treated sample. A greater retention of the original color, anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity and increased total phenols were observed in HHP-treated samples immediately after processing. During storage, color changed and anthocyanins content, total phenols and the antioxidant activity decreased, where the changes depended on the applied treatments. The pH, TSS and TA did not show significant change immediately after HHP or HTST treatment and during storage. Industrial Relevance: Cloudy pomegranate juice is one of the most popular fruit juice and requires strict processing and storage conditions to keep the safety and quality. Our research presents a fair comparison between HHP and HTST treatment. The available data shows the different impacts on cloudy pomegranate juice of HHP and HTST treatment and the changes of quality during storage. This study would provide technical support for commercial application, evaluation and the criteria establishment for commercial production of HHP and HTST treatment in juice industry, and also provide a non-thermal treatment to meet the growing demand from consumers for healthier food products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The development of meanders has been the focus of research for decades because the shifting of bank lines may potentially cause serious problems in river engineering. This study assesses the roles of secondary flows in meander evolution by testing two model parameters, A and A s , which represent the effects of momentum redistribution exerted by the topography-driven and curvature-driven secondary currents, respectively. The meander-evolution model couples an analytical solution of flow field in a sine-generated channel with the Bank Erosion and Retreat Model (BERM). The contributions of this study lie in two areas. First, the authors isolated and quantified the roles of curvature-driven and topography-driven secondary flows in meander evolution. Second, the shifting processes of primary flow by secondary flows were investigated in detail by evaluating various variations of the dimensionless scour factor A. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Different aqueous photodegradation behaviors of sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and sulfapyridine were investigated under different conditions in this study. Comparison of degradation rates of selected pharmaceuticals among different aqueous media under high pressure mercury lamp, natural light and UV lamp were shown. Results showed that light source, pH, temperature, time and different aqueous solutions were important factors for photodegradation of these antibiotics and also demonstrated photodegradation was an important environmental fate of these antibiotics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: This study was used to compare the effects of intensive insulin therapy with conventional insulin therapy on postoperative outcomes among nondiabetic patients receiving parenteral nutrition following D2 gastrectomy for gastric cancer.Method: A total of 248 eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive intensive insulin therapy targeting a blood glucose level between 4.4 and 6.1 mmol/l [intensive group (n = 125)] or conventional insulin therapy targeting a blood glucose level less than 11.0 mmol/l [conventional group (n = 123)] during the postoperative period.Results: Mean blood glucose concentrations were lower in the intensive group than in the conventional group. Severe hypoglycemia defined as blood glucose ≤2.2 mmol/l occurred in eight (6.4%) patients in the intensive group vs one (0.8%) patient in the conventional group (P = 0.036). One (0.8%) patient died in the intensive group vs two (1.6%) patients in the conventional group (P = 0.620). However, intensive insulin therapy significantly reduced overall postoperative complications rate (from 25.2% to 13.6%, P = 0.024). Moreover, both insulin resistance indicated as HOMA-IR and HLA-DR expression on monocytes were improved in the intensive group.Conclusions: Intensive insulin therapy significantly reduced the postoperative short-term morbidity but not mortality among nondiabetic patients receiving parenteral nutrition after D2 gastrectomy. The benefits may be due to the suppression of insulin resistance and improvement of HLA-DR expression on monocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Maternal behaviour is one of the instinct behaviours associated with offspring survival. Minpig is a local breed in the Northeast of China known for its strong maternal sense. In this study, sows of Minpig (n =30, parity 2–8) and Landrace (n =21, parity 2–8) were farrowed in individual pens with access to a yard. Sow behaviour was videotaped for 72h in the second and third week after parturition. The results showed that the Minpig sows and Landrace sows were different in piglet-crushing behaviour (rolling, lying down from a sitting position or a standing position), lateral recumbency, ventral recumbency, and sitting and nursing behaviour (frequency of nutritive nursing and proportion of nursing terminated by the sow). The Minpig sows lie down at higher frequencies from a standing position, but crushing resulting from this movement in the Minpig sows was much less common than in the Landrace sows with only 10 crushing incidents compared to 32, respectively. Crushing occurred most often when the sows changed from the ventral recumbency position to lateral recumbency. In the present study, the total number of occurrences of piglet crushing by the Minpig sows was significantly lower (P <0.05) than that of the Landrace ones (17 vs. 74). The results indicate that the Minpig sows provided more chances for piglets to escape successfully when the piglets were trapped by her body, leading to 76.5% of the Minpig piglets successfully escaping compared to 18.9% of the Landrace piglets. To explore the reason behind the above results, the carefulness of the sows during standing-to-lying and the responsiveness of the sows to piglet distress calls were investigated. Compared with the Landrace breed, the Minpig sows scored higher in standing-to-lying carefulness (, , P <0.01) and higher in responsiveness to piglet distress calls (, , P <0.001). In conclusion, the data suggest that the Minpig sows show stronger maternal instincts through their behavioural postures and their carefulness with piglets compared with the Landrace breed, and this difference may play an important role in the further exploitation of local breeds for the swine breeding program in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The serendipitous discovery of heavy-chain antibodies devoid of light chains in camelids and the subsequent development of VHHs (variable region of camelid heavy chain) have provided a very important tool for research and possibly for therapeutics. In this study, we synthesized single-domain 15-kDa antibody SBT-100 (anti-STAT3 B VHH13) against human STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription) that binds selectively to STAT3 and suppresses the function of phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3). Methods: Single-chain VHH nanobodies were generated by immunizing camelid with humanized STAT3. Commercially available breast cancer cell lines including MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-453, MCF-7, and BT474 were used. Cell proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The association of anti-STAT3 B VHH13 with STAT3 and p-STAT3 was determined by immunoprecipitation and Western blot analyses. The efficacy of SBT-100 on the growth of MDA-MB-231 xenografts in vivo was determined using athymic mice. Statistical significance for cell proliferation was determined using analysis of variance. If a significant difference (P < .05) was observed, then Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison test was conducted. Results: SBT-100 suppressed cell proliferation of triple-negative breast cancer cells (P < .01) as well as provided significant inhibition of tumor growth (P < .05) in a xenograft model without any toxicity. Results are presented to show that anti-STAT3 B VHH13 selectively binds to STAT3 suggesting that the effects were mediated by inhibiting STAT3. Conclusions: A very large number of human malignancies and benign diseases have constitutive STAT3 activation. Therefore, the results described here suggest that anti-STAT3 B VHH13 can be developed for therapeutic intervention for cancer cells expressing STAT3 or p-STAT3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heterogeneously structured nanomaterials usually exhibit enhanced catalytic properties in comparison with each one of the constituent materials due to the synergistic effect among their different domains. Within the last decade, the development of wet-chemistry methods leads to the blossom of research in materials with heterogeneous nanostructures, which creates great opportunities also a tremendous challenge to apply these materials for highly efficient energy conversion. We herein would systematically introduce the latest research developments in Pt-based nanomaterials with heterogeneous structures, e.g. core-shell, hollow interiors, stellated/dendritic morphologies, dimeric, or composite construction, and their potential applications as electrocatalysts toward direct methanol fuel cell reactions, including methanol oxidation reaction and oxygen reduction reaction in acidic conditions, aiming at the summarization of the fundamentals and technical approaches in synthesis, fabrication and processing of heterogeneous nanomaterials so as to provide the readers a systematic and coherent picture of the filed. This review will focus on the intrinsic relationship between the catalytic properties and the physical or/and chemical effects in the heterogeneous nanomaterials, providing for technical bases for effectively developing novel electrocatalyts with low cost, enhanced activity and high selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Flavor profiles of high, middle and low grades of Chinese green and black teas were comparatively analyzed by electronic nose, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) in this study. Sensory analysis showed marked differences among different grades of tea, demonstrating it agreed well with the market price in tea grade classification. The high grade of tea samples got the highest score of pleasant aroma properties (pure and persistent, malty, sweet, citrus, fruity, floral flavor, refreshing, and seaweed). A total of 37 volatile compounds in three grades of green and black teas were identified and hexanal, α-terpinol, methyl salicylate, geraniol, linalool and its oxides were the most abundant compounds in both varieties of Chinese tea. Differences in the composition of volatile components from three grades were observed. In general, high grade tea had more volatiles than low grade tea. The results of electronic nose indicated that it could clearly and rapidly distinguish the difference among different grade teas. The relationship between sensory profiles, the GC–MS data and electronic nose responses of different grades of Chinese green and black teas was modeled by partial least squares regression (PLSR). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Recent population-based studies have revealed that the use of fluoroquinolones (FQs) is associated with an increased risk of aortic dissection (AD) and aneurysm (AA). However, no evidence is available on whether FQs increase adverse events in patients who had been diagnosed with AD or AA.Objectives: This study investigated whether the use of FQs increases the risk of aortic-related adverse events and death in this high-risk population.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted by using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 31,570 adult patients who survived after admission for AD or AA between 2001 and 2013 were identified. We divided each calendar year into 6 data units (2 months) for each patient and each year during follow-up. Covariates and exposure of interest (FQs) were reassessed every 2 months. We used another common antibiotic, amoxicillin, as a negative control exposure.Results: Exposure to FQs was associated with a higher risk of all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.61; 95% confidence interval: 1.50 to 1.73), aortic death (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.80; 95% confidence interval: 1.50 to 2.15), and later aortic surgery. However, amoxicillin exposure was not significantly associated with risk of any of the outcomes. A subgroup analysis revealed that the effect of FQs was not significantly different between the AD and AA groups.Conclusions: Relative to amoxicillin use, FQ exposure in patients with AD or AA was associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes. FQs should not be used by high-risk patients unless no other treatment options are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since December, 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread globally. Little is known about the epidemiological and clinical features of paediatric patients with COVID-19.Methods: We retrospectively retrieved data for paediatric patients (aged 0-16 years) with confirmed COVID-19 from electronic medical records in three hospitals in Zhejiang, China. We recorded patients' epidemiological and clinical features.Findings: From Jan 17 to March 1, 2020, 36 children (mean age 8·3 [SD 3·5] years) were identified to be infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The route of transmission was by close contact with family members (32 [89%]) or a history of exposure to the epidemic area (12 [33%]); eight (22%) patients had both exposures. 19 (53%) patients had moderate clinical type with pneumonia; 17 (47%) had mild clinical type and either were asymptomatic (ten [28%]) or had acute upper respiratory symptoms (seven [19%]). Common symptoms on admission were fever (13 [36%]) and dry cough (seven [19%]). Of those with fever, four (11%) had a body temperature of 38·5°C or higher, and nine (25%) had a body temperature of 37·5-38·5°C. Typical abnormal laboratory findings were elevated creatine kinase MB (11 [31%]), decreased lymphocytes (11 [31%]), leucopenia (seven [19%]), and elevated procalcitonin (six [17%]). Besides radiographic presentations, variables that were associated significantly with severity of COVID-19 were decreased lymphocytes, elevated body temperature, and high levels of procalcitonin, D-dimer, and creatine kinase MB. All children received interferon alfa by aerosolisation twice a day, 14 (39%) received lopinavir-ritonavir syrup twice a day, and six (17%) needed oxygen inhalation. Mean time in hospital was 14 (SD 3) days. By Feb 28, 2020, all patients were cured.Interpretation: Although all paediatric patients in our cohort had mild or moderate type of COVID-19, the large proportion of asymptomatic children indicates the difficulty in identifying paediatric patients who do not have clear epidemiological information, leading to a dangerous situation in community-acquired infections.Funding: Ningbo Clinical Research Center for Children's Health and Diseases, Ningbo Reproductive Medicine Centre, and Key Scientific and Technological Innovation Projects of Wenzhou. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guard hair and cashmere undercoat are developed from primary and secondary hair follicle, respectively. Little is known about the gene expression differences between primary and secondary hair follicle cycling. In this study, we obtained RNA-seq data from cashmere and milk goats grown at four different seasons. We studied the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during the yearly hair follicle cycling, and between cashmere and milk goats. WNT, NOTCH, MAPK, BMP, TGFβ and Hedgehog signaling pathways were involved in hair follicle cycling in both cashmere and milk goat. However, Milk goat DEGs between different months were significantly more than cashmere goat DEGs, with the largest difference being identified in December. Some expression dynamics were confirmed by quantitative PCR and western blot, and immunohistochemistry. This study offers new information sources related to hair follicle cycling in milk and cashmere goats, which could be applicable to improve the wool production and quality. • RNA-seq was used to explore the hair follicle cycling DEGs between cashmere (Arbus) and milk goats in different seasons. • DEGs are highly enriched in signaling pathways including WNT, NOTCH, MAPK, BMP, TGFβ and Hedgehog. • The transcriptional switch between September and December is the largest in milk goats but smallest in cashmere goats. • Different hair cycling mechanisms for primary and secondary hair follicles are suggested by milk and cashmere goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degraded by shear stress, loss of high-molecular-weight multimers of von Willebrand factor (VWF) correlates strongly with pressure gradient in aortic stenosis (AS) and obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC). We assessed VWF tests before and after interventions in HC and contrasted the severity of abnormalities in HC to patients with AS, mitral regurgitation, and left ventricular assist devices. Ninety patients with median (interquartile range) age 66 (53 to 72) years, 51% men, with HC had assessments of 3 VWF parameters and B-type natriuretic peptide before and after 26 discreet medical/pacing interventions, 22 alcohol septal ablations, and 28 ventricular septal myectomies. VWF multimers were abnormal in 87% of patients with obstructive HC versus 48% of patients with latent obstruction (p = 0.0001). VWF measurements correlated with peak instantaneous left ventricular outflow tract gradient, Spearman ρ 0.51 to 0.61, p <0.0001. For B-type natriuretic peptide, correlation with left ventricular outflow tract gradient was weaker, ρ = 0.37, p = 0.0005, but stronger with septal thickness or mitral E/e'. In pre-/post-medical treatment of HC, VWF multimers were abnormal in 73%/68% of patients, p = 0.74; pre-/post-septal ablation 74%/26%, p = 0.0035; and pre-/post-septal myectomy 75%/0%, p <0.0001. In obstructive HC, the degree VWF multimer loss was greater than in severe AS or severe mitral regurgitation and overlapped that seen in left ventricular assist devices. In conclusion, VWF activity indexes were predictably abnormal in patients with HC with resting obstruction to a degree where bleeding could be anticipated, accurately reflected gradient changes after intervention, and demonstrated complete normalization after septal myectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of capillary electrophoresis-frontal analysis for comparative evaluation of the binding interaction between antihypertensive drug captopril and human serum albumin in the absence and presence of diuretic drug hydrochlorothiazide was presented in this work. At near-physiological conditions (67 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, I = 0.17, 37 °C), the individual solution of 100 μM captopril and the co-binding solution with 60 μM hydrochlorothiazide added were pre-equilibrated with series concentrations of HSA (10–475 μM) respectively, introducing hydrodynamically into an uncoated fused silica capillary (35 cm × 50 μm I.D. with 26.5 cm effective length). The values of number of binding sites, the binding constant for captopril and hydrochlorothiazide binding to HSA were obtained, respectively. It can be found that both drugs exhibit moderate binding properties towards HSA and there does not exist significant competitive binding effects between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Pumpkins were processed at high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) ranging from 350 to 550MPa for 0.5min to 30min. Two different nonlinear mathematical models were compared to fit the inactivation kinetics. The second model consistently produced better fits to the inactivation data than the first model (Weibull model). According to the inactivation of microorganisms, pumpkin was subjected to 450MPa/15min and 550MPa/10min. The microbiological and physicochemical changes in pumpkin subjected to (HHP) and thermal-treated (854°C/5min) were compared during 4°C storage. The total plate counts (TPC) treated with thermal processing, 450MPa/15min and 550MPa/10min were 5.12, 4.02 and 1.71 log10 CFU/g, respectively on the 60th day. The growth of microorganisms caused the increase in ΔE, decrease in hardness in other treatments. Treatment of 550MPa for 10min had little effect on color during storage. There were no significant changes in the L ⁎, a ⁎ and b ⁎ values (p>0.05). The hardness of pumpkin treated with 550MPa/10min decreased by 32.28% after 60days. A greater retention of the original color, Vc and antioxidant capacity and increased total phenols were observed in 550MPa/10min-treated samples immediately after processing. During storage, color changed, Vc content, total phenols and the antioxidant activity were decreased. While the soluble solids content (SSC), sugars and pH value of pumpkin with HHP or thermal treatment did not show significant change immediately during 60-day storage. Based on these results, working at 550MPa for 10min ensures physicochemical and high standard of sanitation parameters in pumpkin. Industrial relevance: Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch.) is one of the popular vegetables, and fresh-cut pumpkin requires strict processing treatment and storage conditions to protect its quality. HHP is one promising novel non-thermal technique and is likely to replace thermal processes. A better knowledge of effects of storage temperature on the quality of HHP-treated pumpkin and its storage time prediction through microbiological quality and physical–chemical characteristics analysis of these changes is necessary. The available data would provide technical support for commercial application of the HHP technique in fresh-cut pumpkin processing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

CD4(+) helper Th cells play a major role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. Th cell activation, differentiation, and immune function are regulated by costimulatory molecules. Inducible costimulator (ICOS) is a novel costimulatory receptor expressed on activated T cells. We, as well as others, recently demonstrated its importance in Th2 cytokine expression and Ab class switching by B cells. In this study, we examined the role of ICOS in rheumatoid arthritis using a collagen-induced arthritis model. We found that ICOS knockout mice on the DBA/1 background were completely resistant to collagen-induced arthritis and exhibited absence of joint tissue inflammation. These mice, when immunized with collagen, exhibited reduced anti-collagen IgM Ab's in the initial stage and IgG2a Ab's at the effector phase of collagen-induced arthritis. Furthermore, ICOS regulates the in vitro and in vivo expression of IL-17, a proinflammatory cytokine implicated in rheumatoid arthritis. These data indicate that ICOS is essential for collagen-induced arthritis and may suggest novel means for treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a recognized worldwide pandemic. Researchers now know that mortality from COVID-19 can be reduced through early prevention measures. This retrospective, multi-centered study of 293 COVID-19 patients without diabetes explores the association between fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels and the risk of COVID-19 disease progression, with the goal of providing clinical evidence for glycemic targets in patients.Methods: The multivariate stepwise binary logistic regression analysis was used to test the dose-response effects of FBG levels on the risk of severe and critical condition in COVID-19 patients.Results: FBG levels were plotted in quintiles with set at <4.74, 4.74-5.21, 5.21-5.78, 5.78-7.05, and ≧7.05 mmol/L. The constituent ratio of severe or critical cases in each FBG quintile was 20.7%, 1.7%, 13.8%, 27.1%, and 67.2%, respectively (P < 0.0001). When the second quintile was used as the reference, the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) (95%CI) for the risk of severe/critical condition in COVID-19 was 25.33 (2.77, 231.64), 1.00 (Reference), 3.13 (0.33, 29.67), 10.59 (1.23, 91.24), 38.93 (4.36, 347.48) per FBG quintile respectively (P < 0.001).Conclusions: We provide evidence of J-shaped associations between FBG and risk of severe and critical condition in non-diabetes patients with COVID-19, with nadir at 4.74-5.78 mmol/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Solid phase immunoassays enable us to identify unacceptable donor HLA specific antigens (DSA) which allows for the prediction of compatible donor/recipient combinations. This process is referred to as the virtual crossmatch (vXM). The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of the vXM against the final flow cytometric crossmatch (FCXM). Methods: All FCXM performed in the past three years were included in this study. Flow cytometry antibody screening and Luminex single antigen bead assay (LSA) were performed to determine the presence of HLA antibodies and their specificities. MFI=1000 was used as cutoff for LSA. A final FCXM either prospective or retrospective for the transplant recipients was performed with potential donors selected upon the vXM. Donor cells used for final crossmatch were treated with pronase. Results: Total 2070 FCMX were recorded and analyzed in the study. Among these crossmatches, 1891 were vXM negative, 768 crossmatches were performed for HLA sensitized recipients with 179 positive vXM due to presence of DSA. There were total 297 positive final FCXM, of them 123 were expected and 174 (9%) were unexpected compared with the vXM results. The overall prediction rate of the final negative FCXM was 91%. The overall unexpected positive final FCXM was 8%. The majority of the unexpected final T cell positive and B cell negative FCXM became negative when the FCXM repeated with non-pronase treated donor cells. Conclusions: Our vXM practice provided a >90% correct predication of negative FCXM. We could expected that the unexpected positive final FCXM mainly caused by non-HLA reactivity, for example, the pronase treatment and/or presence of antibodies not directed to HLA because the current LSA could finely define the specificities of HLA antibodies. However, it could not be excluded that the presence of anti-DP and/or DQA1 antibodies could trigger a positive B cell FCXM in cases where donors’ DP and DQA1 were not typed. This will be further investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]