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Sites dated to the early late Pleistocene are still limited in North China, which has hindered the detailed analysis of the development of Paleolithic industries in the late Pleistocene in this area. The Youfangbei (YFB) site is a newly excavated small-flake-tool Paleolithic site near the Youfang (YF) microblade site in the Nihewan Basin, North China. Because the small-flake-tool industry still existed in the late part of the late Pleistocene and might be related to the emergence of microlithic industries, the relationship between the two sites needs to be determined through a chronological study. Two profiles were excavated, and most of the artifact assemblages were unearthed in the lower profile (T1) from a depth of 0.9 m from the bottom. In this study, the feldspar post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence method was applied to determine the age of the YFB site. Results showed that the upper profile was deposited from 86–0.5 ka, and the cultural layer in T1 yielded age of 124–82 ka, corresponding to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5, with an irregular but generally mild climate. The age of the YFB site is too old to be directly related to that of the YF site, but it partly bridges a chronological gap of human occupation in the Nihewan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoinduced physics always is a critical but controversial question for the new optoelectronic materials of halide perovskites. A high‐quality MAPbBr3 single crystal is grown and the lattice expansion induced by variable power X‐ray irradiation is investigated.A photoinduced deformation measurement system utilizing the off‐axis holography technique is developed and constructed to measure and illuminate the global photo‐induced deformation of MAPbBr3. Under a 473 nm laser with a power of 50 mW, MAPbBr3 exhibits an average maximum relative deformation of 1.27 × 10−3, demonstrating its remarkable photosensitivity and robust geometric response capabilities. Digital holography reveals photostriction as a localized phenomenon, reflecting the localization effect of the photogenerated carriers. The energetic and spatial transitions of those photogenerated carriers weaken the interatomic forces and in turn straighten the Pb─Br─Pb frameworks, expanding the lattice. This geometric change and the corresponding electronic impact are verified by Raman spectra, photoluminescence measurements, and first‐principle calculations. The methods and results are significant for future research on light‐induced phenomena in perovskites and other solid materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employed numerical simulations to explore the impact of varying ice nucleation processes on the microphysics and electrification within thunderstorm clouds. A two-dimensional cumulus model, incorporating both noninductive and inductive charge separation schemes, was utilized. The findings revealed that the freezing nucleation mechanism significantly influenced the microphysical development, electrification, and charge structure of thunderstorms. Homogeneous freezing generated a large quantity of small ice crystals near the cloud tops, which were primarily responsible for the development of positive charge regions through a non-inductive charging process. Conversely, heterogeneous freezing resulted in larger ice crystals, enhancing graupel formation and leading to a more rapid and intense charge separation rate of around -15°C. Ice crystals formed heterogeneously and charged negatively during the development stage, resulting in an inverted dipole charge structure. When both immersion and homogeneous freezing processes were considered, the competition between these two distinct freezing processes resulted in reduced cloud water content and weaker electrification. Under conditions of low cloud water content at lower storm levels, graupel particles were negatively charged through non-inductive charging, causing the charge structure to quickly revert to a normal dipole structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the journal JCO Precision Oncology, discusses the use of machine learning models and cautions for analyzing censored time-to-event outcomes in clinical research. The authors highlight common errors and provide advice for potential authors. They emphasize the difference between machine learning models and conventional statistical models, the importance of using the most appropriate method rather than the fanciest or most accessible, and the need to define comparison groups and time zero in survival analysis. The article also discusses the limitations of deep learning models for tabular data and the importance of reporting model performance measures with corresponding confidence intervals. The authors conclude by offering general recommendations for data analysis in research. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: The Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, is one of the most commercially important marine shellfish in China. Cell engineering breeding is an important tool in abalone genetic breeding, and the triploids obtained through this method have high commercial value. However, current research mainly focuses on establishing induction methods and evaluating the growth traits of triploids, while there is a lack of basic research on triploid cytogenetics. Method: In this study, Cytogenetic analysis of triploid Haliotis discus hannai larvae (produced by chemical treatment) and diploid larvae was performed. Result: The results showed that triploid H. discus hannai had a chromosome number of 3n = 54, consisting of 30 metacentric (m) and 24 submetacentric (sm) chromosomes, while the diploids had a chromosome number of 2n = 36, consisting of 20 metacentric (m) and 16 submetacentric (sm) chromosomes. Notably, both triploids and diploids displayed variation in the number of NORs and/or their diameter. The average number of NORs in triploid was significantly higher than that in diploids (p <0.05), but the average diameter of NORs of triploid was no significant different from that of diploid (p> 0.05). Additionally, 5S rDNA localization to 3 submetacentric chromosomes was observed in triploids, compared to 2 submetacentric chromosomes in diploids. The number of 18S rDNA sites displayed positional conservancy and quantitative variability in both diploids and triploids. Specifically, 18S rDNA was found at the end of the chromosome in both groups, with triploids exhibiting a significantly higher number of loci than diploids (p <0.01). Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the cytogenetic characteristics of triploid H. discus hannai, which could facilitate further research on the stability of the chromosome set in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited information is available on the long-term impact of active surveillance (AS) and immediate surgery (IS) on the quality of life (QoL) and psychological status of patients with highly suspicious subcentimeter thyroid nodules. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 752 patients showing highly suspicious subcentimeter thyroid nodules, among whom 584 chose AS and 168 chose IS. All patients underwent at least two assessments regarding their QoL and psychological status, using three questionnaires: Thyroid Cancer-Specific Quality of Life (THYCA-QoL), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C30). Propensity-score matching (PSM) at a ratio of 3:1 was utilized on patients in the AS and IS groups to mitigate selection bias (504 patients in the AS group and 168 in the IS group). Subsequently, the mixed linear model was used to analyze the QoL data. Results: The median time from the initial evaluation to the last follow-up in the AS and IS groups was 24.0 and 14.2 months, respectively. The AS group showed superior QoL outcomes compared to the IS group, mainly manifested in voice (p < 0.001), sympathetic (p = 0.008), throat/mouth (p < 0.001), and problems with scar (p < 0.001) domains, as per the THYCA-QoL questionnaire. Further, the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire highlighted better outcomes in physical function (p = 0.029), role function (p < 0.001), social function (p < 0.001), global health status (p < 0.001), fatigue (p = 0.012), pain (p = 0.028), appetite loss (p = 0.017), and financial difficulties (p < 0.001). Compared to the initial assessment (1 week after surgery), the IS group showed progressive improvements in QoL, especially in voice (p = 0.024), throat/mouth (p < 0.001), physical function (p = 0.004), social function (p = 0.014), nausea and vomiting (p < 0.001), pain (p = 0.006), and appetite loss (p = 0.048) domains as per both questionnaires. Conclusion: Patients with highly suspicious subcentimeter thyroid nodules who choose IS tend to experience a poorer long-term QoL compared to those who choose AS. Although the situation may improve over time, certain issues might persist, making AS a favorable option for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral Pb(Sn)‐I hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites exhibit outstanding chiral‐induced spin selectivity (CISS) performance, but the nontoxic lead‐free hybrid materials with high stability are still greatly desired for spin filtering in spintronic applications. We synthesize chiral hybrid copper halides (R/S‐MBA)2CuX4 (MBA=methylbenzylammonium; X=Cl, Br) with characteristic 0D CuX4 tetrahedral structural motifs, combining the low toxicity of Cu2+ and air stability of halide ions (Cl− and Br−). Despite similar structural and electronic features, (R/S‐MBA)2CuBr4 shows much smaller chiroptical activity than the chloride counterpart. Magnetically conductive atomic force microscopy measurements display a typical spin‐polarized charge‐transport property with high efficiency up to 90 % for both copper halides. Our work expands the CISS effect into eco‐friendly and stable metal–organic halides, which is promising for applications in spintronics based on transition‐metal hybrid systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral Pb(Sn)‐I hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites exhibit outstanding chiral‐induced spin selectivity (CISS) performance, but the nontoxic lead‐free hybrid materials with high stability are still greatly desired for spin filtering in spintronic applications. We synthesize chiral hybrid copper halides (R/S‐MBA)2CuX4 (MBA=methylbenzylammonium; X=Cl, Br) with characteristic 0D CuX4 tetrahedral structural motifs, combining the low toxicity of Cu2+ and air stability of halide ions (Cl− and Br−). Despite similar structural and electronic features, (R/S‐MBA)2CuBr4 shows much smaller chiroptical activity than the chloride counterpart. Magnetically conductive atomic force microscopy measurements display a typical spin‐polarized charge‐transport property with high efficiency up to 90 % for both copper halides. Our work expands the CISS effect into eco‐friendly and stable metal–organic halides, which is promising for applications in spintronics based on transition‐metal hybrid systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recessive variants of the SLC26A4 gene are an important cause of hereditary hearing impairment. Several transgenic mice with different Slc26a4 variants have been generated. However, none have recapitulated the auditory phenotypes in humans. Of the SLC26A4 variants identified thus far, the p.T721M variant is of interest, as it appears to confer a more severe pathogenicity than most of the other missense variants, but milder pathogenicity than non-sense and frameshift variants. Using a genotype-driven approach, we established a knock-in mouse model homozygous for p.T721M. To verify the pathogenicity of p.T721M, we generated mice with compound heterozygous variants by intercrossing Slc26a4+/T721M mice with Slc26a4919-2A>G/919-2A>G mice, which segregated the c.919-2A > G variant with abolished Slc26a4 function. We then performed serial audiological assessments, vestibular evaluations, and inner ear morphological studies. Surprisingly, both Slc26a4T721M/T721M and Slc26a4919-2A>G/T721M showed normal audiovestibular functions and inner ear morphology, indicating that p.T721M is non-pathogenic in mice and a single p.T721M allele is sufficient to maintain normal inner ear physiology. The evidence together with previous reports on mouse models with Slc26a4 p.C565Y and p.H723R variants, support our speculation that the absence of audiovestibular phenotypes in these mouse models could be attributed to different protein structures at the C-terminus of human and mouse pendrin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin‐dependent charge transport, along with the potential electronic applications, is investigated in chiral 2D iodide hybrid organic/inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) via the chirality‐induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect, paving a new way in spintronics. Despite the high spin‐polarized current enhancement, the intrinsic oxidation tendency of iodide ions brings about severe problems in the stability and lifetime of electronic devices. Here, spin‐dependent charge transport properties in lead‐bromide perovskites hybrid with chiral R/S‐methylbenzylammonium (MBA), that is, (R/S‐MBA)PbBr3 are explored. Distinct from layered 2D iodide perovskites (R/S‐MBA)2PbI4 which experience obvious crystal degradation along time, (R/S‐MBA)PbBr3 maintain good crystallinity even in the oxidative, humid, and high‐temperature environment due to the lower Fermi level of bromide than iodide. Magnetic conductive atomic force microscopy displays a spin filtration efficiency as high as 90%, showing negligible decay after 1 month. This work expands the spin transport to chiral bromide perovskites with higher stability, and thus provides significant support for the practical application of HOIPs in spintronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction site layout plans (CSLP) are vitally significant to prefabricated construction project management; in particular, abundant hoisting operations reinforce the importance of the location of tower cranes and precast component supply points. However, previous studies on CSLP have been conducted on traditional construction sites, and there is a gap in the research regarding the prefabricated construction site layout plan. This paper attempts to establish a comprehensive CSLP model to optimize the facility layout problem on prefabricated construction sites, integrating the hoisting efficiency of precast components into previous studies on CSLP considering safety risks and transportation cost. To solve the proposed multiobjective model, the Genetic algorithms (GAs) is applied to obtain Pareto optimal solutions due to its strong global search capability. To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed model, a prefabricated residential building project is studied as a case study. This paper attempts to improve the CSLP model for the scene of prefabricated construction in the preconstruction stage to optimize safety risk, transportation cost, and hoisting efficiency, which may facilitate future research attempting to improve the prefabricated construction site layout considering more complex actual situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HIV self-testing (HIVST), especially the secondary distribution of HIVST (SD-HIVST) initiated by sexual health influencers (SHIs), has been recognized as an effective strategy in promoting HIV testing, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate whether SHIs identified through the ensemble machine learning approach can distribute more HIVST than those who identified by the empiricalscale.Methods: We will recruit eligible adults (≥18 years old) who were assigned male gender at birth, and willing to participate in potential SD-HIVST online. Participants will be assigned randomly to two groups (scale group or machine learning group), followed by a separate process of SHI identification based on the group assignment. After identification, all index participants (defined as identified SHIs who are verbally consented to participate in SD-HIVST or who directly order HIVST kits) will follow the same procedure for SD-HIVST acquisition and distribution. Index participants can order HIVST online and distribute them to members within their social networks (defined as alters) in-person or virtually through a personalized peer referral link. Once a unique alter uploads a photographed test result to the platform, both the alter and the corresponding index participant will receive a fixed incentive of 3 USD. The index MSM can order up to five HIVST in the first three months and ten HIVST in the following three months. Each index participant will need to complete a baseline survey at the first-time ordering and one to two follow-upbased on the times of ordering,, three months after ordering. This trial will be comparing 1) the mean number of alters motivated by each index participant in each group and 2) the mean number of newly-tested alters motivated by each index participant in each group.Discussion: In promoting the efficacy of identifying SHIs for SD-HIVST, our study has the potential to enhance testing coverage, particularly among marginalized individuals and those who are reluctant to for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.Trial Registration: We registered the study on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry website on 4th November 2021, with registration number ChiCTR2000039632 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-photon carbon-based nanoprobes hold great potential for biomedical applications as a result of their advantages of low fluorescence background, deep tissue imaging penetration and enhanced spatial resolution. However, the development of an activatable two-photon fluorescence carbon-based nanoprobe that simultaneously has the ability to target desired organs or cells is highly desired but remained a largely unsolved challenge. Herein, we developed boronate affinity BCNP@MnO2 nanocomposites, constructed by one step in situ growth of MnO2 nanosheets on the surface of aminophenylboronic acid-functionalized CNPs (BCNPs) via a redox reaction, which can feature efficient fluorescence energy transfer quenching to the BCNPs, allowing for tumor-specific affinity recognition and two-photon fluorescence activation imaging. By utilizing the inherent two-photon optical properties and sialic acid (SA) specific targeting ability of the BCNPs, good biocompatibility of the nanocomposites as well as highly sensitive and selective responses of MnO2 nanosheets towards GSH, the developed nanocomposites have demonstrated specific two-photon fluorescence activation imaging in target cancer cells and nude mouse tissues. Therefore, our proposed novel strategy could be used for monitoring GSH-triggered two-photon fluorescence activation events in SA-overexpressed cancer cells and has promising applications in both biological exploration and clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem that the traditional hyperspectral image classification method cannot effectively distinguish the boundary of objects with a single scale feature, which leads to low classification accuracy, this paper introduces the idea of guided filtering into hyperspectral image classification, and then proposes a multi-scale guided feature extraction and classification (MGFEC) algorithm for hyperspectral images. Firstly, the principal component analysis theory is used to reduce the dimension of hyperspectral image data. Then, guided filtering algorithm is used to achieve multi-scale spatial structure extraction of hyperspectral image by setting different sizes of filtering windows, so as to retain more edge details. Finally, the extracted multi-scale features are input into the support vector machine classifier for classification. Several practical hyperspectral image datasets were used to verify the experiment, and compared with other spectral feature extraction algorithms. The experimental results show that the multi-scale features extracted by the MGFEC algorithm proposed in this paper are more accurate than those extracted by only using spectral information, which leads to the improvement of the final classification accuracy. This fully shows that the proposed method is not only effective, but also suitable for processing different hyperspectral image data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through one-pot mechanochemical synthesis, a series of guests [imidazole, (aminomethyl)phosphonic acid, urea and sulfamic acid] are rapidly encapsulated into the pores of MOF NENU-3 while the MOF is formed. The synthesis of a MOF loaded with functional guests that used to take several days and require a multistep procedure can now be completed in one step within several minutes. The proton conductivities of the obtained composites increased by 2–3 orders of magnitude compared with NENU-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integrity and permeability of the intestinal epithelial barrier are important indicators of intestinal health. Impaired intestinal epithelial barrier function and increased intestinal permeability are closely linked to the onset and progression of various intestinal diseases. Sinapic acid (SA) is a phenolic acid that has anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic, and antioxidant activities; meanwhile, it is also effective in the protection of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory of SA and investigated its potential therapeutic activity in LPS-induced intestinal epithelial barrier and tight junction (TJ) protein dysfunction. SA improved cell viability; attenuated epithelial permeability; restored the protein and mRNA expression of claudin-1, ZO-1, and occludin; and reversed the redistribution of the ZO-1 and claudin-1 proteins in LPS-treated Caco-2 cells. Moreover, SA reduced the inflammatory response by downregulating the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway and attenuated LPS-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction by decreasing the activation of the MLCK/MLC pathway. This study demonstrated that SA has strong anti-inflammatory activity and can alleviate the occurrence of high intercellular permeability in Caco-2 cells exposed to LPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To explore the clinical effect of root canal therapy combined with full crown restoration in patients with cracked teeth and chronic pulpitis. Methods. From May 2018 to June 2020, 87 patients with cracked teeth and chronic pulpitis in our hospital were selected; the patients were randomly divided into the control group and the research group by random number method. The control group only used root canal therapy; the research group used root canal therapy combined with full crown restoration. The therapeutic effect, levels of inflammatory factors, chewing function, periodontal index, complications, and quality of life were compared between the two groups. Results. The total effective rate of the research group (97.78%) was better than the total effective rate of the control group (85.71%) (P < 0.05). Compared with before treatment, the serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP) of the two groups of patients decreased after treatment. After treatment, compared with the control group, the serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and CRP in the research group decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with before treatment, the bite force of teeth and chewing efficiency of the two groups of patients increased after treatment. After treatment, compared with the control group, the bite force of teeth and chewing efficiency of the research group increased (P < 0.05). Compared with before treatment, the plaque index (PLI), probing depth (PD), gingival sulcus bleeding index (BI), and gingival index (GI) of the two groups of patients decreased after treatment. After treatment, compared with the control group, the PLI, PD, BI, and GI of the research group decreased (P < 0.05). The total incidence of complications in the research group was (11.11%), and the total incidence of complications in the control group was (16.67%); there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, compared with the control group, the quality of life scores of the patients in the research group were reduced (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Root canal therapy and full crown restoration have a definite curative effect in patients with cracked teeth and chronic pulpitis, which can improve the inflammatory response, restore chewing function, maintain periodontal health, improve the quality of life, and do not increase the incidence of complications, so it has good application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic crash notification systems (ACNSs) play a key role in post-accident safety. To improve the accuracy and efficiency of ACNSs, a method to correct the velocity variation information of ACNSs was established. First, after the acceleration data of sled crash tests were analysed, the factors affecting the accuracy of the velocity variation information were determined, and the influence of the discrimination threshold and acceleration curve shape on the velocity variation information was examined. Second, according to the acceleration data generated by the simulation model of a sled crash, the correlation between the accuracy of the velocity variation information and influencing factors was modelled. Third, an automatic crash notification algorithm involving a velocity variation correction function (VVCF) was proposed based on the correlation model. Finally, to verify its reliability, the improved algorithm was applied to an automatic crash notification system (ACNS) terminal. The validation results show that the ACNS terminal can accurately identify collisions and transmit accident information. Moreover, more accurate velocity variation information can be retrieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One new meroterpenoid, antroquinonol Y (1), a new ergostane-type sterol, antcamphin Y (2), and a new ergostane-type triterpenoid, antcamphin Z (3), together with 10 known ones (4–13), were isolated from the dish-cultured fungus Antrodia camphorata. Their structures were characterized by extensive NMR and HRESIMS data analyses. The absolute configurations were elucidated by experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectral analyses and chemical semi-synthesis. Compounds 1, 3, and 5 exhibited potent inhibitory activities against four human cancer cell lines (U251, HL60, SW480, and A549 cells) with IC50 values of 4.6 to 11.7 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of the Wiltse approach and percutaneous pedicle screw placement under O‐arm navigation for the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture. Methods: We enrolled a total of 54 patients with neurologically intact thoracolumbar fracture who received minimally invasive treatments between October 2014 and October 2018 in this retrospective study. Among these, 28 patients (22 males and six females, with a mean age of 48.6 ± 9.6 years) were treated with pedicle screw fixation through the Wiltse approach (WPSF), and another 26 (15 males and 11 females, with a mean age of 45.7 ± 10.6 years) received percutaneous pedicle screw fixation under O‐arm navigation (OPSF). Statistical methods were used to perform a detailed comparison of clinical outcomes, radiologic findings, and complications between the two groups obtained preoperatively, postoperatively, and at last follow‐up. Results: All patients underwent surgery successfully and finished a follow‐up of more than 12 months. No serious complications, such as infection, blood vessel injury, or spinal cord or nerve root injury occurred. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores, Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores, local Cobb angle (LCA), vertebral wedge angle (VWA), and R value were notably improved after surgery, though there was no clear discrepancy between the groups at each time point (P > 0.05). During the follow‐up period, no patients developed neurological impairment or implant‐related complications, and no patients underwent revision surgery. The WPSF group had a significantly shorter operation time than the OPSF group (68.1 ± 9.8 vs 76.1 ± 9.0 minutes, P = 0.005). Moreover, the WPSF group showed less cost of surgery than the WPSF group (48142.1 ± 1430.1 vs 59035.4 ± 1152.7 CNY, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the intraoperative bleeding, length of incision, or postoperative hospitalization time (P > 0.05). The accuracy of pedicle screw placement was 95.2% (160/168) in the WPSF group and 96.8% (151/156) in the OPSF group, with no significant difference between the groups (P = 0.432). Conclusion: Both WPSF and OPSF were safe and effective for the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture. Although the two groups showed favorable clinical and radiologic outcomes through to final follow‐up, we recommended the minimally invasive WPSF given its shorter operation time and lower cost of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For pediatric patients with APL receiving ATRA-ATO, the main adverse effect was a frequent increase of liver SGOT/SGPT by hepatocytotoxicity which was reversible and appeared to be manageable with temporary discontinuation of ATO. Arsenic trioxide (ATO), which was initially used in the treatment of refractory or relapsed APL [[2]], has been proven to be effective in the therapy of newly diagnosed APL [[3]]. Two patients declined ATRA-ATO therapy and were excluded. Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) characterized by the reciprocal translocation of t(15;17) (q22;q21) encoding the promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor- (PML-RAR ) fusion protein in approximate 90% of cases [[1]]. [Extracted from the article]

Keywords: Bladder leiomyoma; Urinary retention; Cystoscopy EN Bladder leiomyoma Urinary retention Cystoscopy 1321 1324 4 05/24/21 20210501 NES 210501 Introduction Bladder leiomyomas may be asymptomatic or associated with obstructive symptoms, irritative urinary symptoms or hematuria [[1]]. Catheterization had been performed in the local clinic after an inconclusive cystoscopy for a 4-cm bladder mass founded by sonography. 3 Surgical findings of the bladder neoplasm. a Laparoscopy revealed an intravesical mass near the bladder neck; b transurethral resection of the bladder tumor under cystoscopy; c specimen of bladder leiomyoma; d hematoxylin and eosin staining of bladder leiomyoma, × 100. [Extracted from the article]

Keloid is a skin disease characterized by exaggerated scar formation, excessive fibroblast proliferation, and excessive collagen deposition. Cancers commonly arise from a fibrotic microenvironment; e.g., hepatoma arises from liver cirrhosis, and oral cancers arise from submucosal fibrosis. As keloids are a prototypic fibroproliferative disease, this study investigated whether patients with keloids have an increased cancer risk. In a matched, population-based study, first 17,401 patients treated for keloids during 1998–2010 with 69,604 controls without keloids at a ratio of 1:4 were evaluated. The association between keloids and risk of cancer was estimated by logistic regression or Cox proportional hazard regression models after adjustment of covariates. In total, 893 first-time cases of cancer were identified in the 17,401 patients with keloids. The overall cancer risk was 1.49-fold higher in the keloids group compared to controls. Regarding specific cancers, the keloids group, had a significantly higher risk of skin cancer compared to controls (Relative risk = 1.73). The relative risk for skin cancer was even higher for males with keloids (Relative risk = 2.16). Further stratified analyses also revealed a significantly higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer in female patients with keloids compared to controls (Relative risk = 2.19) after adjustment for known pancreatic cancer risk factors. This study indicates that patients with keloids have a higher than normal risk for several cancer types, especially skin cancers (both genders) and pancreatic cancer (females). Therefore, patients with keloids should undergo regular skin examinations, and females with keloids should regularly undergo abdominal ultrasonography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We address the following problem: given a set of complex images or a large database, the numerical and computational complexity and quality of approximation for neural network may drastically differ from one activation function to another. A general novel methodology, scaled polynomial constant unit activation function "SPOCU," is introduced and shown to work satisfactorily on a variety of problems. Moreover, we show that SPOCU can overcome already introduced activation functions with good properties, e.g., SELU and ReLU, on generic problems. In order to explain the good properties of SPOCU, we provide several theoretical and practical motivations, including tissue growth model and memristive cellular nonlinear networks. We also provide estimation strategy for SPOCU parameters and its relation to generation of random type of Sierpinski carpet, related to the [pppq] model. One of the attractive properties of SPOCU is its genuine normalization of the output of layers. We illustrate SPOCU methodology on cancer discrimination, including mammary and prostate cancer and data from Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer dataset. Moreover, we compared SPOCU with SELU and ReLU on large dataset MNIST, which justifies usefulness of SPOCU by its very good performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we illustrate the method of designing a group-sequential randomized clinical trial based on the difference in restricted mean survival time (RMST). The procedure is based on theoretical formulations of Murray and Tsiatis. We also present a numerical example in designing a cardiology surgical trial. Various practical considerations are discussed. R codes are provided in the . We conclude that the group-sequential design for RMST is a viable option in practice. A simulation study is performed to compare the proposed method to the Max-Combo and conventional log-rank tests. The simulation result shows that when there is a delayed treatment benefit and the proportional hazards assumption is untrue, the sequential design based on the RMST can be more efficient than that based on the log-rank test but less efficient than that based on the Max-Combo test. Compared with Max-Combo test, the RMST-based study design yield coherent estimand, statistical inference and result interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface properties and flotation response of coal samples of different rank correspond to results from similar experiments for coal samples with different degrees of oxidation. Three principal types of oxygen-containing functional groups (C = O, C-O, O = C-O), were detected at the surface of low rank coals and oxidized coals by XPS, complementing results of previous researchers reported in the literature. The hydroxylation of these polar oxygen groups to C-OH groups and O = C-OH groups seems to account for the observed decrease in hydrophobic character and reduced flotation recovery. Hydration of the coal surface is facilitated at these hydroxylated sites by hydrogen bonding with interfacial water molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The space-fractional Schrödinger equation for a local potential is difficult to solve because the fractional Riesz operator in it is nonlocal. In fractional quantum mechanics, the infinite wall is a basic problem and has not been solved yet. In this paper, we consider a free particle in an infinite wall region. Making use of the Lévy path integral method, we derive the Lévy path integral amplitude of the particle and take advantage of it to get the solution of the fractional Schrödinger equation for an infinite wall. Then, the infinite wall potential with a delta-function perturbation is also studied. According to Fox's H-function, we get an equation of bound state energies of a free particle moving in an infinite wall region perturbed by the δ-function for two situations, E < 0 and E > 0. We give a transcendental equation that determines energy levels when E < 0 and prove that there is no bound states when E > 0. The asymptotic behaviors of the center of the delta function approaching to the origin and the infinite are also shown. The results of this paper include special cases in standard quantum mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Nanowire-assisted electroporation (<3.0 V) was the main disinfection mechanism. • DV caused poor cell inactivation on cathode and cell adsorption-fouling on anode. • SWAV enabled effective cell inactivation and fouling resistance on both electrodes. • SWAV showed stable and efficient G- and G + inactivation in DI, tap and lake waters. • SWAV regulated cell migration, adsorption, inactivation, and desorption on nanowire. Nanowire-assisted electroporation is regarded as an effective point-of-use disinfection technique for drinking water, and its performance under direct voltage (DV, U) supply is limited by the poor bacterial inactivation on cathode and bacterial adsorption-fouling on anode. Herein, square-wave alternating voltage (SWAV, ± U) was applied on nanowire electrodes to periodically reverse the cathodic/anodic polarity and their repulsions/attractions with bacterial cells, in turn promoting cell inactivation and fouling resistance. As compared with the gradual decrease in cell inactivation by the biofouling on nanowire anode under DV supply, SWAV supply enabled stable and efficient disinfection with ∼ 2 log higher cell inactivation and ∼ 3 times lower energy consumption (0.32–11.3 Wh/m3/log at 1.0–3.0 V) for various G- (Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter schindleri) and G+ (Enterococcus faecalis and Bacillus cereus) bacteria in deionized water, tap water and lake water. The cell morphology observation, flow cytometry analyses, and quenching experiments of reactive species revealed that electroporation on nanowire interfaces with locally enhanced electric field was the main mechanism for bacterial inactivation under voltages below 3.0 V. It was revealed that reversion of electrophoretic and electrostatic attractions under SWAV supply regulated cell migration, adsorption and desorption on nanowire interface, resulting in cell inactivation and fouling resistance on both nanowire electrodes. This work opens an effective strategy for stable and efficient nanowire-assisted electroporation disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Synergistic electroporation/chlorination was constructed to promote i-ARG removal. • DC-EP/Cl 2 promoted the damage of ARB cells for i-ARG leakage and removal. • DC-EP/Cl 2 decreased significantly the HGT frequency than individual treatment. • DC-EP/Cl 2 had much lower energy consumption for i-ARG removal in tap water. • DC-EP/Cl 2 exhibited excellent stability of i-ARG removal within 7-day operation. Conventional chlorination (Cl 2) is inefficient to eliminate intracellular antibiotic resistance genes (i-ARGs) of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) due to the chlorine permeation barrier and oxidative competition of cell wall/membrane. Herein, we proposed an efficient strategy by constructing synergistic nanowire-induced electroporation (DC-EP) and Cl 2 (DC-EP/Cl 2) with H 2 -reduced TiO 2 nanowire (TiO x NW) electrodes, attempting to promote i-ARG removal via DC-EP-induced cell damage for chlorine permeation and i-ARG leakage. DC-EP/Cl 2 (∼3.7 log and ∼ 60.5 J/L/log) exhibited excellent synergistic effects for ARB inactivation (Escherichia coli) and i-ARG removal (tet(W) , aac(3)-II , and bla TEM – 1), which achieved much larger i-ARG removal and lower energy consumption than the individual 1.5 V-DC-EP (∼0.05 log) and 10 mg/L-Cl 2 (∼0.5 log and ∼ 262.0 J/L/log). Analyses of i-ARG/e-ARG abundances, bacterial cell integrity, and cell morphology indicated that DC-EP-induced cell pores provided channels of chlorine permeation, which was accompanied with oxidative enlargement of cell pores for i-ARG leakage and subsequent degradation. DC-EP/Cl 2 exhibited 15–90 times lower frequency of horizontal gene transfer than the individual Cl 2 disinfection. The TiO x NW-based DC-EP/Cl 2 exhibited excellent stability of i-ARG removal (undetectable ARG abundance and ∼ 20.3 J/L/log) for treating 103 CFU/mL ARB-contaminated tap water within 7-day continuous operation, suggesting its great application potential to alleviate ARG dissemination risk for drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two series of NSAIDs-EBS derivatives (5a-j and 9a-i) based on the hybridization of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) skeleton and Ebselen moiety were synthesized. Their cytotoxicity was evaluated against five types of human cancer cell lines, BGC-823 (human gastric cancer cell line), SW480 (human colon adenocarcinoma cells), MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma cells), HeLa (human cervical cancer cells), A549 (human lung carcinoma cells). Moreover, the most active compound 5j showed IC 50 values below 3 μM in all cancer cell lines and with remarkable anticancer activity against MCF-7 (1.5 μM) and HeLa (1.7 μM). The redox properties of the NSAIDs-EBS derivatives prepared herein were conducted by 2, 2-didiphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), bleomycin dependent DNA damage and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-like assays. Finally, TrxR1 inhibition activity assay and molecular docking study revealed NSAIDs-EBS derivatives could serve as potential TrxR1 inhibitor. [Display omitted] • • New NSAIDs-EBS derivatives were synthesized. • • These compounds showed active in reducing the viability of different cancer cell lines. • • The most promising compound 5j exhibit IC 50 values lower than 3 μM against the five cancer cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new family of lanthanide complexes based on a tetrazole-1-acetate ligand and a 1,10-phenanthroline co-ligand were synthesized and characterized by IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyses, powder X-ray diffraction and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and their formula is [Ln2(μ-Cl)2(1-tza)2(phen)4](ClO4)2 [Ln = Eu (1), Tb (2), Gd (3), Dy (4); 1-Htza = tetrazole-1-acetate, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline]. They show dinuclear structures bridged by mixed μ-COO−1-tza and μ-Cl−. The solid-state luminescence emission properties of 1 and 2 exhibit the characteristic emission bands of Ln cations with a lifetime of 1.49 ms and 0.20 ms, respectively. Magnetic studies reveal that 3 shows a magnetocaloric effect with −ΔSmmax = 18.5 J kg−1 K−1 at 3 K for ΔH = 5 T and 4 displays a single-molecule magnet behaviour with Ueff of 15.19 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance stretchable and twistable nonvolatile memory devices with logic‐in‐memory functionality are highly desired for the development of future wearable electronics such as smart clothing. However, it is challenging to fabricate these memory devices using rigid functional materials based on conventional film deposition and patterning techniques. Herein, the first intrinsically stretchable and twistable resistive switching memory is reported using spin‐coated poly(dimethyl siloxane) elastomer as the storage medium and printed liquid metal as the electrodes. The memory device is found to exhibit a reliable resistive switching behavior under up to 30% stretching strain and 90° torsional deformation, possessing a large memory window (≈102) and an excellent retention (>104 s). Under 30% strain, stretching–release endurance of >500 cycles as well as excellent data integrity during the dynamic stretching–release process is demonstrated. Beyond data storage, logic‐in‐memory computation prototype represented by a one‐bit full adder is successfully implemented within four operation steps based on three stretched memory cells. This work will be highly valuable in materials and structure design towards the development of high‐performance and multifunctional wearable electronic modules and systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) involves neonatal immunoprophylaxis, with a birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine and immune globulin, and provision of peripartum antiviral prophylaxis in highly viraemic women. However, access to assays to quantify HBV DNA levels remains inadequate in resource-poor settings. This study was commissioned by WHO and aimed to identify the HBV DNA threshold for MTCT, to assess the sensitivity and specificity of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) testing to identify pregnant women with HBV DNA levels above this threshold, and to predict MTCT of HBV infection on the basis of HBeAg testing.Methods: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, CENTRAL, CNKI, and Wanfang databases for studies of pregnant women with chronic HBV infection without concurrent antiviral therapy, published between Jan 1, 2000, and April 3, 2019. Studies were eligible for inclusion if MTCT in mother-child pairs could be stratified by different levels of maternal HBV DNA during pregnancy, if maternal HBeAg status could be stratified by HBV DNA level, and if the MTCT status of infants could be stratified by maternal HBeAg status during pregnancy. Studies that selected pregnant women on the basis of HBeAg serostatus or HBV DNA levels were excluded. Aggregate data were extracted from eligible studies by use of a pre-piloted form; study authors were contacted to clarify any uncertainties about potential duplication or if crucial information was missing. To pool sensitivities and specificities of maternal HBeAg to identify highly viraemic women and to predict MTCT events, we used the DerSimonian-Laird bivariate random effects model. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42019138227.Findings: Of 9007 articles identified, 67 articles (comprising 66 studies) met the inclusion criteria. The risk of MTCT despite infant immunoprophylaxis was negligible (0·04%, 95% CI 0·00-0·25) below a maternal HBV DNA level of 5·30 log10 IU/mL (200 000 IU/mL) and increased above this threshold. The pooled sensitivity of HBeAg testing to identify HBV DNA levels of 5·30 log10 IU/mL or greater in pregnant women was 88·2% (83·9-91·5) and pooled specificity was 92·6% (90·0-94·5). The pooled sensitivity of HBeAg testing in predicting MTCT of HBV infection despite infant immunoprophylaxis was 99·5% (95% CI 91·7-100) and pooled specificity was 62·2% (55·2-68·7).Interpretation: Maternal HBV DNA of 5·30 log10 IU/mL or greater appears to be the optimal threshold for MTCT of HBV infection despite infant immunoprophylaxis. HBeAg is accurate to identify women with HBV DNA levels above this threshold and has high sensitivity to predict cases of immunoprophylaxis failure. In areas where HBV DNA assays are unavailable, HBeAg can be used as an alternative to assess eligibility for antiviral prophylaxis.Funding: World Health Organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV), peripartum antiviral prophylaxis might be required for pregnant women infected with HBV who have a high risk of MTCT despite infant immunoprophylaxis. We aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of peripartum antiviral prophylaxis to inform the 2020 WHO guidelines.Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CENTRAL, CNKI, and Wanfang for randomised controlled trials and non-randomised studies of peripartum antiviral prophylaxis versus placebo or no prophylaxis, with no language restriction, published from database inception until March 28, 2019. We used search terms covering HBV, antiviral therapy, and pregnancy. We included studies that enrolled pregnant women with chronic infection with HBV who received antiviral prophylaxis anytime during pregnancy; that included any of the following antivirals: adefovir, emtricitabine, entecavir, lamivudine, telbivudine, tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate; and that reported the following outcomes: MTCT, indicated by infant HBsAg positivity or HBV DNA positivity, or both, at age 6-12 months, and any infant or maternal adverse events. Two reviewers independently extracted data. Our primary endpoint was MTCT based on infant HBsAg positivity. We assessed pooled odds ratios (ORs) of the efficacy of peripartum antiviral prophylaxis to reduce the risk of MTCT. We assessed safety of prophylaxis by pooling risk differences. The protocol for the systematic review was pre-registered in PROSPERO, CRD42019134614.Findings: Of 7463 articles identified, 595 articles were eligible for full-text review and 129 studies (in 157 articles) were included. The following antivirals were assessed in the meta-analysis: tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg (19 studies, with 1092 mothers and 1072 infants), lamivudine 100-150 mg (40 studies, with 2080 mothers and 2007 infants), and telbivudine 600 mg (83 studies, with 6036 mothers and 5971 infants). The pooled ORs for randomised controlled trials were similar, at 0·10 (95% CI 0·03-0·35) for tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, 0·16 (0·10-0·26) for lamivudine, and 0·14 (0·09-0·21) for telbivudine. The pooled ORs in non-randomised studies were 0·17 (0·10-0·29) for tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, 0·17 (0·12-0·24) for lamivudine, and 0·09 (0·06-0·12) for telbivudine. We found no increased risk of any infant or maternal safety outcomes after peripartum antiviral prophylaxis.Interpretation: Peripartum antiviral prophylaxis is highly effective at reducing the risk of HBV MTCT. Our findings support the 2020 WHO recommendation of administering antivirals during pregnancy, specifically tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, for the prevention of HBV MTCT.Funding: World Health Organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing acid–base pairs is one of the efficient strategies for the design of proton conductors with high conductivity, due to the ultrafast proton-hopping with a low energy barrier between a proton donor (acid group) and an acceptor (base group). In this study, an acid–base adduct polyamine–P2Mo5 model system was established, including adducts [C6N4H22][H2P2Mo5O23]·H2O (P2Mo5-TETA), [C4N3H16]2[P2Mo5O23]·H2O (P2Mo5-DETA), and [C2N2H10]2[H2P2Mo5O23] (P2Mo5-EN), (TETA = triethylenetetramine, DETA = diethylenetriamine, EN = ethanediamine). Proton conductivity analyses showed that adduct P2Mo5-EN exhibited the highest proton conductivity 1.13 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 65 °C and 95% RH, which was one and three orders of magnitude greater than those of P2Mo5-DETA and P2Mo5-TETA under the same conditions. Ea values of all three adducts are lower than 0.4 eV, which indicates that their proton transfer is attributed to the Grotthuss mechanism. Combined with visual structure analysis, the proton transport pathways of three adducts are highlighted. Moreover, we use this model system to discuss in detail the effect of pKa, proton density and size of polyamine molecules on the proton conductivity of organic amine-POM adducts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enthusiasm for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), an efficient tumor treatment model different from traditional treatment, is based on their unprecedented antitumor effect, but the occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) is an obstacle to the prospect of ICI treatment. IrAEs are a discrete toxicity caused by the nonspecific activation of the immune system and can affect almost all tissues and organs. Currently, research on biomarkers mainly focuses on the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system, skin and lung. Several potential hypotheses concentrate on the overactivation of the immune system, excessive release of inflammatory cytokines, elevated levels of pre-existing autoantibodies, and presence of common antigens between tumors and normal tissues. This review lists the current biomarkers that might predict irAEs and their possible mechanisms for both nonspecific and organ-specific biomarkers. However, the prediction of irAEs remains a major clinical challenge to screen and identify patients who are susceptible to irAEs and likely to benefit from ICIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to assess the role of TLR8 in cerebral I/R injury and its in-depth pathogenesis. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that TLR8 was up-regulated in patients with ischemic stroke than that in healthy control, and miR-18a-5p was the upstream regulatory of TLR8. Then, the rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells were exposed in oxygen-glucose-deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) conditions to construct a model in vitro. The functional experiments indicated that OGD/R can decline the viability and elevate the apoptosis of PC12 cells, while up-regulation of miR-18a-5p can alleviate OGD/R-induced cell injury. Notably, overexpression of TLR8 reverses the miR-18a-5p-mediated protection on OGD/R-induced cells injury. Finally, we found that up-regulation of miR-18a-5p obviously declined the protein levels of TLR4 and TLR7 as well as the phosphorylation of NF-κB, while overexpression of TLR8 canceled the decrease caused by miR-18a-5p up-regulation. In summing, our results illustrated that miR-18a-5p/TLR8 axis can mitigate OGD/R-induced cells injury through TLRs and NF-κB pathway. Overexpression of TLR8 reverses the miR-18a-5p-mediated protection on OGD/R-induced cells injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Phospholipase D (PLD) is known to participate in several aspects of cellular processes including cell mitosis, migration, phagocytosis, and membrane vesicle trafficking. The role of PLD has been investigated in multiple cancers except hematologic malignances. Methods: We enrolled 291 patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and detected PLD1 mRNA expression levels of their bone marrow samples by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Clinical relevance of PLD1 was assessed using Kaplan–Meier analysis, univariate analysis, and multivariate analysis. Results: Compared to healthy donors, AML patients had higher mRNA levels of PLD1, which was significantly associated with FAB classification. Importantly, patients with low levels of PLD1 had impaired overall survival and event-free survival. Moreover, univariate and multivariate analyses confirmed that PLD1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for AML. Conclusion: PLD1 represented a useful diagnostic marker and prognostic factor for AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The incidence of VTE among hospitalised COVID-19 patients was high, particular among patients in ICU. • Anticoagulation was not associated with an increased risk of mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients. • Clinical trials are urgently needed to evaluate the roles of prophylactic and therapeutic anticoagulation in COVID-19. The incidence of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) in patients with COVID-19 is generally high but varies markedly. However, the relationship between anticoagulation and mortality in patients with COVID-19 is still unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the incidence of VTE and evaluate the role of anticoagulation in patients with COVID-19. Random effects models were used to determine overall pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). After a database search, 25 observational studies (20 on VTE incidence and 5 on the relationship between anticoagulation and mortality) were included. The pooled incidence rates of VTE, pulmonary embolism (PE), and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in hospitalised COVID-19 patients were 21% (95% CI 15–27%), 15% (95% CI 10–20%), and 27% (95% CI 19–36%), respectively. A meta-analysis of five studies found that anticoagulation was not associated with an increased risk of mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients (RR = 0.86, 95% CI, 0.69–1.09, P = 0.218; I2 = 47.4%). In conclusion, the incidence of VTE among hospitalised COVID-19 patients was high. Clinical trials are urgently needed to evaluate the roles of prophylactic and therapeutic anticoagulation in COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWe established an efficient method using high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) combined with preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (prep-HPLC) for isolating and purifying Gelsemium elegans (G. elegans) alkaloids. First, the two-phase solvent system composed of 1% triethylamine aqueous solution/n-hexane/ethyl acetate/ethanol (volume ratio 4:2:3:2) was employed to separate the crude extract (350 mg) using HSCCC. Subsequently, the mixture that resulted from HSCCC was further separated by Prep-HPLC, resulting in seven pure compounds including: 14-hydroxygelsenicine (1, 12.1 mg), sempervirine (2, 20.8 mg), 19-(R)-hydroxydihydrogelelsevirine (3, 10.1 mg), koumine (4, 50.5 mg), gelsemine (5, 32.2 mg), gelselvirine (6, 50.5 mg), and 11-hydroxyhumanmantenine (7, 12.5 mg). The purity of these seven compounds were 97.4, 98.9, 98.5, 99, 99.5, 96.8, and 85.5%, as determined by HPLC. The chemical structures of the seven compounds were analyzed and confirmed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance (13 C NMR) spectra. The results indicate that the HSCCC-prep-HPLC method can effectively separate the major alkaloids from the purified G. elegans, holding promising prospects for potential applications in the separation and identification of other traditional Chinese medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop a prognostic nomogram for predicting the prognosis of oligodendroglioma patients receiving combined chemoradiotherapy (CRT) after surgery. The study used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2000 and 2019. The patients were randomly divided into a development cohort (700 patients) and a validation cohort (244 patients) in a 7:3 ratio. The Cox hazards regression model was used to identify predictors, and a nomogram was constructed to visualize the prognosis. The performance of the prognostic nomogram was evaluated using the consistency index (C-index), clinical net benefit, and calibration. The nomogram included 5 variables: age, marital status, tumor size, site of lesions, and surgery type. The C-index of the training set and validation set were 0.77 and 0.68, respectively. The calibration plots showed that the nomogram was in good agreement with the actual observation. The clinical decision curve indicated that the nomogram had a good clinical net benefit in oligodendroglioma patients receiving CRT after surgery. This study established and verified a prognostic nomogram for a large cohort of oligodendroglioma patients receiving CRT after surgery based on the SEER database. The nomogram may help clinicians provide personalized treatment services and clinical decisions for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homoprejudiced violence is a type of aggression against an individual or a community based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation. It may be linked to risks of acquiring HIV/STI via psychosocial variables. This study explored the association between homoprejudiced violence experiences and high-risk sexual behaviors, and potential psychosocial mediators. Using cross-sectional survey data collected in China through Blued among men who have sex with men (MSM) in January 2021, this study conducted multiple mediation analyses. Standard instruments were used to collect data on depressive symptoms in the last two weeks (PHQ-9), recreational drug usage in the last three months, and ever experiencing homoprejudiced violence (12-item survey instrument). Dependent variables were having condomless anal sex and having three or more sexual partners in the last three months. Among 1828 MSM, nearly half (847, 46%) had experienced homoprejudiced violence. Twenty-three percent (427) reached a score that suggested moderate or severe depression and 35% (644) had used recreational drugs. In the last three months, 40% (731) had condomless anal sex and 34% (626) had three or more sexual partners. The indirect mediational coefficients through depression on condomless anal sex and multiple sexual partners were 0.04 (95% CI: [0.02, 0.07]) and 0.02 (95% CI: [0.001, 0.05]), respectively. The indirect mediational coefficient of homoprejudiced violence experience on multiple sexual partners through recreational drug use was 0.05 (95% CI: [0.03, 0.08]). These findings suggest that more comprehensive interventions are needed to address the syndemic of homoprejudiced violence, mental health issues, and HIV/STI-related risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a major risk factor of gastric cancer (GC). The SUMO-activating enzyme SAE1(SUMO-activating enzyme subunit 1), which is indispensable for protein SUMOylation, involves in human tumorigenesis. In this study, we used the TIMER and TCGA database to explore the SAE1 expression in GC and normal tissues and Kaplan–Meier Plotter platform for survival analysis of GC patients. GC tissue microarray and gastric samples from patients who underwent endoscopic treatment were employed to detect the SAE1expression. Our results showed that SAE1 was overexpressed in GC tissues and higher SAE1 expression was associated with worse clinical characteristics of GC patients. Cell and animal models showed that H. pylori infection upregulated SAE1, SUMO1, and SUMO2/3 protein expression. Functional assays suggested that suppression of SAE1 attenuated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers and cell proliferation abilities induced by H. pylori. Cell and animal models of ROS inhibition in H. pylori showed that ROS could mediate the H. pylori-induced upregulation of SAE1, SUMO1, and SUMO2/3 protein. RNA sequencing was performed and suggested that knockdown of SAE1 could exert an impact on IGF-1 expression. General, increased SUMOylation modification is involved in H. pylori-induced GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Keggin-type polyoxometalate H5PV2Mo10O40 (HPMoV) was encapsulated into the Cu3(BTC)2 framework (H3BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid) via a liquid-assisted grinding (LAG) method to obtain nanocrystalline POM@MOF, i.e. NENU-9N, formulated as [Cu12(BTC)8(H2O)12][H5PV2Mo10O40]. The NENU-9N was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis, indicating that NENU-9N has good crystallinity, excellent thermal stability, permanent porosity, and uniform particle size (about 70 nm). The catalytic performance of NENU-9N as a heterogeneous catalyst for the epoxidation of styrene using oxygen as the oxidant was studied. As a result, NENU-9N showed excellent catalytic performance (97.2% styrene conversion with 93.5% selectivity to styrene oxide) which can be attributed to the synergistic catalysis between Cu3(BTC)2 and HPMoV. The nanocrystalline catalyst had good stability and recyclability which can be recycled at least 5 times with no significant loss of catalytic activity. Furthermore, the catalytic mechanism of NENU-9N on the aerobic epoxidation of styrene was investigated by radical quenching experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the research of proton conductive materials has been extended from traditional sulfonated polymers to novel crystalline solid materials. It is important but still challenging to develop high‐performance proton‐conducting materials suitable for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Considering the features of molybdenum oxide and triazole in the construction of proton‐conducting material, two triazole‐modified molybdenum oxides, [MoO3(trz)0.5] 1 and [H(atrz)4[(atrz)2(γ‐Mo8O26)] ⋅ 2H2O 2 (trz=1,2,4‐triazole, atrz=3‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazole), were re‐synthesized under optimized synthetic conditions, and their proton‐conducting performances were investigated. 1 and 2 show high proton conductivities of 1.94×10−2 S cm−1 (85 °C, 95 % RH) and 1.3×10−3 S cm−1 (65 °C, 95 % RH), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using proprietary data collected prior to the establishment of the public Universal Prekindergarten program in New York City, this study finds statistically significant differences in test-taking rates for the city's Gifted & Talented (G & T) program between two matched samples of students—those who attended a public prekindergarten (pre-K) program and those who did not—for each of four cohorts from 2008 to 2011, favoring the public pre-K group. Results also demonstrate that access to information about the G & T program is a plausible mechanism underlying the higher test-taking rates among the public pre-K group, especially for underrepresented groups. With the establishment of the Universal Prekindergarten in New York City in 2015, our results highlight the importance of instituting new policies for promoting the dissemination of information regarding the G & T admissions process within the public school sector. If targeted to address diversity in G & T, such policies could help reduce inequality in gifted education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epistaxis is a common symptom in children. The effect of air pollution on epistaxis is not yet clear. Objectives: To explore the characteristics of pediatric epistaxis in Beijing and its correlation with air pollutants. Material and Methods: Data were collected from 2014 to 2017 in Otolaryngology Department of Capital Institute of Pediatrics. Children diagnosed with epistaxis with relevant information with the same period of municipal air pollutants' concentration were compared. Results: The annual visits of epistaxis showed a bimodal trend. The incidence of epistaxis in infants was low, increased with age, reached the peak between the ages of 4 to 5, and then gradually decreased with age. In different age groups, male patients were more than females. From 2014 to 2017 in Beijing, particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5), particulate matter less than 10 μm in diameter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) showed a downtrend, lower in summer than in the other 3 seasons. Ozone (O3) was significantly higher in 2016 and 2017, showed an increase trend in summer. The incidence of epistaxis was negatively correlated with PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2 and CO, which was positively correlated with O3 (P <.05). Conclusions: Pediatric epistaxis in Beijing changes with age and has obvious seasonal variation. There are some correlations between air pollutants and the incidence of epistaxis in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nontyphoidal Salmonella and Salmonella Paratyphi are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. To date, no vaccine has been licensed against these organisms. The development of effective vaccines remains an urgent priority. In this review, the rationale for and current status of various vaccine candidates against S. Paratyphi and nontyphoidal Salmonella are presented, with a focus on the research findings from the 2019 International Conference on Typhoid and Other Invasive Salmonelloses. Additionally, other vaccine candidates that are currently undergoing clinical development are highlighted. Future approaches, which may include antigens that are genetically conserved across Salmonella and confer broad, non–serotype-specific protection, are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panax japonicus var. major is a rare and endangered Chinese traditional medicinal plant that simultaneously forms two types of rhizomes (Swp: Swollen part and Slp: Slender part). However, the mechanism controlling rhizome enlargement in P. japonicus var. major is poorly understood. In this study, the mechanism of rhizome enlargement was investigated by comparing the differences of internal anatomy, hormone contents, starch content and molecular transcription levels between Swp and Slp of in P. japonicus var. major. Illumina sequencing generated 1,333 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were differentially expressed between the two samples. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, diterpenoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction pathway were significantly enriched. Additionally, starch determination results showed that starch content in the swollen part was significantly higher than that in the slender part. Furthermore, hormone determination results showed that gibberellin A1 (GA1), gibberellin A53 (GA53), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and jasmonic acid (JA) contents were negatively correlated, while cis-zeatin (cZ) content was positively correlated with rhizome enlargement. The results of this research screened out several DEGs and potential candidate genes for rhizome enlargement, which lays the foundation for the identification of expanded genes in Panax species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]