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Background and Objective: Cancer is a major public health problem in the world, and it dramatically affects the life expectancy of patients and their quality of life. Natural products from botanicals could be beneficial in the prevention or treatment of a variety of cancers. Saffron (the extract of Crocus sativus ) includes its major constituent, crocin, have been used as a folk medicine for a long time, and they have shown obvious cancer chemoprevention potential. The objectives of this review are to present the progress of research on the effects of saffron and crocin in cancer management and the underlying mechanisms of action., Methods: We searched publications in the English language, published between January 1, 1980 and September 30, 2022, of saffron and crocin on cancer through several search engines, i.e., PubMed, SciFinder and Web of Science., Key Content and Findings: In this article, we first summarize the phytochemical studies of this botanical. Then, we present the anticancer effects of saffron and crocin on different human cancer cells. Saffron and crocin showed obvious antiproliferative effects on human cancer cell lines, including colorectal cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, leukemia, glioblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma. Finally, the anticancer-related mechanisms of action are summarized, including cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 or G2/M phases, induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis, signaling pathway-linked tumor metabolism regulation, and adaptive immunity regulated inflammation of host immune responses., Conclusions: Previous studies related to saffron and crocin in cancer management have been reviewed and reported results have been analyzed. Clinical data suggest that saffron and crocin have beneficial effects to improve quality of life in cancer patients. Thus, saffron and crocin can be considered promising candidates for future clinical cancer studies., Competing Interests: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://lcm.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/lcm-21-72/coif). The series “Multifunctional Saffron” was commissioned by the editorial office without any funding or sponsorship. CZW serves as an unpaid editorial board member of Longhua Chinese Medicine from November 2021 to October 2023. YS serves as an unpaid Associate Editor-in-Chief of Longhua Chinese Medicine from September 2022 to August 2024 and served as the unpaid Guest Editor of the series. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that may affect every organ. The multiple pathogenic mechanisms and heterogeneous phenotypes of SLE present unique challenges in the management of this complex disease. This article discusses new SLE therapies from the last 10 years. We will address new information in the realms of lifestyle interventions, antimalarials, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, immunosuppressive disease modifying antirheumatic drugs, biological therapies, and other modalities as they pertain to SLE., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Thumb polydactyly is one of the most common congenital hand deformities, and the Bilhaut-Cloquet procedure or a modified one is often used. However, controversy remains over the rare instances in which both thumbs are not of similar length or far apart in distance., Aim: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of pedicle complex tissue flap transfer in the treatment of duplicated thumbs with unequal size., Methods: From January 2014 to December 2020, 15 patients underwent duplicated thumb reconstruction by pedicle complex tissue flap transfer at our hand surgery center. The technique was used when it was necessary to combine different tissues from both severed and preserved thumbs that were not of similar length or far apart in distance. Subjective parents' evaluations and functional outcomes (ALURRA and TATA criteria) were obtained. The alignment deviation, instability, range of motion (percent of opposite thumb) of the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints, and the aesthetic aspects, including circumference, length, nail size, and nail deformity, were used to assess the clinical outcomes., Results: The average age of patients at the time of surgery was 13 mo, and the mean final follow-up occurred at 42 mo. An appropriate volume with a stable joint and good appearance was obtained in 14 reconstructed thumbs. An unstable interphalangeal joint occurred in one thumb. The flexion-extension arc at the metacarpophalangeal joint was good, while that at the interphalangeal joint was poor. Most of the parents were satisfied with the cosmetic and functional results of the reconstructed thumbs. The mean ALURRA score was 21.8 (range: 20-24), and the Tada score was 6.9 (range: 5-8). Compared with the non-operated side, the length of the operated thumb was approximately 95%, the girth was 89%, and the nail width was 82.9%. The mean ranges of motion were 62.1% of that of the unaffected thumb in the interphalangeal joint and 78.3% in the metacarpophalangeal joint., Conclusion: Harvesting a pedicle flap from a severed thumb is a safe and reliable procedure. Defects of the preserved thumb, such as the skin, nail, and bone, can be effectively restored using the complex tissue flap., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Phototheranostics has attracted great interest in cancer therapy. Small-molecule self-reporting photosensitizers, one kind of idea agent in phototheranostics, enables simultaneous photodynamic therapy (PDT) and feedback of therapeutic efficacy. However, previous such photosensitizers exclusively employed the change of single emission to monitor cell death, which can be disturbed by variations in photosensitizer concentration and the excitation intensity. Herein, we report a unique self-reporting photosensitizer TPA-3PyA+ constructed from a twisted triphenylamine unit (TPA), three benzene ring units and three cyanovinyl-pyridinium units (PyA) for PDT and its real-time monitoring in a dynamic dual-color mode. TPA-3PyA+ possesses a rotatable electron donor-π bridge-electron acceptor framework and exhibits high singlet oxygen quantum yield (124%) and a twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) effect. TPA-3PyA+ not only enables effective staining of cancer cells with dual-color fluorescence due to the TICT effect but also shows excellent PDT performance. The simultaneous change in emission color, intensity and intracellular location of TPA-3PyA+ during cell death allows it to self-report cell death. Moreover, the change of dual-emission color allows distinguishing living and dead cells and effectively avoids interference in previous single-emission self-reporting photosensitizers. This work highlights the great potential of a self-reporting photosensitizer with dual-color emissions for efficient feedback of theranostics.

Invited for this month's cover is the group of Jin Kuen Park and Dong Hwan Wang at two different universities in South Korea. The image shows how the supramolecular interaction between pendant polymers can play a role in controlling the electronic properties in perovskite-based electronics such as solar cells and photodetectors. The Full Paper itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.202101785., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A mechanism study for Pd(II)-catalyzed C(sp 3 )-H activation using a self-cleaving chlorotetrafluoroethylsulfinyl (-SOCF 2 CF 2 Cl) auxiliary as a directing group is reported. Mechanistic studies reveal that (1) the auxiliary group is crucial for C(sp 3 )-H activation, (2) the reaction undergoes a C(sp 3 )-H olefination-Michael addition-removal of the auxiliary sequence, (3) the removal of the auxiliary (SOR f ) is most likely the alcoholic solvolysis of the -SOCF 2 CF 2 Cl group on the N -tri-substituted sulfonamides, and (4) the C(sp 3 )-H cleavage is involved in the rate-determining step.

Eggshell translucency is a ubiquitous external eggshell quality problem caused by variations of eggshell ultrastructure or shell membrane. In previous studies, researchers have widely investigated this phenomenon with nutritional, environmental, and genetic perspectives in many breeds. However, most studies referring to phenotypic measurement of shell translucency have been performed using a relatively subjective two-, three-, or four-grading methods, which made it impossible to compare distribution of shell translucency among different breeds. In this study, we aimed to explore variations of translucent eggshell spots in different breeds and their distribution in blunt, middle, and sharp ends of eggshell using a relatively objective grayscale recognition method. We selected 45 eggs from each flock of pure lines, commercial strains, and Chinese local breeds (10 flocks, aged 60 to 70 wk), and stored them in a constant environment for 5 d. Then measured eggshell translucency using grayscale recognition method. Indicators of shell translucency included sum of spot areas on the whole eggshell (SUSA), sum area of the whole eggshell (SUSHA), RSS (ratio of SUSA to SUSHA), quantity of spots (QS), average spot area in eggshell (AAES), and diameter of spots in eggshell (DS). As results, in Hy-Line Brown, Brown-Egg Dwarf Layer, and Taihang (pink-shelled) breeds, phenotypic intensity of eggshell translucency was slight; in Rhode Island Red, Jingfen-1, and Dongxiang breeds, phenotypic intensity of eggshell translucency was relatively extensive; and in Jinghong-1, Hy-Line Sonia, White Leghorn, and Taihang (blue-shelled), phenotypic intensity of eggshell translucency was at an intermediate level. In general, the larger the RSS, the larger the QS, AAES, and DS. Of 3 ends for most breeds, eggshell translucency of blunt and sharp ends was usually greater than that of middle ends, and blunt ends seemed to have the most extensive eggshell translucency. Findings from this study could provide a reference for population selection to locate genes regulating shell translucency and to explore the physical structure mechanism for eggshell translucency formation., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Chicken coccidiosis is a kind of parasitic protozoosis caused by Eimeria parasitizing in the chicken intestinal epithelial cells. Eimeria tenella is considered as a significantly virulent and harmful parasite. At present, drug resistance remains a major problem and a large number of drug residues have been found to be produced in the treatment of the disease. Hence, novel strategies are needed to avoid the harmful effects caused by the generation of various chemical drug residues to the human body and also reduce the economic loss caused by coccidiosis to the chicken industry. In this study, natural garlic essential oil was used to control Eimeria tenella infection. The anticoccidial index (ACI) was calculated according to the clinical symptoms, body weight gain, oocyst excretion and cecal lesions. The immune organ index and serum biochemical indexes were measured to verify the possible anticoccidial effects. The results showed that: compared with the infected group, continuous feeding of different doses of natural garlic essential oil could significantly reduce the clinical symptoms, cecal lesions, the number of oocysts, but increase the weight of sick chickens, and effectively improve the intestinal functions. Moreover, compared with diclazuril control group, 0.06 mL/L garlic essential oil exhibited similar anticoccidial index. The content of immune organ index, serum biochemical index IgM, IgG and IgA in 0.06 mL/L garlic essential oil group was the highest, which indicated that garlic essential oil had a significant tendency to improve the immune function of the chickens. This study also showed that the natural garlic essential oil exhibited the same beneficial effects as that of diclazuril on chicken coccidiosis, and the anti-coccidiosis index of 0.06 mL/L garlic essential oil was favorable. Thus based on the above evidences and its relatively low cost, garlic essential oil can be potentially be used as an efficient anti parasitic drug., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction between aryl bromides and 9-BBN-OMe to provide aryl methyl ethers under mild conditions is reported. The oxalamide ligand BHMPO plays a key role in the transformation. Various functional groups on bromobenzenes are well tolerated, providing the desired anisole products in moderate to high yields.

Studies in mice using germfree animals as controls for microbial colonization have shown that the gut microbiome mediates diet-induced obesity. Such studies use diets rich in saturated fat, however, Western diets in the United States America are enriched in soybean oil, composed of unsaturated fatty acids, either linoleic or oleic acid. Here, we addressed whether the microbiome is a variable in fat metabolism in mice on a soybean oil diet. We used conventionally-raised, low-germ, and germfree mice fed for 10 weeks diets either high or low in high-linoleic-acid soybean oil as the sole source of fat. Conventional and germfree mice gained relative fat weight and all mice consumed more calories on the high fat vs. low fat soybean oil diet. Plasma fatty acid levels were generally dependent on diet, with microbial colonization status affecting iso-C18:0, C20:3n-6, C14:0, and C15:0 levels. Colonization status, but not diet, impacted levels of liver sphingolipids including ceramides, sphingomyelins, and sphinganine. Our results confirm that absorbed fatty acids are mainly a reflection of the diet and that microbial colonization influences liver sphingolipid pools regardless of diet., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

To discern multiple intertwined effects, a set of azobenzene-functionalized amide-imide block copolymers, azo(PA- co -PI)- x , where x is amide-block content, viz ., [azoPA] = 25, 50, 75 mol %, was synthesized from 2,2-bis{4-[4-(4-aminophenyldiazenyl)phenoxy]phenyl}propane(azoBPA), 4,4'-oxydibenzoyl chloride (ODBC), and 4,4'-oxydiphthalic anhydride (OPDA). Including homopolymers (azoPA and azoPI), this series of amorphous azopolymers possesses a high glass-transition temperature ( T g > 210 °C) and a modulus ( E ' ∼ 1.23-2.50 GPa). Their photobending (ca. 23-90°) and photostress (ca. 250-380 kPa) were assessed in the form of cantilevers with a linearly polarized 445 nm light. Nonlinear composition/[azoPA] dependencies of the thermo- and photomechanical properties are correlated. As [azoPA] increases from 0 mol %; T g , E ', photostress, and photobending angle initially decrease to reach four separate minima for azo(PA- co -PI)-50; and then all increase with a higher [azoPA]. The trend considerations of film density, dynamic thermomechanical, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) measurements implicate that (i) intermolecular association and intramolecular segmental mobility collectively influence the photomechanical outcomes and (ii) two types of hydrogen bonding (HB), namely, amide-amide [HB-AA] and amide-imide [HB-AI] coexist in azo(PA- co -PI)- x copolymers, with [HB-AI] being largely responsible for photomechanical outcomes of azo(PA- co -PI)- x with [azoPA] <40-50 mol %, and [HB-AA] for [azoPA] >40-50 mol %. We hypothesize that the "U-shaped" photomechanical effect apparently stems from the cooperative "unzipping" of H bonds in the [HB-AA]* excited state with H bonds in [HB-AI]* being stabilized by electrostatic interactions inherent in an excited intermolecular complex.

Itraconazole, an FDA-approved antifungal, has antitumor activity against a variety of cancers. We sought to determine the effects of itraconazole on esophageal cancer and elucidate its mechanism of action. Itraconazole inhibited cell proliferation and induced G 1 -phase cell-cycle arrest in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma cell lines. Using an unbiased kinase array, we found that itraconazole downregulated protein kinase AKT phosphorylation in OE33 esophageal adenocarcinoma cells. Itraconazole also decreased phosphorylation of downstream ribosomal protein S6, transcriptional expression of the upstream receptor tyrosine kinase HER2, and phosphorylation of upstream PI3K in esophageal cancer cells. Lapatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets HER2, and siRNA-mediated knockdown of HER2 similarly suppressed cancer cell growth in vitro Itraconazole significantly inhibited growth of OE33-derived flank xenografts in mice with detectable levels of itraconazole and its primary metabolite, hydroxyitraconazole, in esophagi and tumors. HER2 total protein and phosphorylation of AKT and S6 proteins were decreased in xenografts from itraconazole-treated mice compared to xenografts from placebo-treated mice. In an early phase I clinical trial (NCT02749513) in patients with esophageal cancer, itraconazole decreased HER2 total protein expression and phosphorylation of AKT and S6 proteins in tumors. These data demonstrate that itraconazole has potent antitumor properties in esophageal cancer, partially through blockade of HER2/AKT signaling., (©2021 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Hypertension is a risk factor for acute kidney injury. In this study, we aimed to identify the optimal blood pressure (BP) targets for CKD and non-CKD patients. We analyzed the data of the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) and the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Blood Pressure trial (ACCORD BP) to determine the nonlinear relationship between BP and renal disease development using the Generalized Additive Model (GAM). Optimal systolic BP/diastolic BP (SBP/DBP) with lowest renal risk were estimated using GAM. Logistic regression was employed to find odds ratios (ORs) of adverse renal outcomes by three BP groups (high/medium/low). Both study trials have demonstrated a "U"-shaped relationship between BP and renal outcomes. For non-CKD patients in SPRINT trial, risk of 30% reduction in eGFR among intensive group patients with DBP ≤ 70 mmHg was significantly higher than the group with DBP between 71 and 85 mmHg (OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.51-3.53). For non-CKD patients in ACCORD trial, risk of doubling of serum creatinine (SCr) or >20 mL/min decrease in eGFR among intensive group patients with DBP ≤ 70 mmHg was significantly higher than the group with DBP between 71 and 85 mmHg (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.12-1.99). For CKD patients in SPRINT trial, there are no significant differences in renal outcomes by different SBP/DBP levels. Our analysis of both SPRINT and ACCORD datasets demonstrated that lower-than-optimal DBP may lead to poor renal outcomes in non-CKD patients. Healthcare providers should be cautious of too low DBP level in intensive BP management due to poor renal outcomes for non-CKD patients., (© 2020. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Lead-free perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted interest among scientists searching for eco-friendly energy harvesting devices. Herein, the effects of ozone exposure on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) in lead-free tin halide PSCs as a facile and low-cost process for improving device performance are analyzed. Two types of tin-based PSCs and one typical lead-based PSC were fabricated. The ozone exposure on PEDOT:PSS increases the short-circuit current density ( J SC ) and the fill factor (FF) of PSCs in all cases with perovskite grain enlargement and hole-mobility enhancement of the devices, respectively. For open-circuit voltage ( V OC ), the outcome depends on the band gap and the energy levels of the perovskite films. While ozone exposure treatment is favorable for PEA 0.15 FA 0.85 SnI 3 -based tin PSCs, V OC decreases with ozone exposure in the case of Ge:EDA 0.01 FA 0.98 SnI 3 -based tin PSCs because of a misalignment of the energy levels. Regardless, the efficiency of PEA 0.15 FA 0.85 SnI 3 -based tin PSCs increases from 8.7 to 10.1% when measured inside a glovebox upon ozone exposure of PEDOT:PSS. The efficiency of Ge:EDA 0.01 FA 0.98 SnI 3 -based tin PSCs increases from 6.8 to 8.1%, and the devices retain an efficiency of 5.0% even after 50 days in air.

A copper-catalyzed ortho -selective amination of 2-azulenols with O -benzoylhydroxylamines (RR'N-OBz) to synthesize ortho -aminoazulenols is reported. A wide range of functional groups on amines are compatible, furnishing the corresponding amino-azulene derivatives in moderate to good yields. The further synthetic elaboration using 3-amino-2-azulenols as starting materials is demonstrated.

To improve β-1,3-1,6-D-glucan (β-glucan) production by Aureobasidium pullulans, an Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation method was developed to screen a mutant A. pullulans CGMCC 19650. Based on thermal asymmetric-interlaced PCR detection, DNA sequencing, BLAST analysis, and quantitative real-time PCR assay, the T-DNA was identified to be inserted in the coding region of mal31 gene, which encodes a sugar transporter involved in pullulan biosynthesis in the mutant. The maximal biomass and β-glucan production under batch fermentation were significantly increased by 47.6% and 78.6%, respectively, while pullulan production was decreased by 41.7% in the mutant, as compared to the parental strain A. pullulans CCTCC M 2012259. Analysis of the physiological mechanism of these changes revealed that mal31 gene disruption increased the transcriptional levels of pgm2, ugp, fks1, and kre6 genes; increased the amounts of key enzymes associated with UDPG and β-glucan biosynthesis; and improved intracellular UDPG contents and energy supply, all of which favored β-glucan production. However, the T-DNA insertion decreased the transcriptional levels of ags2 genes, and reduced the biosynthetic capability to form pullulan, resulting in the decrease in pullulan production. This study not only provides an effective approach for improved β-glucan production by A. pullulans, but also presents an accurate and useful gene for metabolic engineering of the producer for efficient polysaccharide production. KEY POINTS: • A mutant A. pullulans CGMCC 19650 was screened by using the ATMT method. • The mal31 gene encoding a sugar transporter was disrupted in the mutant. • β-Glucan produced by the mutant was significantly improved., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

To evaluate the impacts of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) and coated folic acid (CFA) on growth performance, nutrient digestion and hepatic gene expression, fifty-two Angus bulls were assigned to four groups in a 2 × 2 factor experimental design. The CFA of 0 or 6 mg/kg dietary DM folic acid was supplemented in diets with GAA of 0 (GAA-) or 0·6 g/kg DM (GAA+), respectively. Average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency and hepatic creatine concentration increased with GAA or CFA addition, and the increased magnitude of these parameters was greater for addition of CFA in GAA- diets than in GAA+ diets. Blood creatine concentration increased with GAA or CFA addition, and greater increase was observed when CFA was supplemented in GAA+ diets than in GAA- diets. DM intake was unchanged, but rumen total SCFA concentration and digestibilities of DM, crude protein, neutral-detergent fibre and acid-detergent fibre increased with the addition of GAA or CFA. Acetate:propionate ratio was unaffected by GAA, but increased for CFA addition. Increase in blood concentrations of albumin, total protein and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was observed for GAA or CFA addition. Blood folate concentration was decreased by GAA, but increased with CFA addition. Hepatic expressions of IGF-1, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, protein kinase B, mammalian target of rapamycin and ribosomal protein S6 kinase increased with GAA or CFA addition. Results indicated that the combined supplementation of GAA and CFA could not cause ADG increase more when compared with GAA or CFA addition alone.

Objective: To analyze the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene variations and phenotypes in 7 Chinese children. Methods: In this retrospective study, the data of 7 children with CFTR gene variations admitted to Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from December 2013 to October 2020 were extracted. The general information, clinical manifestations, gene variations, diagnosis and treatment were summarized. Results: Among the 7 children, 2 were males and 5 were females, aged 5.2(0.5-11.3) years. Main clinical manifestations included malnutrition (5 cases), recurrent respiratory infection (4 cases), bronchiectasis (3 cases), steatorrhea (3 cases), vomiting in infancy (2 cases), liver cirrhosis (2 cases), meconium ileus (1 case), metabolic alkalosis and hypochloremia (1 case). A total of 15 variations were found by whole exon sequencing and Sanger sequencing, among which 3 were newly discovered, and 7 were missense mutations. Four children were diagnosed as CF, and the other 3 were diagnosed as CFTR related disease (CFTR-RD). Compared with CF patients, the pancreatic insufficiency and typical CF lung disease were relatively mild in CFTR-RD patients. After treatment, 6 children were clinically improved, while the rest one withdrew treatment due to critical pulmonary infection and disturbance of water-electrolyte metabolism. Conclusions: The loci and phenotypes of CFTR gene variants vary hugely and the pathogenicity of some variations are not clear. Whole exon sequencing can facilitate the identification of CF-and CFTR-RD-causing variaions. For the cases not compatible with CF, CFTR-RD should be considered and evaluated by timely gene detection, so as to carry out appropriate long term management.

Three-dimensional (3D) morphology of microparts has an important influence on performance of microassembly system that mainly assembles microparts in millimetre and micron scale. Because 3D morphology of microparts cannot be accurately obtained by conventional microscopic vision system, a depth estimation method of surface of micropart in microassembly space based on microscopic vision tomographic scanning (MVTS) images is proposed in this paper. The proposed method uses the positions of pixels with the largest focus values in MVTS image to construct the isodepth contours of surface of micropart and obtains the depth values of micropart's surface at the positions of MVTS by assigning depth values to corresponding isodepth contours. The MVTS images are obtained by MVTS and pixels with the largest focus values in MVTS image are obtained by focus measurement of MVTS images of micropart in microassembly space. On these bases, 3D spatial interpolation method is applied to map depth value of space between adjacent isodepth contours and to obtain depth values of all surface of micropart. Simulation experiments are carried out to verify the proposed method by generating simulated MVTS image array from two simulation objects, and the influence parameters of the proposed method are analysed. In established experimental setup of microassembly that can realise MVTS, experimental verification for the proposed depth estimation method are carried out by using cone cavity and end jaws of microgripper. 3D morphologies of depth maps of cone cavity and end jaws of microgripper are registered with their respective CAD models using iterative nearest point registration algorithm to quantify accuracy of depth estimation. The research results show that 3D morphology of micropart can be obtained by the proposed method and has better accuracy than those by conventional shape from focus method. This method provides a new way to obtain the morphology of microparts and lays a foundation for improving the accuracy and efficiency of gripping, alignment and approaching microparts in microassembly systems., (© 2021 Royal Microscopical Society.)

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a renowned model medicinal plant species for which 15 SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) family genes have been identified; however, the specific functions of SmSPLs have not been well characterized as of yet. For this study, the expression patterns of SmSPL6 were determined through its responses to treatments of exogenous hormones, including indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA 3 ), methyl jasmonic acid (MeJA), and abscisic acid (ABA). To characterize its functionality, we obtained SmSPL6 - ovexpressed transgenic S . miltiorrhiza plants and found that overexpressed SmSPL6 promoted the accumulation of phenolic acids and repressed the biosynthesis of anthocyanin. Meanwhile, the root lengths of the SmSPL6 -overexpressed lines were significantly longer than the control; however, both the fresh weights and lateral root numbers decreased. Further investigations indicated that Sm SPL6 regulated the biosynthesis of phenolic acid by directly binding to the promoter regions of the enzyme genes Sm4CL9 and SmCYP98A14 and activated their expression. We concluded that Sm SPL6 regulates not only the biosynthesis of phenolic acids, but also the development of roots in S . miltiorrhiza .

Oral cancer is one of the most common head and neck malignancies and has an overall 5-year survival rate that remains below 50%. Oral cancer is generally preceded by oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) but determining the risk of OPMD progressing to cancer remains a difficult task. Several diagnostic technologies have been developed to facilitate the detection of OPMD and oral cancer, and some of these have been translated into regulatory-approved in vitro diagnostic systems or medical devices. Furthermore, the rapid development of novel biomarkers, electronic systems, and artificial intelligence may help to develop a new era where OPMD and oral cancer are detected at an early stage. To date, a visual oral examination remains the routine first-line method of identifying oral lesions; however, this method has certain limitations and as a result, patients are either diagnosed when their cancer reaches a severe stage or a high-risk patient with OPMD is misdiagnosed and left untreated. The purpose of this article is to review the currently available diagnostic methods for oral cancer as well as possible future applications of novel promising technologies to oral cancer diagnosis. This will potentially increase diagnostic options and improve our ability to effectively diagnose and treat oral cancerous-related lesions.

The diagnosis and treatment of a local case with alveolar echinococcosis was presented. Based on clinical data and epidemiological surveys, this is a rare, local case with alveolar echinococcosis in Nanzhang County, suggesting the possibility of local transmission of echinococcosis. The prevention, control and surveillance of echinococcosis requires to be reinforced in nonendemic areas.

Fine-grained image classification is a hot topic that has been widely studied recently. Many fine-grained image classification methods ignore misclassification information, which is important to improve classification accuracy. To make use of misclassification information, in this paper, we propose a novel fine-grained image classification method by exploring the misclassification information (FGMI) of prelearned models. For each class, we harvest the confusion information from several prelearned fine-grained image classification models. For one particular class, we select a number of classes which are likely to be misclassified with this class. The images of selected classes are then used to train classifiers. In this way, we can reduce the influence of irrelevant images to some extent. We use the misclassification information for all the classes by training a number of confusion classifiers. The outputs of these trained classifiers are combined to represent images and produce classifications. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed FGMI method, we conduct fine-grained classification experiments on several public image datasets. Experimental results prove the usefulness of the proposed method.

No general method currently is available for the quantitative determination of deuterium (D) at C positions along a hydrocarbon chain. Bis -allylic deuterated highly unsaturated fatty acids (D-HUFA) are a novel class of drugs stabilized against H-abstraction-mediated oxidation by deuteration at the most labile positions. Ru-based catalytic deuteration overcomes the limited scale of bis -allylic D-HUFA production by total organic synthesis; however, it produces a complex mixture of bis -allylic D isotopologues and isotopomers, requiring detailed sequencing for characterization. We report here adaptation and application of the Paternó-Büchi (PB) reaction of 2-acetylpyridine to a series of D-HUFA with analysis by shotgun lipidomics to determine position-specific quantitative D abundances. Sodiated PB D-HUFA result in diagnostic ions of high abundance upon collision-induced dissociation (CID) activation, enabling sensitive differentiation and quantification of D fraction at each bis - and mono -allylic position for each isotopologue. Catalytically deuterated isotopologues D5-7 linolenic acid (D5-7 LnA), D6-8 arachidonic acid (D6-8 ARA), D7-9 eicosapentaenoic acid (D7-9 EPA), and D9-11 docosahexaenoic acid (D9-11 DHA) incorporate 80-98, 95-100, 81-100, and 83-100% D at their bis -allylic positions, respectively. D-HUFA isotopologues having D number greater than or equal to bis -allylic sites (e.g., D10-DHA or D11-DHA) deuterated >95% at bis -allylic positions, except for D-LnA. The mono- allylic position near the methyl end deuterates to a much greater extent than the mono- allylic position near the carboxyl end, and both positions deuterate only when bis -allylic D is near-saturated. This method enables rapid, accurate characterization of position and isotopomer-specific D composition and enables sequencing along the chain.

Background/aims: To identify the inflammatory damage caused by chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in patients of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection complicated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), then guiding clinicians to carry out antiviral treatment., Methods: According to the pathological features of liver biopsy, treatment-naïve obese patients of chronic HBV infection complicated with NAFLD who had elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) were divided into CHB group and NASH group. Transcriptome chips were used to analyze the expression profiles of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and mRNA in liver puncture tissues from the two groups. The chip data of CHB and NASH groups were analyzed for differential expression analysis, gene function analysis, signal pathway analysis, target gene prediction and competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network analysis., Results: By comparing CHB group with NASH group, a total of 44 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 567 differentially expressed mRNAs were screened. GO analysis predicted that the differentially expressed mRNAs may affect monooxygenase activity and oxidoreductase activity. KEGG analysis predicted that the differentially expressed mRNAs may be related to signaling pathways involved in oxidative phosphorylation, phagosomes, and NAFLD. Differential analysis of lncRNA shown that the expression of metastasis associated in lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in CHB group was significantly upregulated. Subsequently, through target gene prediction and ceRNA network analysis, we found thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP), which was significantly upregulated in the CHB group and had a ceRNA relationship with MALAT1. It is predicted that there may be a ceRNA regulation relationship of MALAT1/hsa-miR- 20b-5p/TXNIP., Conclusion: The MALAT1/hsa-miR-20b-5p/TXNIP axis may mediate CHB-induced inflammatory damage in chronic HBV infection complicated with NAFLD, and the mechanism may be related to the activation of NLRP3 inflammatory bodies and downstream inflammatory responses., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To investigate the lower lid margin thickness (LLMT) from the posterior lash line to the anterior edge of tear meniscus with Oculus Keratograph 4 (K4)., Methods: This was a prospective, single-center, observational study. A total of 90 volunteers aged 18 to 79 years with no ocular diseases were included in this study. The LLMT of 90 subjects was measured twice by the same person with K4. To determine the reliability of K4, measuring the LLMT of 30 normal subjects was separately performed by two operators., Results: The LLMT measurements with K4 between two operators demonstrated a good reproducibility (0.94±0.18 vs. 0.96±0.16 mm; intraclass correlation coefficient=0.88; P=0.18). The mean age of 90 volunteers (42 men and 48 women) was 45.5±14.1 years. The LLMT was 0.95±0.17 mm, which was a significant positive correlation with age (rs=0.57; P<0.001). In addition, there was no significant difference in the LLMT between genders (0.97±0.16 vs. 0.93±0.18 mm; P=0.32)., Conclusions: We found that K4 was a reliable tool in the LLMT measurements, and the LLMT seemed to be closely related to age but not to gender., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 Contact Lens Association of Ophthalmologists.)

Sodium salicylate (SA), a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and to suppress inflammation in obese patients and animal models. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is a nonselective cation channel expressed in afferent nerve fibers. Cyclooxygenase-derived prostaglandins are involved in the activation and sensitization of TRPV1. This study tested whether the metabolic and renal effects of SA were mediated by the TRPV1 channel. Wild-type (WT) and TRPV1 -/- mice were fed a Western diet (WD) for 4 months and received SA infusion (120mg/kg/day) or vehicle for the last 4 weeks of WD feeding. SA treatment significantly increased blood pressure in WD-fed TRPV1 -/- mice ( p < 0.05) but not in WD-fed WT mice. Similarly, SA impaired renal blood flow in TRPV1 -/- mice ( p < 0.05) but not in WT mice. SA improved insulin and glucose tolerance in both WT and TRPV1 -/- mice on WD (all p < 0.05). In addition, SA reduced renal p65 and urinary prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin F1α, and interleukin-6 in both WT and TRPV1 -/- mice (all p < 0.05). SA decreased urine noradrenaline levels, increased afferent renal nerve activity, and improved baroreflex sensitivity in WT mice (all p < 0.05) but not in TRPV1 -/- mice. Importantly, SA increased serum creatinine and urine kidney injury molecule-1 levels and decreased the glomerular filtration rate in obese WT mice (all p < 0.05), and these detrimental effects were significantly exacerbated in obese TRPV1 -/- mice (all p < 0.05). Lastly, SA treatment increased urine albumin levels in TRPV1 -/- mice ( p < 0.05) but not in WT mice. Taken together, SA-elicited metabolic benefits and anti-inflammatory effects are independent of TRPV1, while SA-induced sympathetic suppression is dependent on TRPV1 channels. SA-induced renal dysfunction is dependent on intact TRPV1 channels. These findings suggest that SA needs to be cautiously used in patients with obesity or diabetes, as SA-induced renal dysfunction may be exacerbated due to impaired TRPV1 in obese and diabetic patients.

Colitis increases the risk of colorectal cancer; however, the mechanism of the association between colitis and cancer remains largely unknown. To identify colitis-associated cancer promoting factors, we investigated gene expression changes caused by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. By analyzing gene expression profiles, we found that IL11 was upregulated in DSS-induced colitis tissue and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]-pyridine (PhIP)/DSS-induced colon tumours in mice as well as in human colorectal cancer. By characterizing the activation/phosphorylation of STAT3 (pSTAT3), we found that pSTAT3 was induced transiently in colitis, but maintained at higher levels from hyper-proliferative dysplastic lesions to tumours. Using the IL11 receptor (IL11Rα1) knockout mice, we found that pSTAT3 in the newly regenerated crypt epithelial cells in colitis is abolished in IL11Rα1+/- and -/- mice, suggesting that colitis-induced IL11 activates STAT3 in colon crypt epithelial cells. Moreover, colitis-promoted colon carcinogenesis was significantly reduced in IL11Rα1+/- and -/- mice. To determine the roles of the IL11 in colitis, we found that the inhibition of IL11 signalling by recombinant IL11 antagonist mutein during colitis was sufficient to attenuate colitis-promoted carcinogenesis. Together, our results demonstrated that colitis-induced IL11 plays critical roles in creating cancer promoting microenvironment to facilitate the development of colon cancer from dormant premalignant cells., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: High-salt intake after renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury leads to hypertension and further renal injury, but the mechanisms are largely unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that degeneration of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1)-positive nerves exacerbates salt-induced hypertension and renal injury after I/R via enhancing renal macrophage infiltration. Methods: Large dose of capsaicin (CAP, 100 mg/kg, subcutaneously) was used to degenerate rat TRPV1-positive nerves. Then, rats were subjected to renal I/R injury and fed with a low-salt (0.4% NaCl) diet for 5 weeks after I/R, followed by a high-salt (4% NaCl) diet for 4 weeks during which macrophages were depleted using liposome-encapsulated clodronate (LC, 1.3 ml/kg/week, intravenously). Results: The protein level of TRPV1 in the kidney was downregulated by renal I/R injury and was further decreased by CAP treatment. LC treatment did not affect the protein levels of renal TRPV1. After renal I/R injury, high-salt diet significantly increased renal macrophage infiltration, inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 1 beta), systolic blood pressure, the urine/water intake ratio, plasma creatine and urea levels, urinary 8-isoprostane, and renal collagen deposition. Interestingly, CAP treatment further increased these parameters. These increases were abolished by depleting macrophages with LC treatment. Conclusions: These data suggest that degenerating TRPV1-positive nerves exacerbates salt-induced hypertension and tissue injury in rats after renal I/R injury via macrophages-mediated renal inflammation.

Tweety-homolog 1 (Ttyh1) is expressed in neural tissue and has been implicated in the generation of several brain diseases. However, its functional significance in pain processing is not understood. By disrupting the gene encoding Ttyh1, we found a loss of Ttyh1 in nociceptors and their central terminals in Ttyh1-deficient mice, along with a reduction in nociceptor excitability and synaptic transmission at identified synapses between nociceptors and spinal neurons projecting to the periaqueductal grey (PAG) in the basal state. More importantly, the peripheral inflammation-evoked nociceptor hyperexcitability and spinal synaptic potentiation recorded in spinal-PAG projection neurons were compromised in Ttyh1-deficient mice. Analysis of the paired-pulse ratio and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents indicated a role of presynaptic Ttyh1 from spinal nociceptor terminals in the regulation of neurotransmitter release. Interfering with Ttyh1 specifically in nociceptors produces a comparable pain relief. Thus, in this study we demonstrated that Ttyh1 is a critical determinant of acute nociception and pain sensitization caused by peripheral inflammation.

Background: Emergency department (ED) initiated palliative consultation impacts downstream care utilization. Various admission consult triggers have been proposed without clear best practice or outcomes. Objective: This 18-month single-center study evaluated the clinical, operational, and financial impact of simplified admission triggers for ED-initiated palliative consults as compared to downstream Floor and intensive care unit (ICU) palliative consults initiated per usual practice. Methods: We distilled ED admission triggers into three criteria to ensure bedside actionability and sustainability: (1) end-stage illness, (2) functional limitation, and (3) clinician would not be surprised if the patient died this hospitalization. Eligible patients met all criteria, and received consultation within 24 hours of admission. We compared ED-initiated consults against Floor and ICU consults from March 1, 2018, to September 30, 2019, with matched cohort analysis to evaluate financial outcomes. Results: While overall palliative consult volume remained intentionally steady, the proportion of ED-initiated consults significantly increased (7% vs. 19%, p  < 0.001). ED consistently comprised 15-25% of all monthly palliative consults. Compared with Floor, ED had similar ED length of stay (LOS) and inpatient mortality. Among live discharges, ED were more likely to be referred to hospice than Floor (59% vs. 47%, p  = 0.24) or ICU (59% vs. 34%, p  = 0.02). In a matched cohort analysis, ED demonstrated median cost avoidance of $9,082 per patient versus Floor ($5,578 vs. $14,660, p  < 0.001) and $15,138 per patient versus ICU ($5,578 vs. $20,716, p  < 0.001). ED had significantly shorter median LOS before consult than Floor (0 vs. 3 days, p  < 0.001) or ICU (0 vs. 3 days, p  < 0.001), which did not differ between live discharges or inpatient deaths. Overall hospital LOS was disproportionately shorter for ED, with a net difference-in-differences of 1-3.5 days compared to Floor and ICU. Conclusions: Simple ED admission triggers to expedite palliative engagement are associated with a 50-75% reduction in both hospital LOS and costs when compared against usual palliative consultation practice. ED initiation reduces both lead time before consultation and subsequent downstream hospitalization length.

Near-infrared (NIR) aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of previous organic photosensitizers is usually weak because of the competition between twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) effect and AIE. Herein, we report a rational molecular design strategy to boost NIR AIE of photosensitizers and still to keep strong 1 O 2 production capacity via rotor effect. To this end, one new triphenylamine (TPA)-based AIE photosensitizer, TPAM-1, is designed to give strong ability to generate 1 O 2 but weak NIR fluorescence in the aggregate state due to the strong TICT effect. Another new TPA-based AIE photosensitizer, TPAM-2, is designed by introducing three p-methoxyphenyl units as rotors into the structure of TPAM-1 to modulate the competition between AIE and TICT. TPAM-1 and TPAM-2 exhibit stronger ability to generate 1 O 2 in the aggregate state than the commercial photosensitizer, Ce6. Furthermore, TPAM-2 gives much brighter NIR luminescence (25-times higher quantum yield) than TPAM-1 in the aggregate state due to the rotor effect. TPAM-2 with strong NIR AIE and 1 O 2 production capability was encapsulated by DSPE-PEG 2000 to give good biocompatibility. The DSPE-PEG 2000 -encapsulated TPAM-2 nanoparticles show good cell imaging performance and remarkable photosensitive activity for killing HeLa cells. This work provides a new way for designing ideal photosensitizers for AIE imaging-guided photodynamic therapy., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate how prevertebral space involvement (PSI) and degree of tumor extension within the space affects prognosis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)., Participants and Methods: Data of patients with newly-diagnosed nonmetastatic NPC (n = 757) were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were separated into groups according to presence or absence of PSI and degree of tumor spread. Overall survival (OS), failure-free survival (FFS), local relapse-free survival (LRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were compared between the groups., Results: Prevalence of PSI, simple prevertebral muscle involvement (PMI), and behind prevertebral muscle involvement (BPMI) were 44.9% (340/757), 22.5% (170/757), and 22.5% (170/757), respectively. OS, FFS, LRFS, and DMFS for patients with and without PSI were 64% vs. 84.8%, 68% vs. 85.6%, 85.8% vs. 94.4%, and 78.5% vs. 92.8%, respectively (all P < 0.001). PSI was an independent predictor of OS, FFS, LRFS, and DMFS. OS, FFS, and DMFS for patients with simple PMI and with BPMI were 72.7% vs. 54.8% (P = 0.002), 75.8% vs. 59.8% (P = 0.003), and 85.5% vs. 71.2% (P = 0.002), respectively. Degree of PSI extension was related to OS, FFS, and DMFS. OS, FFS, LRFS, and DMFS were significantly poorer in patients with PSI in T2-3 stage than in patients without PSI in T3 stage (P < 0.05), but comparable to those in patients with T4 stage (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: PSI predicts poor prognosis in NPC. Survival is poorer in patients with BPMI than in those with simple PMI. NPC with PSI should be classified as T4 stage., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Systems Medicine is a novel approach to medicine, that is, an interdisciplinary field that considers the human body as a system, composed of multiple parts and of complex relationships at multiple levels, and further integrated into an environment. Exploring Systems Medicine implies understanding and combining concepts coming from diametral different fields, including medicine, biology, statistics, modeling and simulation, and data science. Such heterogeneity leads to semantic issues, which may slow down implementation and fruitful interaction between these highly diverse fields. Methods: In this review, we collect and explain more than100 terms related to Systems Medicine. These include both modeling and data science terms and basic systems medicine terms, along with some synthetic definitions, examples of applications, and lists of relevant references. Results: This glossary aims at being a first aid kit for the Systems Medicine researcher facing an unfamiliar term, where he/she can get a first understanding of them, and, more importantly, examples and references for digging into the topic., Competing Interests: No competing financial interests exist., (© Massimiliano Zanin et al., 2021; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.)

Background: Classically activated macrophages contribute to the development of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). This study aimed to investigate the role of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (Trpa1), a regulator of macrophage activation, in IRI-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) by using the Trpa1 gene knockout (Trpa1-/-) mouse model., Methods: Male 8-week-old Trpa1-/- mice and wild-type (WT) littermates were subjected to renal ischemia for 35 minutes by clamping bilateral renal pedicles under isoflurane anesthesia, and blood and tissue samples were collected 24 hours after reperfusion and analyzed with histological and molecular measurements., Results: Following IRI, Trpa1-/- mice developed more deteriorated biochemical and morphological signs of AKI when comparing with WT mice. More classically activated M1 macrophages were found in the kidneys of Trpa1-/- mice comparing with WT mice after IRI, while the counts of alternatively activated M2 macrophages in the kidney were similar between the 2 strains after IRI. Furthermore, significantly higher expression levels of proinflammatory markers including interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha were detected in the kidney of Trpa1-/- mice compared with WT mice after IRI. The levels of TRPA1 protein in the kidney of WT mice were also decreased after IRI., Conclusions: Our results show that ablation of Trpa1 exacerbates infiltration of classically activated macrophages, renal inflammation, and renal injury in mice after IRI. These findings suggest that activation of TRPA1 may protect against IRI-induced AKI via regulation of macrophage-mediated inflammatory pathway., (© American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2020. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of solution-processed organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells has been drastically improved. Despite this considerable progress, systematic research on precursor solution chemistry and its effects on photovoltaic parameters has been limited thus far. Herein, we report on the tracking of changes in chemical species in a precursor solution under solar illumination and investigate the correlation between the equilibrium change and the corresponding perovskite film formation. The illuminated perovskite precursors display a higher density of high-valent iodoplumbate, where the resulting perovskite film exhibits reduced defect density with uniform film formation. Conclusively, the perovskite solar cells prepared by the photoaged precursor solution demonstrate not only improved average PCE but also enhanced reproducibility with a narrow PCE distribution. This discovery shows robust control of perovskite precursor solutions from a simple treatment and suggests that the resulting uniform film may be applicable to various halide perovskite-based devices.

The classical "chair-twist boat-boat" conformational dynamics (CD) of cyclohexane is thermally activated. Here we report on the photoinduced/azobenzene-assisted CD of bilaterally fused cyclohexane moieties contributing to large photomechanical response of cross-linked azobenzene-functionalized polyimides (X-azoPI), based on 1,2,4,5-cyclohexane-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride (CHDA), exhibiting a photobending angle and photogenerated stress, up to ∼90° and 370 kPa, respectively. In contrast, X-azoPI containing planar pyromellitimide (PMDI) or cage-like bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxylic-diimide (BCDI) show smaller photomechanical responses. The superior photomechanical performance of X-azoPI with constrained cyclohexane-diimide (CHDI) units is attributed to an increased mobility of segments comprising "hinged" p-phenylene rings, azobenzene, and CHDI units in the cross-link sites. Blue light irradiation initiates the motions driven by photoisomerization/reorientation of azobenzenes connected to CHDI units, whose CD is then amplified, leading to longer-range segmental mobility, more local free volume, and culminating in large photoinduced bending. The trapping of redistributed CHDI's stereoisomers in X-azoPI backbone at T room is implicated for the observed photothermal memory.

Purpose: To assess the impact of tumor necrosis on treatment sensitivity and long-term survival in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)., Participants and Methods: In total, 757 patients with non-metastatic, histologically confirmed NPC were retrospectively examined. All patients were treated using IMRT; 93.7% patients with stage T3-T4/N1-N3 disease also received cisplatin-based chemotherapy., Results: The incidence rates of tumor necrosis in primary tumor, retropharyngeal lymph nodes, neck lymph nodes, and total tumor were 2%, 17.7%, 21.5%, and 31.4%. Overall, 40.8% patients with necrosis of the total tumor achieved complete response (CR) and 54.7% patients without tumor necrosis achieved CR at the end of treatment (χ 2  = 12.728, P < 0.001). The estimated 7-year overall survival (OS), failure-free survival (FFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and loco-regional relapse-free survival (LRRFS) for patients with tumor necrosis and without tumor necrosis of the total tumor were 68.5% vs. 88.4%, 70.5% vs. 88.1%, 77.6% vs. 90.6%, and 85.9% vs. 91.3%, respectively (all P < 0.001). Multivariate analyses indicated that necrosis of the total tumor was an independent predictor of OS, FFS, DMFS, and LRRFS. The impact of lymph node necrosis on long-term survival was similar to that of necrosis of the total tumor. ROC curves verified that inclusion of lymph node necrosis improved the predictive value of the current N classification criteria (P = 0.006)., Conclusions: Tumor necrosis served as a predictor of treatment sensitivity and poor prognosis for patients with NPC. Lymph node necrosis significantly improved the prognostic value of the current N classification criteria for NPC., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Heavy metal and metalloid (HMM) contamination of the water environment caused by mining activities is a great challenge to the global mining industry. HMMs released by various mines could easily enter the surrounding environment and pose serious threats to human health. Although the HMM pollution of surface water in various mines has been widely researched, relevant studies on the effects of mining activities on the surface water of hard-rock-type Li mines are scarce. Herein, a total of 81 water samples were collected from Jiajika mine for the first time, the largest hard-rock-type Li mine in Asia. The physical parameters and concentrations of HMMs and major ions of the samples were analyzed to evaluate the water quality and HMM level of surface water. Results showed that (1) most of the parameters analyzed adhered to the strictest guidelines of Chinese surface waters and the drinking water guidelines of WHO, except Mn, Pb, and As of a few samples from tailings-affected areas and Li-bearing areas; (2) mineral tailings obviously increased the pH and decreased the dissolved oxygen (DO) of the surrounding surface waters; (3) the highest concentrations of As (5.58 μg/L), Zn (81.8 μg/L), Ba (5.26 μg/L), and Co (0.33 μg/L) were observed around the tailings reservoir, whereas the highest concentrations of Cr (1.5 μg/L), Mn (380 μg/L), Pb (28.4 μg/L), and V (3.16 μg/L) were observed in Li-bearing areas; and (4) according to the statistical results, the concentrations of As, Cr, Ni, and V in surface water were mainly affected by mining activities, whereas those of Cu, Zn, Ba, Co, and Pb were dominantly affected by natural processes. These results provide useful information about water quality in relation to Li mining and can help the government make reasonable decisions regarding hard-rock-type Li resource exploitation activities.

Fully inorganic black orthorhombic (B-γ) CsSnI 3 has become a promising candidate for perovskite solar cell (PSC) thanks to its low toxicity and decently high theoretical power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, so far, the reported PCE of the B-γ CsSnI 3 PSC is still not comparable with its lead-based or organotin-based counterparts. Herein, a mixed electron transport layer (ETL) composed of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) is incorporated into inverted B-γ CsSnI 3 PSCs. The mixed ETL exhibits the merits of both ZnO and PCBM. The highest PCE of 6.08% was recorded for the PSC with mixed ZnO-PCBM ETL, which is 34.2% higher than that of the device with plain PCBM ETL (PCE of 4.53%) and 28.8% superior to that of plain ZnO ETL-based device (PCE of 4.72%). Meanwhile, the mixed ZnO-PCBM ETL-based PSC retained 71% of its initial PCE under inert conditions at room temperature after 60 days of storage and maintained 67% PCE after 20 days of storage under ambient air at 30% relative humidity and room temperature.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of the endoscopic transnasal approach (ETA) and to analyze the outcomes and factors of this surgical technique in the management of the tumor invading the anterior skull base. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 42 patients (31 males and 11 females, with mean age of 49 years) with sinonasal tumor invading the anterior skull base, who underwent ETA from June 2015 to April 2019 in Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University. Pathologically, there were 15 cases of squamous carcinoma (14 patients with T4bN0M0 and 1 patient with T4bN1M0) and 27 of olfactory neuroblastomas with Kadish stage C. Anterior skull base reconstruction was performed using the vascular pedicled nasoseptal mucoperiosteal flap and fascia lata. Brain non-contrast-enhanced CT was performed on the first postoperative day to exclude massive pneumocephalus, relevant brain edema and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Sinonasal contrast-enhanced MR was performed to assess the extent of the tumor removal. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate the overall survival (OS) and Cox multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the prognostic factors. Results: The mean duration of the surgery was 452 minutes. Total resection was performed in 36 patients (85.7%), subtotal resection in 2 patients (4.8%) with orbital involvement, partial resection in one patient (2.4%) with injury of the internal carotid artery. One patient (2.4%) underwent the second resection because of the tumor residual, two patients (4.8%) with unsure tumor residual. Mean follow-up was 20 months, with 17 months of median follow-up. One-, two-and three-year overall survival was 86.5%, 76.9% and 64.5%, respectively. For squamous carcinoma, one-, two-and three-year overall survival was 86.2%, 86.2% and 57.4%, respectively. For olfactory neuroblastomas, One-, two-and three-year overall survival was 86.9%, 75.3% and 67.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor residual ( P =0.001) and recurrence ( P <0.01) were independent prognostic factors for survival. Conclusions: The ETA is safe and feasible in selected patients with sinonasal tumor invading the anterior skull base. Tumor residual and recurrence are independent prognostic factors for survival.