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Abstract We discuss the properties of quarter-BPS local operators in four-dimensional N $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory using the formalism of holomorphic twists. We study loop corrections both to the space of local operators and to algebraic operations which endow the twisted theory with an infinite symmetry algebra. We classify all single-trace quarter-BPS operators in the planar approximation for SU(N) gauge theory and propose a holographic dual description for the twisted theory. We classify perturbative quarter-BPS operators in SU(2) and SU(3) gauge theories with sufficiently small quantum numbers and discuss possible non-perturbative corrections to the answer. We set up analogous calculations for some theories with matter.

Abstract Mechanical ventilation is an important life-saving therapy for general anesthesia and critically ill patients, but ventilation itself may be accompanied with lung injury. Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) exacerbates pre-existing lung disease, leading to poor clinical outcomes. Especially for patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery and receiving one-lung ventilation (OLV), optimizing the parameters of OLV is closely related to their prognosis. It is not clear what is the best strategy to minimize VILI through adjusting ventilation parameters, including tidal volume, positive end expiratory pressure and driving pressure, etc. Different parameters, in combination, are responsible for VILI. Protective ventilation strategies, aiming to reduce postoperative pulmonary complications, have been discussed in many clinical studies and different opinions have been raised. This review addresses the pathogenesis of VILI and focus on the OLV management and better protective OLV strategies during thoracic surgery.

BackgroundWhether nasal administration of esketamine can provide effective analgesia is unclear in patients with acute pain after preoperative CT-guided needle localization.MethodsIn this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, patients were assigned to receive either nasal administration of esketamine (0.3 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg) or saline (identical in appearance to esketamine) when they had visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores >3/10 during deep breathing after preoperative CT-guided needle localization. The primary outcome was the percentage of patients with satisfactory pain relief, which was defined as VAS pain scores ≤3/10 measured 15 min after intranasal of esketamine or saline. Secondary outcomes included VAS measured following esketamine or saline, the incidence and cumulative dose of rescue hydromorphone use, and related adverse events.ResultsA total of 90 patients were included in the final analysis. Following intranasal treatment, the percentage of patients with satisfactory pain relief was 16.7% (5/30) in the saline group, 56.7% (17/30) in the 0.3 mg/kg esketamine group, and 53.3% (16/30) in the 0.5 mg/kg esketamine group (p = 0.002). The median VAS during deep breathing was less after the intranasal administration of esketamine {median (IQR), 3 (3, 5) in 0.3 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg esketamine compared to the saline group [5 (4, 6)], p = 0.009}. The incidence of rescue hydromorphone use was detected less in the esketamine group compared to the saline group (43.3% in the 0.3 mg/kg esketamine group, 36.7% in the 0.5 mg/kg esketamine group, and 73.3% in the saline group, p = 0.010). The adverse events were similar among the three groups (p > 0.05).ConclusionIntranasal administration of esketamine is easier and more effective in alleviating acute pain in patients after preoperative CT-guided needle localization without significant adverse effects.

Objective The treatment of distal third humeral shaft fracture is difficult. Studies have shown that anterior minimally invasive plate has lower probability of complication and higher healing rate. However there is no applicable anatomical plate at present. This study is to investigate the clinical effect of intramedullary nail combined with anterior minimally invasive plate in the treatment of distal humeral shaft fractures. Methods The data of 83 patients with lower humerus shaft fracture treated from September 2015 to January 2020 were analyzed. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into two groups: 40 patients were treated with intramedullary nailing combined with minimally invasive anterior plate fixation (group A), and 43 patients were treated with double plate fixation through posterior approach (group B). General preoperative data, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, total incision length, fracture healing time, shoulder and elbow visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Constant–Murley shoulder function score, Mayo elbow function score, and complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. Two independent sample t‐tests was used for follow‐up, age, BMI, operation time, intraoperative bleeding, total incision length, fracture healing time, Constant–Murley score and Mayo score, and rank sum test was used for VAS score of shoulder and elbow. Results There was no significant difference in preoperative general data between the two groups (p > 0.05), indicating comparability. There were no significant differences in operation time, total incision length, fracture healing time, Constant–Murley shoulder function score at the last follow‐up, Mayo elbow function score, and shoulder and elbow VAS pain score between 2 groups (p > 0.05). The amount of intraoperative blood loss in observation group was 76.98 ± 16.46, which was significantly less than that in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p

AbstractObjective Delayed extubation was commonly associated with increased adverse outcomes. This study aimed to explore the incidence and predictors and to construct a nomogram for delayed extubation after thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery.Methods We reviewed medical records of 8716 consecutive patients undergoing this surgical treatment from January 2016 to December 2017. Using potential predictors to develop a nomogram and using a bootstrap-resampling approach to conduct internal validation. For external validation, we additionally pooled 3676 consecutive patients who underwent this procedure between January 2018 and June 2018. Extubation performed outside the operating room was defined as delayed extubation.Results The rate of delayed extubation was 1.60%. Multivariate analysis identified age, BMI, FEV1/FVC, lymph nodes calcification, thoracic paravertebral blockade (TPVB) usage, intraoperative transfusion, operative time and operation later than 6 p.m. as independent predictors for delayed extubation. Using these eight candidates to develop a nomogram, with a concordance statistic (C-statistic) value of 0.798 and good calibration. After internal validation, similarly good calibration and discrimination (C-statistic, 0.789; 95%CI, 0.748 to 0.830) were observed. The decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated the positive net benefit with the threshold risk range of 0 to 30%. Goodness-of-fit test and discrimination in the external validation were 0.113 and 0.785, respectively.Conclusion The proposed nomogram can reliably identify patients at high risk for the decision to delayed extubation after thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery. Optimizing four modifiable factors including BMI, FEV1/FVC, TPVB usage, and operation later than 6 p.m. may reduce the risk of delayed extubation.Key Messages:This study identified eight independent predictors for delayed extubation, among which lymph node calcification and anaesthesia type were not commonly reported.Using these eight candidates to develop a nomogram, we could reliably identify high-risk patients for the decision to delayed extubation.Optimizing four modifiable factors, including BMI, FEV1/FVC, TPVB usage, and operation later than 6 p.m. may reduce the risk of delayed extubation.

Abstract Lily is a bulbous plant with an endogenous dormancy trait. Fine-tuning bulb dormancy release is still a challenge in the development of bulb storage technology. In this study, we identified three regulators of symplastic transport, 2,3-Butanedione oxime (BDM), N-Ethyl maleimide (NEM), and 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (DDG), that also regulate bulb dormancy release. We demonstrated that BDM and DDG inhibited callose synthesis between cells and promoted symplastic transport and soluble sugars in the shoot apical meristem (SAM), eventually accelerating bulb dormancy release and flowering in lilies. Conversely, NEM had the opposite effect. These three regulators can be flexibly applied to either accelerate or delay lily bulb dormancy release.

Peripheral nerve remodeling and sensitization are involved in cancer-related bone pain. As a member of the transforming growth factor-β class, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) is recognized to have a role in the development of the neurological and skeletal systems. Our previous work showed that BMP2 is critical for bone cancer pain (BCP) sensitization. However, the mechanism remains unknown. In the current study, we demonstrated a substantial increase in BMP2 expression in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in a rat model of BCP. Knockdown of BMP2 expression ameliorated BCP in rats. Furthermore, the DRG neurons of rats with BCP expressed higher levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and BCP was successfully suppressed by intrathecal injection of a CGRP receptor blocker (CGRP8-37). Downregulation of BMP2 expression reduced the expression of CGRP in the DRG of rats with BCP and relieved pain behavior. Moreover, we revealed that upregulation of CGRP expression in the DRG may be induced by activation of the BMPR/Smad1 signaling pathway. These findings suggest that BMP2 contributes to BCP by upregulating CGRP in DRG neurons via activating BMPR/Smad1 signaling pathway and that therapeutic targeting of the BMP2-Smad1-CGRP pathway may ameliorate BCP in the context of advanced cancer.

Abstract We study a class of universal Feynman integrals which appear in four-dimensional holomorphic theories. We recast the integrals as the Fourier transform of a certain polytope in the space of loop momenta (a.k.a. the “Operatope”). We derive a set of quadratic recursion relations which appear to fully determine the final answer. Our strategy can be applied to a very general class of twisted supersymmetric quantum field theories.

Abstract Objective Prophylactic pharmacological conversion agents could reduce the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients undergoing thoracic operations. The current study examined whether the use of pharmacological conversion agents could help to restore sinus rhythm in patients with AF newly developed during thoracic operations. Methods Medical records of 18,605 patients from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019, at the Shanghai Chest Hospital were reviewed. Patients with non-sinus rhythm prior to the surgery (n = 128) were excluded from data analysis. The final analysis included 18,477 patients (n = 16,292 undergoing lung operations; n = 2,185 undergoing esophageal operations). Results Intraoperative AF (defined as AF lasting for at least 5 min) occurred in 646 out of a total of 18,477 subjects (3.49%). Within the 646 subjects, 258 received pharmacological conversion agents during the surgery. sinus rhythm was restored in 20.15% (52/248) of patients treated with pharmacological cardioversion and in 20.87% (81/399) patients not receiving pharmacological intervention. In a subgroup analysis of the 258 patients receiving pharmacological conversion agents, recovery of sinus rhythm was highest in beta-blocker group (35.59%, 21/59 vs. 15.78%, 15/95 in amiodarone group, p = 0.008, 5.55%, and 1/18 in amiodarone plus beta-blockers group, p = 0.016). The incidence of hypotension was higher in pharmacological conversion (27.5% vs. 9.3% in patients not receiving pharmacological intervention, p 98% of the cases (155/158 vs. 63/355 in subjects not receiving cardioversion; p

ABSTRACTBackground Peri-implantitis has become an inexorable clinical challenge in implantology. Topical immunomodulatory epoxy-tiglianes (EBCs), derived from the Queensland blushwood tree, which induce remodeling and resolve dermal infection via induction of the inflammasome and biofilm disruption, may offer a novel therapeutic approach.Design In vitro antimicrobial activity of EBC structures (EBC-46, EBC-1013 and EBC-147) against Streptococcus mutans, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis in minimum inhibitory concentration, growth curve and permeabilization assays were determined. Antibiofilm activity was assessed using minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) experiments. Biofilm formation and disruption assays were analyzed using confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and direct plate counting.Results The observed antimicrobial efficacy of the tested compounds (EBC-1013 > EBC-46 > EBC-147) was directly related to significant membrane permeabilization and growth inhibition (p

Background: Unplanned reoperation is a potential risk factor for worse prognoses and reflects the quality of surgical treatment. This study compared the short-term outcomes between patients with and without reoperation and identified clinical factors predicting reoperation within 90 days following pulmonary surgery. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing pulmonary resection from January 2012 to August 2021 at our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical and operation-related data were collected and analyzed. Kaplan‒Meier, Cox hazard proportional regression, and propensity score matching were adopted for prognostic evaluation. Results: A total of 90263 patients were included: 247 (0.27%) patients required reoperation within 90 days. Patients undergoing unplanned reoperation had higher mortality and more postoperative complications than the nonreoperation group. Reoperation within 24 h was associated with reduced odds of mortality relative to reoperation beyond 24 h. Independent risk factors for unplanned reoperation were male sex, benign lung disease, specific surgical locations, lobectomy, and pneumonectomy. A history of smoking, pulmonary tuberculosis, intraoperative pleural adhesion, and postoperative complications were also identified as predisposing factors. The most common complication was hemorrhage in 75.7% (187 of 247). Conclusion: Our study found that unplanned reoperation was a rare but serious event that increased the risk of postoperative complications and mortality. We identified several risk factors that could be used to stratify patients according to their reoperation risk and suggest that high-risk patients should receive more intensive monitoring and preventive measures. Moreover, our study indicated that reoperating within 24 h could improve the outcomes for patients who needed reoperation.

Calcineurin B-like (CBL) proteins are a class of important Ca2+ receptors that play key roles in plant stress response. CBLs have been shown to participate in responses to abiotic stresses such as drought, salt, and cold in many plant species, including Arabidopsis and rice. However, little is known about their potential functions in the desert halophyte Nitraria tangutorum. Here, we have identified 11 CBL genes distributed across six chromosomes of N. tangutorum and categorized them into four groups through phylogenetic analysis. Synteny analysis showed that they have strong collinear relationships and have undergone purifying selection during their evolution. NtCBL promoter regions contain a variety of cis-acting elements related to hormone and environmental stress responses. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that the expression of NtCBLs differed significantly among various tissues and was upregulated by salt and drought stress. We chose NtCBL1-1 for an in-depth functional characterization and observed that transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing NtCBL1-1 exhibited increased tolerance to both drought and salt stress. Compared to wild-type Arabidopsis, transgenic lines showed higher germination rates, slower chlorophyll degradation, more soluble proteins, and reduced accumulation of the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde. These findings indicate that NtCBL1-1 plays a significant role in responding to drought and salt stress, laying the foundation for further investigations into the functional mechanisms of NtCBL genes in N. tangutorum.

Background: Bone cancer pain (BCP) is a common primary or metastatic bone cancer complication. Netrin-1 plays an essential role in neurite elongation and pain sensitization. This study aimed to determine the role of netrin-1 from the metastatic bone microenvironment in BCP development and identify the associated signaling pathway for the strategy of BCP management. Methods: The rat BCP model was established by intratibial implantation of Walker 256 cells. Von Frey filaments measured the mechanical pain threshold. Movement-induced pain was assessed using limb use scores. Expressions of associated molecules in the affected tibias or dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were measured by immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, or western blotting. Transduction of deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) signaling was inhibited by intrathecal injection of DCC-siRNA. Results: In BCP rats, the presence of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-positive nerve fibers increased in the metastatic bone lesions. The metastatic site showed enrichment of well-differentiated osteoclasts and expressions of netrin-1 and its attractive receptor DCC. Upregulation of DCC and increased phosphorylation levels of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Rac family small GTPase 1/Cell division cycle 42 (Rac1/Cdc42) were found in the DRG. Intrathecal administration of DCC-siRNA led to a significant reduction in FAK and Rac1/Cdc42 phosphorylation levels in the DRG, decreased nociceptive nerve innervation, and improved pain behaviors. Conclusions: Netrin-1 may contribute to the activation of the BCP by inducing nociceptive nerve innervation and improving pain behaviors.

IntroductionGRAS genes encode plant-specific transcription factors that play essential roles in plant growth and development. However, the members and the function of the GRAS gene family have not been reported in Liriodendron chinense. L. chinense, a tree species in the Magnolia family that produces excellent timber for daily life and industry. In addition, it is a good relict species for plant evolution research.MethodsTherefore, we conducted a genome-wide study of the LcGRAS gene family and identified 49 LcGRAS genes in L. chinense.ResultsWe found that LcGRAS could be divided into 13 sub-groups, among which there is a unique branch named HAM-t. We carried out RNA sequencing analysis of the somatic embryos from L. chinense and found that LcGRAS genes are mainly expressed after heart-stage embryo development, suggesting that LcGRAS may have a function during somatic embryogenesis. We also investigated whether GRAS genes are responsive to stress by carrying out RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis, and we found that the genes in the PAT subfamily were activated upon stress treatment, suggesting that these genes may help plants survive stressful environments. We found that PIF was downregulated and COR was upregulated after the transient overexpression of PATs, suggesting that PAT may be upstream regulators of cold stress. DiscussionCollectively, LcGRAS genes are conserved and play essential roles in plant development and adaptation to abiotic stress.

BackgroundElderly patients having esophagectomies often become hypothermic which may promote complications. We tested the hypothesis that aggressive warming to a core temperature of 37°C reduces postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in elderly patients having esophageal cancer resections.MethodsThis study was a pre-defined sub-study of a multi-center, parallel group, superiority trial (PROTECT). Patients aged >65 years and having elective radical resection of esophageal cancer in a single center were randomly allocated into either aggressive warming group (target intraoperative core temperatures of 37°C) or routine thermal management group (target intraoperative core temperatures of 35.5°C). The primary endpoint was the incidence of PPCs. Secondary endpoints included duration of chest tube drainage and other postoperative complications.ResultsA total of 300 patients were included in the primary analysis. PPCs occurred in 27 (18%) of 150 patients in the aggressive warming group and 31 (21%) of 150 patients in the routine thermal management group. The relative risk (RR) of aggressive versus routine thermal management was 0.9 (95% CI: 0.5, 1.4; p = 0.56). The duration of chest drainage in patients assigned to aggressive warming was shorter than that assigned to routine thermal management: 4 (3, 5) days vs. 5 (4, 7) days; hazard ratio (HR) 1.4 [95% CI: 1.1, 1.7]; p = 0.001. Fewer aggressively warmed patients needed chest drainage for more than 5 days: 30/150 (20%) vs. 51/150 (34%); RR:0.6 (95% CI: 0.4, 0.9; p = 0.03). The incidence of other postoperative complications were similar between the two groups.ConclusionAggressive warming does not reduce the incidence of PPCs in elderly patients receiving esophagectomy. The duration of chest drainage was reduced by aggressive warming. But as a secondary analysis of a planned sub-group study, these results should be considered exploratory.Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=37099, ChiCTR1900022257.

Abstract We study the celestial description of the O(N) sigma model in the large N limit as introduced by Coleman, Jackiw and Politzer. Focusing on three dimensions, we analyze the implications of a UV complete, all-loop order 4-point amplitude of pions in terms of correlation functions defined on the celestial circle. We find these retain many key features from the previously studied tree-level case, such as their relation to Generalized Free Field theories and crossing-symmetry, but also incorporate new properties such as IR/UV softness and S-matrix metastable states. In particular, to understand unitarity, we propose a form of the optical theorem that controls the imaginary part of the correlator based solely on the presence of these resonances. We also explicitly analyze the conformal block expansions and factorization of four-point functions into three-point functions. We find that summing over resonances is key for these factorization properties to hold. We end with some topics for future study.

Abstract Background The association between elevated body mass index (BMI) and perioperative and oncological outcomes among elderly patients undergoing minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (MIE) remains unclear. Methods We performed a single‐center retrospective analysis of 526 consecutive patients aged 65 years or older who underwent MIE for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) between January 2016 and December 2019. Two groups were stratified by BMI: normal (18.5 ≤ BMI

Abstract Background There is a growing interest in minimally invasive left atrial appendage closure therapies. However, for successful catheter surgery, it is necessary to achieve high-quality postoperative recovery. The aim of the study is to comparison of neuromuscular blockade and reversal using cisatricurium and neostigmine with rocuronium and sugamadex on the quality of recovery from general anaesthesia for percutaneous closure of left atria appendage. Methods Eighty-four patients who received percutaneous LAAC were randomly placed into two groups, general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation with either propofol-remifentanil-cisatracurium-neostigmine (group C) or propofol-remifentanil-rocuronium-sugammadex (group S). The QoR-40 questionnaire was used to assess recovery quality 6 h after surgery, and the time of spontaneous respiration, the time of consciousness recovery, the time of extubation, the duration in the postanaesthesia care unit (PACU), and the adverse events after awakening were collected. Results Compared with the group C, the group S demonstrated significantly higher individual QoR-40 dimension scores, a significantly shorter recovery time for spontaneous respiration and consciousness, time of extubation, and duration in the PACU, and a lower incidence of transient hypoxemia, agitation, nausea and vomiting and urinary retention. There was a non-significant trend for the length of stay in the hospital in both groups. Conclusions General anesthesia and endotracheal intubation with propofol-remifentanil-rocuronium-sugammadex provided better quality of recovery, shorter anaesthesia duration, and lower incidence of hypoxemia and agitation. Neuromuscular blockade and reversal using rocuronium and sugamadex is better than with cisatricurium and neostigmine on the quality of recovery from general anaesthesia for percutaneous closure of left atria appendage. Trial registration: chictr.org, ChiCTR2000031857. Registered on April 12, 2020.

We study the anisotropic Kondo line defects in products of chiral SU(2) WZW models. We propose an ODE/IM correspondence for the anisotropic Kondo problems by considering the four-dimensional Chern Simons theory in the trigonometric case. We verify the claim both by explicit perturbative calculations in the ultraviolet and by exact WKB analysis in the infrared. In doing so, we derived the infrared dynamics of a large class of anisotropic line defects.

Esophageal cancer-related gene-4 (ECRG4), a 148-amino acid propertied and new tumor suppressor, is initially cloned from the normal esophageal epithelium. ECRG4 was found to be expressed not only in esophageal tissues but also in cardiomyocytes. Previous studies demonstrated that ECRG4 is constitutively expressed in esophageal epithelial cells, and its degree of downregulation is directly proportional to prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. In the heart, ECRG4 shows greater expression in the atria than in the ventricles, which accounts for its heterogeneity. Downregulation of ECRG4 expression level correlates with esophageal cancer, as well as myocardial injuries and arrhythmias. As a result, this review summarizes the possible susceptibility gene, ECRG4 and its associated molecular mechanisms in cancer patients with atrial fibrillation and myocardial injury. The review begins by describing ECRG4’s biological background, discusses its expression in the cardiovascular system, lists the clinical and animal research related to the downregulation of ECRG4 in atrial fibrillation, and focuses on its potential role in atrial fibrillation. Downregulation of ECRG4 may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation by affecting ion channels, MMPs expression and inflammatory response. We will then discuss how ECRG4 can be used in the treatment of tumors and arrhythmias, and provide a novel possible strategy to reduce the occurrence of perioperative cardiovascular adverse events in patients with tumors such as esophageal cancer and gastric cancer.

BackgroundMalposition of the double-lumen tubes (DLTs) may lead to hypoxemia during one-lung ventilation (OLV). Video double-lumen tubes (VDLTs) enable continuous observation of DLT position and avoid displacement. We aimed to investigate whether VDLTs could reduce the incidence of hypoxemia during OLV compared with conventional double-lumen tubes (cDLT) in thoracoscopic lung resection surgery.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study. Adult patients who underwent elective thoracoscopic lung resection surgery and required VDLTs or cDLTs for OLV at Shanghai Chest Hospital from January 2019 to May 2021 were included. The primary outcome was the incidence of hypoxemia during OLV between VDLT and cDLT. Secondary outcomes included bronchoscopy use, the degree of PaO2 decline, and arterial blood gas indices.ResultsA total of 1,780 patients were finally analyzed in propensity score-matched cohorts (VDLT vs. cDLT 1:1 n = 890). The incidence of hypoxemia decreased from 6.5% (58/890) in cDLT group to 3.6% (32/890) in VDLT group (Relative Risk [RR]: 1.812, 95% CI: 1.19–2.76, p = 0.005). The use of bronchoscopy was reduced by 90% in VDLT group (VDLT 10.0% (89/890) vs. cDLT 100% (890/890), p

Abstract We describe the relation between integrable Kondo problems in products of chiral SU(2) WZW models and affine SU(2) Gaudin models. We propose a full ODE/IM solution of the spectral problem for these models.

Abstract Background Hyperlactatemia is associated with a poor prognosis in cardiac surgery patients. This study explored the impact of target blood pressure management during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on blood lactate levels after cardiac surgery. Methods Adult patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery between 20/1/2020 and 30/6/2020 at Shanghai Chest Hospital were enrolled. The patients were randomized into a low mean arterial pressure (L-MAP) group (target MAP between 50 and 60 mmHg) or a high mean arterial pressure (H-MAP) group (target MAP between 70 and 80 mmHg), n = 20 for each. Norepinephrine was titrated only during CPB to maintain MAP at the target level. Blood lactate levels in the two groups were detected before the operation (T0), at the end of CPB (T1), at the end of the operation (T2), 1 h after the operation (T3), 6 h after the operation (T4) and 24 h after the operation (T5). The primary outcome was the blood lactate level at the end of the operation (T2). The secondary outcomes included the blood lactate level at T1, T3, T4, and T5 and the dose of epinephrine and dopamine within 24 h after the operation, time to extubation, length of stay in the ICU, incidence of readmission within 30 days, and mortality within 1 year. Results Forty patents were enrolled and analyzed in the study. The lactate level in the H-MAP group was significantly lower than that in the L-MAP group at the end of the operation (3.1 [IQR 2.1, 5.0] vs. 2.1 [IQR 1.7, 2.9], P = 0.008) and at the end of CPB and 1 hour after surgery. The dose of epinephrine within 24 h after the operation, time to extubation and length of stay in the ICU in the L-MAP group were significantly higher than those in the H-MAP group. Conclusions Maintaining a relatively higher MAP during CPB deceased the blood lactate level at the end of surgery, reduced epinephrine consumption, and shortened the time to extubation and length of stay in the ICU after surgery. Trial registration This single-center, prospective, RCT has completed the registration of the Chinese Clinical Trial Center at 8/1/2020 with the registration number ChiCTR2000028941 . It was conducted from 20/1/2020 to 30/6/2020 as a single, blinded trial in Shanghai Chest Hospital.

Bone cancer pain (BCP) is one of the most common types of pain in cancer patients which compromises the patient’s functional status, quality of life, and survival. Central hyperalgesia has increasingly been identified as a crucial factor of BCP, especially in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) which is the main cortical area involved in the process of pain and consequent negative emotion. To explore the genetic changes in the mPFC during BCP occurrence and find possible targets for prediction, we performed transcriptome sequencing of mPFC in the BCP rat model and found a total of 147 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs). A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network revealed that the DEmRNAs mainly participate in the inflammatory response. Meanwhile, microglia and astrocytes were activated in the mPFC of BCP rats, further confirming the presence of neuroinflammation. In addition, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that DEmRNAs in the mPFC are mainly involved in antigen processing, presentation of peptide antigen, and immune response, occurring in the MHC protein complex. Besides, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed that DEmRNAs are mainly enriched in the pathways of phagosome, staphylococcus aureus infection, and antigen processing, in which MHCII participate. Furthermore, immunostaining showed that MHCII is mainly located in the microglia. Microglia are believed to be involved in antigen processing, a key cause of BCP. In vivo, minocycline (MC) treatment inhibits the activation of microglia and reduces the expression of MHCII and proinflammatory cytokines, thereby alleviating BCP and pain-related anxiety. Taken together, our study identified differentially expressed genes in the BCP process and demonstrated that the activation of microglia participates in the inflammatory response and antigen process, which may contribute to BCP.

ObjectiveHypotension is common in propofol anesthesia. Whether remimazolam could reduce intraoperative hypotension remains unknown. We therefore tested the primary hypothesis that remimazolam reduces the incidence of intraoperative hypotension compared with propofol in adult patients undergoing endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) surgery.Materials and methodsWe conducted a prospective trial to compare patients who received either remimazolam or propofol bolus induction and thereafter intravenous infusion. The hemodynamic parameters were measured using CNAP® Monitor 500 system. Our primary analysis was to compare the incidence of hypotension defined as systolic blood pressure below 90 mmHg between remimazolam and propofol during the whole anesthesia period.ResultsThe incidence of hypotension decreased by 50%, from 67.9% in propofol group to 32.1% in remimazolam group (p < 0.01). Patients received less amount of intraoperative phenylephrine in the remimazolam group than the propofol group (0 [0–40] μg vs. 80 [0–200] μg, p < 0.01). Time-weighted average and cumulative time of hypotension was lower in remimazolam group compared with propofol group (p < 0.05). Cardiac output continuously measured by CNAP was preserved much better in remimazolam group compared with propofol group (p = 0.01), while systemic vascular resistance did not differ between the groups. The median time from discontinuation until full alertness was 4 [3–11.8] min in the remimazolam group compared with 15 [12.0–19.8] min in the propofol group (p < 0.01).ConclusionRemimazolam has better hemodynamic stability than propofol in adult patients undergoing ESD surgery. The benefits of remimazolam on hemodynamic stability and hypotension prevention may be partly contributed to its better preservation of cardiac output.Clinical Trial Registration[http://www.chictr.org.cn/com/25/showproj.aspx?proj=61104], identifier [ChiCTR2000037975].

Chronic pain interferes with daily functioning and is frequently accompanied by depression. Currently, traditional clinic treatments do not produce satisfactory analgesic effects and frequently result in various adverse effects. Pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) serve as innate cellular sensors of danger signals, sense invading microorganisms, and initiate innate and adaptive immune responses. Among them, cGAS-STING alerts on the presence of both exogenous and endogenous DNA in the cytoplasm, and this pathway has been closely linked to multiple diseases, including auto-inflammation, virus infection, and cancer. An increasing numbers of evidence suggest that cGAS-STING pathway involves in the chronic pain process; however, its role remains controversial. In this narrative review, we summarize the recent findings on the involvement of the cGAS-STING pathway in chronic pain, as well as several possible mechanisms underlying its activation. As a new area of research, this review is unique in considering the cGAS-STING pathway in sensory neurons and glial cells as a part of a broader understanding of pain, including potential mechanisms of inflammation, immunity, apoptosis, and autophagy. It will provide new insight into the treatment of pain in the future.

BackgroundThere are few studies on the impact of body position on variations in circulation and breathing, and it has not been confirmed whether body position changes can reduce the pulmonary complications of thoracoscopic-assisted oesophagectomy.MethodsA single-center retrospective study included patients undergoing thoracoscopic-assisted oesophagectomy in the prone position or semiprone position between 1 July 2020, and 30 June 2021, at the Shanghai Chest Hospital. There were 103 patients with thoracoscopic-assisted oesophagectomy in the final analysis, including 43 patients undergoing thoracoscopic-assisted oesophagectomy in the prone position. Postoperative pulmonary complication (PPC) incidence was the primary endpoint. The incidence of cardiovascular and other complications was the secondary endpoint. Chest tube duration, patient-controlled anaesthesia (PCA) pressing frequency within 24 h, ICU stay, and the postoperative hospital length of stay (LOS) were also collected.ResultsCompared with the semiprone position, the prone position decreased the incidence of atelectasis (12% vs. 30%, P = 0.032). Nevertheless, there were no considerable differences in the rates of cardiovascular and other complications, ICU stay, or LOS (P >0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the prone position (OR = 0.196, P = 0.011), no smoking (OR = 0.103, P

Abstract Background There are no studies on the use of dexmedetomidine combined with sufentanil and dezocine-based patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) in females undergoing thoracic surgery. We postulate that introducing dexmedetomidine to a combination of dezocine-based PCA drugs and sufentanil will increase female patients’ global satisfaction degree. Methods One hundred fifty-two female patients with physical classification type I or II according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists undergoing thoracoscopic surgery were arbitrarily classified into two categories, either receiving sufentanil and dezocine-based PCIA (group C) or incorporating dexmedetomidine with sufentanil and dezocine-based PCIA (group D). The patients’ global satisfaction degree, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), PCA bolus, rescue analgesia requirements, drug-related adverse effects, rest and coughing visual analogue scale (VAS) ratings, and Ramsay sedation scores (RSS) were measured at 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h after surgery. Results Compared with the C group, the patient satisfaction degree was significantly higher; pain scores at rest and coughing were significantly different at 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h postoperatively; less rescue analgesia and PCA bolus were required; and a lower incidence of PONV was found in the D group. There were non-significant trends for the sedation scores and drug-related adverse effects in both groups. Conclusions Dexmedetomidine combined with sufentanil and dezocine increased female patients’ global satisfaction degree after thoracoscopic surgery. This effect could be linked to the improvement in postoperative analgesia and reduction in postoperative nausea and vomiting; the combined treatment did not increase drug-related adverse effects in female patients. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry number, ChiCTR2000030429 . Registered on March 1, 2020.

Abstract We discuss the integrability and wall-crossing properties of Kondo problems, where an 1d impurity is coupled to a 2d chiral CFT and triggers a defect RG flow. We review several new and old examples inspired by constructions in four-dimensional Chern-Simons theory and by affine Gaudin models.

ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship between obesity status and perioperative outcomes in elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic anatomic lung cancer surgery.MethodsFrom January 2016 to December 2018, we performed a monocentric retrospective cohort study among 4164 consecutive patients aged 65 years or older who underwent thoracoscopic anatomic lung cancer surgery at Shanghai Chest Hospital. Two groups were stratified by body mass index (BMI): nonobese (BMI0.05). After a 1:1 PSM analysis, the difference in both intraoperative and postoperative complications among two groups were not significant (P>0.05). In subgroup analysis, patients with BMI≥30kg/m2 had a similar incidence of perioperative complications compared to patients with BMI between 28 and 30 kg/m2 (P>0.05).ConclusionsOur research data support evidence for “obesity paradox” and also contribute the growing body of evidence that obesity in older patients should not exclude candidates for thoracoscopic anatomic lung cancer surgery.

Despite the significant improvement in the survival rate of cancer patients, the total cure of bone cancer is still a knotty clinical challenge. Traditional surgical resectionof bone tumors is less than satisfactory, which inevitably results in bone defects and the inevitable residual tumor cells. For the purpose of realizing minimal invasiveness and local curative effects, photothermal therapy (PTT) under the irradiation of near-infrared light has made extensive progress in ablating tumors, and various photothermal therapeutic agents (PTAs) for the treatment of bone tumors have thus been reported in the past few years, has and have tended to focus on osteogenic bio-scaffolds modified with PTAs in order to break through the limitation that PTT lacks, osteogenic capacity. These so-called bifunctional scaffolds simultaneously ablate bone tumors and generate new tissues at the bone defects. This review summarizes the recent application progress of various bifunctional scaffolds and puts forward some practical constraints and future perspectives on bifunctional scaffolds for tumor therapy and bone regeneration: two hawks with one arrow.

Background: For thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery, the continuous relationship and the trigger point of operative duration with a risk of adverse perioperative outcomes (APOs) and early discharge remain unknown. Methods: This study enrolled 12,392 patients who underwent this surgical treatment. Five groups were stratified by operative duration:

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to explore the consistency and correlation of two troponin (cTn) subtypes, troponin I (cTnI) and high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-cTnT), which can be used to judge early myocardial injury after curative resection of oesophageal cancer. Methods This study is a secondary analysis of data obtained from a previous randomized controlled trial on postoperative myocardial injury in 70 patients undergoing elective curative resection of oesophageal cancer who were randomly assigned to undergo aggressive body temperature management (nasopharyngeal temperature 36.61 ± 0.18 °C) or standard body temperature management (35.80 ± 0.18 °C, n = 35 in each arm). The serum cTnI and hs-cTnT levels were measured in each patient at the 4 time points: before the operation and 6 h ~ 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after the operation. The diagnostic criteria of myocardial injury followed the third edition ESC/ACCF definition of myocardial infarction. The primary outcomes included the following: (1) the incidence of myocardial injury and the relationship between hs-cTnT and cTn and (2) the consistency and correlation of the two cTn subtypes. Results A total of 280 pairs of cTn samples were tested. The incidence of postoperative day 2 myocardial injury was 8.6% (3/35) among patients receiving aggressive body temperature management and 31.4% (11/35) among patients receiving standard body temperature management (P

Abstract Background Anastomotic leakage is a dangerous postoperative complication of oesophageal surgery. The present study aimed to develop a simple and practical scoring system to predict the risk of anastomotic leakage after oesophageal resection. Methods A consecutive series of 330 patients who underwent oesophageal cancer surgery from January 2016 to January 2018 at the Shanghai Chest Hospital were included to develop a prediction model. Anastomotic leakage was evaluated using oesophagography, computed tomography, or flexible endoscopy. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression based on a generalized linear model was used to select variables for the anastomotic leakage risk model while avoiding overfitting. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to build forest plots and a prediction model. The concordance index or the area under the curve was used to judge the discrimination, and calibration plots verified the consistency. Internal validation of the model was conducted, and the clinical usefulness and threshold screening of the model were evaluated by decision curve analysis. Results The factors included in the predictive nomogram included Sex, diabetes history, anastomotic type, reconstruction route, smoking history, CRP level and presence of cardiac arrhythmia. The model displayed a discrimination performance with a concordance index of 0.690 (95% confidence interval: 0.620–0.760) and good calibration. A concordance index value of 0.664 was maintained during the internal validation. The calibration curve showed good agreement between the actual observations and the predicted results. Conclusion The present prediction model, which requires only seven variables and includes Sex, diabetes history, anastomotic type, reconstruction route, smoking history, CRP level and presence of cardiac arrhythmia, may be useful for predicting anastomotic leakage in patients after oesophagectomy.

Study Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether stroke volume variation (SVV)-guided goal-directed therapy (GDT) can improve postoperative outcomes in elderly patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) compared with conventional care.Design: A prospective, randomized, controlled study.Setting: A single tertiary care center with a study period from November 2017 to December 2018.Patients: Patients over 65 years old who were scheduled for elective MIE.Interventions: The GDT protocol included a baseline fluid supplement of 7 ml/kg/h Ringer's lactate solution and SVV optimization using colloid boluses assessed by pulse-contour analysis (PiCCO™). When SVV exceeded 11%, colloid was infused at a rate of 50 ml per minute; if SVV returned below 9% for at least 2 minutes, then colloid was stopped.Measurements: The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative complications before discharge, as assessed using a predefined list, including postoperative anastomotic leakage, postoperative hoarseness, postoperative pulmonary complications, chylothorax, myocardial injury, and all-cause mortality.Main Results: Sixty-five patients were included in the analysis. The incidence of postoperative complications between groups was similar (GDT 36.4% vs. control 37.5%, P = 0.92). The total fluid volume was not significantly different between the two groups (2,192 ± 469 vs. 2,201 ± 337 ml, P = 0.92). Compared with those in the control group (n = 32), patients in the GDT group (n = 33) received more colloids intraoperatively (874 ± 369 vs. 270 ± 67 ml, P

The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is the main cortical area for processing both sensory and affective aspects of pain. Recently, mPFC was reported to participate in cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) via the mechanism of central inflammation. STING is a key component of neuroinflammation in the central neuron system by activating downstream TBK1 and NF-κB signaling pathways. We aimed to investigate whether STING regulated neuroinflammation in the mPFC in rat models of CIBP. It is worth noting that we found a significant upregulation of STING in the mPFC after CIBP, accompanied by activation of TBK1 and NF-κB signaling pathways. In addition, pain and anxiety-like behaviors were alleviated by intraperitoneal injection of the STING inhibitor C-176. Furthermore, in microglia GMI-R1 cells, C-176 reversed LPS-induced M1 polarization. Collectively, this evidence indicated that STING may contribute to cancer-induced bone pain by activating TBK1 and NF-κB, and by promoting M1 polarization of microglia in the mPFC.

Abstract A four-dimensional Abelian gauge field can be coupled to a 3d CFT with a U(1) symmetry living on a boundary. This coupling gives rise to a continuous family of boundary conformal field theories (BCFT) parametrized by the gauge coupling τ in the upper-half plane and by the choice of the CFT in the decoupling limit τ → ∞. Upon performing an SL(2, ℤ) transformation in the bulk and going to the decoupling limit in the new frame, one finds a different 3d CFT on the boundary, related to the original one by Witten’s SL(2, ℤ) action [1]. In particular the cusps on the real τ axis correspond to the 3d gauging of the original CFT. We study general properties of this BCFT. We show how to express bulk one and two-point functions, and the hemisphere free-energy, in terms of the two-point functions of the boundary electric and magnetic currents. We then consider the case in which the 3d CFT is one Dirac fermion. Thanks to 3d dualities this BCFT is mapped to itself by a bulk S transformation, and it also admits a decoupling limit which gives the O(2) model on the boundary. We compute scaling dimensions of boundary operators and the hemisphere free-energy up to two loops. Using an S-duality improved ansatz, we extrapolate the perturbative results and find good approximations to the observables of the O(2) model. We also consider examples with other theories on the boundary, such as large-N f Dirac fermions — for which the extrapolation to strong coupling can be done exactly order-by-order in 1/N f — and a free complex scalar.

Abstract Background This study investigated the effect of different degrees of passive leg raising (PLR) on the internal jugular vein (IJV) cross-sectional area (CSA) and on the success rate of IJV cannulation in patients waiting for thoracic surgery, to analyze whether body mass index (BMI), gender, age, fasting time and preoperative rehydration have any impact on changes in the IJV CSA. Methods Eighty-two patients scheduled for selective thoracic surgery were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly assigned based on a computer-generated randomization sequence into 3 groups: 0, 30, and 50 degrees (n = 32, 25, and 25 patients, respectively). The right IJV CSA in the sequence of 0-degree (supine position), 30-degree and 50-degree PLR positions was recorded in all patients using an ultrasound probe. The relationship of BMI, gender, age, fasting time and preoperative rehydration to the IJV CSA was analyzed. Then, each patient was returned to a supine position. After waiting for at least 5 min, patients were placed in a PLR position at 0, 30, or 50 degrees, and then IJV cannulation was performed without ultrasound guidance. The success rate of IJV catheterization at different PLR angles was compared. Results The average CSA of the right IJV in the supine position, 30-degree PLR position and 50-degree PLR position was 1.39 ± 0.63 cm2, 1.65 ± 0.73 cm2, and 1.68 ± 0.71 cm2, respectively. These results showed gradual increases in the IJV CSA of 18.5% (30-degree PLR) and 20.2% (50-degree PLR) when compared to that in the supine position (P = 0.045 and 0.025, respectively). However, only fasting time had a significant impact on the increase in the right IJV CSA at different PLR angles (P = 0.026). Other factors, such as BMI, gender, age and preoperative rehydration, had no significant effects. The success rates of IJV catheterization at angles of 0, 30 and 50 degrees were 84.3, 88 and 92%, respectively; however, there were no significant differences among the three groups (P = 0.674). Conclusions PLR increases the CSA of the right IJV, especially for patients with long fasting times before thoracic surgery. The effect of the 30-degree PLR position is similar to that of the 50-degree PLR position. However, the success rate of right IJV catheterization was not enhanced in this study using landmark-guided puncture, even though the CSA of the right IJV was increased. Trial registration Clinical trial registration number: ChiCTR1800015051. Date of registration: March 2018.

Abstract Objectives Despite a long history of concerns regarding patient safety during clinical care, some patients undergoing thoracic surgery continue to experience adverse events (AEs). AEs are a major significant source of perioperative morbidity and mortality following thoracic surgery. This study analysed the causes, treatment and prognosis of perioperative AEs to provide a reference for further surgical safety. Methods The authors collected a total of 62,571 thoracic surgery anaesthesia records via the Anaesthesia Information Management System (AIMS) from 14 August 2006 to 14 August 2017 and obtained 150 cases of perioperative serious AEs from the “adverse events registration” subsystem. The related hospitalization data of the 150 patients were analysed, including anaesthesia, recovery room time, ICU records and follow-up outcomes. The causes of these AEs were classified as follows: events related to the patients’ pathogenic conditions(P); surgery-related factors(S); anaesthesia-related factors(A); and interactions between pathogenic, surgical and anaesthesia factors (P&S&A). We then analysed the main clinical manifestations, causes and treatment of these events. Results The overall rate of perioperative AEs in thoracic surgery (n = 62,571) was 0.2%. Of these, 10.7% were. caused by P and 23.3% by A; neither cause led to patient death. S and P&S&A accounted for 55.3 and 10.7% of AEs, respectively; together, they accounted for 66%. Twelve patients with postoperative AEs caused by S or P&S&A died within 3 days (8% of 150 cases). A total of 33%(50/150) of patients experienced sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and recovered successfully. Surgical massive haemorrhage (22%, 33/150) was reported as a predominant mortality-related outcome in this group, and 8 of the 12 deaths were caused by massive haemorrhage. Conclusions The rate of perioperative AEs after thoracic surgery was 0.2%. AEs must be identified and treated immediately. An important factor in anaesthesia-related events was respiratory management. Two major clinical manifestations of surgery-related events were cardiac arrest and massive haemorrhage. Cardiac arrest was the major factor contributing to AEs, but its adverse consequences could be avoided with timely discovery and proper treatment. Massive haemorrhage is a significant cause of mortality that can be prevented with a surgeon’s early diagnosis and appropriate interventions.

Abstract We study the dynamics of certain 3d N=1 $$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$ time reversal invariant theories. Such theories often have exact moduli spaces of supersymmetric vacua. We propose several dualities and we test these proposals by comparing the deformations and supersymmetric ground states. First, we consider a theory where time reversal symmetry is only emergent in the infrared and there exists (nonetheless) an exact moduli space of vacua. This theory has a dual description with manifest time reversal symmetry. Second, we consider some surprising facts about N=2 $$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$ U(1) gauge theory coupled to two chiral superfields of charge 1. This theory is claimed to have emergent SU(3) global symmetry in the infrared. We propose a dual Wess-Zumino description (i.e. a theory of scalars and fermions but no gauge fields) with manifest SU(3) symmetry but only N=1 $$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$ supersymmetry. We argue that this Wess-Zumino model must have enhanced supersymmetry in the infrared. Finally, we make some brief comments about the dynamics of N=1 $$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$ SU(N) gauge theory coupled to N f quarks in a time reversal invariant fashion. We argue that for N f < N there is a moduli space of vacua to all orders in perturbation theory but it is non-perturbatively lifted.

Abstract Background Thoracic surgery requires the effective collapse of the non-ventilated lung. In the majority of cases, we accomplished, accelerated lung collapse using a double-lumen tube (DLT). We hypothesized that using the two-minute disconnection technique with a DLT would improve lung collapse during subsequent one-lung ventilation. Methods Fifty patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery with physical classification I or II according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists were randomly divided into two groups for respiratory management of one-lung ventilation (OLV). In group N, OLV was initiated after the DLT was disconnected for 2 min; the initiation time began when the surgeon made the skin incision. In group C, OLV was initiated when the surgeon commenced the skin incision and scored the quality of lung collapse (using a four-point ordinal scale). The surgeon’s satisfaction or comfort with the surgical conditions was assessed using a visual analogue scale. rSO2 level, mean arterial pressure, pulse oxygen saturation, arterial blood gas analysis, intraoperative hypoxaemia, intraoperative use of CPAP during OLV, and awakening time were determined in patients at the following time points: while inhaling air (T0), after anaesthesia induction andinhaling 100% oxygen in the supine position under double lung ventilation for five mins (T1), at two mins after skin incision (T2), at ten mins after skin incision (T3), and after the lung recruitment manoeuvres and inhaling 50% oxygen for five mins (T4). Results The two-minute disconnection technique was associated with a significantly shorter time to total lung collapse compared to that of the conventional OLV ventilation method (15 mins vs 22 mins, respectively; P