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Abstract Background/purpose The use of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) as autologous stem cells for tissue repair and regenerative techniques is a significant area of global research. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term in vitro culture on the multidifferentiation potential of hDPSCs and the potential molecular mechanisms involved. Materials and methods The tissue block method was used to extract hDPSCs from orthodontic-minus-extraction patients, which were then expanded and cultured in vitro for 12 generations. Stem cells from passages three, six, nine, and twelve were selected. Flow cytometry was used to detect the expression of stem cell surface markers, and CCK-8 was used to assess cell proliferation. β-Galactosidase staining was employed to detect cellular senescence, Alizarin Red S staining to assess osteogenic potential, and Oil Red O staining to evaluate lipogenic capacity. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes in DPSCs and investigate their potential mechanisms. Results With increasing passage numbers, pulp stem cells showed an increase in senescence and a decrease in proliferative capacity and osteogenic–lipogenic multidifferentiation potential. The expression of stem cell surface markers CD34 and CD45 was stable, whereas the expression of CD73, CD90, and CD105 decreased with increasing passages. According to the RNA-seq analysis, the differentially expressed genes CFH, WNT16, HSD17B2, IDI1, and COL5A3 may be associated with stem cell senescence. Conclusion Increased in vitro expansion induced cellular senescence in pulp stem cells, which resulted in a reduction in their proliferative capacity and osteogenic–lipogenic differentiation potential. The differential expression of genes such as CFH, WNT16, HSD17B2, IDI1, and COL5A3 may represent a potential mechanism for the induction of cellular senescence in pulp stem cells.

ObjectiveDepression may be accompanied by cognitive impairment, but its pathogenesis remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the protective effects of fluoxetine on behavioral performance and prefrontal cortex neuronal damage in rats with depression-associated cognitive impairment, based on the observation of VGLUT2 protein expression.MethodsForty-five SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 15): normal control group (CON), depression group (DD), and fluoxetine group (DD + F). The CON group was reared normally, while the DD and DD + F groups underwent chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) combined with social isolation to induce a depression-related cognitive dysfunction model. After modeling, the DD + F group was treated with fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, ig) for 14 days. Behavioral tests were performed to assess changes in mood, cognition, learning, and social abilities. Histopathological observations were made to examine pathological changes, neuronal apoptosis, ultrastructure, and dendritic spine density in the prefrontal cortex. The concentration, relative expression level, and mRNA expression of VGLUT2 protein were also measured. Finally, a correlation analysis was performed between the relative expression level and mRNA expression of VGLUT2 protein and the pathological changes in neurons.ResultsCompared to the CON group, the DD group exhibited decreased body weight, anhedonia, increased behavioral despair, reduced locomotor activity and spontaneous exploratory behavior, impaired spatial learning and memory, and decreased social interaction and social cognitive ability. Pathological damage was observed in the prefrontal cortex, with neuronal apoptosis, ultrastructural damage, and reduced neuroplasticity. The concentration, relative expression, and mRNA expression levels of VGLUT2 protein were decreased. Following fluoxetine intervention, the above behavioral phenotypes improved; pathological damage showed varying degrees of recovery; and the concentration, relative expression, and mRNA expression levels of VGLUT2 protein increased. Finally, there was a significant correlation between VGLUT2 protein expression and pathological changes in the prefrontal cortex.ConclusionAfter 28 days of CUMS combined with isolation rearing, rats exhibited impairments in mood, cognition, learning, and social abilities, with neuronal damage and decreased VGLUT2 protein levels in the prefrontal cortex. Following fluoxetine intervention, VGLUT2 protein expression increased, neuronal repair in the prefrontal cortex occurred, depressive-like behavior improved, and cognitive learning and social abilities were restored.

Building type information is widely used in various fields, such as disaster management, urbanization studies, and population modelling. Few studies have been conducted on fine-grained building classification in rural areas using China’s Gaofen-7 (GF-7) high-resolution stereo mapping satellite data. In this study, we employed a two-stage method combining supervised classification and unsupervised clustering to classify buildings in the rural area of Pingquan, northern China, based on building footprints, building heights, and multispectral information extracted from GF-7 data. In the supervised classification stage, we compared different classification models, including Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Random Forest classifiers. The best-performing XGBoost model achieved an overall roof type classification accuracy of 88.89%. Additionally, we proposed a template-based building height correction method for pitched roof buildings, which combined geometric features of the building footprint, street view photos, and height information extracted from the GF-7 stereo image. This method reduced the RMSE of the pitched roof building heights from 2.28 m to 1.20 m. In the cluster analysis stage, buildings with different roof types were further classified in the color and shape feature spaces and combined with the building height information to produce fine-grained building type codes. The results of the roof type classification and fine-grained building classification reveal the physical and geometric characteristics of buildings and the spatial distribution of different building types in the study area. The building classification method proposed in this study has broad application prospects for disaster management in rural areas.

Aqueous multivalent ion batteries have attracted increasing attention due to their high capacity, long cycle life, and impressive output energy. Considering that intercalation electrodes are more suitable for long cycle battery compared to the conversion ones, Cu2+ with appropriate ion radii has been chosen as intercalation carriers and bismuth sulfide with the matched lattice spacing as cathode to achieve long cycle life aqueous battery. We have synthesized the micrometer-scale flower-like Bi2S3 by regulating temperature and it is proved to be a perennial phase during Cu2+ intercalation/deintercalation of the Bi2S3 host when charge/discharge with a capacity of 104.5 mAh g–1 retention at 0.5 A g–1 after 1000 cycles. Lastly, build a hybrid ion battery with Zn and ZnSO4 electrolyte, the Bi2S3 cathode for Cu2+ intercalation can reach a maximum energy of 427.5 Wh Kg–1. The study provides a new intercalation cathode for aqueous multivalent ion batteries and will broaden the energy storage system.

This study examines the impact of welding heat input on the residual stress and welding deformation of large, thin-walled constructions made of ultra-high strength steel using a single shot calculation method. These structures are susceptible to warpage distortion after welding, which negatively affects production precision. The study uses an interactive orthogonal experimental design to optimize welding parameters and investigate their influence on deformation. Results reveal that welding speed has the most significant impact on deformation, followed by welding voltage and current. The optimal welding parameters (v = 60 cm/min, I = 160 A, U = 16 V) are validated through simulation and experiment, which reduce deformation by 5.4%. After optimization, the pump arm's side bending volume and warpage volume decrease by 4.06% and 9.56%, respectively, and welding deformation significantly reduces. Experimental verification shows a maximum error of 2.6%, indicating the accuracy of the finite element model. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving the performance of welding large, thin-walled box structures.

Most previous RLWE-based multi-key homomorphic encryptions (MKHEs) need to perform complex relinearization operations on ciphertext products to complete the evaluation of circuits of bounded polynomial depth. In this process, many intermediate ciphertexts or keys are needed for computing, resulting in inefficient computing and redundant storage. We propose a more efficient RLWE-based MKHE without relinearization operations to squeeze the storage space provided for homomorphic computation. Firstly, a controllable factor is introduced into the party’s ciphertexts, delineating the ciphertext as a component-like factor in preparation for concatenate operations. Secondly, we construct a tightened RGSW ciphertext extension algorithm that can directly work on the party’s original ciphertext. The extended ciphertext no longer needs to be converted, so no conversion keys are required. Again, by combining the concatenate and bit decomposition techniques, we construct new matching homomorphic computation algorithms, which ensure that the ciphertext product or sum is consistent in morphology with the extended ciphertext. The homomorphic multiplication algorithm allows the resultant ciphertext to directly participate in the next round of homomorphic operations without relinearization. Finally, we propose a specific RLWE-based MKHE scheme and provide the decryption process. Our analysis shows that our scheme guarantees IND-CPA security and performs efficient homomorphic computations correctly without relinearization operations.

Catastrophically mechanical failure, of soft self-healing materials often stems from its poor resistance to crack, propagation. Here, the authors present a strategy of surpassing trade-off, between soft self-healing and high fracture toughness, enabling the, conversion of soft and weak into soft yet tough self-healing materials.

Smart grid is a combination of traditional power system engineering and information and communication technology. Smart grid provides users with convenient services through real-time data updates. Multi-dimensional data aggregation can be more flexible for statistical analysis of electricity information. However, most of the existing multi-dimensional data aggregation schemes require the participation of a trusted third party and do not support fault tolerance. In this paper, we propose a fault-tolerant data aggregation scheme supporting fine-grained linear operations in smart grid. Firstly, we used the Chinese remainder theorem to encode the user’s multi-dimensional data and the corresponding weights. Secondly, we construct a privacy-preserving data aggregation scheme without a trusted third party, by combining paillier homomorphic encryption scheme and a secure key agreement protocol. Finally, we use the extended Shamir secret sharing scheme to construct a fault-tolerant data aggregation scheme that supports the reuse of shared key shares. Security analysis results show that our scheme satisfies semantic security and user data privacy protection. Experimental results show that compared with the existing multidimensional data aggregation schemes that require a trusted third party, our scheme does not increase additional computation and communication overhead.

Abstract Background Maintaining intraoperative haemodynamic stability can reduce cardiovascular complications during surgery for pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL). Risk factors such as tumour size and catecholamine levels are reported to predict haemodynamic responses during surgery for PPGL. We hypothesized that additional factors including body composition and genetic information could further improve prediction. Methods Consecutive patients with PPGL confirmed by surgical pathology between June 2010 and June 2019 were retrospectively included. Cross‐sectional computed tomography images at the L3 level were used to assess body composition parameters including skeletal muscle area and visceral fat area. Next‐generation sequencing was performed using a panel containing susceptibility genes of PPGL. Differences in clinical‐genetic characteristics and body composition parameters were analysed and compared in patients with and without intraoperative haemodynamic instability (HDI). Results We included 221 patients with PPGL (median age 47 [38–56] years, and 52% male). Among them, 49.8% had Cluster 2 mutations (related to kinase signalling pathways), 44.8% had sarcopenia, and 52.9% experienced intraoperative HDI. Compared with patients without HDI, more patients with HDI had Cluster 2 mutations (59.8% vs. 38.5%, P = 0.002) and less had sarcopenia (35.9% vs. 54.8%, P = 0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that urine vanillylmandelic acid ≥ 58 μmol/day (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.840, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.012–3.347, P = 0.046), tumour size ≥ 4 cm (adjusted OR = 2.278, 95% CI = 1.242–4.180, P = 0.008), and Cluster 2 mutations (adjusted OR = 2.199, 95% CI = 1.128–4.285, P = 0.021) were independent risk factors for intraoperative HDI, while sarcopenia (adjusted OR = 0.475, 95% CI = 0.266–0.846, P = 0.012) decreased the risk. Conclusions Body composition and genotype were associated with intraoperative haemodynamics in patients with PPGL. Our results indicated that inclusion of body composition and genotype in the overall assessment of patients with PPGL helped to predict HDI during surgery, which could assist in implementing preoperative and intraoperative measures to reduce perioperative complications.

Surface α-particle emissivity testing and spectral characterization of two leaded tin spheres (Sn10%Pb90%, Sn63%Pb37%) and one lead-free tin sphere (Sn96.5%Ag3.0%Cu0.5%, SAC305) were carried out. The results show that Sn10%Pb90% Sn spheres have the highest α-particle emissivity; Sn63%Pb37% Sn spheres are the next highest, which is an order of magnitude lower than the α-particle emissivity of Sn10%Pb90% Sn spheres; and SAC305 Sn spheres have the lowest emissivity, which is reduced by about 55.6% compared to the emissivity of Sn63%Pb37% Sn spheres. All three types of tin spheres, after purification treatment, achieved the grade of ultra-low alpha particle emissivity (2·h)). The internal radionuclide traceability of the tin sphere, combined with the energy spectrum, reveals that the emission spectrum of the tin sphere exhibits an obvious “single peak” characteristic, with the peak energy in the interval of 5 MeV~5.5 MeV. Comparative analyses revealed that 210Po is the main nuclide that produces alpha particles, and 210Po originates from the decay of 210Pb. Further Monte Carlo simulations show that α-particles with energies greater than 4.1 MeV in the measured energy spectrum all come from the contribution of radionuclides within 5 μm of the surface layer of the tin sphere, which accounts for 60% of the total radioactivity. Combining the experimental and simulation results, it is found that the internal radionuclides of the tin sphere are characterized by more surface layer and less internal layer. The above results are of great significance for the establishment of α-particle mitigation methods for tin spheres.

Abstract Assessment of adrenal incidentaloma relies on imaging analysis and evaluation of adrenal function. Radiomics as a tool for quantitative image analysis is useful for evaluation of adrenal incidentaloma. In this review, we examined radiomic literature on adrenal incidentaloma including both adrenal functional assessment and structural differentiation of benign versus malignant adrenal tumors. In this review, we summarized the status of radiomic application on adrenal incidentaloma and suggested potential direction for future research.

Objective: Clinical practice guidelines recommend open adrenalectomy (OA) for large pheochromocytoma (LPCC) > 6 cm in size. Although laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) for the treatment of LPCC has been reported, its role remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of LA and OA, and summary the surgical treatment experience. Methods: Data concerning LPCC, from January 2010 to June 2019 of a single institution, were retrospectively reviewed. Altogether 82 patients with a tumor larger than 6 cm were included (52 patients in LA group and 30 patients in OA group). Groups were balanced by propensity score matching (PSM) into 15 pairs. Patients’ demographics, preoperative characteristics, and prognosis were analyzed. Results: Before PSM, the OA group had larger tumor sizes (median [interquartile range, IQR]: 8.9 [7.3–10.3] vs. 7.2 [6.7–8.0] cm; p=0.000) and higher vanillylmandelic acid level (median [IQR]: 114.3 [67.8–326.4] vs. 66.6 [37.8–145.8] μmol/24 h; p =0.004) and needed a higher cumulative dose of prazosin (median [IQR]: 83.5 [37.0–154.0] vs. 38.0 [21.0–81.0] mg; p=0.028). After PSM, the baseline data showed no significant differences between both groups. The LA group had relatively more stable blood pressure in surgery, with a lower fluctuation of systolic blood pressure (mean±standard deviation [SD]: 70.9±25.1 vs. 107.4±46.2 mmHg, p=0.012) and a lower percentage of hemodynamic instability (46.7% vs. 86.7%, p=0.020). The LA group had shorter postoperative hospital stays (mean±SD: 6.4±2.7 vs. 10.1±3.4 days; p=0.003) than the OA group. Differences regarding metastasis rate (6.7% vs. 0, p=1.000) were not statistically significant between LA and OA groups. The median (IQR) follow-up time of 82 patients was 72.5 (47.0–103.5) months. Binary logistic regression showed that right-side tumors or those >8 cm in size were independent risk factors of OA. Conclusion: LA is a safe, minimally invasive procedure for LPCC and has relatively better perioperative characteristics in large medical centers. Patients with tumors on the right side or larger than 8 cm are more likely to undergo OA initially.

Reaction thermal runaway has been extensively characterized as a major hazard for fine chemical industry. It is necessary to develop safety technologies for the control of reaction thermal runaway in emergencies and mitigating the subsequent hazards. To date, literature review on the loss prevention methods of chemical reaction thermal runaway is insufficient. In this paper, a comprehensive review is delivered to outline the progress of emergency response technologies for reaction thermal runaway in recent years, major principles and potential applications of those loss prevention methods. It is expected that this review article has certain reference value for the further understanding of thermal runaway, the design of mitigation systems, and the formulation of emergency response strategy for runaway reactions.

Background: Finding reliable diagnostic markers for gastric cancer (GC) is important. This work uses machine learning (ML) to identify GC diagnostic genes and investigate their connection with immune cell infiltration.Methods: We downloaded eight GC-related datasets from GEO, TCGA, and GTEx. GSE13911, GSE15459, GSE19826, GSE54129, and GSE79973 were used as the training set, GSE66229 as the validation set A, and TCGA & GTEx as the validation set B. First, the training set screened differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and gene ontology (GO), kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), disease Ontology (DO), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) analyses were performed. Then, the candidate diagnostic genes were screened by LASSO and SVM-RFE algorithms, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves evaluated the diagnostic efficacy. Then, the infiltration characteristics of immune cells in GC samples were analyzed by CIBERSORT, and correlation analysis was performed. Finally, mutation and survival analyses were performed for diagnostic genes.Results: We found 207 up-regulated genes and 349 down-regulated genes among 556 DEGs. gene ontology analysis significantly enriched 413 functional annotations, including 310 biological processes, 23 cellular components, and 80 molecular functions. Six of these biological processes are closely related to immunity. KEGG analysis significantly enriched 11 signaling pathways. 244 diseases were closely related to Ontology analysis. Multiple entries of the gene set enrichment analysis analysis were closely related to immunity. Machine learning screened eight candidate diagnostic genes and further validated them to identify ABCA8, COL4A1, FAP, LY6E, MAMDC2, and TMEM100 as diagnostic genes. Six diagnostic genes were mutated to some extent in GC. ABCA8, COL4A1, LY6E, MAMDC2, TMEM100 had prognostic value.Conclusion: We screened six diagnostic genes for gastric cancer through bioinformatic analysis and machine learning, which are intimately related to immune cell infiltration and have a definite prognostic value.

Forest fires are characterized by a rapid and devastating nature, underscoring the practical significance of forest fire risk monitoring. Currently, forest fire risk assessments inadequately account for non-meteorological hazard factors, lack the hazard-formative environment and contextual disaster knowledge for fire occurrence mechanisms. In response, based on MODIS products, we augmented the FFDI (forest fire danger index) with the RDST (regional disaster system theory) and selected various fire risk indicators, including lightning. MOD14 was used for the correlation analysis of fire and its indicators. Through the amalgamation of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the entropy method, and the minimal relative entropy theory, we formulated the CFFRI (composite forest fire risk index) and assessed forest fire risks spanning from 2010 to 2019 in Southwest China, which were validated with historical disaster data and MCD64. The findings revealed that the CFFRI yields consistently higher overall fire risk values, with 89% falling within the high-risk category and 11% within the moderate-risk category. In contrast, the FFDI designated 56% of cases as fourth-tier fire risks and 44% as third-tier fire risks. Notably, the CFFRI achieved an accuracy of 85% in its calculated results, while the FFDI attained 76%. These outcomes robustly demonstrate a superior applicability of the CFFRI compared with the traditional FFDI.

Zinc (Zn)-enriched pears, which are derived from genetically related cultivars or crops fortified using agronomic methods, have the potential to partly satisfy the human demand for Zn nutrition and diversify consumer choices. However, a standard for the Zn fortification level in pears is lacking, and the disparity in literature-reported fruit Zn concentrations can vary by substantial amounts. Before investigating the Zn concentrations in fruits of the main pear cultivars in China, common sample preparation methods were compared. Among the pre-treatment methods tested, the freeze-dry technique had a greater degree of discrete variation, whereas oven drying (fresh weight) was the optimal method for determining fruit Zn concentrations. Based on the optimal method, no significant distribution patterns of fruit Zn concentration were found among the regions and strains examined. The averaged pulp Zn concentration in all 26 cultivars was 0.72 mg kg−1, with the Hongxiangsu, Jinfeng, and 420 cultivars having the highest concentrations. Combined with the findings from our previous field experiments on Zn-fortified pears, a Zn concentration of ≥0.90 mg kg−1 is the suggested standard for pear enrichment. These results help us to better understand pear Zn nutrition levels and facilitate the marketisation of the fortified fruit.

Abstract Background Esophageal cancer is the fifth most common cancer affecting men in China. The primary treatment options are surgery and traditional radio-chemotherapy; no effective targeted therapy exists yet. Self-assembled RNA nanocarriers are highly stable, easily functionally modified, and have weak off-tumor targeting effects. Thus, they are among the most preferred carriers for mediating the targeted delivery of anti-tumor drugs. miR-375 was found to be significantly down-regulated in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissues and its overexpression effectively inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of ESCC cells. Moreover, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was overexpressed in ESCC cells, and accumulation of RNA nanoparticles in ESCC tumors was enhanced by EGFR-specific aptamer (EGFRapt) modification. Results Herein, a novel four-way junction RNA nanocarrier, 4WJ-EGFRapt-miR-375-PTX simultaneously loaded with miR-375, PTX and decorated with EGFRapt, was developed. In vitro analysis demonstrated that 4WJ-EGFRapt-miR-375-PTX possesses strong thermal and pH stabilities. EGFRapt decoration facilitated tumor cell endocytosis and promoted deep penetration into 3D-ESCC spheroids. Xenograft mouse model for ESCC confirmed that 4WJ-EGFRapt-miR-375-PTX was selectively distributed in tumor sites via EGFRapt-mediating active targeting and targeted co-delivery of miR-375 and PTX exhibited more effective therapeutic efficacy with low systemic toxicity. Conclusion This strategy may provide a practical approach for targeted therapy of ESCC. Graphical Abstract

Glaciers are sensitive indicators of climate change, and investigation of their dynamics is crucial for ensuring regional ecological security as well as disaster prevention and mitigation measures. Based on Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM)/Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+)/Operational Land Imager (OLI) imagery, the outlines and length of glaciers in the West Kunlun Main Peak Area (WKMPA) during 2000–2020 were obtained by combining a band ratio method with manual interpretation and an automatic extraction method for the glacier centerline, respectively. There were 440 glaciers in the WKMPA in 2020, covering an area of 2964.59 ± 54.87 km2, with an average length of 2916 ± 60 m. The glacier count increased due to division, while the area and length all exhibited a declining trend from 2000 to 2020, at rates of −0.04%·a−1 (24.83 km2) and −0.11%·a−1 (66 m), respectively. Glacier retreat was primarily observed during the early period (2000–2005). Except for glaciers located above an elevation of 6250 m, the glacier area decreased with each altitude interval from 2000 to 2020, and the rate of relative change in glacier area generally decreased with increasing altitude. Moreover, except for a slight increase in north-facing glaciers, the area of glaciers facing other orientations decreased during 2000–2020. The accuracy of the empirical formula fit for glacier length was highly dependent on glacier class, with greater precision observed for smaller glaciers and lower precision for larger valley-basin glaciers due to their complex morphological structures being neglected and only a single quantitative relationship being considered. There was a time lag of 12 years between temperature changes and glacier area response in this region. The mechanism by which glacier division affects glacier change is complex, requiring dissection of multiple factors such as area, length, and terminal elevation before and after division.

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (SFDRR) proposed seven targets comprising 38 quantified indicators and various sub-indicators to monitor the progress of disaster risk and loss reduction efforts. However, challenges persist regarding the availability of disaster-related data and the required resources to address data gaps. A promising way to address this issue is the utilization of Earth observation (EO). In this study, we proposed an EO-based disaster evaluation framework in service of the SFDRR and applied it to the context of tropical cyclones (TCs). We first investigated the potential of EO in supporting the SFDRR indicators, and we then decoupled those EO-supported indicators into essential variables (EVs) based on regional disaster system theory (RDST) and the TC disaster chain. We established a mapping relationship between the measurement requirements of EVs and the capabilities of EO on Google Earth Engine (GEE). An end-to-end framework that utilizes EO to evaluate the SFDRR indicators was finally established. The results showed that the SFDRR contains 75 indicators, among which 18.7% and 20.0% of those indicators can be directly and indirectly supported by EO, respectively, indicating the significant role of EO for the SFDRR. We provided four EV classes with nine EVs derived from the EO-supported indicators in the proposed framework, along with available EO data and methods. Our proposed framework demonstrates that EO has an important contribution to supporting the implementation of the SFDRR, and that it provides effective evaluation solutions.

At present, the situation of water contamination seriously hinders the healthy cycle of natural environment and the development of human society. Capacitive deionization technology is a novel water treatment technology for remediating inorganic-contaminated ions from aqueous medium. This paper briefly introduces the related theory and reviews the current research and application in removing inorganic contaminants (heavy metal ions, anionic contaminants, other inorganic contaminants, etc.) in the aqueous solution. In addition, the influence of electrode materials, device design and environmental factors on capacitive deionization of inorganic contaminants was briefly summarized. In order to provide help for the further development and application of the capacitive deionization technology, the summary and prospect are also part of the article.

Abstract Background Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a disease with diverse clinical manifestations, such as pelvic pain or perineal pain. Although recent studies found several risk factors related to the pain severity of CP/CPPS patients, results were inconsistent. Here, we aimed to identify novel risk factors that are closely related to the severity of pain in patients with CP/CPPS. Methods We retrospectively collected the clinical records from patients with CP/CPPS from March 2019 to October 2019. The questionnaire was used to obtain related parameters, such as demographics, lifestyle, medical history, etc. To identify potential risk factors related to pain severity, we used the methods of univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Further, to confirm the relationship between these confirmed risk factors and CP/CPPS, we randomly divided CP/CPPS patients into the training and the validation cohorts with a ratio of 7:3. According to the co-efficient result of each risk factor calculated by multivariate logistic regression analysis, a predicting model of pain severity was established. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), discrimination plot, calibration plot, and decision curve analyses (DCA) were used to evaluate the clinical usage of the current model in both the training and validation cohorts. Results A total of 272 eligible patients were enrolled. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis found that age [odds ratio (OR): 2.828, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.239–6.648, P = 0.004], holding back urine (OR: 2.413, 95% CI: 1.213–4.915, P = 0.005), anxiety or irritability (OR: 3.511, 95% CI: 2.034–6.186, P

ObjectiveWe aimed to retrospectively collect pathologically identified pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) tumor tissues from our center and investigate the expression of apelin and succinyl-CoA synthetase subunit beta (SUCLG2), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2 or ERBB-2), contactin 4 (CNTN4), chromogranin B (CHGB), and succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB) in metastatic and non-metastatic PPGLs, for exploring their roles in the diagnosis of metastatic PPGLs.MethodsA total of 369 patients with pathologically and surgically confirmed PPGLs at Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, between June 2010 and June 2020 were retrospectively included. Sixty patients—12 patients with metastatic PPGLs and 48 patients with non-metastatic PPGLs—were selected through propensity score matching (1:4) to reduce the effect of PPGL type, sex, and age. We observed and quantified the expression of apelin, SDHB, CHGB, ERBB-2, CNTN4, and SUCLG2 in paraffin-embedded samples using immunohistochemical staining.ResultsNo significant differences were observed between the metastatic group and non-metastatic group with respect to the expression of CNTN4 and SUCLG2. The expression of apelin, SDHB, CHGB, and ERBB-2 was significantly different between the two groups. The expression of apelin, SDHB, and CHGB was significantly lower in the metastatic group than that in the non-metastatic group (P < 0.001). ERBB-2 expression was significantly higher in the metastatic group than in the non-metastatic group (P = 0.042). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that patients with negative expression of apelin, SDHB, and CHGB showed significantly lower metastasis-free survival than those with positive expression. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that SDHB and CHGB levels were independently associated with metastasis-free survival.ConclusionThe expression levels of apelin, CHGB, SDHB, and ERBB-2 may be predictive biomarkers for the diagnosis of metastatic PPGLs. Patients with negative expression of apelin, CHGB, and SDHB should be subjected to frequent postoperative follow-up procedures

Under the background of intensified human activities and global climate warming, the frequency and intensity of flood disasters have increased, causing many casualties and economic losses every year. Given the difficulty of mountain shadow removal from large-scale watershed flood monitoring based on Sentinel-1 SAR images and the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud platform, this paper first adopted the Support Vector Machine (SVM) to extract the water body information during flooding. Then, a function model was proposed based on the mountain shadow samples to remove the mountain shadows from the flood maps. Finally, this paper analyzed the flood disasters in the middle and lower basin of the Yangtze River (MLB) in 2020. The main results showed that: (1) compared with the other two methods, the SVM model had the highest accuracy. The accuracy and kappa coefficients of the trained SVM model in the testing dataset were 97.77% and 0.9521, respectively. (2) The function model proposed based on the samples achieved the best effect compared with other shadow removal methods with a shadow recognition rate of 75.46%, and it alleviated the interference of mountain shadows for flood monitoring in a large basin. (3) The flood inundated area was 8526 km2, among which, cropland was severely affected (6160 km2). This study could provide effective suggestions for relevant stakeholders in policy making.

The targeted application of lignin needs deeper understanding of its physicochemical property. Herein, three kinds of organosolv lignin samples were obtained from willow using three typical organosolv-water co-solvents, and their properties and pyrolysis behaviors were studied by various characterization methods. It was found that the used solvents exerted different effects on lignin samples: lignin extracted from ethyl acetate-water co-solvent possessed more functional groups containing oxygen, and lignin extracted from γ-butyrolactone-water co-solvent contained more large-molecule fragments; the degradation temperature with the maximum rate in thermogravimetric analysis were 352, 384, and 398 ℃ for lignin samples extracted by ethyl acetate/tetrahydrofuran/γ-butyrolactone-water co-solvent, respectively. The cleavage of Cα-Cβ linkage performed more acutely in pyrolysis of lignin extracted from γ-butyrolactone-water co-solvent, while the linkage of C1-Cα in lignin extracted by ethyl acetate/tetrahydrofuran-water co-solvent was more fragile. With regard to the mono-phenolic products, the pyrolysis of lignin extracted from ethyl acetate-water co-solvent yielded guaiacol and 4-methylguaiacol dominantly, and lignin extracted by tetrahydrofuran-water co-solvent produced more guaiacol, 4-ethylguaiacol, and 4-methylguaiacol while lignin extracted by γ-butyrolactone-water co-solvent yielded the maximum amount of 4-methylguaiacol. In addition, the pyrolysis of lignin samples extracted by γ-butyrolactone-water co-solvent yielded only H2, CH4 and CO as gaseous products while the other two yielded H2, CH4, CO and CO2.

There are serious intersymbol interference (ISI) and signal attenuation in wireless ultraviolet communication system.Aiming at this problem,an improved constant modulus fractionally spaced equalizer (CMA-FSE) based on signal-to-noise (SNR) estimation was proposed.The algorithm combined the fractionally spaced equalizer (FSE) and constant modulus algorithm (CMA) for blind equalization of wireless ultraviolet channels.The input SNR was measured by the mean square value of the received signal,and it was used to determine the best iterative step to ensure the convergence of the equalization algorithm.Simulation results show that the improved CMA-FSE algorithm can converge rapidly under various SNR,and it can effectively suppress ISI and improve the BER performance of the system.Compared with the existing algorithms,the improved algorithm is more useful in channel tracking and noise suppression.

A microwave (MA) irradiation-persulfate-formate system was constructed to detoxify Cr contamination and solidify the geopolymerization of the alkali-activated composite material. Three series of experiments were correspondingly conducted to evaluate the treatment for the chromate-contaminated soil. The changes in the molar ratios of formate to persulfate and the mass rates of fortifier to soil led to a significantly greater reduction of CrVI in the detoxification experiments. The increase of blast furnace slag from 50% to 80% in the composite cementitious materials (CCM) intensified the immobilization efficiencies of chromate and the compressive strengths of geopolymer blocks. MA irradiation potentially enhanced the binding of Ca cations to the aluminosilicate compounds. The degree of reaction in the phenomenological kinetics model mathematically verified the geopolymerization process. Ettringite was formed within the structure of the geopolymer in the coupling system. Sulfate radicals released from persulfate not only contributed to the detoxification process but also strengthened the immobilization process.

Abstract Background Conotoxins have become a research hotspot in the neuropharmacology field for their high activity and specificity in targeting ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors. There have been reports of a conotoxin acting on two ion channels, but rare reports of a conotoxin acting on three ion channels. Methods Vr3a, a proline-rich M-superfamily conotoxin from a worm-hunting Conus varius, was obtained by solid-phase synthesis and identified by mass spectrometry. The effects of synthesized Vr3a on sodium, potassium and calcium currents were tested on rat DRG cells by patch clamp experiments. The further effects of Vr3a on human Cav1.2 and Cav2.2 currents were tested on HEK293 cells. Results About 10 μM Vr3a has no effects on the peak sodium currents, but can induce a ~10 mV shift in a polarizing direction in the current-voltage relationship. In addition, 10 μM Vr3a can increase 19.61 ± 5.12% of the peak potassium currents and do not induce a shift in the current-voltage relationship. An amount of 10 μM Vr3a can inhibit 31.26% ± 4.53% of the peak calcium currents and do not induce a shift in the current-voltage relationship. The IC50 value of Vr3a on calcium channel currents in rat DRG neurons is 19.28 ± 4.32 μM. Moreover, 10 μM Vr3a can inhibit 15.32% ± 5.41% of the human Cav1.2 currents and 12.86% ± 4.93% of the human Cav2.2 currents. Conclusions Vr3a can simultaneously affect sodium, potassium and calcium currents. This novel triple-target conotoxin Vr3a expands understanding of conotoxin functions.

Apelin is an endogenous ligand that binds to the G protein-coupled receptor angiotensin-like-receptor 1 (APJ). Apelin and APJ are widely distributed in organs and tissues and are involved in multiple physiological and pathological processes including cardiovascular regulation, neuroendocrine stress response, energy metabolism, etc. Additionally, apelin/APJ axis was found to play an important role in cancer development and progression. Apela is a newly identified endogenous ligand for APJ. Several studies have revealed the potential role of Apela in cancers. In this article, we review the current studies focusing on the role of apelin/APJ signaling and Apela in different cancers. Potential mechanisms by which apelin/APJ and Apela mediate the regulation of cancer development and progression were also mentioned. The Apelin/APJ signaling and Apela may serve as potential therapeutic candidates for treatment of cancer.

Pheochromocytoma, as a neuroendocrine tumor with the highest genetic correlation in all types of tumors, has attracted extensive attention. Von Hipper Lindau (VHL) has the highest mutation frequency among the genes associated with pheochromocytoma. However, the effect of VHL on the proteome of pheochromocytoma remains to be explored. In this study, the VHL knockdown (VHL-KD) PC12 cell model was established by RNA interference (shRNA). We compared the proteomics of VHL-KD and VHL-WT PC12 cell lines. The results showed that the expression of 434 proteins (VHL shRNA/WT > 1.3) changed significantly in VHL-KD-PC12 cells. Among the 434 kinds of proteins, 83 were involved in cell proliferation, cell cycle and cell migration, and so on. More importantly, among these proteins, we found seven novel key genes, including Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF), Syndecan Binding Protein (SDCBP), Cysteine Rich Protein 61 (CYR61/CCN1), Collagen Type III Alpha 1 Chain (COL3A1), Collagen Type I Alpha 1 Chain (COL1A1), Collagen Type V Alpha 2 Chain (COL5A2), and Serpin Family E Member 1 (SERPINE1), were overexpressed and simultaneously regulated cell proliferation and migration in VHL-KD PC12 cells. Furthermore, the abnormal accumulation of HIF2α caused by VHL-KD significantly increased the expression of these seven genes during hypoxia. Moreover, cell-counting, scratch, and transwell assays demonstrated that VHL-KD could promote cell proliferation and migration, and changed cell morphology. These findings indicated that inhibition of VHL expression could promote the development of pheochromocytoma by activating the expression of cell proliferation and migration associated genes.

BackgroundClear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common renal cancer and it has the worst prognosis among all renal cancers. However, traditional radiological characteristics on computed tomography (CT) scans of ccRCC have been insufficient to predict the pathological grade of ccRCC before surgery.MethodsPatients with ccRCC were retrospectively enrolled into this study and were separated into two groups according to the World Health Organization (WHO)/International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grading system, i.e., low-grade (Grade I and II) group and high-grade (Grade III and IV) group. Traditional CT radiological characteristics such as tumor size, pre- and post-enhancing CT densities were assessed. In addition, radiomic texture analysis based on the CT imaging of the ccRCC were also performed. A CT-based machine learning method combining the traditional radiological characteristics and radiomic features was used in the predictive modeling for differentiating the low-grade from the high-grade ccRCC. Model performance was evaluated with the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis.ResultsA total of 264 patients with pathologically confirmed ccRCC were included in this study. In this cohort, 206 patients had the low-grade tumors and 58 had the high-grade tumors. The model built with traditional radiological characteristics achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9175 (95% CI: 0.8765–0.9585) and 0.8088 (95% CI: 0.7064–0.9113) in differentiating the low-grade from the high-grade ccRCC for the training cohort and the validation cohort respectively. The model built with the radiomic textural features yielded an AUC value of 0.8170 (95% CI: 0.7353–0.8987) and 0.8017 (95% CI: 0.6878–0.9157) for the training cohort and the validation cohort, respectively. The combined model integrating both the traditional radiological characteristics and the radiomic textural features achieved the highest efficacy, with an AUC of 0.9235 (95% CI: 0.8646–0.9824) and an AUC of 0.9099 (95% CI: 0.8324–0.9873) for the training cohort and validation cohort, respectively.ConclusionWe developed a machine learning radiomic model achieving a satisfying performance in differentiating the low-grade from the high-grade ccRCC. Our study presented a potentially useful non-invasive imaging-focused method to predict the pathological grade of renal cancers prior to surgery.

Acute lung injury is characterized by alveolar vascular barrier injury, and protein-rich pulmonary oedema. Alveolar fluid clearance is closely related to the prognosis of patients with acute lung injury. Melatonin has been shown to have a protective effect on multiple organ injury induced by sepsis. In this study we investigated the effect of melatonin on alveolar fluid clearance (AFC) and explored its potential mechanisms in sepsis-induced acute lung injury. The cecal ligation and puncture was adopted to establish mouse sepsis model. Morphological changes of lung tissues with the hematoxylin staining were observed. AFC and lung wet/dry weight ratio were measured to assess pulmonary edema. Inflammatory mediators in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were analyzed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. NAD+/NADH and SIRT1 activity were measured by colorimetric assay kit. The protein expressions of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), silent information regulator1 (SIRT1), SGK1 and Nedd4-2 were immunoblotted by western blot in vivo and in vitro. The distribution of α-ENaC and SIRT1 was detected by immunofluorescence. We found that melatonin attenuated sepsis induced lung injury, improved survival rate, enhanced alveolar fluid clearance, improved SIRT1 activity, increased protein expressions of SIRT1 and ENaC, and activated SGK1/Nedd4-2 pathway. Furthermore, SIRT1 inhibitor EX527 counteracted the effects of melatonin on alveolar fluid clearance and ENaC. These results revealed that melatonin enhanced ENaC-mediated AFC via the SIRT1/SGK1/Nedd4-2 signaling pathway. Our study demonstrated that melatonin might provide a novel therapeutic strategy for sepsis-induced acute lung injury.

Background/Aims: The activation of complement system and the formation of C5b-9 complex have been confirmed in the glomeruli of patients with mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (MsPGN). However, the role and mechanism of C5b-9-induced injury in glomerular mesangial cell (GMC) are poorly understood. Rat Thy-1N is an animal model for studying MsPGN. It has been revealed that the attack of C5b-9 to the GMC in rat Thy-1N is sublytic, and sublytic C5b-9 can cause GMC apoptosis, but the underlying mechanism is not fully elucidated. To explore the role and regulatory mechanism of C5b-9 in MsPGN lesion, we used rat Thy-1N model and first detected the change of microRNA (miRNA) profiles both in Thy-1N rat renal tissues (in vivo) and in the cultured GMCs with sublytic C5b-9 stimulation (in vitro). Then we determined the effect of miR-3546, which increased both in vivo and in vitro, on GMC apoptosis upon sublytic C5b-9 as well as the involved mechanism. Methods: Rat Thy-1N model was established and GMCs were treated with sublytic C5b-9. The rat renal cortex and the stimulated GMCs were obtained for miRNA microarray detection. Subsequently, the increased miRNAs were verified by real-time PCR. Meanwhile, to ascertain the ability of some miRNAs to upregulate cleaved caspase 3 and induce GMC apoptosis, the corresponding miRNA mimics were transfected into GMCs, followed by western blotting (WB) and flow cytometry mesurement. Thereafter, the miR-3546-targeted gene (SOX4) was predicted using bioinformatics approaches, and SOX4 expression in Thy-1N tissues and in the GMCs upon sublytic C5b-9 stimulation or miR-3546 mimic/inhibitor transfection were detected using real-time PCR and WB. To prove that miR-3546 can affect SOX4 gene transcription and SOX4 can regulate survivin expression, dual luciferase reporter assay, real-time PCR, WB and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were performed. Furthermore, the role of miR-3546/SOX4/survivin axis in the GMC apoptosis induced by sublytic C5b-9 was examined using WB and flow cytometry. Results: Compared with normal renal tissues and untreated GMCs, there were 43 and 62 upregulated miRNAs (> 2-fold) in Thy-1N tissues and sublytic C5b-9-stimulated GMCs respectively. A total of 17 miRNAs were increased both in vivo and in vitro, 11 of which were validated by real-time PCR. Among them, miR-3546 could markedly promote GMC apoptosis and inhibit SOX4 or survivin expression in response to sublytic C5b-9, and either SOX4 or survivin overexpression markedly rescued the GMC apoptosis mediated by miR-3546 mimic. Additionally, SOX4 overexpression could reverse the survivin suppression by miR-3546 mimic, and SOX4 could bind to survivin promoter (-1,278 to -853 nt) and activate survivin gene transcription. Conclusion: MiR-3546/ SOX4/survivin axis has a promoting role in the GMC apoptosis triggered by sublytic C5b-9, and our findings may provide a new insight into the pathogenesis of rat Thy-1N and human MsPGN.

As an important cryptographic primitive in cloud computing and outsourced computing, fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) is an animated area in modern cryptography. However, the efficiency of FHE has been a bottleneck that impeding its application. According to Gentry’s blueprint, bootstrapping, which is used to control the noise propagation in ciphertexts, is the most important process in FHE. However, bootstrapping is also the most expensive process that affects the scheme’s efficiency. This paper has made three improvements to accelerate the bootstrapping. Firstly, as hundreds of serial homomorphic additions take most of the time of bootstrapping, we constructed the logical expression using truth table to reduce the amount of serial homomorphic additions by two-thirds and thus proposed an efficient FHE scheme with bootstrapping within 10 ms. Secondly, the most expensive parts in our bootstrapping, enhanced homomorphic constant multiplication and homomorphic addition, can be implemented in parallel, which may accelerate the bootstrapping. At last, we proposed a set of more efficient combinations of parameters. Analysis shows that our scheme’s security level is 128 bits and the correctness is improved compared with CGGI16 scheme in ASIACRYPT 2016. Experiments show that the running time of bootstrapping in this paper is within 10 ms, which is only 52% of CGGI16, and is less than CGGI17 in ASIACRYPT 2017.

We investigated differentially expressed circular RNAs (circRNAs) and their potential functions in pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PCC/PGLs). Expression levels of circRNAs in tumor and adjacent normal tissues from seven PCC/PGL patients were analyzed through RNA sequencing. Real-time PCR was conducted to verify the key candidates identified in the sequencing data. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses were performed to predict the functions of these circRNAs. A total of 367 circRNAs were found differentially expressed between tumor and normal samples. The top three histone methylation-related circRNAs (hsa_circ_0000567, hsa_circ_0002897, and hsa_circ_0004473) and their target microRNAs (miRNAs) were identified and validated. We then mapped the circRNA-miRNA-messenger RNA (mRNA) coding-noncoding gene co-expression (CNC) networks to show the potential binding relationships between circRNAs and their targets in PCC/PGLs. The top five mRNAs, 88 miRNAs, and 132 circRNAs related to pathogenesis were utilized to map the CNC network, and we observed that the interactions of these candidates with their target miRNAs regulated histone methylation and further mediated PCC/PGL pathogenesis. This study is the first to provide the whole profile of differentially expressed circRNAs in PCC/PGLs. Our data indicate that altered circRNAs may control the pathogenesis of PCC/PGLs by regulating histone methylation processes, highlighting their role as potential biomarkers.

Natural microalgae (NA, cyanobacteria) collected from Taihu Lake (Jiangsu, China) were used for biofuel production through pyrolysis. The microalgae were de-ashed via pretreatment with deionized water and hydrochloric acid, and the samples obtained were noted as 0 M, 0.1 M, 1 M, 2 M, 4 M, 6 M, 8 M, respectively, according to the concentration of hydrochloric acid used in the pretreatment. Pyrolysis experiments were carried out at 500 °C for 2 h. The products were examined by various techniques to identify the influence of the ash on the pyrolysis behavior. The results showed that the ash inhibited the thermal transformation of microalgae. The 2 mol/L hydrochloric acid performed the best in removing ash and the liquid yield increased from 34.4% (NA) to 40.5% (2 M). Metal-oxides (mainly CaO, MgO, Al2O3) in ash promoted the reaction of hexadecanoic acid and NH3 to produce more hexadecanamide, which was further dehydrated to hexadecanenitrile. After acid pretreatment, significant improvement in the selectivity of hexadecanoic acid was observed, ranging from 22.4% (NA) to 58.8% (4 M). The hydrocarbon compounds in the liquid product increased from 12.90% (NA) to 26.67% (2 M). Furthermore, the acid pretreatment enhanced the content of C9–C16 compounds and the HHV values of bio-oil. For natural microalgae, the de-ashing pretreatment before pyrolysis was essential for improving the biocrude yield and quality, as well as the biomass conversion efficiency.

The Zr element is one of the important grain refiners for 7xxx series Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys, but the effect of Zr content more than 0.15 wt.% needs to be deeply investigated under the action of ultrasonic vibration. In this study, the effects of Zr contents (0.1 to 0.25 wt.%) on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy were studied. The results showed that Zr element could refine grains, but when the Zr content was greater than 0.15 wt.%, the grain size was not uniform, the number of second phase particles increased, and the segregation of components became more serious. It was found that after ultrasonic treatment, the grain-size inhomogeneity was greatly improved, and the Zr content could be added up to 0.2 wt.%. When the Zr content is equal or lower than 0.2 wt.%, ultrasonic treatment can effectively improve the mechanical properties of materials by refining grains and weakening segregation. However, when the Zr content is up to 0.25 wt.%, the effect is getting worse.

Using LBR-370 numerical control lathe, high speed cutting was applied to AZ31 magnesium alloy. The influence of cutting parameters on microstructure, surface roughness and machining hardening were investigated by using the methods of single factor and orthogonal experiment. The results show that the cutting parameters have an important effect on microstructure, surface roughness and machine hardening. The depth of stress layer, roughness and hardening present a declining tendency with the increase of the cutting speed and also increase with the augment of the cutting depth and feed rate. Moreover, we established a prediction model of the roughness, which has an important guidance on actual machining process of magnesium alloy.

Pheochromocytomas (PCCs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors that originate from chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, and paragangliomas (PGLs) are extra-adrenal pheochromocytomas. These can be mainly found in clinical syndromes including multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN), von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) syndrome, neurofibromatosis-1 (NF-1) and familial paraganglioma (FPGL). PCCs and PGLs are thought to have the highest degree of heritability among human tumors, and it has been estimated that 60% of the patients have genetic abnormalities. This review provides an overview of the clinical syndrome and the genetic screening strategies of PCCs and PGLs. Comprehensive screening principles and strategies, along with specific screening based on clinical symptoms, biochemical tests and immunohistochemistry, are discussed.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the surgical experience and outcomes of retroperitoneoscopic renal pedicle lymphatic disconnection (RRPLD) and to define a learning curve for this minimally invasive technique to treat patients with intractable chyluria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected the clinical records of 40 consecutive patients who were selected for RRPLD of 42 renoureteral units between 2007 and 2010 for chyluria by a single surgeon with no experience for this procedure. Patients’ demographics and peri-operative parameters were recorded and compared. Operation time, blood loss, and other peri-operative parameters were analyzed to document the learning curve for the procedure. RESULTS: All the 40 patients, 14 women and 26 men, underwent RRPLD successfully, and no open conversions were needed. The median operation time was 77.5 minutes [interquartile ranges (IQR): 69.0 to 89.0] and the median blood loss was 46.5 mL (IQR: 35.0 to 67.0). A total of five complications occurred (11.9%). We divided the patient cohort to the first 20 (group 1) and the last 20 (group 2) patients since operation time reached a plateau after about 20 cases. There were significant differences in the operation time (P = .000) and the blood loss (P = .006) between the two groups. The two phases did not differ in terms of demographic data, peri-operative complications, gastrointestinal recovery time, extubation time, or hospitalization duration. CONCLUSION: Retroperitoneoscopic renal pedicle lymphatic disconnection is a well standardized and reproducible procedure. This study of the learning curve of a single surgeon suggests that competence at performing RRPLD is reached after approximately 20 cases.

The genome of tomato ( L.) is being sequenced by an international consortium of 10 countries (Korea, China, the United Kingdom, India, the Netherlands, France, Japan, Spain, Italy, and the United States) as part of the larger “International Solanaceae Genome Project (SOL): Systems Approach to Diversity and Adaptation” initiative. The tomato genome sequencing project uses an ordered bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) approach to generate a high-quality tomato euchromatic genome sequence for use as a reference genome for the Solanaceae and euasterids. Sequence is deposited at GenBank and at the SOL Genomics Network (SGN). Currently, there are around 1000 BACs finished or in progress, representing more than a third of the projected euchromatic portion of the genome. An annotation effort is also underway by the International Tomato Annotation Group. The expected number of genes in the euchromatin is ∼40,000, based on an estimate from a preliminary annotation of 11% of finished sequence. Here, we present this first snapshot of the emerging tomato genome and its annotation, a short comparison with potato ( L.) sequence data, and the tools available for the researchers to exploit this new resource are also presented. In the future, whole-genome shotgun techniques will be combined with the BAC-by-BAC approach to cover the entire tomato genome. The high-quality reference euchromatic tomato sequence is expected to be near completion by 2010.

BACKGROUND: Chronic prostatitis/Chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is the most common type of prostatitis. Due to the lack of a suitable animal model partly, the pathogenesis for this condition is obscure. In the current study we developed and validated an animal model for nonbacterial prostatitis and prostate inflammation-induced chronic pelvic pain in rats with the use of intraprostatic injection of λ-carrageenan. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250-350 g were used for the experiments. After intraprostatic injection of 3% λ-carrageenan, at different time points(after 24 h, 7 d, 14 d and 30 d of injection), radiant heat and von Frey filaments were applied to the scrotum of rats to measure the heat and mechanical thresholds respectively. Then the prostate was removed for histology, and cyclooxygenase (COX) 2 protein expression was determined by Western-blot. Evans blue(50 mg/kg) was also injected intravenously to assess for plasma protein extravasation at different time points after injection of λ-carrageenan. RESULTS: Compared to control group, inflamed animals showed a significant reduction in mechanical threshold (mechanical allodynia) at 24 h and 7d(p = 0.022,0.046, respectively), and a significant reduction in heat threshold (thermal hyperalgesia) at 24 h, 7d and 14 d(p = 0.014, 0.018, 0.002, respectively) in the scrotal skin. Significant increase of inflammatory cell accumulation, COX2 expression and Evans blue extravasation were observed at 24 h, 7d and 14 d after injection. CONCLUSIONS: Intraprostatic λ-carrageenan injection induced neurogenic prostatitis and prostate inflammation pain, which lasted at least 2 weeks. The current model is expected to be a valuable preclinical tool to study the neurobiological mechanisms of male chronic pelvic pain.

Wild-type p53-induced phosphatase (Wip1 or PPM1D) has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in various cancers and correlated with the malignant behavior of cancer cells. However, the function of Wip1 in RCC remains unclear. The present study investigated its abnormal expression and dysfunctions in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in vitro. With the combination of immunohistochemistry, western blotting, immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and cell proliferation, migration and invasion assays, we found that levels of Wip1 mRNA and protein were dramatically increased in human ccRCC tissues (P

BACKGROUND: The prolonged and frequent use of laparoscopic equipment raises ergonomic risks that may cause physical distress for surgeons. We aimed to assess the prevalence of urologic surgeons' physical distress associated with ergonomic problems in the operating room (OR) and their awareness of the ergonomic guidelines in China. METHODS: A sample of 300 laparoscopic urologists in China was assessed using a questionnaire on demographic information, ergonomic issues in the OR, musculoskeletal symptoms, and awareness of the ergonomic guidelines for the OR. RESULTS: There were 241 survey respondents (86.7%) with valid questionnaires. Among the respondents, only 43.6% placed the operating table at pubic height during the actual operation. The majority of the respondents (63.5%) used only one monitor during the procedure. Only 29.9% placed the monitor below the eye level. More than half of the respondents (50.6%) preferred to use manual control instead of the foot pedal. Most of the respondents (95.0%) never used the body support. The respondents experienced discomfort in the following regions, in ascending order: leg (21.6%), hand (30.3%), wrist (32.8%), shoulder (33.6%), back (53.1%), and neck (58.1%). The respondents with over 250 total operations experienced less discomfort than those with less than 250 total operations. Most of the respondents (84.6%) were unaware of the ergonomic guidelines. However, almost all of the respondents (98.3%) regarded the ergonomic guidelines to be important in the OR. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the laparoscopic urologists were not aware of the ergonomic guidelines for the OR; hence, they have been suffering from varying degrees of physical discomfort caused by ergonomic issues. There is an urgent need for education regarding ergonomic guidelines in the OR for laparoscopic urologists in China.