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Abstract Background Oral complications such as parageusia, xerostomia, and oral ulcers are frequently observed in patients with COVID-19. The aim of this study was to understand the oral complications and their influencing factors during the two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in China between December 2022 and May 2023. Methods A total of 347 patients during the COVID-19 pandemic from December 2022 and January 2023 and 163 patients during the second COVID-19 pandemic were recruited through the Disease Prevention and Control Reporting System. Data on oral complications were collected via researcher-made questionnaires. Results During both pandemic periods, more than 50% of the subjects developed oral complications. Specifically, the incidence of parageusia, pathological tongue coating, and xerostomia all exceeded 20%, while the incidence of oral ulcers surpassed 7%. Patients with allotriosmia and xerostomia had a significantly higher likelihood of developing other oral complications. Hospitalized patients requiring supplemental oxygen had a significantly higher incidence of oral complications. Conclusions The results of our study underline that oral complications during the COVID-19 pandemic are prevalent, and their incidence has not decreased during the subsequent pandemic. In the context of the ongoing global spread of COVID-19, this study lays the foundation for physicians in recognizing and managing oral complications, which will improve the oral health of communities globally.

Constipation, a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder, significantly impacts quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and implications of constipation in Urumqi City. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July to August 2023, involving 1,386 participants aged 20–80 years. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire, with constipation severity assessed using the Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) scale. Key findings indicated that various factors, including residing in rural areas, outdoor work, and sleep disorders, were positively correlated with higher PAC-SYM scores. Conversely, higher daily water intake and certain dietary patterns showed negative correlations. Additionally, increased constipation severity was associated with greater physiological strain and psychosocial concerns (all p

Abstract Background Jugulo-omohyoid lymph nodes (JOHLN) metastasis has proven to be associated with lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM). This study aimed to reveal the clinical features and evaluate the predictive value of JOHLN in PTC to guide the extent of surgery. Methods A total of 550 patients pathologically diagnosed with PTC between October 2015 and January 2020, all of whom underwent thyroidectomy and lateral lymph node dissection, were included in this study. Results Thyroiditis, tumor location, tumor size, extra-thyroidal extension, extra-nodal extension, central lymph node metastasis (CLNM), and LLMM were associated with JOHLN. Male, upper lobe tumor, multifocality, extra-nodal extension, CLNM, and JOHLN metastasis were independent risk factors from LLNM. A nomogram based on predictors performed well. Nerve invasion contributed the most to the prediction model, followed by JOHLN metastasis. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.855, and the p-value of the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test was 0.18. Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram was clinically helpful. Conclusion JOLHN metastasis could be a clinically sensitive predictor of further LLM. A high-performance nomogram was established, which can provide an individual risk assessment of LNM and guide treatment decisions for patients.

Abstract Background A triplet chemotherapy regimen of docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (TPF) is used to treat head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; however, it is toxic to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). We previously demonstrated that Ganoderma spore lipid (GSL) protect BMSCs against cyclophosphamide toxicity. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of GSL against TPF-induced BMSCs and hematopoietic damage. Methods BMSCs and C57BL/6 mice were divided into control, TPF, co-treatment (simultaneously treated with GSL and TPF for 2 days), and pre-treatment (treated with GSL for 7 days before 2 days of TPF treatment) groups. In vitro, morphology, phenotype, proliferation, senescence, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and differentiation of BMSCs were evaluated. In vivo, peripheral platelets (PLTs) and white blood cells (WBCs) from mouse venous blood were quantified. Bone marrow cells were isolated for hematopoietic colony-forming examination. Results In vitro, GSL significantly alleviated TPF-induced damage to BMSCs compared with the TPF group, recovering their morphology, phenotype, proliferation, and differentiation capacity (p

Abstract Background Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC) is a rare type of thyroid cancer. Accurate prediction of lateral cervical lymph node metastases (LCLNM) in MTC patients can help guide surgical decisions and ensure that patients receive the most appropriate and effective surgery. To our knowledge, no studies have been published that use radiomics analysis to forecast LCLNM in MTC patients. The purpose of this study is to develop a radiomics combined with thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS) model that can use preoperative thyroid ultrasound images to noninvasively predict the LCLNM status of MTC. Methods We retrospectively included 218 MTC patients who were confirmed from postoperative pathology as LCLNM negative (n=111) and positive (n=107). Ultrasound features were selected using the Student’s t-test, while radiomics features are first extracted from preoperative thyroid ultrasound images, and then a two-step feature selection approach was used to select features. These features are then used to establish three regularized logistic regression models, namely the TI-RADS model (TM), the radiomics model (RM), and the radiomics-TI-RADS model (RTM), in 5-fold cross-validation to determine the likelihood of the LCLNM. The Delong’s test and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate and compare the performance of the models. Results The ultrasound features of margin and TI-RADS level, and a total of 12 selected radiomics features, were significantly different between the LCLNM negative and positive groups (p

Abstract Background For medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) with no positive findings in the lateral neck before surgery, whether prophylactic lateral neck dissection (LND) is needed remains controversial. A better way to predict occult metastasis in the lateral neck is needed. Methods From January 2010 to January 2022, patients who were diagnosed with MTC and underwent primary surgery at our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. We collected the patients' baseline characteristics, surgical procedure, and rescored the ultrasound images of the primary lesions using American College of Radiology (ACR) Thyroid Imaging, Reporting and Data System (TI‐RADS). Regularized logistic regression, 5‐fold cross‐validation and decision curve analysis was applied for lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) model's development and validation. Then, we tested the predictive ability of the LLNM model for occult LLNM in cN0−1a patients. Results A total of 218 patients were enrolled. Five baseline characteristics and two TI‐RADS features were identified as high‐risk factors for LLNM: gender, baseline calcitonin (Ctn), tumor size, multifocality, and central lymph node (CLN) status, as well as TI‐RADS margin and level. A LLNM model was developed and showed a good discrimination with 5‐fold cross‐validation mean area under curve (AUC) = 0.92 ± 0.03 in the test dataset. Among cN0−1a patients, our LLNM model achieved an AUC of 0.91 (95% CI, 0.88–0.94) for predicting occult LLNM, which was significantly higher than the AUCs of baseline Ctn (0.83) and CLN status (0.64). Conclusions We developed a LLNM prediction model for MTC using machine learning based on clinical baseline characteristics and TI‐RADS. Our model can predict occult LLNM for cN0−1a patients more accurately, then benefit the decision of prophylactic LND.

CO2 reforming of CH4 (DRM) utilizes the greenhouse gases of CH4 and CO2 to obtain the synthesis gas, benefiting the achievement of carbon neutrality. However, the deactivation of Ni-based catalysts caused by sintering and carbon deposition limits the industrial application. Focusing on stability improvement, this review first summarizes the reaction mechanism and deactivation mechanism in DRM and then discusses the impact of catalyst active components, supports, and interfacial structure. Finally, we propose the design direction of stable Ni-based catalysts towards DRM, providing guidance for the future development of catalysts suitable for industrial production.

BackgroundIt has been well established that glycosylation plays a pivotal role in initiation, progression, and therapy resistance of several cancers. However, the correlations between glycosylation and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have not been elucidated in detail.MethodsThe paramount genes governing glycosylation were discerned via the utilization of the Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network and correlation analysis, coupled with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis. To construct risk models exhibiting heightened predictive efficacy, cox- and lasso-regression methodologies were employed, and the veracity of these models was substantiated across both internal and external datasets. Subsequently, an exploration into the distinctions within the tumor microenvironment (TME), immunotherapy responses, and enriched pathways among disparate risk cohorts ensued. Ultimately, cell experiments were conducted to validate the consequential impact of SMS in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC).ResultsA total of 184 genes orchestrating glycosylation were delineated for subsequent scrutiny. Employing cox- and lasso-regression methodologies, we fashioned a 3-gene signature, proficient in prognosticating the outcomes for patients afflicted with HNSCC. Noteworthy observations encompassed distinctions in the Tumor Microenvironment (TME), levels of immune cell infiltration, and the presence of immune checkpoint markers among divergent risk cohorts, holding potentially consequential implications for the clinical management of HNSCC patients.ConclusionThe prognosis of HNSCC can be proficiently anticipated through risk signatures based on Glycosylation-related genes (GRGs). A thorough delineation of the GRGs signature in HNSCC holds the potential to facilitate the interpretation of HNSCC’s responsiveness to immunotherapy and provide innovative strategies for cancer treatment.

BackgroundThe concepts of “individualization” and “preventive treatment” should be incorporated into the precise diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease (CHD). Both hemodynamics and Chinese medicine constitution studies align with these two concepts.MethodsThis study utilized data from 81 patients with CHD, including 12 patients with balanced constitution (BC), 20 patients with blood stasis constitution (BSC), 17 patients with phlegm-dampness constitution (PDC), 15 patients with qi-deficiency constitution (QDC), and 17 patients with other constitutions. Clinical data provided information on the patients' blood property, heart function, degree of coronary stenosis, coronary hemodynamics, and so on. These parameters were compared between patients with balanced constitution vs. biased constitutions as well as between those with blood stasis constitution, phlegm-dampness constitution, and qi-deficiency constitution.ResultsCompared to biased constitution (BC), patients with balanced constitution exhibited lower total cholesterol (TC) levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Additionally, they had lighter stenosis degrees in the Left anterior descending branch (LAD) and Left circumflex branch (LCX) branches. The hemodynamic condition of the LAD and LCX was better for those with balanced constitution; however there was no difference in heart function. Among the groups categorized by blood stasis, phlegm dampness or qi deficiency constituions, patients classified under phlegm dampness had higher levels of LDL compared to those classified under blood stasis or qi deficiency, while patients classified under qi deficiency had higher levels of blood glucose compared to those classified under blood stasis or phlegm dampness. Hemodynamic environments also differed among the LAD and LCX for each group but there were no significant differences observed in heart function or degree of coronary stenosis among these three groups.ConclusionThe balanced constitution demonstrates superior blood property, degree of coronary artery stenosis, and coronary hemodynamics compared to the biased constitution. Furthermore, among the three constitutions with CHD, variations in blood property and certain hemodynamic parameters are observed. These findings emphasize the significant clinical value of incorporating physical factors into the diagnosis and treatment of patients with CHD.

Abstract Chronic cheilitis (CC) is a spectrum of inflammatory changes of unknown etiology that affect the vermilion of the lips. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology, clinical presentations and risk factors of CC. Patients with CC were recruited from the National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease of China. A convenience sample of inhabitants who live in the same geographical region were recruited as the control group. The lip skin transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and capacitance of CC patients were compared with that of age- and gender-matched controls. Our results demonstrated that of the 109 patients with CC, 72 (66.1%; 95% CI: 57.0–75.1%) were female. The common clinical presentations of CC consisted of desquamation (n = 99; 90.8%), and/or chapping (n = 81; 74.3%), and/or pruritus (n = 64; 58.7%). Multivariable analysis showed that allergic dermatologic diseases (P

ABSTRACT Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by nontender swelling of the orofacial tissues, the underlying cause of which remains unknown. Our previous study demonstrated that tooth apical periodontitis (AP) is involved in the development of OFG. To characterize the AP bacterial signatures of OFG patients and identify possible pathogenic bacteria that cause OFG, the compositions of the AP microbiotas in OFG patients and controls were compared using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Pure cultures of putative bacterial pathogens were established by growing bacteria as colonies followed by purification, identification, and enrichment and then were injected into animal models to determine the causative bacteria contributing to OFG. A specific AP microbiota signature in the OFG patients was shown, characterized by the predominance of phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, notably members of the genera Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, and Neisseria, were found. Streptococcus spp., Lactobacillus casei, Neisseria subflava, Veillonella parvula, and Actinomyces spp. from OFG patients were isolated and successfully cultured in vitro and then injected into mice. Ultimately, footpad injection with N. subflava elicited granulomatous inflammation. IMPORTANCE Infectious agents have long been considered to play a role in the initiation of OFG; however, a direct causal relationship between microbes and OFG has not yet been established. In this study, a unique AP microbiota signature was identified in OFG patients. Moreover, we successfully isolated candidate bacteria from AP lesions of OFG patients and assessed their pathogenicity in laboratory mice. Findings from this study may help provide in-depth insights into the role of microbes in OFG development, providing the basis for targeted therapeutic approaches for OFG.

Spectral reconstruction from RGB images has made significant progress. Previous works usually utilized the noise-free RGB images as input to reconstruct the corresponding hyperspectral images (HSIs). However, due to instrumental limitation or atmospheric interference, it is inevitable to suffer from noise (e.g., Gaussian noise) in the actual image acquisition process, which further increases the difficulty of spectral reconstruction. In this article, we propose an enhanced channel attention network (ECANet) to learn a nonlinear mapping from noisy RGB images to clean HSIs. The backbone of our proposed ECANet is stacked with multiple enhanced channel attention (ECA) blocks. The ECA block is the dual residual version of the channel attention block, which makes the network focus on key auxiliary information and features that are more conducive to spectral reconstruction. For the case that the input RGB images are disturbed by Gaussian noise, cross-layer feature fusion unit is used to concatenate the multiple feature maps at different depths for more powerful feature representations. In addition, we design a novel combined loss function as the constraint of the ECANet to achieve more accurate reconstruction result. Experimental results on two HSI benchmarks, CAVE and NTIRE 2020, demonstrate that the effectiveness of our method in terms of both visual and quantitative over other state-of-the-art methods.

The rapid development of cities in recent years has increased the operational pressure of rail vehicles, and due to the characteristics of rail vehicles, including harsh operating environment, frequent starting and braking, resulting in rails and wheels being prone to rail corrugation, polygons, flat scars and other faults. These faults are coupled in actual operation, leading to the deterioration of the wheel–rail contact relationship and causing harm to driving safety. Hence, the accurate detection of wheel–rail coupled faults will improve the safety of rail vehicles’ operation. The dynamic modeling of rail vehicles is carried out to establish the character models of wheel–rail faults including rail corrugation, polygonization and flat scars to explore the coupling relationship and characteristics under variable speed conditions and to obtain the vertical acceleration of the axle box. An APDM time–frequency analysis method is proposed in this paper based on the PDMF adopting Rényi entropy as the evaluation index and employing a WOA to optimize the parameter set. The number of iterations of the WOA adopted in this paper is decreased by 26% and 23%, respectively, compared with PSO and SSA, which means that the WOA performs at faster convergence speed and with a more accurate Rényi entropy value. Additionally, TFR obtained using APDM realizes the localization and extraction of the coupled fault characteristics under rail vehicles’ variable speed working conditions with higher energy concentration and stronger noise resistance corresponding to prominent ability of fault diagnosis. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified using simulation and experimental results that prove the engineering application value of the proposed method.

The incidence of thyroid cancer was predominant in women, indicating that the sex hormone may have a role in thyroid cancer development. Generally, the sex hormone exerts its function by binding to the correspondent nuclear receptors. Therefore, aberrant of these receptors may be involved in the development of thyroid cancer. Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ), two main estrogen receptors, have been reported to have an important role in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer. When the ERα and ERβ genes undergo the alternative RNA splicing, some ERα and ERβ isoforms with incomplete functional domains may be formed. To date, several isoforms of ERα and ERβ have been identified. However, their expression and roles in thyroid cancer are far from clear. In this review, we summarized the expressions and roles of ERα and ERβ isoforms in thyroid cancer, aiming to provide the perspective of modulating the alternative RNA splicing of ERα and ERβ against thyroid cancer.

Objective: After coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, the main causes of poor instant patency of left internal mammary arteries (LIMAs) are competitive flow and anastomotic stenosis, but how to determine the cause of LIMA non-patency without interfering with the native coronary artery is still a difficult problem to be solved urgently.Methods: In this study, a 0D-3D coupled multiscaled CABG model of anastomotic stenosis and competitive flow was constructed. After calculation, the flow waveform of the LIMA was extracted, and the waveform shape, common clinical parameters (average flow, PI, and DF), and graft flow FFT ratio results (F0/H1 and F0/H2) were analyzed.Results: For LIMA, these three common clinical parameters did not differ significantly between the anastomotic stenosis group and competitive flow group. However, the waveform shape and FFT ratio (especially F0/H2) of the competitive flow group were significantly different from those of the anastomotic stenosis group. When the cause was competitive flow, there was systolic backflow, and F0/H2 was too high (>14.89). When the cause was anastomotic stenosis, the waveform maintained a bimodal state and F0/H2 was in a normal state (about 1.17).Conclusion: When poor instant patency of the LIMA is found after CABG, the causes can be determined by graft flow waveform shape and F0/H2.

Background: Racial variation exists in the incidence of orofacial granulomatosis (OFG). The epidemiology and clinical characteristics of OFG in Asian countries are poorly described. Objective: To describe the epidemiologic and clinical features of OFG in China from data collected on chronic odontogenic infection and studied in actual practice regarding the long-term outcome of OFG patients receiving different treatments. Methods: Data on demographics, medical history, chronic odontogenic infection, and the extent of disease were collected, and long-term outcomes after the end of treatments were evaluated. Results: Of the 165 OFG patients, 118 (71.5%; 95% CI 64.6%-78.5%) had a chronic odontogenic infection. There was a variety of difference between OFG with and without chronic odontogenic infection. Approximately 98.3% (95% confidence interval 94.8%-100%) of OFG patients with chronic odontogenic infection who received dental treatment showed a marked response, of whom 31 patients (53.4%; 95% confidence interval 40.2%-66.7%) had complete remission. Limitations: Endoscopic investigations were not performed for most of the patients, and more detailed data were not collected, which might have demonstrated additional systemic problems. Conclusions: OFG with chronic odontogenic infection is the major clinical pattern of OFG in China, which may be a subtype of OFG. Dental treatment should necessarily be the preferred first-line therapy for such patients.

Abstract Rotating Magnet Ranging System (RMRS) is one of the core guiding technologies for shale gas extraction, and its magnetic measurement data will inevitably be affected by the downhole magnetic objects in the target magnetic field. The casing and drill pipe, which are apt to be magnetized by the magnetic sub, are major influencing factors of the measurement results. In order to study the influence comprehensively, a dual horizontal well RMRS drilling model is established. Based on static magnetic dipole theory, the magnetic field distribution equation of the low‐rotational magnetic sub is deduced and characterized. Firstly, the casing and drill pipe were segmented into ring, layer, and block volume elements. Then according to the dynamic magnetic dipole field distribution equation, the magnetic field strength of the magnetic source at the volume element (equivalent magnetic dipole) and the sensor was calculated, as well as the magnetic strength of independent magnetization field and superposition magnetization field of casing and drill pipe at the sensor position. Finally, the effectiveness of the numerical method results was verified by outdoor experiments, and the shielding effect of the static magnetic shielding on the external magnetic field of casing was preliminarily analyzed. The research results indicate that the magnetic sub has a strong magnetization effect on the casing and drill pipe. The magnetization field of the casing is about 2.39 times stronger than that of the drill pipe, and they will seriously affect the sensor measurement data. When the well spacing is small, the magnetization field waveform will be distorted. With the increase of the well spacing d, the waveform gradually changes sinusoidally, the fluctuation period of the magnetization field also gradually becomes twice (d > 1.5 m) that of the magnetic source, and the peak value of the magnetization field decreases exponentially. A preliminary analysis of the magnetic shielding of casing revealed that the magnetic shielding would cause great attenuation to the strength of the magnetic source. The numerical simulation proposed in this paper provides a theoretical basis for the error analysis of RMRS, which is of great significance for measurement correction and accuracy improvement.

Abstract Background Postlaryngectomy stomal recurrence can infiltrate the adjacent tissues of tracheal stoma. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no report about postlaryngectomy stomal recurrence invading the thoracic duct with intra-mass accumulation of chylous fluid. Case presentation Our patient was a 52-year-old Han man who presented with a cystic-solid mass on the left side of the tracheal stoma after total laryngectomy. A diagnosis of postlaryngectomy stomal recurrence was confirmed by fine-needle aspiration and surgical dissection of the parastomal mass. Conclusions In the case of parastomal masses in a total laryngectomized patient, the rare differential diagnosis of postlaryngectomy stomal recurrence invading the thoracic duct with intra-mass accumulation of chylous fluid should be considered a possibility.

PurposeThe inhibition of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) or the activation of ERβ can inhibit papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), but the precise mechanism is not known. We aimed to explore the role of ERα and ERβ on the production of endogenous peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) ligands in PTC.Methods2 PTC cell lines, 32 pairs of PTC tissues and matched normal thyroid tissues were used in this study. The levels of endogenous PPARγ ligands 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15(S)-HETE), 13-S-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (13(S)-HODE), and15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (PGJ2) were measured by ELISA.ResultsThe levels of PGJ2 and 15(S)-HETE were significantly reduced in PTC, but 13(S)-HODE was not changed. Activation of ERα or inhibition of ERβ significantly downregulated the production of PGJ2, 15(S)-HETE and 13(S)-HODE, whereas inhibition of ERα or activation of ERβ markedly upregulated the production of these three ligands. Application of endogenous PPARγ ligands inhibited growth, induced apoptosis of cancer cells, and promoted the efficacy of chemotherapy.ConclusionThe levels of endogenous PPARγ ligands PGJ2 and 15(S)-HETE are significantly decreased in PTC. The inhibition of ERα or activation of ERβ can inhibit PTC by stimulating the production of endogenous PPARγ ligands to induce apoptosis in cancer cells.

It aims to improve the degree of visualization of building data, ensure the ability of intelligent detection, and effectively solve the problems encountered in building data processing. Convolutional neural network and augmented reality technology are adopted, and a building visualization model based on convolutional neural network and augmented reality is proposed. The performance of the proposed algorithm is further confirmed by performance verification on public datasets. It is found that the building target detection model based on convolutional neural network and augmented reality has obvious advantages in algorithm complexity and recognition accuracy. It is 25 percent more accurate than the latest model. The model can make full use of mobile computing resources, avoid network delay and dependence, and guarantee the real-time requirement of data processing. Moreover, the model can also well realize the augmented reality navigation and interaction effect of buildings in outdoor scenes. To sum up, this study provides a research idea for the identification, data processing, and intelligent detection of urban buildings.

Underground salt caverns have become one of the potential methods for carbon dioxide (CO2) storage due to its advantages including high storage capacity and easy construction. The wellbore and salt cavern heat transfer models for the CO2 injection process was developed and solved by the state space method. This method can not only solve the partial differential equation, but can also be used as the basic model of automatic control. The results indicate that the temperature of annulus and the salt cavern are significantly influenced by the injection rate during the injection process, while the brine temperature in tubing remains almost unchanged. When the injection process stops, the temperature of annulus and the salt cavern are dominated by the formation temperature. The temperature of tubing brine mainly changes after a few hours, causing crystals to separate out from the brine, which can also explain why the tubing is blocked when the gas injection stops.

In order to solve the problem of hydrate reservoir collapse and hydrate regenerated in the process of solid fluidization of natural gas hydrate, a new method of natural gas hydrate exploit by high‐polymer additive (low viscosity carboxymethyl cellulose LV‐CMC) carbon dioxide jet was proposed. The wellbore temperature and pressure changes during this process are analyzed, and the wellbore temperature and pressure model are established and solved by the state space method. This paper also analyzed the effects of relevant parameters on hydrate decomposition, such as injection flow, temperature, and pressure. The results show that increasing the injection pressure allows the hydrate decomposition site to be closer to the annulus outlet. Compared with water, with polymer additive CO2 fluid as the drilling fluid, the intersection point of phase equilibrium curve and annular pressure curve is closer to annular outlet, which is obviously more conducive to well control. In order to avoid phase changes, the injection pressure of the carbon dioxide fluid of the high‐polymer additive should not be lower than 10 MPa, and the injection temperature should not be higher than 285 K.

The addition of a polymer to the jet medium enhances its ability to break rock, and the structure of the nozzle plays a vital role in the full utilization of energy. In this paper, a self-propelled porous jet bit with a support plate is designed, which can prevent the drill bit from jamming due to the jet nozzle against the bottom of the well during the drilling process. And the structural design of the cone-converging nozzle is applied to the forward center nozzle. The polymer additive jet flow field and the pure water jet flow field were compared by numerical simulation and experimental investigation. The results show that the polymer additive jet has a longer isokinetic core, and the rock-breaking volume of the polymer additive jet is much larger than that of the pure water jet, and the optimal spray distance is increased. The forward central jet with the conical convergent nozzle structure has more efficient rock-breaking ability.

To obtain the real-time drilling trajectory of radial horizontal jet drilling (RHJD), a magnetized nozzle localization method based on magnetic gradient tensor (MGT) is proposed. The MGT system consisting of five tri-axial magnetometers, a tri-axial accelerometer, and a tri-axial gyroscope are installed in the casing. The magnetized nozzle is made of a strong magnetic permanent magnet whose position can be obtained by measuring the MGT generated by itself at the measurement point. The simulation and experiment of the localization method are carried out, which show that the method has high accuracy. When the detection distance is 40 m, the error is only 0.07 m, which meets the requirements of engineering practice. The accuracy of the magnetometer, the baseline distance and the magnetization strength of the nozzle are the main factors affecting the localization error. This localization method can meet the requirements of positioning accuracy in practical engineering, which greatly avoids the drilling failure of RHJD and has a wide application prospect.

The solute carrier (SLC) family is a large group of membrane transport proteins. Their dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer. The most well-known SLC is the sodium-iodide symporter (NIS), also known as sodium/iodide co-transporter or solute carrier family 5 member 5 (SLC5A5) in thyroid cancer. The dysregulation of NIS in thyroid cancer is well documented. The role of NIS in the uptake of iodide is critical in the treatment of thyroid cancer, radioactive iodide (RAI) therapy in particular. In addition to NIS, other SLC members may affect the autophagy, proliferation, and apoptosis of thyroid cancer cells, indicating that an alteration in SLC members may affect different cellular events in the evolution of thyroid cancer. The expression of the SLC members may impact the uptake of chemicals by the thyroid, suggesting that targeting SLC members may be a promising therapeutic strategy in thyroid cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a food consumed worldwide, ginger is often sulfur-fumigated. Sulfur-fumigated ginger is harmful to health. However, traditional methods to detect sulfur-fumigated ginger are expensive and unpractical for the general public. In this paper, we present an efficient and convenient identification method based on image processing. First, rapid detection kits were employed to mark three levels of sulfur-fumigated gingers, and the RGB images of the gingers of each sulfur-fumigated level are collected. Second, the brightness and texture features were extracted from the images. Three machine learning methods, Support Vector Machine, Back Propagation Neural Network and Random Forest, were applied to establish prediction models. Third, the accuracy of each model was calculated and different weights were assigned for different models. Finally, models with different weights determined whether the ginger was sulfur-fumigated or non-sulfur-fumigated, and then the results were summarized to establish the final identification model. The experimental results show that the proposed method is robust. When the training set occupies 90%, the prediction accuracy is up to 100%. When the training set only occupies 10%, the accuracy remains high at 80%. Meanwhile, the proposed method is more competitive than other methods in terms of accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]