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This is an article in the field of process mineralogy. The study objects are Lijiagou and Jiajika tailings, Sichuan Province. The samples were identified by optical microscopy, artificial heavy sand research (separation, identification, etc.), optical semi-quantitative analysis, chemical analysis, MLA automatic quantitative detection of minerals, LA-ICPMS in-situ analysis of mineral trace elements, and electron microscope energy spectrum analysis, X-ray powder crystal diffraction analysis and other work. The chemical mineral composition and lithium occurrence state of the tailings were studied. The results are as follows: 1. The Li2O grade of the tailings from Lijiagou and Jiajika is 0.44%～0.64%, both of which are near the boundary grade and can be re-enriched. The content of associated valuable elements such as niobium, tantalum, beryllium and rubidium does not meet the comprehensive recycling standard. 2. In the tailings from two different areas, the main material for reconcentration and recycling is spodumene and the associated trace useful minerals are mainly trace niobite-tantalite series minerals and beryl, while rubidium mainly exists in dispersed state in lithium Muscovite and potassium feldspar. 3. The main recovery target mineral of tailings is spodumene, the theoretical grade of Li2O in concentrate products is 7.33%, and the theoretical recovery rates of Lijiagou and Jiajika card concentrate are 86.14% and 87.87%, respectively. 4. The artificial heavy sand test of tailings shows that the content, distribution rate and yield of Li2O are high in the coarse grade, but low in the fine grade.

This is an article in the field of process mineralogy. Lithium is an important rare metal, which is widely used in metallurgy, machinery, chemical industry, ceramics, glass building materials and other industries, and becomes an important part of new materials. In this study, solid waste minerals extracted from Lijiagou spodumene mine were selected for systematic process mineralogy research. It was found that the main lithium containing minerals in the solid waste minerals were spodumene, followed by lithium muscovite, a small amount of lithium mica, iron spodumene, lithium manganese phosphate, lithium tourmaline, etc. Spodumene was the main recovered minerals. The distribution size of spodumene mainly ranges from 0.04 to 0.32 mm. In the coarse grade, the dissociation degree of spodumene is relatively low, not more than 80%, and the total dissociation degree is 80.69%. The theoretical grade of Li2O in concentrate product is 7.25%, and the theoretical recovery rate of concentrate is 89.69%.

This is an article in the field of mineral processing engineering. In this article, the recovery and utilization under the condition of origin potential of galena and sphalerite from a lead-zinc tailings containing cadmium in Guangxi was studied. Research indicates S19 exhibits satisfactory recovery for galena，while CZ008 as a novel collector for zinc flotation can effectively recover activated-sphalerite. Flotation tailings may serve as a silicate excipient for cement after gravity concentration in cleaning table and desulfurization. The wastewater produced by the process can be recycled without treatment and will not affect the recovery index.

Societal Impact Statement Rice wild relatives (RWR) provide valuable genetic resources for modern rice breeding, yet knowledge gaps constrain their conservation and further utilization. To address these gaps, the potential distributions of 22 RWR taxa were modeled, and their conservation statuses were assessed. Most taxa were identified as medium priority for further conservation. Further ex‐situ collecting hotspots are in Southeast and South Asia, Northern Australia, West Africa, and tropical Americas, while habitat protection lies in Southeast and South Asia, Northern Australia, and West Africa. Climate change may shift equatorial habitats to higher latitudes and mountain habitats to higher altitudes. Summary Rice wild relatives (RWR) provide valuable genetic resources for modern rice breeding. However, knowledge gaps on their geographic distributions and conservation status constrain their conservation and further utilization. To fill these critical gaps, we modeled the potential distributions of 22 RWR taxa under current climate scenarios, assessed their conservation status, both ex situ (in genebanks or botanical gardens) and in situ (in protected areas), and examined changes in taxa richness of RWR in predicted areas under future climate scenarios. The RWR were primarily distributed in tropical Asia to tropical Australia, tropical Africa, and South and Central America. We identified 4 out of 22 taxa as high priority (HP) for further conservation action and 18 taxa as medium priority (MP). Hotspots requiring further collecting for ex situ conservation are concentrated in Southeast and South Asia, Northern Australia, West Africa, and tropical Americas. Meanwhile, habitat protection should be enhanced in Southeast and South Asia, Northern Australia, and West Africa. Under future climate change, suitable habitats near the equator are expected to shift toward higher latitudes and some in lower‐latitude basins may become unsuitable due to excessive heat, resulting in decreased taxa richness in these areas. Additionally, suitable habitats in high mountain areas may shift to higher altitudes, potentially augmenting taxa richness in the highlands. Our findings provide vital insights to guide future rescue conservation efforts for RWR.

Currently, chemicals and waste are recognized as key drivers of habitat degradation and biodiversity loss in aquatic ecosystems. To ensure vibrant habitats for aquatic species and maintain a sustainable aquatic food supply system, Japan promulgated its Environmental Quality Standards for the Conservation of Aquatic Life (EQS-CAL), based on its own aquatic life water quality criteria (ALWQC) derivation method and application mechanism. Here we overview Japan's EQS-CAL framework and highlight their best practices by examining the framework systems and related policies. Key experiences from Japan's EQS-CAL system include: (1) Classifying six types of aquatic organisms according to their adaptability to habitat status; (2) Using a risk-based chemical screening system for three groups of chemical pollutants; (3) Recommending a five-step method for determining ALWQC values based on the most sensitive life stage of the most sensitive species; (4) Applying site-specific implementation mechanisms through a series of Plan-Do-Check-Act loops. This paper offers scientific references for other jurisdictions, aiding in the development of more resilient ALWQC systems that can maintain healthy environments for aquatic life and potentially mitigate ongoing threats to human societies and global aquatic biodiversity.

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Objective To analyze the clinical manifestations and histopathological features of cutaneous Mycobacterium marinum infections in order to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical manifestations, histopathological features, treatment and outcome of 12 cases of cutaneous Mycobacterium marinum infections diagnosed at the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University from 2020 to 2023. Results The average age was 47.3 years. Seafood-induced trauma was a risk factor. Clinical presentations often included unilateral distribution of multiple chronic nodules and plaques on the upper limb, resembling sporotrichosis. Pathological findings included epidermal acanthosis, dermal non-specific inflammatory infiltration, and sometimes with tuberculosis-like granulomas. However, the positive rate of acid-fast staining was low. Nine patients received anti-infective therapy consisting of clarithromycin combined with rifampicin or moxifloxacin. The treatment regimen for other three patients was unknown. All patients experienced resolution of their skin lesions without serious adverse drug reactions, and there were no recurrences during 1-year follow-up. Conclusions Mycobacterium marinum infection should be suspected in patients, especially middle-aged and elderly individuals with a history of trauma or handling seafood, presenting with chronic nodules and plaques, along with pathological findings of tuberculosis-like granuloma or non-specific inflammatory infiltration. These patients can be treated with clarithromycin and rifampicin.

Background: Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease characterized by activation of IL-23–driven IL-17–producing T cell and other IL-23 receptor–positive IL-17–producing cell responses. Selective blockade of IL-23p19 with guselkumab was superior to blockade of TNF-α with adalimumab (ADA) in treating moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Objective: Pharmacodynamic responses of guselkumab versus ADA were compared in patients with psoriasis in VOYAGE 1. Design: Inflammatory cytokine serum levels were assessed (n = 118), and lesional and nonlesional skin biopsies were collected (n = 38) in patient subsets at baseline and 4, 24, and 48 weeks after treatment to evaluate pharmacodynamic responses of guselkumab versus those of ADA. Results: Guselkumab provided rapid reductions in serum IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-22 levels by week 4 versus at baseline, which were maintained through weeks 24 and 48 (P < .001). The magnitude of reduction of IL-17A and IL-22 at week 48 and IL-17F at weeks 4, 24, and 48 were greater with guselkumab than with ADA (all P < .05). In the skin, guselkumab reduced the expression of IL-23/IL-17 pathway–associated and psoriasis-associated genes. Conclusion: These data provide extensive characterization of pharmacodynamic anti-inflammatory responses to IL-23p19 and TNF-α inhibition in human blood and tissue over time with FDA-approved doses of guselkumab and ADA. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.govClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02207231).

IL-23 is a cytokine produced by myeloid cells that drives the T helper 17 pathway and plays an essential role in the pathophysiology of plaque psoriasis. IL-23 activation initiates a cascade of cytokines subsequently inducing the expression of many psoriasis-related proteins. This study aimed to better understand the underlying mechanisms driving the differences between IL-23 and IL-17A blockade in patients with psoriasis and their implications for durability of clinical responses. Serum and/or skin biopsies were isolated from patients treated with guselkumab or secukinumab for evaluation of potential biomarkers of pharmacodynamic response to treatment. Guselkumab treatment led to significantly greater reductions of IL-17F and IL-22 serum levels than treatment with secukinumab at weeks 24 and 48, demonstrating sustained regulation of the IL-23/T helper 17 pathway. Analyses of proteomic and transcriptomic profiles of patient sera and skin biopsies demonstrated differential regulation of proteins involved in chemokine, TNF, and relevant immune signaling pathways to a greater degree with guselkumab than with secukinumab treatment. These data provide insights into the differences between the mechanisms and impact of IL-23 and IL-17A blockade in psoriasis, with implications for efficacy observations and treatment paradigms. Trial Registration: The original study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03090100).

Xylazine is used in veterinary medicine as a sedative, analgesic, and muscle relaxant. However, in recent decades, it has frequently been detected in illicit drugs. Xylazine poisoning is characterized by depression of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems. Herein, we present a case of a 41-year-old man who not only had severe depression of the central nervous and cardiovascular systems, but also developed hyperpyrexia during the treatment of xylazine poisoning, which led to his death 3 days after poisoning. This case indicates that, in addition to its other effects, xylazine may also cause hyperthermia, which has not yet been reported in humans.

ABSTRACTFor sustainable application of chloroprene rubber (CR), a new technology is developed by the vulcanization of CR using 2,2’-dithiodipyridine (DPD) as a cross-linking agent with the reprocessing performance owing to disulfide metathesis. When DPD was incorporated into CR vulcanization, the Menschutkin reaction between allyl chloride group and pyridine group occurred with a maximum exothermic peak at 184°C. The number of effective cross-linking bond at 0.5 phr DPD vulcanizate was higher than that at high DPD content. This vulcanizate showed high tensile strength (11.12 MPa) and elongation at break (1253 ± 120%) owing to the exchangeable disulfide bond in the system. Under the catalysis of triphenylphosphine, the metathesis of disulfide compound was improved obviously, which endowed CR/DPD vulcanizates with good recyclability performance. Disulfide cross-linkage maintains its stability at low temperature, thus ensuring the mechanical stability of CR/DPD vulcanizate under the ambient conditions. Vulcanization and reprocessing of CR/DPD vulcanizate can be conducted with common industrial rubber processing equipment. Such reprocessable chloroprene rubber could have potential application in CR industry, also serve to significantly improve environmental sustainability.

Abstract. Background:. Red-cell transfusion is critical for surgery during the peri-operative period; however, the transfusion threshold remains controversial mainly owing to the diversity among patients. The patient's medical status should be evaluated before making a transfusion decision. Herein, we developed an individualized transfusion strategy using the West-China-Liu's Score based on the physiology of oxygen delivery/consumption balance and designed an open-label, multicenter, randomized clinical trial to verify whether it reduced red cell requirement as compared with that associated with restrictive and liberal strategies safely and effectively, providing valid evidence for peri-operative transfusion. Methods:. Patients aged >14 years undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery with estimated blood loss > 1000 mL or 20% blood volume and hemoglobin concentration

Abstract Background It is reported that treatment of palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) with guselkumab has greater improvement in clinical responses in terms of palmoplantar pustulosis area severity index (PPPASI) score. Here, we present the effect of guselkumab (100 and 200 mg) on PPP‐related serum proteins and their association with clinical responses. Objectives To analyze the effects of guselkumab treatment on PPP‐related circulating serum proteins up to Week 72 and evaluate their association with clinical responses. Methods Serum cytokines (interleukin [IL]‐17A, IL‐17F, IL‐22, tumour necrosis factor‐alpha, interferon‐gamma) and 184 inflammation/immune activation‐related serum proteins were evaluated. Baseline cytokine levels for patients with PPP were compared with healthy controls (HCs) to detect differentially expressed serum proteins using Welch's t‐test. Correlation with individual PPPASI scores was assessed to explore associations with disease severity. Guselkumab treatment‐associated pharmacodynamic (PD) effects were evaluated as fold changes in cytokine levels compared with baseline. Results Baseline serum IL‐17A, IL‐17F and IL‐22 levels were elevated in PPP patients (n = 159) compared with HCs (n = 25) and were significantly correlated with baseline PPPASI disease scores. Serum cytokines were reduced following guselkumab treatment, with maximal reduction at Week 72 for both doses (all p

BACKGROUND: The traditional treatment for aortic dissections (ADs) is a proximal repair of AD, but the long-term prognosis of residual distal dissection is unsatisfactory. The distal aortic intimal tear of distal aortic segmental enlargement (DASE) is evaluated via its size, with risk assessment, and assessed its risk, which will provide clinicians with diagnosis and treatment direction. METHODS: We analyzed 419 ADs patients who underwent radiographic examination of the aorta between September 1999 and May 2014. We recorded the area of the aortic intimal tear and divided it into two groups (75 patients in DASE group and 344 patients in non-DASE group). Logistics regression analysis or natural logarithm transformation was used to explore the potential risk of remaining distal tears to DASE, while the Logistic multiple regress equations were used to find out the independent risk factors. RESULTS: The postoperative large tear was defined as short diameter ≥5.0 mm. The independent risk factors of DASE are as follows: Short diameter of postoperative tears (odds ratios [ORs], 1.10;95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.19; P < 0.0120); short diameter of the first tear after operation (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.00–1.26; P < 0.0580) and the existence of large tears (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.01–1.26; P < 0.0298). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the size of the remaining tears and the existence of large tears are the key risk factors for patients with DASE. Patients with large remaining tears should be supervised regularly and treated timely.

Steep aortic arch (such as Type III arch) and small angle between the chimney artery and aortic arch are two anatomic conditions suitable for chimney grafts (CGs). The more the number of chimneys, the higher the incidence of endoleak and branch occlusion; thus, the triple-chimney technique should be avoided unless the lesion involves zone 0 and no other better option is available, or a pending rupture is present and requires emergent repair. For the oversize of multiple chimneys, we suggest that the aortic stent and chimney stent should be increased by 5%, respectively, on the basis of single chimney. Moreover, the direction of the chimney stent is decided by the relative position of the proximal tear in patients with dissection. When the tear is located in the anterior segment, the chimney graft should be deployed behind the aortic stent graft, close to the posterior wall of the thoracic aorta, and in front of the aortic stent grafts when the tear is located in the posterior segment. In conclusion, if the endoleak is small and the patient's condition is stable with no obvious discomfort, for most of the patients, the endoleak will disappear spontaneously in the follow-up. If the endoleak is large, microcoil could be implanted through the narrow and long gap to block the endoleak under the guidance of ultrasound. CGs technique needs to be scrutinized continuously as new data emerge. Special configurations of aortic and chimney endograft need to be developed to better treat aortic pathologies involving supra-arch branches.

IntroductionCarbon-neutral enterprise environmental performance assessment is an important method for evaluating the impact and benefits of enterprises on the environment during the process of achieving carbon neutrality. This paper proposes a method for evaluating the environmental performance of carbon-neutral enterprises using the Transformer-GRU model.MethodsThe proposed method combines the Transformer and GRU models to accurately predict and analyze the environmental performance of carbon-neutral enterprises. The Transformer model is used to extract features, and the GRU model is used for sequence modeling, which improves the model's prediction accuracy and generalization ability. The method is validated using actual enterprise data for experimental verification.ResultsThe experiments show that the proposed method has significant practical significance in evaluating the environmental performance of carbon-neutral enterprises. The method accurately predicts and analyzes the enterprise's carbon emissions, energy consumption, wastewater and gas discharge, and solid waste treatment.DiscussionThe proposed method provides a new approach for evaluating the environmental performance of carbon-neutral enterprises. The combination of the Transformer and GRU models can effectively improve the accuracy and generalization ability of the model. The method can be used to help enterprises evaluate their environmental performance and make decisions to achieve carbon neutrality.

Abstract Background Sleep deprivation (SD) often leads to complex detrimental consequences, though the mechanisms underlying these dysfunctional effects remain largely unknown. We investigated whether the right stellate ganglion block in rats can improve the spatial learning and memory dysfunction induced by sleep deprivation by alleviating the damage of hippocampus in rats. Methods Sixty four male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control, SD (sleep deprivation), SGB (stellate ganglion block) and SGB + SD (stellate ganglion block+ sleep deprivation) (n = 16). The SGB and SD + SGB groups were subjected to right stellate ganglion block through posterior approach method once per day. SD and SD + SGB groups were treated with modified multi-platform water environment method for 96 h sleep deprivation in rats and their body weights were analyzed. Histopathological changes of hippocampal neurons in rats and the expression of Caspase-3 in hippocampus of rats was detected by western blotting. ELISA was used to detect the content of IL-6, IL-1 in hippocampus and serum melatonin levels. Results Compared with the group SD, the spatial learning and memory function of the group SD + SGB was improved, the weight loss was alleviated, the pathological damage of the hippocampus was reduced and the expression of IL-6, IL-1β and Caspase-3 in the hippocampus was decreased. The content of rat serum melatonin was also increased. Conclusions The right stellate ganglion block can improve the spatial learning and memory dysfunction of rats with sleep deprivation, and the underlying mechanism may be related to alleviating the apoptosis and inflammation of hippocampus of rats with sleep deprivation.

Females have higher inflammatory tolerance because they have some special sex-related anti-inflammatory pathways. Andrographolide, a diterpene lactone compound from Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees, has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. But whether andrographolide regulates sex-related anti-inflammatory pathways in females has yet to be reported. A non-targeted metabonomics method was employed to investigate the metabolic pathways of andrographolide in LPS-induced inflammatory female rats. Substances and genes were then selected out of gender-related pathways discovered by metabonomics experiments and their quantities or expressions were evaluated. Furthermore, the effects of andrographolide on these chemicals or genes in non-inflammatory female rats were also examined in order to investigate the cascade interaction between anti-inflammatory mechanisms and metabolites. The biomarkers of 24 metabolites in plasma were identified. Following pathway enrichment analysis, these metabolic markers were clustered into glycerophosphate, glycerolipids, inositol phosphate and steroid hormone synthesis pathways. Validation experiments confirmed that andrographolide lowered post-inflammatory female sex hormones such as progesterone, estradiol, corticosterone, and testosterone rather than increasing them. Andrographolide may have these effects via inhibiting the overexpression of CYP11a1 and StAR. However, andrographolide had no effect on the expression of these two genes or the four types of hormones in non-inflamed female rats. Similarly, andrographolide decreased TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β production in inflammatory rats but showed no effect on these inflammatory markers in non-inflammatory rats. LPS and other inflammatory cytokines promote hormone production, which in turn will prevent increased inflammation. Therefore, it may be hypothesized that andrographolide’s reduction of inflammatory cytokine is what generates its inhibitory action on sex hormones during inflammation. By blocking the activation of inflammatory pathways, andrographolide prevented the stimulation of inflammatory factors on the production of sex hormones. It does not, however, directly inhibit or enhance the synthesis of sex hormones.

Objective This study aimed to retrospectively analyse the influence of epidural labour analgesia (ELA) on delivery and maternal and neonatal outcomes in nulliparous women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using propensity score-matched analysis.Design Retrospective cohort analysis.Setting Primary care practices in a teaching hospital from March 2018 to October 2021.Participants A total of 816 delivery records of nulliparous women with GDM were collected and retrospectively analysed.Interventions ELA and non-ELA (NELA) cohorts were assessed.Main outcome measure The primary outcome assessed was delivery type (spontaneous, assisted vaginal or caesarean). The secondary outcomes assessed included labour duration and maternal and neonatal outcomes.Results A total of 137 propensity score-matched pairs of ELA and NELA patients were analysed. ELA was associated with a decreased rate of caesarean section (18.3% vs 46.0% in the ELA vs NELA cohort, respectively; p

Objectives: Understanding the nature of Mycobacterium leprae transmission is vital to implement better control strategies for leprosy elimination. The present study expands the knowledge of county-level strain diversity, distribution, and transmission patterns of leprosy in endemic provinces of China. Methods: We genetically characterized 290 clinical isolates of M. leprae from four endemic provinces using variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Attained genetic profiles and cluster consequences were contrasted with geographical and migration features of leprosy at county levels. Results: Considering the allelic variability of 17 VNTR loci by the discriminatory index, (GTA)9, (AT)17, (AT)15, (TA)18, (TTC)21, and (TA)10 are reported to be more highly polymorphic than other loci. The VNTR profile generated the low-density clustering pattern in the counties of Sichuan and Yunnan, whereas clusters have been observed from the isolates from Huayuan (N = 6), Yongding (N = 3), Zixing (N = 3), Chenxi (N = 2) and Zhongfang (N = 2) counties of Hunan, and Zhijin (N = 3), Anlong (N = 2), Zhenning (N = 2), and Xixiu (N = 2) counties of Guizhou. In some clusters, people’s social relations have been observed between villages. From the 290 clinical isolates, the most predominantly reported SNP was 3K (278, 95.8%), followed by SNP 1D (10, 3.4%), which are typically observed to be predominant in China. We also detected the novel SNP 3J (2, 0.8%), which has not yet been reported in China. Conclusion: The clustering pattern of M. leprae indicates the transmission of leprosy still persists at county levels, suggesting that there is a need to implement better approaches for tracing the close contacts of leprosy patients.

Abstract Background The accumulation of astrocytes around senile plaques is one of the pathological characteristics in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Serum amyloid A (SAA), known as a major acute-phase protein, colocalizes with senile plaques in AD patients. Here, we demonstrate the role of SAA in astrocyte migration. Methods The effects of SAA on astrocyte activation and accumulation around amyloid β (Aβ) deposits were detected in APP/PS1 transgenic mice mated with Saa3 −/− mice. SAA expression, astrocyte activation, and colocalization with Aβ deposits were evaluated in mice using immunofluorescence staining and/or Western blotting. The migration of primary cultures of mouse astrocytes and human glioma U251 cells was examined using Boyden chamber assay and scratch-would assay. The actin and microtubule networks, protrusion formation, and Golgi apparatus location in astrocytes were determined using scratch-would assay and immunofluorescence staining. Results Saa3 expression was significantly induced in aged APP/PS1 transgenic mouse brain. Saa3 deficiency exacerbated astrocyte activation and increased the number of astrocytes around Aβ deposits in APP/PS1 mice. In vitro studies demonstrated that SAA inhibited the migration of primary cultures of astrocytes and U251 cells. Mechanistic studies showed that SAA inhibited astrocyte polarization and protrusion formation via disrupting actin and microtubule reorganization and Golgi reorientation. Inhibition of the p38 MAPK pathway abolished the suppression of SAA on astrocyte migration and polarization. Conclusions These results suggest that increased SAA in the brain of APP/PS1 mice inhibits the migration of astrocytes to amyloid plaques by activating the p38 MAPK pathway.

IntroductionAF4/FMR2 family member 4 (AFF4) is a core component of super elongation complex (SEC) and regulates the transcription elongation of many genes. AFF4 depletion or amplification is associated with multiple cancers, but its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been investigated so far.MethodsqRT-PCR and Western blot analyzed AFF4 expression in the paired clinical CRC tissues. The patients’ overall survival curve was determined using the Kaplan-Meier plotter. In vitro experiments, such as cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, were used to preliminarily ascertain the role of AFF4 in CRC. A CRC cell liver metastasis animal model was well established. Livers were harvested and examined histologically by a series of indicators, such as tumor nodules, liver weight, ALT/AST activity, and tumor cell identification by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining.ResultsWe firstly examined the expression of AFF4 in colorectal cancer and normal tissues by collecting paired CRC tissues and adjacent normal tissues, revealing that AFF4 was significantly downregulated in CRC patients and lower expression of AFF4 was correlated with poor prognosis. Next, we observed that presence or absence of AFF4 in CRC cells had no effect on cancer cell proliferation, while AFF4 depletion significantly promoted the migration or invasion of CRC cells in vitro. Furthermore, we confirmed that AFF4 deficiency enhanced the metastatic capacity of CRC cells in vivo. Mechanistically, we found that AFF4 upregulated the transcription of CDH1 gene, which encodes E-cadherin and suppresses the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Knockdown of AFF4 interfered with CDH1 transcription, resulting in downregulation of E-cadherin expression and the progression of CRC. Moreover, restored CDH1 expression could rescue the phenotype of CRC cells without AFF4.ConclusionsCollectively, our data demonstrated that AFF4 served as a significant novel regulator of CRC via CDH1 transcriptional regulation and a potential effective therapy target for patients with CRC.

Objectives: Distal segment aortic enlargement (DSAE) is a common complication that influences the long-term prognosis of type B aortic dissection (TBAD) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). In this study, a multivariate analysis was performed to find potential factors predictive of DSAE. Methods: A single-center retrospective study was performed from 1999 to 2016. Included in the study were complicated TBAD patients who underwent TEVAR with uncovered residual tears. Based on the diameter of the distal segment of the uncovered aorta, we assigned patients to an enlargement group and a non-enlargement group. Data extracted from the medical records included demographic and clinical characteristics and follow-up computed tomography angiography data. The primary endpoints were the all-cause mortality and the presumably aortic-related events that required reintervention during the follow-up period. Results: For the 333 patients, all-cause mortality was 38 (11.41%), and 76 (22.82%) patients underwent reintervention. A total of 70 (21.02%) patients experienced DSAE, among them were 2 patients who died of aortic rupture and 58 patients who accepted reintervention. Multivariate analysis reviewed independent risk factors of postoperative DSAE, including current smoking, the residual length of the patent false lumen, the postoperative number of dissection tears in the thoracic aorta and type III aortic arch; as well as protective factors, including the application of a restrictive bare stent (RBS), the length of covered stent in the descending thoracic aorta, and the distance from the residual first tear to the left subclavian artery (LSA). Conclusion: DSAE after TEVAR for patients with a complicated TBAD can be influenced by their current smoking habit, the residual length of patent false lumen, the postoperative number of dissection tears in the thoracic aorta and the aortic arch type. Meanwhile, RBS usage, the length of the covered stent in the descending thoracic aorta and the distance from the residual first tear to the LSA could have positive effect on the prognosis. Keywords: Type B aortic dissection, Thoracic endovascular aortic repair, Distal segment aortic enlargement, Risk factor

Objective To develop and internally validate a prediction model for 6-year risk of stroke and its primary subtypes in middle-aged and elderly Chinese population.Design This is a retrospective cohort study from a prospectively collected database.Participants We included a total 3124 adults aged 45–80 years, free of stroke or myocardial infarction at baseline in the 2009–2015 cohort of China Health and Nutrition Survey.Primary and secondary outcome measures The outcome of the prediction model was stroke. Investigated predictors were: age, gender, body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), hypertension (HBP), drinking status, smoking status, diabetes and site. Stepwise multiple Cox regression was applied to identify independent predictors. A nomogram was constructed to predict 6-year risk of stroke based on the multiple analysis results. Bootstraps with 1000 resamples were applied to both C-index and calibration curve.Result The overall incidence of overall stroke was 2.98%. Age, gender, HBP and TC were found as significant risk predictors for overall stroke; age, gender, HBP and LDL-C were found as significant risk predictors for ischaemic stroke; age, gender, HBP, BMI and HDL-C were found as significant risk predictors for haemorrhagic stroke. The nomogram was constructed using significant variables included in the model, with a C-index of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.72 to 0.76), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.71 to 0.77), and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.78 to 0.84) for overall stroke, ischaemic stroke, and haemorrhagic stroke model, respectively. The calibration curves demonstrated the good agreements between predicted and observed 6-year risk probability.Conclusion Our nomogram could be convenient, easy to use and effective prognoses for predicting 6-year risk of stroke in middle-aged and elderly Chinese population.

The millimeter-wave phased array antenna is a higher integration system that is composed of different subarray modules, and in actual engineering, the existing amplitude, phase errors, and structural errors will change the performance of the array antenna. This paper studies the influence of the random amplitude and phase errors of the antenna array in the actual assembly process and the actual position errors between the subarrays on the electrical performance of the antenna. Based on the planar rectangular antenna array-electromagnetic coupling model, we propose a method of verifying the effect of random errors on the phased array antenna. The simulation result shows that the method could obtain the critical value of the error generated by the antenna subarray during processing and assembly. To reduce the error factor, it is necessary to ensure that the random phase and amplitude error should not exceed 10°,0.5 dB. The error in the X-direction during assembly should be ≤0.05λ, and the error in the Y-direction should be ≤0.1λ. When symmetrical deformation occurs, the maximum deformation should be less than 0.05λ.

ABSTRACTReports on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Mycobacterium leprae, relationship with bacteriological index (BI), and transmission in China are limited. We investigated the emergence of AMR mutations, the relationship between BI and AMR in complete, moderate and lack of BI decline cases, and molecular epidemiological features of AMR cases by enrolling 290 leprosy cases from four endemic provinces. Seven (2.41%), one (0.34%), five (1.72%), one (0.34%), and one (0.34%) strains had single mutations in folP1, rpoC, gyrA, gyrB, and 23S rRNA, respectively. Double mutations in folP1 and gyrA, rpoB and gyrA, and gyrA and 23S rRNA were observed in one (0.34%) strain each. Mutated strains occurred in three out of 81 (95% CI−0.005-0.079, p = 0.083) cases with complete BI decline, in seven out of 103 (95% CI 0.018-0.117, p = 0.008) cases with moderate BI decline, and in four out of 34 (95% CI 0.003-0.231, p = 0.044) cases with lack of BI decline. Most of these mutated strains were geographically separated and diverged genotypically. AMR mutations may not be the main cause of the lack of BI decline. The low transmission of AMR strains at the county level indicates an ongoing transmission at close contact levels.

We describe a case of facial skin infection and sinusitis caused by Mycobacterium marseillense in an immunocompetent woman in China in 2018. The infection was cleared with clarithromycin, moxifloxacin, and amikacin. Antimicrobial drug treatments could not be predicted by genetic analyses; further genetic characterization would be required to do so.

Keel bone damage negatively affects the welfare, production performance, egg quality, and mobility of laying hens. This study aimed to investigate whether abnormal bone metabolism causes keel bone damage in laying hens. Eighty Hy-line Brown laying hens were housed in eight furnished cages with 10 birds per cage and studied from 18 to 29 weeks of age (WOA). Accordingly, keel bone status was assessed at 18, 22, 25, and 29 WOA using the X-ray method, and the serum samples of laying hens with normal keel (NK), deviated keel (DK), and fractured keel (FK) that occurred at 29 WOA were collected across all the time-points. Subsequently, the serum samples were used to measure markers related to the metabolism of Ca and P and activities of osteoblast and osteoclast. The results showed that FK laying hens had lighter bodyweight than NK and DK birds throughout the trial (p < 0.05), while the keel bone length and weight were not different in NK, DK, and FK hens at 29 WOA (p > 0.05). Moreover, bone hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining indicated that damaged keel bone had evident pathological changes. In the FK hens, serum P level was reduced but serum 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD3) levels were elevated compared to NK hens (p < 0.05). Additionally, DK hens had higher levels of serum 1,25-(OH)2D3, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin (CT), and lower level of serum 25-OHD3 than the NK birds (p < 0.05). Furthermore, serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OC), osteoprotegerin (OPG), TRAP, and corticosterone (CORT) levels were elevated in DK and FK hens compared to NK hens (p < 0.05). The levels of serum Ca, P, PTH, ALP, TRAP, OPG, OC, and CORT in laying hens fluctuated with the age of the birds. Generally, the results of this study indicate that keel bone damage, especially fractures, could be associated with abnormal bone metabolism in laying hens.

Mycobacterium gordonae is often regarded as a weak pathogen that only occasionally causes overt disease. We report a case of M. gordonae infection in the facial skin, nasal mucosa, and paranasal sinus in an immunocompetent patient and review previous cases. The T-SPOT.TB test might be useful in diagnosing such cases.

Cascading similar frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) improves the roll-off rate and frequency selectivity of THz bandpass filters. However, resonant coupling between FSS layers causes anomalous transmission peaks. In this work, we have employed an equivalent circuit model to analyze a double-layer FSS structure with periodic cross apertures at different interlayer spacing. We found that the anomalous peaks can be attributed to the resonant coupling between the upper and lower layer FSSs, and their periodic appearance with changing interlayer spacing is related to the half-wavelength repeatability of the circuit. We have fabricated a double-layer FSS sample using femtosecond laser micromachining and measured it using time-domain THz spectroscopy. The results using the equivalent circuit model agree with the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) and experimental results.

BACKGROUND & AIMS:Originally believed to be primarily a disorder of T-cell signaling, evidence shows that macrophage-lineage cells also contribute to the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD). Colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) is a key regulator of the macrophage lineage, but its role in CD has not been well established. We examined transcriptional data from CD mucosa for evidence of CSF-1 pathway activation and tested JNJ-40346527 (PRV-6527), a small molecule inhibitor of CSF-1 receptor kinase (CSF-1R), for its ability to inhibit disease indices in murine colitis. METHODS:A CSF-1 pathway gene set was created from microarray data of human whole blood cultured ex vivo with CSF-1 and compared to a TNFα-induced gene set generated from epithelial-lineage cells. Gene set variation analysis was performed using existing Crohn's mucosa microarray data comparing patients who either responded or failed to respond to anti-TNFα therapy. Commencing day 14 or day 21, mice with T-cell transfer colitis were treated with vehicle or JNJ-40346527 until study termination (day 42). Endpoints included colon weight/length ratios and histopathology scores, and macrophage and T cells were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Mucosal gene expression was investigated using RNAseq. RESULTS:Both the CSF-1 and the TNFα gene sets were enriched in the colonic mucosal transcriptomes of Crohn's disease and in mouse colitis, and expression of both gene sets was highest in patients who did not respond to anti-TNFα therapy. In these patients neither set was reduced by therapy. In the mouse model, JNJ-40346527 inhibited the increase in colon weight/length ratio by ∼50%, reduced histological disease scores by ∼60%, and reduced F4/80+ mononuclear cell and CD3+ lymphocyte numbers. RNAseq analysis confirmed the CSF-1 gene set was sharply reduced in treated mice, as were gene sets enriched in "M1" inflammatory and "M0" resident macrophages and in activated T cells. CONCLUSIONS:CSF-1 biology is activated in Crohn's disease and in murine T cell transfer colitis. Inhibition of CSF-1R by JNJ-40346527 was associated with attenuated clinical disease scores and reduced inflammatory gene expression in mice. These data provide rationale for testing JNJ-40346527 (PRV-6527) in human inflammatory bowel disease.

BackgroundRetrograde type A aortic dissection (RTAD) is a potentially lethal complication after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). However, data are limited regarding the development of RTAD post‐TEVAR. This systematic review aims to define the incidence, mortality, and potential risk factors of RTAD post‐TEVAR. Methods and ResultsMultiple electronic searches were performed. Fifty publications with a total of 8969 patients were analyzed. Pooled estimates for incidence and mortality of RTAD were 2.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0–3.1) and 37.1% (95% CI, 23.7–51.6), respectively. Metaregression analysis evidenced that RTAD rate was associated with hypertension (P=0.043), history of vascular surgery (P=0.042), and American Surgical Association (P=0.044). The relative risk of RTAD was 1.81 (95% CI, 1.04–3.14) for acute dissection (relative to chronic dissection) and 5.33 (95% CI, 2.70–10.51) for aortic dissection (relative to a degenerative aneurysm). Incidence of RTAD was significantly different in patients with proximal bare stent and nonbare stent endografts (relative risk [RR]=2.06; 95% CI, 1.22–3.50). RTAD occurrence rate in zone 0 was higher than other landing zones. ConclusionsThe pooled RTAD rate after TEVAR was calculated at 2.5% with a high mortality rate (37.1%). Incidence of RTAD is significantly more frequent in patients treated for dissection than those with an aneurysm (especially for acute dissection), and when the proximal bare stent was used. Rate of RTAD after TEVAR varied significantly according to the proximal Ishimaru landing zone. The more‐experienced centers tend to have lower RTAD incidences.

A major function of central nervous systems is to discriminate different categories or types of sensory input. Neuronal networks accomplish such tasks by learning different sensory maps at several stages of neural hierarchy, such that different neurons fire selectively to reflect different internal or external patterns and states. The exact mechanisms of such map formation processes in the brain are not completely understood. Here we study the mechanism by which a simple recurrent/reentrant neuronal network accomplish group selection and discrimination to different inputs in order to generate sensory maps. We describe the conditions and mechanism of transition from a rhythmic epileptic state (in which all neurons fire synchronized and indiscriminately to any input) to a winner-take-all state in which only a subset of neurons fire for a specific input. We prove an analytic condition under which a stable bump solution and a winner-take-all state can emerge from the local recurrent excitation-inhibition interactions in a three-layer spiking network with distinct excitatory and inhibitory populations, and demonstrate the importance of surround inhibitory connection topology on the stability of dynamic patterns in spiking neural network.

Ideal fluid management during surgery still poses a clinical dilemma gauging the benefits and adverse effects. This randomized controlled trial compared the tissue perfusion and coagulation profiles under clinically equivalent hydroxyethyl starch (HES 130/0.4) and lactated Ringer's solution (LR). Methods: Eighty-four patients undergoing major abdominal surgery were randomized to receive either HES or LR. Tissue perfusion parameters using heart rate, arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure, cardiac index, stroke volume index, and central venous oxygen saturation were measured at T0 (baseline), T1 (start of surgery), T2 (1 hour after start of surgery), and T3 (end of surgery). Coagulation parameters using thrombelastography (TEG) were measured at T0 (baseline), T4 (after 15 mL/kg fluid transfused), and T5 (24 hours after baseline). Results: The total amount of fluid administrated was 1547.9 ± 424.0 mL in HES group and 2303.1 ± 1033.7 mL in LR group (p

Inadvertent intraoperative hypothermia (core temperature 2 h) (OR = 2.60, 95% CI 2.09-3.24).The incidence of intraoperative hypothermia in China is high, and the rate of active warming of patients during operation is low. Hypothermia is associated with more postoperative shivering, increased ICU admissions, and longer postoperative hospital days.

Mental imagery occurs "when a representation of the type created during the initial phases of perception is present but the stimulus is not actually being perceived." How does the capability to perform mental imagery arise? Extending the idea that imagery arises from learned associations, we propose that mental rotation, a specific form of imagery, could arise through the mechanism of sequence learning-that is, by learning to regenerate the sequence of mental images perceived while passively observing a rotating object. To demonstrate the feasibility of this proposal, we constructed a simulated nervous system and embedded it within a behaving humanoid robot. By observing a rotating object, the system learns the sequence of neural activity patterns generated by the visual system in response to the object. After learning, it can internally regenerate a similar sequence of neural activations upon briefly viewing the static object. This system learns to perform a mental rotation task in which the subject must determine whether two objects are identical despite differences in orientation. As with human subjects, the time taken to respond is proportional to the angular difference between the two stimuli. Moreover, as reported in humans, the system fills in intermediate angles during the task, and this putative mental rotation activates the same pathways that are activated when the system views physical rotation. This work supports the proposal that mental rotation arises through sequence learning and the idea that mental imagery aids perception through learned associations, and suggests testable predictions for biological experiments.

The aim was to verify that dexmedetomidine (DEX) can attenuate CLP-induced intestinal injury via inhibition of inflammation. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly allocated into Sham group and the other three CLP model groups, in terms of different treatments: placebo, DEX, and yohimbine plus DEX (DEX + YOH) groups. Pathology examination was conducted with HE stain. To identify differences among groups, the levels of DAO, and D-lactate in serum were measured by spectrophotometry, and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in serum and organ were measured by ELISA. The expressions of occludin and TLR4 in tissue were detected by Western blot. The survival rate of an additional group of animals within 7 d was recorded. In DEX group, mortality was lower, histology change was minor, DAO, and D-lactate levels were reduced, and occludin expression was increased; the expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and TLR4 were also decreased in DEX group. These results indicated that acute intestinal injury induced by CLP was mitigated by DEX treatment. However, these effects of DEX were significantly attenuated by yohimbine in DEX + YOH group. Our study indicated the protective effects of DEX on CLP-induced injury, which may be associated with the inhibition of inflammation via modulating TLR4 pathway and can be blocked by yohimbine.

Gene expression data generated systematically in a given system over multiple time points provides a source of perturbation that can be leveraged to infer causal relationships among genes explaining network changes. Previously, we showed that food intake has a large impact on blood gene expression patterns and that these responses, either in terms of gene expression level or gene-gene connectivity, are strongly associated with metabolic diseases. In this study, we explored which genes drive the changes of gene expression patterns in response to time and food intake. We applied the Granger causality test and the dynamic Bayesian network to gene expression data generated from blood samples collected at multiple time points during the course of a day. The simulation result shows that combining many short time series together is as powerful to infer Granger causality as using a single long time series. Using the Granger causality test, we identified genes that were supported as the most likely causal candidates for the coordinated temporal changes in the network. These results show that PER1 is a key regulator of the blood transcriptional network, in which multiple biological processes are under circadian rhythm regulation. The fasted and fed dynamic Bayesian networks showed that over 72% of dynamic connections are self links. Finally, we show that different processes such as inflammation and lipid metabolism, which are disconnected in the static network, become dynamically linked in response to food intake, which would suggest that increasing nutritional load leads to coordinate regulation of these biological processes. In conclusion, our results suggest that food intake has a profound impact on the dynamic co-regulation of multiple biological processes, such as metabolism, immune response, apoptosis and circadian rhythm. The results could have broader implications for the design of studies of disease association and drug response in clinical trials.