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Within the islets of Langerhans, beta cells orchestrate synchronized insulin secretion, a pivotal aspect of metabolic homeostasis. Despite the inherent heterogeneity and multimodal activity of individual cells, intercellular coupling acts as a homogenizing force, enabling coordinated responses through the propagation of intercellular waves. Disruptions in this coordination are implicated in irregular insulin secretion, a hallmark of diabetes. Recently, innovative approaches, such as integrating multicellular calcium imaging with network analysis, have emerged for a quantitative assessment of the cellular activity in islets. However, different groups use distinct experimental preparations, microscopic techniques, apply different methods to process the measured signals and use various methods to derive functional connectivity patterns. This makes comparisons between findings and their integration into a bigger picture difficult and has led to disputes in functional connectivity interpretations. To address these issues, we present here a systematic analysis of how different approaches influence the network representation of islet activity. Our findings show that the choice of methods used to construct networks is not crucial, although care is needed when combining data from different islets. Conversely, the conclusions drawn from network analysis can be heavily affected by the pre-processing of the time series, the type of the oscillatory component in the signals, and by the experimental preparation. Our tutorial-like investigation aims to resolve interpretational issues, reconcile conflicting views, advance functional implications, and encourage researchers to adopt connectivity analysis. As we conclude, we outline challenges for future research, emphasizing the broader applicability of our conclusions to other tissues exhibiting complex multicellular dynamics. Author summary: Islets of Langerhans, multicellular microorgans in the pancreas, are pivotal for whole-body energy homeostasis. Hundreds of beta cells within these networks synchronize to produce insulin, a crucial hormone for metabolic control. Coordinated activity disruptions in these multicellular networks contribute to irregular insulin secretion, a hallmark of diabetes. Recognizing the significance of collective activity, network science approaches have been increasingly applied in islet research. However, variations in experimental setups, imaging techniques, signal processing, and connectivity analysis methods across different research groups pose challenges for integrating findings into a comprehensive picture. Therefore, we present here a systematic analysis of various approaches impacting results in islet activity network representation. We find that methods for constructing functional connectivity maps aren't critical, but caution is necessary when aggregating data from different islets. Network analysis conclusions are notably influenced by factors such as time series pre-processing, the oscillatory component of signals, and experimental preparation. Despite these challenges, this paper advocates for the adoption of connectivity analysis in future islet research, emphasizing that the insights gained extend beyond pancreatic islets to provide valuable contributions for understanding connectivity in other multicellular systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppression of vortex–airfoil interaction noise from a rod-airfoil model by virtual serrations and surface morphing formed by the leading-edge (LE) blowing was investigated experimentally in an anechoic wind tunnel. The control efficiency of the virtual serrations and surface morphing was evaluated and analyzed by setting different air flow rates (Q), deflection angles (α), and orifice number (M). Noise measurements by far-field microphones show that both can effectively reduce the peak tonal noise generated by the vortex–airfoil interaction, with the control efficiency increasing with the increment of flow rate Q. As for the LE serration, the noise reduction increases with the virtual serration amplitude ratio Av (=Ub/U∞, Ub: blowing velocity; U∞: wind speed), but decreases slightly with the deflection angle α. A reduction of 12–14 dB is obtained when Av = 3.7 and α = 0° or 10°, and there exists a critical amplitude of Av = 1.5, under which no noise reduction is achieved. Compared to the serration at the same flow condition, the virtual surface morphing has much lower control efficiency, with a maximum noise reduction of 3–5 dB. The flow visualization by the particle image velocimetry technique reveals that both build buffer zones in the front of the airfoil LE, preventing the vortices from directly impinging upon the solid LE, thus reducing the intensity of vortex–airfoil interaction. In particular, the virtual serration breaks up the large-scale vortex structure into small-scale vortices, manifesting its high noise control efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperatures in a gas turbine may lead to severe blade rubbing failure for the bladed thin drum rotor. It is essential to demonstrate such rubbing features. This paper established a bladed drum rotor model with blade rubbing induced by high temperatures. The analytical function of a coupled axial-radial temperature in the drum according to the actual thermal field analysis is obtained. The equations of motion for this rotor are derived. The dynamic model and its solution method are verified through the natural frequency comparison and the rub-impact response analysis. Thereafter numerical simulations are carried out. Results show that the heat at the turbine is transferred from its outer surface to its inner surface, then to the compressor's inner surface along the axial direction, and finally from the compressor's inner surface to its outer surface. This is a novel coupled axial-radial thermal effect for the gas turbine, which causes special axial and radial thermal gradients. The effect is induced by high temperatures in a gas turbine and intensifies a blade rubbing fault. Increasing the exhaust temperature aggravates the coupled axial-radial thermal effect, which causes more severe blade rubbing. Fortunately, introducing a lower temperature on the drum's inner surface can prevent blade rubbing caused by this thermal effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: About 10% of early-stage endometrial cancers (EC) are inoperable. Curative treatment is still recommended in these cases. The aim of this retrospective study, which is the largest in the literature, was to analyse the outcomes of stages I–III EC patients treated with the intention to cure by external beam irradiation (EBRT) and 3D-image-guided brachytherapy (IGBT). EBRT+IGBT provides good cancer-specific survival results of 88.7% and 71.2% at 2 and 5 years, respectively. A few patients without uterine relapses developed nodal or systemic relapses, highlighting the importance of uterine control. Background/Purpose: Analyse the outcomes of stages I–III inoperable endometrial cancer (IEC) patients treated with external-beam-irradiation (EBRT) and 3D-image-guided-brachytherapy (IGBT). Material and Methods: Medical records of IEC patients receiving EBRT + IGBT in eight European and one Canadian centres (2004–2019) were examined, including: pelvic ± para-aortic EBRT and lymph node boost; anaesthetic procedure, applicators, BT-planning imaging, clinical target volume (CTV), brachytherapy schedule, and EQD2 to the CTV(α/β=4.5Gy) and D2 cm3(α/β=3Gy) for organs at risk. Complications are evaluated using CTCAEv4 scores. The 2- and 5-year survival probability according to stages was estimated (cancer-specific survival (CSS), disease-free survival (DFS), local relapse-free survival (LRFS), loco-regional relapse-free survival (LRRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS)). Statistics: descriptive analysis and the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: 103 patients (stages: I-44, II-14, III-44) were included. Median follow-up: 28 months (7–170). All patients received pelvic ± para-aortic EBRT. Median D90-EQD2(α/β=4.5) to the CTV:73.3 Gy (44.6–132.7), 69.9 Gy (44.7–87.9 and 75.2 Gy (55.1–97) in stages I, II, and III, respectively. Thirty patients presented relapse (stages: 10-I, 3-II, 17-III): 24 uterine (stages: 7-I, 3-II, 14-III), 15 nodal (stages: 4-I, 1-II, 10-III), and 23 distant (stages: 6-I, 2-II, 15-III). Five year CSS was 71.2% (stages: 82%-I-II and 56%-III) and DFS, LRFS, LRRFS, and DMFS were 55.5%, 59%, 72%, and 67.2%, respectively. Late G3-G4 complications (crude): 1.3% small bowel, 2.5% rectum, and 5% bladder. Conclusion: In stages I–III of the IEC, EBRT + IGBT offer good 2- and 5-year CSS of 88.7% and 71.2%, respectively, with the best outcomes in stages I–II. Prospective studies are needed to determine how better outcomes can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The high prevalence of chronic inflammatory diseases or autoimmune reactions is a major source of concern and affects the quality of life of patients. Chronic inflammatory or autoimmune diseases are associated with many diseases in humans, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. Splenic tyrosine kinase (SYK) is a non–receptor tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in immune receptor signalling in immune and inflammatory responses. Methods: This is a review article in which we searched for keywords "splenic tyrosine kinase", "inflammation" and "autoimmune diseases" in published literature such as Pubmed and Web of Science to collect relevant information and then conducted a study focusing on the latest findings on the involvement of SYK in chronic inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. Results: This paper reviews the regulation of Fcγ, NF–κB, B cell and T cell–related signalling pathways by SYK, which contributes to disease progression in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as airway fibrosis, inflammatory skin disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Conclusion: This paper shows that SYK plays an important role in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. syk targets hematological, autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases and therefore, inhibition of SYK expression or blocking its related pathways may provide new ideas for clinical prevention and treatment of inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterizing the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) morphology of the active layer is essential for optimizing blade‐coated organic solar cells (OSCs). Here, the morphology evolution of a highly efficient ternary polymer:nonfullerene blend PM6:N3:N2200 under different blade coating conditions is probed in real‐time by in situ synchrotron X‐ray scattering and in situ ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐vis) spectroscopy. Besides, the morphology of blade‐coated blend films at different conditions is detailed by ex situ X‐ray scattering and microscopic imaging. The ternary blend film exhibited optimized morphology, such as superior molecular stacking structure and appropriate phase separation structure, and boosted photovoltaic performance of the binary blend, as adding a second polymer component to the host polymer:nonfullerene system can balance nucleation and crystallization of polymers and small molecules, facilitating molecular rearrangement to perfect crystallization. Both binary and ternary blends obtained optimized morphology and photovoltaic properties at medium coating speed, mainly attributed to the movement of the polymer and small molecules at the long crystallization and aggregation stage. These findings help understand morphology formation under film drying and provide guidance for optimizing the morphology in blade‐coated OSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiFeO 3 (BFO), as a kind of narrow band-gap semiconductor material, has gradually emerged advantages in the application of photocatalysis. In this paper, Ca doped BFO nanoparticles Bi 0.9 Ca 0.1 FeO 3 (BCFO) were prepared by sol-gel method. And BCFO and CdS nanocomposites with two morphologies were obtained by controlling the time of loading CdS under a low temperature liquid phase process. It is found that the band gap becomes narrower after doping Ca into BFO, which is conducive to the absorption of visible light. Among all the samples, the composite of CdS nanowires and BCFO nanoparticles obtained by reaction time of 10 min has the best photocatalytic performance. The degradation rate of Methyl Orange solution was 94% after 90 min under visible light irradiation, which was much higher than that of pure BCFO and CdS. Furthermore, significant enhancement in the degradation rate (100% degradation in 60 min) can be achieved in poled samples after electric polarization process. The highest degradation rate is due to the promoted separation of photogenerated carriers induced by the internal polarization field and the formation of S-scheme heterostructure between BCFO and CdS. Such BCFO-CdS nanocomposites may bring new insights into designing highly efficient photocatalyst. [Display omitted]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-principles calculations have been executed to investigate the interaction between H/He impurities and vacancy in tetragonal Be 12 Ti. The solution energies of four types of most stable H 1 V complexes are lower than that of He 1 V complexes. The binding energies of H atom to four types of vacancies are all lower than that of He atom to vacancies, indicating that He-vacancy complexes can serve as a trap to capture other impurity atoms. Besides, the formation energies of vacancy decrease when a single H or He atom is implanted into vacancy space, and the influence of He atom is greater than that of H atom. The exist of He atom in the H m HeV complexes leads to the increase of solution energies comparing with H m V complexes. In all the H m HeV complexes, the distances between any two H atoms are larger than that in a H 2 molecule, indicating that H 2 molecules can not be formed in these complexes. The trapping behaviours of He-vacancy complexes for H atoms are as follows: a HeV B e 1 and a HeV B e 3 complex can both trap up to three H atoms, a HeV B e 2 complex can capture up to two H atoms, and a HeV Ti complex can capture up to ten H atoms. The number of H atoms trapped by three types of HeV Be complexes reduces compared with that of mono-vacancy for H atoms, indicating that the retention of H atoms within the vacancy space in Be 12 Ti is suppressed by doping of He atom. The present results provide a foundational image of He-vacancy trapping mechanism for H atoms, which contributes significantly to the study on the synergistic effect of hydrogen and helium in tetragonal Be 12 Ti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the relationship between workplace fun and work engagement as well as the mediating role of workplace guanxi. Participants were 272 Master of Business Administration students at a Chinese university who were working in various enterprises. The results of structural equation modeling revealed that workplace fun was positively related to work engagement and that this direct relationship was mediated by workplace guanxi. Our study is the first to empirically test the role of workplace guanxi as a mediator of the workplace fun–work engagement link. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Real-time tracking welding with the assistance of structured light vision enhances the intelligence of robotic welding, which significantly shortens teaching time and guarantees accuracy for user-customized product welding. However, the robustness of most image processing algorithms is deficient during welding practice, and the security regime for tracking welding is not considered in most trajectory recognition and control algorithms. For these two problems, an adaptive feature extraction algorithm was proposed, which can accurately extract the seam center from the continuous, discontinuous or fluctuating laser stripes identified and located by the CNN model, while the prior model can quickly remove a large amount of noise and interference except the stripes, greatly improving the extraction accuracy and processing speed of the algorithm. Additionally, the embedded Pauta criterion was used to segmentally process the center point data stream and to cyclically eliminate outliers and further ensure the accuracy of the welding reference point. Experimental results showed that under the guarantee of the above-mentioned seam center point extraction and correction algorithms, the tracking average error was 0.1 mm, and even if abnormal trajectory points existed, they did not cause welding torch shaking, system interruption or other accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Series of Ni‐based nanocatalysts were fabricated for the HDO of lignin‐derived guaiacol to cyclohexane via a single‐source Ni−Fe−Al layered double hydroxide precursor route and characterized by XRD, BET, TEM, XAS, XPS, H2‐TPR, H2‐TPD, NH3‐TPD, and pyridine absorbed in situ FT‐IR. As‐fabricated bimetallic NiFe nanocatalyst bearing a Fe/Ni molar ratio of 0.5 : 3 attained a higher cyclohexane yield of 70.5 % under mild reaction conditions (i. e., 230 °C and 1.0 MPa of initial hydrogen pressure), compared to monometallic Ni and other NiFe bimetallic nanocatalysts, as well as monometallic Ni and bimetallic NiFe catalysts prepared by the impregnation method. Combination of experimental results and density functional theory calculations manifested that interfacial FeOx species profoundly facilitated the demethoxylation processes of guaiacol and 2‐methoxycyclohexanol intermediate, while both bimetallic NiFe sites and interfacial FeOx species greatly promoted the dehydroxylation of cyclohexanol intermediate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Kingdom of Morocco approved BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use on 22 January 2021 in a two-dose, three-to-four-week interval schedule. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to determine real-world BBIBP-CorV vaccine effectiveness (VE) against serious or critical hospitalization of individuals RT-PCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the first five months of BBIBP-CorV use in Morocco. Methods: The study was conducted among adults 18–99 years old who were tested by RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 infection between 1 February and 30 June 2021. RT-PCR results were individually linked with outcomes from the COVID-19 severe or critical hospitalization dataset and with vaccination histories from the national vaccination registration system. Individuals with partial vaccination (< 2 weeks after dose two) or in receipt of any other COVID-19 vaccine were excluded. Unadjusted and adjusted VE estimates against hospitalization for serious or critical illness were made by comparing two-dose vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in logistic regression models, calculated as (1-odds ratio) * 100%. Results: There were 348,190 individuals able to be matched across the three databases. Among these, 140,892 were fully vaccinated, 206,149 were unvaccinated, and 1,149 received homologous BBIBP-CorV booster doses. Unadjusted, full-series, unboosted BBIBP-CorV VE against hospitalization for serious or critical illness was 90.2% (95%CI: 87.8—92.0%). Full-series, unboosted VE, adjusted for age, sex, and calendar day of RT-PCR test, was 88.5% (95%CI: 85.8—90.7%). Calendar day- and sex-adjusted VE was 96.4% (95%CI: 94.6—97.6%) for individuals < 60 years, and was 53.3% (95%CI: 39.6—63.9%) for individuals 60 years and older. There were no serious or critical illnesses among BBIBP-CorV-boosted individuals. Conclusions: Effectiveness of Sinopharm's BBIBP-CorV was consistent with phase III clinical trial results. Two doses of BBIBP-CorV was highly protective against COVID-19-associated serious or critical hospitalization in working-age adults under real-world conditions and moderately effective in older adults. Booster dose vaccination was associated with complete protection, regardless of age, although only a small proportion of subjects received booster doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • This article reviews the amorphous metal–organic frameworks as potential versatile theranostic nanoplatforms for cancer for the first time. • The basic synthesis approaches for amorphous metal–organic frameworks are briefly reviewed. • Special properties of amorphous metal–organic frameworks attributing to their amorphous structures are discussed. • The applications of amorphous metal–organic frameworks in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics are systematically reviewed. • The challenges and opportunities of amorphous metal–organic frameworks in cancer medicine are briefly proposed. The relentless advancement of cancer, a leading cause of mortality worldwide, underscores the need for innovative therapeutic strategies. Amorphous metal–organic frameworks (aMOFs) have emerged as a paradigm-shifting solution in the field of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, distinguishing themselves from their crystalline counterparts through their superior properties and functionalities. This comprehensive review explores the synthesis, unique properties, and multifaceted applications of aMOFs in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Compared with their crystalline counterparts, aMOFs display superior properties, including enhanced catalytic performance, exceptional porosity, and elevated thermal conductivity. These properties underpin their extensive use in sensitive biochemical detection for cancer, precision drug delivery, tumor thermal ablation, and other applications. Their inherent chemical tunability further enables the integration of multifunctional anticancer strategies, ranging from multiple biomedical imaging to phototherapy and metal ion-mediated apoptosis, positioning aMOFs as versatile theranostic nanoplatforms. This article delves into the current oncological challenges and prospects of aMOFs, underscoring their transformative potential in advanced cancer diagnostics, targeted therapy, and the development of next-generation theranostic nanoplatforms. The convergence of computational simulations and interdisciplinary research is anticipated to further accelerate the clinical translation of aMOFs, heralding a new era in personalized cancer medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood coagulation is a complicated dynamic process that maintains the blood's fluid state and prevents uncontrollable bleeding. The real-time monitoring of coagulation dynamics is critical for blood transfusion guidance, emergency management of trauma-induced coagulopathy, perioperative bleeding, and targeted hemostatic therapy. Here, we utilize optical vortex dynamics to detect the blood coagulation dynamic process in a rapid and non-contact manner. To characterize the temporal changes in viscoelastic properties of blood during coagulation, we track the stochastic motion of optical vortices in the time-varying speckles reflected from 100 blood samples with varied coagulation profiles. The mean square displacement (MSD) of the vortices increases nonlinearly with time lag during blood coagulation reminiscent of the particles in viscoelastic fluids. The MSD curves with coagulation time are similar to the tracings of thromboelastography (TEG) during the blood coagulation. The retrieved coagulation parameters, such as reaction time and activated clotting time measured using the optical vortex method, exhibit a close correlation to those parameters acquired from TEG. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the optical vortex method for monitoring blood coagulation at the point of care. Our method is also applicable to measuring the viscoelasticity of complex fluids and turbid soft matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal carcinoma (EC) is a tremendous threat to human health and life worldwide. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as crucial players in carcinomas including EC. An in-depth understanding on regulatory networks of lncRNAs contributes to the better management of EC. In this text, 2052 lncRNAs and 3240 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in 5 EC tumor tissues versus adjacent normal tissues by microarray analysis. Moreover, 297 carcinoma-related genes were screened out according to pathway and disease annotation analyses. In addition, 410 potential lncRNA-mRNA cis-regulation pairs and 395 lncRNA-mRNA trans-regulation pairs were screened out. Among these genes, 14 trans-regulated and 19 cis-regulated genes were found to be related with carcinomas. Additionally, 42 possible lncRNA-mRNA trans-regulation pairs and 26 cis-regulation pairs were found to be related with carcinomas. Also, 4 differentially expressed transcription factors in EC and lncRNAs possibly regulated by these transcription factors were screened out. Moreover, plenty of common upregulated or downregulated lncRNAs and mRNAs in EC were identified by comparative analysis for our microarray outcomes and previous high-throughput data. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ENST00000437781.1 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation and facilitated cell apoptosis by downregulating SIX homeobox 4 (SIX4) and ENST00000524987.1 knockdown had no influence on anoctamin 1 calcium activated chloride channel (ANO1) expression in EC cells. In conclusion, we identified some crucial lncRNAs and genes along with potential regulatory networks of lncRNAs/genes, deepening our understanding on pathogenesis of EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water yield of coal seam roof aquifers is the key factor for evaluating and controlling water disasters in coal seam roofs. To evaluate the water yield of the sandstone aquifer in the roof of the Carboniferous-Permian Damiaozhuang Formation no. 8 coal seam in the Donghuantuo Mine, North China, seven main controlling factors affecting the water yield of sandstone aquifers are determined, including the permeability coefficient, consumption of drilling fluid, core recovery, aquifer thickness, brittle-plastic rock thickness ratio, fault scale index, and fault point density. Further, the fuzzy Delphi analytic hierarchy process (FDAHP) and entropy weight method (EWM) are used to calculate the subjective and objective weights of each main factor, respectively, and a combination weight model (CWM) is proposed based on the least square method to compose the comprehensive weights. Then, an improved water yield property index (IWYPI) model is established, and the water yield zoning map of sandstone aquifers is acquired. Engineering practice shows that the evaluation accuracy of the water yield property index (IWYPI) model based on the CWM is as high as 93.75%, which is 18.75% and 12.5% higher than that of the water yield property index (WYPI) model based on the FDAHP and EWM, respectively. The research results propose a novel method for evaluating the water yield of coal seam roof aquifers and can provide scientific guidance for the prevention and control of water disasters in the no. 8 coal seam roof of the Donghuantuo Coal Mine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Colistin is considered a last resort for treatment of MDR gram-negative bacteria. • The mcr -1-positive isolate revealed a multidrug-resistant phenotype. • pJZ26 harbors many resistance genes and has a high potential to disseminate the mcr-1 gene. • pJZ26 contains an additional 4.6 kb fragment harboring the resistance gene tet(A). • The regulator tetR of tet(A) located on Tn As1 transposable element. Antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella enterica is a major global concern. Recent findings suggest that colistin as a last resort treatment for multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria is seriously threatened by the report of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in China. A total of 827 S. Typhimurium isolates were recovered from 4 cities of China, including Henan, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Hubei provinces. Subsequently, mcr-1 presence was identified by PCR screening. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by broth microdilution using a 96-well microtiter plate. Plasmid conjugation transfer experiments were conducted using Escherichia coli J53 as the recipient. Only one mcr-1 positive strain from the stool sample of an infant with acute diarrhea was isolated. Apart from colistin, the mcr-1 -positive isolate showed co-resistance to the third-generation cephalosporins, ampicillin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, sulfisoxazole, gentamicin, and cefotaxime revealing a multidrug-resistant phenotype. This strain harbored mcr-1 on a 227 kb IncHI2 plasmid, termed pJZ26, which could be transferred to E. coli J53. In addition to mcr-1 , pJZ26 coharbored other resistance genes, including aph(4)-Ia , aac(3)-IVa , fosA , floR , sul2 , and bla CTX-M-14. Compared with p2474-MCR1 and pHYEC7-IncHI2, pJZ26 contains an additional 4.6 kb fragment harboring the resistance gene tet(A) and its regulator tetR located on Tn As1 transposable element, which could mediate resistance to tetracycline. These findings highlight that the fact the mcr-1 –harboring plasmid pJZ26 has a high potential to disseminate the mcr-1 gene and further challenge the clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine ecosystems are complex self-organized systems that generate natural capital stocks and vital ecosystem services (ES) for human well-being. However, the assessment of marine natural capital in coastal countries is often overlooked. In this study, we evaluated the value of marine natural capital in mainland China using existing ES classifications and the emergy method. China's marine natural capital was estimated at 3.29E+24 sej/yr, with coastal waters having 3.2 times higher emergy density than terrestrial ecosystems. The annual economic value of marine natural capital in China's coastal water was approximately 8817.42 billion yuan/yr, nearly equal to China's Gross Ocean Product (GOP) in 2019 (8941.5-billion-yuan). Southern China showed significantly higher natural capital values than northern China. These findings highlight regional disparities in marine resource utilization and socioeconomic status, posing challenges to sustainable ocean development. The results provide a reference for policy and strategy development for sustainable marine resource exploitation. • The first natural capital value assessment of China's coastal water ecosystem. • Contributing to understand the link between marine resource and human well-being. • Emergy accounting can be used to sustainable marine resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A SB 2.4 sb (134.5 mg) was separated by an ODS column and purified by prep-HPLC (CH SB 3 sb OH-water, 40:60) to obtain compounds B 3 b (t SB R sb = 12.5 min, 3.7 mg), B 4 b (t SB R sb = 37.8 min, 4.2 mg). The remaining sample was separated by an ODS column and purified by prep-HPLC (CH SB 3 sb OH-water, 23:77) to obtain compound B 1 b (t SB R sb = 16.2 min, 9.5 mg), and Subfr. Subfraction A SB 4.3 sb was subjected to prep-HPLC (CH SB 3 sb OH-H SB 2 sb O, 68:32) to obtain compound B 9 b (t SB R sb = 29.0 min, 10.5 mg). A SB 4.1 sb (235.4 mg) was purified by TLC preparation and prep-HPLC (CH SB 3 sb OH-H SB 2 sb O, 1:9) to obtain compound B 6 b (t SB R sb = 13.5 min, 5.8 mg); Subfr. [Extracted from the article]

Background: To investigate the differences in plasma metabolomic characteristics between pathological complete response (pCR) and non-pCR patients and identify biomarker candidates for predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods: A total of 46 ESCC patients were included in this study. Gas chromatography time-of- flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) technology was applied to detect the plasma samples collected before nCRT via untargeted metabolomics analysis.Results: Five differentially expressed metabolites (out of 109) was found in plasma between pCR and non-pCR groups. Compared with non-pCR group, isocitric acid (p = 0.0129), linoleic acid (p = 0.0137), citric acid (p = 0.0473) were upregulated, while L-histidine (p = 0.0155), 3'4 dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid (p = 0.0339) were downregulated in the pCR plasma samples. Pathway analyses unveiled that citrate cycle (TCA cycle), glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolic pathway were associated with ESCC chemoradiosensitivity.Conclusion: The present study provided supporting evidence that GC-TOF/MS based metabolomics approach allowed identification of metabolite differences between pCR and non-pCR patients in plasma levels, and the systemic metabolic status of patients may reflect the response of ESCC patient to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sterculia lanceolata, an important tropical woody plant, has high ornamental and medicinal value. To our knowledge, only brown root disease in this plant has been reported. In Nanning, Guangxi, China, an outbreak of leaf blight disease was observed on S. lanceolata in June 2019, with the leaf infection rate ranging from 80% to 100%. The disease seriously affected the leaves of trees and caused economic loss. Eight isolates were recovered from the infected leaves of different trees, and the pathogenicity was then determined by the methods of mycelial disc and conidial suspension, fulfilling Koch's postulates. According to the morphological and molecular biological characteristics of isolates, the pathogen causing leaf blight on S. lanceolata was identified as Colletotrichum siamense. Accurate identification of the pathogen provides a reliable basis for the control of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to analyze the direct economic impact of two vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VBT) schedules in postoperative endometrial carcinoma (PEC) with similar vaginal control and toxicity results. From 2006 to 2015, 397 PEC patients (p) were treated with VBT: mean 40p/year, 67.5% received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT)+VBT and 32.5% exclusive VBT. Schedule 1: 3 fractions (Fr) after EBRT and 6Fr (4-6 Gy/Fr) in exclusive VBT. Schedule 2: 7Gy × 1Fr + EBRT and 6Gy × 3Fr in exclusive VBT. Differential cost analysis of the two schedules was retrospectively performed. The direct costs in each schedule were (1) Personnel: radiotherapy technicians, nurses, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, administrative personnel, orderlies; time dedicated by each professional during CT planning acquisitions and delineation of vagina/organs at risk, dosimetric study and evaluation, autoradiography, procedure reporting time during/after treatment, removal of bladder/rectal tubes and applicators, material cleaning and transportation for sterilization; (2) Health care material (gels, gauzes, gloves, etc); (3) Equipment (time equipment used). The differential between the two schedules was estimated. Indirect costs and evaluation of quality of life–adjusted costs were not considered. The overall reduction in the number of Fr per year in Schedule 2 was 93. Cost savings included treatment time per year: 4,185 min (70 h); personnel: 221€ ($246)/p in EBRT + VBT and 331€ ($368)/p in exclusive VBT; and health care material and equipment: 40€ ($44.5)/p in EBRT + VBT and 90€ ($100.2)/p in exclusive VBT. The overall savings per patient was 261€ ($295) in combined treatment and 421€ ($475.7) in exclusive VBT. The total savings per year with Schedule 2 in 40p was 12,503€ ($13,915.8). A 41% reduction in the fractions number in VBT for PEC allowed economic savings of 261€ ($290.5)/p in combined treatment and 421€ ($475.7)/p in exclusive VBT. Other benefits include patient comfort and fewer treatment visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we developed a tri-functional MOF heterogeneous catalyst, MIL-IMAc-Br−, by a post-synthesis modification method for the first time. Due to the synergistic role of three functional sites, including Lewis acid sites, Brønsted acid sites and Br− anion sites, MIL-IMAc-Br− displayed an efficient catalytic performance for the cycloaddition reaction of CO2 and epoxides to form cyclic carbonates under mild and co-catalyst free conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging evidence has uncovered the extremely important roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the progression of malignant tumors which includes numerous processes of gene regulation. LncRNA NR2F1-AS1 has been confirmed to have close correlation with the tumorigenesis of diverse cancers. However, the underlying regulatory function of it on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) progression is poorly known and thus needs more elucidations. In this study, a markedly elevated expression of NR2F1-AS1 was discovered in ESCC cells. Functional assays demonstrated that NR2F1-AS1 deficiency repressed ESCC progression. Molecular mechanism tests verified that knockdown of NR2F1-AS1 could lower the expression of GLI2 (a key protein molecule of Hedgehog signaling pathway) in ESCC. Additionally, NR2F1-AS1 was confirmed to facilitate ESCC progression via activation of Hedgehog signaling pathway. NR2F1-AS1 activated Hedgehog signaling pathway by regulating GLI2 to upregulate NR2F1 expression in ESCC. Besides, NR2F1 was testified to activate NR2F1-AS1 transcription in ESCC. Final rescue assays further demonstrated that NR2F1 upregulation could reverse the NR2F1-AS1 knockdown-mediated function on ESCC progression. Briefly, NR2F1-induced NR2F1-AS1 promotes ESCC progression through activation of Hedgehog signaling pathway. • NR2F1-AS1 expression is upregulated in ESCC cells and NR2F1-AS1 depletion suppresses ESCC progression. • NR2F1-AS1 facilitates ESCC progression through activation of Hedgehog signaling pathway. • NR2F1-AS1 upregulates NR2F1 expression via regulation of GLI2. • NR2F1-induced NR2F1-AS1 promotes ESCC progression via activating Hedgehog signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both an excess and shortage of iron(III), away from normal permissible limits, can induce serious disorders, therefore its detection is significant, but still remains a challenge. Luminescent metal–organic frameworks (LMOFs) are a class of attractive materials for the detection of Fe3+ ions. However, improvement in their hydrolytic stability, speed, sensitivity, and selectivity of function is the key to the advanced application of LMOFs in an aqueous environment. Herein, two hydrostable LMOFs, Zn-DTA and Cd-DTA, based on the π-conjugated aromatic ligand 2,5-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)terephthalic acid (H2DTA), were selected as highly efficient sensors for the rapid, sensitive and selective detection of Fe3+ in aqueous solutions. On the basis of the rigid structure and multiple coordination sites of the H2DTA ligand, Zn-DTA and Cd-DTA possess brilliant stability and excellent fluorescence emission. Both of them exhibit high selectivity (Ksv = 8400 and 6420 M−1) and high sensitivity (0.82 and 1.07 μM) for the rapid detection (less than 30 s) of small quantities of Fe3+ (0.2 mg mL−1) in water. It is worth noting that the compounds not only remain stable in the water for a long time but also maintain structural integrity at high temperatures. To the best of our knowledge, Zn-DTA and Cd-DTA, as two exceptionally stable MOF chemosensors used for the selective detection of Fe3+, show very rare behavior compared to the reported Zn/Cd-MOFs. The quenching mechanism for such a high selectivity can be mainly explained by the competition between the absorption of Fe3+ and the excitation of the compounds. Moreover, the introduced carboxyl O atoms of Zn-DTA additionally donate their lone-pair electrons to the Fe3+ ions, leading to enhanced detection ability. Our work reveals the enormous potential of LMOFs as an appealing platform upon which to construct sensing materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four coordination polymers (CPs) based on H 2 tbta ligand, namely, [Zn(tbta) (bmbp)] n (1), {[Cd 0.5 (tbta) (H 2 O)] n ·(Hbia) (H 2 O)} (2), [Cu 1.5 (tbta) (OH) (bi) (H 2 O)] n (3) and [Cd(tbta) (ei) 2 ] n (4) have been synthesized and characterized (H 2 tbta = 2,3,5,6-tetrabromoterephthalic acid, bmbp = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine, bia = 1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-amine, bi = 1H-benzo[d]imidazole, ei = 2-ethyl-1H-imidazole). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses illustrate 1 and 4 exhibit 1D chains, and compound 1 and 4 are hydrogen-bonded into a 2D layer to form a 3D supramolecular structure. Compounds 2 and 3 show 2D layered structures and further expand to 3D supramolecular structures through hydrogen bonds. Structural comparisons indicate that the position of coordination sites and substituent groups plays a crucial role in the control of the final structures. Besides, the photoluminescence properties of compounds 1 , 2 , 4 and UV–vis spectra of 3 have been investigated in the solid state at room temperature. Image 1 • Four CPs based on H 2 tbta ligand were synthesized and structurally characterized. • The auxiliary ligands drastically affect the formation of low-dimensional structures. • The UV–vis spectrum and luminescence properties were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells present in the bloodstream, which originate from tumor sites, and are ultimately responsible for metastasis or relapse in several types of cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, only a few studies have investigated these extremely rare cells in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). In the present study, 63 patients with ESCC and 50 healthy donors were recruited, and the potential clinical significance of CTCs was assessed using subtraction enrichment and immunostaining-fluorescence in situ hybridization. Blood samples were collected at the following times: At first diagnosis, following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, 24 h and 13 days post-surgery, and every 3 months during follow-up. Cytokeratin (CK)-positive and clustered CTCs only accounted for 1% of total CTCs detected, whereas most CTCs were CK-negative aneuploid cells. Patients with ESCC (n=63) had higher CTC counts compared with healthy donors (control group; n=50) (area under curve=0.807, median CTC count, 2 vs. 0). However, there was no statistical association between CTC counts and sex, age, pathological stage, tumor location, tumor depth or lymph node involvement (P>0.05). The association of tumor development with CTC status and other circulating biomarkers was monitored in patients for a further 2 years. The results revealed that a change in CTC counts between first diagnosis and 13 days post-surgery (ΔCTC) of ≥2/7.5 ml peripheral blood could be applied for predicting progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 3.922; 95% confidence interval, 0.907–16.951; P<0.05) in patients with ESCC. In conclusion, ΔCTC evaluation may be a promising indicator for predicting tumor prognosis and the clinical efficacy of treatment in patients with ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore a fresh approach to generate N, S co-doped Fe-SA in embedded porous carbon nanosheets/carbon nanotubes (Fe-N X @NSCST-ZL) utilizing a 2D leaf-shaped MOF as a template in this work. [Display omitted] • N, S co-doped Fe-SA in embedded porous carbon nanosheets/carbon nanotubes. • Excellent ORR electrochemical activities in pH-universal electrolytes. • DFT calculation indicate sulfur-doping is preferable for modulating ORR activity. • Zn-air battery and quasi solid-state flexible battery operate stably for 765 h and 30 h. Regulating the atomic coordination ambiance of uniformly distributed single atoms (SAs) via heteroatom doping is an up-and-coming method to facilitate the catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). With the cooperative interaction of dual heteroatom doping supplied extra degrees of freedom, a greater efficiency of ORR can be realized via a reduction in intermediate energy barrier during catalytic reactions. Here, we explore a fresh approach to generate N, S co-doped Fe-SA in embedded porous carbon nanosheets/carbon nanotubes (Fe-N X @NSCST-ZL) utilizing a 2D leaf-shaped MOF as a template in this work. Taking advantage of the combined effect of carbon matrix and nanotubes as well as the abundance of Fe-N X active sites and thiophene-S, the Fe-N X @NSCST-ZL provides exceptional performance for ORRs with a half-wave potential of 0.94 V at alkaline conditions, 0.77 V at acidic conditions, and 0.74 V at neutral conditions (V vs. RHE). Furthermore, Fe-N X @NSCST-ZL-based Zn-air battery, as well as quasi solid-state flexible battery, maintain steady operation for 765 h and 30 h with a small discharge/charge interval, respectively. This work contributes perspectives on the reasonable design of economical single-atom catalysts (SACs) for applications in energy conversion that have outstanding electrocatalytic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel metal-organic complexes, formulated as [Cu 2 (2-HBA) 2 (bimb) 4 ] (1), {[Cd(CEDA)(bimb)]·H 2 O} n (2), and {[Ag 2 (bimb) 2 ]·(1,4-CDA)·13H 2 O} (3) (bimb = 1,2-bis((1 H -imidazole-1-yl)methyl)benzene; 2-HBA = 2-hydroxybenzoic acid; CEDA = cyclohex-4-ene-1,2-dicarboxylic acid; 1,4-CDA = cyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxylic acid), were synthesized by self-assembly of mixed ligands with Cu(II), Cd(II), and Ag(I) under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, X-ray powder diffraction, infrared spectra, thermogravimetric analysis, fluorescence spectra and UV–vis absorption spectra. 1 is shown as a 0D structure, which is formed by Cu2+, 2-HBA ligands and bimb ligands. 2 displays a 1D ladder structure, which is built by Cd2+, CEDA ligands and bimb ligands, and it is assembled into 2D structure by hydrogen bonding. 3 possesses a 0D [Ag(bimb)] 2 dimer which is assembled into 3D structure by the Ag O weak interaction and hydrogen bonding. Interestingly, a rare 13-core water cluster participates in forming the network of 3. The UV–vis spectrum and luminescence properties were also studied and discussed. Image 1 • Three novel metal-organic complexes were hydrothermal synthesized. • A rare 13-core water cluster participates in forming the network of compound 3. • The three diverse structures are mainly attributed to the weak interactions. • The UV–vis spectrum and luminescence properties were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new TomoDirect (TD) modality offers a nonrotational option with discrete beam angles. We aim to compare dosimetric parameters of TD, helical tomotherapy (HT), volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and fixed-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy (ff-IMRT) for upper thoracic esophageal carcinoma (EC). Twenty patients with cT2-4N0-1M0 upper thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) were enrolled. Four plans were generated using the same dose objectives for each patient: TD, HT, VMAT with a single arc, and ff-IMRT with 5 fields (5F). The prescribed doses were used to deliver 50.4 Gy/28F to the planning target volume (PTV50.4) and then provided a 9 Gy/5F boost to PTV59.4. Dose-volume histogram (DVH) statistics, dose uniformity, and dose homogeneity were analyzed to compare treatment plans. For PTV59.4, the D 2 , D 98 , D mean , and V 100% values in HT were significantly lower than other plans (all p < 0.05), and those in TD were significantly lower than VMAT and ff-IMRT (all p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the D 2 and D mean values between VMAT and ff-IMRT techniques (p > 0.05). The homogeneity index (HI) differed significantly for the 4 techniques of TD, HT, VMAT, and ff-IMRT (0.03 ± 0.01, 0.02 ± 0.01, 0.06 ± 0.02, and 0.05 ± 0.01, respectively; p < 0.001). The HI for TD was similar to HT (p = 0.166), and had statistically significant improvement compared to VMAT (p < 0.001) and ff-IMRT (p = 0.003). In comparison with the 4 conformity indices (CIs), there was no significant difference (p > 0.05). For PTV50.4, the D 2 and D mean values in HT were significantly lower than other plans (all p < 0.05), and those in TD were significantly lower than VMAT and ff-IMRT (all p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the D 2 and D mean values between VMAT and ff-IMRT techniques (p > 0.05). No D 98 and V 100% parameters differed significantly among the 4 treatment types (p > 0.05). HT plans were provided for statistically significant improvement in HI (0.03 ± 0.01) compared to TD plans (0.05 ± 0.01, p = 0.003), VMAT (0.08 ± 0.03, p < 0.001), ff-IMRT (0.08 ± 0.01, p < 0.001). The HI revealed that TD was superior to VMAT and ff-IMRT (p < 0.05). The CI differed significantly for the 4 techniques of TD, HT, VMAT, and ff-IMRT (0.59 ± 0.10, 0.69 ± 0.11, 0.64 ± 0.09, and 0.64 ± 0.11, respectively; p = 0.035). The best CI was yielded by HT. We found no significant difference for the V 5 , V 10 , V 15 , V 30 , and the mean lung dose (MLD) among the 4 techniques (all p > 0.05). However, the V 20 differed significantly among TD, HT, VMAT, and ff-IMRT (21.50 ± 7.20%, 19.50 ± 5.55%, 17.65 ± 5.45%, and 16.35 ± 5.70%, respectively; p = 0.047). Average V 20 for the lungs was significantly improved by the TD plans compared to VMAT (p = 0.047), and ff-IMRT (p = 0.008). The V 5 value of the lung in TD was 49.30 ± 13.01%, lower than other plans, but there was no significant difference (p > 0.05). The D 1 of the spinal cord showed no significant difference among the 4 techniques (p = 0.056). All techniques are able to provide a homogeneous and highly conformal dose distribution. The TD technique is a good option for treating upper thoracic EC involvement. It could achieve optimal low dose to the lungs and spinal cord with acceptable PTV coverage. HT is a good option as it could achieve quality dose conformality and uniformity, while TD generated superior conformality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the effects of diet supplementation of laying hens with Enterococcus faecalis (EF) on egg production, egg quality and caecal microbiota. A total of 360 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (72 weeks old) were divided into three groups with four replicates of 30 birds each. The laying hens were fed with the basal diet (Control), the basal diet + 3.75 · 108 cfu EF/kg (Group I) or the basal diet + 7.5 · 108 cfu EF/kg (Group II). The experiment lasted for 45 d. Eggs and caecal samples were collected at the end of the experiment. Results showed that dietary supplementation with EF did not affect the average daily egg weight, cracked egg rate, mortality and egg quality. However, EF supplementation caused a significantly increased laying rate and decreased feed/egg ratio (p < 0.05). The differences in caecal microbiota between Group II and the Control were significant. The relative abundance of Verrucomicrobia and Cyanobacteria at the phylum level, Rikenellaceae, Christensenellaceae and Veillonellaceae at the family level, and the Faecalibacterium, ChristensenellaceaeR-7 group and Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group at the genus level changed significantly in Group II compared with the Control (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the tested dietary supplementations with EF improved product performance and affected the caecal microbial community structure of laying hens during the late laying period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonaqueous lithium‐oxygen (Li‐O2) battery possesses extremely high theoretical energy density which is considered as one of the most fascinating next‐generation energy storage systems. However, the sluggish oxygen redox reaction kinetics in the cathode of Li‐O2 battery severely limits its practical application. The incorporation of cathode electrocatalyst with high activity is an effective strategy to address this issue. Herein we report a novel electrocatalyst of ultrafine Ru/RuOx nanoparticles (NPs) decorated on the surface of carbon nanotubes (Ru/RuOx@CNTs) synthesized by a facile modified ethylene glycol reduction method. The as‐prepared Ru/RuOx@CNTs electrocatalyst as cathode for Li‐O2 battery delivers high initial discharge specific capacity up to 3795 mAh g−1, low overpotential and preferable cycle stability of 113 cycles with a limited specific capacity of 500 mAh g−1 at 0.1 mA cm−2 compared with CNTs cathode, which is originated from the well‐dispersed Ru/RuOx nanoparticles on CNTs, leading to efficient electrocatalytic activities for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Consumption demands are final drivers for the extraction and allocation of natural resources. This paper investigates demand-driven natural resource requirements and spatial outsourcing within China in 2012 by using the latest multi-regional input-output model. Exergy is adopted as a common metric for natural resources input. The total domestic resource exergy requirements amounted to 125.5 EJ, of which the eastern area contributed the largest share of 44.5%, followed by the western area (23.9%), the central area (23.0%) and the northeastern area (8.6%). Investment was the leading final demand category, accounting for 52.9% (66.4 EJ) of national total embodied resource use (ERU). The total trade volumes of embodied resource were equivalent to 69.6% of the total direct resource input (DRI), mostly transferred from the central and western regions such as Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Xinjiang to the eastern regions such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Shanghai. The northeastern and eastern areas had physical net imports of 1213.5 PJ and 38452.6 PJ, while the central and western inland areas had physical net exports of 6364.5 PJ and 33301.5 PJ, respectively. Shanghai, Beijing, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangdong had prominent ERUs which respectively were 101.6, 12.6, 11.7, 8.4 and 4.3 times of their DRIs. The ERUs of Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Ningxia and Guizhou were equal to only 17.6%, 25.3%, 27.9%, 46.0% and 50.2% of their DRIs, respectively. Regional uneven development resulted in imbalanced resource requirements across China. The findings can provide a deep understanding of China's resource-driven economic development mode, and contribute to reducing regional resource footprints and their environment outcomes under the "new normal economy". Highlights • Outsourcing resource requirements within China 2012 is systematically revealed. • Exergy is adopted as a common metric for various natural resources input. • 69.6% of national total resource requirements were transferred via domestic trade. • Regional resource use patterns under the "new normal economy" are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the benefit the metastasectomy for patients with metastatic non-clear cell carcinoma (non-ccRCC). Methods: This study enrolled 120 patients with confirmed metastatic non-ccRCC from the RCC database of our center from 2008 to 2021. Patients without metastasectomy were grouped as radical nephrectomy without metastasectomy patients. The clinical outcomes included overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier analyses were used to assess potential factors that predict clinical benefits from metastasectomy. Results: A total of 100 patients received radical nephrectomy alone, while the remaining 20 patients underwent both radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy. There was no significant difference in age between the two groups. Out of 100 patients who underwent radical nephrectomy, 60 were male, and out of 20 patients who had both radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy, 12 were male. Patients who underwent systemic therapy plus radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy had significantly better PFS (27.1 vs. 14.0, p = 0.032) and OS (67.3 vs. 24.0, p = 0.043) than those who underwent systemic therapy plus radical nephrectomy alone. Furthermore, for patients without liver metastasis (n = 54), systemic therapy plus radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy improved both PFS (p = 0.028) and OS (p = 0.043). Similarly, for patients with metachronous metastasis, systemic therapy plus radical nephrectomy and metastasectomy improved both PFS (p = 0.043) and OS (p = 0.032). None of the patients experienced serious perioperative complications (Clavien–Dindo Classification ≥ III grade). Conclusion: Metastasectomy in patients with metastatic non-ccRCC may provide clinical benefits in terms of improved PFS and OS, especially in patients without liver metastasis and those with metachronous metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt phosphide (CoP) is a promising electrocatalyst due to its abundance and excellent stability in alkaline solution. However, its poor conductivity and intrinsic catalytic activity limit its potential in electrochemical water splitting. To address this, a heterogeneous atom doping strategy has been proposed to synthesize magnesium-doped cobalt phosphide nanoneedle arrays, or Mg-doped CoP. Our theoretical calculations show that transition metal Mg atoms doping into the CoP lattice can enhance the electronic structure and modulate the free energy of reacting species, resulting in a significant improvement in the intrinsic catalytic activities for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) process. The electrochemical tests reveal that the optimal 10% Mg-doped CoP nanoneedle arrays exhibit outstanding HER and OER electrocatalytic activities with overpotential values of 85 and 236 mV at 10 mA/cm2, respectively, outperforming previously reported CoP-based catalysts. This study not only presents a strategy to enhance the catalytic activity of CoP-based materials, but also offers a reference for achieving efficient electrochemical hydrogen production by hydrolysis. [Display omitted] • The charge compensation effect optimizes not only the electronic structure but also the free energy of H∗ and HOO∗ species. • The low-valent Mg2+ ions replace part of the Co3+ sites in the CoP lattice. • The creation of phosphorus vacancies in adjacent sites to maintain electroneutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that microRNA-132 (miR-132) potentiates the cholinergic blockade of inflammatory reactions by targeting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and affords robust protection against ischemia-induced neuronal death. However, the role of miR-132 in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains unexplored. This study aimed to determine whether miR-132 participates in the process and launches an anti-inflammatory response in a mouse model of ICH. To establish a relationship between miR-132 and ICH-induced neuronal inflammation and death, we used unilateral stereotaxic injections to deliver lentiviruses encoding miR-132, anti-miR-132 or an empty lentiviral vector directly into the right caudate nuclei of 192 living male C57BL/6 mice. Fourteen days later, ICH was induced by injection of autologous blood into these three groups. Neurodeficits, brain edema, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, inflammatory reactions, together with cell death were assessed after ICH. Compared with the control group, the mice overexpressing miR-132 in the brain responded with attenuated neurological deficits and brain edema. The counts of activated microglia and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines were also decreased in these mice. Additionally, BBB integrity improved, and the extent of neuronal death decreased in ICH mice injected with lentivirus encoding miR-132. On the contrary, a decrease of miR-132 expression aggravated the severity of inflammation and increased cell apoptosis. Overall, these findings support a protective role of miR-132 in a mouse model of ICH, providing new opportunities for therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines general physical issues associated with performing computational numerical simulations of primary point defects in MAX phases Ti2AlN. First-principles solutions are possible due to the development of computational resources of software and hardware. The calculation accuracy is a good agreement with the experimental results. As an important application of our simulations, the results could provide a theoretical guidance for future experiments and application of Ti2AlN. For example, the N mono-vacancy is the most difficult to form. On the contrary, the mono-vacancy formation in Ti2AlN is energetically most favorable for the Al atom. The essence of the phenomena is explained by the calculated density of state (DOS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are associated with poor clinical and economic outcomes. Data regarding ICU-acquired pneumonia and VAP are not readily available from developing countries, including China. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the incidence, mortality rate, length of stay, and pathogens associated with ICU-acquired pneumonia in China. Methods A meta-analysis and systematic review of 334 publications published between January 2007 and May 2012 and retrieved from the Chinese BioMedical database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Chinese Science and Technique Journals database, Wanfang database, and PubMed was conducted. Results The incidences of ICU-acquired pneumonia and VAP were 16.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.8–20.4%) and 33.7% (95% CI 31.4–36.1%), respectively; mortality rates were 37.4% (95% CI 24.6–52.2%) and 34.5% (95% CI 29.2–40.1%), respectively. The durations of stay in the ICU and hospital were 12.4 (95% CI 9.6–15.3) and 17.7 (95% CI 15.6–19.7) days and 18.0 (95% CI 16.5–19.6) and 30.5 (95% CI 26.4–34.7) days for ICU-acquired pneumonia and VAP, respectively. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19.9%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (13.9%) were the most frequently isolated pathogens, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae (11.9%) and Staphylococcus aureus (10.4%); 82.9% of S. aureus isolates were reported to be methicillin-resistant. Conclusions ICU-acquired pneumonia/VAP remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients in the ICU in China. Data on organisms causing disease in this population could help guide appropriate prevention strategies and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The microstructures of helium bubbles in Be 12 Ti are studied detailedly. • The stabilities of helium bubbles are investigated by the calculations of solution energies. • The nucleation and growth mechanism of helium bubbles in Be 12 Ti are elaborated. First-principles calculations have been conducted to study the stability of He-vacancy clusters and the trapping behavior of vacancies for He atoms in Be 12 Ti. We considered the various metastable microstructures of four types of He-vacancy clusters, and the most stable configurations were determined by the calculations of solution energy. Some He-vacancy clusters in Be 12 Ti have specific geometrical shape, and grow along specific crystal plane. For example, three types of He 2 V clusters (two He atoms trapped by vacancy) form dumbbell-shaped structure, three He atoms of He 3 V clusters (three He atoms trapped by vacancy) are located in the specific crystal plane. The solution energies of four types of clusters increase with the increase of number of He atoms, and the increasing rate is basically identical. The solution energies of He n V B e 1 clusters are always the largest, and the solution energies of the He n V T i clusters are always the smallest, which mainly attribute to the larger vacancy volume and perfect spatial symmetry of Ti vacancies. The binding energies of a single He atom with He n V (n =0-3) clusters are all positive, and the segregation of He atoms on the inner surface of the vacancy is closer to the center of the vacancy, indicating that the He-vacancy has a stronger trapping ability for He atoms. The present research results provide a theoretical foundation of vacancy trapping mechanism for He atoms in Be 12 Ti, which is extremely important for the nucleation and growth mechanism of He bubbles in Be 12 Ti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of oxygen-containing compounds derived from biomass to highly valuable chemicals or hydrocarbon bio-fuels is attracting more and more attention. Concerning the design and synthesis of high-performance supported metal catalysts for HDO, the efficient deposition/immobilization of active metal species on supports, as well as the construction of the favorable properties of supports, is quite necessary. In this work, we fabricated series of aluminum-zirconium oxide solid solution supported Ni-based catalysts by a simple surfactant-assisted homogeneous coprecipitation and applied them in the HDO of anisole. Various structural characterizations showed that surface-interface properties of Ni-based catalysts (i.e., surface acidity, defective structures, and metal-support interactions) could be finely tuned by adjusting the amount of Al introduced into Al-Zr oxide solid solutions, thus profoundly governing their catalytic HDO activities. It was demonstrated that the introduction of an appropriate amount of Al could not only enhance surface acidity and promote the formation of defective Zr-O v -Al structures (O v : oxygen vacancy) but also facilitate the generation of interfacial Niδ+ species bound to the support. Over the Ni-based catalyst bearing an Al 2 O 3 :ZrO 2 mass ratio of 5:2, a high cyclohexane yield of ∼77.4% was attained at 230 °C and 1.0 MPa initial hydrogen pressure. The high catalytic HDO efficiency was revealed to be correlated with the catalytic synergy between Ni0 and adjacent interfacial Niδ+ species, together with the promotion of neighboring defective oxygen vacancies and acidic sites, which contributed to the enhanced activation of the methoxy group in anisole and reaction intermediate and thus greatly improved HDO activity. The present findings offer a new and promising guidance for constructing high-performance metal-based catalysts via a rational surface-interface engineering. [Display omitted] • Highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles were stabilized by the Zr-Al oxide solid solution. • Such-fabricated Ni-based nanocatalyst was highly active for anisole hydrodeoxygenation. • Unique synergies of surface-interface multiple active sites were constructed. • Ni0 sites together with interfacial Niδ+ sites and surface defective and acidic sites contributed to high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to compare the reported oncological outcomes based on satisfactory lymph node dissection (LND) or lymph node sampling (LNS), systemic and loco-regional recurrence rate and long-term survival rate of patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy or thoracotomy lobectomy. A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE and OVID-EBMR databases ranging from 1990 to 2011. The studies compared VATS and thoracotomy for patients with NSCLC, with results including LND or LNS where recurrence as well as survival rates were identified. Data were abstracted by two reviewers independently. Mean difference or risk ratio (RR) were pooled using RevMan 5.0 statistical software. 5389 cases were included, of which 2380 underwent VATS and 3009 underwent thoracotomy. There was no significant difference in the number of total LND or LNS procedures (MD: −0.63; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI): −1.47 to 0.21; P = 0.14) or mediastinal LND or LNS (MD: −0.51; 95% CI: −1.58 to 0.56; P = 0.35) between the two groups. Systemic (RR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.48 to 0.78; P < 0.01) and loco-regional (RR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.46 to 0.95; P = 0.03) recurrence rates were significantly lower in the VATS group. Moreover, a significantly higher survival rate (RR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.15; P < 0.01) was also demonstrated by a Forest plot in the VATS group. These results suggest that VATS lobectomy might be an eligible alternative in place of thoracotomy in patients with early-stage NSCLC by reducing recurrence and improving survival rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The facile one-step knitting strategy was applied to preparing copper porphyrin based heterogeneous catalysts for sustainable and highly efficient styrene oxidation. [Display omitted] • A facile one-step knitting strategy to synthesize copper porphyrin based polymers was adopted. • Systematic exploration of two comparable polymers (SC-Cu and FC-Cu) for styrene oxidation. • These heterogeneous POFs catalysts could be fairly easy to obtain. • The SC-Cu catalyst makes selectively high production of styrene oxide possible. Porous organic frameworks (POFs) catalysts with a combination of the well-developed porosity and highly dispersed of active sites hold promise for boosting catalyst activity and selectivity. Among their many synthetic methods, one-step knitting strategies have gained superiority and potential for development. Here, two copper porphyrin based microporous polymers (SC-Cu and FC-Cu) were directly synthesized through Scholl coupling reaction and Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction respectively, which possess high surface area and efficient catalytic performance for styrene oxidation. Moreover, the hierarchical pores of SC-Cu gave it a unique catalytic performance with various olefins with excellent conversion rate. The insight achieved by this systematic analysis will contribute to the rational design of other POFs catalysts and widening extent of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Isothermal microwave curing was effective for preparing RPC. • Microwaves accelerated strength development significantly. • The optimal curing process was obtained. • The contributed reactions were identified. A combined application of microwaving curing and reactive powder concrete (RPC) may provide an accelerated development of outstanding mechanical and physical properties, which has great potential to improve the quality and efficiency of production. In this work, a custom-made microwave oven was used to isothermally cure RPC with steel fibre reinforcement at 40 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C for 30 min. Compared to phased nonisothermal microwave curing, the isothermal microwave curing is equally effective, yet more energy efficient to operate and easier to control. The microwave-cured specimens at 1 day gained up 72.0% and 127.6% of the 28 days compressive and flexural strength achieved with standard curing, respectively. The acceleration rates varied with material characteristics and initial temperatures. The characterisation data obtained from STA, XRD and SEM-EDS analysis indicated that the beneficial effects of microwave curing temperature on strength development were due to the accelerated cement hydration and pozzolanic reaction of silica fume. The products resulting from this acceleration strengthened the interfacial zone between hydrated regions and aggregates, and the interfacial zone between the cement and silica fume. Besides C-S-H, AFm, AFt, CH, C C - , Al-tobermorite, a CO 3 2−-contained fukalite-like phase was found to be formed, which may be produced by the pozzolanic reaction of silica fume at the expense of calcium carbonate under microwave curing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Endopeptidases and exopeptidases were examined in mung bean protein extract. • 8S and 11S globulins on SDS–PAGE gel were confirmed in our experimental conditions. • 11S (except at pH 3–3.5) and 8S globulins showed strong resistance to the endopeptidases. • Exopeptidases preferred to liberate methionine and tryptophan. • Endopeptidases and exopeptidases negatively affected the yield of mung bean protein. Mung bean protein possesses several health benefits, and aqueous processing methods are used for its production. However, mung bean protein yields are different with different methods, which are actually different in conditions (e.g., pH, temperature, and time). Herein, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry identified 28 endopeptidases and exopeptidases in mung bean protein extract, and the positions of 8S and 11S globulins on sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) gel were confirmed in our experimental conditions. The SDS–PAGE, trichloroacetic acid–nitrogen solubility index, and free amino acid analysis revealed that (1) 8S globulins showed strong resistance to the endopeptidases (optimal at pH 5 and 50 °C) at pH 3–9, and 11S globulin exhibit strong resistance expect at pH 3–3.5; (2) the exopeptidases (optimal at pH 6 and 50 °C) preferred to liberate methionine and tryptophan. These proteases negatively affected protein yield, and short production time and low temperature were recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: TFE3-rearranged renal cell carcinoma (TFE3-rRCC) is a rare but highly heterogeneous renal cell carcinoma (RCC) entity, of which the clinical treatment landscape is largely undefined. This study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy of different systemic treatments and further explore the molecular correlates. Methods: Thirty-eight patients with metastatic TFE3-rRCC were enrolled. Main outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival, objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate. RNA sequencing was performed on 32 tumors. Results: Patients receiving first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) based combination therapy achieved longer PFS than those treated without ICI (median PFS: 11.5 vs. 5.1 months, P = 0.098). After stratification of fusion partners, the superior efficacy of first-line ICI based combination therapy was predominantly observed in ASPSCR1-TFE3 rRCC (median PFS: not reached vs. 6.5 months, P = 0.01; ORR: 67.5% vs. 10.0%, P = 0.019), but almost not in non-ASPSCR1-TFE3 rRCC. Transcriptomic data revealed enrichment of ECM and collagen-related signaling in ASPSCR1-TFE3 rRCC, which might interfere with the potential efficacy of anti-angiogenic monotherapy. Whereas angiogenesis and immune activities were exclusively enriched in ASPSCR1-TFE3 rRCC and promised the better clinical outcomes with ICI plus tyrosine kinase inhibitor combination therapy. Conclusions: The current study represents the largest cohort comparing treatment outcomes and investigating molecular correlates of metastatic TFE3-rRCC based on fusion partner stratification. ICI based combination therapy could serve as an effective first-line treatment option for metastatic ASPSCR1-TFE3 rRCC patients. Regarding with other fusion subtypes, further investigations should be performed to explore the molecular mechanisms to propose pointed therapeutic strategy accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The progress of stretchable and wearable photovoltaics relies heavily on intrinsically stretchable active layer films. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of research clarifying the connections between their microstructure, performance, and their adaptation to large strain in polymer electronic films. The current study utilizes multiple synchrotron X‐ray scattering methods to collectively examine the correlations between morphology and stretchability, as well as the microstructural evolution induced by stretching in three sample cases of highly stretchable ternary blend films. These blends contain over 30% by weight of a polymer elastomer, such as styrene‐ethylene‐butylene‐styrene block copolymer, integrated into the high‐performance polymer:nonfullerene small molecule mixture. Specifically, the real‐time microstructural changes of these durable organic photovoltaic films with elastomers are monitored when subjected to tensile stretching through in situ synchrotron X‐ray scattering. The experiments demonstrate that polymeric elastomers can effectively lower the degree of crystallinity in films and deform the crystallites of semiconductor molecules. The elastomeric component aids in stress dispersion during stretching, thereby improving the microstructural durability of blend films. This study provides new recommendations for advancing stretchable organic optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims. Regional anaesthesia reports to attenuate stress and inflammatory responses associated with surgical resection; however, the effectiveness of combined nerve blocks is less often investigated. We evaluated whether a combination of a pectoral nerve block (PNB) and stellate ganglion block (SGB) is more effective than a PNB alone in reducing these responses in women undergoing modified radical mastectomy (MRM). Methods. This is a prospective randomized controlled trial. Fifty patients with breast cancer were randomly allocated to receive an ultrasound-guided PNB (n = 25 , PNB only group) or ultrasound-guided PNB combined with SGB (n = 25 , combined blockade group). The primary outcome was perioperative plasma level of interleukin- (IL-) 6. Secondary outcomes included perioperative plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, IL-8, and tumour necrosis factor- (TNF-) α, pain scores, haemodynamic variables, sleep quality, and complications postsurgery. Results. The combined blockade group exhibited significantly lower IL-6 and TNF-α levels 24 h postsurgery. Cortisol levels were significantly lower in the combined blockade group at the end of the surgery. Glucose levels at the time of incision were lower in the combined blockade group. Pain scores up to 12 h postsurgery were significantly lower in the combined blockade group, which also exhibited better perioperative haemodynamic stability. Patients in the combined blockade group reported better sleep quality on the night of surgery. Conclusion. In patients undergoing MRM, PNB combined with SGB block effectively blunted perioperative inflammatory response than PNB alone. A combined block approach can also alleviate stress response and postoperative acute pain with stable perioperative haemodynamics and better postoperative sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-rigid 6-(carboxymethoxy)-2-naphthoic acid (H 2 CNA) was successfully synthesized as a ligand containing O-bridging atom. Six coordination polymers based on H 2 CNA ligand and transition metal ions were successfully synthesized under the hydrothermal or solvothermal conditions, which named [Zn(CNA)] n (1), [Cd(CNA) (H 2 O)] n (2), [Co(HCNA) 2 (H 2 O) 4 ] (3), [Ni(HCNA) 2 (H 2 O) 4 ] (4), [Cu(CNA) (H 2 O)] n (5), [Ni(CNA) (H 2 O)] n (6). Single crystal structural analysis revealed that 1 , 2 , 5 and 6 are shown as 2D structures, and 3 – 4 displays 0D structures. All the structures assembled into 3D supramolecular networks by hydrogen bonding interaction. The thermal stability, luminescent properties and UV–vis spectra of these coordination polymers were discussed in detail. In addition, 5 has good adsorption ability for Congo Red with good selectivity. We synthesized and characterized six CPs based on semi-rigid 6-(carboxymethoxy)-2-naphthoic acid. Image 1 • Semi-rigid 6-(carboxymethoxy)-2-naphthoic acid (H 2 CNA) ligand was synthesized. • Six coordination polymers based on H 2 CNA ligand were synthesized. • Compound 5 has good adsorption ability for Congo Red with good selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four coordination polymers, namely, [Zn (DBT) (4,4′-dmbpy) (H 2 O)] n (1), [Co(DBT) (2,2′-bpy) (H 2 O)] n (2), [Zn (DBT) (2,2′-bpy)] n (3), [Zn (DBT) 0.5 (2,2′-bpy) 2 ·(HDBT−)] n (4) (H 2 DBT ​= ​2,5-dibromoterephthalic acid, 4,4′-dmbpy ​= ​4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridyl and 2,2′-bpy ​= ​2,2′-bipyridyl) have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. These four compounds remained stable until 150 ​°C, and the major quality loss (83–90%) occurred between 150 and 700 ​°C. In mixed ligands system, the main ligand H 2 DBT exhibits monodentate or bidentate bridging coordination modes and the auxiliary ligands 4,4′-dmbpy and 2,2′-bpy both possess bidentate chelate coordination modes. An objective of this study was to investigate the pivotal role of chelating ligands in the formation of low dimensional structures. As the bipyridyl ligands occupy the coordination site, compounds 1 – 3 all display two dimensional structures and 4 shows 1D chains, of which compounds 1 and 2 are isomorphic. The hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking work together in the formation of 3D supramolecular structure of these four compounds. Besides, we investigated their photoluminescence properties in the solid state at room temperature. The compounds 1 , 3 and 4 exhibited good fluorescence performance, and their strong emission peaks were located at 447 ​nm (λex ​= ​285 ​nm) for 1 , 427 ​nm (λex ​= ​330 ​nm) for 3 , and 412 ​nm (λex ​= ​310 ​nm) for 4. Image 1 • Four CPs based on H 2 DBT ligand were synthesized and structurally characterized. • Low-dimensional crystals were obtained by changing experimental conditions. • The luminescence properties were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Vaginal complications in exclusive vaginal-cuff brachytherapy (EVCBT) have not been analyzed in terms of the dose received by a vaginal volume of 2 cm3. The aim of this work was to analyze the vaginal dose and complications in EVCBT. In the present analysis, we found that all the patients receiving < 68Gy equivalent dose 2Gy/day at 2 cm3 of the most exposed area to the dose of the vagina only developed G0–G1 and 1G2 without vaginal stenosis complications and without relapses. This dose limit could eliminate G2 vaginal stenosis and is the hypothesis of a new analysis in our center. Background: To evaluate whether EQD2(α/β = 3Gy) at 2 cm3 of the most exposed area of the vagina is related to late vaginal toxicity in postoperative endometrial cancer (PEC) patients (p) treated with exclusive brachytherapy (BT). Methods: From 2014 to 2017, 43p were included in this study. BT was administered: 3-fractions of 6Gy in 37p and 2-fractions of 7.5Gy in 6p. The dose was prescribed at a depth of 5 mm from the applicator surface with dose-point optimization based on distance. The active treatment length was 2.5 cm. CTV-D90 and the dose to the most exposed 2 cm3 of the vagina was calculated for each patient. Late toxicity of the bladder and rectum was assessed using Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) criteria, and vaginal toxicity by objective Late Effects Normal Tissue Task Force (LENT)-Subjective, Objective, Management, Analytic (SOMA) (LENT-SOMA) criteria. Statistics: frequency tables, mean, median, range, standard deviation, and box plot. Results: The median follow-up was 51 months (12–68). 20 p (46.5%) and 2 p (4.7%) developed G1 and G2 vaginal complications, respectively. Only 1/2 p-G2 receiving EQD2(α/β = 3Gy) at 2 cm3 >68Gy presented vaginal shortening and 18/20 p-G1 received doses < 68Gy. Conclusions: PECp receiving exclusive brachytherapy with doses < 68Gy EQD2(α/β = 3Gy) at 2 cm2 of the vagina presented only G0–G1 vaginal toxicity, except for one with bleeding telangiectasias. Larger prospective studies are necessary to confirm the present results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]