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Objectives: To explore the potential of radiomics features to predict the histologic grade of nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (NF-PNET) patients using non-contrast sequence based on MRI. Methods: Two hundred twenty-eight patients with NF-PNETs undergoing MRI at 5 centers were retrospectively analyzed. Data from center 1 (n = 115) constituted the training cohort, and data from centers 2–5 (n = 113) constituted the testing cohort. Radiomics features were extracted from T2-weighted images and the apparent diffusion coefficient. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator was applied to select the most important features and to develop radiomics signatures. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was performed to assess models. Results: Tumor boundary, enhancement homogeneity, and vascular invasion were used to construct the radiological model to stratify NF-PNET patients into grade 1 and 2/3 groups, which yielded AUC of 0.884 and 0.684 in the training and testing groups. A radiomics model including 4 features was constructed, with an AUC of 0.941 and 0.871 in the training and testing cohorts. The fusion model combining the radiomics signature and radiological characteristics showed good performance in the training set (AUC = 0.956) and in the testing set (AUC = 0.864), respectively. Conclusion: The developed model that integrates radiomics features with radiological characteristics could be used as a non-invasive, dependable, and accurate tool for the preoperative prediction of grade in NF-PNETs. Clinical relevance statement: Our study revealed that the fusion model based on a non-contrast MR sequence can be used to predict the histologic grade before operation. The radiomics model may be a new and effective biological marker in NF-PNETs. Key Points: The diagnostic performance of the radiomics model and fusion model was better than that of the model based on clinical information and radiological features in predicting grade 1 and 2/3 of nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-PNETs). Good performance of the model in the four external testing cohorts indicated that the radiomics model and fusion model for predicting the grades of NF-PNETs were robust and reliable, indicating the two models could be used in the clinical setting and facilitate the surgeons' decision on risk stratification. The radiomics features were selected from non-contrast T2-weighted images (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequence, which means that the administration of contrast agent was not needed in grading the NF-PNETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of the histogram array and convolutional neural network (CNN) based on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with multiple b-values under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to distinguish pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) from solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) and pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs). This retrospective study consisted of patients diagnosed with PDACs (n = 132), PNENs (n = 45) and SPNs (n = 54). All patients underwent 3.0-T MRI including DWI with 10 b values. The regions of interest (ROIs) of pancreatic tumor were manually drawn using ITK-SNAP software, which included entire tumor at DWI (b = 1500 s/m2). The histogram array was obtained through the ROIs from multiple b-value data. PyTorch (version 1.11) was used to construct a CNN classifier to categorize the histogram array into PDACs, PNENs or SPNs. The area under the curves (AUCs) of the histogram array and the CNN model for differentiating PDACs from PNENs and SPNs were 0.896, 0.846, and 0.839 in the training, validation and testing cohorts, respectively. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were 90.22%, 96.23%, and 82.05% in the training cohort, 84.78%, 96.15%, and 70.0% in the validation cohort, and 81.72%, 90.57%, and 70.0% in the testing cohort. The performance of CNN with AUC of 0.865 for this differentiation was significantly higher than that of f with AUC = 0.755 (P = 0.0057) and α with AUC = 0.776 (P = 0.0278) in all patients. The histogram array and CNN based on DWI data with multiple b-values using MRI provided an accurate diagnostic performance to differentiate PDACs from PNENs and SPNs. • CNN is proposed to differentiate PDACs from non-PDACs by converting DWI into an image of histogram array. • AUCs of histogram array and CNN for diagnosing PDACs are 0.896, 0.846, and 0.839 in training, validating and testing cohorts. • The performance of histogram array and CNN for diagnosing PDACs is higher than that of DWI parameters in all patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The diagnosis of primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus (PMME) before treatment is essential for clinical decision-making. However, PMME may be misdiagnosed as esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) sometimes. This research is aimed at devising a radiomics nomogram model of CT for distinguishing PMME from ESCC. Methods. In this retrospective analysis, 122 individuals with proven pathologically PMME (n = 28) and ESCC (n = 94) were registered from our hospital. PyRadiomics was applied to derive radiomics features from plain and enhanced CT images after resampling image into an isotropic resolution of 0.625 × 0.625 × 0.625 m m 3 . The diagnostic efficiency of the model was evaluated by an independent validation group. Results. For the purpose of differentiation between PMME and ESCC, a radiomics model was constructed using 5 radiomics features obtained from nonenhanced CT and 4 radiomics features derived from enhanced CT. A radiomics model including multiple radiomics features showed excellent discrimination efficiency with AUCs of 0.975 and 0.906 in the primary and validation cohorts, respectively. Then, a radiomics nomogram model was developed. The decision curve analysis has shown remarkable performance of this nomogram model for distinguishing PMME from ESCC. Conclusions. The proposed radiomics nomogram model based on CT could be used for distinguishing PMME from ESCC. Moreover, this model also contributed to helping clinicians determine an appropriate treatment strategy for esophageal neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the value of radiomics, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) and stretched-exponential (SE) MR imaging in prediction of therapeutic response in patients with spinal metastases before chemotherapy. Thirty-six patients with 190 osteolytic metastatic lesions from breast cancer were prospectively enrolled and underwent MR imaging before and after 6 months' treatment on a 1.5 T MRI. According to MDA criteria, 68 lesions were categorized as progressive disease (PD) and 122 lesions were categorized as stable or improvement (non-PD). The regions of interest (ROIs) were manually drawn on DWI, T1WI, T2WI and FS-T2WI by two radiologists with ITK-SNAP. The ADC all (multiple b-values method), IVIM parameters (D, D* and f) and SE parameters (DDC and α) were generated. The radiomics features were extracted from the ROIs. The mean values of ADC, DDC, and D before treatment were significantly higher in non-PD group than those in PD group (P = 0.001). The radiomics based on ADC all had the highest AUC value (0.852), followed by that of the T2WI (0.829) and FS-T2WI (0.798). The radiomics model using ADC all and FS-T2WI showed excellent efficiency in predicting treatment response with AUCs of 0.905 and 0.873 in training and validation cohorts. The radiomics model had better performance than that of ADC all , D, and DDC for predicting treatment response of bone metastases. Radiomics model based on ADC all and FS-T2WI could predict the treatment response and contribute to assisting clinicians in accurately choosing appropriate management. • The mean values of ADC, DDC, and D values before treatment were significantly higher in non-PD group than those in PD group. • Radiomics ananlysis based on ADC all and FS-T2WI could predict treatment response of bone metastases. • The performance of radiomics model for predicting treatment response was higher than that of DWI parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) are acknowledged to be common fractures, especially in the elderly population. Minimally invasive percutaneous methods of treatment for these fractures such as kyphoplasty (KP) and vertebroplasty (VP) have been valid and effective tools for decreasing clinical problems, which are associated with more beneficial effects compared with traditional methods such as open surgery or conservative treatment. Hence, we conducted the current meta-analysis in order to gather updated evidence for the systematic assessment of clinical and radiographic outcomes of KP compared with VP.Methods: We searched articles published based on the electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. Publications of studies comparing KP with VP in the treatment of OVCFs were collected. After rigorous and thorough review of study quality, we extracted the data on the basis of eligible trials, which analyzed the summary hazard ratios (HRs) of the end points of interest.Results: Our inclusion criteria involved a total of 6 studies. In total, data from 644 patients, 330 who received VP and 284 who received KP, were included in the review. There was no significant difference in either group in terms of visual analog scale (VAS) scores (MD = 0.17; 95% CI, -0.39 to 0.73; P = .56), risk of cement leakage (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31; 95% CI, 0.62 to 2.74; P = .47) or Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores (MD = 0.51; 95% CI, -1.87 to 2.88; P = .68). Nevertheless, the injected cement volume (MD = -0.52; 95% CI, -0.88 to -0.15; P = .005) in the VP group was linked to a markedly lower statistically significant trend compared with the KP group.Conclusion: This meta-analysis evaluated acceptable efficacy levels across the involved trials. VP injected cement volume had several advantages in this meta-analysis. Yet, no significant differences were observed in terms of VAS scores, ODI scores, or cement leakage when KP was compared to VP therapy. Given the combined results of our study, the optimal treatment for patients with OVCFs should be determined by further high-quality multicenter randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up and larger sample sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of the study was to develop a deep learning (DL) algorithm to evaluate the pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer. Methods: A total of 302 breast cancer patients in this retrospective study were randomly divided into a training set (n = 244) and a validation set (n = 58). Tumor regions were manually delineated on each slice by two expert radiologists on enhanced T1‐weighted images. Pathological results were used as ground truth. Deep learning network contained five repetitions of convolution and max‐pooling layers and ended with three dense layers. The pre‐NAC model and post‐NAC model inputted six phases of pre‐NAC and post‐NAC images, respectively. The combined model used 12 channels from six phases of pre‐NAC and six phases of post‐NAC images. All models above included three indexes of molecular type as one additional input channel. Results: The training set contained 137 non‐pCR and 107 pCR participants. The validation set contained 33 non‐pCR and 25 pCR participants. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of three models was 0.553 for pre‐NAC, 0.968 for post‐NAC and 0.970 for the combined data, respectively. A significant difference was found in AUC between using pre‐NAC data alone and combined data (P < 0.001). The positive predictive value of the combined model was greater than that of the post‐NAC model (100% vs. 82.8%, P = 0.033). Conclusion: This study established a deep learning model to predict PCR status after neoadjuvant therapy by combining pre‐NAC and post‐NAC MRI data. The model performed better than using pre‐NAC data only, and also performed better than using post‐NAC data only. Key points: Significant findings of the study. It achieved an AUC of 0.968 for pCR prediction. It showed a significantly greater AUC than using pre‐NAC data only. What this study adds This study established a deep learning model to predict PCR status after neoadjuvant therapy by combining pre‐NAC and post‐NAC MRI data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional method for the determination of heavy metals in food is acid digestion followed by atomic absorption spectrometry or induced coupled plasma mass spectrometry. However, for high salt foods, due to the strong matrix effect, the detection results are seriously inaccurate. In this work, sulfur-functionalized magnetic metal-organic frameworks (Fe 3 O 4 @UiO-66-SH) were synthesized by coating Fe 3 O 4 nanospheres with sulfydryl-functionalized UiO-66. The Fe 3 O 4 @UiO-66-SH possesses both the magnetic properties of Fe 3 O 4 and the diverse properties of metal-organic framework (MOF) in one material, which has the superiority of high surface area, easy-operation and strong adsorb ability with Pb (II) and Cd(II), is used to separate and determine Pb (II) and Cd(II) in high salt foods by magnetic solid phase extraction-induced plasma mass spectrometry. The detection limits (LODs) for Pb (II) and Cd(II) were 0.17 and 0.21 µg/kg, respectively, and the quantification limits (LOQs) were 0.56 and 0.66 µg/kg. Analyzing the certified reference material of soy sauce (CFAPA-QC1728–4, P41839) and estimating the spiked recoveries proved the accuracy and precision of the proposed method. The determined values agreed well with the reference values, and the recoveries for spiking sample varied from 85.8–100.5%. • A magnetic solid-phase extraction adsorbent was successfully prepared. • Extraction of heavy metal in high salinity foods. • The developed method can significantly reduce matrix effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Rectal tumor segmentation on post neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has great significance for tumor measurement, radiomics analysis, treatment planning, and operative strategy. In this study, we developed and evaluated segmentation potential exclusively on post-chemoradiation T2-weighted MRI using convolutional neural networks, with the aim of reducing the detection workload for radiologists and clinicians. Methods: A total of 372 consecutive patients with LARC were retrospectively enrolled from October 2015 to December 2017. The standard-of-care neoadjuvant process included 22-fraction intensity-modulated radiation therapy and oral capecitabine. Further, 243 patients (3061 slices) were grouped into training and validation datasets with a random 80:20 split, and 41 patients (408 slices) were used as the test dataset. A symmetric eight-layer deep network was developed using the nnU-Net Framework, which outputs the segmentation result with the same size. The trained deep learning (DL) network was examined using fivefold cross-validation and tumor lesions with different TRGs. Results: At the stage of testing, the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), 95% Hausdorff distance (HD95), and mean surface distance (MSD) were applied to quantitatively evaluate the performance of generalization. Considering the test dataset (41 patients, 408 slices), the average DSC, HD95, and MSD were 0.700 (95% CI: 0.680–0.720), 17.73 mm (95% CI: 16.08–19.39), and 3.11 mm (95% CI: 2.67–3.56), respectively. Eighty-two percent of the MSD values were less than 5 mm, and fifty-five percent were less than 2 mm (median 1.62 mm, minimum 0.07 mm). Conclusions: The experimental results indicated that the constructed pipeline could achieve relatively high accuracy. Future work will focus on assessing the performances with multicentre external validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective and concise electrophilic cyclization of 1,4-butynediols, 4-aminobut-2-yn-1-ols, pent-2-yne-1,5-diols, 2-propynolphenols and 2-propynolanilines with N -halo succinimides and trimethylsilyl halides opens a one-pot synthetic access to five- and six-membered dihalogenated heterocycles in moderate to good yields. The optimized cyclization conditions are tolerated with many functional groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient and convenient metal-free [2+2]-cycloaddition of benzyl-2-(3-hydroxypropynyl)-benzoates via allene processes has been developed, which provides impressive access to fused cyclobutanes from easily accessed π-components. This transformation involved the cleavage of two C–O bonds, the formations of two C–O bonds and two C–C bonds and showed some advantages, including mild conditions and wide substrate scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strategyfor the synthesis of spiroketal compounds through atandem iodocyclization of 1-(2-ethynylphenyl)-4-hydroxybut-2-yn-1-onederivatives is presented. This reaction could proceed under very mildconditions in a short time and avoid the use of expensive and toxicmetal catalysts. Moreover, the resulting halides can be further exploitedby subsequent palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions, which act asthe important intermediates for building other valuable compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functionalized 3,4-dihalogenated furan-2(5 H)-ones can be readily prepared in moderate to good yields by treating 4-hydroxy-4-arylbut-2-ynoate derivatives with ICl, IBr, and I2. Both halogen atoms of the electrophile are incorporated in the product. The resulting halides can further afford polycyclic aromatic compounds using known palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents a rapid method for preparation of copper metal nanoparticles by reducing CuSO4·5H2O with NaH2PO2·H2O in ethylene glycol under microwave irradiation. The influences of the reaction parameters, such as the concentrations of reducing agent and protective polymer time of microwave irradiation, on the size and agglomeration of copper nanoparticles were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscope. Well-dispersed copper nanoparticles with diameter of about 10nm were obtained. The use of microwave irradiation accelerated the reaction rate and benefited the dispersion and the particle size distribution of the nanoparticles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a novel one-step method for preparing of copper nanofluids by reducing CuSO4·5H2O with NaH2PO2·H2O in ethylene glycol under microwave irradiation. Nonagglomerated and stably suspended Cu nanofluids are obtained. The influences of CuSO4 concentration, addition of NaH2PO2, and microwave irradiation on the reaction rate and the properties of Cu nanofluids were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, infrared analysis, and sedimentation measurements. It is found to be a fast, efficient one-step chemical method to prepare Cu nanofluids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: The purpose of the current investigation is to compare the efficacy of different diffusion models and diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) in differentiating stage IA endometrial carcinoma (IAEC) from benign endometrial lesions (BELs). Methods: Patients with IAEC, endometrial hyperplasia (EH), or a thickened endometrium confirmed between May 2016 and August 2022 were retrospectively enrolled. All of the patients underwent a preoperative pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) from the mono-exponential model, pure diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), perfusion fraction (f) from the bi-exponential model, distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC), water molecular diffusion heterogeneity index from the stretched-exponential model, diffusion coefficient (Dk) and diffusion kurtosis (K) from the DKI model were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency. Results: A total of 90 patients with IAEC and 91 patients with BELs were enrolled. The values of ADC, D, DDC and Dk were significantly lower and D* and K were significantly higher in cases of IAEC (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that K was the only predictor. The area under the ROC curve of K was 0.864, significantly higher compared with the ADC (0.601), D (0.811), D* (0.638), DDC (0.743) and Dk (0.675). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of K were 78.89%, 85.71% and 80.66%, respectively. Conclusion: Advanced diffusion-weighted imaging models have good performance for differentiating IAEC from EH and endometrial thickening. Among all of the diffusion parameters, K showed the best performance and was the only independent predictor. Diffusion kurtosis imaging was defined as the most valuable model in the current context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: [52 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Facile Synthesis of Carbazoles via a Tandem Iodocyclization with 1,2-Alkyl Migration and Aromatization" by J. Wang and colleagues is presented.

The article presents chemical equations related to the article "An Iodine-Promoted Meyer-Schuster Rearrangement for the Synthesis of α-Iodo Unsaturated Ketones" by H.-T. Zhu and others, published in the periodical "Organic Chemistry Frontiers " in 2015.

This paper presents probabilistic capacity models for composite floor systems subjected to column loss. The probabilistic capacity models are formulated by adding explanatory terms to an existing deterministic model. The explanatory terms are selected to correct the bias in deterministic capacity model. After that, virtual experiment data generated from finite element simulations are used to calibrate the model parameters. The finite element models consider the effect of axial loading on steel connection and the slab membrane action. The calibration of model parameters is conducted using the Bayesian inference approach. As an application and validation of the probabilistic capacity models, fragility analyses of typical composite floor systems are carried out. The developed fragility curves are compared with those from finite element analysis cooperated with Monte Carlo simulation. The comparison results show that the proposed capacity models are considered reasonable in predicting the resistance capacity of the composite floor and seek a compromise between model accuracy and computational efficiency. The proposed capacity models can be used to carry out a rapid fragility analysis against progressive collapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents chemical equations related to the article "Synthesis of (E)-3-Styryl-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole Derivatives via Pd-Catalyzed Addition of Indoles to Hydroxy 1,6-Enynes" by M.-J. Zhong, P. Gao and others, published in the periodical "RSC Advances" in 2014.

The article presents the chemical structure for synthesis of halogenated spiroketals.

The first protocol involving a Friedel-Crafts-type reaction combined with an intramolecular electrophilic ipso-iodocyclization of title propiol amides is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corresponding products can be further converted via Pd-catalyzed coupling reactions [cf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents chemical equations for the article "Gold-Catalyzed Tandem (3,3)-Propargyl Ester Rearrangement Leading to (E)-1H-Inden-1-ones" by L.-J. Wang and others, published in the 2013 issue of the "Journal of Organic Chemistry."

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) initiates a neuroinflammatory cascade that contributes to substantial neuronal damage and behavioral impairment, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is an important mediator of thiscascade. In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that curcumin, a phytochemical compound with potent anti-inflammatory properties that is extracted from the rhizome Curcuma longa, alleviates acute inflammatory injury mediated by TLR4 following TBI.Methods: Neurological function, brain water content and cytokine levels were tested in TLR4⁻/⁻ mice subjected to weight-drop contusion injury. Wild-type (WT) mice were injected intraperitoneally with different concentrations of curcumin or vehicle 15 minutes after TBI. At 24 hours post-injury, the activation of microglia/macrophages and TLR4 was detected by immunohistochemistry; neuronal apoptosis was measured by FJB and TUNEL staining; cytokines were assayed by ELISA; and TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB levels were measured by Western blotting. In vitro, a co-culture system comprised of microglia and neurons was treated with curcumin following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. TLR4 expression and morphological activation in microglia and morphological damage to neurons were detected by immunohistochemistry 24 hours post-stimulation.Results: The protein expression of TLR4 in pericontusional tissue reached a maximum at 24 hours post-TBI. Compared with WT mice, TLR4⁻/⁻ mice showed attenuated functional impairment, brain edema and cytokine release post-TBI. In addition to improvement in the above aspects, 100 mg/kg curcumin treatment post-TBI significantly reduced the number of TLR4-positive microglia/macrophages as well as inflammatory mediator release and neuronal apoptosis in WT mice. Furthermore, Western blot analysis indicated that the levels of TLR4 and its known downstream effectors (MyD88, and NF-κB) were also decreased after curcumin treatment. Similar outcomes were observed in the microglia and neuron co-culture following treatment with curcumin after LPS stimulation. LPS increased TLR4 immunoreactivity and morphological activation in microglia and increased neuronal apoptosis, whereas curcumin normalized this upregulation. The increased protein levels of TLR4, MyD88 and NF-κB in microglia were attenuated by curcumin treatment.Conclusions: Our results suggest that post-injury, curcumin administration may improve patient outcome by reducing acute activation of microglia/macrophages and neuronal apoptosis through a mechanism involving the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in microglia/macrophages in TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the value of CT radiomics features of meso-esophageal fat in the overall survival (OS) prediction of patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: A total of 166 patients with locally advanced ESCC in two medical centers were retrospectively analyzed. The volume of interest (VOI) of meso-esophageal fat and tumor were manually delineated on enhanced chest CT using ITK-SNAP. Radiomics features were extracted from the VOIs by Pyradiomics and then selected using the t-test, the Cox regression analysis, and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The radiomics scores of meso-esophageal fat and tumors for OS were constructed by a linear combination of the selected radiomic features. The performance of both models was evaluated and compared by the C-index. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was employed to analyze the prognostic value of the meso-esophageal fat-based model. A combined model for risk evaluation was constructed based on multivariate analysis. Results: The CT radiomic model of meso-esophageal fat showed valuable performance for survival analysis, with C-indexes of 0.688, 0.708, and 0.660 in the training, internal, and external validation cohorts, respectively. The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year ROC curves showed AUCs of 0.640–0.793 in the cohorts. The model performed equivalently compared to the tumor-based radiomic model and performed better compared to the CT features-based model. Multivariate analysis showed that meso-rad-score was the only factor associated with OS. Conclusions: A baseline CT radiomic model based on the meso-esophagus provide valuable prognostic information for ESCC patients treated with dCRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the failure probability of steel frame structures against terrorist attack from Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED). A two-step approach is used to evaluate the collapse potential of structures against blast loads. In the first step, the damage degree and responses of structural members under blast loads are determined based on an equivalent single–degree of freedom system. In the second step, the post-blast collapse behavior of steel frame structures is investigated using a 3-D nonlinear macro-based numerical model. To improve the computational efficiency, the failure probability is calculated using subset simulation method cooperated with an advanced Delayed Rejection Adaptive Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation algorithm. The variability of blast load, vertical gravity load and structural material properties are considered. The computational framework is applied to a prototype 10-story steel frame to study the failure risk against VBIED. The results show that the reliability assessment framework used in this study provides an accurate and more efficient prediction of failure risk of structures against blast loads compared with the direct Monte Carlo simulation method. The framework also presents an approach for determination of effective measures in protecting structures against blast loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a probabilistic analysis of steel-concrete composite floor against progressive collapse considering uncertainties in strength and ductility of steel connections. Using component-based connection model, an analytical framework for developing probabilistic connection models is proposed. The connection models developed are further introduced in probabilistic structure analysis against progressive collapse. Tornado diagram-based sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the influential random variables for structural resistance capacity. Using Latin Hypercube sampling of both random structure variables and external loads, random realizations of structures are generated and progressive collapse analysis is carried out using pseudo-static pushdown method. The proposed framework is applied to study the vulnerability of composite floor. Fragility curves corresponding to three limit states are developed. Discussions on the influences of steel connection and slab continuity on collapse vulnerability are given. Finally, results from the present probabilistic method are compared with those from deterministic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method is elaborated for the synthesis of spiro derivatives (II) by iodine-mediated cyclization of benzoates (I). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient synthesis of the title compounds (II), (III), or (IV) is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of 2.5 equiv. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functionalization of quinoxalinones is synthetically and biologically appealing, however, C2 functionalized quinoxalinones is not reported via environmentally friendly approach. Herein, we disclosed C2–O sulfonylation of quinoxalinones via our developed electrochemical oxidative O–S coupling strategy for synthesizing 2-sulfonyloxylated quinoxalines. Applying this protocol, quinoxalin-ones and sodium sulfinates as the starting materials, a wide range of 2-sulfonyloxyl quinoxaline derivatives were obtained in moderate to good yields with good functional-group tolerance under mild conditions without additional oxidants. The utility of this methodology and the sulfonyloxyl handles was demonstrated trough gram-scale preparation and the synthesis of 2-substituted quinoxaline-based bioactive molecules, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the potential role of MR findings and DWI parameters in predicting small regional lymph nodes metastases (with short-axis diameter < 10 mm) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). Methods: A total of 127 patients, 82 in training group and 45 in testing group, with histopathologically diagnosed PDACs who underwent pancreatectomy were retrospectively analyzed. PDACs were divided into two groups of positive and negative lymph node metastases (LNM) based on the pathological results. Pancreatic cancer characteristics, short axis of largest lymph node, and DWI parameters of PDACs were evaluated. Results: Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that extrapancreatic distance of tumor invasion, short-axis diameter of the largest lymph node, and mean diffusivity of tumor were independently associated with small LNM in patients with PDACs. The combining MRI diagnostic model yielded AUCs of 0.836 and 0.873, and accuracies of 81.7% and 80% in the training and testing groups. The AUC of the MRI model for predicting LNM was higher than that of subjective MRI diagnosis in the training group (rater 1, P = 0.01; rater 2, 0.008) and in a testing group (rater 1, P = 0.036; rater 2, 0.024). Comparing the subjective diagnosis, the error rate of the MRI model was decreased. The defined LNM-positive group by the MRI model showed significantly inferior overall survival compared to the negative group (P = 0.006). Conclusions: The MRI model showed excellent performance for individualized and noninvasive prediction of small regional LNM in PDACs. It may be used to identify PDACs with small LNM and contribute to determining an appropriate treatment strategy for PDACs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigates the hydrodynamic and thermal performance of nanofluids in the region of thermal developing laminar mixed convection. Single-phase approach was employed to evaluate the pumping power and heat transfer coefficient, i.e., no novel mechanism other than the renewing thermophysical properties of nanofluids was involved. An aggregation-mechanism-based methodology was introduced and verified to well unify the rheological and thermal properties of nanofluids. In comparing the pumping power savings, critical differences between forced convection and mixed convection were found: nanofluids are more favorable for application to mixed convection. Criteria for nanofluid forced-mixed transition have been discussed and presented to help the decision of whether a flow can be viewed as mixed flow. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of the closed technique (CT) with Veress needle for the creation of retroperitoneal working space (RWS) for the retroperitoneoscopic ablation of symptomatic renal cysts by comparison with the open technique (OT). Material and methods: In this series of 412 patients who underwent retroperitoneoscopic ablation of symptomatic renal cysts, RWS was created by OT in 231 patients and CT in 181 patients, respectively. The time to create RWS, operative time, and complications were analyzed. Results: Creation of RWS and retroperitoneoscopic cyst ablation were completed successfully in all cases. The time to create RWS by CT was significantly shorter than that by OT (6.4 ± 1.2 vs 9.6 ± 1.2 min, P< 0.01). The operative time was shorter with CT than with OT (50.5 ± 6.5 vs 52.5 ± 6.7 min, P< 0.01). Subcutaneous emphysema developed in five (2.16%) of 231 patients undergoing OT and one (0.55%) of 181 patients undergoing CT. Port-site gas leakage was observed in six patients undergoing OT. Conclusions: Our study shows that CT with Veress needle for the creation of RWS for symptomatic renal cysts is feasible and safe in experienced hands, reducing troublesome port-site gas leakage and subcutaneous emphysema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate retroperitoneoscopic renal pedicle lymphatic disconnection (RRPLD) for chyluria in the setting of complex renal vasculature and compare those outcomes with the RRPLD outcomes of patients with normal renal vasculature. Materials and Methods: From December 2002 to December 2011, RRPLD was performed in 14 patients with complex renal vasculature and 64 patients with normal renal vasculature. Preoperative multislice spiral computed tomography angiography for renal vessels was done on 5 patients with complex vasculature. The demographic and perioperative data were collected to assess critical outcomes. Results: The abnormal vasculature was identified using preoperative multislice spiral computed tomography angiography in 5 patients and surgical exploration in 9 patients. RRPLD was successfully completed in all patients without conversion to open surgery or vascular injury. The mean operative time was significantly longer in those with complex renal vasculature than those with normal renal vasculature (105.4 ± 18.7 vs 84.5 ± 15.6 minutes; P = .000). The outcomes were similar in the 2 groups in terms of intraoperative blood loss (P = .060), mean hospital stay (P = .478), and intraoperative complications (P = .660). The occurrence of postoperative gross hematuria was significantly greater in those with complex renal vasculature than in those with normal renal vasculature (4 of 14 vs 2 of 64; P = .008). The event was resolved uneventfully. Conclusion: Although it is technically challenging, RRPLD is feasible and safe for patients in the presence of complex renal vasculature. Preoperative evaluation of the renal vasculature with multislice spiral computed tomography angiography is beneficial for managing abnormal renal vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the MRI performance in differentiating pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs), from solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPNs) and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) using non-gaussian diffusion-weighted imaging models. This was a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with PDACs (01/2015–06/2019) or with PNETs or SPNs diagnosed (01/2011–12/2019) at our hospital. The lesions were randomized 1:1 to the primary and validation cohorts. The regions of interest (ROIs) were manually drawn on each slice at DWI (b = 1500 s/mm2) from 3 T MRI. D (diffusion coefficient), D* (pseudodiffusion coefficient), f (perfusion fraction), distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC), α (diffusion heterogeneity index), mean diffusivity (MD) and mean kurtosis (MK) were obtained. The parameters with largest performance for differentiation were used to establish a diagnostic model. There were 148, 56, and 60 patients with PDAC, PNET, and SPN, respectively. For differentiating PDACs from SPNs, f and MK values were used to establish a diagnostic model with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of 0.92 and 0.89 in the primary and validation groups, respectively. For distinguishing PDACs from PNETs, α and MK values were used to establish a diagnostic model with AUCs of 0.87 and 0.86 in the primary and validation groups, respectively. The accuracy rate of the subjective evaluation with the assistance of non-gaussian DWI models for differentiating PDAC from SPNs and PNETs were higher than that of subjective diagnosis alone (P < 0.05). The non-gaussian DWI models could assist radiologists in accurately differentiating PDACs from PNETs and SPNs. • The DWI model yielded AUCs of 0.87 and 0.86 for distinguishing PDACs from PNETs in primary and validation groups. • This DWI model achieved AUCs of 0.916 and 0.891 for differentiating PDACs from SPNs in primary and validation groups. • The error rates were reduced when radiologists were assisted by the DWI models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim was to investigate the prognostic value of MR apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) using histogram analysis (HA) in predicting disease-free survival (DFS) of cervical cancer after chemo-radiation therapy.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 103 women with pathologically proven squamous cell uterine cancer who received chemo-radiation therapy between 2009 and 2013. All patients were followed up for more than 2 years. Pre-treatment MR images were retrieved and imported for HA using an in-house developed software program based on 3D Slicer. Regions of interest of whole tumors were drawn manually on DWI with reference to T2WI. HA features (mean, max, min, 50, 10, 90%, kurtosis, and skewness) were extracted from apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps and compared between the recurrence and non-recurrence groups after the 2-year follow-up. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to correlate ADC HA features and relevant clinical variables (age, grade, maximal diameter of tumor, FIGO stage, SCC-Ag) with DFS.Results: One hundred three patients with stage IB-IV cervical cancers were followed up for 2.0-94.6 months (median 48.9 months). Twenty patients developed recurrence within 2 years. In the recurrence group, the min (P = 0.001) and 10% (P = 0.048) ADC values were significantly lower than those of the non-recurrence group. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that ADCmin (P = 0.006, HR = 0.110) was significantly correlated with DFS.Conclusion: Pre-treatment volumetric ADCmin in histogram analysis is an independent factor that is correlated with DFS in cervical cancer patients treated with chemo-radiation therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An experimental investigation was conducted for flow boiling inside three horizontal stainless-steel tubes with a series of newly-developed three-dimensional enhanced surfaces. Both the inner and outer surfaces of the 1EHT tubes were composed of dimples in different sizes and depths, and with an array of rectangular cavities for the 3EHT tube. These enhanced tubes have the same outer and inner diameters of 9.52 mm and of 8.32 mm, respectively. The evaporation experiments were performed using R410A as the working fluid at a constant saturation temperature of 279 K. The mass fluxes varied from 160 to 390 kg/m2s, with inlet and outlet vapor qualities of 0.2 and 0.8, respectively. As the mass velocity increased, the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop penalty increased accordingly. Experimental results showed that the pressure drop of the 1EHT-1 tube is larger than those of the 1EHT-2 and 3EHT tubes, while the 1EHT-2 tube has the highest evaporation heat transfer coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) account for less than 1% of all gastrointestinal tumors. The biological behaviors of GISTs vary from benign to malignant. GISTs are common in the stomach (55.6%) and small intestine (31.8%), but rarely in the rectum, colon (6%), and other sites (5.5%). Currently, the majority of published reports of primary appendiceal stromal tumors (PASTs) are case reports or case series. Methods: The PASTs described in this study were identified from a literature review (23 cases) and our center (one case). The relationship between PAST gross types and clinicopathological factors was analyzed and summarized. At the same time, the study also analyzed the related risk factors and survival of PASTs and GISTs. Results: Twenty-four cases of PASTs were compared with 254 cases of GISTs from our center. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups in tumor size (P < 0.001), histological type (P = 0.013), CD34 expression (P < 0.001), and DOG-1 expression (P < 0.001). Disease-free survival (DFS) analysis of 11 cases of PASTs and 227 cases of GISTs found that a comparison of 3-year and 5-year DFS was not statistically significant (P = 0.894 and P = 0.846, respectively). In the DFS multivariate analysis, tumor mucosal ulceration, tumor size, and NIH risk classification were independent prognostic factors in 3-year and 5-year DFS. Conclusion: In this study, there was no significance in the survival of patients with appendix and gastric stromal tumors, which we hypothesized to be associated with the low sample size and incomplete follow-up records. Based on this, we conclude that the prognosis of primary appendiceal stromal tumors may be better than gastric tumors, but this needs to be confirmed in further prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing simple and readily available 2-hydroxy benzaldehydes and 1,3-diketones or 1,3-cyclohexanediones as raw materials, complex 2,8-dioxabicyclo [3.3.1] nonane derivatives were synthesized in one-step via classical Knoevenagel condensation. The reaction was simply conducted under solvent-free and mild conditions, which showed good tolerance to a variety of functional groups. This atom-economical approach delivers an attractive synthetic protocol for 2,8-dioxabicyclo [3.3.1] nonane derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the value of parameters of the on hepatobiliary phase (HBP) of pre-treatment gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for predicting pathological response to systemic therapy in colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs), compared with response evaluation criteria in solid tumors, version 1.1 (RECIST 1.1).Methods: A total of 96 patients with CRLMs who underwent gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI prior to treatment and then liver resection from January 2017 to December 2021 were enrolled. The pathological response was assessed by the percentage of residual tumors (RTs), and CRLMs were classified into two groups according to the pathological response grade (PRG): (1) strong response (including PRG2 and PRG3, RTs ≤ 10%), and weak response (PRG1, RTs > 10%). Two radiologists evaluated the enhancement pattern and degree of CRLMs on the HBP. The diameter, mean and standard deviation (SD) value of signal intensity (SI) of CRLMs on pre-contrast and HBP images were recorded. Relative tumor enhancement (RTE) and the SD ratio (SDR) were calculated. These parameters were analyzed in terms of pathological response on a lesion-by-lesion basis.Results: Totally, 263 CRLMs were classified into: the strong response group (PRG2, n = 57; PRG3, n = 7) and the weak response group (PRG1, n = 199). RTE and SDR values were significantly higher in the strong response group than in the weak response group (P < 0.001). RTE values (P < 0.001) and SDR values (P = 0.031) were independent factors for predicting strong response. The area under curve (AUC) of RTE and SDR values were 0.725 and 0.652, respectively. The combination of these parameters was 0.750, which performed better than RECIST 1.1 (0.750 vs 0.531; P < 0.001).Conclusions: RTE and SDR values on HBP are potential features in predicting pathological response to systemic therapy in CRLMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study on the seismic damage evolution and failure process of steel–concrete hybrid structures through simulation and tests. For steel members, the Krieg–Key constitutive model with a plasticity damage model is used to simulate the damage of steel. For concrete members, the improved Faria–Oliver model is adopted to analyze the damage of concrete. After that, these material models are assigned to fiber elements. The fiber element is adopted to establish a finite element model of steel–concrete hybrid structures. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of this modeling method, shaking table tests are conducted on a scaled test model of a three-storey steel–concrete hybrid structure. The test result shows that the proposed damage model and fiber elements are effective to simulate the seismic damage evolution and failure process of steel–concrete structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study experimentally investigated convective heat transfer performances of China RP-3 kerosene flowing in a vertical upward tube under supercritical pressures. Effects of mass flux, heat flux, pressure and inlet temperature on the heat transfer performance were given in detail. The influences of buoyancy and flow acceleration under different flow conditions were discussed as well. It was found that the inner wall temperature varies non-linearly at different mass fluxes. Heat transfer is improved when the fuel temperature is around the critical temperature. The heat transfer coefficient increases as heat flux or inlet temperature increases, while increase in inlet pressure reduces heat transfer coefficient. Besides, as nanofluids generally have higher thermal conductivity compared to their corresponding base fluids (i.e. kerosene), the heat transfer characteristics of Fe 3 O 4 -kerosene nanofluid was also investigated. It was found that the addition of nanoparticles tends to deteriorate the heat transfer performance of nanofluids flowing in a vertical tube under supercritical pressure. As the particle content increases, the heat transfer coefficient decreases due to the modification of the inner wall surface by the nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regenerative cooling system at supercritical conditions can accommodate high heat fluxes effectively in aerospace applications. The potential of nanofluids as regenerative coolants at supercritical pressures was evaluated in this work. Experiments were carried out to study the heat transfer characteristics of Al 2 O 3 -kerosene nanofluids flowing upward in a vertical minitube at supercritical pressures. Parametric effects of mass flow rate, heat flux, pressure and particle content on the heat transfer performance are presented. Results show that increasing the mass flow rate or pressure enhances heat transfer, while higher heat fluxes lead to poorer heat transfer performance. Nanofluids tend to deteriorate heat transfer at supercritical pressures because deposition of the nanoparticles smoothens the wall roughness and presents an additional thermal resistance. As the particle content increases, the heat transfer performance becomes worse. Based on the experimental data, a heat transfer correlation was established for Al 2 O 3 -kerosene nanofluids at supercritical pressures and the correlation shows good predictive ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Current low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score is lagging behind and only based on clinical symptoms patient described. Preoperative imaging indicators which can be used to predict LARS is unknown. We proposed preoperative MRI parameters for identifying major LARS.Patients receiving curative restorative anterior resection from Sept. 2007 to Sept. 2015 were collected to complete LARS score (median 75.7 months since surgery). MRI measurements associated with LARS were tested, and a multivariate logistic model was conducted for predicting LARS. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the model.Two hundred fifty-five patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and 72 patients undergoing direct surgery were enrolled. The incidence of major LARS in NCRT group was significantly higher (53.3% vs.34.7%, P = 0.005). In patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, the thickness of ARJ (TARJ), the distance between the tumor’s lower edge and anal rectal joint (DTA), and sex were independent factors for predicting major LARS; ORs were 0.382 (95% CI, 0.198–0.740), 0.653 (95% CI, 0.565–0.756), and 0.935 (95% CI, 0.915–0.955). The AUC of the multivariable model was 0.842 (95% CI, 0.794–0.890). In patients with direct surgery, only DTA was the independent factor for predicting major LARS; OR was 0.958 (95% CI, 0.930–0.988). The AUC was 0.777 (95% CI: 0.630–0.925).Baseline MRI measurements have the potential to predict major LARS in rectal cancer, which will benefit the decision-making and improve patients’ life quality.Methods: Current low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score is lagging behind and only based on clinical symptoms patient described. Preoperative imaging indicators which can be used to predict LARS is unknown. We proposed preoperative MRI parameters for identifying major LARS.Patients receiving curative restorative anterior resection from Sept. 2007 to Sept. 2015 were collected to complete LARS score (median 75.7 months since surgery). MRI measurements associated with LARS were tested, and a multivariate logistic model was conducted for predicting LARS. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the model.Two hundred fifty-five patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and 72 patients undergoing direct surgery were enrolled. The incidence of major LARS in NCRT group was significantly higher (53.3% vs.34.7%, P = 0.005). In patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, the thickness of ARJ (TARJ), the distance between the tumor’s lower edge and anal rectal joint (DTA), and sex were independent factors for predicting major LARS; ORs were 0.382 (95% CI, 0.198–0.740), 0.653 (95% CI, 0.565–0.756), and 0.935 (95% CI, 0.915–0.955). The AUC of the multivariable model was 0.842 (95% CI, 0.794–0.890). In patients with direct surgery, only DTA was the independent factor for predicting major LARS; OR was 0.958 (95% CI, 0.930–0.988). The AUC was 0.777 (95% CI: 0.630–0.925).Baseline MRI measurements have the potential to predict major LARS in rectal cancer, which will benefit the decision-making and improve patients’ life quality.Results: Current low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score is lagging behind and only based on clinical symptoms patient described. Preoperative imaging indicators which can be used to predict LARS is unknown. We proposed preoperative MRI parameters for identifying major LARS.Patients receiving curative restorative anterior resection from Sept. 2007 to Sept. 2015 were collected to complete LARS score (median 75.7 months since surgery). MRI measurements associated with LARS were tested, and a multivariate logistic model was conducted for predicting LARS. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the model.Two hundred fifty-five patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and 72 patients undergoing direct surgery were enrolled. The incidence of major LARS in NCRT group was significantly higher (53.3% vs.34.7%, P = 0.005). In patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, the thickness of ARJ (TARJ), the distance between the tumor’s lower edge and anal rectal joint (DTA), and sex were independent factors for predicting major LARS; ORs were 0.382 (95% CI, 0.198–0.740), 0.653 (95% CI, 0.565–0.756), and 0.935 (95% CI, 0.915–0.955). The AUC of the multivariable model was 0.842 (95% CI, 0.794–0.890). In patients with direct surgery, only DTA was the independent factor for predicting major LARS; OR was 0.958 (95% CI, 0.930–0.988). The AUC was 0.777 (95% CI: 0.630–0.925).Baseline MRI measurements have the potential to predict major LARS in rectal cancer, which will benefit the decision-making and improve patients’ life quality.Conclusions: Current low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score is lagging behind and only based on clinical symptoms patient described. Preoperative imaging indicators which can be used to predict LARS is unknown. We proposed preoperative MRI parameters for identifying major LARS.Patients receiving curative restorative anterior resection from Sept. 2007 to Sept. 2015 were collected to complete LARS score (median 75.7 months since surgery). MRI measurements associated with LARS were tested, and a multivariate logistic model was conducted for predicting LARS. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the model.Two hundred fifty-five patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and 72 patients undergoing direct surgery were enrolled. The incidence of major LARS in NCRT group was significantly higher (53.3% vs.34.7%, P = 0.005). In patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, the thickness of ARJ (TARJ), the distance between the tumor’s lower edge and anal rectal joint (DTA), and sex were independent factors for predicting major LARS; ORs were 0.382 (95% CI, 0.198–0.740), 0.653 (95% CI, 0.565–0.756), and 0.935 (95% CI, 0.915–0.955). The AUC of the multivariable model was 0.842 (95% CI, 0.794–0.890). In patients with direct surgery, only DTA was the independent factor for predicting major LARS; OR was 0.958 (95% CI, 0.930–0.988). The AUC was 0.777 (95% CI: 0.630–0.925).Baseline MRI measurements have the potential to predict major LARS in rectal cancer, which will benefit the decision-making and improve patients’ life quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title reaction represents a simple, efficient, and widely applicable method to prepare tetrasubstituted cyclopentadienes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Warfarin is a commonly prescribed anticoagulant drug for the prevention of thromboses. To address the association of genetic factors and warfarin dosage for ethnic Han Chinese, we genotyped six candidate genes involved in the warfarin interactive pathway with focus on SNPs with reported association with warfarin dose. Methods: We recruited a study population consisted of 318 patients receiving warfarin treatment and 995 healthy controls. PCR and direct sequencing were used to identify the sequence polymorphisms. Results: In our study population, SNP rs1799853 of CYP2C9, rs1687390 of ORM1–2, and rs2069919 of PROC showed no variation. SNPs rs12714145 of GGCX and rs1799809 of PROC showed no significant correlation with warfarin dose. The associations of SNPs rs9934438 and rs9923231 of VKORC1, the ⁎3 (rs1057910) and C −65 (rs9332127) alleles of CYP2C9, and SNP rs4653436 of EPHXI with the dose of warfarin were significant. Conclusion: A multiple regression model based on the genetic polymorphisms of VKORC1, CYP2C9, EPHX1 and the non-genetic factors of age and body weight can explain 40.2% of the variance in warfarin dose in Han Chinese patients. Translation of this knowledge into clinical guidelines for warfarin prescription may improve the safety and efficacy of warfarin treatment among Han Chinese. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Chemical reactions are presented for the article "A Facile and Efficient Synthesis of Six-Membered Enol Carbocyclic Compounds" by D. S. Yang and colleagues, published in the journal "Synlett" in 2015.