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Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol to High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Ratio (NHHR) is a significant indicator of atherosclerosis. However, its association with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) remains unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between NHHR and the prevalence of DKD among the U.S. adults using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 1999 to 2020. Participants were selected based on the stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria. We utilized single-factor analysis, multivariate logistic regression, and smooth curve fitting to investigate the relationship between NHHR and DKD. Our study included 8,329 diabetic individuals, who were categorized into DKD and non-DKD groups based on the presence or absence of kidney damage. A significant difference in NHHR was observed between these groups. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that NHHR was positively associated with the prevalence of DKD. Specifically, each one-unit increase in NHHR corresponded to a 6% rise in the prevalence of DKD, with this association remaining significant across stratified NHHR values. Threshold effect analysis revealed an inflection point at an NHHR of 1.75, beyond this point, each unit increase in NHHR was associated with a 7% increase in the prevalence of DKD. Subgroup analysis confirmed the robustness of these findings. Our study demonstrates a significant correlation between NHHR and DKD prevalence, suggesting that monitoring NHHR could be an effective strategy for reducing DKD prevalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aging global population is increasing the attention to cognitive decline in older individuals. Objective: This study sought to examine the potential link between the neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) and cognitive function. Methods: We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2014 using multivariate logistic regression and smooth curve fitting, to investigate the correlation between NPAR and cognitive performance. Restricted cubic spline analysis assessed the linear relationship with high-risk cognitive dysfunction, while piecewise linear regression identified thresholds. Subgroup analyses confirmed the consistency and reliability of our findings. Results: Our study included data from 2759 individuals aged >60 years. NPAR showed a significant correlation with Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) word learning score, CERAD delayed recall score, total z-score and a high risk of cognitive dysfunction. Furthermore, there were statistically significant trends in the changes in CERAD word learning, digit symbol substitution test, and CERAD delayed recall scores as the NPAR quartile increased, these trends were inverted U-shaped. When the NPAR exceeded 14.57, there was a positive association with the likelihood of a high risk of cognitive impairment. The link between NPAR and cognitive performance was notably stronger in individuals with moderate body mass index and those aged 73–80 years. Conclusions: A strong link was observed between the NPAR and cognitive function. NPAR may serve as a tool to identify individuals at increased risk of cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a common public health issue worldwide, and its negative impact on lung function has garnered widespread attention. This study sought to investigate the possible association between a new obesity metric, the weight-adjusted waist index (WWI), and lung functions, providing a basis for the monitoring and protection of lung functions. We conducted a cross-sectional evaluation, analyzing data from adults in the U.S. gathered through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2012. To explore the correlation between WWIs and lung functions, we utilized a multivariate logistic regression model with appropriate weighting to ensure accuracy. Smooth curve fitting also helped to confirm the linear nature of this relationship. Subgroup analyses were conducted to confirm the uniformity and dependability of the results. Our study included data from 13,805 adults in the United States. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that, in the fully adjusted model, higher WWIs were negatively correlated with forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), and forced expiratory flow rate (FEF) 25%-75% (β = -0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] [-0.71, -0.55]; β = -0.55; 95% CI [-0.62, -0.48]; β = -0.02; 95% CI [-0.03, -0.01]; β = -1.44; 95% CI [-1.65, -1.23]; β = -0.52; 95% CI [-0.65, -0.39], respectively). Additionally, when analyzing the WWI as a categorical variable, a significant downward trend in the FVC, FEV1, PEF, and FEF 25%-75% was observed from Q2 to Q4 as the WWI increased (trend P < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed stronger associations between WWI and lung functions, particularly among younger, non-Hispanic white, male participants, and current smokers. Our results indicate that elevated WWI is strongly associated with declining lung functions, demonstrating the importance of long-term monitoring and tracking of WWIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of probiotics in functional foods has gained significant interest due to their various beneficial effects to human when consumed in adequate amounts. However, the low survivability of probiotics subjected to adverse environmental conditions during processing, storage and gastrointestinal passage limited their commercial applications. Double emulsion microbial encapsulation is a promising approach to provide probiotic living cells with a full protection to resist adverse environmental conditions. Based on numerous cases of double emulsions applied for probiotic encapsulation, this report reviews various factors influencing the encapsulation yield and viability of probiotics, including emulsification methods, emulsifier selection, effect of probiotics, and modification of emulsification technique, also the targeted release mechanisms of these double emulsions triggered by various manners. This information can be useful to optimize the formulation and emulsification technique of double emulsion in order to improve the use efficacy and beneficial effects of probiotics in different commercial products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the superplastic deformation of a cold-rolled Ni/Graphene Oxide composite foil, with a particular emphasis on the mechanism that enhances the two-dimensional ultra-thin phase graphene oxide (GO). The findings reveal that intergranular fracture takes place due to a larger plastic strain in the radial direction than in the tangential direction. Furthermore, the reinforcing phase GO tends to become fibrous after rolling, with the fiber direction oriented along the radial direction. The size of matrix grains surrounded by GO does not significantly increase at high temperatures. However, during stretching, the formed voids expand along the matrix and both ends of the GO. The formation and aggregation of voids increases the likelihood of high-temperature tensile fracture of the foil, ultimately resulting in a lower elongation of Ni/GO after rolling when compared to the original foil. The two-dimensional flexible reinforcement phase tends to transform from sheet-like to fibrous. When an external force is applied, it causes the multi-layer stacked GO to appear tense, which is visually observed for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoperiod is a pivotal regulatory factor in the flowering of Camellia oleifera Abel. (C. oleifera). GIGANTEA (GI) serves as a pivotal regulator, not only orchestrating the intricate circadian rhythm but also governing photoperiod-dependent flowering. In order to explore the function of GI in C. oleifera (CoGI), we obtained a CoGI gene-coding sequence and analyzed a CoGI protein sequence using bioinformatics. Furthermore, we conducted a spatiotemporal expression analysis of CoGI. And a yeast two-hybridization assay was used to screen the interacting proteins of CoGI. Evolutionary analysis revealed high conservation of the CoGI protein, which clustered with the GI protein from Camellia sinensis (CsGI) on a common evolutionary branch. The expression of CoGI was different in each part, and a tissue expression analysis revealed that the relative expression level of the CoGI gene is highest in the leaves of C. oleifera, while it is at its lowest in the seed coats. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) overexpressing CoGI exhibited early flowering under long-day conditions. In addition, the yeast two-hybrid library screening revealed interactions between seven C. oleifera proteins and CoGI: CoACR9, CoLAO, CoDExH12-like, CoIT1K-like, CoUPF0481, CoIDM3, and CoAt4g27190-like. The findings demonstrated that CoGI is crucial to C. oleifera's flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Evidence has demonstrated that monitoring of the variable, diversity, and joining gene segments (VDJ) rearrangement of the immunoglobulin (Ig) genes in the circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is of value in predicting the outcomes of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In this study, we investigated the role of VDJ rearrangement proportion in ctDNA for predicting DLBCL progression. Methods Patients diagnosed with newly diagnosed DLBCL were included in this study. The VDJ sequences of IgH were detected using next-generation sequencing (NGS) in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue and/or peripheral blood. The clonotype of the highest proportion in the peripheral blood was defined as the "dominant circulating clonotype," whilst the clonotype of the highest proportion in matched tissue that is detected in peripheral blood was defined as the "dominant tissue-matched clonotype." The decision tree, a machine learning-based methodology, was used to establish a progression-predicting model through a combination of "dominant tissue-matched clonotype" proportion or "dominant circulating clonotype" proportion, and the clinicopathological information, including age, sex, cell of origin, stage, international prognostic index, lactate dehydrogenase, number of extranodal involvements and β2-microglobulin. Results A total of 55 patients with eligible sequencing data were used for prognosis analysis, among which 36 patients had matched tissue samples. The concordance rate of "dominant circulating clonotype" and "dominant tissue-matched clonotype" was 19.44% (7/36). The decision tree model showed that the combination of extranodal involvement event and "dominant circulating clonotype" proportion (≥37%) had a clinical value in predicting the prognosis of DLBCL following combined chemotherapy (sensitivity, 0.63; specificity, 0.81; positive prediction value (PPV), 0.59; negative prediction value, 0.83; kappa value, 0.42). Noticeably, the combination of the "dominant tissue-matched clonotype" and extranodal involvement event showed a higher value in predicting the progression (sensitivity, 0.85; specificity, 0.78; PPV, 0.69; kappa value, 0.64). Conclusion IgH proportion detected in the ctDNA samples traced from tissue samples has a high clinical value in predicting the progression of DLBCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tight sandstone has strong pore heterogeneity and complex pore structure, and the pore structure of tight sandstone varies with different permeability. To study the differences in the pore structure of tight sandstone with different permeability, this study investigated the tight sandstone of the He 8 Member in the Gaoqiao area of the Ordos Basin. Factors influencing pore formation are analyzed through experiments utilizing methods, such as distinguishing casting thin sections, scanning electron microscopy, high‐pressure mercury intrusion, and low‐temperature nitrogen adsorption. The results indicate that in this area, the pores of the tight sandstone are primarily dissolution and intercrystalline pores, with occasional intergranular pores and microcracks. Type Ⅱ samples (permeability > 0.2 × 10−3 μm2) are primarily composed of dissolution and intercrystalline pores, with a few visible intergranular and microcracks. In contrast, Type Ⅰ samples (permeability < 0.2 × 10−3 μm2) mainly consist of micropores and intercrystalline pores, where microcracks are observed locally. Pore size research demonstrates that Type Ⅰ samples have pore size under 1000 nm, with peaks primarily at 4–5 nm. There are also peaks between 10–1000 nm, but without a consistent pattern. For Type Ⅱ samples with sizes smaller than 1000 nm, pore distribution is evident. Peak values when the pore size exceeds 1000 nm. Type Ⅰ samples have fewer micron‐level pores, while Type Ⅱ samples are primarily dissolution pores. The nanopores of Type Ⅰ samples consist of flat pores with good connectivity, whereas those of Type Ⅱ samples are mainly blind pores with poor connectivity. Type Ⅰ samples have larger pore fractal dimensions, more intricate pore morphology, and rougher and irregular pore throat surfaces compared to Type II samples. Hence, the sedimentary environment, diagenesis, and mineral composition affect the pore distribution in tight sandstone. The research findings highlight the variations in the pore structure of tight sandstone with varying permeability, providing crucial guidance for classifying and assessing pore structure in tight sandstone reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To clarify the relationship between p53 immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining and TP53 alterations (including mutations and deletions) in large B-cell lymphomas (LBCLs) and to explore the possibility of p53 IHC expression patterns as surrogate markers for TP53 alterations. Methods: A total of 95 patients diagnosed with LBCLs were selected, and paraffin samples were taken for TP53 gene sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization and p53 IHC staining. The results were interpreted by experienced pathologists and molecular pathologists. Results: Forty-three nonsynonymous TP53 mutations and p53 deletions were detected in 40 cases, whereas the remaining 55 cases had wild-type TP53 genes. The majority of TP53 mutations (34/43, 79.1%) occurred in exons 4-8, and R248Q was the most common mutation codon (4/43, 9.3%). The highest frequency single nucleotide variant was C > T (43.6%). p53 expression was interpreted as follows: Pattern A: p53 staining was positive in 0%-3% of tumor cells, Pattern B: p53 staining was positive in 4-65% of tumor cells, Pattern C: more than 65% of tumor cells were stained positive for p53. The p53 IHC expression patterns were associated with TP53 alterations. Gain of function variants and wild-type TP53 tended to exhibit type C and B p53 expression patterns, but loss of function variants were exclusively seen in type A cases. Additionally, interpretation of the staining by various observers produced significant reproducibility. Conclusions: The p53 IHC expression patterns can be used to predict TP53 alterations and are reliable for diverse alteration types, making them possible surrogate biomarkers for TP53 alterations in LBCLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great practical significance to study the molecular basis of plant response to low temperature stress and breed new varieties of cold-tolerant for ensuring food security. However, the study is relatively scarce about cold resistance of foxtail millet (Setaria italica). To further explore the molecular mechanism of millet responsing to low temperature stress at seedling, 33 RNA-Seq data of foxtail millet at different development stages and different cold stress times were used. Gene expression matrix was constructed using 32 017 highly expressed genes. WGCNA package of R software was used to construct a co-expression network, which was further divided into 44 modules. The genes related to cold stress of foxtail millet were existed in several modules. Here, 3 modules with most cold stress genes were selected for GO enrichment analysis to annotate the function of target genes, and it was found that most candidate genes were related to abiotic stress responses. Above results provided new ideas for stress resistance of foxtail millet, and the key genes of cold stress provided effective resources for breeding the new variety of cold tolerance in foxtail millet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) versus teniposide (TEN) in patients with newly diagnosed immunocompetent primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs). Methods: The study included immunocompetent, adult patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL at 22 centers in China from 2007 to 2016. The patients received HD-MTX or TEN as first-line induction therapy. The objective response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival were analyzed for each patient cohort. Results: A total of 96 patients were eligible: 62 received HD-MTX, while 34 received teniposide. The overall response rate was 73.2% and 72.7% in the MTX and the TEN cohorts, respectively (P = 0.627). The median progression-free survival was 28.4 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 13.7–51.2] in the MTX cohort and 24.3 months (95% CI: 16.6–32.1) in the TEN cohort (P = 0.75). The median overall survival was 31 months (95% CI: 26.8–35.2) in the MTX cohort and 32 months (95% CI: 27.6–36.4) in the TEN cohort (P = 0.77). The incidence of any grade of coagulopathy/deep-vein thrombosis and gastrointestinal disorders was significantly higher in the MTX cohort than in the TEN cohort; no significant difference was found in the incidence of other adverse events between the two cohorts. Conclusions: This was the first multicenter study using TEN as the main agent compared with HD-MTX in newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma. The TEN-based regimen was non-inferior to the HD-MTX-based regimen with similar overall responses. Classification of evidence: This study provided Class III evidence that the teniposide-based regimen was non-inferior to high-dose methotrexate − based regimen with similar overall responses and long-time survival in immunocompetent patients with PCNSL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temporal variations of water quality in rivers reflect the changes in the pollutant load of a basin to a certain extent. The temporal variations of pollution source structures reflect the changes in the contribution rates of different pollution sources. The temporal variations of water quality and pollution source structures were combined in this study to investigate and analyze the water pollution control effects on different pollution sources over 15 years in the upper Tuojiang River Basin (UTRB). The seasonal trend decomposition using loess (STL), principal component analysis (PCA), factor analysis (FA), absolute principal component score (APCS), and multiple linear regression (MLR) were employed in the analysis. According to the results, except for TN, the concentrations of BOD, AN, and TP showed a downward trend. The precipitation had a strong influence on the pollution seasonal patterns. BOD and AN were primarily influenced by urban and rural living sources, while the primary sources for TN and TP were agricultural NPS and phosphate chemical industry sources, respectively. The systematic and comprehensive pollution control strategies in the third stage (2016–2020) have become more effective. In particular, the reduction of TP was successfully achieved by strengthening the pollution abatement on phosphate chemical industry sources. In contrast, the reduction in agricultural NPS emissions was not significant during the study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SHPB experimental device was adopted to carry out the uniaxial impact tests in studying the failure characteristics of the combination of surrounding rocks and primary support for the tunnel, so as to explore the key factors affecting its dynamic strength and deforming properties. To simplify the practice model of the tunnel construction, the specimens combined by the surrounding rock and primary support were simulated by the concentric annular sandstone and cement mortar in this paper. The results indicate that the thickness of the primary support, the thickness of the surrounding rock and the proportion of the thickness of the primary support are the key factors affecting the dynamic strength of the combination of the surrounding rock and the primary support. The influence of dynamic loads on tunnel construction can be weakened by adjusting the above three factors, so that to improve the supporting capacity. The research has a significant reference for the designing of tunnel engineering under complex loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The difference between clinical characteristics and outcomes between follicular lymphoma grade 1–2 (FL1-2) and FL3a defined pathologically remains unclear, resulting in uncertainty how to treat FL3a. However, it may be crucial for clinicians to discriminate grade 3a and grade 1–2 for predicting prognosis and thus making treatment decisions. Methods: We compared 1403 patients with FL1-2 and 765 patients with FL3a diagnosed between January 2000 and December 2020 from fifteen centers nationwide in China to describe differences in clinical characteristics and outcomes. Results: Compared with FL1-2 patients, FL3a subgroup had a higher percentage of elderly patients (P = 0.003), and relatively more FL3a patients presented with increased levels of LDH (P < 0.0001) and higher Ki-67 indexs greater than 30% (P < 0.001). More FL3a patients were treated with CHOP ± R (P < 0.0001), and fewer were treated with the watchful-waiting approach (P < 0.0001). The results showed a higher incidence of relapse among FL3a patients, in which more patients underwent histological transformation (HT) when compared to FL1-2 (P = 0.003). 1470 (76.2%) patients of the entire cohort received R-CHOP therapy; survival analysis revealed that FL3a patients had a worse progression-free survival (PFS) rate than FL1-2 patients. Survival of FL3a patients with respect to FLIPI showed an inferior PFS in the intermediate and high-risk groups than FL1-2 patients. FL3a patients had a much worse prognosis than FL1-2 with or without progression of disease within 24 months (POD24). FL3a patients had higher likelihood of lymphoma-related death (LRD, P < 0.05), whereas the rates for non-LRD were comparable. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study demonstrates a marked difference in clinical features and outcomes in FL3a patients compared with FL1-2 patients. The results highlight the need for applying therapeutic approaches distinct from FL1-2 when treating FL3a patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of ripertamab (SCT400) and rituximab (Mabthera®) combined with CHOP as the first‐line treatment for Chinese patients with CD20‐positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This is a randomized, patient‐blind, multicenter, active‐control, non‐inferiority study with parallel design. Patients were randomly (2:1) to receive ripertamab combined with CHOP (S‐CHOP) or rituximab (Mabthera®) combined with CHOP (R‐CHOP) for up to 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was the Independent Review Committee (IRC) assessed objective response rate (ORR) in full analysis set (FAS) and the per protocol set (PPS). A total of 364 patients (243 in the S‐CHOP and 121 in the R‐CHOP groups) were enrolled in this study. In FAS, IRC‐assessed ORRs were 93.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 90.0%, 96.5%) and 94.2% (95% CI: 88.4%, 97.6%) in the S‐CHOP and R‐CHOP groups (p = 0.9633), respectively. The ORR difference between the two groups −0.4% (95% CI: −5.5%, 4.8%) met the pre‐specified non‐inferiority margin of −12%. There were no significant differences between the S‐CHOP and R‐CHOP groups in 1‐year progression‐free survival rates (81.1% vs. 83.2%, p = 0.8283), 1 year event‐free survival rates (56.2% vs. 58.1%, p = 0.8005), and 3‐year overall survival rates (81.0% vs. 82.8%, p = 0.7183). The results in PPS were consistent with those in FAS. The rates of treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and ≥ grade 3 TEAEs were 97.9% and 99.2%, 85.2% and 86.0% in the S‐CHOP and R‐CHOP groups, respectively in safety set. The percentage of anti‐drug antibodies positive patients in the S‐CHOP group was numerically lower than the R‐CHOP group (10.9% vs. 16.0%). This study demonstrated that S‐CHOP was not inferior to R‐CHOP in the first‐line treatment of Chinese patients with CD20‐positive DLBCL in efficacy, safety and immunogenecity. S‐CHOP could be an alternative first‐line standard treatment regimen for this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ibrutinib has revolutionized the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Both ibrutinib monotherapy and ibrutinib‐based combination therapy are important salvage options for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) MCL. The real‐world efficacy and safety profile of the two strategies in Chinese patients with R/R MCL remain unclarified. Methods: In the present study, data of 121 R/R MCL patients who received either ibrutinib monotherapy (N = 68) or ibrutinib combination therapy (N = 53) in 13 medical centers in China were retrospectively reviewed. Results: With a median follow‐up of 20.5 months, the overall response rate was 60.3% versus 84.9% (p = 0.003), complete remission rate was 16.2% versus 43.4% (p < 0.001), and median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 18.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.1–21.8) vs. 30.8 months (95% CI, 23.5‐NR) (hazard ratio, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.30–0.93]; p = 0.025), with ibrutinib monotherapy and ibrutinib‐based combination therapy, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with male gender, no refractory disease, Ki67 <30%, previous line of therapy = 1, non‐blastoid subtype, and the number of extranodal sites involved <2 might benefits more from the combination therapy. Treatment‐emergent adverse events were similar, except for a higher incidence of all grade neutropenia in the ibrutinib combination group (12.7% vs. 32.0%, p = 0.017). Conclusions: Ibrutinib combination therapy demonstrated potentially superior efficacy and comparable tolerability to ibrutinib monotherapy. Ibrutinib‐based combination therapy could be one of the prominent treatment options for R/R MCL patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological treatment process in high-altitude areas faces the problems of low biological activities, high aeration energy consumption, and low treatment efficiency due to the low atmosphere pressure and consequently low oxygen content. As a new type of simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal process, simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal (SNDPR) has the advantages of high efficiency, low operation cost, and low aeration energy. Compared with the traditional sewage biological treatment process, SNDPR needs less dissolved oxygen (DO) and can save carbon source, so it may be suitable for solving the problems in high-altitude areas caused by low pressure and low oxygen. In this study, SNDPR system reactors were operated under different atmosphere pressures, one at 100 kPa and three at 72 kPa, with different anaerobic/aeration time. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phosphate (TP) removal performance remained the same efficiency, while the nitrogen-removal rate increased slightly at 72 kPa. The low atmosphere pressure enhanced the phosphorus-accumulating organisms but inhibited ammonia-oxidizing bacteria based on the cycle study results. Studies on the activities of enzymes related to nitrogen removal showed that the processes of NH4+→NH2OH→NO2− and NO3−→NO2− were enhanced, while the processes of NO2−→NO3− and NO2−→NO were restrained as the atmosphere pressure declined. Under the condition of 72 kPa, the SNDPR systems were optimized by prolonging the anaerobic time and reducing the aeration time. The residual ammonium concentration increased predictably (<5 mg/L) as the aeration time decreased, while the nitrogen-removal efficiency improved. The aeration energy consumption at 72 kPa by a shorter aeration time was 89% of that at 100 kPa. The further study on the microbial community analysis showed that the abundance of Dechloromonas [identified as denitrifying phosphorus-accumulating organisms (DPAOs)] increased from 0.126% at 100 kPa to 5.499% at 72 kPa, which explained the nitrogen removal and phosphate uptake under the low atmosphere pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to explore predictors and construct a nomogram for risk stratification in primary extragastric mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. Methods: Extragastric MALT lymphoma cases newly diagnosed between November 2010 and April 2020 were assessed to construct a progression‐free survival (PFS)‐related nomogram. We also performed external validation of the nomogram in an independent cohort. Results: We performed multivariate analyses of 174 patients from 3 hospitals who were included in the training cohort. Stage, hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) status, and Ki67 expression were significantly associated with PFS. These three factors were used to construct a nomogram, which was shown to have a C‐index of 0.89. Two risk groups (low risk and high risk) were identified by the prognostic model. The 5‐year PFS was 98.9% for the low‐risk group and 69.3% for the high‐risk group (p < 0.001). The overall survival (OS) could also be effectively distinguished by the nomogram, resulting in an OS of 100% for the low‐risk group and 94.6% for the high‐risk group (p = 0.01). These results were validated and confirmed in an independent cohort with 165 patients from another three hospitals. The 5‐year PFS rates were 94.8% and 66.7% for the low‐risk and high‐risk groups, respectively (p < 0.001). The 5‐year OS rates were 97.9% and 88.4%, respectively (p = 0.016). Conclusion: The nomogram could well distinguish the prognosis of low‐ and high‐risk patients with extragastric MALT lymphoma and is thus recommended for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the mental health problems of college students in China are on the rise. Many incentives lead to college students becoming a psychological vulnerable group, lacking the minimum "decompression ability" in the face of pressure. With the emergence of new media and the increasingly obvious fusion of new media and traditional media, the recognition algorithm of media fusion begins to enter people's vision, and multimedia fusion has gradually formed an irresistible development trend. Based on the media fusion recognition algorithm under the background of media fusion, this paper studies the model of college students' mental health education. In the process of comparing the accuracy of college students' mental health, the accuracy of this method is the highest, up to 99.25%, followed by the decision tree algorithm, up to 80.53%, and finally the ant colony algorithm, up to 75.25%. Therefore, this method is more conducive to the study of college students' mental health. Under the media fusion recognition algorithm, colleges and universities should give full play to the advantages of media fusion, broaden the path of mental health education, enhance the effectiveness of mental health education, improve the quality and efficiency of education, and guide the mental health growth of college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary gastric lymphoma (PGL) is the most common extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Due to the rarity of the disease, it is important to create a predictive model that provides treatment and prognosis for patients with PGL and physicians.Methods: A total of 8898 and 127 patients diagnosed with PGL were obtained from the SEER database and from our Cancer Center as training and validation cohorts, respectively. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate independent risk factors for the construction of predictive survival nomograms, and a web nomogram was developed for the dynamic prediction of survival of patients with PGL. The concordance index (C-index), calibration plot, and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve were used to evaluate and validate the nomogram models.Results: There were 8898 PGL patients in the SEER cohort, most of whom were married men over the age of 60, 16.1% of the primary tumors were localized in the antrum and pylori of the stomach, which was similar to the composition of 127 patients in the Chinese cohort, making both groups comparable. The Nomogram of overall survival (OS) was compiled based on eight variables, including age at diagnosis, sex, race, marital status, histology, stage, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) nomogram was developed with eight variables, including age at diagnosis, sex, marital status, primary tumor site, histology, stage, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The C-index of OS prediction nomogram was 0.948 (95% CI: 0.901-0.995) in the validation cohort, the calibration plots showed an optimal match and a high area below the ROC curve (AUC) was observed in both training and validation sets. Also, we established the first web-based PGL survival rate calculator ( https://yangjinru.shinyapps.io/DynNomapp/ ).Conclusion: The web dynamic nomogram provided an insightful and applicable tool for evaluating PGL prognosis in OS and CSS, and can effectively guide individual treatment and monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective We aimed to explore the effect of weight change on abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) among men. Methods Data were obtained from the 2013 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Self-reported cardiovascular disease patients were excluded. Lateral spine images were used to quantify AAC score and severe AAC was defined as a AAC score greater than 6. Weight change over a 10-year period was defined as long-term weight change, and weight change over a 1-year period was defined as short-term weight change. The relationship between long-term and short-term weight change with AAC grade was estimated by using multivariable regression analysis and subgroup analysis. Results After adjusting for covariates, weight gain, especially severe weight gain (> 10 kg), was associated with increased likelihood of AAC and severe AAC both in the short term (1 year) and long term (10 years) among men when compared to stable weight change, while long-term weight loss could also lead to an increased likelihood of AAC and severe AAC. Conclusion Stable body weight might be a predictor of a lower risk of AAC and severe AAC among men in the long term and short term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camrelizumab (a humanized high‐affinity IgG4 mAb against programmed death‐l) showed potent antitumor activity, well tolerance and controllable safety in patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (r/r cHL), based on the primary analysis of a Phase 2 study. Here, we present the extended follow‐up outcomes. Seventy‐five patients who had failed to achieve a remission or experienced progression after autologous stem cell transplantation or had received at least two lines of systemic chemotherapies were enrolled to receive camrelizumab 200 mg every 2 weeks. With a median follow‐up of 36.2 months (range, 7.2‐38.1), objective response rate per independent central review was 76.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64.7‐85.1). Among the 57 responders, 31 (54.4%) had ongoing responses. Median duration of response was 31.7 months (95% CI, 16.7‐not reached). Median progression‐free survival was 22.5 months (95% CI, 14.7‐not reached). Thirty‐six‐month overall survival rate was 82.7% (95% CI, 72.0‐89.5). Reactive capillary endothelial proliferation (RCEP) occurred in 97.3% of patients (73/75), but all RCEP were Grade 1 or 2 in severity and 67.1% of these patients (49/73) achieved complete resolution. Occurrence of new RCEP lesions was rare (8/42 [19.0%] at 12 months; 2/32 [6.3%] at 24 months). No treatment‐related deaths occurred, and no new toxicities were reported. With extended follow‐up, camrelizumab monotherapy continues to provide a robust and durable response, long survival and manageable safety in r/r cHL patients. What's new? In an earlier phase 2 study, the PD‐1 inhibitor camrelizumab showed strong antitumor activity and a good safety profile in patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (r/r cHL). Here, the authors report the results of a 3‐year follow up study. In the study, patients received 200 mg camrelizumab every two weeks. Of the 75 patients enrolled, 57 (76%) responded to the therapy, and 31 had ongoing responses. There were no treatment‐related deaths or new toxicities. Overall survival at 36 months was 82.7%. Camrelizumab appears to have a durable response in patients with r/r cHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, enrichment of a higher number of exoelectrogens implies higher power density. However, the low electrocatalytic activity of anodes limits the performance of microbial fuel cells. Here, based on this consideration, we designed and fabricated an anode by integrating the 3D hierarchical architecture and excellent electrocatalytic activity of MoO2/MoC@NC nanodendrites grown on carbon fiber cloth. The as-designed MoO2/MoC@NC-CC electrode exhibits a relatively large specific areal capacitance of 710.21 F m−2 and a charge transfer resistance of only 5.29 Ω, which are 46.9 times higher and 67.9 times lower than those of the bare carbon cloth (CC) anode respectively, providing abundant electroactive sites for the colonization of exoelectrogens and accelerating the rate of extracellular electron transfer. At the same time, there was a positive correlation between the enrichment amount of Geobacter and the power density, demonstrating the successful preparation of the desired electrode. In addition, the branched-lily-like architecture of the MoO2/MoC@NC-CC anode exhibits super hydrophilicity and open 3D structure, facilitating microbial attachment, colonization, proliferation and diffusion of the internal culture matrix, thus shortening the start-up time and improving the long-term stable current output. Consequently, the MoO2/MoC@NC-CC anode achieved the maximum power density of 2.93 W m−2, which is improved by 70.3% compared to that of the bare CC, and is also the best among the reported Mo-based nanomaterial modified electrodes. This work presents valuable insights for the design and fabrication of high performance anodes for MFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare hematopoietic malignancy with an aggressive clinical presentation associated with a poor overall survival. To date, surgical resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy were often utilized for HS, but curative effects are rather disappointing. Case Presentation: A 19-year-old female was referred to our hospital with a pathologic diagnosis of HS in December 2017. The patient had a severe airway obstruction resulting from a large mass (6.0 cm × 4.4 cm) arising from the left parapharyngeal space. She did not respond to cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, and etoposide (CHOEP) chemotherapy, then she was switched to radiotherapy and crizotinib according to next-generation sequencing (NGS) results (mutations in MET and MAP2K1). The patient got a partial response after radiotherapy and crizotinib, then she switched to imatinib combined with thalidomide treatment. The patient got a long-term complete response from the treatment and is alive 44 months after initial diagnosis without disease progression. Further KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of NGS results from patient's tissue revealed that phosphatidylinositol 3′ kinase (PI3K)/AKT and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were activated in this HS patient. We further performed experiments in vitro in a canine histiocytic sarcoma cell line DH82, in order to explore the possible mechanism of imatinib plus thalidomide in HS. Results of cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assays showed that the proliferation activity of DH82 was significantly inhibited by imatinib but not thalidomide. Combined thalidomide and imatinib treatment did not improve the inhibitory effects of imatinib to DH82. Results of Western blot confirmed the inhibitory effects of imatinib on DH82 by targeting activation of MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. Conclusion: Radiotherapy combined with targeted therapy guided by NGS may be promising, and further perspective clinical trial is warranted for the localized HS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), particularly programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), has shown considerable clinical benefits in patients with various cancers. Many studies show that PD-L1 expression may be biomarkers to help select responders for anti-PD-1 treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that control PD-L1 expression. As a potential chemosensitizer and anticancer drug, disulfiram (DSF) kills tumor cells via regulating multiple signaling pathways and transcription factors. However, its effect on tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) remains unclear. Here, we showed that DSF increased PD-L1 expression in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Through bioinformatics analysis, we found that DNMT1 was highly expressed in TNBC tissue and PD-L1 was negatively correlated with IRF7 expression. DSF reduced DNMT1 expression and activity, and hypomethylated IRF7 promoter region resulting in upregulation of IRF7. Furthermore, we found DSF enhanced PD-L1 expression via DNMT1-mediated IRF7 hypomethylation. In in vivo experiments, DSF significantly improved the response to anti-PD-1 antibody (Ab) in 4T1 breast cancer mouse model. Immunohistochemistry staining showed that granzyme B+ and CD8+ T cells in the tumor tissues were significantly increased in the combination group. By analyzing the results of the tumor tissue RNA sequencing, four immune-associated pathways were significantly enriched in the DSF joint anti-PD-1 Ab group. In conclusion, we found that DSF could upregulate PD-L1 in TNBC cells and elucidated its mechanism. Our findings revealed that the combination of DSF and anti-PD-1 Ab could activate TIME to show much better antitumor efficacy than monotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date, radiographic sign clusters of multidrug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients have not been reported. We conducted a study to investigate the classification and prognosis of sign clusters in pulmonary Computed Tomography (CT) images from patients with MDR-TB for the first time by using principal component analysis (PCA). Methods: The clinical data and pulmonary CT findings of 108 patients with MDR-TB in the Liupanshui Third Hospital were collected (from January 2018 to December 2020). PCA was used to analyze the sign clusters on pulmonary CT, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to analyze the predictive value of the treatment outcome of MDR-TB patients. Results: Six cluster signs of MDR-TB were determined by PCA: nodules, infiltration, consolidation, cavities, destroyed lung and non-active lesions. Nine months after treatment, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of MDR-TB patients with a cavity sign cluster was 0.818 (95% CI: 0.733–0.886), and the positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the treatment outcome were 79.6% (95% CI: 65.7–89.8%) and 72.9% (95% CI: 59.7–83.6%), respectively. Conclusion: PCA plays an important role in the classification of sign groups on pulmonary CT images of MDR-TB patients, and the sign clusters obtained from PCA are of great significance in predicting the treatment outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface topographies of artificial implants including surface roughness, surface groove size and orientation, and surface pore size and distribution have a great influence on the adhesion, migration, proliferation, and differentiation of nerve cells in the nerve regeneration process. Optimizing the surface topographies of biomaterials can be a key strategy for achieving excellent cell performance in various applications such as nerve tissue engineering. In this review, we offer a comprehensive summary of the surface topographies of nerve implants and their effects on nerve cell behavior. This review also emphasizes the latest work progress of the layered structure of the natural extracellular matrix that can be imitated by the material surface topology. Finally, the future development of surface topographies on nerve regeneration was prospectively remarked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with advanced-stage natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) usually have a poor prognosis. However, there is limited data of comprehensive analysis on this particular patient population due to the rarity of the disease. The present study aimed to investigate the treatment models, survival outcomes, and prognosis of advanced-stage NKTCL. Data from 336 patients with advanced-stage NKTCL diagnosed between 2006 and 2015 in the China Lymphoma Collaborative Group database were retrospectively analyzed. The median age was 42 years and the male/female ratio was 2.4:1. About 97% of patients had stage IV disease and 77% had >1 extranodal involvement site. All patients received chemotherapy, with the most common option being asparaginase (Asp)-containing regimens (n=146; 43.5%). Among 286 patients with available response data, the overall response rate (ORR) was 57.3% with a complete remission (CR) rate of 35.7%. Asp-containing regimens led to better ORRs (86/132, 65.2% vs. 54/113, 47.8%, P = 0.006) and CR rates (60/132, 45.5% vs. 27/113, 23.9%, P < 0.001) than non-Asp-containing regimens. The expected 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 22.6 and 32.0%, respectively, for the whole cohort. Compared to non-Asp-containing chemotherapy, Asp-containing chemotherapy improved 5-year PFS (34.2 vs. 17.1%, P < 0.001) and OS (45.3 vs. 27.8%, P < 0.001). A trend toward improvement in OS was observed when gemcitabine was added to Asp-containing chemotherapies. Moreover, those undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation had prolonged survival time. In conclusion, Asp-containing chemotherapy could improve the prognosis of advanced-stage NKTCL, and refinement of treatment models is warranted in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a rare disease and recent approved drugs for relapsed/refractory (r/r) PTCL provided limited clinical benefit. We conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of geptanolimab (GB226), an anti-PD-1 antibody, in r/r PTCL patients. Methods: We did this single-arm, multicenter phase 2 study across 41 sites in China. Eligible patients with r/r PTCL received geptanolimab 3 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. All patients who received at least one dose of geptanolimab and histological confirmed PTCL entered full analysis set (FAS). The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) in FAS assessed by the independent radiological review committee (IRRC) per Lugano 2014 criteria. Results: Between July 12, 2018, and August 15, 2019, 102 patients were enrolled and received at least one dose of geptanolimab. At the data cutoff date (August 15, 2020), the median follow-up was 4.06 (range 0.30–22.9) months. For 89 patients in FAS, 36 achieved objective response (40.4%, 95% CI 30.2–51.4), of which 13 (14.6%) were complete response and 23 (25.8%) had partial response assessed by IRRC. The median duration of response (DOR) was 11.4 (95% CI 4.8 to not reached) months per IRRC. Patients with PD-L1 expression ≥ 50% derived more benefit from geptanolimab treatment compared to < 50% ones (ORR, 53.3% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.013; median PFS 6.2 vs. 1.5 months, p = 0.002). Grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 26 (25.5%) patients, and the most commonly observed were lymphocyte count decreased (n = 4) and platelet count decreased (n = 3). Serious adverse events were observed in 45 (44.1%) patients and 19 (18.6%) were treatment related. Conclusions: In this study, geptanolimab showed promising activity and manageable safety profile in patients with r/r PTCL. Anti-PD-1 antibody could be a new treatment approach for this patient population. Trial registration: This clinical trial was registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03502629) on April 18, 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current studies have shown that long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may serve as prognostic biomarkers in multiple cancers. Therefore, we postulated that expression patterns of multiple lncRNAs combined into a single signature could improve clinicopathological risk stratification and prediction of overall survival rate for breast cancer patients. Two algorithms, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selector Operation (LASSO) and Support Vector Machine‐Recursive Feature Elimination (SVM‐RFE), were used to select candidate lncRNAs. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were employed to construct a seven‐lncRNA signature for breast cancer. Stratified analysis revealed that the signature was significantly associated with multiple clinicopathological risk factors. For clinical use, we developed a nomogram model to predict overall survival and odds of death for breast cancer patients. Single‐sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), CIBERSORT algorithm and ESTIMATE method were employed to assess the relative immune cell infiltrations of each sample. Differentially infiltration of immune cells and diverse tumour mutation burden (TMB) scores might give rise to the efficacy of lncRNA signature for predicting the overall survival of patients. Correlation analysis implied that LINC01215 was associated with multiple immune‐related signalling pathways. A seven‐lncRNA prognostic signature is a reliable tool to predict the prognosis of breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grafting of imidazole species onto coordinatively unsaturated sites within metal–organic framework MIL‐101(Cr) enables enhanced CO2 capture in close proximity to catalytic sites. The subsequent combination of CO2 and epoxide binding sites, as shown through theoretical findings, significantly improves the rate of cyclic carbonate formation, producing a highly active CO2 utilization catalyst. An array of spectroscopic investigations, in combination with theoretical calculations reveal the nature of the active sites and associated catalytic mechanism which validates the careful design of the hybrid MIL‐101(Cr). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate plasma neuronally derived extracellular vesicle (NDEV) levels of core pathological markers [amyloid‐β (Aβ) and phosphorylated tau] and inflammatory biomarkers, including interleukin 6 (IL‐6) and matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Thirty‐one patients with AD and 15 cognitively normal controls (NCs) were recruited. The diagnosis of AD was supported by fluorodeoxyglucose and Pittsburgh Compound‐B PET scans. Plasma extracellular vesicles were extracted, precipitated, and enriched for neuronal source by anti‐L1CAM antibody absorption. Levels of Aβ42, P‐T181‐tau, P‐S396‐tau, IL‐6, and MMP‐9 in plasma NDEVs were quantified by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Aβ42, P‐T181‐tau, and MMP‐9 levels in plasma NDEVs were significantly higher in patients with AD than NCs. However, P‐S396‐tau and IL‐6 levels in plasma NDEVs did not differ between AD patients and NCs. Moreover, there was no correlation between any of these biomarker levels and cognitive function as measured with Mini‐Mental State Examination in patients with AD. Conclusions: These findings provide further support that levels of core pathological markers, including Aβ42 and P‐T181‐tau, are elevated in plasma NDEVs of patients with AD. Furthermore, MMP‐9 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of AD, and is a promising inflammatory biomarker for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Refractory/relapsed angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) with Evans syndrome is a very rare condition with a poor prognosis. There is no evidence-based treatment strategy for refractory/relapsed AITL with Evans syndrome. Case Presentation: A 51-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with multiple enlarged bilateral cervical lymph nodes, more than 1 week-long chest distress, and night sweats in July 2014. An excision biopsy of the left cervical enlarged lymph node revealed AITL. However, the patient showed resistance to the first-line chemotherapy for AITL and was diagnosed with refractory AITL. Complete remission was achieved after the salvage treatment with the combination of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunomodulatory agent lenalidomide. Unfortunately, 12 months later, the patient suffered from disease progression and was diagnosed as refractory/relapsed AITL with Evans syndrome according to the laboratory findings and imaging. With the diagnosis of refractory/relapsed AITL with Evans syndrome, the patient received the first-line treatment for Evans syndrome including prednisone and intravenous immunoglobulin. The response to the first-line treatment for Evans syndrome was poor. The combination regimen of chidamide (30 mg, po, biw) and cyclosporine were administrated considering the treatment targeting simultaneously both refractory/relapsed AITL and Evans syndrome. The efficacy evaluation was complete remission. The last follow-up of the patient was April 30th, 2020, and no evidence of disease progression was observed. The overall survival of the patient was more than 70 months. Conclusion: The treatment for refractory/relapsed AITL combined with Evans syndrome remains challenging to patients and physicians. The combination of chidamide and cyclosporine may be an effective and tolerable regimen for the intractable AITL with Evans syndrome case and more observations are necessary to identify the efficacy and safety in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melanoma is the leading cause of cancer-related death among skin tumors, with an increasing incidence worldwide. Few studies have effectively investigated the significance of an immune-related gene (IRG) signature for melanoma prognosis. Here, we constructed an IRGs prognostic signature using bioinformatics methods and evaluated and validated its predictive capability. Then, immune cell infiltration and tumor mutation burden (TMB) landscapes associated with this signature in melanoma were analyzed comprehensively. With the 10-IRG prognostic signature, melanoma patients in the low-risk group showed better survival with distinct features of high immune cell infiltration and TMB. Importantly, melanoma patients in this subgroup were significantly responsive to MAGE-A3 in the validation cohort. This immune-related prognostic signature is thus a reliable tool to predict melanoma prognosis; as the underlying mechanism of this signature is associated with immune infiltration and mutation burden, it might reflect the benefit of immunotherapy to patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progression to severe disease is a difficult problem in treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). The purpose of this study is to explore changes in markers of severe disease in COVID‐19 patients. Sixty‐nine severe COVID‐19 patients were included. Patients with severe disease showed significant lymphocytopenia. Elevated level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C‐reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, and D‐dimer was found in most severe cases. Baseline interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) was found to be associated with COVID‐19 severity. Indeed, the significant increase of baseline IL‐6 was positively correlated with the maximal body temperature during hospitalization and with the increased baseline of CRP, LDH, ferritin, and D‐dimer. High baseline IL‐6 was also associated with more progressed chest computed tomography (CT) findings. Significant decrease in IL‐6 and improved CT assessment was found in patients during recovery, while IL‐6 was further increased in exacerbated patients. Collectively, our results suggest that the dynamic change in IL‐6 can be used as a marker for disease monitoring in patients with severe COVID‐19. Synopsis: Sixty‐nine severe COVID‐19 patients were analyzed for disease monitoring. Elevated baseline interleukin (IL)‐6 was found positively correlated to maximal body temperature, CRP, LDH, ferritin and D‐dimer during disease progression. IL‐6 increased during disease exacerbation and decreased during recovery. The IL‐6 level is associated with disease severity in severe cases of COVID‐19.The dynamic change in IL‐6 reflects the disease course of severe COVID‐19 cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let x = [ a 1 (x) , a 2 (x) , ... ] be the continued fraction expansion of x ∈ [ 0 , 1). The growth rate of the product of the partial quotients a n (x) a n + 1 (x) is closely connected with the improvability of Dirichlet's theorem in the sense that the faster a n (x) a n + 1 (x) grows, the less possibility the improvement of Dirichlet's theorem has. In this paper, we study the size of the points for which a n (x) a n + 1 (x) grows in a given speed. We call the points of this type as extremely Dirichlet non-improvable points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]