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A 54-year-old woman, who had been menopausal for over two years and had an Intrauterine Device (IUD) in place for over twenty years, requested a removal of the IUD. The IUD was found to be embedded during the removal process. Under ultrasound guidance, a hysteroscopic examination revealed the embedded IUD and additional uterine cavity content. Hysteroscopic removal of the IUD and the foreign body was performed, and the pathology report indicated fibrous tissue with hyaline degeneration. For postmenopausal women with IUDs, early removal is recommended to minimise complications. Hysteroscopic examination should be the first choice for the rare complication of embedded IUDs covered with fibrous tissue, with hysteroscopic removal as the preferred treatment.

The adjustable strength permanent magnet quadrupoles used in this study were designed and manufactured at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC). The permanent magnet quadrupole had a bore radius of 3.5 mm and an effective length of 50 mm. It was based on SmCo blocks and provided an effective gradient field from 325 T/m to 355 T/m. Typical methods for measuring the magnetic-field performance of quadrupole magnets are the stretched-wire and rotating coil measurement systems. A pulsed-wire measurement (PWM) system was used to measure the magnetic fields of an in-vacuum undulator at the NSRRC. The PWM system provides quick measurements of the magnetic fields and is easy to install on any permanent accelerator magnet. In this work, a PWM system was used to measure the magnetic-field integrals and the multipole errors of quadrupole magnets. Comparison was made of the magnetic field results obtained with PWM and stretched-wire measurement methods.

Semi-decentralized federated learning blends the conventional device-to-server (D2S) interaction structure of federated model training with localized device-to-device (D2D) communications. We study this architecture over edge networks with multiple D2D clusters modeled as time-varying and directed communication graphs. Our investigation results in two algorithms: (a) a connectivity-aware learning algorithm that controls the fundamental trade-off between the convergence rate of the model training process and the number of energy-intensive D2S transmissions required for global aggregation, and (b) a motion-planning algorithm to enhance the densities and regularity levels of cluster digraphs so as to further reduce the number of D2S transmissions in connectivity-aware learning. Specifically, in our semi-decentralized methodology, weighted-averaging-based D2D updates are injected into the federated averaging framework based on column-stochastic weight matrices that encapsulate the connectivity within the clusters. To develop our algorithm, we show how the current expected optimality gap (i.e., the distance between the most recent global model computed by the server and the target/desired optimal model) depends on the greatest two singular values of the weighted adjacency matrices (and hence on the densities and degrees of digraph regularity) of the D2D clusters. We then derive tight bounds on these singular values in terms of the node degrees of the D2D clusters, and we use the resulting expressions to design our connectivity-aware learning algorithm. Simulations performed using real-world datasets and Random Direction Mobility Model (RDMM)-based time-varying D2D topologies reveal that our connectivity-aware algorithm significantly reduces the total communication energy required to reach a target accuracy level compared with baselines while achieving the accuracy level in nearly the same number of iterations as these baselines.

To evaluate the clinical value of multi-slice spiral CT in preoperative TNN staging and postoperative recurrence and metastasis of colon carcinoma, and to provide evidence for the reliability of CT in the diagnosis of colon carcinoma

Introduction: Determining the prevalence of chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and identifying CPSP predictors should improve the prognosis of patients undergoing VATS. Although several studies have investigated predictors of CPSP after VATS, there were significant dissimilarities in the findings due to the confounding of predictors. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were comprehensively searched using the Medical Subject Headings terms “pain, postoperative,” “thoracic surgery, video-assisted,” and all related free terms from inception until March 27, 2022. The Stata metaprop package was used to comprehensively analyze the incidence of CPSP following VATS. Furthermore, the pooled odds ratios (OR) or the standardized mean differences (SMD) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated, and qualitative analyses were performed for predictors that could not be assessed quantitatively to evaluate the effects of the included risk factors on the occurrence of CPSP. Unadjusted odds ratios were utilized to consider the impact of non-significant estimates if the original study did not report them. Results: Of the 4302 studies, 183 were considered eligible, and 17 were finally included in this study. The overall incidence of CPSP after VATS was 35.3% (95% CI 27.1–43.5%). The qualitative synthesis results revealed that female sex, age, and acute postoperative pain were definite predictors of CPSP after VATS. The number of ports, operation time, duration of drainage, and insufficient analgesia were also considered predictors. Consistent, quantitative synthesis results also showed that the aforementioned predictors were closely related to the occurrence of CPSP after VATS. Only by quantitative analysis, postoperative chemotherapy and an educational level less than junior school were also risk factors for CPSP. Other predictors displayed no evidence or unclear evidence of association with CPSP after VATS. Conclusion: This study preliminarily determined the incidence of CPSP after VATS based on the existing literature. Female sex, age, and acute pain were identified as risk factors for CPSP after VATS, and other potential risk factors were also identified and analyzed. However, as a result of the inclusion of retrospective studies and inevitable limitations in this systematic review and meta-analysis, the results of this study still need to be verified by large-scale prospective clinical studies. Trial Registration: CRD42022323179.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) repair remains a major challenge in clinics. Though neural stem cells (NSCs) have shown great potentials in SCI treatment, their applications were hampered since they primarily differentiate into astrocytes rather than neurons in the injured area, indicating a high demand for effective strategies to direct neuronal differentiation. Baicalein is a clinical drug with multiple pharmacological activities, while its effects on NSCs have rarely been reported. In the current work, inspired by a similarity of the metabolic reprogramming required in neuronal differentiation and that involved in chemoresistance reversal of cancer cells induced by baicalein, we studied the role of baicalein in NSC differentiation and discovered its promotion effects on neuronal differentiation. Based on this observation, baicalein-functionalized collagen scaffolds (BFCSs) were developed and applied for SCI treatment. The BFCSs released the payload in a sustained way and possessed comparable physical properties to the commonly used collagen. Both in vitrostudies with primary NSCs and in vivostudies in SCI rats showed that the BFCSs containing a low amount of baicalein can facilitate not only neurogenesis and axon extension, but also reduce astrocyte production and glial scar formation. More importantly, the BFCS implantation led to improvement in the motor functional recovery of SCI rats. Thus, the BFCSs provided a potential strategy to induce neuronal differentiation towards facilitating SCI repair, as well as for the treatment of other central nervous system injuries.

ABSTRACTThe autophagic-lysosomal pathway of microglia plays a key role in myelin debris removal in white matter damage. As the lipid-rich myelin debris are engulfed by microglia, the cellular autophagic level increases, accompanied by lysosomal dysfunction. However, several issues such as how to regulate this pathway to ensure the effective degradation of myelin debris, and maintain the balance of lipid metabolism are still to be elucidated. Recently, we have demonstrated that the excessive activation of macroautophagy/autophagy leads to lipid overload in lysosomes and lipid droplets accumulation, which could be the initiator of microglial dysfunction and secondary inflammatory white matter damage. Interestingly, staged suppression of autophagic activation in the acute phase of demyelination could benefit microglia allowing them to regain the lipid metabolism balance, and reduce the excessive accumulation of lipids, thus promoting the removal of myelin debris. The neuroprotective effects of microglial autophagy regulation may be related to intracellular linoleic acid (LA) production and PPARG pathway activation.

The design of efficient and inexpensive photocatalysts for CO2photoreduction under visible light is of great significance for the sustainable development of the entire society. Herein, a copper-based metal–organic framework (MOF) (CUST-804) using a bulky tetraphenylethylene-tetrazole linker is synthesized and successfully used as a photocatalyst for CO2reduction. The structural characterizations, as well as the photophysical properties, are investigated systematically. In the heterogeneous catalytic system, CUST-804exhibits a robust CO production activity up to 2.71 mmol g–1h–1with excellent recyclability along with a selectivity of 82.8%, which is comparable with those of the reported copper-based MOF system. Theoretical calculations demonstrated that, among three kinds of coordinated model, only the 5-coordinated Cu site is active for CO2reduction, in which the *COOH intermediate is stabilized and CO is readily desorbed. The results obtained herein can provide fresh insights into the realization of efficient copper-functionalized crystalline photocatalysts for CO2reduction.

Purpose: When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic seriously hit the USA, a lot of cities/states announced their lockdowns, in some cases forbidding employees to go to work. But workers in the so called “essential sectors” were exempt from the order, and on the contrary were required to remain on the job in order to maintain the services and functions considered vital to the community. If they have not been paid well in comparison to those in the other sectors, there would be a stronger case for granting them a special hazard pay during the pandemic. This paper aims to design a way to measure the “importance” or being “essential” of the different sectors in the economy, and then investigates whether the actual pay of the workers in these sectors is consistent with the measured importance. Design/methodology/approach: At least two policy issues emerged from such an arrangement: (1) How can one define the “essential sectors” objectively instead of the authorities preparing a list according to their administrative procedure? (2) How well have been the workers in the essential sectors paid before the pandemic strike? The concept of a revised Leontief forward linkage effect will be used in an input–output model to gauge the relative “importance” of the different sectors in the US economy. Then the measured importance will be compared with the average compensation of the employees in these sectors. Findings: It is found that for some sectors such as agriculture, retail trade, and repair and installation of machinery and equipment the ratio of workers' compensation relative to the national average is substantially lower than the relative importance of the sectors employing them. That is, many of them have been substantially underpaid in spite of their importance. Research limitations/implications: The scope of this study is limited to one country, the USA, but the methodology can be applied to other countries as well. Originality/value: This study is an original research that contributes to an improved understanding of the importance of the workers engaged in different sectors in the USA during COVID-19.

Only a few works focus on the use of commercial pyrolysis carbon black (PCB) to replace with commodity carbon black in terms of increasing environmental awareness. In this work, a commercial PCB (ET (Enrestec) black) from waste tires was compared with N660 carbon black in styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) compounds using standard American Society for Testing and Materials recipes. Particle aggregate size, composition, and surface functionality of ET black and N660 were analyzed through light scattering, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. Higher compound viscosity and aggregation power for ET black filler in the rubber matrix was observed. A progressive decrement of approximately 20% in M300 from 15.2 MPa for N660-filled SBR to 12.4 MPa for ET black-filled SBR with increasing ET black ratio in the fillers was clearly observed. ET black could potentially replace 20% in N660 without much influence for SBR compounds in terms of tensile strength. The effect of ET black content on the tear strength was less marginal than the tensile strength. However, with increasing the ET black content, the abrasion resistance index progressively decreased. Thus, it was quite beneficial to consider the merit of PCB in terms of the applications required for tearing resistance. This paves the way for the opportunities to expand further commercial application of PCB from waste tires in the light of environmental awareness.

Visual dialogue systems need to understand dynamic visual scenes and comprehend semantics in order to converse with users. Constructing video dialogue systems is more challenging than traditional image dialogue systems because the large feature space of videos makes it difficult to capture semantic information. Furthermore, the dialogue system also needs to precisely answer users’ question based on comprehensive understanding of the videos and the previous dialogue. In order to improve the performance of video dialogue system, we proposed an end-to-end recurrent cross-modality attention (ReCMA) model to answer a series of questions about a video from both visual and textual modality. The answer representation of the question is updated based on both visual representation and textual representation in each step of the reasoning process to have a better understanding of both modalities’ information. We evaluate our method on the challenging DSTC7 video scene-aware dialog dataset and the proposed ReCMA achieves a relative 20.8% improvement over the baseline on CIDEr.

This study: 1) investigates key factors driving customer satisfaction, trust, commitment, and loyalty among Chinese consumers; 2) builds a model that reflects the way Chinese consumers develop and maintain customer satisfaction, trust, commitment, and loyalty; 3) tests hypotheses representing the relationships in the model. A cross-sectional survey method is employed to study the impact of nine factors identified as consumer characteristics reflective of the Chinese value system on four key variables in customer relationships: customer satisfaction, trust, commitment, and loyalty among Chinese consumers. The results show that three drivers have a significant effect on customer satisfaction or trust, and that other drivers, including two unique Chinese characteristics, Ren Qingand Mian Zi, do not convey a significant influence on trust or the other measures of customer relationships. The implications for both academia and practitioners are presented.

ABSTRACTThe colorectal cancer (CRC) dictates a common malignancy with high recurrence rate. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) belong to a class of regulatory factors involved in multiple cancers. In current work, we have uncovered a novel lncRNA named TSLC8. TSLC8 was dramatically downregulated in CRC samples and cell lines. Reintroduction of TSLC8 inhibited tumor sphere formation and viability in CRC cells. In vivoexperiments further confirmed the tumor suppressive function of TSLC8. Ectopic TSLC8 expression elevates pumaabundance whereas this effect is mediated by TSLC8-pumabinding and stabilization. FOXO1 can transcriptionally induce TSLC8 expression. Epigenetic investigation suggested that TSLC8 locus was hypermethylated in CRC leading to diminished TSLC8 expression. Our current work has identified a novel tumor suppressive function of TSLC8, whose reduced expression may facilitate malignant phenotypes during CRC progression.

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Background: Previous studies have reported that high-dose supplementation of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may reduce the risk of metabolic diseases, but there is limited evidence of an effect on body fat. We examined the associations of erythrocyte n-3 PUFAs with body fat and fat distribution in a general population consuming a normal diet. Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study included 3075 Chinese (68% women, 40–75 years) recruited between 2008 and 2013. We collected general information and measured anthropometric indices; erythrocyte n-3 PUFAs (including α-C18:3, C20:5, C22:5 and C22:6) by gas-chromatography, and fat mass (FM) and %FM at the total body (TB), android (A) and gynoid (G) regions by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Results: Both minimally and maximally adjusted models showed dose-dependent inverse associations of total and individual levels of erythrocyte n-3 PUFAs (except C20:5 n-3[EPA]) with adiposity indices. In the full model, the mean differences between quartiles 4 and 1 of total n-3 PUFAs were −1.60% (BMI), −4.06% (TB FM), −5.38% (A FM), −2.05% (G FM), −2.05% (TB %FM), −3.39% (A %FM) and −2.50% (% A/G); the ORs (95% CI) of %FM-derived obesity (≥25% for men, ≥35% for women) for the highest (vs. lowest) quartile were 0.70 (0.57, 0.86) for total n-3 PUFAs and 0.71 (0.58, 0.87), 0.96(0.78, 1.18), 0.82(0.67, 1.00), 0.66 (0.54, 0.81) for α-C18:3/C20:5/C22:5/C22:6 n-3, respectively. The favourable associations were more pronounced for the DXA-derived FM indices, measurements at the android region and for C22:6 n-3. No significant associations between C20:5 n-3 and the adiposity indices were observed. Conclusions: Higher levels of circulating n-3 PUFAs were dose-dependently associated with better profiles of body fat and fat distribution, particularly in the abdominal regions in this population.

Noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus referred to as locus coeruleus neurons, provide the major supply of norepinephrine to the forebrain and play important roles in behavior through regulation of wakefulness and arousal. In a previous study using brain slice preparations, we reported that locus coeruleus neurons are subject to tonic inhibition mediated by γ-aminobutyric acid B receptors (GABABRs) and that the extent of tonic inhibition varies with ambient GABA levels. Since ambient GABA in the locus coeruleus was reported to fluctuate during the sleep-wakefulness cycle, here we tested whether GABABR-mediated tonic inhibition of locus coeruleus neurons could be a mechanism underlying changes in brain arousal. We first demonstrated that GABABR-mediated tonic inhibition of locus coeruleus neurons also exists in vivoby showing that local infusion of CGP35348, a GABABR antagonist, into the locus coeruleus increased the firing rate of locus coeruleus neurons in anesthetized rats. We then showed that this manipulation accelerated the behavioral emergence of rats from deep anesthesia induced by isoflurane. Together, these observations show that GABABR-mediated tonic inhibition of locus coeruleus neurons occurs in vivoand support the idea that this effect may be important in regulating the functional state of the brain.

A series of novel pyrimidinamine derivatives containing phenyloxazole moiety were designed and synthesized, and their structures were characterized by 1H NMR, MS, and elemental analyses. The bioassay results displayed that some compounds exhibited remarkable insecticidal activities against Aphis fabaeand Tetranychus cinnabarinus. Especially, 5-chloro-6-ethyl-2-methyl-N-((2-(p-tolyl)oxazol-4-yl)methyl)pyrimidin-4-amine (9o) showed potent activity against A. fabae, superior to that of the commercial insecticide, imidacloprid. In addition, 5-chloro-6-ethyl-2-methyl-N-((2-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)oxazol-4-yl)methyl)pyrimidin-4-amine (9r) showed potent activities against T. cinnabarinus, inferior to that of the commercial insecticide spirotetramat. The structure–activity relationship study for the target compounds was also discussed.

This study finds that firm size effects can be captured at every step during the process of estimating abnormal returns. Our small firm portfolio has higher averages with respect to alpha, total risk, firm-specific risk, expected return, actual return and abnormal return. However, this small firm portfolio has a smaller beta average, which contradicts most prior findings which suggest that small firms tend to have higher betas. The observed higher alpha coefficient (not beta coefficient) makes a major contribution to the observed higher expected return for small acquiring firms. Small acquiring firms still gain higher abnormal returns than large acquiring firms even when the higher expected returns of the small firms are incorporated in the process of the abnormal return estimation.

In the present paper, the mechanisms of N2O reduction by H2were systemically examined over various polyoxometalate-supported single-atom catalysts (SACs) M1/PTA (M = Fe, Co, Mn, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, and Pt; PTA = [PW12O40]3–) by means of density functional theory calculations. Among these M1/PTA SACs, Os1/PTA SAC possesses high activity for N2O reduction by H2with a relatively low rate-determining barrier. The favorable catalytic pathway involves the first and second N2O decomposition over the Os1/PTA SAC and hydrogenation of the key species after the second N2O decomposition. Molecular geometry and electronic structure analyses along the favorable reaction pathway indicate that a strong charge-transfer cooperative effect of metal and support effectively improves the catalytic activity of Os1/PTA SAC. The isolated Os atom not only plays the role of adsorption and activation of the N2O molecule but also works as an electron transfer medium in the whole reaction process. Meanwhile, the PTA support with very high redox stability has also been proven to be capable of transporting the electron to promote the whole reaction. We expect that our computation results can provide ideas for designing new SACs for N2O reduction by using H2selective catalytic reduction technology.

The incidence of intrauterine adhesions (IUA) has increased with the rising utilization of intrauterine surgery. The postoperative physical barrier methods commonly used, such as balloons and other fillers, have limited effectiveness and may even cause further damage to the remaining endometrial tissue. Herein, we developed an injectable thermosensitive hydrogel using Pluronic F127/F68 as pharmaceutical excipients and curcumin as a natural active molecule. The hydrogel effectively addresses solubility and low bioavailability issues associated with curcumin. In vitro, drug release assays revealed that the amorphous curcumin hydrogel promotes dissolution and sustained release of curcumin. In vitroexperiments reveal high biocompatibility of the hydrogel and its ability to enhance vascular formation while inhibiting the expression of fibrotic factor TGF-β1. To assess the effectiveness of preventing IUAs, in vivoexperiments were conducted using IUA rats and compared with a class III medical device, a new-crosslinked hyaluronic acid (NCHA) gel. According to the study, curcumin hydrogel is more effective than the NCHA group in improving the regeneration of the endometrium, increasing the blood supply to the endometrium and reducing the abnormal deposition of fibrin, thus preventing IUA more effectively. This study provides a promising strategy for treating and preventing IUA.

In this article, the authors examine the distribution of the stock returns for the acquiring firm and the corresponding market index. They find that significant non-normal distributions exist in a large number of acquiring firms. The authors use two robust regressions to examine the reliability of the standard OLS market models and find that no significant abnormal gain or loss in the selected windows, when all sample deals are included for analysis. However, positive abnormal returns appear in almost all selected windows when analysing deals in financial service industry, and negative abnormal returns appear in almost all selected windows when analysing deals in non-financial industries. Selection of the model and formation of the sample affect the results.

Septic shock often occurs following critically low blood pressure in patients with sepsis, and is accompanied by a high death rate. Although mitophagy is associated with infection and immune responses, its role in septic shock remains unknown. This study screened effective mitophagy-related genes (MRGs) for medical practice and depicted immune infiltration situations in patients with septic shock. Gene expression profiles of GSE131761 from the Gene Expression Omnibus database were compiled for differential analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis, and immune infiltration analysis, while other GSE series were used as validation datasets. A series of validation methods were used to verify the robustness of hub genes, while a nomogram and prognosis model were established for medical practice. Six genes were screened via combinations of differentially expressed genes, weighted gene co-expression network analysis, and MRGs. From this, 3 hub genes (MAP1LC3B, ULK1, and CDC37) were chosen for subsequent analysis based on different validation methods. Gene set enrichment analysis showed that leukocyte trans-endothelial migration and the p53 signaling pathway were abnormally activated during septic shock. Immune infiltration analysis indicated that the imbalance of neutrophils and CD4 naive T cells was significantly correlated with septic shock progression. A nomogram was generated based on MAP1LC3B, ULK1, and CDC37, as well as age. The stability of our model was confirmed using a calibration plot. Importantly, patients with septic shock with the 3 highly expressed hub genes displayed worse prognosis than did patients without septic shock. MAP1LC3B, ULK1, and CDC37 are considered hub MRGs in the development of septic shock and could represent promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in blood tissue. The validated hub genes and immune infiltration pattern expand our knowledge on MRG functional mechanisms, which provides guidance and direction for the development of septic shock diagnostic and therapeutic markers.

AbstractIn this article, we examine the on-going debate over the legitimacy of the East Asia regime through a rigorous analysis of a recent Asian Barometer Survey data from 13 countries and territories. First, we compare the relative explanatory power of the elements ordained by Confucian political theory with that of the elements emphasized by the Western liberal tradition in explaining differences in level of regime support across different types of regimes. Next, we compare Confucian societies with non-Confucian societies to see if the Confucian propositions about regime characteristics and performances abode even better in societies that inherited Confucian cultural legacy. Third, we examine how traditional political–cultural predispositions interact with perceived regime characteristics and performances to affect respondents’ support for their country’s current regime. We found that the social and historical relevance of Confucian political theory is not limited to Confucian societies. Much like Communitarian theory, Confucian political theory presents a credible challenge (as well as an alternative) to Western liberal tradition in a much wider socio-cultural space beyond Confucian societies.

We report a photoinduced decarbonylative rearrangement of diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octenone in the facile synthesis of a functionalized diazabicyclo[4.1.0]heptene skeleton, a unique derivative of the hydropyridazine type structure which could be found in a variety of biologically active natural products. The scope of functional group compatibility in the photoreaction was examined by taking advantage of the easy access of the heterobicyclo[2.2.2] structure from the Diels–Alder reaction of masked o-benzoquinones. 4-Phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione served as the dienophile which provided the adjacent N–Nunit in hexahydropyridazine-type products of subsequent photorearrangement.

We extract a dataset of mergers and acquisitions from Asian emerging markets and examine the distribution of the stock returns for the acquiring firm and the corresponding market portfolio in each deal. Non-normal distribution of the returns appears in the test of most deals. We use two robust regressions and a nonparametric statistic test to examine the efficacy of the standard OLS market model. The traditional methods of measuring abnormal returns (ARs) around event windows may be flawed. The robust regressions, Huber regression M-estimator and bootstrapping quantile regression, provide better and higher estimation of abnormal returns.