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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness and safety between titanium mesh cage (TMC) and nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide 66 cage (n-HA/PA66) in the surgical treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) through anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We implemented a comprehensive search strategy across multiple databases, including Wanfang, China Knowledge Network, China Biomedical Literature Database, Wipu, PubMed, Cochran, Embase, and Web of Science. To ensure a thorough examination of available literature, the databases were searched from their inception to January 2023. Two independent researchers evaluated the quality of the included studies by using established criteria. We used RevMan 5.4 (Review Manager Web, The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark) to facilitate data extraction and analysis. RESULTS: This analysis included seven controlled clinical studies. The meta-analysis results showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of operating time, intraoperative bleeding, preoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, preoperative visual analog scale (VAS) score, preoperative and final follow-up C2-7 Cobb angles, and intervertebral fusion rate (p > 0.05). However, a significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of the final follow-up JOA [MD = 0.77, 95% CI (0.58, 0.97), p < 0.00001], VAS [MD = -0.50, 95% CI (-0.71, -0.30), p < 0.00001], and sedimentation rate [RR = 0.30, 95% CI (0.18, 0.48), p < 0.00001]. CONCLUSIONS: The use of n-HA/PA66 in ACCF for treating CSM is safe and effective treatment with positive clinical efficacy. In addition, n-HA/PA66 has both effective clinical efficacy and significantly lower fusion settling rates compared to TMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ranks high in the incidence of malignant tumors, with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Ferroptosis is a newly discovered cell death mechanism based on iron and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The role of ferroptosis-related long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and associated prognostic mechanisms in NSCLC require investigation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We constructed a prognostic multi-lncRNA signature based on ferroptosis-related differentially expressed lncRNAs in NSCLC. The levels of ferroptosis-related lncRNA in normal lung cells and lung adenocarcinoma cells were verified by RT-PCR. RESULTS: We identified eight differentially expressed lncRNAs associated with NSCLC prognosis. The expression of AC125807.2, AL365181.3, AL606489.1, LINC02320, and AC099850.3 was upregulated, while SALRNA1, AC026355.1, and AP002360.1 were downregulated in NSCLC cell lines. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that a highrisk patient group was associated with poor NSCLC prognosis. A risk assessment model based on ferroptosis-related lncRNAs was superior to NSCLC prognosis based on traditional clinicopathological features. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) identified immune- and tumor-related pathways in low-risk group patients. In addition, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) showed that T cell function during APC co-inhibition, APC co-stimulation, chemokine receptor (CCR), MHC class I, parainflammation, T cell co-inhibition, and check-point expression differed significantly between low- and high-risk groups. M6A-related mRNA comparisons between these groups also revealed significant differences in ZC3H13, RBM15, and METTL3 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our new model of lncRNA-associated ferroptosis effectively predicted NSCLC prognoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors describe district-specific disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) of lung cancer attributable to ambient particulate matter < 2.5 um in diameter (PM2.5) for Guangzhou city in China, so as to help prioritizing environmental health action from geospatial perspective. Comparative risk assessment and satellite-derived PM2.5 concentrations were used to investigate the spatial-temporal distribution of DALY attributable to ambient PM2.5 for lung cancer. Integrated exposure-response model and kriging model were constructed based on estimated relative risk (RR) from risk assessment. Annual mean PM2.5 increased by 25.9% from 2010 (71.1 ug/m3) to 2013 (89.5 ug/m3). Estimated RRs ranged from 1.37 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 1.04 ~ 1.86) to 1.99 (95% UI: 1.12 ~ 3.19) among the districts. For lung cancer, DALY attributable to PM2.5 increased by 26.8% from 2010 to 2013, reaching 43352.7 DALYs (95% UI: 8157.9 ~ 62371.7) in 2013. The paper showed that population residing in highly-polluted and aged districts might suffer a higher relative risk for developing lung cancer. Our validated analysis framework also showed that population suffered from a higher loss of lung cancer DALYs, partly due to the higher PM2.5 exposure in some subareas within the city. We reveal that ambient PM2.5 pollution contributed substantially to lung cancer burden, both locally and sub-locally. These results suggest the need for enhanced environmental health policies in the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to provide currently available information on the relationship between the gut microbiome and cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this mini-review, we explored the PubMed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar electronic databases, with regards to the searching terms "gut microbiome, cancer, intestinal flora, immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitor". By reviewing and analyzing the literature, we analyzed how the bacterial microbiome influences the immune system and cancer, as well as how changes in symbiotic flora may be applied to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. RESULTS: The microbiota is related to the development of tumors and may promote canceration. In recent years, a number of studies have confirmed the influence of intestinal flora on immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients, and studies have also shown the link between the intestinal microbiome and treatment-related immune toxicity. Antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors, and hormones affect the composition of the gut microbiota. CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal flora is closely related to cancer. Intestinal flora has a certain impact on cancer occurrence, cancer treatment, cancer immunotherapy efficacy, and side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: We used a regression analysis of the SEER database to establish a new Nomogram for predicting prognosis of cervical cancer patients and guiding the treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We divided the data into the training cohort and the verification cohort. Univariate and multivariate Cox risk regression analysis was used to identify independent prognostic factors and establish a Nomogram model. The verification cohort was used for external verification, and the accuracy was evaluated with C-index and AUC. Finally, Nomogram was used to establish 1-year, 3-year and 5-year survival curves of cervical cancer patients. RESULTS: In this study, 5691 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma were included. Data obtained from the training cohort were independent risk factors of cervical cancer AJCC stage (p = 0.039), RX Summ -- Surgery Primary Site (p = 0.012), radiation (p = 0.031), chemotherapy (p = 0.013), tumor size (p = 0.009), race (p = 0.039). The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival rates for cervical cancer patients were 77.2%, 47.8%, and 35.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The Nomogram model can better screen out more reasonable comprehensive treatments for patients at different stages. And it is of great help to improve the survival rate and reduce the recurrence rate of cervical cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-135a on the renal fibrosis in rats with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) through the Notch signaling pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 male Wistar rats weighing 200-220 g were selected and randomly divided into Control group (n=10), diabetes mellitus (DM) group (n=10), and miR-13a inhibitor group (n=10). Streptozotocin (STZ) was intraperitoneally injected daily to establish the DM model in rats of both DM group and miR-135a group, while normal saline was given daily through intraperitoneal injection in rats of Control group. After 4 weeks, the rats in miR-135a inhibitor group were intraperitoneally injected with miR-135a inhibitor, and those in Control and DM groups were administrated with an equal amount of normal saline. Changes in the blood glucose (BG), glycated hemoglobin (GHb), serum creatinine (Scr), triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol (TC) of rats were evaluated, and the pathological changes in the renal tissues of DM rats were observed via hematoxylin- eosin (HE) staining. Sirius red staining was performed to observe the changes in collagen fibers in the kidney of all groups of rats. The expressions of Notch and Hes1 in the renal tissues of rats in each group were detected using immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescence assay was employed to detect the positive expression of Notch in the renal tissues of rats. The mRNA expressions of Notch and miR-135a were detected via quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRTPCR). Finally, Western blotting was conducted to detect the protein expressions of Notch, Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and Hes1. RESULTS: Compared with Control group, rats in DM group had substantially raised levels of BG, GHb, Scr, TG, and TC (p<0.05). HE staining showed that the rats in Control group had renal tubular cells with normal morphology and well-defined structure, while those in DM group exhibited evident cavitation in the renal tubular epithelium. Sirius red staining results manifested that the red collagen fibers were evenly distributed with light staining in the glomeruli and renal tubules of rats in Control group. In contrast, the collagen fibers of the glomeruli and renal tubules of rats in DM group exhibited deep and evident red staining. Moreover, compared with DM group, rats in miR-135a inhibitor group had notably faded red staining in the glomeruli and renal tubules of rats, evenly distributed collagen and remarkably decreased fibrotic nodules. According to immunohistochemistry detection results, the protein levels of Notch and Hes1 in the renal tubulointerstitial cells and renal tubular epithelial cells of rats in DM group were markedly higher than those in Control group. Compared with those in DM group, their protein levels were remarkably lowered in miR-135a inhibitor group (p<0.05). Immunofluorescence assay results revealed that the protein level of Notch in the renal tissues of rats in DM group was considerably higher than that in Control group (p<0.05), while its protein level in miR-135a inhibitor group was significantly lower than that in DM group. According to qRT-PCR results, compared with those in Control group, mRNA expressions of Notch mRNA and miR-135a in the rat kidney tissues were substantially raised in DM group (p<0.05), and they were notably lowered in miR-13a inhibitor group compared with those in DM group (p<0.05). Finally, Western blotting results manifested that the protein levels of Notch, NIC, and Hes1 in the renal tissues of rats in DM group were considerably higher than those in Control group (p<0.05), and that their protein expression levels in miR-135a inhibitor group were markedly lower than those in DM group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of miR-135a can reduce the renal fibrosis in DKD rats through the Notch pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the regulatory role of TRIM66 in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to investigate its underlying mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 88 pairs of HCC tissues and para-cancerous tissues were surgically resected. The expression of TRIM66 was detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The correlation between TRIM66 expression and clinic- pathologic characteristics of HCC patients was analyzed. Follow-up data of enrolled HCC patients were collected for survival analysis. Subsequently, TRIM66 expression in HCC cells was determined by qRT-PCR as well. By constructing si-TRIM66, the biological performances of transfected HCC cells were determined using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation and transwell assay. Western blot was performed to measure the protein expressions of relative genes in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Finally, HCC cells were co-transfected with si-TRIM66 and pcDNA-E-cadherin, followed by detection of invasive and migratory abilities. RESULTS: TRIM66 was highly expressed in HCC tissues compared with that of para-cancerous tissues. High expression of TRIM66 was positively correlated with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis, whereas not correlated with age and sex of HCC patients. Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that a higher expression of TRIM66 was associated with worse prognosis of HCC. Similarly, TRIM66 was also highly expressed in HCC cells. The knockdown of TRIM66 in HCC cells significantly inhibited the proliferative, invasive and migratory abilities of transfected cells. However, TRIM66 down-regulation significantly induced cell apoptosis. Western blot results showed that TRIM66 knockdown in HCC cells markedly downregulated the protein expressions of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin and β-catenin. The inhibited migration and invasion of HCC cells resulted from TRIM66 knockdown were partially reversed by E-cadherin overexpression. CONCLUSIONS: TRIM66 is highly expressed in HCC, which is positively correlated with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis of HCC patients. In addition, TRIM66 promotes the malignant progression of HCC by inhibiting E-cadherin through the EMT pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: In recent decades, the death rate from lung cancer appears to be an increasing yearly trend, particularly for nonsmall- cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Curcumin is a yellow pigment found in turmeric rhizomes, reported to exhibit various anti-inflammatory, anti- angiogenic, anti-proliferative, and antioxidant properties. Many reports have suggested that curcumin could induce apoptosis in malignant cells, and therefore, has great potential in tumor treatment. However, little is known about the effect of curcumin on NSCLC or its associated mode of action. Therefore, in this study, we explored curcumin's effect on NSCLC and investigated its associated mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The non-smallcell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line A549 was cultured and subjected to MTT and clonogenic survival assays to assess cell proliferation. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured using a Fluostar Omega Spectrofluorimeter. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase (γ-GCS) activity in A549 cells were both determined by a commercial determination kit. Expression levels of p-GSK3β (Ser9), c-Myc, cyclin D1, β-catenin α-tubulin, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: Results of the MTT and clonogenic survival assay indicated that curcumin reduced A549 proliferation. ROS levels and SOD and γ-GCS activities were detected. Curcumin decreased intracellular ROS levels and increased SOD and γ-GCS activity. Meanwhile, the ROS inhibitor N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) reversed the decrease in ROS levels and the increase in SOD and γ-GCS activity. These results indicate that oxidative stress is involved in the curcumin-induced reduction of A549 viability. Curcumin also strongly inhibited β-catenin and p-GSK3β (Ser9) protein expression, as well as the expression of downstream cyclin D1 and c-Myc. Similarly, NAC reversed the inhibition of β-catenin and p-GSK3β (Ser9) protein expression, as well as the expression of downstream cyclin D1 and c-Myc. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that curcumin inhibits NSCLC proliferation via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA) is a complex polygenic disease characterized by molecular and histological heterogeneity. An effort is underway to explore and investigate multiple reliable prognostic markers to improve management of BRCA patients and provide novel therapeutic targets. The aim of the study is to identify the prognostic miRNA signature in BRCA patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The miRNA-sequencing data and clinical information of BRCA patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. RESULTS: A total of 106 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified between BRCA tissues and matched normal tissues, including 81 up-regulated miRNAs and 25 down-regulated miRNAs. Then, we established a set of three-miRNA signature that was significantly associated with BRCA patients’ survival. Using the prognostic three-miRNA signature, we classified the BRCA patients into high-risk and low-risk groups. Multivariate Cox regression demonstrated that the prognostic power of the three-miRNA signature was independent of other clinical variables. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that three prognostic miRNAs may be involved in known BRCA-related KEGG pathways and biological processes. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that three-miRNA signature could be a potential biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes for BRCA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Valsartan has been reported to have the function of treating hypertension and improving the prognosis of patients. Many studies indicated that valsartan can also increase angiotensin II, andosterone and plasma renin activity (PRA). Autoantibodies against the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1-AA) have been showed to increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium (Ca2+) and result in apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells. In this study, we attempted to explore the effect of valsartan on AT1-AA-induced apoptosis in endothelial progenitor cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were cultured. The cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. EPCs apoptosis was determined by DAPI staining and flow cytometry. Reactive oxygen species, intracellular calcium concentration and calpain activity were measured using Fluostar Omega Spectrofluorimeter. The expression of p-ERK, p-eIF-2α, CHOP, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: MTT assays showed valsartan significantly inhibited AT1-AA-induced decline of the viability of EPCs. DAPI staining and flow cytometry results indicated valsartan inhibited AT1-AA-induced decline of the viability of EPCs via inhibiting AT1-AA-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the increasing of reactive oxygen species, intracellular calcium and calpain activity induced by AT1-AA in EPCs were also recovered after pre-treated with valsartan. Meanwhile, the upregulation of p-ERK, p-eIF-2α and CHOP, downregulation of Bcl-2, and activation of Caspase-3 caused by AT1-AA were reversed after pre-incubated with valsartan. CONCLUSIONS: Valsartan could inhibit AT1-AA-induced apoptosis through inhibiting oxidative stress mediated ER stress in EPCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: MiR-655-3p has been reported to play important roles in tumor initiation, development, and metastasis in several cancers. This study aimed to assess the potential role of miR-655-3p in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression levels of miR-655-3p in HCC tissues were detected by qPCR. The relationship between clinicopathologic characteristics and miR-655-3p was analyzed by chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox proportional models were used to study the impact on clinical outcome. RESULTS: miR-655-3p was significantly downregulated in HCC tissues compared to normal adjacent liver tissues (p < 0.01). Low miR-655-3p expression was observed to be closely correlated with positive microvascular invasion, advanced tumor stage and lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05, respectively). The results of Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with high miR-655-3p expression lived shorter than those with low miR-655-3p expression (Log-rank test, p = 0.0002). Multivariate analysis revealed that miR-655-3p was an independent risk factor for HCC (HR=1.533, 95% CI: 0.988-3.891; p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that low expression of miR-655-3p was associated with significant characteristics of patients with HCC, and it could function as a potential unfavorable prognostic biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The use of extra-levator abdominoperineal resection (ELAPE) procedure for lower rectal cancer is controversial. It is unclear whether the ELAPE procedure could improve surgical safety and lead to better oncological outcomes. Methods Sixty-nine lower rectal cancer patients who underwent ELAPE (36 cases) or conventional abdominoperineal resection (APE; 33 cases) between June 2011 and February 2013 were prospectively investigated. Clinicopathological variables including blood loss, intraoperative perforation (IOP) rate, circumferential resection margin (CRM) involvement, lymph node harvest, the postoperative complications, urinary and sexual function, quality of life (QOL), local recurrence rate and survival were recorded and compared. Results Blood loss (P = 0.021), perineal wound complication (P = 0.039), IOP rate (P = 0.028), local recurrence (P = 0.034) were significantly less frequent in the ELAPE group. There was greater CRM involvement in the conventional APE group but no statistical difference between the two groups. Urinary function, sexual function and QOL were not significantly different between the two groups. Overall survival and progression-free survival were not significantly different between two groups, even when survival was analyzed according to TNM stage, T stage, N stage, and with or without neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. In patients who underwent ELAPE there was no statistical difference in postoperative complications between younger and elderly patients (age ≥60). Conclusions ELAPE procedure with definitive anatomic landmarks demonstrated surgical safety and decreased local recurrence for lower rectal cancer patients including the elderly, but there were no survival improvements in compared to conventional APE procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combustion synthesis reactions occurred during spark plasma sintering of the 3Ti-SiC-C powder mixture. The reaction paths and structure evolution are studied from the reaction of the 3Ti-SiC-C mixture. The results showed that the combustion reaction was induced at the temperature of 1147°C, resulting in formation amounts of Ti5Si3 and TiC, as well as the minor phase of Ti3SiC2. As the temperature elevated, Ti5Si3 reacted with TiC and graphite to synthesise Ti3SiC2. The proposed reaction mechanism suggests that the formation of Ti3SiC2 might come from two-step reactions. First, Ti reacted with SiC to form Ti3SiC2. Second, TiC, Ti5Si3 and C reacted to form Ti3SiC2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Earlier diagnosis of PAH would be of great benefit for the estimation of the CHD, the grasp of the indications for surgery and prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of Doppler echocardiography (D-ECHO) in detecting PAH in patients with CHD and the value of estimation about ventricular morphology and function of PAH-CHD patients. 123 CHD patients evaluated for suspected PAH were prospectively recruited. D-ECHO was performed and estimated right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was measured to screen for PAH. Subsequently, pulmonary hemodynamic parameters were measured by right heart catheterization (RHC) for definitive diagnosis of PAH. RESULTS: RHC identified 66/123 (54%) patients with PAH. The noninvasive cut-point was: estimated right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) > 36.5 mm Hg by D-ECHO. D-ECHO classified 107 subjects correctly (sensitivity 89.4%, specificity 84.2%). The area under receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.96 for D-ECHO. A positive significant correlation (r = 0.853, p < 0.01) was found between RVSP measured by D-ECHO and systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (sPAP) measured by RHC. In addition, D-ECHO showed higher RVSP, left ventricular internal diameter (LV), right atrial diameter (RA), right ventricular internal diameter (RV), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (EDD), left ventricular diastolic end-diastolic volume (EDV) and mitral velocity A wave (AMV) values in the PAH-CHD group than in the CHD group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: D-ECHO is not only an important noninvasive diagnostic technique for PAH- CHD patients, but also a tool which can indicate the ventricular remodeling and diastolic dysfunction induced by PAH to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of transcatheter administration of 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT), a hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) inhibitor, on HIF-1α expression and angiogenesis in liver tumors after transcatheter arterial embolization in an animal model.Materials and Methods: VX2 tumors were implanted in the livers of 30 rabbits. The animals were divided randomly into three groups of 10 animals each. Group 1 animals received hepatic intraarterial infusion of distilled water. Group 2 animals received iodized oil infusion followed by embolization with 150-250 μm of polyvinyl alcohol particles. Group 3 animals received infusion of a mixture of HCPT (1 mg/kg body weight) with iodized oil followed by the particle embolization. Six hours or 3 days after transcatheter treatment, the animals were sacrificed, and the tumor samples were harvested. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to evaluate the levels of HIF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein as well as microvessel density.Results: The levels of HIF-1α and VEGF and microvessel density in tumors of group 2 were significantly higher than those of group 1 or 3 (P < .05). However, no significant differences were noted in tumors between group 1 and 3 (P > .05). HIF-1α levels were significantly correlated with VEGF levels (r = .587, P = .001) and microvessel density (r = .527, P = .003).Conclusions: Transcatheter infusion of HCPT has an inhibitory effect on HIF-1α expression and angiogenesis in liver tumors after transcatheter arterial embolization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This in vivo study evaluated the desensitizing efficacy of two one-bottle self-etching adhesives, two dentin desensitizers and a placebo (water). Methods: Thirty-one volunteers with 55 hypersensitive teeth were recruited into this clinical investigation. The sensitive teeth were randomly assigned into five groups and treated with one of the following materials: iBond, Heraeus; Xeno V, Dentsply; Gluma desensitizer, Heraeus; Bifluorid 12, Voco; placebo (water). Mechanical and thermal stimuli were used to assess the tooth sensitivity response. Discomfort interval scale (DIS) scores of the sensitive teeth were recorded at three different investigation times (baseline, immediately and one month after treatment). Impressions were taken from the sensitive teeth at all three different investigation times, and replica models were made for the evaluation of the dentin surfaces by scanning electron microscopy. The Friedman test and the Mann Whitney U-test were used to analyze the data. Results: All dental materials significantly reduced the dentin hypersensitivity immediately (p<0.05) and one month after treatment (p<0.05), with the exception of Bifluorid 12 for mechanical tooth sensitivity. The placebo (water) only caused a short-term effect on the thermal dentin hypersensitivity (p<0.05). Topical application of the dentin adhesives/desensitizers on sensitive dentinal areas resulted in occlusion of the patent tubules. Conclusions: The one-bottle self-etching adhesives and dentin desensitizers involved in the current clinical investigation could significantly relieve dentin hypersensitivity immediately and over the course of a month after treatment (except for Bifluorid 12 for tooth mechanical sensitivity). The placebo (water) had an immediate effect on thermal dentin hypersensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study evaluated the effect of saliva contamination on the bovine enamel microtensile bond strengths (μTBS) of four self-etching adhesives. Materials and Methods: The labial enamel surfaces of extracted non-carious bovine incisors were serially wet ground. The enamel surfaces were not contaminated (Group A), contaminated with saliva before/after priming (Groups B/C) or they were water-sprayed after salivary contamination occurred before/ after priming (Groups D/E). Four self-etching adhesives and the corresponding resin composites from the same manufacturer (Clearfil SE Bond + Clearfil AP-X, Kuraray Co; Xeno III+ Ceram X, Densply; Frog + Ice, SDI; FL Bond II + Beautifil II, Shofu Inc) were applied onto the enamel surfaces. The μTBS tests were performed with a micro tester (BISCO, Inc). The enamel surface was analyzed with AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) before/after salivary contamination occurred or after the saliva-contaminated enamel was water-sprayed. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, factorial design ANOVA and post hoc Tukey's HSD multiple comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project is an international cooperation project to build the largest radio telescope worldwide. Data processing is one of the biggest challenges of building the SKA telescope. As a distributed execution framework, the Data Activated Liu Graph Engine (DALiuGE) was proposed to be one of the candidates for addressing the massive data of the SKA. DALiuGE has many distinctive features, but its actual ability to handle scientific data is still not clear. In this paper, we perform an objective evaluation of the usability of DALiuGE for the execution performance, developer workload, and implementation difficulty of porting the SAGECal to DALiuGE. The evaluation results show that the DALiuGE enables fast integration of astronomical software, but there are significant differences in the efficiency of different parallel granularities. Even with the deep optimization of the program, there is still a gap between the current DALiuGE and the traditional MPI in execution performance. Therefore, we come to a preliminary conclusion that the DALiuGE has no performance advantage in batch processing of massive data. At the same time, it may be more suitable for application scenarios with more customized computational tasks, such as SKA science regional centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil samples were collected from a 17-year fertilization experiment site in southern Loess Plateau to study the effects of different fertilizations and fallowing on the characteristics of soil nitrogen mineralization, and the transformation of exogenous NO3- -N in sterilized and non-sterilized soil samples. The results showed that a combined application of manure and chemical NPK and long-term fallowing increased the contents of soil organic matter, total N, and mineralized N, as well as the N mineralization rate significantly, compared with the control. Applying chemical NPK increased soil inorganic N content, but had less effects on the contents of soil organic matter, total N and mineralized N, as well as the N mineralization rate. Autoclaved sterilization resulted in a significant increase of soil NH4+ -N content, while soil NO3- -N content remained relatively constant whether sterilization or not, suggesting that under the conditions of our incubation, abiotic and biological factors had no significant effects on the transformation of exogenous NO3- -N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diamond particles were coated with aluminium silicate film by sol-gel techniques, and characterised by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive spectroscope and Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Thermogravimetric Analysis (DSC-TG). It was shown that amorphous aluminium silicate thin film was obtained, which encapsulated the diamond particles completely. As a good barrier, this film protected the diamond with enhanced oxidation resistance. Specifically, the initial oxidation temperature of the aluminium silicate film-coated diamond in air atmosphere was 715°C, 85°C higher than that of the uncoated diamond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]