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Double-bundle (DB) anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has biomechanical advantages over single-bundle reconstruction. However, most studies perform the DB reconstruction with 2 femoral tunnels, which fails to provide an entire femoral footprint for ACL reconstruction. In this study, we describe a femoral double-bundle footprint technique for ACL reconstruction, named the tendon groove technique. This technique modifies the DB femoral tunnels through connecting 2 inner orifices of the anteromedial bundle and the posterolateral bundle tunnels, creating a groove to ensure an entire ACL footprint. This modified technique achieves an anatomic and double-bundle ACL reconstruction with a native footprint, which increases the tendon-bone interface area and theoretically promotes tendon-bone healing in ACL reconstruction. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The association between cheese intake and breast cancer is ambiguous. • Probiotics may be related to breast cancer. • Cheese intake is causally associated with luminal A-like breast cancer. • Probiotics are not causally related to breast cancer. Using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, this study sought to determine the causal relationship between genetically predicted cheese intake, probiotics and breast cancer. A MR analysis including univariable and multivariable MR approaches using the public genome-wide association studies summary statistics was conducted to assess the causal effects. Genetically predicted cheese intake per standard-deviation increase was associated with decreased risks of luminal A-like breast cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 0.80, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.66–0.97, P = 0.03). No causal effect was detected between probiotics and breast cancer. Multivariable MR analysis showed that the causal effect between cheese intake and luminal A-like breast cancer might be driven by several major ingredients in cheese, including calcium, vitamin D and IGF-1 levels. Cheese intake is causally associated with luminal A-like breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] This review aims to provide a systemic analysis of the in vivo , as well as subcellular, fate of polymeric micelles (PMs), starting from the entry of PMs into the body. Few PMs are able to cross the biological barriers intact and reach the circulation. In the blood, PMs demonstrate fairly good stability mainly owing to formation of protein corona despite controversial results reported by different groups. Although the exterior hydrophilic shells render PMs "long-circulating", the biodistribution of PMs into the mononuclear phagocyte systems (MPS) is dominant as compared with non-MPS organs and tissues. Evidence emerges to support that the copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid) (PEG-PLA) is first broken down into pieces of PEG and PLA and then remnants to be eliminated from the body finally. At the cellular level, PMs tend to be internalized via endocytosis due to their particulate nature and disassembled and degraded within the cell. Recent findings on the effect of particle size, surface characteristics and shape are also reviewed. It is envisaged that unraveling the in vivo and subcellular fate sheds light on the performing mechanisms and gears up the clinical translation of PMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnesium-based adsorbents with the modification of alkaline metal salts are considered the competitive candidates for CO 2 capture at intermedium temperature. In this article, the NaNO 3 promoted MgO adsorbents were prepared and granulated, and the characterization methods were used to detect the microstructure of the granular adsorbents, including NaNO 3 distribution, BET specific surface area, micropore size and microcrystal aggregation. The thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) tests were carried out to investigate the optimal CO 2 adsorption and desorption temperatures and the cyclic stability of the NaNO 3 promoted MgO granules. Moreover, the pretreatment of carbonization and calcination was adopted to improve the cyclic stability of the granular adsorbents. Furthermore, the fixed bed adsorber with 40 g NaNO 3 -MgO granules was used to capture CO 2 from 50% CO 2 mixture gas with N 2 and from 20% CO 2 mixture gas with N 2 , respectively, and the CO 2 breakthrough behaviors in the fixed bed were investigated. It was found that NaNO 3 -MgO adsorbents were suitable for the middle and high-concentration CO 2 capture (such as 50% CO 2 feed gas) in fixed bed adsorber with the higher CO 2 recovery efficiency, but the CO 2 recovery efficiency was lower for the low-concentration CO 2 capture (such as 20% CO 2 feed gas) at ordinary pressure. Because about 10 kPa CO 2 partial pressure in the gas phase was needed to overcome CO 2 mass transfer resistance in the molten salt layer on MgO surface during adsorption, the appropriate pressurization would improve the low-concentration CO 2 capture efficiency in the fixed bed adsorber. [Display omitted] • Preparation and granulation of alkaline metal nitrate promoted MgO adsorbents. • Pretreatment of carbonization and calcination improving the cyclic stability of NaNO 3 -MgO adsorbents. • CO 2 mass transfer resistance in molten salt layer on MgO surface limiting the low-concentration CO 2 effective capture. • There exist CO 2 mass transfer resistances in NaNO 3 molten salt layer and dense layer of MgCO 3 for CO 2 capture. • the low-concentration CO 2 capture at a relative high pressure in fixed bed can improve the CO 2 recovery efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the patterns and prognostic roles of tumor mutation burden and immune microenvironment in pancreatic cancer. The somatic mutation data, transcriptome profiles and clinical information were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas database. Gene expression difference, Gene ontology, KEGG, gene set enrichment analyses and "CIBERSORT" algorithm were performed to screen differentially expressed genes, enriched functions or pathways and immune infiltrates differences between high and low TMB groups. Single sample gene set enrichment and unsupervised consensus clustering analyses were used for immunity grouping. Immune cell infiltration and expressions of HLA and checkpoint genes were investigated. Finally, a nomogram model integrating TMB and immune infiltration was established. A total of 608 differentially expressed genes were identified between high and low TMB groups, KEGG base excision repair and DNA replication pathways were enriched in high TMB group. Infiltration levels of M0 macrophages were higher and dendritic resting cells were lower in high TMB group. The risk model based on TMB-related immune genes, FAM19A2 and SLC22A17 was established and high risk scores indicated poorer prognosis. The expressions of HLA genes and immune checkpoint genes were higher in high immunity group. The nomogram showed remarkable ability for individualized survival estimation with good AUC values (0.794 and 0.800, respectively) for 3- and 5-year survival rates prediction. The characteristics of tumor mutation burden and immune infiltration in pancreatic cancer provide new insights into the tumor microenvironment, immunotherapies and a novel prognostic nomogram model for pancreatic cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Modelling a sonographer's visual attention transitions on fetal ultrasound (US) video frames using deep neural networks. • Used bidirectional Convolutional long-short term memory (biCLSTM) to model spatio-temporal information in US videos. • Use soft Dynamic Time Warping (sDTW) as a novel loss function to regularise temporal allocation of predicted visual attention. • Standard biometry planes detection informed by predicted visual attention maps. We present a novel multi-task neural network called Temporal SonoEyeNet (TSEN) with a primary task to describe the visual navigation process of sonographers by learning to generate visual attention maps of ultrasound images around standard biometry planes of the fetal abdomen, head (trans-ventricular plane) and femur. TSEN has three components: a feature extractor, a temporal attention module (TAM), and an auxiliary video classification module (VCM). A soft dynamic time warping (sDTW) loss function is used to improve visual attention modelling. Variants of the model are trained on a dataset of 280 video clips, each containing one of the three biometry planes and lasting 3–7 seconds, with corresponding real-time recorded gaze tracking data of an experienced sonographer. We report the performances of the different variants of TSEN for visual attention prediction at standard biometry plane detection. The best model performance is achieved using bi-directional convolutional long-short term memory (biCLSTM) in both TAM and VCM, and it outperforms a previous spatial model on all static and dynamic saliency metrics. As an auxiliary task to validate the clinical relevance of the visual attention modelling, the predicted visual attention maps were used to guide standard biometry plane detection in consecutive US video frames. All spatio-temporal TSEN models achieve higher scores compared to a spatial-only baseline; the best performing TSEN model achieves F1 scores on these standard biometry planes of 83.7%, 89.9% and 81.1%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The high cyclic fatigue tests of 9% Cr steel are conducted under R = −1, 0.1, 0.5, and 0.7 at 630 °C. • The mean stress sensitivity factor (M R) is proposed and related to the stress ratio. • A new fatigue life empirical relationship considering the mean stress sensitivity factor (M R) is proposed with reasonable confidence. During the startup and shutdown processes of the steam turbine rotor, the fatigue failure behavior caused by asymmetric stress is introduced. To study the effect of mean stress on the fatigue failure behavior of 9% Cr steel at high temperatures, the high cyclic fatigue tests are conducted under different stress ratios (R = −1, 0.1, 0.5, and 0.7) at 630 °C. The results indicate three fatigue failure modes: surface crack initiation failure, sub-surface crack initiation failure, and necking induced failure. With the increasing stress ratio, the surface and sub-surface crack initiation failure modes gradually change to necking induced failure mode. Moreover, the oxide intrusive-extrusion mechanism primarily determines the surface crack initiation failure and promotes surface defect formation. Meanwhile, the inhomogeneous microstructure induces sub-surface crack initiation failure, wherein the crack propagates along the martensitic lath boundary or through the martensitic lath. The attenuation of mechanical properties and the increase in mean stress level are the critical factors affecting the necking induced failure under 630 °C. In addition, the mean stress sensitivity factor (M R) is proposed to explain the effect of the stress ratio on fatigue performance. Furthermore, the mean stress sensitivity factor (M R) can be used to quantitatively analyze the effect of mean stress on fatigue properties under different stress ratios. Finally, the fatigue life empirical relationship considering the mean stress sensitivity factor (M R) is constituted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The necrosome was formed after TBI, promoting the activation of necroptosis. • Pramipexole could inhibit necroptosis and had protective effects on TBI rats. • Pramipexole had analogous effects as inhibitor of RIP1 on TBI. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has high morbidity, mortality and disability. Cell death runs through its occurrence and development. Necroptosis is a recently discovered mode of cell death. Its mechanism still has not been fully resolved. Studies which researcher published before showed that: pramipexole could play a neuroprotective role by inducing hypothermia; receptor interacting protein 1 (RIP1) could play a neuroprotective role by regulating necroptosis. On this basis, we carried out the experiments and it was observed that we could establish a hypothermia model of SD rats safely and effectively via pramipexole. Meanwhile, necroptosis and expression of RIP1 and its related proteins did change. As a result, the prognosis of TBI rats did improve. In brief, we found that pramipexole could play a protective role after TBI by inhibiting necroptosis. We hope our investigation would provide new theoretical basis to improve the outcome of clinical TBI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethylene is a major plant hormone that regulates plant growth, development, and defense responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. The major pieces of the ethylene signaling pathway have been put together, although several details still need to be elucidated. For instance, the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation processes controlling the ethylene responses are poorly understood and need to be further explored. The type 2A protein phosphatase (PP2A) was suggested to play an important role in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis, where the A1 subunit of PP2A was shown to be involved in the regulation of the rate-limiting enzyme of the ethylene biosynthetic pathway. However, whether other subunits of PP2A play roles in the ethylene signal transduction pathway is yet to be answered. In this study, we demonstrate that a B subunit, PP2A-B'ζ, positively regulates plant germination and seedling development, as a pp2a-b'ζ mutant is very sensitive to ethylene treatment. Furthermore, PP2A-B'ζ interacts with and stabilizes the kinase CTR1 (Constitutive Triple Response 1), a key enzyme in the ethylene signal transduction pathway, and like CTR1, PP2A-B'ζ negatively regulates ethylene signaling in plants. • PP2A-B'ζ plays an important role in plant growth and development. • PP2A-B'ζ interacts with and stabilizes CTR1, a key enzyme in ethylene signaling. • PP2A-B'ζ is a negative regulator in the ethylene regulated gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced performance of CsPbBr 3 perovskite solar cells by reducing the conduction band offsets via a Sr-modified TiO 2 layer. • The conduction band offset between electron transportation layer and CsPbBr 3 reduced from 0.94 eV to 0.81 eV by using Sr-modified TiO 2. • The power conversion efficiency of solar cells enhanced from 5.92% to 7.22% via a Sr-modified TiO 2 layer. • A high fill factor of 0.824 is obtained basing on a typical device configuration of FTO/TiO 2 /CsPbBr 3 /Carbon. CsPbBr 3 based perovskite solar cells have attracted an increasing attention owing to their high stability in ambient. The conduction band offset (CBO) between electron transportation layer and light absorb layer has important effects on the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells. For the typical device configuration of FTO/TiO 2 /CsPbBr 3 /Carbon, the CBO value reaches to ~0.94 eV, which is too high to get efficient electron extraction. It is important to optimize the CBO so as to enhance the photovoltaic performance of the solar cells. In this work, we reduce the CBO value from 0.94 eV to 0.81 eV in the typical device configuration of FTO/TiO 2 /CsPbBr 3 /Carbon by using Sr2+ to modify the TiO 2 layer. The Sr-modified TiO 2 layer facilitates efficient extraction of electrons from CsPbBr 3 to electron transportation layer. Meanwhile, the Sr-modified TiO 2 layer suppresses the charge recombination rate in the perovskite solar cells. As a result, the power conversion efficiency of solar cells is enhanced from 5.92% to 7.22% by simply introducing a Sr-modified TiO 2 layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic stresses are major threats to agricultural production. Drought and salinity as two of the major abiotic stresses cause billions of losses in agricultural productivity worldwide each year. Thus, it is imperative to make crops more tolerant. Overexpression of AVP1 or PP2A-C5 was previously shown to increase drought and salt stress tolerance, respectively, in transgenic plants. In this study, the hypothesis that co-overexpression of AVP1 and PP2A-C5 would combine their respective benefits and further improve salt tolerance was tested. The two genes were inserted into the same T-DNA region of the binary vector and then introduced into the Arabidopsis genome through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing both AVP1 and PP2A-C5 at relatively high levels were identified and analyzed. These plants displayed enhanced tolerance to NaCl compared to either AVP1 or PP2A-C5 overexpressing plants. They also showed tolerance to other stresses such as KNO 3 and LiCl at harmful concentrations, drought, and phosphorus deficiency at comparable levels with either AVP1 or PP2A-C5 overexpressing plants. This study demonstrates that introducing multiple genes in single T-DNA region is an effective approach to create transgenic plants with enhanced tolerance to multiple stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of malignant primary brain tumors is challenging. Concomitant radiochemotherapy has become the standard clinical treatment for malignant glioma, but there are two critical challenges to overcome in order to increase efficacy. First, glioma is known to have increased resistant to radiation due to its intra-tumoral hypoxia. In addition, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts the distribution of the chemotherapeutic agent to the brain. Therefore, we developed a hypoxic radiosensitizer-prodrug liposome (MLP), in order to deliver DOX to the tumor and to overcome the above challenges, achieving a synergistic chemo-/radiotherapy treatment of malignant glioma. In this study, hypoxic radiosensitizer nitroimidazoles were conjugated with lipid molecules with a hydrolysable ester bond to form MDH. MDH was mixed together with DSPE-PEG2000 and cholesterol to make MLP liposomes, which were found to have strong radiosensitivity and to promote cargo release under hypoxic conditions, due to the properties of nitroimidazoles under hypoxic conditions. MLP/DOX was found to have distinct advantages, including precise and stealthy pharmacokinetics and efficient passive uptake by the tumor. Furthermore, the combination of MLP/DOX and radiotherapy (RT) significantly inhibited glioma growth as assessed by in vivo bioluminescence imaging. These findings suggest that MLP is a promising candidate as a DOX delivery system to enhance the antitumor treatment effects on glioma, owing to synergistic chemo-/radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]