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Objective. This study aimed to evaluate conjunctival vessels in patients with dry eye disease (DED) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods. This was a cross-sectional, observational clinical study. Twenty-three eyes of 18 patients with DED and 28 eyes of 23 healthy controls were included for examination in this study. The evaluation included the application of an Ocular Surface Disease Index Questionnaire, Schirmer Basic Secretion Test, and anterior OCTA targeting the temporal conjunctiva. AngioTool software was used to quantify the total vessel length and vessel density in the 3 × 3 mm temporal region of interest. Results. Blood vessel density measurements were compared across the OCTA systems. The total vessel length within the conjunctiva of the DED group (4799.34 ± 834.36) exceeded that of the control eye (3864.89 ± 1455.70) group (P < 0.05). However, the difference in vessel density between the two groups was not statistically significant. Conclusion. Measurement and analysis of conjunctival blood vessels using OCTA exhibited robust repeatability. In dry eyes, the total number of conjunctival blood vessels increased in accordance with disease severity. Hypoxia of conjunctival tissue may be an important cause of dry eye disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a serious emergency in 2020, COVID-19 had a great impact on people's lives. In this paper, short-term and long-term response to emergency supplies needs after the outbreak of COVID-19 in a region is studied. Firstly, a comparative study of different regional resource coordination options in the early stages of COVID-19 is conducted using a multiobjective decision-making approach to arrive at the optimal solution. Then, a system dynamics model is established for the follow-up development of the epidemic, to predict the long-term development trend of the epidemic, and to study the urgency of the needs of different materials in different periods. The results show that time and satisfaction are the two most important indicators in the decision-making of the material deployment programme in the early stages of an outbreak. In the long-term control of the epidemic, the number of patients with minor illnesses generally peaks around 20 days, while the number of patients with severe illnesses generally peaks around 40 days, providing a focus for the supply of supplies at different times in the actual development of the epidemic, in order to better and more effectively control the epidemic and reduce inefficient consumption of supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This meta-analysis was performed to identify the prognostic value of SLNCR1 in multiple cancer types. Methods. Electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Medline, BioMed Central, Springer, Science Direct, and China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), were searched for relevant studies up to August 2021, and the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to assess the relationship between SLNCR1 expression and overall survival (OS). Results. 12 studies with a total of 1155 patients with 9 different types of cancers were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled HR indicates that high SLNCR1 expression represented poorer prognosis of cancer (HR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.59–2.80, I2 = 0%, P < 0.00001). Additionally, high SLNCR1 expression was correlated with TNM stage (odds ratio (OR): 1.72, 95% CI: 1.08–2.74, I2 = 62%, P = 0.02), lymph node metastasis (LNM) (OR:2.42, 95% CI: 1.61–3.64, I2 = 55%, P < 0.0001), and distant metastases (DM) (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.50–3.55, I2 = 27%, P = 0.0002). However, no evidence was found for a relationship between SLNCR1 expression and clinical features such as tumor size (OR: 1.71, 95% CI: 0.93–3.14, I2 = 71%, P = 0.09), age (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.68–1.08, I2 = 0%, P = 0.19), or gender (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.64–1.81, I2 = 55%, P = 0.79). Conclusion. Our findings found that high SLNCR1 expression was associated with poor OS, advanced tumor stage, tumor size, LNM, and DM in multiple cancers, indicating that SLNCR1 may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for cancer patients in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a diagnostic and prognostic marker of melanoma. However, whether ctDNA mutations can independently predict survival remains controversial. This meta-analysis assessed the prognostic value of the presence or change in ctDNA mutations in melanoma patients. Methods. We identified studies from the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. We estimated the combined hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using either fixed-effect or random-effect models based on heterogeneity. Results. Sixteen studies including 1,781 patients were included. Both baseline and posttreatment detectable ctDNA were associated with poor OS (baseline detectable vs. undetectable, pooled HR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.64–2.36, P < 0.00001 ; baseline undetectable vs. detectable, pooled HR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.11–0.36, P < 0.00001 ; posttreatment detectable vs. undetectable, pooled HR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.30–4.28, P = 0.005). For PFS, baseline detectable ctDNA may be associated with adverse PFS (baseline detectable vs. undetectable, pooled HR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.84–2.37, P = 0.19 ; baseline undetectable vs. detectable, pooled HR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.19–0.95, P = 0.04) and baseline high ctDNA and increased ctDNA were significantly associated with adverse PFS (baseline high vs. low/undetectable, pooled HR = 3.29, 95% CI = 1.73–6.25, P = 0.0003 ; increase vs. decrease, pooled HR = 4.48, 95% CI = 2.45–8.17, P < 0.00001). The baseline BRAFV600 ctDNA mutation-positive group was significantly associated with adverse OS compared with the baseline ctDNA-negative group (pooled HR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.58–2.29, P < 0.00001). There were no significant differences in PFS between the baseline BRAFV600 ctDNA mutation-detectable group and the undetectable group (pooled HR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.72–1.44, P = 0.92). Conclusion. The presence or elevation of ctDNA mutation or BRAFV600 ctDNA mutation was significantly associated with worse prognosis in melanoma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RDX/aluminum composites were prepared by the spray-drying method with F2602 as a binder. The morphology and covering effect of composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of the processing parameters on the morphology of the samples was investigated. The impact sensitivity and thermal decomposition behavior of RDX/aluminum composites were also measured and analyzed. Optimal morphology of samples was achieved when the inlet temperature, nitrogen flow rate, and suspension feed flow rates were 80°C, 473 L·h-1, and 4.5 mL·min-1, respectively. In addition, RDX/aluminum composites with the same content were prepared by a coverage-mixing method for comparative analysis. Experimental results showed that the thermal sensitivity and the impact sensitivity of RDX/aluminum composites prepared by the spray-drying method were significantly lower than those of RDX/aluminum composites prepared by the coverage-mixing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denote by B˙⁎α,ϕ(Ω) the intrinsic Orlicz-Besov space, where α∈R, ϕ is a Young function, and Ω⊂Rn is a domain. For α∈(-n,0) and optimal ϕ, via John domains, we establish criteria for bounded domains Ω⊂Rn supporting an Orlicz-Besov Poincaré inequality. ‖u-uΩ‖Ln/|α|(Ω)≤C‖u‖B˙⁎α,ϕ(Ω)  ∀u∈B˙⁎α,ϕ(Ω). This extends the known criteria for bounded domains supporting Sobolev-Poincaré inequality and its fractional analogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans L. Koch. (SSLK) helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) but its effects on rheumatic heart disease (RHD) patients remain unclear. 80 RHD patients were recruited and randomly assigned into SG (to receive SSLK treatment) and CG (to receive placebo) groups, and the intervention lasted for 3 months. The following cardiac indexes were measured, including mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), central venous pressure (CVP), blood lactate, fatigue, shortness of breath, palpitation, and chest pain. ELISA kits were used to analyze creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), serum troponin T (cTnT), CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Relative percentages of CD4+CD25+FoxP3 regulatory (Treg) and CD4+IL-17 T cells were measured using flow cytometry. After 3-month therapy, SSLK intervention improved MAP, HR, CVP, fatigue, palpitation, and shortness breath of CHD patients, reduced the levels of blood lactate, CK-MB, cTnT, CRP, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MDA, and increased SOD level (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, SSLK treatment increased the percentages of CD4+CD25+FoxP3 Treg cells and reduced relative percentages of CD4+IL-17 T cells in a dose-dependent way (p < 0.05). Relative percentage of CD4+CD25+FoxP3 Treg cells had negative relationship while CD4+IL17 T cells had positive relationship with CK-MB, cTnT, CRP, and TNF-a (p < 0.01). SSLK ameliorated RHD by affecting the balance of CD4+CD25+FoxP3 Treg and CD4+IL17 T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic tumor. Many circular RNAs (circRNAs) have proven to play vital roles in the physiological and pathological processes of tumorigenesis; however, their biogenesis in PDAC remains unclear. In this study, the expression profiles of circRNAs from 10 PDAC tissues and their paired adjacent nontumor tissues were analyzed through RNA sequencing analysis. An enrichment analysis was employed to predict the functions of the differentially expressed circRNAs. Sequence alignment information and mRNA microarray projects were used to predict the RNA regulatory network. The knockdown of circRNAs by small interfering RNAs followed by wound healing and western blot assays was used to confirm their functions in a PDAC cell line. A total of 278 circRNAs were identified as differentially expressed in PDAC tissue. Of these, we found that hsa_circRNA_0007334 was significantly upregulated and may serve as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate matrix metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7) and collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1) by the competitive adsorption of hsa-miR-144-3p and hsa-miR-577 to enhance the expression and functions of MMP7 and COL1A1 in PDAC. In vitro experiments confirmed these results. The present study is the first to propose two regulatory pathways in PDAC: hsa_circRNA_0007334–hsa-miR-144-3p–MMP7 and hsa_circRNA_0007334–hsa-miR-577–COL1A1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete sequence of mitochondrial DNA (mt DNA) from Stichopus sp. (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Stichopodidae: Stichopus) was acquired using conventional PCR and long PCR followed by cloning and sequencing. The mt DNA is a circular molecule of 16 257 bp in length, containing the set of 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes ( PCGs), 22 t RNA genes and two ribosomal RNA genes. The plus strand consists of 30.9% A, 23.7% C, 16.0% G and 29.3% T bases (AT skew = 0.027; GC skew = −0.194). All 13 PCGs encode a total of 3782 amino acids and all 22 t RNA genes were predicted to be capable of folding into a clover-leaf secondary structure. Intergenetic regions in the mitochondrial genome of Stichopus sp. contain 903 bp in total, with the largest continuous region (674 bp, AT% = 58.6) between t RNA-Thr and t RNA-Pro. Analysis of phylogenetic relationship of family Stichopodidae and genetic distances (species among the family Stichopodidae and species within Stichopus monotuberculatus group) based on the partial cox1 sequence demonstrates that Stichopus sp. from the South China Sea is a member of S. monotuberculatus complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]