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Purpose: Although the principles of hip reconstruction are consistent, due to lack of reliable anatomical landmarks, how to decide the acetabular cup reaming centre intraoperatively in Crowe IV patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) remains unclear. This study aims to address this question. Methods: Fifty-eight Crowe IV patients were enrolled from 2017 to 2019. By examining our previous clinical data, we analyzed the anatomical morphology of Crowe IV acetabulum and proposed a method of locating intraoperative reaming centering for implantation of a standard-sized acetabular cup, which is the upper two thirds of the posterior border of the true acetabulum. All patients included in this study were reamed according to this method. The average postoperative follow-up was 4.1 years (3–5 years). The position of the centre of rotation (COR), cup coverage (CC), and optimal range of joint motion (ROM) were examined by 3D computer simulation measurement. Postoperative complications and hip Harris score were collected and analyzed. Results: The morphology of the type IV DDH true acetabulum was mostly triangular. The intraoperative reaming centre were centered on the upper two thirds of the posterior border of the true acetabulum. The postoperative 3D CC was 80.20% ± 7.63% (64.68–90.24%, 44–48-mm cup size). The patients' mean Harris score improved from 39.7 ± 20.4 preoperatively to 91.5 ± 8.12 at the last follow-up. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that satisfactory CC and clinical results could be achieved by implanting a standard-sized cup with the reaming centre on the upper two thirds of the posterior border of the true acetabulum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the value of preoperative intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI) and conventional MRI indicators in identifying sarcomatoid dedifferentiation in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and tumor thrombus. Methods: From September 2016 to April 2023, consecutive patients with RCC and tumor thrombus who received routine MRI examination and IVIM-DWI before radical resection were enrolled prospectively. Kaplan–Meier method with log-rank test was used to calculate and compare the survival probability. The preoperative imaging features were analyzed. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify independent predictors of sarcomatoid dedifferentiation. The predictive ability was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Twenty-two patients (15.3%) of the 144 patients in the training set (median age, 58.0 years [IQR, 52.0–65.0 years]; 108 men) and 11 patients (22.4%) of the 49 patients in the test set (median age, 58.0 years [IQR, 53.0–63.0 years]; 38 men) had sarcomatoid dedifferentiated tumors. Patients with sarcomatoid-differentiated tumors had poor progress-free survival in the training set and test set (P < 0.001 and P = 0.007). f value (P = 0.011), mN stage (P = 0.007), and necrosis (P = 0.041) were independent predictors for predicting sarcomatoid dedifferentiation in the training set. The model combining conventional MRI features and f value had AUCs of 0.832 (95% CI 0.755–0.909) and 0.825 (95% CI 0.702–0.948) in predicting sarcomatoid dedifferentiation in the training set and test set. Conclusion: It is feasible to preoperatively identify sarcomatoid dedifferentiation based on IVIM-DWI and conventional MR imaging indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data uncertainty has a great impact on portfolio selection. Based on the popular mean-absolute deviation (MAD) model, we investigate how to make robust portfolio decisions. In this paper, a novel Wasserstein metric-based data-driven distributionally robust mean-absolute deviation (DR-MAD) model is proposed. However, the proposed model is non-convex with an infinite-dimensional inner problem. To solve this model, we prove that it can be transformed into two simple finite-dimensional linear programs. Consequently, the problem can be solved as easily as solving the classic MAD model. Furthermore, the proposed DR-MAD model is compared with the 1/N, classic MAD and mean-variance model on S &P 500 constituent stocks in six different settings. The experimental results show that the portfolios constructed by DR-MAD model are superior to the benchmarks in terms of profitability and stability in most fluctuating markets. This result suggests that Wasserstein distributionally robust optimization framework is an effective approach to address data uncertainty in portfolio optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate whether venous tumor thrombus (VTT) consistency is a risk factor for the patient's prognosis with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and methods: A total of 190 RCC patients with VTT, who were treated at Department of Urology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, were retrospectively analyzed in this study. The baseline clinical characteristics, postoperative outcomes, and pathological findings were analyzed. Tumor thrombus was classified as solid and friable based on their respective characteristics. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis, and univariable and multivariable cox proportional hazard regression models were used. Results: Among the total 190 patients included in this study, 145 (76.3%) patients had solid VTT, and 45 (23.7%) patients had friable VTT in their renal veins and inferior vena cava (IVC). There were no significant differences in the age, gender, BMI, symptoms, complex diseases, tumor side, tumor size, TNM stage, Mayo stage, tumor grade, sarcomatous differentiation, pelvic invasion, and sinus fat invasion of patients. Solid VTT consistency was more likely to have a capsule as compared to those with friable VTT (P = 0.007). Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis demonstrated no statistically significant differences in the overall survival (OS) (P = 0.973) and progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.667) of patients. Moreover, VTT consistency was not associated with OS (P = 0.706) of PFS (P = 0.504) in multivariate cox regression analysis. Conclusions: RCC VTT consistency was not a prognostic risk factor for predicting the OS and PFS of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection has been revealed to be a risk factor for neuropsychiatric diseases, including anxiety. However, there is no intervention strategy. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of β-glucan on T. gondii Wh6 strain–induced anxiety-like behavior in mice. The anxiety mouse model was established by infection with 10 cysts of the T. gondii Wh6 strain. β-Glucan was intraperitoneally administered 2 weeks before infection. Open field and elevated plus maze tests were performed to assess anxiety-like behavior. In the open field test, Wh6-infected mice spent less time in the central zone and had fewer entries into the central zone. In the elevated plus maze test, the infection reduced the frequency and time of head entries in the open arms. These results showed that Wh6 causes anxiety-like behavior in mice. Interestingly, the administration of β-glucan significantly ameliorated anxiety-like behavioral performance. The present study shows that β-glucan can alleviate the anxiety-like behavior induced by chronic T. gondii infection in mice, which indicates that β-glucan may be a potential drug candidate for treating T. gondii–related mental disorders, including anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most promising cathodes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, lithium-rich materials have been widely studied because of their excellent electrochemical performance. However, due to their unstable microstructure and electrolyte/material interface, the practical application of lithium-rich cathodes has been greatly hindered. Building a stable interface structure is an ideal choice for high-voltage lithium-rich cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. A Ta2O5 layer can resist HF acid corrosion and plays an important role in controlling the electrochemical properties of lithium-rich oxides. Here, a series of lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials of Li1.2Ni0.1Co0.1Mn0.6O2 (LNCM) were prepared by the rapid co-precipitation and high-temperature solid-phase methods. Ta2O5-coating was coated on the surface of the cathode material by simple solid-state mixed sintering. Compared with the original Li1.2Ni0.1Co0.1Mn0.6O2, the 5% Ta2O5-coating cathode showed better electrochemical properties in rate performance and cycle stability. The specific capacity of the first cycle discharge reached 292.9 mAhg−1 at 0.1 C, and the coulombic efficiency was 80.16%. The capacity was 92 mAhg−1 at 10 C and 85.35% after 100 cycles at 2 C. The results showed that the Ta2O5 coating can effectively suppress the voltage decay, reduce the electrode polarization, improve the rate performance of the material and improve the structural stability of the cathode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most promising cathodes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, lithium-rich materials have been widely studied because of their excellent electrochemical performance. However, due to their unstable microstructure and electrolyte/material interface, the practical application of lithium-rich cathodes has been greatly hindered. Building a stable interface structure is an ideal choice for high-voltage lithium-rich cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries. A Ta2O5 layer can resist HF acid corrosion and plays an important role in controlling the electrochemical properties of lithium-rich oxides. Here, a series of lithium-rich manganese-based cathode materials of Li1.2Ni0.1Co0.1Mn0.6O2 (LNCM) were prepared by the rapid co-precipitation and high-temperature solid-phase methods. Ta2O5-coating was coated on the surface of the cathode material by simple solid-state mixed sintering. Compared with the original Li1.2Ni0.1Co0.1Mn0.6O2, the 5% Ta2O5-coating cathode showed better electrochemical properties in rate performance and cycle stability. The specific capacity of the first cycle discharge reached 292.9 mAhg−1 at 0.1 C, and the coulombic efficiency was 80.16%. The capacity was 92 mAhg−1 at 10 C and 85.35% after 100 cycles at 2 C. The results showed that the Ta2O5 coating can effectively suppress the voltage decay, reduce the electrode polarization, improve the rate performance of the material and improve the structural stability of the cathode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies on the roles and mechanisms of LL-37 have demonstrated that LL-37 can either serve as a tumor promoter or a tumor suppressor in different cancers. The expression and function of LL-37 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, remain unclear. In the present study, we confirmed the down-regulation of LL-37 in HCC tissues and the synthetic LL-37 peptide reduced the viability of HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, we demonstrated that LL-37 peptide significantly delayed G1-S transition in Huh7 but not in HepG2 cells by suppressing CyclinD1-CDK4-p21 checkpoint signaling pathway. However, LL-37 caused no obvious apoptosis both in Huh7 and HepG2 cells, though the expression of apoptosis-related genes was strongly changed through qRT-PCR analysis, hinting at the possibility that LL-37 participates in regulating the apoptosis of HCC cells, but may not the only mechanism. Besides, we also identified that LL-37 treatment strongly inhibited the mRNA expression of TLR4 both in Huh7 and HepG2 cells, accompanied with the reduced expression of genes responsible for pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-8 and IL-6. In conclusion, our research suggested that LL-37 may be associated with the development of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA nanostructures have been demonstrated as promising carriers for gene delivery. In the carrier design, spatiotemporally programmable assembly of DNA under nanoconfinement is important but has proven highly challenging due to the complexity–scalability–error of DNA. Herein, a DNA nanotechnology-based strategy via the cascade hybridization chain reaction (HCR) of DNA hairpins in polymeric nanoframework has been developed to achieve spatiotemporally programmable assembly of DNA under nanoconfinement for precise siRNA delivery. The nanoframework is prepared via precipitation polymerization with Acrydite-DNA as cross-linker. The potential energy stored in the loops of DNA hairpins can overcome the steric effect in the nanoframework, which can help initiate cascade HCR of DNA hairpins and achieve efficient siRNA loading. The designer tethering sequence between DNA and RNA guarantees a triphosadenine triggered siRNA release specifically in cellular cytoplasm. Nanoframework provides stability and ease of functionalization, which helps address the complexity–scalability–error of DNA. It is exemplified that the phenylboronate installation on nanoframework enhanced cellular uptake and smoothed the lysosomal escape. Cellular results show that the siRNA loaded nanoframework down-regulated the levels of relevant mRNA and protein. In vivo experiments show significant therapeutic efficacy of using siPLK1 loaded nanoframework to suppress tumor growth. Controlled delivery of siRNA is important for potential clinical applications. Here, the authors report on the use of cascade hybridization of DNA hairpins with ATP aptamers in DNA crosslinked polymer nanoparticles for triggered release of siRNA and demonstrate anticancer applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 2D visible-light-driven TiO2@Ti3C2/g-C3N4 ternary heterojunction photocatalyst with modified interfacial microstructure and electronic properties was synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted calcination method. The remarkably active g-C3N4 could provide high productivity of photogenerated electrons and holes. Meanwhile, the O/OH-terminated Ti3C2 and by-product TiO2 could act as excellent supporters by migrating electrons in TiO2@Ti3C2/g-C3N4 hybrids. As a result, the highest photocatalytic activities in the degradation of aniline and RhB were increased to 5 and 1.33 times higher than that of pristine g-C3N4 under visible-light irradiation, respectively. Furthermore, we proposed that n–n heterojunction and n-type Schottky heterojunction were built up across their interfaces, which efficiently improve the transition of electrons and further promote the photocatalytic activity of TiO2@Ti3C2/g-C3N4 hybrids. More appealingly, all the results highlight that the environment-friendly TiO2@Ti3C2/g-C3N4 heterojunction hybrids would be desirable candidates for pollutants degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioaccumulation of five heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn) in six plant organs (panicle, leaf, stem, root, rhizome, and bud) of the emergent and perennial plant species, Miscanthus sacchariflorus, were investigated to estimate the plant’s potential for accumulating heavy metals in the wetlands of Dongting Lake. We found the highest Cd concentrations in the panicles and leaves; while the highest Cu and Mn were observed in the roots, the highest Pb in the panicles, and the highest Zn in the panicles and buds. In contrast, the lowest Cd concentrations were detected in the stem, roots, and buds; the lowest Cu concentrations in the leaves and stems; the lowest Mn concentrations in the panicles, rhizomes, and buds; the lowest Pb concentrations in the stems; and the lowest Zn concentrations in the leaves, stems, and rhizomes. Mean Cu concentration in the plant showed a positive regression coefficient with plot elevation, soil organic matter content, and soil Cu concentration, whereas it showed a negative regression coefficient with soil moisture and electrolyte leakage. Mean Mn concentration showed positive and negative regression coefficients with soil organic matter and soil moisture, respectively. Mean Pb concentration exhibited positive regression coefficient with plot elevation and soil total P concentration, and Zn concentration showed a positive regression coefficient with soil available P and total P concentrations. However, there was no significant regression coefficient between mean Cd concentration in the plant and the investigated environmental parameters. Stems and roots were the main organs involved in heavy metal accumulation from the environment. The mean quantities of heavy metals accumulated in the plant tissues were 2.2 mg Cd, 86.7 mg Cu, 290.3 mg Mn, 15.9 mg Pb, and 307 mg Zn per square meter. In the Dongting Lake wetlands, 0.7 × 103 kg Cd, 22.9 × 103 kg Cu, 77.5 × 103 kg Mn, 3.1 × 103 kg Pb, and 95.9 × 103 kg Zn per year were accumulated by aboveground organs and removed from the lake through harvesting for paper manufacture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth performance of Salix triandroides cuttings at three water cadmium (Cd) concentrations (0, 20, and 40 mg L−1) and three water levels (− 40 cm, water level 40 cm below the soil surface; 0 cm, water level even with the soil surface; and 40 cm, water level 40 cm above soil surface) was investigated to evaluate its potential in phytoextraction strategies. Compared to cuttings in the − 40 or 0 cm water levels, cuttings in the 40 cm water level showed significantly lower biomass, height, and adventitious root length and significantly fewer leaves and adventitious roots. However, these growth and morphological parameters were not different among the three water Cd concentrations. Water level decreased stomatal conduction and transpiration rate but showed no significant effects on chlorophyll concentration or photosynthetic rate. Chlorophyll concentration and stomatal conductance were higher at 40 mg L−1 Cd treatment than at 0 or 20 mg L−1 Cd treatment; yet, photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate were not different. Cd concentration in the leaves and stems increased as the water level increased, but the highest Cd concentration in the roots occurred in the 0 cm water level. As water Cd concentration increased, Cd concentration in the leaves, stems, and roots increased in all three water levels, except in stems in the − 40 cm water level. Under Cd stress, cuttings in the − 40 or 0 cm water levels were characterized by a higher bioaccumulation coefficient, but a lower translocation factor, than those in the 40 cm water level. However, the bioaccumulation coefficient increased with increasing water Cd concentration in all three water levels, as did the translocation factor in the 40 cm water level. The tolerance index for the cuttings was the same among all water levels and water Cd concentrations. The results clearly indicated that the low water level increased plant growth and Cd accumulation in underground parts, while the high water level decreased plant growth but increased Cd accumulation in aboveground parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simulated flooding experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of seasonal flooding on the plant Salix triandroides from the Dongting Lake wetlands in China. The morphology, photosynthetic activity, and anatomy of cuttings in three water conditions (−40 cm, water level 40 cm below soil surface; 0 cm, water level 0 cm at the soil surface; and 40 cm, water level 40 cm above soil surface) and two lights conditions (full sunlight and 10% sunlight) were measured. Plants had a higher survival ratio and biomass accumulation in full sunlight than in 10% sunlight when the water level was −40 and 0 cm, but there was no difference between these parameters in cuttings grown under the two light conditions in the 40 cm water treatment. In full sunlight, a lower survival ratio and reduced biomass were observed with increasing water level. The same trend was also seen for survival ratio in 10% sunlight. However, there was no difference in biomass among the three water levels in 10% sunlight, except for leaf weight. Branch height, leaf number, adventitious root length, and adventitious root number were different in the three water levels and two light conditions. In water levels of −40 and 0 cm, plants had lower chlorophyll contents in full sunlight than in 10% sunlight. In full sunlight, there was no difference in chlorophyll content between the water levels, while in 10% sunlight, lower chlorophyll content was observed in −40 cm than in 0 cm water. Photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate decreased, but water-use efficiency increased in reduced light at all three water levels. Additionally, plants had higher porosity in 40 cm water than in −40 and 0 cm conditions. Based on the reduced plant growth in the 10% sunlight condition and decreased survival in the 40 cm water level, we conclude that low light significantly decreased plant acclimation to incomplete submergence and that high water levels induced dormancy in the cuttings. Therefore, the height of cuttings used for forestation or reforestation is an important consideration for mitigating the negative effects of seasonal flooding on the survival and growth of S. triandroides in Dongting Lake wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the deleterious effects of oxygen stress in a range of 100-400 % air saturation and verified the alleviation effects of the addition of bicarbonate and adjustment of culture pH. In the cultures with imposed dissolved oxygen (dO) stress at 400 % air saturation, the highest dry cell weight (DCW) of 1.04 ± 0.17 g L, lipid content (LC) of 151.2 ± 4.8 mg g DCW and lipid productivity (LP) of 19.1 ± 0.8 mg L day were obtained in the cultures supplemented with 160 mM NaHCO, compared to a DCW of 0.76 ± 0.018 g L, LC of 116.3 ± 0.2 mg g DCW and LP of 9.96 ± 0.02 mg L day in the control (with 0 mM NaHCO). The results indicate that oxygen stress was hazardous to cell growth and impaired lipid accumulation in Neochloris oleoabundans. The addition of bicarbonate alleviated oxygen stress through increasing the ratio of dCO to dO to balance the photosynthesis and photorespiration, inhibiting the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activating cellular antioxidant mechanisms such as enhanced lipids as an electron sink and ROS-scavenging antioxidant enzymes. Studies also show that the increase of pH in the range of 7.5-9.5 enhanced cell growth and lipid accumulation, although accompanied by increasing ROS concentration in cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candida albicans is a common opportunistic fungal pathogen, causing both superficial candidiasis and life-threatening systemic infections in immune-compromised individuals. Calcium signaling is responsible for this pathogen in responding to several stresses, such as antifungal drugs, alkaline pH and membrane-perturbing agents. Our recent study revealed that it is also involved in oxidative stress response. In this study, we investigated the effect of verapamil, an L-type voltage-gated calcium channel blocker, on oxidative stress response in this fungus. The addition of verapamil resulted in increased sensitivity to the oxidative agent HO, which is associated with a decrease of calcium fluctuation under the stress. Moreover, this agent caused enhanced oxidative stress, with increased levels of ROS and enhanced dysfunction of the mitochondria under the oxidative stress. Further investigations in SOD activity, GSH contents and expression of oxidative stress response-related genes indicated that the effect of verapamil is related to the repression of oxidative stress response. Our findings demonstrated that verapamil has an inhibitory effect on oxidative stress response, confirming the relationship between calcium signaling and oxidative stress in C. albicans. Therefore, calcium channels may be potential targets for therapy to enhance the efficacy of oxidative stress against C. albicans-related infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ca channel Cch1, and its subunit Mid1, has been suggested as the protein complex responsible for mediating Ca influx, which is often employed by fungal cells to maintain cell survival. The abilities of morphological switch and response to stress conditions are closely related to pathogenicity in Candida albicans. Cch1 and Mid1 activity are required for virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans and Claviceps purpurea, respectively. To investigate whether Cch1 and Mid1 also play a role in the virulence of C. albicans, we constructed cch1Δ/Δ and mid1Δ/Δ mutant strains for functional analysis of CCH1 and MID1. Although both of the mutants displayed the ability of yeast-to-hypha transition, they were defective in hyphae maintenance and invasive growth. Interestingly, deletion of CCH1 or MID1 in C. albicans led to an obvious defect phenotype in oxidative stress response. Moreover, the virulence of the mutants was reduced in a mouse model. Our results demonstrated that Cch1 and Mid1 activity are related to the virulence of C. albicans and may provide a new antifungal target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), which can orient and migrate along a magnetic line of force due to intracellular nanosized magnetosomes, have been a subject of research in the medical field, in dating environmental changes, and in environmental remediation. This paper reviews the recent development of MTB as biosorbents for heavy metals. Ultrastructures and taxis of MTB are investigated. Adsorptions in systems of unitary and binary ions are highlighted, as well as adsorption conditions (temperature, pH value, biomass concentration, and pretreatments). The separation and desorption of MTB in magnetic separators are also discussed. A green method to produce metal nanoparticles is provided, and an energy-efficient way to recover precious metals is put forward during biosorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf trait patterns and their variations with climate are interpreted as an adaptive adjustment to environment. This study assessed the adaptability of planted black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia L.) based on the analysis of leaf traits and the comparison of its leaf traits with inter-specific ones existing in the same area. We measured some water and N use related leaf traits: leaf dry mass per unit area ( LMA) and N, P and K concentrations based on both leaf area ( N, P and K) and leaf mass ( N, P and K) of R. pseudoacacia at 31 sites along a water stress gradient in North Shaanxi Province, China. The results show that leaves of R. pseudoacacia have high N and low LMA in the study area. High N and low LMA are usually representative of luxurious resource use, and will advance plant resource competitiveness in high-resource conditions. As a whole, LMA-nutrient relationships of R. pseudoacacia display patterns that are fairly similar to the inter-specific relationships in both direction and intensity. The tendency for LMA and N to increase with decreasing water availability and the positive correlation between LMA and N reflect the trend for R. pseudoacacia to enhance water use efficiency (WUE) at the expense of down-regulated photosynthetic N use efficiency (PNUE) and high construction cost in dry conditions. However, the positive relationship between LMA and N in high mean annual precipitation ( MAP) area is either unremarkable or reversed with decreasing water availability. This implies a lower photosynthetic capacity and a higher construction cost for high- LMA leaves. The inter-specific relationship between LMA and N is positive and does not change with water availability. This difference between inter-species and intra-species may be due to more diversified anatomies and more specialised structures for inter-species than intra-species. The failure of R. pseudoacacia adaption to dry conditions reflected by LMA- Narea relationship may be partially responsible for the emergence of rampike and dwarf forms found frequently in dry conditions. Incorporating intrinsic characteristics of planted trees into vegetation restoration project will be instructive and meaningful for species selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

d-Serine is a novel candidate for an intrinsic ligand for the glycine site of N-methyl- d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in mammalian brain. d-Serine and serine racemase, which produces d-serine from l-serine, have long been presumed to be localized in astrocytes. However, we have reported that d-serine immunoreactivity was observed in neurons in rats. In the present study, the distributions of d-serine and serine racemase were investigated in combination with marker proteins for neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in mice. Immunoreactivities for d-serine and serine racemase were found in neurons and oligodendrocytes. These results suggest that d-serine can be produced in neurons as well as glias and used as a neurotransmitter, which control the synaptic function of NMDA receptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southern Hemisphere mid-latitude westerlies contribute to the ventilation of the deep Southern Ocean (SO), and drive changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and the global climate. As the westerlies control directly oceanic fronts, the movement of the subtropical front (STF) reflects the westerlies migration. Thus it is important to understand the relationships between STF movement and the weaterlies, ventilation of the deep SO, ice volume and atmospheric CO2. To this end, we use two new high-resolution records from early Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 20 (~800 ka) of sea surface temperature (SST) based on Due to image rights restrictions, multiple line equation(s) cannot be graphically displayed paleo-thermometer and benthic oxygen isotope (δ18OB) at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1170B in the southern Tasman Sea (STS), to construct linkages between the marine records and atmospheric proxies from Antarctic ice-cores. During the last 800 ka, the average SST (10.2°C) at Site 1170B is 1.8°C lower than today (annual average 12°C). The highest average SST of 11.6°C occurred during MIS 1, and the lowest average SST of 7.8°C occurred during MIS 2. The warmest and coldest records of 14.7°C and 6.2°C occurred in the MIS 5 and MIS 2, respectively. In the glacial-interglacial cycles of the last 800 ka, variability of reconstructed SST shows that the STF moved northward or southward more than 3° of latitude compared with its present location. In the warmest stage MIS 5, the STF shifted to its southernmost location of ~49°S. In contrast, in the coldest stage MIS 2, the STF moved to its northernmost location of ~43°S. In response to orbital cycles, the westerlies movement led ice volume and atmospheric CO2 changes, but it was in phase with change in Antarctic atmospheric temperature. Ice volume only preceded atmospheric CO2 only a little at the 23-ka precession band, lagged the atmospheric CO2 at the 100-ka eccentricity band, and was in phase with atmospheric CO2 at the 40-ka obliquity band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To summarize the pathological features of nonalcoholic liver disease (NAFLD) in China based on a histological scoring system for NAFLD designed by the Pathology Committee of NASH Clinical Research Network (NASH-CRN), the specimens of liver needle biopsies from 130 patients with NAFLD were histopathologically analyzed by haematoxylin eosin, reticular fiber and Masson trichrome stain. Immunohistochemistry staining was used to exclude non-NAFLD cases combined with clinical data. Hepatic steatosis, lobular inflammation, hepatocytic ballooning and fibrosis were presented widespread in NAFLD liver tissues. Furthermore, macrovesicular steatosis predominantly located in acinar zone 3 was the main histologic feature of NAFLD and lobular inflammation was usually presented mildly. Hepatocyte ballooning was observed in 94.6% of all 130 cases. Mild perisinusoidal fibrosis and periportal fibrosis were often observed in stage 1 cases. According to the statistic analysis, hepatic steatosis was positively correlated with lobular inflammation, hepatocytic ballooning and fibrosis ( r = 0.587, 0.488, 0.374, respectively, all P value < 0.01). The number of microgranulomas, lipogranulomas and apoptotic bodies increased following severity of steatosis, lobular inflammation and fibrosis. Meanwhile, the number of megamitochondria and glycogen nuclei was paralleveled to the degree of hepatocytic ballooning ( P value all < 0.01). We suggest that the role of portal inflammation should be emphasized besides hepatic steatosis, lobular inflammation, hepatocyte ballooning and fibrosis in diagnosis and evaluation of NAFLD. It needs to be further verified whether microgranulomas, lipogranulomas and apoptosis bodies could be used as histopathological markers of development of NAFLD. The number of megamitochondria is more frequently be found in NAFLD, while in alcoholic liver diseases was Mallory bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early detection and accurate histopathological diagnosis of gastric cancer increase the chances of successful treatment. The worldwide shortage of pathologists offers a unique opportunity for the use of artificial intelligence assistance systems to alleviate the workload and increase diagnostic accuracy. Here, we report a clinically applicable system developed at the Chinese PLA General Hospital, China, using a deep convolutional neural network trained with 2,123 pixel-level annotated H&E-stained whole slide images. The model achieves a sensitivity near 100% and an average specificity of 80.6% on a real-world test dataset with 3,212 whole slide images digitalized by three scanners. We show that the system could aid pathologists in improving diagnostic accuracy and preventing misdiagnoses. Moreover, we demonstrate that our system performs robustly with 1,582 whole slide images from two other medical centres. Our study suggests the feasibility and benefits of using histopathological artificial intelligence assistance systems in routine practice scenarios. The early detection and accurate histopathological diagnosis of gastric cancer are essential factors that can help increase the chances of successful treatment. Here, the authors report on a digital pathology tool achieving high performance on a real world test dataset and show that the system can aid pathologists in improving diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the utility of multiparametric MRI and clinical indicators in distinguishing nuclear grade and survival of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) complicated with venous tumor thrombus (VTT)., Materials and Methods: This study included 105 and 27 patients in the training and test sets, respectively. Preoperative MRI, including intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM-DWI), was performed. Renal lesions were evaluated for IVIM-DWI metrics and conventional MRI features. All the patients had postoperative histologically proven ccRCC and VTT. An expert uropathologist reviewed all specimens to confirm the nuclear grade of the World Health Organization/ International Society of Urological Pathology (WHO/ISUP) of the tumor. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to select the preoperative imaging features and clinical indicators. The predictive ability of the logistic regression model was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method., Results: High WHO/ISUP nuclear grade was confirmed in 69 of 105 patients (65.7%) in the training set and 19 of 27 patients (70.4%) in the test set, respectively (P = 0.647). D p&#95;ROI&#95;Low , tumor size, serum albumin, platelet count, and lymphocyte count were independently related to high WHO/ISUP nuclear grade in the training set. The model identified high WHO/ISUP nuclear grade well, with an AUC of 0.817 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.735-0.899), a sensitivity of 70.0%, and a specificity of 77.8% in the training set. In the independent test set, the model demonstrated an AUC of 0.766 (95% CI, 0.567-0.966), a sensitivity of 79.0%, and a specificity of 75.0%. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the predicted high WHO/ISUP nuclear grade group had poorer progression-free survival than the low WHO/ISUP nuclear grade group in both the training and test sets (P = 0.001 and P = 0.021)., Conclusions: IVIM-DWI-derived parameters and clinical indicators can be used to differentiate nuclear grades and predict progression-free survival of ccRCC and VTT., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: The institutional review board approved this study (internal registration number: S2021-070-01) and waived informed consent for the training set, and informed consent was obtained in the prospective test set. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)