Search

Abstract Saturation characteristics of water and capillary pressure are important for hydrofracturing or water flooding, which is widely adopted in dust suppression, methane displacement, and gas and coal outburst elimination. In this paper, we have studied the water saturation characteristics of coal samples with different coal ranks and their effect on capillary pressure. It was found that the isothermal adsorption of water vapor from coal samples can be divided into three processes: monolayer adsorption, multilayer adsorption, and capillary condensation. The dent isothermal adsorption model can well describe water vapor adsorption of coal samples, indicating water molecules were first adsorbed on the first‐order adsorption site of pore surfaces at low relative humidity and then on the second‐order adsorption site with increasing relative humidity. An obvious hysteresis occurred in the process of water imbibition and drainage. A capillary pressure of ~325 MPa or even larger was required to displace the water from the coal. Besides, micro‐ and mesopores play a more important role in capillary pressure. The capillary pressure of coal samples was positively correlated with wettability at lower water saturation, but it is not significant at higher capillary pressures. Therefore, the article's results provide a new direction for solving the water‐locking effect in coal seams.

Abstract Background Undetermined lung nodules are common in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) and lack precise risk stratification. This study aimed to develop a radiomic‐based score (Rad‐score) to distinguish metastasis and predict overall survival (OS) in patients with LARC and lung nodules. Methods Retrospective data from two institutions (July 10, 2006—September 24, 2015) was used to develop and validate the Rad‐score for distinguishing lung nodule malignancy. The prognostic value of the Rad‐score was investigated in LARC cohorts, leading to the construction and validation of a clinical and radiomic score (Cli‐Rad‐score) that incorporates both clinical and radiomic information for the purpose of improving personalized clinical prognosis prediction. Descriptive statistics, survival analysis, and model comparison were performed to assess the results. Results The Rad‐score demonstrated great performance in distinguishing malignancy, with C‐index values of 0.793 [95% CI: 0.729–0.856] in the training set and 0.730 [95% CI: 0.666–0.874] in the validation set. In independent LARC cohorts, Rad‐score validation achieved C‐index values of 0.794 [95% CI: 0.737–0.851] and 0.747 [95% CI: 0.615–0.879]. Regarding prognostic prediction, Rad‐score effectively stratified patients. Cli‐Rad‐score outperformed the clinicopathological information alone in risk stratification, as evidenced by significantly higher C‐index values (0.735 vs. 0.695 in the internal set and 0.618 vs. 0.595 in the external set). Conclusions CT‐based radiomics could serve as a reliable and powerful tool for lung nodule malignancy distinction and prognostic prediction in LARC patients. Rad‐score predicts prognosis independently. Incorporation of Cli‐Rad‐score significantly enhances the persionalized clinical prognostic capacity in LARC patients with lung nodules.

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is an economically important crop containing capsaicinoids in the seed and placenta, which has various culinary, medical, and industrial applications. Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are a large group of hydrophilic proteins participating in the plant stress response and seed development. However, to date there have been no genome‐wide analyses of the LEA gene family in pepper. In the present study, 82 LEA genes were identified in the C. annuum genome and classified into nine subfamilies. Most CaLEA genes contain few introns (≤ 2) and are unevenly distributed across 10 chromosomes. Eight pairs of tandem duplication genes and two pairs of segmental duplication genes were identified in the LEA gene family; these duplicated genes were highly conserved and may have performed similar functions during evolution. Expression profile analysis indicated that CaLEA genes exhibited different tissue expression patterns, especially during embryonic development and stress response, particularly in cold stress. Three out of five CaLEA genes showed induced expression upon cold treatment. In summary, we have comprehensively reviewed the LEA gene family in pepper, offering a new perspective on the evolution of this family.

Abstract With the development of distributed generation and power electronics technology, DC microgrids have made certain progress with their advantages of simple structure, economic efficiency, and easy control. Considering factors such as the geographical location of some residential areas, microgrids with fuel cells that can operate independently are also receiving increasing attention. In this paper, an online control method named virtual hydrogen consumption is proposed based on an independent DC microgrid which solves the problem of electro‐hydrogen conversion successfully. By solving the overall consumption function, the analytical solution is further obtained to realize the online control. Based on the results of RT‐LAB platform, the proposed method can maintain the output of fuel cell system in its high efficiency range with a lower volatility.

Abstract Sepsis poses a significant challenge in clinical management. Effective strategies targeting iron restriction, toxin neutralization, and inflammation regulation are crucial in combating sepsis. However, a comprehensive approach simultaneously targeting these multiple processes has not been established. Here, an engineered apoptotic extracellular vesicles (apoEVs) derived from macrophages is developed and their potential as multifunctional agents for sepsis treatment is investigated. The extensive macrophage apoptosis in a Staphylococcus aureus‐induced sepsis model is discovered, unexpectedly revealing a protective role for the host. Mechanistically, the protective effects are mediated by apoptotic macrophage‐released apoEVs, which bound iron‐containing proteins and neutralized α‐toxin through interaction with membrane receptors (transferrin receptor and A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10). To further enhance therapeutic efficiency, apoEVs are engineered by incorporating mesoporous silica nanoparticles preloaded with anti‐inflammatory agents (microRNA‐146a). These engineered apoEVs can capture iron and neutralize α‐toxin with their natural membrane while also regulating inflammation by releasing microRNA‐146a in phagocytes. Moreover, to exploit the microcosmic movement and rotation capabilities, erythrocytes are utilized to drive the engineered apoEVs. The erythrocytes‐driven engineered apoEVs demonstrate a high capacity for toxin and iron capture, ultimately providing protection against sepsis associated with high iron‐loaded conditions. The findings establish a multifunctional agent that combines natural and engineered antibacterial strategies.

Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) integration into the host genome is an important factor in HPV(+)OPSCC carcinogenesis, in conjunction with HPV oncoproteins E6/E7. However, a well‐studied investigation about virus–host interaction still needs to be completed. Our objective is to characterise HPV integration to investigate potential mechanisms of tumourigenesis independent of E6/E7 oncoproteins. Materials and methods High‐throughput viral integration detection was performed on 109 HPV(+)OPSCC tumours with relevant clinicopathological information. Of these tumours, 38 tumours underwent targeted gene sequencing, 29 underwent whole exome sequencing and 26 underwent RNA sequencing. Results HPV integration was detected in 94% of tumours (with a mean integration count of 337). Tumours occurring at the tonsil/oropharyngeal wall that exhibit higher PD‐L1 expression demonstrated increased integration sites (p = .024). HPV exhibited a propensity for integration at genomic sites located within specific fragile sites (FRA19A) or genes associated with functional roles such as cell proliferation and differentiation (PTEN, AR), immune evasion (CD274) and glycoprotein biosynthesis process (FUT8). The viral oncogenes E2, E4, E6 and E7 tended to remain intact. HPV fragments displayed enrichment within host copy number variation (CNV) regions. However, insertions into genes related to altered homologous recombination repair were infrequent. Genes with integration had distinct expression levels. Fifty‐nine genes whose expression level was affected by viral integration were identified, for example, EPHB1, which was reported to be involved in cellular protein metabolic process. Conclusions HPV can promote oncogenesis through recurrent integration into functional host genome regions, leading to subsequent genomic aberrations and gene expression disruption. This study characterises viral integrations and virus–host interactions, enhancing our understanding of HPV‐related carcinogenesis mechanisms.

Abstract Background There is considerable heterogeneity in clinical behavior and survival outcomes in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), and the prognosis of CCA patients is poor. We proposed lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) as a novel prognostic element for CCA patients with hepatic resection in present study. Methods By retrospectively analyzing the clinical data of 145 CCA patients with hepatic resection, we determined the optimal LMR cutoff value according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). We comparatively analyzed the clinical features of CAA patients between low LMR group and high LMR group, mainly including overall survival (OS) analysis by using the Kaplan‐Meier method, univariate and multivariate Cox regression. Results We found there was a longer OS in CCA patients of the high LMR group than the low LMR group. The total median OS of cholangiocarcinoma patients were 13.6 months, and the OS of low LMR group was markedly lower than the high LMR group. The 1‐year, 3‐year, and 5‐year OS of high LMR group were respectively 62.9%, 32.4%, and 16.4%, and were significantly higher the cholangiocarcinoma patients of low LMR group (40.2%, 16.4%, and 0%). Multivariate regression analyses showed that preoperative cholangitis, elevated CEA level and nerve invasion were risk factors for the OS of cholangiocarcinoma patients, while the high LMR level and postoperative treatment were protective factors for the OS of cholangiocarcinoma patients. Conclusions Preoperative LMR was a vital prognostic factor to predict the prognosis of CCA patients with hepatic resection and provided additional prognostic value beyond standard clinicopathological parameters.

Abstract Background Patients with small‐cell lung cancer (SCLC) have a high incidence of synchronous brain metastases (SBM) and a poor prognosis, which causes a heavy burden of morbidity and mortality. A better understanding of the demographic and tumor‐specific characteristics of these patients is critical to guiding clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive and prognostic value of the clinical characteristics of SCLC patients with SBM at initial diagnosis. Methods This is a retrospective study based on the data in the latest Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) version which was released in 2021 for patients diagnosed with SCLC in the presence or absence of SBM from 2010 to 2018. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of the presence of SBM at the initial diagnosis. Kaplan–Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression models were built to compare the prognosis of patients with different clinical characteristics and treatments. Results A total of 33,169 SCLC patients were enrolled in this study, including 5711 (17.2%) patients with SBM and 27,458 (82.8%) patients without SBM. Patients who are black(HR = 1.313, 95% CI = 1.167–1.478, p

Abstract Background Mucosal melanoma has characteristically distinct genetic features and typically poor prognosis. The lack of representative mucosal melanoma models, especially cell lines, has hindered translational research on this melanoma subtype. In this study, we aimed to establish and provide the biological properties, genomic features and the pharmacological profiles of a mucosal melanoma cell line that would contribute to the understanding and treatment optimization of molecularly‐defined mucosal melanoma subtype. Methods The sample was collected from a 67‐year‐old mucosal melanoma patient and processed into pieces for the establishment of cell line and patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) model. The proliferation and tumorigenic property of cancer cells from different passages were evaluated, and whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on the original tumor, PDX, established cell line, and the matched blood to confirm the establishment and define the genomic features of this cell line. AmpliconArchitect was conducted to depict the architecture of amplified regions detected by WGS. High‐throughput drug screening (HTDS) assay including a total of 103 therapeutic agents was implemented on the established cell line, and selected candidate agents were validated in the corresponding PDX model. Results A mucosal melanoma cell line, MM9H‐1, was established which exhibited robust proliferation and tumorigenicity after more than 100 serial passages. Genomic analysis of MM9H‐1, corresponding PDX, and the original tumor showed genetic fidelity across genomes, and MM9H‐1 was defined as a triple wild‐type (TWT) melanoma subtype lacking well‐characterized “driver mutations”. Instead, the amplification of several oncogenes, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), v‐Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF), melanocyte Inducing transcription factor (MITF) and INO80 complex ATPase subunit (INO80), via large‐scale genomic rearrangement potentially contributed to oncogenesis of MM9H‐1. Moreover, HTDS identified proteasome inhibitors, especially bortezomib, as promising therapeutic candidates for MM9H‐1, which was verified in the corresponding PDX model in vivo. Conclusions We established and characterized a new mucosal melanoma cell line, MM9H‐1, and defined this cell line as a TWT melanoma subtype lacking well‐characterized “driver mutations”. The MM9H‐1 cell line could be adopted as a unique model for the preclinical investigation of mucosal melanoma.

Abstract Arterioportal fistulas (APFs) are defined as vascular communications between the systemic arteries and portal circulation. APFs are classified as congenital or acquired, large or small, intrahepatic or extrahepatic, and traumatic or spontaneous. The consistent abnormal connection may result in severe presinusoidal portal hypertension, leading to gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), ascites, elevated liver function enzymes, heart failure, diarrhea, and even pancreatitis or hematobilia in some unusual cases. Indeed, less than half reported cases have GIB, predominately caused by variceal rupture. Peptic ulcer bleeding has rarely been reported in the setting of APFs. Herein, we describe a case in which intrahepatic APF manifested as gastric ulcer bleeding, progressive portal thrombosis, and massive ascites, with these symptoms successfully relieved by endovascular treatment.

Abstract Driving behaviour of surrounding vehicles have impacts on the security of ego vehicle. However, many vehicles do not use the turn signal in advance as a warning when changing lanes, which often leads to traffic accidents. Therefore, in the case of Internet of Vehicles (IoV) technology has not been popularized, recognizing the driving intention of surrounding vehicles timely and accurately through effective method is of great significance to ego vehicle. In this paper, a dynamic driving intention recognition method for surrounding vehicles based on adaptive multi‐dimension continuous Gaussian mixture‐HMM (AMCGM‐HMM) is proposed. Considering that driving styles of surrounding vehicles are different, a feature‐based multi‐dimensional time series clustering algorithm is adopted to cluster the lane changing data samples and the results are used as the input of AMCGM‐HMM. Parameters that may affect the recognition accuracy are optimized by multi‐objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm to realize the adaptive of the method. The proposed method is verified on NGSIM dataset, and the application of this model is tested on the PreScan simulation platform combined with adaptive cruise control (ACC) system. Experimental results show that the proposed method can identify the driving intention of surrounding vehicles in advance and has high accuracy.

Abstract Purpose It is recommended for colorectal cancer to harvest at least 12 lymph nodes (LNs) during surgery to avoid understaging of the disease. However, it is still controversial whether it is necessary to harvest from locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neo‐CRT). The impact of lymph node yield (LNY) on prognosis in LARC patients was analyzed. Materials/Methods In total, 495 LARC patients who underwent neo‐CRT in 2006‐2015 were analyzed. After examining clinicopathological distribution differences between the LNY subgroups (with the threshold of 12), univariate and multivariate Cox survival analyses were performed. Survival plots were obtained from Kaplan‐Meier analyses. Similar subgroup analyses were performed according to the tumor regression grade (TRG) and metastatic status of post‐operational LNs. Results Of the 495 patients, 287 (57.98%) had an LNY of less than 12. Nearly no significant clinicopathological difference was found between the LNY subgroups, including the TRG scores. Multivariate survival analysis demonstrated that at least 12 LNs examined was an independent prognostic feature of good overall survival (OS), disease‐free survival (DFS), and distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), but not local recurrence free survival (LRFS). However, in the subgroup analyses, no association was found between LNY and prognosis in patients with good TRG scores (0‐1) or negative LNs. Conclusions For LARC patients treated with neo‐CRT, an LNY of at least 12 indicated an improved survival. Decreased LNY was not related to better tumor regression. It suggests that a sufficiently high LNY is still required, especially in those with a potentially poor tumor response.

Abstract Stimuli‐responsive nanomedicines have become a recent research focus as a candidate for cancer treatment because of their effectiveness, sensibility, and minimal invasiveness. In this work, a novel nanosystem is developed based on Cu2−xS@MnS core–shell nanoparticles (CSNPs) in which the Cu2−xS core serves as a photosensitizer to generate hyperthermia and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the MnS shell is used in H2O2‐responsive O2 production. Cu2−xS@MnS CSNPs with an independent core and shell ratio are synthesized by a controllable hot‐injection method, resulting in an optimal photothermal (PT) effect with a PT conversion efficiency of up to 47.9%. An enhanced photodynamic (PD) effect also occurs in an H2O2 environment. More significantly, in vivo experiments demonstrate that Cu2−xS@MnS CSNPs can mediate tumor shrinkage in both HeLa tumor cell line‐derived xenograft (CDX) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) models, with the capability of being used as a T1‐enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent. These results suggest the great potential of as‐prepared Cu2−xS@MnS CSNPs as photo/H2O2‐responsive therapeutic‐agents against tumors, even in a complicated and heterogeneous environment, thus promoting the clinical translation of nanomedicine.

Abstract The redevelopment/regeneration pattern of amputated limbs from a blastema in salamander suggests that enhanced regeneration might be achieved by mimicking the developmental microenvironment. Inspired by the discovery that the expression of magnesium transporter‐1 (MagT1), a selective magnesium (Mg) transporter, is significantly upregulated in the endochondral ossification region of mouse embryos, a Mg‐enriched 3D culture system is proposed to provide an embryonic‐like environment for stem cells. First, the optimum concentration of Mg ions (Mg2+) for creating the osteogenic microenvironment is screened by evaluating MagT1 expression levels, which correspond to the osteogenic differentiation capacity of stem cells. The results reveal that Mg2+ selectively activates the mitogen‐activated protein kinase/extracellular regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway to stimulate osteogenic differentiation, and Mg2+ influx via MagT1 is profoundly involved in this process. Then, Mg‐enriched microspheres are fabricated at the appropriate size to ensure the viability of the encapsulated cells. A series of experiments show that the Mg‐enriched microenvironment not only stimulates the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells but also promotes neovascularization. Obvious vascularized bone regeneration is achieved in vivo using these Mg‐enriched cell delivery vehicles. The findings suggest that biomaterials mimicking the developmental microenvironment might be promising tools to enhance tissue regeneration.