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The hot compression test of SP700 titanium alloy was performed using a Gleeble3800 thermal simulation test machine, and the thermal deformation behavior and microstructure evolution were examined in the temperature range of 800–880 °C, strain rate range of 1–10 s−1, and compression deformation of 30%–50%. The findings reveal that the peak flow stress of the SP700 titanium alloy decreases with increasing deformation temperature but increases with increasing strain rate. At a deformation temperature of 800 ℃, the flow stress curves demonstrate evident dynamic softening features with a rapid decrease in flow stress after the peak stress. By metallographic and scanning electron microstructure observations of the deformed microstructure, the α lamellar is gradually broken and spheroidized, and dynamic recrystallization occurs. With increasing deformation temperature, the induced phase transformation occurs, which leads to the dissolution of the α phase and an increase in the volume fraction of the β phase. The degree of recrystallization of the β phase increases with several β recrystallization grains at the grain boundaries, whereas the degree of globularization of the α lamellae decreases with increasing temperature. As the deformation temperature increases to 880 ℃, the flow stress curves exhibit steady flow. Recrystallization behavior preferentially occurs in the β grains, while the α lamellar remains flat without globularization behavior. That is, recrystallization of the β phase occurs under the test deformation conditions. For the α lamellae, when the deformation temperature is constant, the degree of spheroidization of the α lamellae increases with strain rate and compression deformation. During the hot deformation process, the α lamellae parallel to the compression axis kink, and the cumulative misorientation is discontinuous inside the α lamellae. At the discontinuous points, the new α/α interface boundary is produced, which causes the formation of unstable dihedral angles. To lower the surface tension energy, the β phase wedges into the α lamellae, which eventually results in the break of the α lamellae. For the α lamellae perpendicular to the compression axis, the interface fluctuates, resulting in continuous cumulative misorientation inside the α lamellae. When the rotation axis of the lamellae changes, a new α/α interface boundary is produced. At the interface fluctuation or the new α/α interface, the β phase easily wedges into the α lamellae by element diffusion, which finally causes fragmentation and spheroidization. Moreover, some of the α lamellae experience a shear deformation, leading to fragmentation under compression.

Abstract. Background. Bladder cancer is a common and highly heterogeneous malignant tumor with a relatively poor prognosis. Thus, personalized treatment strategies for bladder cancer are essential for improving patient outcomes. Materials and methods. We developed an efficient 3-dimensional in vitro organoid culture system for bladder cancer organoids (BCOs), which maintains the homology with the original patient tumors and the heterogeneity between different individuals. In addition, we constructed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells targeting B7H3 and evaluated the antitumor function of CAR-T cells by coculturing them with BCOs. Results. The BCOs closely resembled the characteristics of human tumors and were used to test individual sensitivity to platinum-based drugs and olaparib therapy. Coculture with CAR-T cells demonstrated specific antigen recognition and immune activation, indicating their potential in immunotherapy. Conclusions. Our study highlights the potential of BCOs to facilitate the development of personalized medicine for bladder cancer and improve the efficiency of drug discovery for bladder cancer therapy.

Human activities continuously alter the delivery of ecosystem services (ESs), which play a crucial role in human well-being. There is a pressing need for effective ecological management strategies that consider the spatial heterogeneity of ESs to support the transition from trade-offs to synergies. This study focuses on the Haba River Basin and examines characteristics of land-use change and the shift from trade-offs to synergies. The results indicate that from 1990 to 2000, the initial phase of land development, 10.65% of the land experienced change. Subsequently, during the intensive period of land development from 2000 to 2010, 30.29% of the land underwent significant transformation, with approximately 78% of grassland, sparse grassland, forested land, and desert converted into arable land. However, between 2010 and 2020, as the focus shifted towards the establishment of native vegetation. The intensity of land development decreased, and only a small percentage (3.65%) of the total area underwent changes. Based on an in-depth analysis of spatial heterogeneity from 1990 to 2020, it is believed there has been a shift from trade-offs to co-benefits between 2000–2010 and 2010–2020. The years 2010 and 2020 were pivotal time nodes for the transition from trade-offs to synergies and for reducing trade-offs, with NPP identified as a critical driving factor for comprehensive ES (CES) functions. By considering the trade-off–synergy relationship and hotspots of ecological service functions, combined with unified water resource management policies, comprehensive ecological management measures tailored to different regions are proposed. These measures have facilitated the implementation of robust ecological protection policies to shift ES development from trade-offs to synergies in arid areas, thereby enhancing overall ecosystem service functions in the Haba River Basin. The research findings offer crucial scientific support and guidance for ecosystem management in arid areas, particularly within Central Asia.

Currently, university students are facing high levels of stress and negativity. Creating a campus learning environment that promotes students’ physical and mental health and well-being has become a key focus of current research. There is now a wealth of research proving that the natural attributes of learning spaces are highly restorative for university students, both physically and mentally. In order to comprehensively clarify the characteristics of the library spatial environment that has a restorative effect on university students, this paper conducted semi-structured interviews with 50 university students and thematically analyzed the data obtained from these interviews. Ultimately, we identified five key themes: (1) Being away: students believe that studying alone is a way to escape social pressures, immersing themselves in their studies helps them forget everything around them, and the view from the window creates a sense of detachment; (2) Extent: students perceive the design of the library space as rich and orderly; (3) Fascination: many elements of the library spatial environment appeal to them and make them feel energized. The overall atmosphere motivates them to engage more actively in their learning; (4) Compatibility: the library spatial environment provides a variety of facilities that meet their learning needs, along with various types of spaces catering for different behaviors; and (5) Biophilia: Many interviewees mentioned the benefits of natural environments and timber, as well as their preference for spaces with a sufficient sense of enclosure and the ability to observe others. The first four themes were found to be closely related to the Attention Restorative Theory during the course of the study, while the last theme was mentioned by most of the students. The results of this study prove that library spaces can be described as restorative environments in the same way as natural environments, with both physical and mental restorative effects. Furthermore, the results of this study can also provide certain ideas for the design and renovation of the internal spatial environment of university libraries.

Superplastic tensile test was performed on a β-rich α+β titanium alloy (SP700 alloy) sheet in the temperature range of 740–800 °C and strain rate range of 1 × 10−4-1 × 10−2 s−1. The effects of the deformation parameters on the flow curves, strain rate sensitivity (m-value), thermal activation energy (Q-value) and microstructural characteristics were investigated to elucidate the deformation mechanism. The results showed that the examined SP700 alloy exhibited excellent superplasticity with fracture elongation up to approximately 1800% deformed at 760 °C and 1 × 10−3 s−1, with the maximum m-value of 0.55. The shapes of the flow curves were dependent on the strain rate and showed a type of curves without an obvious steady-state flow at relatively high strain rates. For this β-rich α+β titanium alloy, when deformed at 740–780 °C and medium strain rates (approximately 5 × 10−3-5 × 10−4 s−1), the controlling deformation mechanism was the grain boundary sliding accommodated by dislocation slip. When deformed at 800 °C and a strain rate of 1 × 10−4 s−1, m-value decreased to 0.1 and the main deformation mechanism was dislocation slip with a high β volume fraction over 50% and average grain size over 5 μm. Meanwhile, the dominant texture changed from to or because of the grain rotation caused by the grain boundary sliding.

A systematic study was conducted on the impact of annealing treatments on the microstructure and properties of cold-rolled Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloys using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, and an electronic universal testing machine. It was found that, during low-temperature annealing (400 °C and 500 °C), the annealing time had no significant effect on the microstructure or properties of the Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloy. Only elongation (δ) increased with the increase in the annealing time, and the grain orientation of the Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloy was //RD (rolling direction). When annealing at medium–high temperature (600 °C), as the annealing time increased, recrystallization and grain growth processes occurred, resulting in a continuous decrease in strength and an increase in δ. Meanwhile, it was found that the grain orientation of the cold-rolled Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloy changed from //RD during the recovery and recrystallization processes to //RD after the grain growth process. The orientation distribution function cross-section φ2 = 45° results indicate that the texture was mainly distributed along the γ orientation line (φ1 = 0~90°, Φ = 54.7°, φ2 = 45°). When annealed at 400 °C and 500 °C, the texture of the Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloys was (111)[uvw]. When the annealing treatment was 600 °C for 120 min, a (110)[uvw] texture occurred. Additionally, ductile fracture occurred in all specimens, and the crack origin was located on one side of the fracture surface, with obvious “Y”-shaped propagation. This article studied annealing treatments of cold-rolled Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloys, providing corresponding theoretical guidance for subsequent production applications.

Using the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar technique, strain-limited dynamic compressive loading experiments were performed on TA1/TA15 heterostructure (HS) materials. The plastic deformation mechanisms, fracture forms, and energy absorption properties of an HS material with a metallurgical bonding interface (MB) and an HS material without a metallurgical bonding interface (NMB) are compared and analyzed. The results show that there is no significant difference between the two deformation mechanisms. The fracture forms are all “V-shaped” fractures within the TA1 part. The NMB was carried for 57 μs before failure and absorbed 441 J/cm3 of energy. The MB was carried for 72 μs before failure and absorbed 495 J/cm3 of energy. Microstructure observations show that there is a coordinated deformation effect near the MB interface compared to the NMB, with both TA1 and TA15 near the interface carrying stresses. This causes an enhancement of the MB load-bearing time and a 12% increase in energy absorption.

Harbin, as a popular tourist city in China, and the host of the 2025 Asian Winter Games, boasts rich tourism resources and significant potential for further development. The structure of the urban road network is a crucial factor influencing the spatial distribution of tourism service facilities. However, the current research on the correlation between the two, analyzed at multiple scales based on tourists’ travel preferences, is not sufficient. First, utilizing the questionnaire survey method to analyze tourists’ travel preferences and combining it with the theory of 15-min life circle, we determine the study scales at 500 m, 1000 m, 3000 m, and 5000 m. Secondly, the integration value and choice value of roads in the main urban area of Harbin are analyzed based on the theory of spatial syntax. The spatial distribution characteristics of tourism service facilities are then revealed through kernel density analysis. Finally, the correlation between the road network structure and the distribution of various types of tourism service facilities in Harbin at different scales is determined through buffer analysis and Pearson bivariate correlation analysis. The results show that: (1) Integration value plays a significant positive role in promoting the clustering of tourism service facilities, especially tending to cluster in areas with high integration value formed at a scale of 500 m; (2) At the scale of 3000 m, the distribution of tourism service facilities exhibits a significant correlation with the choice value; (3) The correlation between dining, shopping, and entertainment facilities and the integration value decreases with the increase in scale, whereas the spatial distribution of accommodation and attraction facilities does not exhibit a regular pattern with changes in integration value. In addition, this paper also puts forward targeted suggestions for optimizing the urban road network structure, reasonably locating tourism service facilities, and implementing balanced regional development. The contribution of this study is that it will help improve tourists’ travel experience in the city and provide scientific support for promoting the overall sustainable development of tourism in Harbin.

An investigation was carried out to study the influence of two types of anti-washout admixtures (AWAs) on the performance of underwater concrete, specifically, workability and washout resistance. The tested AWAs were hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and polyacrylamide (PAM) as nonionic AWAs and carboxymethyl starch (CMS) and polyanionic cellulose (PAC) as anionic AWAs. Rheological properties (slump and slump flow), washout resistance, and compressive strength were measured to evaluate the properties of the fresh and hardened concrete. The results indicate that anionic AWAs are more effective at improving workability and strength than nonionic AWAs in anti-washout underwater concrete. When the nonionic AWA dosage exceeded 0.3% (W/C = 0.45), the fluidity and air content were negatively impacted. Additionally, nonionic AWAs more readily alter the morphological structure of cement paste, affecting cement particle hydration and underwater concrete properties. Regarding the mechanical properties, compared with those of concrete without AWAs and with nonionic AWAs, the 28-day compressive strength of concrete with anionic AWAs reached 37 MPa, an increase of 151% and 131%, respectively. Compared with nonionic AWAs, concrete with anionic AWAs is more stable.

The effect of annealing treatment on the microstructure and texture of a Ti50Ni47Fe3 shape memory alloy tube was studied. The results show that the recrystallization process of a cold-rolled Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloy tube occurs at 600 °C. The microstructure changes from long striped grains to equiaxed recrystallized grains. The main texture of the alloy tube is the fiber texture parallel to RD. With the increase in the annealing temperature, the crystal orientation of the alloy gradually turned to (111), and a series of secondary textures were distributed along the γ orientation line when the alloy was annealed at a lower temperature (450~600 °C). When the alloy was annealed at 650 °C, the growth of recrystallized grains made the grain orientation change, which led to the weakening of the γ-fiber texture and the formation of recrystallization textures.

BackgroundOlaparib has been proven for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This meta-analysis aims to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of olaparib and abiraterone in patients with mCRPC.MethodsThe literature in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library up until April 27, 2023, was systematically searched. In the studies included in this meta-analysis, olaparib combined with abiraterone was compared with abiraterone combined with placebo.ResultsTwo randomized controlled trials involving a total of 938 patients were included. Analysis indicated that olaparib combined with abiraterone significantly prolonged radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS: relative risk [RR] 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55–0.79), time to secondary progression or death (PFS2: hazard ratio [HR] 0.72, 95% CI 0.56–0.93), time to first subsequent therapy or death (TFST: HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.63–0.89), time to second subsequent therapy or death (TSST: HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.58–0.93), and confirmed prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response (RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.05–1.24). However, no statistically significant differences were found in the overall survival (OS: HR 0.87 95% CI 0.70–1.09), objective response rate (ORR: RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.70–1.33), and incidence of total adverse events (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.94–1.22). A notable detail that the combination of olaparib and abiraterone was associated with an increased incidence of high-grade anemia (RR 7.47, 95% CI 1.36–40.88).ConclusionOlaparib combined with abiraterone is effective for patients with mCRPC. However, combination therapy has treatment-related adverse events compared with monotherapy, and this could be improved in future treatment management.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023432287.

Emodin, a natural anthraquinone derivative, can inhibit lipid synthesis and breast cancer cell proliferation. We previously found that emodin decreased breast cancer liver metastasis via epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) inhibition. However, the mechanism through which emodin affects breast cancer liver metastasis in high-fat diet-induced obese and hyperlipidemic mice has not been elucidated. Bioinformatics analysis was used to reveal the potential targets and pathways of emodin. The mouse model of liver metastasis was established by injecting breast cancer cells into the left ventricle in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. The effect of emodin on inhibiting liver metastasis of breast cancer was evaluated by animal experiments. The mechanisms through which emodin inhibits liver metastasis of breast cancer were studied by cell and molecular biological methods. Emodin reduced lipid synthesis by inhibiting the expression of triglyceride (TG) synthesis-related genes, such as fatty acid synthase (Fasn), glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1 (Gpat1), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (Scd1), and ultimately reduced liver metastasis in breast cancer. In addition, emodin inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion through the serine/threonine kinase (AKT) signaling and extracellular-regulated protein kinase (ERK) pathways by interacting with CSNK2A1, ESR1, ESR2, PIM1 and PTP4A3. Our results indicate that emodin may have therapeutic potential in the prevention or treatment of breast cancer liver metastasis.

Soft pneumatic grippers can grasp soft or irregularly shaped objects, indicating potential applications in industry, agriculture, and healthcare. However, soft grippers rarely carry heavy and dense objects due to the intrinsic low modulus of soft materials in nature. This paper designed a soft robotic gripper with rigid supports to enhance lifting force by 150 ± 20% in comparison with that of the same gripper without supports, which successfully lifted a metallic wrench (672 g). The soft gripper also achieves excellent adaptivity for irregularly shaped objects. The design, fabrication, and performance of soft grippers with rigid supports are discussed in this paper.

The superelasticity behaviors of Ti–19Zr–11Nb–4Ta shape memory alloy subjected to aging treatments were investigated in this study. As the aging temperature increased, the precipitation of isothermal ω phase was found to suppress the formations of stress-induced αʺ-martensite. The superelastic recovery of the sample first increased and then deteriorated with the increasing of aging temperature from 423 K to 523 K. A maximum superelastic recovery strain of 3.9% was obtained for Ti–19Zr–11Nb–4Ta alloy aged at 473 K.

A scheme for optical nonreciprocity is proposed via dual-mode Raman process in thermal atoms. We investigate a far-detuned nonlinear Raman process, with the assistance of the Doppler effect to achieve chiral optical nonlinearity. The resulting Kerr nonlinear absorption is subject to a direction-dependent Doppler shifts seen by the thermal atoms. Moreover, the inter-channel Raman interference could significantly enhance Kerr nonlinear absorption for probe field, leading to the enhancement of the optical nonreciprocity. Simulation results show that the isolation ratio could reach 41 dB and the insertion loss is about 0.16 dB, with bandwidth up to 2π ×48 MHz. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the system is investigated under different strengths of the control and Raman fields.

Heat treatments after cold rolling for TiNiFe shape-memory alloys have been compared. After EBSD analysis and as calculated by the Avrami model and Arrhenius equation, the relationship between the heat-treatment temperature and manufacturing time of TiNiFe alloys is established. Through calculation, it can be found that TiNiFe alloys can obtain similar microstructures under the annealing processes of 823 K for 776 min, 827 K for 37 min, and 923 K for 12.5 min. And the recrystallization fractions are all around 50%. Nevertheless, the tensile properties and recovery stress of the alloys show almost similar values. And based on the feasibility of the annealing process, it is believed that annealing at 873 K for 37 min is the optimal choice to obtain a recrystallization fraction φR = 50%.

The high accumulation and poor penetration of nanocarriers in tumor is a contradiction of nanomedicine, which reduces the efficacy of chemotherapy. Due to the positive effect of hyperthermia on in vivo drug diffusion, we designed a magnetothermally sensitive micelle (MTM) by integrating magnetic targeting (MT), magnetic hyperthermia (MH), and magnetothermally responsive drug release to facilitate simultaneous drug accumulation and penetration in tumor. Accordingly, we synthesized a cyanine7-modified thermosensitive polymer with phase transition at 42.3°C, and utilized it to prepare drug-loaded MTMs by encapsulating superparamagnetic MnFe2O4 nanoparticles and doxorubicin (DOX). The obtained DOX–MTM had not only high contents of DOX (9.1%) and MnFe2O4 (38.7%), but also some advantages such as superparamagnetism, high saturation magnetization, excellent magnetocaloric effect, and magnetothermal-dependent drug release. Therefore, DOX–MTM improved in vitro DOX cytotoxicity by enhancing DOX endocytosis under the assistance of MH. Furthermore, MT and MH enhanced in vivo DOX–MTM accumulation and DOX penetration in tumor, respectively, substantially inhibiting tumor growth (84%) with excellent biosafety. These results indicate the development of an optimized drug delivery system with MH and MH-dependent drug release, introducing a feasible strategy to enhance the application of nanomedicines in tumor chemotherapy.

A scheme for the measurement of a microwave (MW) electric field is proposed via multi-photon coherence in Rydberg atoms. It is based on the three-photon electromagnetically induced absorption (TPEIA) spectrum. In this process, the multi-photon produces a narrow absorption peak, which has a larger magnitude than the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) peak under the same conditions. The TPEIA peak is sensitive to MW fields, and can be used to measure MW electric field strength. We found that the magnitude of TPEIA peaks shows a linear relationship with the MW field strength. The simulation results show that the minimum detectable strength of the MW fields is about 1/10 of that based on an common EIT effect, and the probe sensitivity could be improved by about four times. Furthermore, the MW sensing based on three-photon coherence seems to be robust against the changes in the control field and shows a broad tunability, and the scheme may be useful for designing novel MW sensing devices.

Background and objective Preliminary researches conformed that neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy had a significant short-term effect in resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but there were few clinical trials about neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in China. We aimed to assess retrospectively the antitumour activity and safety of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy for resectable stage Ib-IIIb NSCLC. Methods Twenty patients who had been diagnosed as stage Ib-IIIb NSCLC and received chemoimmunotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment between November 2019 and December 2020, in Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University were recruited. These patients received neoadjuvant treatment for 21 days as a cycle and antitumour activity and safety were evaluated every two cycles. Results Of 20 patients received neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy, 17 patients underwent surgical resection. 16 patients had R0 resection (no residual tumor resection) and 1 patient had R1 resection (microscopic residual tumor resection). Radiographic objective response rate (ORR) was 85.0% (4 complete response, 13 partial response). 5.0% (1/20) of patients had stable disease, and 10.0% (2/20) of patients had progression disease. The major pathologic response (MPR) was 47.1% (8/17), and complete pathologic response (CPR) was 29.4% (5/17). 1 case developed grade IV immune-related pneumonia (IRP) and 9 (45.0%) cases had grade III hematologic toxicity. Conclusion Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy as neoadjuvant therapy has a better efficiency and tolerable adverse effects for patients with resectable NSCLC in stage Ib-IIIb.

The effect of annealing temperature on the microstructures and mechanical properties of Ti50Ni47Fe3 (at. %) shape memory alloy was investigated by using a cold-rolled alloy sheet. For this purpose, a scanning electron microscope, electron backscatter diffraction, a transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, tensile tests and Vickers hardness tests were used. The evolution of the microstructures, mechanical properties and fracture morphology of Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloy was studied. The results show that the recovery occurs at an annealing temperature of 500 °C, and the recrystallization occurs at 600 °C. Because of the recrystallization at 600 °C, the //RD texture disappears, and the intensity of the //RD texture decreases; the alloy reaches its maximum elongation while maintaining a high strength, and at this annealing temperature, the alloy has excellent comprehensive mechanical properties. After the temperature exceeds 600 °C, the mechanical properties of the alloy decrease sharply. With the increase of the annealing temperature, the quantity and distribution of elliptical Ti2Ni-phase particles show almost no specific changes. Additionally, with the increase of annealing temperatures to 600 °C, the fracture surface of Ti50Ni47Fe3 alloys becomes flatter.

Objective This research was to conduct quantitative microbial risk ranking of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) in different categories of seafood using swift quantitative microbiological risk assessment 2 (sQMRA2) and to evaluate the impact of predictive model on the risk ranking result. Methods Based on the monitoring data of pathogenic microorganisms in seafood, the dietary consumption data, and parameters for storage, cross-contamination and cooking habits obtained from expert consultation in Dalian City in 2017, a deterministic quantitative risk ranking was conducted for different seafood-pathogenic VP combinations using sQMRA2 tool. Besides, the tool was improved by applying specific predictive models for different combinations to evaluate its influence on the final result. Results Shrimp-pathogenic VP combination had the highest per serving risk (1.2×10-5) and lead to the highest number of cases (5 000) among all the combinations. Predictive model had influence on the risk ranking result of the sQMRA2 tool. Conclusion Shrimp was the high-risk seafood leading to the incidence of VP in Dalian City from June to September in 2017. Avoiding cross contamination was the key to reduce the risk of VP in seafood. It was necessary to pay attention to the impact of predictive model on the result of risk ranking tool.

Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) have been suggested to be involved in the etiology of hypertension. The present study aimed to determine multiple trajectories of BMI and WC, then examined their associations with the risks of hypertension and high blood pressure in Chinese adults. The study used China Health and Nutrition Survey data from 1991 to 2018. The sample included 9651 adults aged 18 years or older. We used group-based multi-trajectory modeling to identify trajectories. We estimated the relationships between the trajectories and the risks of hypertension with a Cox proportional hazards regression model and the trajectories’ relationships with blood pressure levels with a generalized linear model. We identified four trajectories for each gender: low stable BMI, low increasing WC (group 1); medium increasing BMI, medium increasing WC (group 2); increasing BMI to overweight, increasing WC to central obesity (group 3), increasing BMI to obesity, increasing central obesity WC (group 4). Group 1 was the reference group. Among males in groups 2, 3, and 4, the adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of hypertension were 1.30 (1.15–1.48), 1.86 (1.58–2.18), and 2.60 (2.02–3.34), respectively. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of males in group 4 increased by 11.90 mm of mercury (mmHg) and 7.75 mmHg, respectively. Among females in groups 2, 3, and 4, the HR and 95% CI of hypertension were 1.35 (1.18–1.54), 1.92 (1.62–2.26), and 2.37 (1.85–3.03), respectively. The SBP and DBP of females in group 4 increased by 8.84 mmHg and 5.79 mmHg, respectively. These data indicated that increases in BMI and WC were associated with unfavorable hypertension risks. Attention to both BMI and WC trajectories has the potential to prevent hypertension.

Physical activity is needed in today’s highly sedentary society. Research into Chinese trends with respect to the longitudinal association between changes in physical activity (PA) and dyslipidemia (DL) is limited. The present study assessed PA and PA-related changes associated with the level of serum lipids, and the risk of dyslipidemia stratified by gender, via a population-based longitudinal observational study among adults (>18 years old) residing in nine provinces in China. Data of 3380 adult participants, gleaned from two surveys in 2009 and 2015 used by the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), were analyzed. Three-level random intercept growth models were used to calculate the associations between total physical activity (TPA), the four activity subtypes, and changes in the level of blood lipids. Three-level logistic regression models were utilized to assess the association between TPA and the risk of DL. The highest level of TPA was observed to correlate with the lowest prevalence of DL. Compared with the lowest level of TPA, the highest level of TPA increases the concentration of HDL-C (β = 0.050, 95% CI = 0.005, 0.096) in males, and also reduces the risk in males of having low HDL-C by 31% (OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.52, 0.91). Occupational PA was positively associated with higher HDL-C levels in both genders (males: β = 0.004, 95% CI = 0.002, 0.007; females: β = 0.002, 95% CI = 0.000, 0.004), and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) was negatively associated with TG levels in males. Increasing TPA benefited HDL-C levels in males, irrespective of the level of basic TPA of individuals. Physical activity (especially occupational PA) was superior in positively influencing HDL-C in males, but not in females. Leisure-time physical activity needs to be increased substantially in order to increase TPA to levels that would be beneficial to blood lipid levels and DL, irrespective of baseline TPA levels.

Central obesity is associated with a higher risk of hypertension. This study aimed to analyze waist circumference (WC) trajectories and discover their association with blood pressure and the risk of hypertension. The data were obtained from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), with a sample of 11,885 adults aged 18 or older. Trajectory groups of WC were identified by group-based trajectory modeling. Three trajectory groups were identified in males: “normal-stable group” (group 1), “normal-increase to central obesity group” (group 2), and “central obesity-slight decrease group” (group 3). There were also three identified in females: “normal-increase to central obesity group” (group 1), “normal-stable group” (group 2), and “central obesity-increase group” (group 3). For males, compared with group 1, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) increased by 2.47 mmHg and 2.13 mmHg, respectively, in group 2, and by 3.07 mmHg and 2.54 mmHg, respectively, in group 3. The adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of hypertension in groups 2 and 3 were 1.16 (1.06–1.28) and 1.29 (1.10–1.50), respectively. For females, compared with group 2, SBP and DBP increased by 1.69 mmHg and 1.68 mmHg, respectively, in group 1, and by 4.96 mmHg and 2.77 mmHg, respectively, in group 3. The HR and 95% CI of hypertension in groups 2 and 3 were 1.21 (1.07–1.36) and 1.52(1.17–1.99), respectively. We found that the WC trajectory was a risk factor for hypertension and elevated blood pressure independent of basal WC. Increased risk of hypertension was nonlinearly associated with annual WC increase.

Few studies have described the status and change of time-of-day of energy intake on a population level. This study aims to investigate the secular trend in time-of-day of energy intake using a Chinese cohort, and to examine demographic disparities in trends. A total of 20,976 adults with at least two waves of dietary data in the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS 1991–2018) were included. A multilevel linear mixed model was applied to the energy proportions of breakfast, lunch and dinner. A multilevel Tobit regression model was applied to the energy proportion of morning snack, afternoon snack and evening snack. Time-demographic interaction terms were tested to examine demographic disparities in the trends. From 1991 to 2018, the marginal mean of the energy proportion of breakfast experienced first a falling and then a rising trend, and the marginal mean of energy proportions of lunch and dinner both presented first a rising and then a falling trend. The marginal means of all snacks took on a rising trend. Significant time-demographic interactions were observed for energy proportion of each eating occasion. On average, female, older and rural people tended to have a higher energy proportion at breakfast and lower energy proportion at lunch and dinner. Female, younger and urban people tended to have higher snack energy proportions. The time-of-day of energy intake has first shifted towards later in the day and then towards a balanced meal pattern in this Chinese cohort. Demographic disparities were observed in both the secular trend and the mean level of energy proportions of eating occasions. The health implications of such meal patterns warrant further investigation.

Few studies have explored the longitudinal association between dietary energy density and waist circumference and abdominal obesity in adults in China. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between dietary energy density and waist circumference and abdominal obesity in Chinese residents aged 18–64. Using data from the CHNS from 1993 to 2018, 25,817 adult residents aged 18 to 64 were selected for the study. Three consecutive 24-h dietary recalls and home-weighed seasonings were used to assess food intake. A multilevel model was used to analyze the relationship between dietary energy density and waist circumference and abdominal obesity. The results showed that compared with the lowest dietary energy density group, females had an increased risk of abdominal obesity (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.29), and females’ waist circumference increased significantly by 0.24 cm (95% CI: 0.39–1.09) in the highest dietary energy density group. No association between dietary energy density and waist circumference and abdominal obesity was observed in males. This study shows that higher dietary energy density is significantly associated with females’ waist circumference and abdominal obesity. Further research on high dietary energy density and abdominal obesity will provide scientific basis for the effective control of abdominal obesity.

Unsteady state startup of chemical processes has such characters as nonlinearity, large variation of parameters, multiple abnormal states, etc., which failures may cause serious damage to the atmospheric environment due to uncontrolled pollutant emissions. Fault diagnosis facilitates early detection of abnormal symptoms and timely determination of abnormal reasons during startup procedure. This paper proposed a hybrid fault diagnosis strategy based on dynamic simulation and dynamic time warping (DTW) to probe transient degradation of startup performance. It calculates serial residuals between dynamic simulation values and online measured ones using DTW method to represent process development trend. The residual vector under normal conditions is used to develop principal component analysis (PCA) model. Measurements in startup process pretreated by DTW are input into the PCA model to perform fault detection and isolation work at last. The proposed method was applied to a penicillin fermentation simulator to verify its feasibility in unit operations. Case studies demonstrate that the fault diagnosis strategy allows a fast and effective supervision of abnormal state during chemical process startups.

The superplastic tensile test was carried out on SP700 (Ti-4.5Al-3V-2Mo-2Fe) titanium alloy sheet at 760 °C by the method of maximum m value, and the microstructure characteristics were investigated to understand the deformation mechanism. The results indicated that the examined alloy showed an extremely fine grain size of ~1.3 μm and an excellent superplasticity with fracture elongation of up to 3000%. The grain size and the volume fraction of the β phase increased as the strain increased, accompanied by the elements’ diffusion. The β-stabilizing elements (Mo, Fe, and V) were mainly dissolved within the β phase and diffused from α to β phase furthermore during deformation. The increase in strain leads to the accumulation of dislocations, which results in the increase in the proportion of low angle grain boundaries by 15%. As the deformation process, the crystal of α grains rotated, and the texture changed, accompanied by the accumulation of dislocations. The phase boundary (α/β) sliding accommodated by dislocation slip was the predominant mechanism for SP700 alloy during superplastic deformation.

Few studies have examined the secular trend of energy intake distribution. This study aims to describe trajectories of energy intake distribution and determine their association with dyslipidemia risk. Data of 2843 adult participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) were analyzed. Trajectory groups of energy intake distribution were identified by multi-trajectory model over 27 years. Multilevel mixed-effects modified Poisson regression with robust estimation of variance was used to calculate risk ratio for incident dyslipidemia in a 9-year follow-up. Four trajectory groups were identified: “Energy evenly distributed group” (Group 1), “Lunch and dinner energy dominant group” (Group 2), “Dinner energy dominant group” (Group 3), “breakfast and dinner energy dominant group” (Group 4). Compared with Group 1, Group 3 was associated with higher risk of dyslipidemia (RR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.26, 1.75), hypercholesterolemia (RR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.37, 2.81) and high low-density lipoproteins cholesterols (LDL-C) (RR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.82, 3.20). A U-shape was observed between cumulative average proportion of dinner energy and dyslipidemia risk (p for non-linear = 0.01), with stronger relationship at 40% and above. Energy intake distribution characterized by higher proportion of dinner energy, especially over 40% was associated with higher dyslipidemia risk in Chinese adults.

Unique rapid urbanization-related changes in China may affect the dietary protein intake of the aging population. We aimed to evaluate trends in dietary protein intake and major food sources of protein and estimate conformity to the dietary reference intakes (DRIs) in the elderly Chinese population. A sample of 10,854 elderly adults aged 60 years or older, drawn from 10 waves of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) between 1991 and 2018, was included. Protein intake data were obtained on the basis of 3-day, 24 h dietary recalls. The dietary protein intake among elderly Chinese individuals declined from 63.3 g/day to 57.8 g/day over the 28-year period, with a −0.032 ± 0.0001 g/day change per year (p < 0.05). There was a significant increase in the proportion of subjects with a protein intake level below the estimated averaged requirement (EAR) and a reduction in the proportion of subjects consuming protein above the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) across all population subgroups. Cereals ranked as the major sources of dietary protein, although their contribution to dietary protein gradually decreased as time went on. The contribution from meat steadily rose from 18.2% in 1991 to 28.7% in 2018. The proportion of energy gained from fat increased notably, reaching 34.2% in 2018. The elderly Chinese population experienced a significant reduction in dietary protein intake. Although the transformation of dietary patterns had positive effects on improving protein quality due to increases in animal source food, some elderly Chinese individuals currently face the risk of inadequate dietary protein intake.

Evidence shows time-of-day of energy intake are associated with health outcomes; however, studies of time-of-day energy patterns and their health implication are still lacking in the Asian population. This study aims to examine the time-of-day energy intake pattern of Chinese adults and to examine its associations with nutrient intakes, diet quality, and insulin resistance. Dietary data from three 24-h recalls collected during the 2015 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) were analyzed (n = 8726, aged ≥ 18 years). Time-of-day energy intake patterns were determined by latent class analysis (LCA). General Linear Models and Multilevel Mixed-effects Logistic Regression Models were applied to investigate the associations between latent time-of-day energy intake patterns, energy-adjusted nutrient intakes, diet quality score, and insulin resistance. Three time-of-day energy intake patterns were identified. Participants in the “Evening dominant pattern” were younger, had higher proportions of alcohol drinkers and current smokers. The “Evening dominant pattern” was associated with higher daily energy intake and a higher percentage of energy from fat (%) (p < 0.001), as well as higher insulin resistance risk (OR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.40), after adjusting for multivariate covariates. The highest diet quality score was observed in participants with “Noon dominant pattern” (p < 0.001). A higher proportion of energy in the later of the day was associated with insulin resistance in free-living individuals.

Few studies have examined the longitudinal association between urbanicity and dietary fat intake in Chinese adults. A population-based longitudinal observational study was carried out in Chinese adults aged 18–65 from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Three consecutive 24 h dietary recalls were used to assess dietary fat intake. Multilevel models were used to explore the relationship between urbanicity and dietary fat intake. People in the highest urbanicity quartile had the increments of 7.48 g/d (95% CI:5.42–9.58) and 8.92 g/d (95% CI: 7.03–10.80) in dietary fat intake, 2.86 (95% CI: 2.29–3.44) and 2.69 (95% CI: 2.13–3.25) in proportion of energy from total fat, and odds ratios (ORs) for the risk of excess dietary fat intake of 1.84 (95% CI: 1.65–2.05) and 2.01 (95% CI: 1.78–2.26) for men and women, respectively, compared to the lowest quartile after controlling for potential confounders. These results indicate that urbanicity was an important factor influencing dietary fat intake among Chinese adults. Aggressive nutritional education action coupled with governmental guidelines and programs tailored for the Chinese population are required to promote less dietary fat intake, especially in those adults living in less urbanized areas and whose dietary fat intake is ≥ 30% of their total energy intake per day.

The fracture-behaviors of two Ti-Al-Sn-Zr-Mo-Nb-W-Si alloys with different slow-diffusing β stabilizing elements (Mo, W) were investigated through in-situ tensile testing at 650 °C via scanning electron microscopy. These alloys have two phases: the α phase with hcp-structure (a = 0.295 nm, c = 0.468 nm) and the β phase with bcc-structure (a = 0.332 nm). Three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) results show that Mo and W mainly dissolve in the β phase, and they tend to cluster near the α/β phase boundary. Adding more slow-diffusing β stabilizing elements can improve the ultimate tensile strength and elongation of the alloy at 650 °C. During tensile deformation at 650 °C, microvoids mainly initiate at α/β interfaces. With increases in the contents of Mo and W, the β phase content increases and the average phase size decreases, which together have excellent accommodative deformation capability and will inhibit the microvoids’ nucleation along the interface. In addition, the segregation of Mo and W near the α/β interface can reduce the diffusion coefficient of the interface and inhibit the growth of microvoids along the interface, which are both helpful to improve the ultimate tensile strength and plasticity.

Biodiversity in plant shape is mainly attributable to the diversity of leaf shape, which is largely determined by the transient morphogenetic activity of the leaf margin that creates leaf serrations. However, the precise mechanism underlying the establishment of this morphogenetic capacity remains poorly understood. We report here that INDOLE-3-BUTYRIC ACID RESPONSE 5 (IBR5), a dual-specificity phosphatase, is a key component of leaf-serration regulatory machinery. Loss-of-function mutants of IBR5 exhibited pronounced serrations due to increased cell area. IBR5 was localized in the nucleus of leaf epidermis and petiole cells. Introducing a C129S mutation within the highly conserved VxVHCx2GxSRSx5AYLM motif of IBR5 rendered it unable to rescue the leaf-serration defects of the ibr5-3 mutant. In addition, auxin reporters revealed that the distribution of auxin maxima was expanded ectopically in ibr5-3. Furthermore, we found that the distribution of PIN1 on the plasma membrane of the epidermal and cells around the leaf vein was compromised in ibr5-3. We concluded that IBR5 is essential for the establishment of PIN-FORMED 1 (PIN1)-directed auxin maxima at the tips of leaf serration, which is vital for the elaborated regulation during its formation.

Background and objective Progress has been made in research of lung cancer tumor markers in recent years, and these tumor markers have been used in clinical application. This study is to evaluate the regimens of six serum tumor markers in lung cancer diagnosis. Methods The serum levels of the six tumor markers (NSE、pro-GRP、CYFRA21-1、SCC、p53 antibody and CA199) were detected in 80 healthy adults, 170 patients with lung cancer and 80 patients with respiratory infection by ELISA. Results The levels of the six tumor markers in patients with lung cancer were remarkably higher than those in healthy adults and patients with respiratory infection (P

Soil compaction represents a major agronomic challenge, inhibiting root elongation and impacting crop yields. Roots use ethylene to sense soil compaction as the restricted air space causes this gaseous signal to accumulate around root tips. Ethylene inhibits root elongation and promotes radial expansion in compacted soil, but its mechanistic basis remains unclear. Here, we report that ethylene promotes abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and cortical cell radial expansion. Rice mutants of ABA biosynthetic genes had attenuated cortical cell radial expansion in compacted soil, leading to better penetration. Soil compaction-induced ethylene also up-regulates the auxin biosynthesis gene OsYUC8. Mutants lacking OsYUC8 are better able to penetrate compacted soil. The auxin influx transporter OsAUX1 is also required to mobilize auxin from the root tip to the elongation zone during a root compaction response. Moreover, osaux1 mutants penetrate compacted soil better than the wild-type roots and do not exhibit cortical cell radial expansion. We conclude that ethylene uses auxin and ABA as downstream signals to modify rice root cell elongation and radial expansion, causing root tips to swell and reducing their ability to penetrate compacted soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants exhibit remarkable developmental plasticity, enabling them to adapt to adverse environmental conditions such as low nitrogen (N) in the soil. Brassinosteroids (BRs) promote root foraging for nutrients under mild N deficiency, but the crosstalk between the BR- and N-signaling pathways in the regulation of root growth remains largely unknown. Here, we show that CALMODULIN-LIKE-38 (CML38), a calmodulin-like protein, specifically interacts with the PEP1 RECEPTOR 2 (PEPR2), and negatively regulates root elongation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) in response to low nitrate (LN). CML38 and PEPR2 are transcriptionally induced by treatments of exogenous nitrate and BR. Compared with Col-0, the single mutants cml38 and pepr2 and the double mutant cml38 pepr2 displayed enhanced primary root growth and produced more lateral roots under LN. This is consistent with their higher nitrate absorption abilities, and their stronger expression of nitrate assimilation genes. Furthermore, CML38 and PEPR2 regulate common downstream genes related to BR signaling, and they have positive roles in BR signaling. Low N facilitated BR signal transmission in Col-0 and CML38- or PEPR2-overexpressing plants, but not in the cml38 and pepr2 mutants. Taken together, our results illustrate a mechanism by which CML38 interacts with PEPR2 to integrate LN and BR signals for coordinating root development to prevent quick depletion of N resources in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common malignant type of kidney cancer. The present study aims to explore the underlying mechanism and potential targets of the traditional Chinese medicine Bu-Shen-Jian-Pi-Fang (BSJPF) in the treatment of ccRCC based on network pharmacology. After obtaining the complete composition information for BSJPF from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform, we analyzed its chemical composition and molecular targets and then established a pharmacological interaction network. Twenty-four significantly differentially expressed genes and nine pathways mainly related to tumor proliferation were identified and screened. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the potential targets might be significantly involved in glycolysis and the HIF-1 signaling pathway. To further confirm the effect of BSJPF on ccRCC cell proliferation, a BALB/c xenograft mouse model was constructed. Potential targets involved in regulating glycolysis and the tumor immune microenvironment were evaluated using RT-qPCR. VEGF-A expression levels were markedly decreased, and heparin binding-EGF expression was increased in the BSJPF group. BSJPF also inhibited tumor proliferation by enhancing GLUT1- and LDHA-related glycolysis and the expression of the immune checkpoint molecules PD-L1 and CTLA-4, thereby altering the immune-rejection status of the tumor microenvironment. In summary, the present study demonstrated that the mechanism of BSJPF involves multiple targets and signaling pathways related to tumorigenesis and glycolysis metabolism in ccRCC. Our research provides a novel theoretical basis for the treatment of tumors with traditional Chinese medicine and new strategies for immunotherapy in ccRCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Dairy has been shown to reduce the risk of obesity in many epidemiological studies. However, few studies have been fully conducted in China in this respect. We aimed to investigate the association between dairy consumption and prevalence of obesity in an adult Chinese population.Methods and Study Design: A cross-sectional study was performed in an adult population of 5598 in northeast China, aged ≥18. Intakes of dairy products were obtained by internet-based dietary questionnaire for the Chinese (IDQC). The associations between total and individual dairy consumption and prevalence of overall and abdominal obesity were examined by logistic regression. Sex stratification was performed.Results: A total of 3871 participants, including 1700 men and 2171 women, were eligible for analysis. Men who consumed ≥100 g/day of yogurt had lower risks of abdominal obesity (multivariate-adjusted OR=0.41; 95% CI: 0.24-0.70) than men who did not consume yogurt. Women who consumed ≥200 g/day of milk had lower risks of overall obesity (multivariate-adjusted OR=0.47; 95% CI: 0.24-0.91) than women who did not consume milk.Conclusions: Increased dairy consumption was associated with lower risk of obesity in adult population in northeast China. Further studies are needed to confirm these observational findings and explain the observed gender-specific difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): This study was aimed to evaluate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TLR4 and common living habits of prostate hyperplasia (BPH) patients would affect the subjects' risk and prognosis. Materials and Methods: We totally recruited 501 BPH patients and 964 healthy controls. The patients' international prostate symptom score (IPSS) and quality of life assessment (QoL) were designated as the prognostic indexes for BPH patients. Altogether 7 SNPs within TLR4 were selected, and the interactions among SNPs and living habits were explained with multi-factor dimensionality reduction (MDR) modeling. Results: The mutant alleles of rs10983755 (G>A) and rs1927907 (G>A) tended to put on risk of BPH, yet the wide alleles of rs4986791 (C>T) and rs115336889 (G>C) were associated with incremental susceptibility to BPH (P<0.05). The rs10983755 (GA) and rs1927907 (GA) were suggested as the marker of non-aggressive BPH, whereas rs4986791 (TT) could symbolize aggressive BPH (P<0.05). The homozygotes of rs4986791 (TT) and rs115336889 (CC) could improve the IPSS change, and rs115336889 (CC) was also correlated with more obviously ameliorated Qol change (P<0.05). Finally, MDR modeling suggested that rs4986791 (TT) and rs115336889 (GG) shaped the genotyping combination featured by the lowest risk of BPH when smoking or drinking history was also evaluated. Conclusion: The SNPs situated within TLR4 were potent candidates for predicting risk and prognosis of BPH patients, and their interactions within environmental parameters also helped to develop effective strategies for preventing and treating BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Both video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and thoracotomy are used for sleeve lobectomy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This retrospective study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of VATS sleeve lobectomy for NSCLC patients.Methods: Between May 2009 and May 2013, 51 sleeve lobectomies (10 by VATS and 41 by thoracotomy) were performed for patients with NSCLC. Operative characteristics and postoperative course were compared between two groups.Results: Patient demographics were similar between the two groups. Thoracotomy patients had larger tumors compared with VATS patients (p = 0.02). VATS patients had a longer operating time (p < 0.001) but a shorter length of postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.009). The two groups did not differ in pathologic stage, histologic results, blood loss, ICU stay, amount of chest drainage, duration of chest drainage, numbers and distributions of dissected lymph nodes and the occurrence of complications. There were no perioperative deaths in the VATS group, whereas there was one death (2.4 %) in the thoracotomy group. There were no conversions to thoracotomy in the VATS group. The overall median survival between the two groups was similar (3.2 years VATS versus 3.2 years thoracotomy, log-rank p = 0.58).Conclusions: VATS sleeve lobectomy for the treatment of NSCLC is technically feasible and safe and is associated with comparable complication rates and survival compared with thoracotomy approach, but it deserves further investigation in large series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The outcomes of video-assisted thoracic bronchial sleeve lobectomy (VABSL), a minimally invasive video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy, are mostly unknown in Chinese patients. Objectives To investigate operative and postoperative outcomes of VABSL in a cases series of Chinese patients with lung cancer. Methods Retrospective study of 9 patients (male:female 8:1; mean age 59.4 ± 17.6 years, ranging 21-79 years) diagnosed with lung cancer of a single lobe, treated with VABSL between March 2009 and November 2011, and followed up for at least 2 months (mean follow-up: 14.17 ± 12.91 months). Operative outcomes (tumor size, operation time, estimated blood loss and blood transfusion), postoperative outcomes (intensive care unit [ICU] stay, hospitalization length and pathological tumor stage), death, tumor recurrence and safety were assessed. Results Patients were diagnosed with carcinoid cancer (11.1%), squamous carcinoma (66.7%) or small cell carcinoma (22.2%), affecting the right (77.8%) or left (22.2%) lung lobes in the upper (55.6%), middle (11.1%) or lower (33.3%) regions. TNM stages were T2 (88.9%) or T3 (11.1%); N0 (66.7%), N1 (11.1%) or N2 (22.2%); and M0 (100%). No patient required conversion to thoracotomy. Mean tumor size, operation time and blood loss were 2.50 ± 0.75 cm, 203 ± 20 min and 390 ± 206 ml, respectively. Patients were treated in the ICU for 18.7 ± 0.7 hours, and overall hospitalization duration was 20.8 ± 2.0 days. No deaths, recurrences or severe complications were reported. Conclusions VABSL surgery is safe and effective for treatment of lung cancer by experienced physicians, warranting wider implementation of VABSL and VATS training in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personalized medicine has become essential in the treatment of lung cancer. However, the lung cancer-related gene expression profiles in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients have not been elucidated. In this study, the correlation between gene expression profiles and clinicopathological characteristics was investigated in NSCLC patients. A total of 95 patients were enrolled in this study. The mRNA expression levels of 14 genes were assessed by multiplex branched DNA liquidchip (MBL) technology and data on 9 clinicopathological characteristics of patients were collected simultaneously. The correlation between gene expression and clinicopathological characteristics was investigated. Out of the 9 clinicopathological parameters, 6 were associated with several of the 14 genes analyzed. Patient gender was associated with TYMS and TOP2A. Clinical stage was associated with VEGFR2, KIT and HER2. There was weak correlation between primary tumor size of ≤3 cm and the expression level of KIT. The mRNA expression levels of VEGFR2 and HER2 correlated with distant metastasis. BRCA1, TYMS, TOP2A and HER2 were associated with histological type. Smoking correlated with higher expression levels of BRCA1, TYMS and TOP2A and lower expression levels of PDGFRβ. The results were suggestive of correlation between the clinicopathological parameters of the NSCLC patients and the mRNA expression levels of certain lung cancer-related genes, including BRCA1, TYMS, TOP2A, PDGFRβ, VEGFR2, KIT and HER2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructures and mechanical properties of Ni50-xTi43+xAl6Mo1 (x= 0.5, 1, 1.5, 3.5, 5.5 and 7 at. %) alloys have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and compressive tests. We found that the variation of Ni/Ti ratio is the predominant reason for affecting the yield stress. The yield stress at room temperature of Ni-rich and Ti-rich alloys was higher than that of the equi-atomic alloy due to the strong solid solution hardening caused by the variation of Ni/Ti ratio. The size and volume fraction of Ti2Ni phase decreased with increasing Ni/Ti ratio. The yield stress at 600°C and 700°C increased with the increasing volume fraction of Ti2Ni phase due to the precipitation hardening effect. The precipitation hardening effect was weakened with increasing temperature. For the Ti-rich alloy deformed at 800°C, the yield stress deceased with the increasing of Ni/Ti ratio due to the reduced strength and unfavorable distribution of Ti2Ni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]