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Deep neural network (DNN) has been applied in many fields and achieved great successes. However, DNN suffers from poor robustness for uncertainties because of its characteristic of the deterministic representation. To overcome this problem, a novel robust DNN (RDNN) is designed in this paper. First, a fuzzy denoising autoencoder (FDA) is developed to replace the general base-building unit in DNN. Then, the proposed RDNN is able to extract the robust representations to weaken the uncertainties. Second, a compact parameter strategy (CPS) is designed to reconstruct the parameters of FDA. Then, the computational burden of FDA can be alleviated to speed up the learning process. Third, an adaptive back-propagation (ABP) algorithm, with an adaptive learning rate strategy, is proposed to update the parameters of RDNN. Then, the performance of RDNN can be improved. Finally, the results on the benchmark problems and real applications demonstrate the effectiveness of RDNN.

Background The purpose of this phase II study was to evaluate the feasibility of hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) with a dose of 36.5 Gy in 10 fractions in postmastectomy patients. Methods From March 2014 to December 2015, 85 patients with locally advanced breast cancer were eligible to participate in this study with a schedule of 36.5 Gy in 10 fractions. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) was delivered to the chest wall with or without the supraclavicular region. The primary endpoint was radiation-related toxicities. The secondary endpoints were locoregional failure-free survival (LRFFS), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). And the outcomes were compared with our retrospective study of 72 patients with 42.5 Gy in 16 fractions. Results The median follow-up was 69.0 (range 66.5-71.5) months in the 36.5 Gy group and 93.0 (range 91.9-94.1) months in the 42.5 Gy group, respectively. Radiation-related toxicities were mainly grade 1, although a few patients had grade 2 plexopathy (1.2%) and acute skin toxicity (1.2%) in the 36.5 Gy group, and grade 2 acute skin toxicity (5.6%) and lymphedema (4.2%) in the 42.5 Gy group. There were no significant differences between the groups in acute and late toxicities. For all the patients, the 5-year LRFFS, DFS and OS were 97.7 and 100.0%, 93.1 and 90.3%, 98.8 and 97.2%, respectively, without significant differences between the groups. Conclusion Postmastectomy HFRT with a schedule of 36.5 Gy in 10 fractions was feasible, with mild toxicities and excellent 5-year clinical outcome. Trial registration Trial registration number: ChiCTR-ONRC-14004391. Date of registration: 9/3/2014.

This study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of regorafenib or fruquintinib combined with camrelizumab in patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) and/or proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Medical records of MSS/pMMR mCRC patients who received regorafenib (80 mg) or fruquintinib (3 mg) once a day (21 days on/7 days off) plus camrelizumab (200 mg) every three weeks in Yuhuangding Hospital between January 2020 and June 2020 were retrospectively collected. Follow-up data up to November 1st, 2020 was gathered. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). The safety profile was the secondary endpoint. A total of 16 patients were enrolled. The ORR was 25.0% (4/16) and the DCR was 62.5% (10/16). The main adverse events (AEs) included reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP) (81.3%), fatigue (43.8%), hypertension (37.5%), hand-foot skin reaction (25.0%), and thyroid dysfunction (25.0%). Most AEs were grade 1 or 2, with only 1 patient of grade 3 liver dysfunction. All the AEs were ameliorated by effective symptomatic treatment. Regorafenib or fruquintinib plus camrelizumab exhibited promising efficacy in patients with MSS/pMMR mCRC. The toxicity was moderate and manageable.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of azithromycin (AZI) combined with glucocorticoid (GC) in the treatment of children with refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae. METHODS Computer search for PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBMdisc), China Knowledge Network (CNKI), Wanfang, VIP (VIP), and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of AZI combined with GC in the treatment of children with refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia test (RCT), the search time limit is built until March 20, 2019. Two researchers independently performed literature screening, data extraction, and literature risk bias, and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS A total of 12 RCTs were included, including 1130 patients. Meta-analysis showed that AZI combined with GC therapy significantly improved the total effective rate of the disease compared with the conventional treatment group (odds ratio [OR] = 6.37; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.03, 10.07; P

Lung cancer, especially lung adenocarcinoma, is one of the most common neoplasms worldwide. However, the mechanisms underlying its initiation, development, and metastasis are still poorly understood. Destrin (DSTN) is a member of ADF/cofilin family. Its detailed biological function remains unknown, although it is reported that DSTN is involved in cytoskeleton remodeling and regulation of actin filament turnover. Recent evidence has shown that high expression of cofilin-1 is associated with invasion and poor prognosis of several types of human tumors, but the detailed mechanism is still entirely unclear, particularly in lung cancer tumorigenesis and malignancy. Here, we report that DSTN was highly expressed in a mouse lung cancer model induced by urethane and in clinical lung adenocarcinoma tissue samples. Its expression level was positively correlated with cancer development, as well as metastasis to the liver and lymph nodes. Consistently, it was directly associated with the poor prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma patients. Furthermore, we also found that DSTN promotes cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in vitro, and facilitates subcutaneous tumor formation and lung metastasis via intravenous injection in vivo. Mechanically, DSTN associates with and facilitates nuclear translocation of β-catenin, which promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Taken together, our results indicated that DSTN enhances lung cancer malignancy through facilitating β-catenin nuclear translocation and inducing EMT. Combined with multivariate analyses, DSTN might potentially serve as a therapeutic target and an independent prognostic marker of lung adenocarcinoma. Implications: This finding indicates that DSTN facilitates β-catenin nuclear translocation and promotes malignancy in lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: The incidence of cryptococcal meningitis among immunocompetent patients increases, especially in China and imaging plays an important role. The current study was to find the correlation between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) manifestation and clinical severity in nonhuman immunodeficiency virus patients with cryptococcal infection of central nervous system (CNS). Methods: A total of 65 patients with CNS cryptococcal infection from August 2014 to October 2016 were retrospectively included in this study. All the patients had MRI data and clinical data. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether the patients were confirmed with identifiable underlying disease. Comparison and correlation of MRI and clinical data in both groups were investigated using independent sample t-test, Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test and Spearman rank correlation analysis. Results: In all 65 patients, 41 cases (41/65, 63.1%; Group 1) had normal immunity and 24 cases (24/65, 36.9%; Group 2) had at least one identifiable underlying disease. Fever, higher percentage of neutrophil (NEUT) in white blood cell (WBC), and increased cell number of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) were much common in patients with underlying disease (Group 1 vs. Group 2: Fever: 21/41 vs. 21/24, χ2 = 8.715, P = 0.003; NEUT in WBC: 73.15% vs. 79.60%, Z = −2.370, P= 0.018; cell number of CSF: 19 vs. 200, Z = −4.298, P < 0.001; respectively). Compared to the patients with normal immunity, the lesions are more common in the basal ganglia among patients with identifiable underlying disease (Group 1 vs. Group 2: 20/41 vs. 20/24, χ2 = 7.636, P = 0.006). The number of the involved brain areas in patients with identifiable underlying disease were well correlated with the number of cells and pressure of CSF (r = −0.472, P = 0.031; r = 0.779, P = 0.039; respectively). Conclusions: With the increased number of the involved brain areas in patients with identifiable underlying disease, the body has lower immunity against the organism which might result in higher intracranial pressure and more severe clinical status. Key words: Central Nervous System; Clinical Status; Cryptococcal Meningitis; Immunity; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to make clear whether miR-21 was dysregulated in hydatidiform mole (HM) tissues and choriocarcinoma (CCA) cells, to elucidate whether aberrant miR-21 expression would affect the function of CCA cells, and to find out whether there was a relationship between miR-21 andAKT,PDCD4, andPTENin CCA cells.MethodsFresh and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded trophoblastic tissues (normal first trimester placentas and HMs) were retrieved from the biobank in the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Choriocarcinoma JAR and JEG-3 cells were cultured. Expression of miR-21 in trophoblast cells and tissues was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Location and distribution of miR-21 in trophoblast tissues were determinated by in situ hybridization and fluorescent in situ hybridization. The effect of miR-21 on JAR and JEG-3 cells was tested by miR-21 mimics and inhibitor transfection, followed by cell viability assay, flow cytometric analysis, and Transwell analysis. Interaction between miR-21 and its target genes in CCA cells was verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and luciferase report system.ResultsWe originally found miR-21 was markedly upregulated in HM tissues compared with normal first trimester placentas. The expression of miR-21 was exclusively confined in trophoblastic layers. Furthermore, we discovered miR-21 was significantly increased in JAR and JEG-3 cells compared with normal primary human trophoblastic cells. Moreover, we demonstrated miR-21 could promote proliferation, migration, and invasion of CCA cells. We furthermore proved miR-21 negatively regulated PDCD4 and PTEN in CCA cells and targeted toPDCD43′UTR directly. In addition, we confirmed that miR-21 could activate Akt pathway by phosphorylating Akt at Ser 473.ConclusionsOur results suggested miR-21 was responsible for aggressive phenotype of gestational trophoblastic disease and had the potential diagnostic and therapeutic values for gestational trophoblastic neoplasm.

The search for an economical electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a worldwide issue for fuel cells and metal–air batteries. Herein, we used cheap and available high-sulfur inferior coal as the single precursor to synthesize an N, S dual-doped carbon (NSC) metal-free electrocatalyst for the ORR. The N, S dual-doped carbon (NSC), prepared at 800 °C (NSC800), possessed a large specific surface area of 942 m2 g−1, with an amorphous carbon structure and more defects than the others. Furthermore, it contains 1.06 at% N and 2.24 at% S, where N is resolved into pyridinic-N, pyrrolic-N, and graphitic-N. For the electrochemical behavior, NSC800 displayed a good ORR electrocatalytic activity, with the ORR peak potential at −0.245 V (vs. SCE) and half-wave potential (E1/2) at −0.28 V (vs. SCE) in an alkaline solution. This study not only gives an original and facile method to prepare an economical ORR electrocatalyst but also provides a novel clean-use of high-sulfur inferior coal.

Renewable energy technologies are essential contributors to sustainable energy including renewable energy sources. Wind energy is one of the important renewable energy resources. Therefore, efficient and consistent utilization of wind energy has been an important issue. The wind speed has the characteristics of intermittence and instability. If the wind power is directly connected to the grid, it will impact the voltage and frequency of the power system. Short-term wind power prediction can reduce the impact of wind power on the power grid and the stability of power system operation is guaranteed. In this study, the improved chicken swarm algorithm optimization support vector machine (ICSO-SVM) model is proposed to predict the wind power. The traditional chicken swarm optimization algorithm (CSO) easily falls into a local optimum when solving high-dimensional problems due to its own characteristics. So the CSO algorithm is improved and the ICSO algorithm is developed. In order to verify the validity of the ICSO-SVM model, the following work has been done. (1) The particle swarm optimization (PSO), ICSO, CSO and differential evolution algorithm (DE) are tested respectively by four standard testing functions, and the results are compared. (2) The ICSO-SVM and CSO-SVM models are tested respectively by two sets of wind power data. This study draws the following conclusions: (1) the PSO, CSO, DE and ICSO algorithms are tested by the four standard test functions and the test data are analyzed. By comparing it with the other three optimization algorithms, the ICSO algorithm has the best convergence effect. (2) The number of training samples has an obvious impact on the prediction results. The average relative error percentage and root mean square error (RMSE) values of the ICSO model are smaller than those of CSO-SVM model. Therefore, the ICSO-SVM model can efficiently provide credible short-term predictions for wind power forecasting.

Objective High prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), excessive gestational weight gain (GWG), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are associated with the risk of childhood obesity. This study aims to examine the extent to which these effects may be mediated through the placenta. Methods Data included 33,893 mothers and their singleton infants from birth to 7 years old (total 154,590 visits) in the Collaborative Perinatal Project, a U.S. multicenter prospective cohort study from 1959 to 1976. The placentas were weighed after removing cord and membranes. We performed sequential generalized estimating equation-linear models excluding and including placental weight to evaluate its mediation effect. Results In this population, 21.7% of mothers had overweight or obesity, 17.3% had excessive GWG, and 350 (1%) had diagnosed GDM; in addition, 7.2% children had obesity. After adjustment for prepregnancy BMI and other covariates, childhood BMI was 0.23 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.40) kg/m2 higher for children born to mothers with GDM versus those without GDM. Inclusion of placental weight in the model attenuated the association by 52% to 0.11 (95% CI: −0.06, 0.28) and similarly attenuated the associations with childhood BMI for GWG by 25% and maternal prepregnancy BMI by 17%. Conclusions Placental weight partly mediates the effects of prepregnancy BMI, excessive GWG, and GDM on childhood BMI.

In this work, N, S co-doped carbon embedded with Fe nanoparticles (Fe/NSC) used as an effective electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is synthesized by a two-step copyrolysis of cheap and available high‑sulfur coal with KOH, then a trace amount of FeCl3. The as-prepared Fe/NSC exhibits an improved ORR electrocatalytic activity than NSC (high‑sulfur coal derived N, S co-doped carbon) and coal-Fe (direct copyrolysis high‑sulfur coal with FeCl3) in terms of the ORR peak potential, half-wave potential, limiting-diffusion current density, a main 4-electron reaction pathway and low Tafel slope in 0.1 M KOH evaluated by electrochemical measurements. Structural characterizations by TEM-mappings and XRD indicate that Fe/NSC has an amorphous carbon structure coupled with heteroatoms N and S distributed uniformly and Fe nanoparticles. Raman and XPS results indicte that Fe/NSC has less defect, and the addition of Fe nanoparticles in Fe/NSC leads to a decreased level of N and S retention as compared with NSC. Role of metallic Fe nanoparticles in ORR electrocatalytic performance is also clarified by acid leaching. This two-step copyrolysis process is also a promising route for sustainable utilization of high‑sulfur coal.

Membrane fouling has become a serious issue for the safe operation of wastewater treatment process (WWTP). To deal with this problem, this paper proposes a data-driven decision-making method to reduce the incidence of membrane fouling in WWTP. The main novelties of this proposed data-driven decision-making method are threefold. First, a long-term prediction method, based on a self-organizing deep belief network (SDBN) and the multi-step prediction strategy, is developed to predict the membrane permeability. Second, a multi-warning method, based on an independent component analysis-principal component analysis (ICA-PCA) algorithm, is proposed to detect and warn membrane fouling with multiple indicators. Third, a multi-category diagnosis method, based on the kernel function, is designed to diagnose membrane fouling for providing the decision support. Finally, an intelligent decision-making system, consisting the above methods and required sensors, is developed for some real wastewater treatment plants. The experimental results demonstrated the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed data-driven decision-making method.

A class of non-precious metal Co, N, S tri-doped carbon (Co/NSC) electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is synthesized from earth-abundant high-sulfur inferior raw coal as the single N, S and C precursor by a two-step co-pyrolysis method. High-sulfur raw coal derived N, S co-doped carbon (NSC) and direct co-pyrolysis coal with CoCl2 (coal-Co) are also prepared for comparison. The as-prepared Co/NSC has an amorphous carbon structure and is doped with heteroatoms N, S and Co nanoparticles in the carbon matrix. Furthermore, compared with NSC, S content decreases obviously and N content mainly in the form of pyrrolic-N changes little in Co/NSC. The as-prepared Co/NSC exhibits a more excellent ORR electrocatalytic activity than that of NSC and coal-Co in terms of the onset potential, ORR peak potential, the half-wave potential, the limiting-diffusion current density and the predominantly 4-electron transfer pathway in 0.1 M KOH. Based on these results, some possibilities attributing to the enhanced performance of Co/NSC are also explained. This two-step co-pyrolysis process is also demonstrated a green utilization of high-sulfur raw coal.

A time series is a series of data points indexed in time order, mining multivariate contextual time series (MCTS) should pay more attention to time order. This paper proposes a new method for splitting the MCTS into a number of segments, uses the concept of scenarios and themes to represent MCTS instead of data points and extracts important contextual features to carry out the multidimensional fitting for MCTS.

Background/Aims: Chemerin was introduced as a novel adipokine that plays a crucial role in insulin signaling and diabetic nephropathy. Serum chemerin levels are significantly elevated in type 2 diabetes patients with macroalbuminuria. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We conducted a preliminary investigation of the effects of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) on chemerin expression in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were randomized into control, diabetic, and irbesartan-treated groups. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect mRNA expression of chemerin, angiotensin II type 1a receptor (AT1a), angiotensin II type 1b receptor (AT1b) and angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2). Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect chemerin in renal tissues. Results: Expression levels of chemerin in renal tissues were significantly elevated in the diabetic group compared to the control group. In the irbesartan-treated group, chemerin expression levels and RAS-related protein levels (i.e. AT1a and AT1b) were markedly decreased compared to the diabetic group. Irbesartan treatment reduced chemerin overexpression and RAS-related protein levels in diabetic rats (i.e. AT1a and AT1b). Conclusion: Irbesartan may inhibit intrarenal RAS in diabetic rats, which may affect the expression of chemerin in the kidneys; however, the precise underlying mechanism remains to be determined.

In the teaching of material engineering in high school, a comparison between a traditional technique and an advanced one not only can effectively promote the students to understand and grasp the new one, but also can be used as a useful tool to encourage the student to do more self-learning about material processing. In the present report, the students were taught to carry out the advanced electrospinning processes. The difficulties in clear explanations the complicated new process in the class could be easily overcome by the usage of traditional wet spinning as a start point. Based on their past knowledge and experience about the wet spinning processes, the college students majoring in material engineering quickly grasped the essences of electrospinning, discriminated the differences between electrospinning and wet spinning. Some students eagerly went to the experimental laboratory to carry out some experiments about the preparations and characterizations of electrospun polymeric nanofibers. A related start point for comparison is important to transfer knowledge about a new advanced material processing technique to the college students.

According to exist technical problems and requirements of the air-suction peanut precision mulching film and punching planter, the new air-suction peanut precision dibbler of the planter’ key working part was researched. It was introduced the composition and working principle of the dibbler. According to functional and technical requirements of the dibbler’ main parts, the structural design and analyze were done. The dibbler mainly consists of roller body, cavitations’ components, transmission system, and the air suction metering device. In the peanut growing typical region, field trial of the dibbler showed that overall performance is relatively stable, each component are operating smoothly, and the operating indicators can better meet the technical requirements.

Distributed combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) system shows great advantages and provides new development space for energy construction of rural areas in China. Economic benefits are the most important factors determining the further development of distributed CCHP system in rural area and the operation strategies make a great impact on its economic benefits. This paper establishes an analysis model for the operation strategies following the thermal loads (FTL) of NG distributed CCHP system driven by gas-steam combined cycle. The prime mover used in this investigation is a gas-steam combined cycle based on combined gas turbines and steam turbines. The model presented in this paper can be used to determine the operation strategies of CCHP system under different daily periods: peak periods, flat periods, and valley periods in different seasons.

Continuous wave (CW) radar and global positioning system (GPS) is the main equipment of trajectory measurement in range. Based on range test background, propose a method to fuse GPS pseudo-range and CW radar range to provide complete trajectory positioning parameters, effectively reduce the impact of the systematic error of the measuring element to improve positioning precision of aircraft orbit solving. Through research on the measurement principle and the practice calculated data is given in this paper. Finally, several famous practical examples and simulation results are presented to illustrate our method efficiently.

China is experiencing a large scale of building construction, attracting great attention paid to debris generated by frequent construction and demolition activities for its cost inefficiency and environmental pollution. It is of great importance to better understand the magnitude and composition of the waste stream when developing rules, policies and strategies to manage this segment of the solid waste. In this study, after clarifying the definition of construction and demolition (C&D) waste according to its complex composition and diverse sources, approaches quantifying C&D waste to meet different requirements were summarized, and a simple weight-per-construction-area was employed to make an approximate estimation. Based on the main causes and status quo of C&D waste management, measures to reduce C&D waste were proposed to realize a sustainable construction industry, which include improving environmental awareness, strengthening the establishment of policy system and company waste management system, and reinforcing research and study work. This study also adds to the knowledge on research trend of C&D waste in China.

Sinter is the main raw material for ironmaking. It is very important to control sinter chemical composition and comprehensive performance. In this paper, a predictive system for sinter chemical composition FeO and the sinter yield was established based on BP neural network, which was trained by actual production data. The MATLAB m file editor was used to write code directly in this paper.The application results show that the prediction system has high accuracy rate, stability and reliability, the sintering productivity was improved effectively.

Tiered pricing of household electricity is a new price measure using economic leverage to encourage energy conservation and emission reduction in electric power industry. Based on demand side response theory, the coal-saving optimization model of tiered pricing was established and the coal-saving effect under different structure of coal-fired units was studied. The results of case study indicate that the economic leverage role of tiered pricing will promote the clean energy power generation connecting to the grid effectively, and the coal-saving effect of tiered pricing in the areas with high comprehensive coal consumption rate of power generation will be more remarkable.

The sinter quality and the stability of composition could directly affect the yield, quality and energy consumption of ironmaking production. It is important for iron and steel industry to steadily control sinter chemical composition and analyze sintering energy consumption. The MATLAB m file editor was used to write code directly in this paper. A predictive system for two important sinter chemical composition (TFe and FeO), sinter output and sintering solid fuel consumption of was established based on BP neural network, which was trained by actual production data.) The application results show that the prediction system has high accuracy rate, stability and reliability, the sintering productivity was improved effectively.

For a long time, there is serious cross-subsidization among the power sales prices in China, and tiered pricing of household electricity is a new price measure for power consumption equity, resources utilization rationality and then achieving resources conservation and environmental protection. Based on demand side response theory, the optimization model of tiered pricing of household electricity with objective function of minimum household electricity consumption was built, and the coal-saving effect of tiered pricing was studied. The results of case study indicate that energy and coal saving effect of tiered pricing is remarkable.

Through analyzing the design methods of liquid sliding bearing and the matching spindle of common roller grinding head, the design methods and ideas of liquid sliding bearing and the matching spindle of high-speed roller grinding head are put forward, and on these bases, a kind of liquid sliding bearing and the matching spindle of high-speed roller grinding head are designed. By means of finite element analysis of the bearing and the matching spindle respectively, it can be known that thermal property of the designed liquid sliding bearing can meet the working demands of high-speed roller grinding, and the designed spindle can meet the demands of strength and stiffness under the condition of high-speed grinding, thus, important reference materials for forming core technologies of high-speed roller grinding head are provided.

The paper introduces a new method for prediction of electromagnetic compatibility in the power system, and use the Electromagnetic simulation software ATP. By comparing the actual test results to the simulation results, it is proved that electromagnetic transient simulation is reliable and effective. It also introduces the Gray prediction theory to predict the next Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) of the substation. It is high practical to research and analyze the substation electromagnetic compatibility, and feasible to use the Gray prediction theory with multivariable for the model EMI prediction analysis.

Introduction: Triclosan (TCS) is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent widely used in personal care products including toothpaste and soap, which posts potential risk to gut microbiota, and may prom...

Summary Two kinds of hybrid diffractive-refractive ultra-wide-angle (70°) eyepieces are designed which are with considerably reduced apparent size and weight and with comparable or improved aberrations as compared with the conventional refractive countertype. The designing strategy including the consideration and the steps of the optimization, the most important specification of the diffractive efficiency, and the manufacture issues is presented. The structures and the performance merits of the designed systems are given in a comparison of the traditional Scidmore eyepiece. The designed eyepieces have potential applications in various kinds of modern head-mounted displays.

Objective Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been associated with cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic value of IGF-1 levels in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods All patients with first-ever AIS from August 1, 2012 to August 31, 2013 were recruited to participate in the study. Clinical data were collected. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was assessed on admission blinded to serum IGF-1 levels. For the assessment of functional outcome at 90 days Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used. On admission, serum IGF-1 levels were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassay. The influence of IGF-1 levels on functional outcome and death was assessed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Patients with an unfavorable outcomes and non-survivors had significantly decreased serum IGF-1 levels on admission (P

The clinical efficacy and safety of low-dose levothyroxine in the treatment of idiopathic nephritic syndrome accompanied by thyroid dysfunction have not been established. One hundred and sixty-four patients were divided into three groups according to the levels of thyroid hormone and treatment. The thyroid status, efficacy and adverse reactions of thyroid treatment were observed in each group. Thyroid dysfunction was found in 73 patients. 40 cases were treated with steroids combined with levothyroxine. Proteinuria, cholesterol and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were significantly higher in patients with thyroid dysfunction, whereas serum albumin and free and total T3 and T4 levels were lower than those of euthyroid patients. The time for proteinuria remission in patients receiving levothyroxine therapy was shorter and their serum albumin higher than for patients without levothyroxine treatment. Thyroid hormonal changes are related to the degree of both proteinuria and serum albumin in patients with INS. Combined treatment with low-dose levothyroxine supplementation and steroids in children with INS and thyroid dysfunction is associated with reduced proteinuria and increased plasma albumin compared with patients treated with steroids only.

Levonorgestrel (1.5 mg) is commonly used for emergency contraception to prevent an unwanted pregnancy after an unprotected intercourse. We found that postovulatory administration of 1.5 mg of levonorgestrel to women with a subsequent or existing early pregnancy did not affect the immunohistochemical expressions of estrogen receptors (ER(alpha), ER(beta)), P receptors (PR(B), PR(A+B)), androgen receptor (AR), or proliferation index Ki67 in the first-trimester decidua and chorionic villi.

Rechargeable batteries have attracted increasing attention as power technologies for emerging electric vehicles and grid energy storage, which are expected to mitigate the environmental pollution caused by the use of fossil fuels. Although graphite/lithium transition-metal-oxides (LiCoO 2 , LiNiO 2 , and LiMn 2 O 4 , etc.) and lithium-ion batteries have been the dominant power sources for portable electronics and are used in hybrid electric vehicles, the limited ore resources of these materials make durative rising price. Most crucially, the limitations of potential energy density of these metal-oxide cathode materials are a main restriction in terms of large-scale applications of batteries, particularly in electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. [ 1,2 ] Therefore, it has become urgent to search for alternative energy-storage systems that could complement the existing lithium-ion batteries and that simultaneously have high energy density and long cycle life, in addition to safety and low cost. Alternatively, sodium-sulfur (Na-S) batteries offer low cost, high capacity and high safety, showing great promissing for grid-scale applications. [ 2 ] Both Na and S are abundant and nontoxic elementals on the earth, providing larger availability and lower material cost over the conventional lithium-ion batteries.

In this article, we introduce a novel two-dimensional (2D) functional Co3O4 nanostructure, “nanomesh”, which possesses the highest surface area (382 m2 g−1) as compared to the other Co3O4 nanostructures, well-crystallized features, thickness of no more than 10 nm and a void space diameter below 6.0 nm. These structural characteristics of the nanomesh are well-suited for lithium-ion battery (LIBs) applications. In initial tests, high specific capacity (1800 mAh/g), good rate capability (above 380 mAh/g at a discharging rate of 1000 mA g−1 over 50 cycles) and stable cyclability (up to 100 cycles) have been demonstrated. In addition, the dominant (12) crystal plane in the nanomesh has much higher surface energy than the conventional (111) and (100) crystal planes, leading to higher activity in supercapacitors. The Co3O4 nanomesh demonstrated in this research could be successfully utilized in energy and environmental applications, such as selective catalysis, gene delivery and gas or biological sensing, besides the application in electrochemical energy storage shown in this work. More importantly, the synthesis strategy used in this research can possibly be extended to other material systems as a general approach to fabricate 2D mesoporous oxides.

To study the relationship between the expression of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), CD44v6, CD44v4/5 and the infiltration, metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.By labeled streptavidin-biotin technique, the expressions of HCG, CD44v6, and CD44v4/5 in 42 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were examined.The positive rate of HCG expression in patients with lymph node metastasis was 85.71% (18/21), higher than that (57.14%, 12/21) in those without lymph node metastasis (P0.05). The positive rate of CD44v6 expression was 71.43% (15/21) in lymph node metastasis group, and 38.09% (8/21) in non-metastasis group; there was a significant difference between the two groups (P0.05). The positive rate of CD44v4/5 expression was 76.19% (16/21) in lymph node metastasis group, and 42.86% (9/21) in non-metastasis group; there was also a significant difference between them (P0.05). From grade I to grade III in differentiation, the positive rate of HCG expression was 84.62% (11/13), 70.59% (12/17) and 58.33% (7/12), respectively; there was no significant difference among them (P0.05). The positive rate of CD44v6 expression in grades I-III of cancer tissues was 76.92% (10/13), 52.94% (9/17), and 33.33% (4/12) respectively; there was no significant difference among them. The positive rate of CD44v4/5 expression in grades I-III of cancer tissues was 69.23% (9/13), 64.71% (11/17), and 41.67% (5/12) respectively; there was no significant difference among the three groups. There was no correlation between the positive rates of HCG and CD44v6, CD44v4/5 expression. Cancer cells in carcinomatous emboli and those infiltrating into vascular wall strongly expressed HCG, CD44v6, and CD44v4/5.Expression of HCG, CD44v6, and CD44v4/5 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is related to its infiltration and metastasis. HCG, CD44v6, and CD44v4/5 have different effects on the infiltration and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.