Search

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic pulmonary vascular disease characterized by increased pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary arterioles remodeling. Some studies have discovered the relationship between sympathetic nerves (SNs) and pathogenesis of PAH. This review is aimed to illustrate the location and components of SNs in the pulmonary artery, along with different methods and effects of pulmonary artery denervation (PADN). Studies have shown that the SNs distributed mainly around the main pulmonary artery (MPA) and pulmonary artery (PA) bifurcation. And the SNs could be destroyed by three ways: the chemical way, the surgical way and the catheter-based way. PADN can significantly decrease pulmonary arterial pressure rapidly, improve hemodynamic varieties, and then palliate PAH. PADN has been recognized as a prospective and effective therapy for PAH patients, especially for those with medication-refractory PAH. However, further enlarged clinical studies are needed to confirm accurate distribution of SNs in the pulmonary artery and the efficacy of PADN.

Nowcasts of strong convective precipitation and radar-based quantitative precipitation estimations have always been hot yet challenging issues in meteorological sciences. Data-driven machine learning, especially deep learning, provides a new technical approach for the quantitative estimation and forecasting of precipitation. A high-quality, large-sample, and labeled training dataset is critical for the successful application of machine-learning technology to a specific field. The present study develops a benchmark dataset that can be applied to machine learning for minute-scale quantitative precipitation estimation and forecasting (QpefBD), containing 231,978 samples of 3,185 heavy precipitation events that occurred from April to October during the years 2016 to 2018 in six provinces in central and eastern China. Each individual sample consists of eight products of weather radars at 6-min intervals within the time window of the corresponding event and products of 27 physical quantities at hourly intervals that describe the atmospheric dynamic and thermodynamic conditions. Two data labels, i.e., ground precipitation intensity and areal coverage of heavy precipitation at 6-minute intervals, are also included. The present study describes the basic components of the dataset and data processing and provides metrics for the evaluation of model performance on precipitation estimation and forecasting. Based on these evaluation metrics, some simple, commonly used methods are applied to evaluate precipitation estimates and forecasts. The results can serve as the benchmark reference for the performance evaluation of machine learning models using this dataset. This paper also gives some suggestions and scenarios of the QpefBD application. We believe that the application of this benchmark dataset will promote interdisciplinary collaboration between meteorological sciences and artificial intelligence sciences, providing a new way for the identification and forecast of heavy precipitation.

Objectives To present the history and potential for development of evidence-based (EB) social work in China. Study design and setting The conception and methodology of EB social work is a potential strategy to support high quality development of social work in China. This article documents and analyzes the progress of EB social work in China. We focus on current research, reasons, challenges, and strategies. Results EB social work started late in China. The number of EB social work literature and systematic reviews has increased since 2004. The development of EB social work has been uneven nationally with few practitioners and decision makers involved. However, more and more social work researchers received training in evidence-based practice through national workshops and conferences. Conclusion EB social work faced various challenges, but there are now more opportunities for EB social work development in China. Researchers, practitioners, managers and decision makers are encouraged to work together to establish a thorough methodological system and use existing evidence as much as possible when carrying out social work programs and services.

Flexible supercapacitors with high areal energy density are promising energy storage devices to meet the increasing demands for wearable and portable electronic products. Herein, three kinds of flexible electrodes were fabricated electrochemically through tuning spatial distribution of graphene sheets composited with polyaniline (PANi) nanofiber array on carbon cloth, in which graphene sheets were used as the efficient growing substrate or protecting layer for the arrays and directly inserted into the arrays. It is found that the charge storage ability of all the PANi arrays could be enhanced significantly that depended greatly on the spatial distribution of graphene sheets composited with the array. The composite electrodes composing of graphene inserted PANi array on the graphene covered carbon cloth possesses the highest areal energy density among all the electrodes. More clearly, the corresponding all−solid−state supercapacitor devices can reach outstanding performances with a maximum energy density of 313 μWh cm−2 and capacitance retention of 92.7% after 5000 cycles could be achieved in the electrolyte containing Fe3+. This work is believed to provide a new thought for fabricating cost–effective and flexible electrodes with ultrahigh areal energy density, excellent flexibility and cycle stability endow for high−energy wearable/portable energy storage devices.

Recently in nanophotonics, a rigorous evolution from passive to active metasurfaces has been witnessed. This advancement not only brings forward interesting physical phenomena but also elicits opportunities for practical applications. However, active metasurfaces operating at visible frequencies often exhibit low performance due to design and fabrication restrictions at the nanoscale. In this work, we demonstrate electrochemically controlled metasurfaces with high intensity contrast, fast switching rate, and excellent reversibility at visible frequencies. We use a conducting polymer, polyaniline (PANI), that can be locally conjugated on preselected gold nanorods to actively control the phase profiles of the metasurfaces. The optical responses of the metasurfaces can be in situ monitored and optimized by controlling the PANI growth of subwavelength dimension during the electrochemical process. We showcase electrochemically controlled anomalous transmission and holography with good switching performance. Such electrochemically powered optical metasurfaces lay a solid basis to develop metasurface devices for real-world optical applications.

Background: We recently reported the differential circRNAs expression patterns of the pulmonary macrophages in sepsis induced ARDS mice model by microarray analysis; However, their function and hidden molecular mechanism in regulation of macrophage activation and inflammation remains poorly understood. Methods: Serum were obtained from ARDS patients post sepsis and control subjects. Mice were subjected to Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery and intravenously injected with si-circN4bp1 plasmid transfected macrophages. Raw264.7 cells and MH-S cells were transfected with circN4bp1 overexpression or silence vectors and then polarized as M1 or M2 macrophages in vitro. Findings: CircN4bp1 was overexpressed in PBMC and monocytes and its expression levels were correlated with a poor prognosis in ARDS patients induced by sepsis. Knockdown of circN4bp1 inhibited the lung injury and improved the long-time survival through blunting the M1 macrophage activation in ARDS mice. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis predicated a circN4bp1/miR-138-5p ceRNA network, which was confirmed by Luciferase reporter assay and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP). CircN4bp1 affected macrophage differentiation by binding to miR-138-5p, thus regulating the expression of EZH2 in vivo and ex vivo . Lastly, the m6A level of circN4bp1 was found to be elevated in ARDS mice; inhibition of m6A methyltransferases METTL3 blocked this response in vitro. Interpretation: CircN4bp1 can function as a miR-138-5p sponge for the modulation of macrophage polarization through regulation the expression of EZH2 and may serve as a potential target and/or prognostic marker for ARDS patients following sepsis. Funding: The National Natural Science Foundation of China (81970072 and 81670690), the leading medical talent project of Shanghai Pudong heath bureau (PWRI2019‐05 and PWR12020-07), the Shanghai Scientific Committee of China (20Y11901200, 21ZR1452400, 20ZR1445800 and 13PJ1406900). Declaration of Interest: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Ethical Approval: The manuscript contains animal experiments that have been approved by the Animal Use Committee of East Hospital/Tongji University, China. The manuscript contains human subjects that have been approved by the Research Ethics Board of East Hospital, Tongji University. All recruited patients or their authorized family members were given a written consent document.

Urban renewal and the built environment have become two of the hottest topics in urban planning studies. Although existing literature has started to examine both of them from different perspectives, a comprehensive review with a bibliometric analysis is necessary to fully reveal the association between them. To overcome these gaps, this paper critically reviews the literature on urban renewal and the built environment and proposes a novel research framework to systematically understand the relationship between them. Based on 155 articles which were published between 2001 and 2020 collected from the Web of Science Core Collection Database, a bibliometric analysis offers the overall development and trajectory of the existing research, and a critical review fully analyzes the relationship between the two topics from three perspectives: main categories of urban renewal, multiple stakeholders, and economic, social and environmental development needs. To better clarify the interaction mechanism between urban renewal and the built environment and guide further research in this area, a future research agenda is also provided.

BACKGROUND Acute lung injury (ALI) is a common and life-threatening complication of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). There are currently limited effective treatment options for SAP and associated ALI. Calycosin (Cal), a bioactive constituent extracted from the medicinal herb Radix Astragali exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties, but its effect on SAP and associated ALI has yet to be determined. AIM To identify the roles of Cal in SAP-ALI and the underlying mechanism. METHODS SAP was induced via two intraperitoneal injections of L-arg (4 g/kg) and Cal (25 or 50 mg/kg) were injected 1 h prior to the first L-arg challenge. Mice were sacrificed 72 h after the induction of SAP and associated ALI was examined histologically and biochemically. An in vitro model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI was established using A549 cells. Immunofluorescence analysis and western blot were evaluated in cells. Molecular docking analyses were conducted to examine the interaction of Cal with HMGB1. RESULTS Cal treatment substantially reduced the serum amylase levels and alleviated histopathological injury associated with SAP and ALI. Neutrophil infiltration and lung tissue levels of neutrophil mediator myeloperoxidase were reduced in line with protective effects of Cal against ALI in SAP. Cal treatment also attenuated the serum levels and mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, IL-1β, HMGB1 and chemokine (CXC motif) ligand 1 in lung tissue. Immunofluorescence and western blot analyses showed that Cal treatment markedly suppressed the expression of HMGB1 and phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 in lung tissues and an in vitro model of LPS-induced ALI in A549 cells suggesting a role for HGMB1 in the pathogenesis of ALI. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis provided evidence for the direct interaction of Cal with HGMB1. CONCLUSION Cal protects mice against L-arg-induced SAP and associated ALI by attenuating local and systemic neutrophil infiltration and inflammatory response via inhibition of HGMB1 and the NF-κB signaling pathway.

In recent years, the exploration and sustainable development of islands is getting more and more attention around the world. However, the development of China's islands is somewhat disorder and spatial unbalanced. Therefore, we need to conduct a scientific assessment of the islands in order to fully understand the islands. In this paper, We analyze the possible development path of the islands by evaluating the value of the islands. To be specific, we present an extensive evaluate model design based on analysis of the environmental resources conditions, economic values, and existing problems of the seven typical islands in China. This model is applied to evaluate the sustainability levels and development advantages of seven typical islands. The island’s evaluation results are consistent with the island’s actual development level, which proves that the model is believable. Generally, the more indicators involved in the evaluation model, the more accurate the evaluation result will be. However, numerous indicators will cause two problems. One is that some indicators are highly correlated and make the evaluation results inaccurate. Therefore, it is necessary to remove redundant indicators; the other is that the calculation process will be cumbersome. In this study, we used factor analysis to solve the problems, making the evaluation results more accurate. Meantime, the experiment has proved that the model can simultaneously use multiple types of islands as samples for unified evaluation.

The incidence of diabetes–associated cognitive dysfunction is increasing. However, few clinical interventions are available to prevent the disorder. Several researches have shown that liraglutide, as a glucagon-like peptide-1 analog, has protective effects on various neurodegenerative diseases, but its roles in diabetic cognitive dysfunction are rarely reported. This study aims to investigate the protective effects of liraglutide on diabetic cognitive dysfunction and its underlying mechanisms. In vivo, the effects of liraglutide treatment were investigated in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In vitro, we investigated the effects of liraglutide on the high-glucose-induced rat primary neurons. The results showed that liraglutide reduced the escape latency and increased the time in effective area in the Morris water maze test, improved the damage of hippocampal and synaptic ultrastructure, and decreased the accumulation of amyloid β protein in hippocampus of T2DM mice. Furthermore, liraglutide increased the ratio of microtubule-associated protein light 1 chain Ⅱ/Ⅰ, the expression of Beclin1 protein and Lysosome-associated membrane protein 2 in vivo and vitro. Additionally, Bafilomycin A1 which can inhibit the fusion of autophagosome and lysosome partially abolished the effects of liraglutide. These findings indicate liraglutide ameliorates diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction by rescuing autophagic flux.

Background Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease in which the regulatory pathway is complex and not well understood. Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) protein receptor functions as a decoy receptor for interleukin (IL)-33 to prevent IL-33/suppression of tumorigenicity 2L (ST2L)-pathway-mediated T helper (Th)2 immune responses. Aim To investigate the role of sST2 in AP. Methods We assessed the association between sST2 and severity of AP in 123 patients enrolled in this study. The serum levels of sST2, C-reactive protein (CRP) and Th1- and Th2-related cytokines, including interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13, were measured by highly sensitive ELISA, and the severity of AP in patients was evaluated by the 2012 Atlanta Classification Criteria. Results Serum sST2 levels were significantly increased in AP patients, and further, these levels were significantly elevated in severe AP (SAP) patients compared to moderately severe AP (MSAP) and mild AP (MAP) patients. Logistic regression showed sST2 was a predictor of SAP [odds ratio (OR): 1.003 (1.001-1.006), P = 0.000]. sST2 cutoff point was 1190 pg/mL, and sST2 above this cutoff was associated with SAP. sST2 was also a predictor of any organ failure and mortality during AP [OR: 1.006 (1.003-1.009), P = 0.000, OR: 1.002 (1.001-1.004), P = 0.012, respectively]. Additionally, the Th1-related cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α in the SAP group were higher and the Th2-related cytokine IL-4 in the SAP group was significantly lower than those in MSAP and MAP groups. Conclusion sST2 may be used as a novel inflammatory marker in predicting AP severity and may regulate the function and differentiation of IL-33/ST2-mediated Th1 and Th2 Lymphocytes in AP homeostasis.

This paper discusses the grammaticalization of motion verbs in Mandarin. A class of motion verbs in Mandarin that regularly appears at either V1 or V2 position in the V1+V2 construction is only grammaticalized at the V2 position, where the verb becomes a directional complement. We provide a cognitive semantic account and propose a new hypothesis that we call the syntactic position and event type sensitivity hypothesis in grammaticalization. We analyze corpus data across five historical stages for 11 simplex directional complements. The analysis draws on Talmy’s macro-event theory and Lehmann’s grammaticalization parameters. It is concluded that motion verbs at the V1 position are most likely to have agentive subjects, which foregrounds the idea of motion in V1, while V2 focuses on the Agent’s purpose. Motion verbs at V2 are relatively more likely to have non-agentive subjects, which foregrounds the Path element in V2 and complements the action of V1, rather than the purpose of the Agent. What triggers the grammaticalization of the V2 is the foregrounding of the Path element in V2, which complements the action of V1, and its non-agentive subject.

Background To investigate the clinical safety and efficacy of foldable capsular vitreous body (FCVB) in the treatment of severe silicone oil-dependent eyes. Methods Five patients (5 eyes) of severe silicone oil-dependent eyes underwent FCVB implantation from December 2019 to July 2020. The preoperative and postoperative visual acuity, intraocular pressure, corneal conditions, postoperative retinal reattachment, and FCVB status were observed. The patients were followed up for 12-15 months. Results A total of 5 patients (5 eyes) with severe silicone oil-dependent eyes were included, including 3 males and 2 females, with an average age of 32±14 years. The longest silicone oil tamponade time was 8 years, and the shortest was 2 years, with an average of 5±3 years. All patients were safely and successfully implanted with FCVB without severe intraoperative or postoperative complications. Up to the last follow-up, there was no significant change between preoperative and postoperative visual acuity. Before surgery, 4 patients had normal intraocular pressure while 1 patient had ocular hypotension; after surgery, the latter was still at a low level, and the other patients had intraocular pressure in the normal range. Conclusions The FCVB is a safe, feasible, and effective vitreous substitute to maintain ocular morphology and intraocular pressure without aggravating silicone oil emulsification, retinal displacement, or corneal degeneration during the implantation period of 12-15 months.

We present the case of a 60-year-old woman who suddenly suffered a witnessed cardiac arrest and did not achieve return of spontaneous circulation despite being given 150-minute ultra-long cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). During CPR, pulmonary embolism was suspected and was eventually diagnosed based on refractory pulseless electrical activity, elevated serum D-dimmer, and a markedly enlarged right ventricle chamber. After rescue thrombolytic alteplase therapy, the patient was successfully resuscitated and had a good neurological recovery.

Background:. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder associated with loss of motor neurons. Our objective was to explore the epidemiology, clinical features, and survival factors of 1809 patients with ALS. Methods:. We analyzed 1809 ALS patients, who were recruited from the Peking University Third Hospital from January 2005 to December 2015. Demographic data and disease-related parameters were collected. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare survival time. Cox proportional hazards function and the hazard ratio were used to identify adjusted prognostic predictors. Results:. The results showed that the average annual incidence in Beijing alone was 0.38 cases/100,000 person-years and the mean age of onset was 48.88 ± 11.35 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 48.17–49.85) years. The median survival time from onset to death/tracheostomy was 58.89 ± 33.03 (95% CI: 51.46–63.84) months. In the adjusted Cox proportional hazard model, age of onset, diagnosis delay, rate of disease progression (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale Revised decline [points/month]), and body mass index all had an independent effect on survival in ALS. Conclusions:. Our study provides information on epidemiology, clinical features, and survival factors of patients with ALS in China. These results can be helpful in clinical practice, clinical trial design, and validation of new tools to predict disease progression.

With the development of terahertz (THz) technology, there is a booming demand of THz shielding/absorption materials to avoid electromagnetic interference (EMI) or pollution. Paints that can be fast solidified to form a film and stably adherent on arbitrary substrates are especially desired for the shielding/absorption applications. Recently, MXenes with high electron conductivity and hydrophilicity have attracted a great interest for EMI shielding. Here, we demonstrate a copolymer-polyacrylic latex (PAL) based MXene waterborne paint (MWP), which not only has strong THz EMI shielding/absorption efficiency but also can easily adhere onto various substrates that are commonly used in the THz band. The viscosity of MWP can be tuned by adjusting the colloidal and viscous forces, and the cyano group in PAL provides a strong intermolecular polar interaction between MWP and the substrate. As a result, a 38.3-μm-thick MWP on quartz exhibits EMI shielding value of 64.9 dB, and an excellent reflection-loss of 32.8 dB is obtained on MWP coated sponge foam. This substrate-independent MWP provides a simple and efficient way to achieving high-performance THz shielding/absorption.

By designing double emissive layers, orange light-emitting layer (EML) and red EML and a space layer of blending hole-transporting material (HTM) with electron-transporting material (ETM), we have achieved efficient and color-tunable organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). It is found that the red shift of EL spectrum was enhanced when the ratio of HTM to ETM was 5:1. And a maximum current efficiency of 41.17 cd/A was reached. It has been demonstrated that two ultra-thin emissive layers could improve the current efficiency of the OLEDs. The current efficiency of the OLEDs with a 1 nm o;6range EML and a 1 nm red EML was enhanced by 27.4 % as compared to the reference devices. This is a novel approach to realizing voltage-controlled electroluminescence (EL) over different colors and intensity in a single OLED. The color-tunable OLEDs show the potential to be utilized as rear light on motor vehicle. We have investigated the effect of the ratio of HTM to ETM on the efficiency and spectral shift of the OLEDs through the control of recommendation zone.

In this work, we investigated the fabrication of intriguing MoS2 nanoarray on poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/Indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates through one-step vacuum thermal evaporation technology. The profiles of MoS2-based nano-bulges were regarded as domed droplets adhered on the substrates. Evaporation rate and thickness were demonstrated to codetermine the morphology of MoS2-based nanoarray. The diameters of MoS2 bulges were determined by the evaporation thickness, while the evaporation rate dominated contact angles between these bulges and ITO films. Besides the nonuniform electrical distribution, a weak van der Waals force in the horizontal direction between MoS2 molecule and jagged ITO film were proposed to be principal factors that influence the morphologies of MoS2. Finally, the field distributions of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices with MoS2 nanoarray were simulated through finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD). The obvious absorption enhancement effects in FDTD verified the potential application of MoS2-based nanoarray serving as light-coupling layer in OPV devices.

Objective. To investigate the effects of Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) on rats with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and the underlying mechanism. Methods. Sixty specific pathogen-free (SPF) male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, PF, prednisone treatment, and DBT treatment. Intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (BLM) was performed to establish a PF rat model. DBT was administered to PF rats concurrently for 2 weeks. Lung samples were then collected for HE and Masson staining after pulmonary function testing, and semiquantitative analysis for the degree of alveolitis and fibrosis was performed using the Szapiel and Ashcroft score systems. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, hydroxyproline (HYP), hyaluronic acid (HA), and inflammatory cytokine content were measured. Western blotting was performed to detect fibrotic marker and TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway changes. Results. Oral administration of DBT attenuated weight loss, survival rate, and pulmonary index. Lung histopathologic lesions were also reduced. DBT inhibited PF by decreasing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines and collagen deposition. Specifically, DBT reduced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6, HYP, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I, and collagen III levels. Corollary experiments identified a potential mechanism involving suppression of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway activation and the NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 axis, the downstream regulatory pathway. Conclusion. DBT exhibited a potent effect on BLM-induced PF rats by inhibiting the TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway. Thus, DBT alleviates pulmonary inflammation to inhibit fibrotic pathology and should be considered as a candidate for the clinical treatment of PF.

This work proposes a novel multi-channel photonic crystal fiber (PCF) based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique where Au-Ta2O5 layer and Ag-Ta2O5 layer are selected as plasmonic materials. Dual-analyte simultaneous measurement can be well implemented by individually monitoring the SPR intensities of the x-polarized and y-polarized modes in the near-infrared region. Using a full-vectorial finite element method (FV-FEM) and COMSOL software, we have theoretically elucidated the effects of related parameters comprising coating thickness and pitch parameter on the sensing response. The optimized results show that the proposed sensor has attended to average wavelength sensitivities of 11,466 nm/RIU and 6833 nm/RIU, with maximum amplitude sensitivities of − 940.1/RIU and − 1008/RIU for channel 1 and channel 2, respectively. A ± 2% structural error of air holes has been taken into consideration and shows little impact on the wavelength sensitivities. Moreover, our sensing response is of excellent linear characters with R2 of the polynomial lines up to 0.9983 and 0.9993.

In this letter, the mixed finite element method (Mixed FEM) incorporating with the surface current boundary condition (SCBC) is firstly proposed to perform eigenmode numerical simulations of graphene-based plasmonic waveguides. The SCBC which is based on modeling graphene as the zero-thickness conductive sheet, is introduced to reduce the extremely fine discretization of graphene at the atomic scale. Thus, enormous unknowns and computational resources are significantly decreased in the proposed new method. Numerical examples of some typical graphene-based waveguides are presented to verify numerical accuracy and computational efficiency of the new method.

Background When applying secondary analysis on published survival data, it is critical to obtain each patient’s raw data, because the individual patient data (IPD) approach has been considered as the gold standard of data analysis. However, researchers often lack access to IPD. We aim to propose a straightforward and robust approach to obtain IPD from published survival curves with a user-friendly software platform. Results Improving upon existing methods, we propose an easy-to-use, two-stage approach to reconstruct IPD from published Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curves. Stage 1 extracts raw data coordinates and Stage 2 reconstructs IPD using the proposed method. To facilitate the use of the proposed method, we developed the R package IPDfromKM and an accompanying web-based Shiny application. Both the R package and Shiny application have an “all-in-one” feature such that users can use them to extract raw data coordinates from published K-M curves, reconstruct IPD from the extracted data coordinates, visualize the reconstructed IPD, assess the accuracy of the reconstruction, and perform secondary analysis on the basis of the reconstructed IPD. We illustrate the use of the R package and the Shiny application with K-M curves from published studies. Extensive simulations and real-world data applications demonstrate that the proposed method has high accuracy and great reliability in estimating the number of events, number of patients at risk, survival probabilities, median survival times, and hazard ratios. Conclusions IPDfromKM has great flexibility and accuracy to reconstruct IPD from published K-M curves with different shapes. We believe that the R package and the Shiny application will greatly facilitate the potential use of quality IPD and advance the use of secondary data to facilitate informed decision making in medical research.

BACKGROUND Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a safe and accurate technique to confirm the diagnosis of pancreatic cancers. Recently, numerous studies comparing the diagnostic efficacy of smear cytology (SC) and liquid-based cytology (LBC) for pancreatic lesions yielded mixed results. AIM To compare and identify the better cytology method for EUS-FNA in pancreatic lesions. METHODS A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane was undertaken through July 18, 2020. The primary endpoint was diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity and specificity). Secondary outcomes included sample adequacy and post procedure complications. In addition, factors affecting diagnostic efficacy were discussed. RESULTS Data on a total of 1121 comparisons from 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. Pooled rates of sensitivity for SC and LBC were 78% (67%-87%) vs 75% (67%-81%), respectively. In any case, both SC and LBC exhibited a high specificity close to 100%. Inadequate samples more often appeared in LBC compared with SC. However, the LBC samples exhibited a better visual field than SC. Very few post procedure complications were observed. CONCLUSION Our data suggested that for EUS-FNA in pancreatic lesions (particularly solid lesions), SC with Rapid On-Site Evaluation represents a superior diagnostic technique. If Rapid On-Site Evaluation is unavailable, LBC may replace smears. The diagnostic accuracy of LBC depends on different LBC techniques.

Purpose With the development of social economy, the problem of female labor force and talent ecology mechanism has become increasingly prominent. They do not assign jobs according to their abilities, but decide their duties according to their interpersonal relationships. The uneven distribution of human resources makes the difference, the impact of the female talent social mobility tends to solidify and the social strata between the contradictions are deepening. Design/methodology/approach This paper mainly investigates the current situation of female talents social mobility to solve the problem of the social mobility of female talent, and evaluates the main factors that affect female talents social mobility by analyzing the flow of ordinary female labor, enterprise female talents and educational female talents. Findings Society should pay attention to the social mobility of female talent, carry out comprehensive ecology mechanism in time, take different methods to the management of female talents in different industries, remove the obstacles that affect the social mobility of female talents and create a good ecology mechanism of female talent. Originality/value This paper provides corresponding suggestions and countermeasures on the ecology mechanism of female talents social mobility.

Objective The combination of two or more drugs with different mechanisms is a promising strategy for cancer treatment, and radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is a trending antitumor strategy. Radiotherapy (RT) can promote and activate antitumor immune effects, and immunotherapy can strengthen the effects of selective internal radiotherapy (SIRT); the RIT combination is synergistic and can overcome the adverse side effects of monotherapy. In this study, we developed a radioimmunoconjugate (RIC)—the iodine-131 (131I)-labeled caerin 1.1 peptide—to treat human anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). Methods Antitumor activity of caerin 1.1 peptide was determined by MTT assay, plate colony formation and cell wound scratch assays, and the mechanism of the inhibition of carein 1.1 peptide on the growth of CAL-62 cells was identified by cell cycle and western blot. Then, we investigated the efficacy of the caerin 1.1 peptide as a single drug and the 131I-labeled caerin 1.1 peptide for ATC. H&E and TUNEL staining was performed to detect dead cells in the tumor tissue sections. Results We found that caerin 1.1 arrested cells in the S phase to induce apoptosis and inhibited tumor growth to inhibit phosphorylation of Akt. In vivo, the iodine-131 (131I)-labeled caerin 1.1 peptide achieved better antitumor efficacy than radiotherapy alone and showed a good biosafety profile. Conclusions Our study demonstrates for the first time that the iodine-131 (131I)-labeled caerin 1.1 peptide can inhibit CAL-62 tumor growth and migration. The iodine-131 (131I)-labeled caerin 1.1 peptide, which represents a radioimmunotherapy strategy based on the combination of SIRT with a peptide–drug conjugate, could provide a treatment means for the radical cure of ATC.

sRecent evidence suggests that CD147 serves as a novel receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Blocking CD147 via anti-CD147 antibody could suppress the in vitro SARS-CoV-2 replication. Meplazumab is a humanized anti-CD147 IgG2 monoclonal antibody, which may effectively prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Here, we conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase 1 trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of meplazumab in healthy subjects, and an open-labeled, concurrent controlled add-on exploratory phase 2 study to determine the efficacy in COVID-19 patients. In phase 1 study, 59 subjects were enrolled and assigned to eight cohorts, and no serious treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE) or TEAE grade ≥3 was observed. The serum and peripheral blood Cmax and area under the curve showed non-linear pharmacokinetic characteristics. No obvious relation between the incidence or titer of positive anti-drug antibody and dosage was observed in each cohort. The biodistribution study indicated that meplazumab reached lung tissue and maintained >14 days stable with the lung tissue/cardiac blood–pool ratio ranging from 0.41 to 0.32. In the exploratory phase 2 study, 17 COVID-19 patients were enrolled, and 11 hospitalized patients were involved as concurrent control. The meplazumab treatment significantly improved the discharged (P = 0.005) and case severity (P = 0.021), and reduced the time to virus negative (P = 0.045) in comparison to the control group. These results show a sound safety and tolerance of meplazumab in healthy volunteers and suggest that meplazumab could accelerate the recovery of patients from COVID-19 pneumonia with a favorable safety profile.

Nintedanib, an Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor, exhibits an anti‐fibrotic effect in lung and kidneys. Its effect on peritoneal fibrosis remains unexplored. In this study, we found that nintedanib administration lessened chlorhexidine gluconate (CG)‐induced peritoneal fibrosis and reduced collagen I and fibronectin expression. This coincided with suppressed phosphorylation of platelet‐derived growth factor receptor, fibroblast growth factor receptors, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and Src family kinase. Mechanistically, nintedanib inhibited injury‐induced mesothelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (MMT), as demonstrated by decreased expression of α‐smooth muscle antigen and vimentin and preserved expression of E‐cadherin in the CG‐injured peritoneum and cultured human peritoneal mesothelial cells exposed to transforming growth factor‐β1. Nintedanib also suppressed expression of Snail and Twist, two transcription factors associated with MMT in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, nintedanib treatment inhibited expression of several cytokines/chemokines, including tumour necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐1β and interleukin‐6, monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 and prevented infiltration of macrophages to the injured peritoneum. Finally, nintedanib reduced CG‐induced peritoneal vascularization. These data suggest that nintedanib may attenuate peritoneal fibrosis by inhibiting MMT, inflammation, and angiogenesis and have therapeutic potential for the prevention and treatment of peritoneal fibrosis in patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an important renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal diseases, which is limited by peritoneal neoangiogenesis leading to ultrafiltration failure (UFF). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors are key angiogenic factors involved in almost every step of peritoneal neoangiogenesis. Impaired mesothelial cells are the major sources of VEGF in the peritoneum. The expression of VEGF will be up-regulated in specific pathological conditions in PD patients, such as with non-biocompatible peritoneal dialysate, uremia and inflammation, and so on. Other working cells (i.e. vascular endothelial cells, macrophages and adipocytes) can also stimulate the secretion of VEGF. Meanwhile, hypoxia and activation of complement system further aggravate peritoneal injury and contribute to neoangiogenesis. There are several signalling pathways participating in VEGF-mediated peritoneal neoangiogenesis including tumour growth factor-β, Wnt/β-catenin, Notch and interleukin-6/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. Moreover, VEGF is highly expressed in dialysate effluent of long-term PD patients and is associated with peritoneal transport function, which supports its role in the alteration of peritoneal structure and function. In this review, we systematically summarize the angiogenic effect of VEGF and evaluate it as a potential target for the prevention of peritoneal neoangiogenesis and UFF. Preservation of the peritoneal membrane using targeted therapy of VEGF-mediated peritoneal neoangiogenesis may increase the longevity of the PD modality for those who require life-long dialysis.

Among the modern digital technologies that are reshaping many aspects of our society, blockchain is one of the most innovative, and this cutting-edge technology has drawn a great deal of public att...

Background The Chinese government has proposed cancer screening guidelines and launched 2 cancer screening programs to improve screening practices. However, the screening participation rates of Chinese women remain low. Exploring the factors affecting breast cancer screening to promote cancer screening is necessary. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate women's satisfaction with healthcare providers and screening practices. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from November 2019 to April 2020 in Changchun, Jilin Province, China. The Medical Care Satisfaction Scale and SERVQUAL were used to quantify women's satisfaction with doctors and nurses, respectively. Results Women's satisfaction with doctors (68.81 ± 11.08; range, 20-100) and with nurses (87.64 ± 16.17; range, 22-110) was moderate. Compared with women who had not participated in screening within the past 2 years, screened women reported higher satisfaction with doctors (P = .026) and nurses (P = .012). Older age (P = .004) was an independent predictor of women's satisfaction with doctors. Similarly, women's education level (P = .049), chronic disease history (P = .029), and physical examination history (P = .039) were 3 independent predictors of women's satisfaction with nurses. Conclusions Future intervention strategies can not only increase the screening rates by providing existing intervention methods but also improve women's satisfaction with healthcare providers to promote screening practices. Implications for practice This article provides a theoretical basis for healthcare providers to increase female screening practices. It also provides references for improving existing intervention methods.

In the present work, a novel surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor consisting of the nickel (Ni) film with hybrid structure of blue phosphorene (BlueP)/transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) is reported. By optimizing the thickness of Ni layer and BlueP/TMDCs, the maximum sensitivity with 270°/RIU for the Ni-BlueP/WS2 is achieved. Use of BlueP/TMDCs layer facilitates the sensitivity due to its high electron concentration, high mobility, optical, and electronic properties. Compared with the conventional Ni-based SPR sensor, the sensitivity of the proposed one is enhanced up to ~ 60.7%. We hope that the SPR sensor has potential application prospects in chemical detection, medical diagnostic, optical sensing, etc. due to its high sensitivity.

To evaluate rotavirus (RV) disease burden and circulating strains of RV among Chinese children younger than 5-years old who had diarrhea from 2011 to 2018. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CNKI and WANFANG databases were systematically searched to identify studies that reported RV prevalence in mainland China. After data extraction, a fixed-effects model or a random-effects model was applied to estimate RV positivity and proportions of G and P types. Statistical analysis was conducted using R software. We initially reviewed 1323 studies, and identified 69 studies that were eligible. The overall proportion of RV gastroenteritis (RVGE) among children under 5-years old who presented with diarrhea and sought medical care was 34.0% (95% CI: 31.3, 36.8), and RV positivity was higher among inpatients (39.7%) than outpatients (23.9%). Western areas of China had the highest proportion of RVGE (42.7%), and RV positivity was highest for children who were 6 months-old to 2 years-old. The most prevalent G types were G3 (26.1%), G9 (17.5%), and G1 (12.8%), the most prevalent P type was P[8] (56.8%) and the most prevalent G-P combination was G9P[8] (20.9%). RV continues to be a main cause of acute gastroenteritis in Chinese children who are younger than 5 years old. Following the introduction of an RV vaccine in 2011, monitoring of the disease burden of RV diarrhea and circulating strains in China remain important for assessments of vaccine efficacy.

Background NKX6.1 is a transcription factor for insulin, as well as a marker for β cell maturity. Abnormal NKX6.1 expression in β cells, such as translocation from the nucleus to cytoplasm or lost expression, has been shown as a marker for β cell dedifferentiation. Methods We obtained pancreatic sections from organ donors and immunofluorescence staining with NKX6.1 and insulin was performed to characterize NKX6.1 expression in subjects with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Results Our results showed that cells with insulin expression but no nucleic NKX6.1 expression (NKX6.1Nuc-Ins+), and cells with cytoplasmic NKX6.1 expression but no insulin expression (NKX6.1cytIns−) were significantly increased in T2DM subjects and positively correlated with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), indicating the elevated β cell dedifferentiation with NKX6.1 inactivation in T2DM. To investigate whether β cell dedifferentiation has initiated in subjects with higher risks for T2DM, we next analyzed the association between β-cell dedifferentiation level in ND subjects with different ages, body mass index, and HbA1c. The results showed the absolute number and percentage of dedifferentiated β cells with NKX6.1 inactivation did not significantly change in subjects with advanced aging, obesity, or modest hyperglycemia, indicating that the β cell dedifferentiation might mainly occur after T2DM was diagnosed. Conclusion Our results suggested that NKX6.1 expression in β cells was changed in type 2 diabetic subjects, evidenced by significantly increased NKX6.1Nuc-Ins+ and NKX6.1cytIns− cells. This abnormality did not occur more frequently in subjects with a higher risk for T2DM, suggesting that β cell dedifferentiation might be secondary to the pathological changes in T2DM.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have very potential properties for sensing applications. Hence, a lossy-mode resonance (LMR) refractive index (RI) sensor based on TMDs- indium-tin-oxide (ITO) configuration is proposed for high imaging sensitivity. A significant advantage of the proposed LMR sensor is that can achieve sharp resonance curves for both the transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations while the traditional surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor can only support TM polarizations. Through theoretical analysis, we found that the imaging sensitivity can be improved to 6438 RIU−1 ( $\text{n}_{s}=1$ .330) and 6695 RIU−1 ( $\text{n}_{s}=1$ .340) for TE and TM polarizations, respectively. It is an existing improvement of about 85.84 times and 11.5 times correspond to the single ITO-based LMR sensor without TMDs, respectively. This article reveals the design rules of the LMR sensor after system research, which provides guidance for further research and applied in environmental monitoring, biomolecules inspection, and so on.

Background: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is related to the prognosis of multiple malignancies. This study investigated whether the PNI has prognostic value in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed advanced NSCLC patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors from July 2018 to December 2019. Pretreatment PNI was calculated by peripheral lymphocyte count and serum albumin level, and the cut-off value was determined. Subsequently, we investigated the relationship between PNI and early progression, and evaluated its prognostic role on survival outcomes. Ultimately, based on the results of survival analysis, a nomogram was established. Results: A total of 123 patients were included. Of these, 24 (19.5%) patients had experienced early progression. Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that low PNI (odds ratio, 3.709, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.354-10.161; P = 0.011) was closely correlated with early progression. Moreover, multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that low PNI was an independent risk factor for progression-free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.698, 95% CI, 1.752-4.153; P < 0.001) and overall survival (HR, 7.222, 95% CI, 4.081-12.781; P < 0.001), respectively. The prediction accuracy of nomogram based on PNI is moderate. Conclusion: PNI was an independent predictor of early progression and survival outcomes in advanced NSCLC patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors.

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic change in carcinogenesis. However, the function and mechanism of DNA methylation dysregulation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is still largely unclear. Our previous genome-wide microarray data showed that NFAT1 is one of the most hypermethylated transcription factor genes in NPC tissues. Here, we found that NFAT1 hypermethylation contributes to its down-regulation in NPC. NFAT1 overexpression inhibited cell migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in vitro and tumor metastasis in vivo. We further established that the tumor suppressor effect of NFAT1 is mediated by its inactivation of ITGA6 transcription. Our findings suggest the significance of activating NFAT1/ITGA6 signaling in aggressive NPC, defining a novel critical signaling mechanism that drives NPC invasion and metastasis and providing a novel target for future personalized therapy.

To assess the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), literature on this topic from Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science were obtained and analyzed. The response and recurrence rates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the DerSimonia–Laird method. The pooled complete response (CR) rate from the included studies was 0.799 (95% CI: 0.708–0.867), while the overall response (OR) rate was 0.967 (95% CI: 0.902–0.989). The recurrence rate (RR) was 0.158 (95% CI: 0.090–0.264). A subgroup analysis of lesion site, photosensitizer, laser type, radiant exposure, and power density revealed no statistically significant differences. In general, PDT is effective for the treatment of early OSCC. Investigations on the influence of PDT on the survival of OSCC patients, optimization of the treatment regimen, and evaluation of response after treatment are still needed.

Artificial intelligence, as an emerging and multidisciplinary domain of research and innovation, has attracted growing attention in recent years. Delineating the domain composition of artificial intelligence is central to profiling and tracking its development and trajectories. This paper puts forward a bibliometric definition for artificial intelligence which can be readily applied, including by researchers, managers, and policy analysts. Our approach starts with benchmark records of artificial intelligence captured by using a core keyword and specialized journal search. We then extract candidate terms from high frequency keywords of benchmark records, refine keywords and complement with the subject category “artificial intelligence”. We assess our search approach by comparing it with other three recent search strategies of artificial intelligence, using a common source of articles from the Web of Science. Using this source, we then profile patterns of growth and international diffusion of scientific research in artificial intelligence in recent years, identify top research sponsors in funding artificial intelligence and demonstrate how diverse disciplines contribute to the multidisciplinary development of artificial intelligence. We conclude with implications for search strategy development and suggestions of lines for further research.

Single-walled carbon nanotube-based field effect transistors (SWCNT-FETs) are ideal candidates for fabricating sensors and have been widely used for chemical sensing applications. SWCNT-FETs have low selectivity because of the environmentally sensitive electronic properties of SWCNTs, and SWCNT-FETs also show a high noise signal and poor sensitivity because of charge trapping from Si–OH hydration of the SiO2/Si substrate on the SWCNTs. Herein, poly (4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) was used for noncovalent attachment to SWCNTs and selective binding to copper ions (Cu2+). Importantly, the introduction of a hafnium-oxide (HfO2) layer through atomic layer deposition (ALD) overcame the charge trapping by SiO2 hydration and remarkably decreased the interference signal. The sensitivity of the P4VP/SWCNT/HfO2-FET sensor for Cu2+ was 7.9 μA μM−1, which was approximately 100 times higher than that of the P4VP/SWCNT/SiO2-FET sensor, and its limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 33 pmol L−1. Thus, the P4VP/SWCNT/HfO2-FET sensor is a promising candidate for the development of Cu2+-selective sensors and can be designed for the large-scale manufacturing of custom-made sensors in the future.

The organic non-crystalline medium of 5,6-dichloro-2-[[5,6-dichloro-1-ethyl-3-(4-sulfobutyl)-benzimidazol-2-ylidene]-propenyl]-1-ethyl-3-(4-sulfobutyl)-benzimidazolium hydroxide (TDBC) is emerging as possible alternative plasmonic material for noble metal in visible region. In this paper, a novel long-range surface exciton-polariton (LRSEP) sensor based on TDBC film covered with graphene is reported. To enhance the imaging sensitivity, the thickness of TDBC film and the number of graphene layers are optimized. The result shows that the optimized imaging sensitivity is enhanced to 3243 RIU−1 when ns = 1.34. Compared with the traditional noble metal film-based sensor, the proposed LRSEP sensor demonstrates that the imaging sensitivity has been greatly improved. This is the first study of the TDBC film-based LRSEP sensor, which we hope to support the potential development of chemical sensing and bio-sensing.

Pea (Pisum sativum L.), a cool-season legume crop grown in more than 85 countries, is the second most important grain legume and one of the major green vegetables in the world. While pea was historically studied as the genetic model leading to the discovery of the laws of genetics, pea research has lagged behind that of other major legumes in the genomics era, due to its large and complex genome. The evolving climate change and growing population have posed grand challenges to the objective of feeding the world, making it essential to invest research efforts to develop multi-omics resources and advanced breeding tools to support fast and continuous development of improved pea varieties. Recently, the pea researchers have achieved key milestones in omics and molecular breeding. The present review provides an overview of the recent important progress including the development of genetic resource databases, high-throughput genotyping assays, reference genome, genes/QTLs responsible for important traits, transcriptomic, proteomic, and phenomic atlases of various tissues under different conditions. These multi-faceted resources have enabled the successful implementation of various markers for monitoring early-generation populations as in marker-assisted backcrossing breeding programs. The emerging new breeding approaches such as CRISPR, speed breeding, and genomic selection are starting to change the paradigm of pea breeding. Collectively, the rich omics resources and omics-enable breeding approaches will enhance genetic gain in pea breeding and accelerate the release of novel pea varieties to meet the elevating demands on productivity and quality.

Dear Editor,A 62-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of edema of both lower limbs for more than 3 months and oliguria for 1 week. The patient’s laboratory test results were listed i...

Background: Neonatal sepsis (NS) remains one of the leading causes of mortality among newborns. This study found the deregulated microRNA-96 (miR-96) in NS neonates, and aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of miR-96, as well as its effect on LPS-induced inflammatory response in monocytes. In addition, the relationship of interleukin-16 (IL-16) and miR-96 was investigated to understand the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Expression of miR-96 was examined using real-time quantitative PCR. Monocytes stimulated by LPS was used to mimic excessive inflammation in the pathogenesis of NS. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to evaluate pro-inflammatory cytokines levels. A luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the interaction between miR-96 and IL16. Results: Serum miR-96 expression was decreased in NS newborns and had considerable diagnostic value for NS screening. LPS inhibited miR-96 expression in monocytes, and the overexpression of miR-96 could reverse the effects of LPS on the inflammation of monocytes. IL-16 was a target gene of miR-96 and negatively correlated with miR-96 levels in NS neonates. The inhibited inflammatory responses induced by miR-96 overexpression was abolished by the elevated IL-16 in monocytes. Conclusion: All the data reveal that serum decreased miR-96 may serve as a candidate non-invasive biomarker for NS diagnosis. In addition, miR-96 inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory responses by targeting IL-16 in monocytes. The miR96/IL-16 axis may provide novel therapeutic targets for NS treatment.

Background: The new Family-Community-Hospital (FCH) three-level comprehensive management aimed to improve the efficiency and scale of peritoneal dialysis (PD) to meet the increased population of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Our study focused on the clinical outcomes, quality of life, and costs evaluation of this model in a multi-center and prospective cohort study. Methods: A total of 190 ESRD patients who commenced PD at Shanghai Songjiang District were enrolled. According to different PD management models, patients were divided into the Family-Community-Hospital three-level management model (n = 90) and the conventional all-course central hospital management model (n = 100). The primary outcome was clinical outcomes of PD. The secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and medical costs evaluation. Results: Compared to conventional management, community-based FCH management achieved a similar dialysis therapeutic effect, including dropout rate (p = 0.366), peritonitis rate (p = 0.965), patient survival (p = 0.441), and technique survival (p = 0.589). Follow-up data showed that similar levels of the renal and peritoneal functions, serum albumin, cholesterol and triglyceride, PTH, serum calcium, and phosphorus between the two groups (all p > 0.05). HRQOL survey showed that the FCH management model helped to improve the psychological status of PD patients, including social functioning (p = 0.006), role-emotional (p = 0.032), and mental health (p = 0.036). FCH management also reduced the hospitalization (p = 0.009) and outpatient visits (p = 0.001) and saved annual hospitalization costs (p = 0.005), outpatient costs (p = 0.026), and transport costs (p = 0.006). Conclusions: Compared with conventional management, community-based FCH management achieved similar outcomes, improved psychological health, reduced medical budgets, and thus had a good social prospect.

Highly efficient semiconductor photocatalysis technology is widely used for water purification. Herein, we prepared carbon quantum dots (CQDs)/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) on carbon cloth (CC). After the addition of CQDs, the visible light absorption characteristics and electron–hole separation rate of g-C3N4 are improved. The g-C3N4/CQDs/CC composite material has photocatalytic activity and good recyclability under visible light irradiation and can be used for the photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB). The introduction of carbon cloth facilitates recycling and improves the cycle life of the photocatalyst. This work can be extended to the manufacture of high-performance photocatalysts supported by other recyclable carbon cloth.

Background Impaction of jujube pits in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a special clinical condition in the northern Chinese population. Endoscopic removal is the preferred therapy, but there is no consensus on the management strategies. We reported our individualized endoscopic strategies on the jujube pits impacted in the upper GI tract. Methods In this retrospective study, we included 191 patients (male: 57; female: 134) who presented to our hospital with ingestion of jujube pits between January 2015 and December 2017. Demographic information, times of hospital visiting, locations of jujube pits, endoscopic procedures, post-extraction endoscopic characteristics were analyzed. Management strategies including sufficient suction, repeated irrigation, jejunal nutrition and gastrointestinal decompression were given based on post-extraction endoscopic characteristics and impacted locations. Results Peak incidence was in the second quarter of each year (85/191 cases, 44.5%). Among the 191 cases, 169 (88.5%) showed pits impaction in the esophagus, 20 (10.5%) in the prepyloric region and 2 (1.0%) in the duodenal bulb. A total of 185 patients (96.9%) had pits removed with alligator jaw forceps, and 6 (3.1%) underwent suction removal with transparent caps placed over the end of the endoscope to prevent injury on removal of these pits with two sharp painted edges. Post-extraction endoscopic manifestations included mucosal erosion (26.7%), mucosa laceration (24.6%), ulceration with a white coating (18.9%) and penetrating trauma with pus cavity formation (29.8%). All patients received individualized endoscopic and subsequent management strategies and showed good outcomes. Conclusions Individualized endoscopic management for impacted jujube pits in the upper GI tract based on post-extraction endoscopic characteristics and impacted locations was safe, effective, and minimally invasive.