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Lithium battery has recently gained more and more attention worldwide. It has wide usage that range from toys to electric cars. Choosing a suitable material that best fits the overall performance as electrode for the battery is very essential. For cathode material, apart from the traditional and widely-used LiCoO2, LiFePO4 and so on, there are innovations that include the use of V2O5. Researches have been done focusing on how to further improve the performance for V2O5 cathode in terms of different structure, forms or combination with other chemical molecules. This research paper will make a summary of the materials derived from traditional V2O5 as well as their performances.

Huiyi Deng,1,* Meijiao Li,2,* Rui Zheng,1,* Huijun Qiu,1 Tian Yuan,1 Weihao Wang,1 Qintai Yang,1 Zijie Long,3 Xuekun Huang1 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Allergy, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tung wah Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Dongguan, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xuekun HuangDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Allergy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 020-85252239Fax +86 020-85253210Email xuekunhuang@163.comZijie LongDepartment of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 020-85253601Fax +86 020-85253210Email longzij@mail.sysu.edu.cnBackground: Hippo-Yes-associated protein (YAP) pathway plays an important role in epithelial cell proliferation and inflammation development in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Objective: This study intends to investigate the role of YAP and the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway in cell proliferation and the expression of epithelium-derived cytokines in nasal polyps (NP).Methods: The expression levels of YAP, TEA domain family member 1 (TEAD1), Ki-67, and NF-κB as well as interleukin (IL-) 33, IL-25 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in sinonasal mucosa, primary nasal epithelial cells (NPECs), and human nasal epithelial RPMI 2650 cells were detected. NPECs were cultured and treated with verteporfin (VP), YAP shRNA or BAY 11– 7082.Results: The hippo pathway effector YAP, Ki-67, p65 NF-κB, and cyclin D1 were significantly increased in NP compared with control mucosa, which was accompanied by overexpression of IL-33, IL-25, and TSLP. Pharmaceutical inhibition of YAP by VP suppressed cell proliferation of RPMI 2650 cells by blocking cell cycle progression at G0/G1 without inducing obvious cell apoptosis. Furthermore, lentiviral transfection-mediated knockdown of hippo pathway activity reduced the expression of IL-33, IL-25, TSLP as well as p65 NF-κB in RPMI 2650 cells. Downregulation of NF-κB pathway with BAY 11– 7082 in NPECs could decrease the mRNA level of TSLP, IL-33 and IL-25 accordingly.Conclusion: Inhibition of hippo pathway suppressed nasal epithelial cell proliferation and declined the expression of epithelium-derived cytokines via the NF-κB pathway in NPECs.Keywords: NF-κB signalling pathway, yes-associated protein, cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, nasal polyps

PURPOSE: Although the cost and complexity of managing diabetes is increasing around the world, placing greater burden on patients and their families, the cost of drug regimens prescribed to Chinese patients has not been evaluated. This study was conducted to evaluate the temporal changes in the costs and drugs used for people with diabetes. METHODS: Patients enrolled in Beijing Medical Insurance with outpatient medical records from 2016 through 2018 were included in this study. The outcomes of interest were: (1) the number of outpatient medications, (2) the number of comorbidities diagnosed, (3) the estimated annual cost of the outpatient drug regimen, (4) the drug therapy strategies used for diabetic patients, and (5) the most commonly prescribed classes of drugs. RESULTS: Over the 3-year period, there was a significant decrease (9.0%, P

Supply chain members’ reciprocal altruism and consumers’ quality and service reference effects are important behavioral factors that affect the decision-making of supply chain members. This article incorporates these factors into a product–service supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer in the online-to-offline (O2O) environment. Based on the inherent dynamics of the model, we construct a differential game model between the manufacturer and the retailer. Based on the Bellman continuous dynamic programming theory, this study analyzes the quality strategy of the manufacturer, the service level strategy of the retailer, and the performance of the supply chain system under three decision-making patterns (decentralization, centralization, and reciprocal altruism) within the O2O framework. The results show that compared with the decentralized decision-making model, reciprocal altruism helps members develop higher quality and service levels, improve brand goodwill, and obtain greater utility. The results are verified by numerical examples, and sensitivity analysis of consumer quality and the service reference effect, channel preference, and members’ reciprocal altruism behavior on the supply chain performance is carried out. The results show: (1) Consumers’ reference effects cause an “anchoring mentality” among consumers, which leads the manufacturer to lower the quality level and the retailer to lower the service level. This hurts the performance of the product–service supply chain. Consumers’ channel preference has an important impact on supply chain members’ strategies and performance. (2) Retailers should encourage consumers to purchase products online and use offline channel services as sales assistance measures to satisfy consumers’ experience utility. (3) As a positive social preference, the supply chain performance under the members’ reciprocal altruism decision-making model is Pareto-improved and receives additional social benefits. (4) Only when the manufacturer and the retailer have pure altruistic preference, that is, minimum return and maximum altruism, the total profit of the supply chain can reach that of the centralized decision-making scenario.

Background The arcuate foramen is a complete or partial bony bridge over the vertebral artery groove of atlas. The mechanism of the arcuate foramen is not clearly understood. Omission of the arcuate foramen sometimes causes lethal iatrogenic injury during spinal surgery. Case Presentation We describe a patient who was diagnosed with multiple fractures of the cervical vertebrae, arcuate foramen, and right vertebral artery occlusion based on clinical and radiological exams. After conservative treatment, he resumed a normal and productive life. Conclusions Arcuate foramen is a common variation that causes symptoms such as dizziness, headache, and migraine. If the patient does not develop severe symptoms, conservative treatment can achieve very good results without the necessity to remove the bone bridge. When serious symptoms occur, surgical treatment to resect the bony ridges can relieve the symptoms dramatically., A patient who was diagnosed with multiple fractures of the cervical vertebrae, arcuate foramen, and right vertebral artery occlusion. After conservative treatment, he resumed a normal and productive life.

Equol is a metabolite of daidzein and has a higher biological activity than daidzein. Equol, combined with estrogen receptors, can reduce the incidence of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and breast cancer; more effectively alleviate the symptoms of perimenopausal syndrome; and improve age‐related decline of the uterus and ovaries. Research has shown that food composition can greatly affect the formation of equol in the intestinal tract. In the intestines, the content of nonstarch polysaccharides that can stimulate fermentation is high, thereby allowing intestinal bacteria to quickly and completely transform the daidzein into equol. This study used Sprague Dawley (SD) rats as a model, where menopause was established through direct intragastric administration of formistan. In the 6‐week‐long experiment, intragastric administration of RS while feeding bean pulp reduced the body weight of postmenopausal rats, reduced the efficiency of feed utilization of rats, and increased the weight of organs such as the uterus and ovaries. Routine blood indexes showed that no adverse reactions were produced by intragastric administration of RS. 16s rDNA sequencing further verified Lactobacillus and Clostridium XIVa, as the bacteria that converted daidzein into equol., In this study, the evaluation of equol content is important for the changes of uterine and ovarian morphological tissues in menopausal rats under the condition of adding resistant starch. The information obtained has a certain repairing effect on uterine ovarian atrophy in postmenopausal women. Resistant starch can regulate the structure of the intestinal flora and metabolize daidzein in soy products to produce equol to exert higher biological activity and to act as a substitute for estrogen in postmenopausal women. Therefore, in the development of functional foods, the combination of resistant starch and soybean products can be selected.

Seismic isolation devices were designed to protect three similar building structures, containing different objects with different fragilities, in a strong earthquake region. And a performance-based assessment framework, established by the PEER, was used to identify the seismic isolation efficiency of these devices. It optimized the ratios of spring part, viscous damping part and friction part in the seismic isolation devices, aiming at different functional buildings. Results show that a spatially concave friction distribution, combined with a weak spring, not only can reduce the structural acceleration response during earthquakes, but also decrease the structural residual displacement after earthquakes. Moreover, the spatially concave friction distribution can dissipate earthquake energy, but cannot hinder the recentering of structure like that of general uniform friction distributions. Consequently, the spatially concave friction distribution can partly or fully replace the viscous dampers, which are more expensive and short-lived. The reasonable combination of different components in the seismic isolation devices can satisfy different seismic requirements, aiming at different functional buildings.

Background The effects of whole grain diet on cardiovascular risks in obese and overweight adults is not well established. Our goal was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of whole grain diet on cardiovascular risks in obese/overweight adults. Methods PubMed, Embase and Cochrane were systematically scanned for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and studies were selected based on certain inclusion and exclusion criteria. The primary outcome was the effectiveness of whole grain food consumption in reducing body weight. The secondary outcomes were the effect of whole grain food consumption on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors including plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), insulin resistance index, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP), and waist circumference in obese/overweight adults. Results Our results showed that whole grain consumption was associated with lower body weight (mean difference (MD) = − 0.5, 95% confidence intervals (CI) [− 0.74, 0.25], I2 = 35%, P 2 = 69%, P 2 = 27%, P = 0.05), waist circumference (MD = -0.12, 95% CI [− 0.92, 0.68], I2 = 44%, P = 0.76), systolic blood pressure (MD = -0.11, 95% CI [− 1.55, 1.33], I2 = 3%, P = 0.88), diastolic blood pressure (MD = -0.44, 95% CI [− 1.44, 0.57], I2 = 15%, P = 0.39), and fasting glucose (MD = -0.05, 95% CI [− 0.12, 0.01], I2 = 31%, P = 0.11) between the two groups. Conclusion This study suggests that whole grain food consumption can slightly reduce body weight and CRP in obese/overweight population.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) remains the most effective and potentially curative treatment for a variety of hematologic malignancies. However, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major obstacle that limits wide application of allo-HSCT, despite the development of prophylactic strategies. Owing to experimental and clinical advances in the field, GVHD is characterized by disruption of the balance between effector and regulatory immune cells, resulting in higher inflammatory cytokine levels. A reduction in regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been associated with limiting recalibration of inflammatory overaction and maintaining immune tolerance. Moreover, accumulating evidence suggests that immunoregulation may be useful for preventing GVHD. As opposed to CD4+ Tregs, the CD8+ Tregs population, which constitutes an important proportion of all Tregs, efficiently attenuates GVHD while sparing graft-versus-leukemic (GVL) effects. CD8+ Tregs may provide another form of cellular therapy for preventing GVHD and preserving GVL effects, and understanding the underlying mechanisms that different from those of CD4+ Tregs is significant. In this review, we summarize preclinical experiments that have demonstrated the role of CD8+ Tregs during GVHD and attempted to obtain optimized CD8+ Tregs. Notably, although optimized CD8+ Tregs have obvious advantages, more exploration is needed to determine how to apply them in the clinic.

The relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and pancreatic cancer (PC) is complex. Diabetes is a known risk factor for PC, and new-onset diabetes (NOD) could be an early manifestation of PC that may be facilitate the early diagnosis of PC. Metformin offers a clear benefit of inhibiting PC, whereas insulin therapy may increase the risk of PC development. No evidence has shown that novel hypoglycemic drugs help or prevent PC. In this review, the effects of T2DM on PC development are summarized, and novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of T2DM and PC are discussed.

Background: Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) has been the definitive treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), but the complications caused perioperatively may affect patients' quality of life (QoL). This study aims to evaluate the effects of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) on improving perioperative QoL in ESS. Materials and methods: Seventy-four patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) met the criteria for inclusion. Participants undergoing ESS were randomly divided into an ERAS group and a control group, and QoL assessment was performed using the Chinese version of the 22-item Sinonasal Outcomes Test (SNOT-22). Measurements were administered at baseline, and on postoperative day 1 (POD1), POD3 and POD6. Complications such as nausea/emesis, hemorrhage, aspiration and dizziness were also recorded. Results: The preoperative global SNOT-22 scores (mean ± SD) were 39.89±4.86 in the ERAS group and 40.52±3.61 in the control group (t=0.643, P=0.522). On POD1, the global SNOT-22 scores increased significantly to 51.77±5.59 and 62.02±3.86 (t=9.218, P 0.05), hemorrhage, aspiration and dizziness compared to the control group. Conclusion: ERAS could improve perioperative QoL in patients with CRSwNP undergoing ESS, and SNOT-22 can be used for ERAS evaluation as a patients' outcome report.

Tin monoxide (SnO) is a p-type semiconductor which is promising in field effect transistors (FETs) applications. However, nanostructure SnO has hardly been applied in FETs due to its stability issu...

Background: The implementation of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) requires extensive knowledge of allergen distribution in the region to identify high-risk regions for AIT utilization. However, the geographical distribution patterns of the major Dermatophagoides allergens in China remain unclear despite the increasing prevalence of these allergens. Methods: We performed comprehensive database searches of articles demonstrating the distribution patterns of Dermatophagoides-sensitized allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma (AA) in China, published between 1990 and 2017. Results: We retrieved 163 articles encompassing 114,302 allergen-positive cases to generate the distribution maps. The rate of sensitization to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus(D. pteronyssinus)and Dermatophagoides farinae (D. farinae) was similar in patients with AR (75.1 vs. 75.2%, p > 0.05) but not in those with AA (78.5 vs. 77.7%, p = 0.041). Patients with AR and AA shared similar regional distribution patterns of both D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae sensitization, which were highest in the southern and central parts of China and lowest in the northern regions, especially in the Northwest. The overall rate of sensitization to D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae was significantly higher in patients with AA (p < 0.001). Additionally, the annual mean temperature and humidity were the 2 major determinants of D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae sensitization in AR and of D. pteronyssinus sensitization in AA, whereas the annual mean temperature was the sole determinant for D. farinae sensitization in AA. Conclusion: These findings may inform clinicians of the strategies for the prevention of Dermatophagoides sensitization and may be of benefit to the future clinical management of allergic diseasesassociated with sensitization to Dermatophagoides mites.

In this work, tin oxide (SnO2) nanoarrays (NAs) with a novel morphology were fabricated by a hydrothermal method. Each SnO2 nanorod (NR) consisted of a bunch of nearly ten primary NRs with a width of 4–7 nm. On this basis, gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) were used to induce the growth of smaller and more orderly SnO2 NAs. The prepared ultraviolet (UV) detectors based on SnO2 NAs have high responsivity and high external quantum efficiency (EQE) under 20 μW cm−2 UV light with only 1 V external bias voltage.

Background and AimsSeveral clinical trials have proved the efficacy of clopidogrel treatment for patients with percutaneous coronary intervention. There are few large-scale studies to identify the mortality associated with different durations of treatment of clopidogrel in patients with diabetes and ACS undergoing PCI in the Chinese population. The objective of this analysis was to determine the efficacy of long-term clopidogrel therapy (≥12 months) versus short-term use (Methods and ResultsWe used the Beijing Municipal Medical Insurance Database provided by the Beijing Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau. The Beijing Municipal Medical Insurance Database contained medical data of about 16 million people, including about 990,000 patients with diabetes and a history of taking antidiabetic medicines. Patients were divided into two groups, one group of 9,116 patients receiving consecutive clopidogrel for one year or more, and another group of 3290 patients receiving consecutive clopidogrel for less than one year. The primary outcomes of this analysis were the risk of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and revascularization. In patients with diabetes after PCI, long-term clopidogrel treatment was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause death (HR, 0.57[95%CI, 0.49-0.67], PConclusionThe present study concluded that long-term dual antiplatelet therapy including clopidogrel and aspirin could decrease the risks of all-cause death, myocardial infarction. But it could increase the risks of angina and revascularization. Further studies should interpret the cause of this question.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a potentially curative therapy for many hematological disorders and autoimmune diseases, but acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) has remained a major obstacle that limits allo-HSCT and exhibits a daunting mortality rate. The gastrointestinal system is among the most common sites affected by aGVHD. Experimental advances in the field of intestinal microbiota research enhanced our understanding - not only of the quantity and diversity of intestinal microbiota - but also their association with homeostasis of the immune system and disease pathogenesis, including that of aGVHD. Meanwhile, ever-growing clinical evidence suggest that the intestinal microbiota is dysregulated in patients who develop aGVHD and that the imbalance may affect clinical outcomes, indicating a potential predictive role for microbiota dysregulation in aGVHD severity and prognosis. The current animal and human studies investigating the intestinal microbiota in aGVHD and the understanding of the influence and management of the microbiota in the clinic are reviewed herein. Taken together, monitoring and remodeling the intestinal microecology following allo-HSCT may provide us with promising avenues for diagnosing, preventing or treating aGVHD in the clinic.

To measure large and heavy micro-structured workpieces in situ and improve the measurement accuracy, which strongly depends on the environment during the measurement of micro-structured surfaces, a workpiece rotating technique is proposed. This method utilizes the precise rotation of machine tools to drive the workpiece and records a set of elemental image arrays for the pickup stage to overcome the upper-resolution limit imposed by the Nyquist sampling theorem, which allows the increase in the two-dimensional spatial resolution of the computed depth images in integral imaging. By extracting the depth position, we can obtain accurate depth information and measurement results for micro-structured surfaces. We carried out simulations and experiments to demonstrate the proposed method, and the results show the feasibility of our method.

Background. Huangqi Gegen decoction (HGD), a Chinese herb formula, has been widely used to treat diabetic nephropathy in China, while the pharmacological mechanisms are still unclear. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the underlying mechanism of HGD for treating diabetic nephropathy (DN). Materials and Methods. Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database (TCMSP), UniProt, and SwissTargetPrediction databases were used to search the active ingredients and potential targets of HGD. In addition, multiple disease-related databases were used to collect DN-related targets. Common targets of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were established using the STRING database. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the DAVID database. At last, AutoDockVina was used to conduct molecular docking verification for the core components and targets. Results. A total of 27 active ingredients and 354 putative identified target genes were screened from HGD, of which 99 overlapped with the targets of DN and were considered potential therapeutic targets. Further analysis showed that the HGD activity of quercetin, formononetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, and beta-sitosterol ingredients is possible through VEGFA, IL6, TNF, AKT1, and TP53 targets involved in TNF, toll-like receptors, and MAPK-related pathways, which have anti-inflammatory, antiapoptosis, antioxidation, and autophagy effects, relieve renal fibrosis and renal cortex injury, and improve renal function, thus delaying the development of DN. The molecular docking results showed that quercetin, formononetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, beta-sitosterol had a good binding activity with VEGFA, IL6, TNF, AKT1, and TP53. Conclusion. This study demonstrated that HGD might take part in the treatment of DN through multicomponent, multitarget, and multichannel combined action.

BACKGROUND To determine whether the new international cluster-based classification method can be applied to Chinese inpatients with diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS Adult patients with DM hospitalized in our tertiary care centre from January 2017 to December 2018 were included in the study. K-means cluster analysis was done in clusters based on glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies, body mass index, glycosylated haemoglobin, homeostasis model-assessed beta cell function, insulin resistance index, and age at diagnosis of DM. Chi-square test was used to analyse inter-subgroup differences in DM-related complications and family history of DM. p

Background There are several clinical trials that proved the efficacy of clopidogrel treatment for patients with percutaneous coronary intervention. There are few large-scale research to explore the mortality associated with different duration use of clopidogrel in patients with diabetes and ACS undergoing PCI in the Chinese population. Objectives The objective of this analysis was to determine the efficacy of long-term clopidogrel therapy(≥ 12 months) versus short-term use(

Introduction: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols are a series of perioperative care to optimize preoperative preparation, prevent postoperative complications, minimize stress, and speedup recovery. Tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy are common surgical procedures for chronic suppurative otitis media. Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety between ERAS and conventional recovery after surgery in the perioperative period of chronic suppurative otitis media. Methods: From April 2018 to February 2019, a total of 84 patients scheduled for tympanoplasty and/or mastoidectomy due to chronic suppurative otitis media were involved and randomly divided into the ERAS group and the control group. The patients’ preoperative anxiety, postoperative pain, and comfort level were determined by comparing the results of Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ). The postoperative complications, postoperative hospital stay, and hospitalization cost were calculated. Results: The ERAS group showed a lower SAS score (30 [28-31.5] vs 35 [30-43], P < .05], a higher GCQ score (88 [84-100] vs 83 [78.25-92.25], P < .05), and a lower VAS score (0 [0-0] vs 1 [0-2], P < .05] after surgery. No significant difference ( P > .05) was observed between the ERAS group and the control group in postoperative complications, postoperative hospitalization time, and hospitalization cost, respectively. Conclusion: Enhanced recovery after surgery can reduce pain and improve comfort in the perioperative period of chronic suppurative otitis media.

Sharing Experience in the Application ofDistributed Map of Intractable Epistaxis in Concealed SitesHuiyi. Deng1, #, Huijun. Qiu1, #, Weihao Wang1, Qintai. Yang1,2, *1 Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China2 Department of Allergy, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China# The authors contributed equally to this work.* Corresponding authorQintai Yang, MD, PhDDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck SurgeryDepartment of AllergyThe Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen UniversityNo. 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou 510630, ChinaPhone: 020-85252239E-mail: yang.qt@163.com

Objective: This proof-of-concept study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of suppression of insulin secretion in the treatment of obesity. Methods: A search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases was performed to identify randomized controlled trials (up to January 1, 2020) that used drugs that directly suppress insulin secretion (diazoxide or octreotide) in the treatment of obesity. The extracted data were analyzed using random-effects meta-analysis. Results: A total of seven randomized controlled trials were included, with four using diazoxide and three using octreotide to suppress insulin secretion. Suppression of insulin secretion significantly reduced fasting insulin level (mean difference: −3.94 mIU/L; 95% CI: −7.40 to −0.47) but slightly increased fasting blood glucose level (mean difference: 0.48 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.24 to 0.72). Following the suppression of insulin secretion, significant reductions in body weight (mean difference: −3.19 kg; 95% CI: −5.71 to −0.66), BMI (mean difference: −1.65 kg/m2; 95% CI: −2.41 to −0.90), and fat mass (mean difference: −5.92 kg; 95% CI: −8.28 to −3.56) were observed compared with placebo in the pooled data. No significant difference in fat-free mass was observed (mean difference: 0.56 kg; 95% CI: −0.40 to 1.52). Conclusions: Results suggest that suppression of insulin secretion may lead to reduced body weight and fat mass with slightly increased blood glucose in individuals with obesity.

AIM To conduct an overall safety assessment of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors used for the treatment of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), including ketoacidosis, genital infection, volume depletion, liver and kidney injury events, cardiovascular events, diarrhea and severe hypoglycaemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched three databases (Pubmed, Embase and the Cochrane Library) for randomized controlled trials that treated T1D by using SGLT-2 inhibitors from 2000 to 5 March 2020. RESULTS Of the 1653 articles identified that fit our search criteria, 22 studies included qualitative-based results, eight of which were randomized clinical trials that included quantitative-based results. Compared with the control group, the SGLT-2 inhibitors treatment group was found to have had an increased incidence of ketoacidosis (P

The study of imaging through scattering media especially 3D imaging is of great significance in many fields such as biomedical imaging. Recently, deep learning has been widely used in the field of information processing with its remarkable performance. In this paper, we proposed a method of three - dimensional imaging through scattering media based on deep learning. This method uses the deep neural network to process the information captured by the light field imaging system based on the microlens array, recovering the no-scattering 4D light field information, and then realize three-dimensional reconstruction by using the processed light field information. Deep learning method requires a large number of samples. But in many environments, it is difficult to obtain a large number of three-dimensional samples through experiment. To solve this crucial problem, we use incoherent light propagation model to simulate the light field propagation and generate samples which contains three-dimensional information through simulation. In this paper, we simulated the propagation of radiation emitted from objects behind a single layer of weak scattering media, generated a large number of samples of 4D light field information by simulation, trained the neural network and processed the test data set generated by simulation, and we realized the deblurring of the light field information which contains information of multiple layers of flat semitransparent objects, which could be used to realize the 3D reconstruction.

Background Hippo-Yes-associated protein (YAP) pathway plays an important role in epithelial cell proliferation and development. However, its possible role in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) remains unknown. We aim to investigate it on nasal epithelial proliferation and remodeling in CRSwNP. Methods The expressions of hippo pathway components as well as Ki-67 and E-cadherin in the sinonasal mucosa and nasal epithelial cells were analyzed in 14 controls, 14 eosinophilic CRSwNP, and 14 noneosinophilic CRSwNP. Nasal epithelial cells from 6 controls, 6 eosinophilic CRSwNP, and 6 noneosinophilic CRSwNP were cultured and treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), Poly(I:C), or a selective YAP inhibitor verteporfin (VP). Results The hippo pathway components MST1, LATS1/2, YAP, and TEAD1 were increased in both eosinophilic and noneosinophilic CRSwNP, particularly in nasal epithelial cells, along with upregulation of Ki-67 and downregulation of E-cadherin. The mRNA levels of YAP positively correlated with the Ki-67 mRNA levels, and negatively associated with the E-cadherin mRNA levels in polyp tissues and epithelial cells from nasal polyps (NPECs). LPS and Poly(I:C) upregulated the YAP expression in nasal epithelial cells accompanied by increased TEAD1 and Ki-67 expression. Conversely, YAP inhibition by VP decreased TEAD1 and Ki-67 expression in NPECs. Conclusions Hippo pathway components are abnormally upregulated in NPECs, and its effector YAP promotes nasal epithelial cells proliferation and remodeling in CRSwNP. It provides a rationale to explore inhibition of YAP as a novel therapeutic strategy for reducing the epithelial proliferation and remodeling in CRSwNP.

Aim To evaluate the technical feasibility and treatment results of ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with ethanol ablation (EA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the caudate lobe. Materials and methods The institutional review board approved this retrospective study and the requirement for informed consent was waived. From October 2009 to June 2016, there were 49 patients with HCC in the caudate lobe underwent ablation. Among them, 14 patients (12 men and two women, mean age: 49.9±14.9 years) with 16 caudate lobe HCCs (mean size: 3±1.1 cm) who underwent US-guided RFA-EA were identified. These patients were compared with patients who underwent RFA alone (n=17) and EA alone (n=18). Results HCCs in the RFA-EA group were larger than those in the EA-alone group (3±1.1 versus 2.1±0.7 cm, p=0.028). In the RFA-EA group, all the patients achieved treatment success (14/14) and entered follow-up. After a follow-up period of 17.1±10.6 months (range, 5–36 months), local tumour progression (LTP) was detected in four tumours. The 1- and 2-year LTP rates after RFA-EA were 18.8% and 27.8%, respectively. The 1- and 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 35.7% and 13.4%. Six patients died, with the 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS) rates of 85.1%, 63.1%, and 21%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the LTP, DFS, and OS rates between the RFA-EA group and RFA-alone or EA groups (p=0.363–0.733). Conclusion US-guided percutaneous RFA-EA appears to be a feasible and effective treatment for HCC in the caudate lobe.

A flexible self-powered ultraviolet (UV) photodetector based on ZnO nanorods (NRs) and a novel iodine-free quasi solid-state electrolyte was fabricated. The obtained device has a fast and high response to UV light illumination at zero bias and also shows long-term stability. The responsivity is 50.5 mA W−1 and the response time is less than 0.2 s. Strain-induced piezo-phototronic potential within wurtzite-structured ZnO can optimize the performance of corresponding optoelectronic devices since it could effectively tune the charge carriers' separation and transport. The photoresponse performances of the photodetector under different upward angles (tensile strain) and downward angles (compressive strain) at 0 V bias were studied in detail. A 163% change of responsivity was obtained when the downward angle reached 60°. The enhancement could be interpreted by the piezo-phototronic effect. The piezoelectric potential (piezopotential) at the ZnO NRs/electrolyte interface can expand the built-in field, and as a result, it is easier for charge carriers to separate and transport.

For permanent magnet DC motors (PMDCMs), the amplitude of the current signals gradually decreases after the motor starts. Only using the signal features of current in a single segment is not conducive to fault diagnosis for PMDCMs. In this work, multi-segment feature extraction is presented for improving the effect of fault diagnosis of PMDCMs. Additionally, a support vector machine (SVM), a classification and regression tree (CART), and the k-nearest neighbor algorithm (k-NN) are utilized for the construction of fault diagnosis models. The time domain features extracted from several successive segments of current signals make up a feature vector, which is adopted for fault diagnosis of PMDCMs. Experimental results show that multi-segment features have a better diagnostic effect than single-segment features, the average accuracy of fault diagnosis improves by 19.88%. This paper lays the foundation of fault diagnosis for PMDCMs through multi-segment feature extraction and provides a novel method for feature extraction.

Between July 2014 and November 2015, we compared the curative effects and cost-effectiveness of two kinds of nasal endoscopic surgery for nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO) in a single-centre, two-armed clinical trial with a 1-year follow-up. We included two groups: a recessive spherical headed silicone intubation (RSHSI) group and an endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (En-DCR) group; both received nasal endoscopy. Patients were recruited from the Otorhinolaryngology and Ophthalmology departments. The main outcome measures were epiphora improvement (classified as cure, effective, or invalid), cost-effectiveness, visual analogue scale (VAS) intraoperative pain score, bleeding volume, operating time, hospitalisation time, total cost, and VAS postoperative epiphora score. No significant group difference was identified in postoperative epiphora VAS scores (P > 0.050) or success rate (P = 0.406). However, average VAS intraoperative pain score, operating time, bleeding volume, hospitalisation time and total cost in the RSHSI group were clearly lower to those in the En-DCR group (P = 0.000). In conclusion, RSHSI under nasal endoscopy can provide similar treatment outcomes to En-DCR. RSHSI has advantages including minimal invasiveness, reduced risk, shorter duration of surgery and hospitalisation, reduced intraoperative discomfort, and lower financial burden, which is more acceptable to patients. Thus, RSHSI may be the preferred option for NLDO.

Introduction Combination therapy with insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) has already been proven an efficient treatment option for type 2 diabetes. This combination can effectively improve glycated hemoglobin levels, cause weight loss and reduce the dosage of insulin. In addition, it can also reduce the risk of hypoglycemia. Several randomized controlled trials have confirmed that this treatment may be just as effective for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the effects and efficacy of the treatment on glycemic changes, weight loss and insulin dosage in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients. Methods We searched Embase, PubMed and Cochrane for randomized controlled trials (no time restrictions) that investigated combined insulin and GLP-1 treatment. The main endpoints were measurements of glycated hemoglobin and changes in the weight and the dosage of insulin. Results In total, 1093 were studies identified, and 7 studies were included in our meta-analysis. GLP-1 agonist and insulin combination therapy led to greater reductions in HbA1c levels [P = 0.03; mean difference −0.21; 95% confidence intervals (CI) (−0.40, 0.02)] and weight [P

Taking BGI (Beijing Genomics Institute) for example, the essay states, under the current situation-convergence of the Technology and Innovation and enormous critical apparatus heavily relying on import, how one can cooperate with radical innovation ability expressing its charm and kinds of hardworking on human resource behind it. In addition, the essay hopes to bring something meaningful for a great deal of fresh small businesses with the analysis of BGI human resource based on the model of Snell and AMO (ability, motivation & opportunities).

Objective This study aimed to identify the top 100 most influential articles in the field of allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods Web of Science was queried for 1970 to 2018. Articles were sorted in descending order of the citation count. All titles and abstracts were screened to identify the top 100 articles. Results The top 100 most influential articles in AR were identified. The earliest article was published in 1975, and the most recent in 2015. The most prolific decade was the 2000s, with 59 articles published. Twenty-nine journals contributed to the top 100 articles, with the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology contributing most of the articles (n = 34). The top three countries of article origin were the United States (n = 34), followed by the United Kingdom and France (n = 14 each). The type of article covered clinical research (n = 68), reviews (n = 22), and basic research (n = 10). For the clinical research articles, there were 6 studies with level 1 evidence, 25 with level 2 evidence, 11 with level 3 evidence, and 26 with level 4 evidence. Conclusions This study identified the top 100 most influential articles in the area of AR. Recognition of important historical contributions to this field may guide future investigations into AR.

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare the imaging features of hepatic epithelioid angiomyolipoma (HEAML) to those of hepatocellular carcinoma negative for hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis C antibody (NBNC-HCC) on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with sulphur hexafluoride microbubbles.Twenty-two patients (4 men, 18 women) with a mean age of 42.6±10.2 (SD) years (range: 22-63 years) with histopathologically confirmed HEMAL were included in the study. Forty-four patients (30 men, 14 women) with a mean age of 57.3±15.9 years (range: 19-85 years) with histopathologically confirmed NBNC-HCC were randomly selected from our institution's database as a control group. The CEUS characteristics of the two groups were compared.On conventional ultrasound, significant differences in tumor diameter were found between HEAML (4.0±2.0 [SD] cm; range: 1.3-8.9cm) and NBNC-HCC (8.4±4.4 [SD] cm; range: 1.6-18cm) (P0.001) as well as in degrees of enhancement during the portal (P=0.001) and late phases (P=0.003), contrast distribution (P0.001) and absence of pseudocaspule (P0.001). On CEUS, hyperenhancement during the arterial phase was observed in 21/22 (95.5%) HEAMLs and in 43/44 (97.7%) NBNC-HCCs (P0.999). Homogeneous enhancement was more frequent in HEAMLs (20/22; 90.9%) than in NBNC-HCCs (13/44; 29.6%) (P0.001). Pseudocapsule was observed in 0/22 HEAMLs (0.0%) and in 36/44 NBNC-HCCs (81.8%) (P=0.017). A prolonged enhancement was observed in 5/22 HEAMLs (22.7%) and in 0/44 NBNC-HCCs (0.0%) (P0.001) during the late phase.CEUS with sulphur hexafluoride microbubbles is helpful in discriminating between HEAML and NBNC-HCC. Homogeneous enhancement and lack of pseudocapsule are suggestive features for the diagnosis of HEAML.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Overweight, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are clinically recognized as the most significant cardiovascular risk conditions. Studies have shown that whole grains are beneficial to affect glucose metabolism, obesity, blood pressure, lipids and inflammatory markers. Methods: We did a research in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and selected the study according to the eligibility criteria and data extraction. Then we evaluate the effectiveness of whole grain foods on body weight (primary outcome) and other CVD risk factor indicators, including plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level, insulin resistance index, blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference (secondary outcome) in overweight/obese adults. Results: Our results showed that there are significant decrease of weight (P

O-arm and C-arm are commonly used in spine surgery to guide pedicle screw placement. However, concerning the accuracy and efficiency of them, no systematical review and meta-analyses are available to help surgeons make comparisons. This study aims to investigate the accuracy and efficiency of O-arm-navigated versus C-arm-guided pedicle screw placement in thoracic and lumbar spine surgery. It would help surgeons choose the optimal technique for pedicle screw placement. A systematic review and meta-analyses were performed after searching the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases to identify all studies that assessed the accuracy and efficiency of navigation coupled with O-arm and conventional C-arm fluoroscopy. Eight studies were finally recruited in this systematic review, all of which reported pedicle screw placement outcomes related to accuracy or efficiency in both C-arm and O-arm groups. Five studies showed higher screw insertion accuracy in the O-arm group, while one study showed no significant difference. And the pooled results also indicated that the incidence of screw misplacement in the C-arm groups is higher. Moreover, the pooled results from five studies indicated no significant difference in insertion time between C-arm and O-arm. Navigation coupled with O-arm imaging displayed a lower efficiency outcome in pedicle screw placement compared to conventional C-arm fluoroscopy. However, in terms of accuracy, O-arm navigation had significant advantages in accuracy over conventional C-arm fluoroscopy.

This paper addresses a tactical production planning problem we encountered in a factory producing high-end equipment. Various realistic characteristics in this factory such as make-to-order, multi-level product structure, lot streaming are considered. The objective is to determine the item production quantity of each order at each time period so that the workload of each shop floor during the planning horizon is as balanced as possible. We propose an integer quadratic programming model to formulate this problem. A hybrid variable neighborhood search algorithm with a local search method is proposed to solve this problem. Numerical results show that the proposed algorithm could solve the industrialsize problems effectively and efficiently in a reasonable time.

In recent years, Vascular interventional surgery robotic system has become a research hotspot of many research teams because of its characteristics of minimal trauma, less blood loss and rapid recovery. However, due to its own limitations, most of the vascular interventional surgery robotic systems are still in the laboratory stage. It is a difficult problem to develop a vascular interventional surgery robotic system that can simulate doctors’ hand. So, from the perspective of doctors’ clinical operation, this paper proposed a new grasper for vascular interventional surgery robotic system. The grasper can simulate the opening and closing of doctors’ thumb and index finger. In addition, the part where the grasper contacts the surgical catheter are filled with rubber. The purpose of this is to increase the friction between the grasper and the surgical catheter to prevent slipping during the operation. Finally. ANSYS software was used to simulate the feasibility of the proposed grasper. Simulation results showed that the grasper can not only prevent the surgical catheter from being damage, but also operate the surgical catheter effectively.

Background gammadelta (γδ) T cells play important roles in allergic lower airway inflammation. However, little is known about their infiltration pattern in the nasal mucosa during upper airway inflammation. This study investigated γδ T cell distribution in nasal tissues of allergic rhinitis (AR) patients and the relationship between γδ T cells and other inflammatory cell types. Methods A total of 30 patients with septal deviation were examined, including 22 with and 8 without AR. The localization of γδ T cells and other cells (eosinophils, neutrophils, mast cells, macrophages, B cells, cluster of differentiation [CD]4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, regulatory T cells [Tregs], interferon [IFN]-γ+ cells, interleukin [IL]17+ cells, and IL10+ cells) was evaluated by histological analysis and immunohistochemistry. T helper cell (Th)1/Th2/Th17 and Treg gene expression was analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results γδ T cells were localized in the epithelium or subepithelial region of nasal mucosa, and their infiltration was higher in AR patients relative to control subjects. The number of γδ T cells was associated with the presence of eosinophils, macrophages, mast cells, B cells, CD8+ T cells, Forkhead box (Fox)p3+ Tregs, IL17+ cells, and IL10+ cells but not of neutrophils or IFN-γ+ cells. The messenger RNA (mRNA) level of a γδ T cell subunit was positively correlated with those of Th1 genes (T-bet and IFN-γ), Th2 cytokine (C-C motif chemokine ligand 18), and Treg genes (Foxp3 and IL10). Conclusion γδ T cells play multiple roles in mucosal inflammation in AR including immune surveillance and adaptive and innate immune responses.

An ultraviolet (UV) photodetector based on amorphous ZnSnO (α-ZTO) channel thin-film transistors (TFTs) with ultrahigh sensitivity was fabricated by a simple sol–gel method. The photodetectors are investigated at various intensities of 365 nm UV illumination, which exhibit ultrahigh sensitivity and responsivity. A reasonable mechanism is proposed for the superior UV detecting performance. Moreover, our device is promising for UV detection under weak UV illumination. The fabrication of the α-ZTO UV photodetector represents a significant step toward future multifunctional optoelectronic applications.

Based on the Perspective Ability-Motion-Option model (Hereinafter referred to AMO) by innovative companies based human resource practice different strategies and business models adopted, in-depth analysis examines the strategies of enterprises-business model-organizational capacity— the path of human resources practices. This article will break through innovation of the Beijing Genomics Institute (Hereinafter referred to BGI) typical business representatives and Tencent micro-innovation strategy under the guidance of as a typical case study, theory and practice, it aims to HR practices to business strategy, business model and core competence analysis of a supporting role, for many innovative companies under the new normal background to provide practical reference.

Due to the special structure and electrical properties of graphene, the ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors based on ZnO nanorods (NRs) were optimized by electrostatic self-assembly with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). UV photodetectors based on ZnO NRs or ZnO–rGO nanocomposites (NCs) with high responsibility, sensitivity and good stability were fabricated by spin-coating method simply, which may be used for reference in manufacture of some big size device. Moreover, our work proves that the composite materials of ZnO and graphene have good prospects in the field of UV photodetector.

Li-Fen Yang,1,* Liang-Ming Cai,1,* Ming Li,2,* Jin-Tao Liu,3 Zhao-Ni Wang,1 Wei-Hao Wang,4 Qin-tai Yang,4 Zhuang-Gui Chen1,5 1Department of Pediatrics Intensive Care Unit and Respiratory Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pulmonary Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Population and Quantitative Health Science, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; 4Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 5Institution of Respiratory Diseases of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: To investigate the alterative spectrum and trends of aeroallergens sensitization in children with allergic rhinitis (AR) in Guangzhou, China in the past 10 years.Participants and methods: In this retrospective study, 4,111 children with complaints of nasal hyper-reactivity who visited the Pediatric Department and/or Otolaryngology Department from January 2007 to November 2016 were enrolled. Serum specific immunoglobulin E was measured and positive detection was made in 3,328 patients, who were, therefore, diagnosed with AR. Positive rates and trends of different aeroallergens sensitization were assessed. The tendency of positive rates changing over the years, and the difference and trends in positive rate of aeroallergen sensitization that occurred in subgroups of gender, age, and season were determined and analyzed with logistic regression.Results: The percentage of detected common aeroallergens in AR children was (from high to low) 81.07%, 34.44%, 14.72%, 11.81%, 6.04%, and 3.70% for house dust mites (HDMs), cat–dog dander, cockroach, mold mixture, tree pollen mixture, and herb pollen mixture, respectively. An ascending trend of aeroallergens sensitization or AR (odds ratio [OR] =1.116, 95% CI: 1.086–1.146) was found. Interestingly, an increasing trend of cat–dog dander and mold sensitization was found in AR children (OR =1.164, 95% CI: 1.133–1.196; OR =1.169, 95% CI: 1.120–1.223) in this retrospective study, while HDMs sensitization held a steady trend (OR =0.983, 95% CI: 0.961–1.007).Conclusion: In the increasing trend of aeroallergens sensitization or AR, HDMs sensitization still held the majority. But emphasis should be made on pet allergy for young children with AR in the context of ascending trend of sensitization to cat–dog dander. Keywords: allergic rhinitis, aeroallergen, children, sIgE

High mobility and p-type thin film transistors (TFTs) are in urgent need for high-speed electronic devices. In this work, ZnO quantum dot (QD)/Ag nanowire (NW) channel TFTs were fabricated by a solution processed method. The Ag NWs play the dual role of dopant and providing the charge transfer route, which make the channel p-type and enhance its mobility, respectively. The best sample yields an on/off ratio (Ion/Ioff) of 5.04 × 105, a threshold voltage (VT) of 0.73 V, a high field effect mobility (μFE) of 8.69 cm2 V−1 s−1, and a subthreshold swing (SS) of 0.41 V dec−1. Owing to the strong ultraviolet (UV) absorption and photo-induced carrier separation ability of ZnO QDs and the fast carrier transport of Ag NWs, the devices acquire a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) and ultra-fast response under 365 nm UV illumination. The UV-modulated ZnO QD/Ag NW hybrid channel photo TFTs have potential for future application in optoelectronic devices, such as photodetectors and photoswitches.