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Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of aspiration in an opposite position to deal with pneumothorax after CT-guided lung biopsy. Methods: A retrospective study was developed involving 210 patients with pneumothorax who had undergone CT-guided percutaneous core biopsies from January 2012 to March 2014 for various pulmonary lesions. Asymptomatic patients with minimal pneumothorax were treated conservatively. Simple manual aspiration was performed for symptomatic patients with minimal pneumothorax and for all patients with moderate to large pneumothorax. An opposite position aspiration was performed when simple manual aspiration failed. The efficacy of simple manual aspiration and the opposite position aspiration was observed. Results: Among 210 patients with pneumothorax, 128 (61.0%) asymptomatic patients with minimal pneumothorax were treated conservatively. The remaining 82 were treated with attempted simple manual aspiration. Out of these 82 patients, simple manual aspiration was successful in 58 (70.7%, 58/82) cases. The complete and partial regression rates were 17.2% (10/58) and 82.8% (48/58), respectively. In the other 24 patients (29.3%, 24/82), simple aspiration technique was ineffective. An opposite position (from prone to supine or vice versa) was applied, and a new biopsy puncture site was chosen for reaspiration. This procedure was successful in 22 patients but not in 2 patients who had to have a chest tube insertion. The complete and partial regression rates were 25.0% (6/24) and 66.7% (16/24), respectively. Applying the new method, the total effective rate of aspiration improved significantly from 70.7% (58/82) to 97.6% (80/82). Conclusion: The opposite position aspiration can be safe, effective and minimally invasive treatment for CT-guided lung biopsy-induced pneumothorax thus reducing the use of chest tube significantly. Advances in knowledge: (1) Opposite position aspiration can elevate the success rate of aspiration significantly (from 70.7% to 97.6% in our study); (2) this procedure is a safe, effective and minimally invasive treatment for pneumothorax caused by biopsy; and (3) opposite position aspiration is a useful technique to reduce the use of chest tube, which has clinical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: To explore the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the discrimination of brain abscess from other ring-enhancing brain lesions through meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PUMBED, OVID, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases, from January 1995 to March 2013, were searched for studies evaluating the diagnostic performance of DWI in the discrimination of brain abscess lesions. Using the data collected, pooled sensitivities and specificities across studies were determined, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR) were calculated, and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were constructed. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies fulfilled all of the inclusion criteria and were considered for the analysis. The pooled sensitivity values and pooled specificity values including 95% confidence intervals (CI) were 0.95 (0.87-0.98) and 0.94 (0.88-0.97). The pooled positive LR (95% CI) was 4.13(2.55-6.7); the pooled negative LR (95% CI) was 0.01 (0-1.7); and the area under the curve of the symmetric SROC was 0.98. CONCLUSIONS: DWI has high sensitivity and specificity for the differentiation of brain abscess from other intracranial cystic mass lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the effects of RNA interference targeting four different genes (VEGF, C-myc, Survivin, hTERT) on the growth and proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) CNE-2Z cells. Fluorescein-labeled short-hairpin (sh)RNA plasmids together and separately targeting VEGF, C-myc, Survivin and hTERT were built and respectively called plasmid-shVEGF-shC-myc-shSurvivin-shhTERT, plasmid-shVEGF, plasmid-shC-myc, plasmid-shSurvivin, plasmid-shhTERT. These plasmids were respectively transfected into human NPC CNE-2Z cells and xenograft tumors in nude mice. The expression of plasmids in NPC CNE-2Z cells and xenograft tumors was observed. Cell proliferation was detected with MTT assay. The mRNA and protein expression were determined by real-time PCR and western blot, respectively. The effects of plasmids on the biological behavior of CNE-2Z cells were observed with transwell invision chamber models. Apoptosis was determined with flow cytometer. The inhibitory effect of plasmids on xenograft tumors was observed in nude mice. The plasmid containing four different shRNAs could significantly inhibit CNE-2Z cell proliferation and decrease invasion ability in vitro compared with plasmids with each single shRNA (P<0.05). The plasmid containing four different shRNAs could simultaneously downregulate VEGF, C-myc, surviving, hTERT mRNA and protein expression in the CNE-2Z cells. The multiple gene shRNA could more significantly induce cell apoptosis than each single shRNA, respectively (P<0.05). The combinative silencing of these four genes had a better inhibitory effect on xenograft tumors than the silencing of each single shRNA (P<0.05). RNA interference targeting multiple genes can effectively inhibit NPC proliferation and induce apoptosis, which provides an experiment basis for NPC gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Urbach bandtail characteristics in InN thin films grown by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on sapphire (0001) substrates have been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The bandtail parameter in InN thin films has been obtained by temperature-dependent transmission spectra, with the aid of a detailed calculation of the transmission profile. A bandtail model based on the calculation of density of occupied states and the carrier-phonon interaction has been employed to analyze the temperature-dependent bandtail characteristics. The bandtail parameter is in the range of 90-120 meV in the InN thin film. It is found that the carrier-phonon interaction in InN is weak and the structural disorder contribution (∼ 90 meV) dominates over the interactive terms. The high structural disorder in InN thin films may relate to the high nonradiative recombination centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-phase Gd[sub 2]Co[sub 17-x]V[sub x] compounds (x = 0.0-1.5) crystallizing in the rhombohedral Th[sub 2]Zn[sub 17] structure have been synthesized. The lattice parameters a and c of the compounds increase linearly with increasing V content, and the rate of increase of c is about 2.5 times as large as that of a. Substitution of a small amount of V atoms (x = 0.3) for Co atoms leads to the occurrence of uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy of Gd[sub 2]Co[sub 17-x]V[sub x]. The anisotropy field H[sub A] increases drastically with increasing V content. The variations of both the lattice parameters and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy with V content suggest a preferential occupation of the V atoms at the 6c dumbbell site. The Curie temperature T[sub C], saturation moment M[sub S], and average Co moment 〈μ[sub Co]〉 of the compounds decrease greatly as the V content increases. The rapid decrease of T[sub C] is essentially attributed to a serious weakening of the Co-Co interactions due to the preferential occupation of the V atoms at the 6c site. The effect of a strong hybridization between the V and Co atoms is plausibly responsible for the decreases of the Ms and 〈μ[sub Co]〉. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal fatigue is one of the key damage mechanisms in components suffering high temperature cycles. To shorten the duration of a thermal fatigue test and improve its reliability, apparatus was designed using a laser as the heat source, considering the good controllability and high energy density of a laser in both time and space. The temperature and stress fields induced by a laser under high temperature cycling were investigated by a coupled thermo-mechanical finite element method (FEM) model. Results show that, under the cyclic action of the laser, pulse compressive stresses were produced and were non-uniformly distributed on the cast iron surface, providing essential conditions for cracking. After 1000 thermal cycles, network cracks occurred on the surface area irradiated by the laser. It is believed that the cracks initiated from holes formed by the spalling of graphite, and propagated to connect with each other under the effects of the pulsed compressive stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal structure and magnetic properties of the NdCo[sub 9.5-x]Fe[sub x]V[sub 2.5] compounds with x=0–3.5 have been investigated. The lattice parameters increase linearly with the Fe content and the Curie temperature increases substantially at small amount of Fe content and then gradually with the further increase of x. A domain-wall pinning phenomenon was observed in all of the compounds and becomes less obvious as x increases. At a higher field, the compounds exhibit a field-induced metamagnetic transition. The critical field for the metamagnetic transition increases first then decreases with the Fe content, whereas the difference of the magnetization between 14 and 5 T increases with x. The observation can be understood by considering an interplay of the volume expansion, enhanced exchange coupling parameter J[sub RT] and the T sublattice moment μ[sub T] due to the Fe substitution for Co. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser cladding with synchronous powder feeding on the surface of compacted graphite cast iron (CGCI) was conducted using NiCoCrAlY powder in this research, with the aim of obtaining coatings mainly consisting of directional columnar crystals in the microstructure. A metallographic microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and Vickers hardness tester were used to analyse the dilution rate, bonding properties, microstructure, and microhardness of the coating. The research results showed that: the alloy coating mainly consisted of the dendrites of γ (Fe, Ni) and the carbide phases of Cr7C3 and Cr23C6 between grain boundaries. Meanwhile, it was discovered that the powder feed rate can significantly influence the crystalline state within the coating: with increasing powder feed rate, the microstructure of the coating was gradually converted from dendrites with poor directivity to columnar crystals with strong directivity, and the average microhardness was reduced owning to the decrease of the amount of Cr7C3 and Cr23C6 phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraquat (PQ) exposure could cause pulmonary fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) in an acute PQ poison model. One hundred and forty-four Sprague Dawley rats were equally divided into three experimental groups: control group, PQ group, and PQ + PDTC group. At days 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, and 56 of treatment, the serum levels of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), the levels of hydroxyproline, the protein expression of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway, and histopathological change in lung tissue were assessed. The survival rate of rats treated with PQ + PDTC was increased compared with that of rats treated only with PQ (p < 0.05), and the occurrence of pathological changes was dramatically attenuated in the PQ + PDTC group. The serum levels of TGF-β1 and the hydroxyproline levels in the PQ group were significantly increased in a time-dependent manner compared with those in the control and PQ + PDTC groups on days 7, 14, 28, and 56 (p < 0.05). Additionally, the protein levels of NF-κB proteins p65, inhibitor of κB (IκB) kinase (IKKβ, and IκB-α were significantly downregulated in the PQ + PDTC group as determined by array analysis. The present findings suggest that overexpression of TGF-β1 may play an important role in PQ-induced lung injury and that PDTC, a strong NF-κB inhibitor, can rescue PQ-induced pulmonary fibrosis by influencing the protein expression of NF-κB pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CaFeAs2 is a parent compound of recently discovered 112-type iron-based superconductors. It is predicted to be a staggered intercalation compound that naturally integrates both quantum spin Hall insulating and superconducting layers and an ideal system for the realization of Majorana modes. We performed a systematical angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and first-principles calculation study of the slightly electron-doped CaFeAs2. We found that the zigzag As chain of 112-type iron-based superconductors play a considerable role in the low-energy electronic structure, resulting in the characteristic Dirac-cone like band dispersion as the prediction. Our experimental results further confirm that these Dirac cones only exist around the X but not Y points in the Brillouin zone, breaking the S4 symmetry at iron sites. Our findings present the compelling support to the theoretical prediction that the 112-type iron-based superconductors might host the topological nontrivial edge states. The slightly electron doped CaFeAs2 would provide us a unique opportunity to realize and explore Majorana fermion physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the detailed electronic structure of WTe2 by high resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We resolved a rather complicated Fermi surface of WTe2. Specifically, there are in total nine Fermi pockets, including one hole pocket at the Brillouin zone center г, and two hole pockets and two electron pockets on each side of г along the г-X direction. Remarkably, we have observed circular dichroism in our photoemission spectra, which suggests that the orbital angular momentum exhibits a rich texture at various sections of the Fermi surface. гhis is further confirmed by our density-functional-theory calculations, where the spin texture is qualitatively reproduced as the conjugate consequence of spin-orbital coupling. Since the spin texture would forbid backscatterings that are directly involved in the resistivity, our data suggest that the spin-orbit coupling and the related spin and orbital angular momentum textures may play an important role in the anomalously large magnetoresistance of WTe2. Furthermore, the large differences among spin textures calculated for magnetic fields along the in-plane and out-of-plane directions also provide a natural explanation of the large field-direction dependence on the magnetoresistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) topological Weyl semimetals (TWSs) represent a state of quantum matter with unusual electronic structures that resemble both a '3D graphene' and a topological insulator. Their electronic structure displays pairs of Weyl points (through which the electronic bands disperse linearly along all three momentum directions) connected by topological surface states, forming a unique ark-like Fermi surface (FS). Each Weyl point is chiral and contains half the degrees of freedom of a Dirac point, and can be viewed as a magnetic monopole in momentum space. By performing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy on the non-centrosymmetric compound TaAs, here we report its complete band structure, including the unique Fermi-arc FS and linear bulk band dispersion across the Weyl points, in agreement with the theoretical calculations. This discovery not only confirms TaAs as a 3D TWS, but also provides an ideal platform for realizing exotic physical phenomena (for example, negative magnetoresistance, chiral magnetic effects and the quantum anomalous Hall effect) which may also lead to novel future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the saddle-node bifurcation and vibrational resonance in a fractional system that has an asymmetric bistable potential. Due to the asymmetric nature of the potential function, the response and its amplitude closely depend on the potential well where the motion takes place. And consequently for numerical simulations, the initial condition is a key and important factor. To overcome this technical problem, a method is proposed to calculate the bifurcation and response amplitude numerically. The numerical results are in good agreement with the analytical predictions, indicating the validity of the numerical and theoretical analysis. The results show that the fractional-order of the fractional system induces one saddle-node bifurcation, while the asymmetric parameter associated to the asymmetric nature of the potential function induces two saddle-node bifurcations. When the asymmetric parameter vanishes, the saddle-node bifurcation turns into a pitchfork bifurcation. There are three kinds of vibrational resonance existing in the system. The first one is induced by the high-frequency signal. The second one is induced by the fractional-order. The third one is induced by the asymmetric parameter. We believe that the method and the results shown in this paper might be helpful for the analysis of the response problem of nonlinear dynamical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a systematic polarization-dependent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy study of the threedimensional electronic structure of the recently discovered 112-type iron-based superconductor Ca1-xLaxFeAs2 (x = 0 .1 ). Besides the commonly reported three holelike and two electronlike bands in iron-based superconductors, we resolve one additional holelike band around the zone center and one more fast-dispersing band near the X point in the vicinity of the Fermi level. By tuning the polarization and the energy of incident photons, we are able to identify the specific orbital character and the kz dependence of all bands. Combining these results with band calculations, we find that As 4pz and 4px (4py) orbitals contribute significantly to the additional three-dimensional holelike band and the narrow band, respectively. Also, there is considerable hybridization between the As 4pz and Fe 3d orbitals in the additional holelike band, which suggests strong coupling between the unique arsenic zigzag bond layers and the FeAs layers therein. Our findings provide a comprehensive picture of the orbital character of the low-lying band structure of 112-type iron-based superconductors, which can be a starting point for the further understanding of their unconventional superconductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compound FeSr2NdCu2O7+d (Fe1212) was successfully synthesized by solid-state reaction. X-ray diffraction data indicate that the sample is of single phase. Rietveld whole-pattern-fitting method was used to refine the crystal structure of samples prepared under different annealing conditions using the tetragonal system with space group P4/mmm. Magnetization measurements indicate that magnetic susceptibility ? changes with temperature in a Curie-type manner. Resistance measurements indicate that these samples have a semiconductor-like behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological insulators represent unusual topological quantum states, typically with gapped bulk band structure but gapless surface Dirac fermions protected by time-reversal symmetry. Recently, a distinct kind of topological insulator resulting from nonsymmorphic crystalline symmetry was proposed in the KHgX (X = As, Sb, Bi) compounds. Unlike regular topological crystalline insulators, the nonsymmorphic glide-reflection symmetry in KHgX guarantees the appearance of an exotic surface fermion with hourglass shape dispersion (where two pairs of branches switch their partners) residing on its (010) side surface, contrasting to the usual two-dimensional Dirac fermion form. Here, by using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we systematically investigate the electronic structures of KHgSb on both (001) and (010) surfaces and reveal the unique in-gap surface states on the (010) surface with delicate dispersion consistent with the "hourglass Fermion" recently proposed. Our experiment strongly supports that KHgSb is a nonsymmorphic topological crystalline insulator with hourglass fermions, which serves as an important step to the discovery of unique topological quantum materials and exotic fermions protected by nonsymmorphic crystalline symmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IV-VI semiconductor SnSe has been known as the material with record high thermoelectric performance. The multiple close-to-degenerate (or "convergent") valence bands in the electronic band structure has been one of the key factors contributing to the high power factor and thus figure of merit in the SnSe single crystal. To date, there have been primarily theoretical calculations of this particular electronic band structure. In this paper, however, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we perform a systematic investigation of the electronic structure of SnSe. We directly observe three predicted hole bands with small energy differences between their band tops and relatively small in-plane effective masses, in good agreement with the ab initio calculations and critical for the enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient while keeping high electrical conductivity. Our results reveal the complete band structure of SnSe and help to provide a deeper understanding of the electronic origin of the excellent thermoelectric performances in SnSe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological Dirac semimetals (TDSs) represent a new state of quantum matter recently discovered that offers a platform for realizing many exotic physical phenomena. A TDS is characterized by the linear touching of bulk (conduction and valance) bands at discrete points in the momentum space [i.e., three-dimensional (3D) Dirac points], such as in Na3Bi and Cd3As2. More recently, new types of Dirac semimetals with robust Dirac line nodes (with nontrivial topology or near the critical point between topological phase transitions) have been proposed that extend the bulk linear touching from discrete points to one-dimensional (1D) lines. In this paper, using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we explored the electronic structure of the nonsymmorphic crystals MSiS (M=Hf, Zr). Remarkably, by mapping out the band structure in the full 3D Brillouin zone (BZ), we observed two sets of Dirac line-nodes in parallel with the kz axis and their dispersions. Interestingly, along directions other than the line nodes in the 3D BZ, the bulk degeneracy is lifted by spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in both compounds with larger magnitude in HfSiS. Our paper not only experimentally confirms a new Dirac line-node semimetal family protected by nonsymmorphic symmetry but also helps understanding and further exploring the exotic properties, as well as practical applications of the MSiS family of compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PtBi2 with a layered hexagonal crystal structure was recently reported to exhibit an unconventional large linear magnetoresistance, while the mechanism involved is still elusive. Using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we present a systematic study on its bulk and surface electronic structure. Through careful comparison with first-principle calculations, our experiment distinguishes the low-lying bulk bands from entangled surface states, allowing the estimation of the real composition of samples. We find significant electron doping in PtBi2, implying a substantial Bi-deficiency-induced disorder therein. Intriguingly, we discover a Dirac-cone-like surface state on the boundary of the Brillouin zone, which is identified as an accidental Dirac band without topological protection. Our findings exclude linear band dispersion in the quantum limit as the cause of the unconventional large linear magnetoresistance but give support to the classical disorder model from the perspective of the electronic structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Weyl Semimetal Phase in the Non-centrosymmetric Compound TaAS" published in the August 17, 2015 online issue of the magazine is presented.

Objective: To investigate the endoscopic and histopathological features, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of gastric hamartomatous inverted polyp (GHIP). Methods: Five cases of GHIP were collected at the University Town Hospital of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China, from May 2021 to May 2023. The endoscopic, pathological and immunohistochemical features of the 5 GHIP cases were analyzed. The relevant literature was reviewed. Results: There were 3 males and 2 females, aged from 49 to 60 years, with a mean age of 56 years. The lesions were located in the fundus and body of the stomach, and presented as polyps or masses under endoscopy. Microscopically, the lesions were mainly in the submucosa and consisted of lobulated or clustered gastric glandular epithelium surrounded by hyperplastic smooth muscle. In some areas, there were differentiated glandular elements mimicking the normal gastric mucosa. The irregularly dilated glandular elements in the center were lined by hyperplastic foveolar epithelium, while the glands in the periphery were fundic or pyloric glands. In addition, in some areas, the glands showed cystic expansion, disordered arrangement and lack of differentiation. The hyperplastic glandular epithelium included foveolar epithelium, fundic gland and pyloric gland. There were scattered neuroendocrine cells and smooth muscle bundles in the stroma. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for MUC5AC, MUC6, Pepsinogen Ⅰ and H + /K + ATPase β, but negative for MUC2. The scattered neuroendocrine cells were positive for synaptophysin, and the desmin stain highlighted hyperplastic smooth muscle bundles. One case was classified as type 2 gastric inverted polyp, and 4 cases were classified as type 3. Conclusions: GHIP is a rare gastric polyp with unique histological features. It should be distinguished from inverted hyperplastic polyp, gastritis cystica profunda, adenomyoma, hyperplastic polyps and well-differentiated gastric tubular adenocarcinoma, etc. Improving the understanding of its pathogenesis and diagnostic features can help avoid misdiagnoses.

Objective: To explore the association of different obesity measurement indexes on serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in Chinese adult women. Methods: The data were obtained from baseline and follow-up surveys of the urban Breast Cancer Screening Program in Shuangliu District, Chengdu. A total of 441 adult women were included in the study. A questionnaire survey, physical examination, and laboratory testing were conducted on the subjects. Multivariate logistic regression model, two-level mixed effects logistic regression model, and restricted cubic spline method were used to investigate the linear and nonlinear correlation between different obesity measurement indexes and serum CRP in adult women. Results: For every 1 unit increase in BMI, waist circumference (WC), and adiposity, the risk of elevated serum CRP or exacerbation of chronic low-grade inflammation in adult women increased by 16.5%, 5.0%, and 11.1% ( P <0.05), respectively. Both BMI and adiposity were nonlinear correlated with serum CRP. Using BMI=24.0 kg/m 2 as the reference point, serum CRP level increased with the increase of BMI when BMI >24.0 kg/m 2 . Using adiposity=30% as the reference point, serum CRP level increased with the increase of adiposity when adiposity >30%. Conclusions: Overall, obesity reflected by BMI had the strongest association with serum CRP in adult women, followed by body fat content reflected by adiposity, and central obesity reflected by WC had the weakest association with CRP. Adult women with BMI >24.0 kg/m 2 or adiposity >30% are at high risk for obesity-related inflammatory manifestations.

Chiral materials have attracted significant research interests as they exhibit intriguing physical properties, such as chiral optical response, spin-momentum locking, and chiral induced spin selectivity. Recently, layered transition metal dichalcogenide 1T-TaS&#95;{2} has been found to host a chiral charge density wave (CDW) order. Nevertheless, the physical consequences of the chiral order, for example, in electronic structures and the optical properties, are yet to be explored. Here, we report the spectroscopic visualization of an emergent chiral electronic band structure in the CDW phase, characterized by windmill-shaped Fermi surfaces. We uncover a remarkable chirality-dependent circularly polarized Raman response due to the salient in-plane chiral symmetry of CDW, although the ordinary circular dichroism vanishes. Chiral Fermi surfaces and anomalous Raman responses coincide with the CDW transition, proving their lattice origin. Our Letter paves a path to manipulate the chiral electronic and optical properties in two-dimensional materials and explore applications in polarization optics and spintronics.

Objective: Atherosclerosis (AS), with high risk of stroke or cerebrovascular disease, is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Increasing evidence shows that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) antisense non-coding RNA in the INK4 locus (ANRIL) is related to atherothrombotic stroke susceptibility and contributes to AS progression. However, the underlying mechanism was not explained yet., Patients and Methods: Human aorta vascular smooth muscle cells (HA-VSMCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and considered as AS cell models. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were employed to investigate the mRNA and protein expression level, respectively. Microscopic examination through fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to determine the location of ANRIL. Cell proliferation and migration assays were demonstrated to evaluate the functional role of ANRIL in AS. Potential target of ANRIL was determined using Luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP)., Results: ANRIL was upregulated and miR-399-5p was down-regulated in both human atherosclerotic plaques and ox-LDL-induced cells. ANRIL was located in cytoplasm and promoted cell proliferation and migration by sponging miR-399-5p. Further analysis identified fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate 2 (FRS2) as a direct target of miR-399-5p. Finally, RAS/RAF/ERK signal pathway was proved to be involved in the regulation of ANRIL on the progression of AS., Conclusions: These results revealed the underlying mechanism that ANRIL promoted AS progression by sponging miR-399-5p and regulating RAS/RAF/ERK signal pathway, suggesting that ANRIL might be a potential target for the therapeutic strategy of AS.

Surface Fermi arcs (SFAs), the unique open Fermi-surfaces (FSs) discovered recently in topological Weyl semimetals (TWSs), are unlike closed FSs in conventional materials and can give rise to many exotic phenomena, such as anomalous SFA-mediated quantum oscillations, chiral magnetic effects, three-dimensional quantum Hall effect, non-local voltage generation and anomalous electromagnetic wave transmission. Here, by using in-situ surface decoration, we demonstrate successful manipulation of the shape, size and even the connections of SFAs in a model TWS, NbAs, and observe their evolution that leads to an unusual topological Lifshitz transition not caused by the change of the carrier concentration. The phase transition teleports the SFAs between different parts of the surface Brillouin zone. Despite the dramatic surface evolution, the existence of SFAs is robust and each SFA remains tied to a pair of Weyl points of opposite chirality, as dictated by the bulk topology.

Aim: To evaluate the accuracy and complications of computed tomography (CT)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of small (≤20 mm) subpleural pulmonary lesions with the use of the long transpulmonary needle path., Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken comprising 235 patients who underwent CT-guided CNB of small (≤20 mm) subpleural pulmonary lesions. One of two needle paths was used: a long (≥10 mm) transpulmonary needle path (n=164, group A) or a short (<10 mm) transpulmonary needle path (n=71, group B). Diagnostic accuracy, pneumothorax, and bleeding rates were compared between the two groups., Results: The diagnostic accuracy in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (93.9% versus 81.7%, p=0.004), particularly in patients with 5-10 mm lesions (89.2% versus 53.3%, p=0.013). The mean length of the transpulmonary needle path was 23.9 mm in group A and 5.9 mm in group B (p<0.001). The mean number of pleural punctures in group A was 1.01 and 1.11 in group B (p=0.016), but for patients with more than one puncture, the short transpulmonary path was not associated with a higher accuracy rate. The incidence of bleeding was 22% in group A and 9.9% in group B (p=0.028)., Conclusion: Diagnostic accuracy for small subpleural pulmonary lesions with the use of the long transpulmonary needle path was higher than that with the use of the short transpulmonary needle path, especially for 5-10 mm lesions; however, the long transpulmonary needle path was associated with a higher rate of bleeding., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The pharmacokinetics of a diclofenac sodium was investigated in swine. A single intravenous (i.v.) or intramuscular (i.m.) injection of 5% diclofenac sodium (concentration = 2.5 mg · kg-1) was administered to 8 healthy pigs according to a two-period crossover design. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by non-compartmental analysis with DAS2.1.1 software. After a single i.v. administration, the main pharmacokinetic parameters of diclofenac sodium injection in swine were as follows: the elimination half-time (T1/2β) was 1.32±0.34 h; the area under the curve (AUC) was (55.50±5.50 μg · mL-1 h; the mean residence time (MRT) was 1.60±0.28 h; the apparent volume of distribution (Vd) was 0.50±0.05 L · kg-1; and the body clearance (CLB) was 0.26±0.04 L · (h · kg)-1. After the single i.m. administration, the pharmacokinetic parameters were as follows: peak time (Tmax) was 1.19±0.26 h; and peak concentration (Cmax) was 11.61±5.99 μg mL-1. The diclofenac sodium has the following pharmacokinetic characteristics in swine: rapid absorption and elimination; high peak concentration; and bioavailability., (Copyright© by the Polish Academy of Sciences.)

Aim: To assess the diagnostic value of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at several anatomical locations in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) to explore the optimal parameters and measurement location., Materials and Methods: A search was conducted using the PubMed, EBSCO, Ovid, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases to identify articles relevant to this study published before September 2017. Studies were selected and included according to strict eligibility criteria. Mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare FA and ADC values between CTS patients and healthy subjects. Potential publication bias was investigated., Results: Eleven studies involving 349 CTS wrists and 278 controls were selected for the meta-analysis. A notable MD: was found for lowered FA at the level of the pisiform bone for CTS versus controls (MD: -0.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.14 to -0.07, z=5.83, p<0.001). A higher ADC was found at the pisiform bone and hamate bone levels for CTS versus controls (P: MD: 0.15, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.20, z=5.98, p<0.001, H: MD: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.21, z=4.67, p<0.001)., Conclusions: The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant FA reduction and ADC increase in CTS patients. This result supports the use of DTI parameters in differentiating CTS patients from health subjects. The anatomical site for FA at the pisiform and ADC at the pisiform and hamate levels were more accessible than other sites for the diagnosis of CTS patients., (Copyright © 2018 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Deltas are widely threatened by sediment starvation and climate change. Erosion potential is an important indicator of delta vulnerability. Here, we investigate the erosion potential of the Yangtze Delta. We found that over the past half century the Yangtze's sediment discharge has decreased by 80% due to the construction of >50,000 dams and soil conservation, whereas the wind speed and wave height in the delta region have increased by 5-7%, and the sea level has risen at a rate of 3 mm/yr. According to hydrodynamic measurements and analyses of seabed sediments, the period when bed shear stress due to combined current-wave action under normal weather conditions exceeds the critical bed shear stress for erosion (τ cr ) accounts for 63% of the total observed period on average and can reach 100% during peak storms. This explains why net erosion has occurred in some areas of the subaqueous delta. We also found that the increase with depth of τ cr is very gradual in the uppermost several metres of the depositional sequence. We therefore expect that the Yangtze subaqueous delta will experience continuous erosion under sediment starvation and climate change in the next decades of this century or even a few centuries.

Objective: To provide estimates of the diffusional kurtosis in different anatomical regions of a healthy brain and to assess age dependency of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived parametric values in these regions., Materials and Methods: Eighty healthy volunteers underwent DKI of the brain with 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging. The DKI was obtained by using three b values of 0, 1000, 2000 s/mm 2 , and with 50 diffusion directions. The regions of interest-based measurements were calculated to obtain several DKI estimates of 21 different locations of brain, and then, the age dependency for DKI- and DTI-derived parameters in these regions were assessed by using linear and nonlinear regressions., Results: The mean kurtosis varied from 0.73 ± 0.01 (head of caudate nucleus) to 1.07 ± 0.08 (splenium of corpus callosum (CC)). The radial kurtosis varied from 0.84 ± 0.06 (head of caudate nucleus) to 1.05 ± 0.07 (splenium of CC), and axial kurtosis from 0.41 ± 0.02 (genu of CC) to 0.78 ± 0.02 (pallidum). DTI-derived parametric values also varied across the region. Age dependence was found for DKI-derived parameters in almost all measured regions except for corona radiata and centrum semiovale. On the contrary, DTI failed to show age dependency in many regions including gray matter structure., Conclusion: In conclusion, the knowledge of range of diffusion kurtosis parameters in each anatomical region in different age group is important before its clinical application to diagnose the pathology.

Topological Weyl semimetal (TWS), a new state of quantum matter, has sparked enormous research interest recently. Possessing unique Weyl fermions in the bulk and Fermi arcs on the surface, TWSs offer a rare platform for realizing many exotic physical phenomena. TWSs can be classified into type-I that respect Lorentz symmetry and type-II that do not. Here, we directly visualize the electronic structure of MoTe 2 , a recently proposed type-II TWS. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), we unravel the unique surface Fermi arcs, in good agreement with our ab initio calculations that have nontrivial topological nature. Our work not only leads to new understandings of the unusual properties discovered in this family of compounds, but also allows for the further exploration of exotic properties and practical applications of type-II TWSs, as well as the interplay between superconductivity (MoTe 2 was discovered to be superconducting recently) and their topological order.

Topological quantum materials represent a new class of matter with both exotic physical phenomena and novel application potentials. Many Heusler compounds, which exhibit rich emergent properties such as unusual magnetism, superconductivity and heavy fermion behaviour, have been predicted to host non-trivial topological electronic structures. The coexistence of topological order and other unusual properties makes Heusler materials ideal platform to search for new topological quantum phases (such as quantum anomalous Hall insulator and topological superconductor). By carrying out angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and ab initio calculations on rare-earth half-Heusler compounds LnPtBi (Ln=Lu, Y), we directly observe the unusual topological surface states on these materials, establishing them as first members with non-trivial topological electronic structure in this class of materials. Moreover, as LnPtBi compounds are non-centrosymmetric superconductors, our discovery further highlights them as promising candidates of topological superconductors.