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Bailong Hou,1,* Ying Zhou,2,* Wei Wang,1 Weifeng Shen,1 Qinlong Yu,1 Minjie Mao,1 Siheng Wang,1 Wenxiu Ai,3 Fangyou Yu,2,3 Pingyang Shao1 1Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, 314000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Pingyang Shao, Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, 314000, People’s Republic of China, Email spy202001@163.com Fangyou Yu, Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200000, People’s Republic of China, Email wzjxyfy@163.comIntroduction: This study aimed to investigate the emergence and characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) strains that demonstrate resistance to multiple antibiotics, including aminoglycosides and tigecycline, in a Chinese hospital.Methods: A group of ten CRKP strains were collected from the nine patients in a Chinese hospital. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) and phenotypic inhibition assays precisely assess bacterial antibiotic resistance. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to analyze the mRNA levels of efflux pump genes (acrA/acrB and oqxA/oqxB) and the regulatory gene (ramA). The core-genome tree and PFGE patterns were analyzed to assess the clonal and horizontal transfer expansion of the strains. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on a clinical isolate of K. pneumoniae named Kpn20 to identify key resistance genes and antimicrobial resistance islands (ARI).Results: The CRKP strains showed high resistance to carbapenems, aminoglycosides (CLSI, 2024), and tigecycline (EUCAST, 2024). The mRNA expression levels of efflux pump genes and regulatory genes were detected by RT-qPCR. All 10 isolates had significant differences compared to the control group of ATCC13883. The core-genome tree and PFGE patterns revealed five clusters, indicating clonal and horizontal transfer expansion. Three key resistance genes (blaoxa-232, blaCTX-M-15, and rmtF) were observed in the K. pneumoniae clinical isolate Kpn20. Mobile antibiotic resistance islands were identified containing blaCTX-M-15 and rmtF, with multiple insertion sequences and transposons present. The coexistence of blaoxa-232 and rmtF in a high-risk K. pneumoniae strain was reported. Conjugation assay was utilized to investigate the transferability of blaoxa-232-encoding plasmids horizontally.Conclusion: The study highlights the emergence of ST15-KL112 high-risk CRKP strains with multidrug resistance, including to aminoglycosides and tigecycline. The presence of mobile ARI and clonal and horizontal transfer expansion of strains indicate the threat of transmission of these strains. Future research is needed to assess the prevalence of such isolates and develop effective control measures.Keywords: blaOXA-232, rmtF, Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenemase, plasmid

Yanlei Xu,1 Bingjie Wang,1 Huilin Zhao,1 Xinyi Wang,1 Lulin Rao,2 Wenxiu Ai,2 Jingyi Yu,1 Yinjuan Guo,1 Xiaocui Wu,1 Fangyou Yu,1 Shuying Chen2 1Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Fangyou YuDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail wzjxyfy@163.comShuying ChenDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail wyyycsy@163.comIntroduction: Vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid and daptomycin are four major antibacterials used for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection treatment. However, with the increasing failure of clinical MRSA anti-infective treatment, it is urgent to investigate the status of MRSA sensitivity to these four drugs.Methods: In the present study, 407 non-duplicated MRSA isolates from 6 provinces in China were collected from January 2018 to August 2020. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid and daptomycin were determined by broth microdilution method, and their MIC50, MIC90, and geometric mean MIC were calculated.Results: All 407 MRSA strains were sensitive to these four antibacterials. MIC range of vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid and daptomycin was 0.25 to 2 mg/L, 0.125 to 4 mg/L, 0.25 to 4 mg/L and 0.06 to 1 mg/L, respectively. Between 2018 and 2020, there was no “MIC creep” in vancomycin, teicoplanin and daptomycin. The geometric mean MIC of linezolid was not increased, but both MIC50 and MIC90 in 2019 and 2020 MRSA isolates were higher than 2018 isolates.Conclusion: All MRSA isolates remained sensitivity to vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid and daptomycin. The linezolid MIC50 and MIC90 increased have been found in this study.Keywords: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin, teicoplanin, linezolid, daptomycin, MICs

Qing Zhan,1 Yanlei Xu,1 Lingling Zhan,2 Bingjie Wang,3 Yinjuan Guo,3,4 Xiaocui Wu,3,4 Wenxiu Ai,5 Zengqiang Song,6 Fangyou Yu3,4 1Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, People’s Republic of China; 4Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, People’s Republic of China; 6School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Fangyou Yu; Zengqiang Song Tel +86-021-65115006; +86-577-86699396Email wzjxyfy@163.com; songzengqiang09@163.comIntroduction: The ability of Staphylococcus aureus to form biofilms is associated with high mortality and treatment costs. Established biofilms cannot be eradicated by many conventional antibiotics due to the development of antibiotic tolerance by S. aureus. Here we report the synthesis and biological characterization of novel small-molecule compounds with antibiofilm activity. Chromone 5-maleimide substitution compounds (CM3a) showed favorable antibacterial activity against S. aureus.Methods: CM3A with antibacterial activity was synthesized and screened. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CM3a were determined by the broth microdilution method. Biofilm eradication assay and colony count methods were used to investigate the effect of CM3a on S. aureus biofilm disruption and killing. Changes in biofilm architecture when subjected to CM3a, were visualized using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). CCK-8 assay and survival rate of Galleria mellonella larvae were used to test the toxicity of CM3a.Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of CM3a against S. aureus was about 26.4 μM. Biofilm staining and laser scanning confocal microscopy analysis showed that CM3a eradicated S. aureus biofilms by reducing the viability of the constituent bacterial cells. On the other hand, CM3a showed negligible toxicity against mouse alveolar epithelial cells and Galleria mellonella larvae.Conclusion: Chromone derivatives CM3a has therapeutic potential as a safe and effective compound for the treatment of S. aureus infection.Keywords: chromone derivative, maleimide, Staphylococcus aureus, biofilm, eradicate

Xiaofei Shen, 1 Li Liu, 2 Jingyi Yu, 2 Wenxiu Ai, 1 Xingwei Cao, 3 Qing Zhan, 4 Yinjuan Guo, 5, 6 Liangxing Wang, 1 Fangyou Yu 5, 6 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, People’s Republic of China; 3Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Medicine, Clinical Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, People’s Republic of China; 4Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200082, People’s Republic of China; 6Shanghai Key Laboratory of Tuberculosis, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200082, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Liangxing Wang; Fangyou Yu Email 38805@163.com; wzjxyfy@163.comObjective: The 16S rRNA methylase-mediated high-level resistance to aminoglycosides has become a great concern. The purpose of the study was to investigate the occurrence of 16S rRNA methyltransferase (RMTase) genes in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) clinical isolates associated with bloodstream infections (BSIs) in China.Methods: From July 2015 to December 2018, a total of 137 unique CRKP clinical isolates associated with BSIs were collected from 11 Chinese teaching hospitals. PCR and DNA sequencing were used to identify 16S RMTase genes. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on all CRKP clinical isolates. Relevant information was extracted from WGS data (antibiotic resistance determinants, K-type and wzi allelic types). All 16S RMTase-producing CRKP clinical isolates were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).Results: In this study, 137 CRKPs were found to harbor at least one carbapenemase gene. Among 137 CRKPs, 78 (56.9%, 78/137) were positive for 16S RMTase genes (5 for armA, 70 for rmtB, 3 for both armA and rmtB) and highly resistant to gentamicin and amikacin (MICs ≥ 256 mg/L). Seventy-five isolates harboring 16S RMTase genes also produced ESBLs. In this study, 5 sequence types (STs) and 6 capsule serotypes were found among 78 isolates positive for 16S RMTases genes, while 14 STs and 6 capsule serotypes were found among 59 isolates negative for 16S RMTases genes. Compared with the isolates negative for 16S RMTases genes, the STs and capsular serotypes of 16S RMTases-positive strains are more concentrated. Among 78 16S RMTases-positive strains, the most prevalent clone type is ST11-PFGE-B-KL64-wzi64 (62.8%, 49/78), which mainly carries the rmtB and blaKPC genes and is distributed in 7 provinces in China.Conclusion: A high prevalence of 16S RMTase genes was found among CRKP clinical isolates associated with BSIs from Chinese teaching hospitals, which was attributed to the dissemination of the ST11-PFGE-B-KL64-wzi64 clone.Keywords: CRKP, BSIs, 16S RMTase genes, aminoglycosides, molecular characteristics

Abstract Objectives To develop and validate nomograms combining radiomics and semantic features to identify the invasiveness and histopathological risk stratification of thymic epithelial tumors (TET) using contrast-enhanced CT. Methods This retrospective multi-center study included 224 consecutive cases. For each case, 6764 intratumor and peritumor radiomics features and 31 semantic features were collected. Multi-feature selections and decision tree models were performed on radiomics features and semantic features separately to select the most important features for Masaoka–Koga staging and WHO classification. The selected features were then combined to create nomograms for the two systems. The performance of the radiomics model, semantic model, and combined model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs). Results One hundred eighty-seven cases (56.5 years ± 12.3, 101 men) were included, with 62 cases as the external test set. For Masaoka–Koga staging, the combined model, which incorporated five peritumor radiomics features and four semantic features, showed an AUC of 0.958 (95% CI: 0.912–1.000) in distinguishing between early-stage (stage I/II) and advanced-stage (III/IV) TET in the external test set. For WHO classification, the combined model incorporating five peritumor radiomics features and two semantic features showed an AUC of 0.857 (0.760–0.955) in differentiating low-risk (type A/AB/B1) and high-risk (B2/B3/C) TET. The combined models showed the most effective predictive performance, while the semantic models exhibited comparable performance to the radiomics models in both systems (p > 0.05). Conclusion The nomograms combining peritumor radiomics features and semantic features could help in increasing the accuracy of grading invasiveness and risk stratification of TET. Critical relevance statement Peripheral invasion and histopathological type are major determinants of treatment and prognosis of TET. The integration of peritumoral radiomics features and semantic features into nomograms may enhance the accuracy of grading invasiveness and risk stratification of TET. Key Points Peritumor region of TET may suggest histopathological and invasive risk. Peritumor radiomic and semantic features allow classification by Masaoka–Koga staging (AUC: 0.958). Peritumor radiomic and semantic features enable the classification of histopathological risk (AUC: 0.857). Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an age-related disease featured with abnormal fibrotic response and compromised lung function. Cellular senescence is now considered as an essential driving mechanism for IPF. Given the poor knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning IPF progression, understanding the cellular processes and molecular pathways is critical for developing effective therapies of IPF. Methods Lung fibrosis was induced using bleomycin in C57BL/6 mice. Cellular senescence was measured by immunofluorescence. The effects of FGF-4 on fibroblast activation markers and signaling molecules were assessed with western blot and qPCR. Results We demonstrated elevated abundance of senescent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in IPF lung tissues, which was tightly correlated with the severity of pulmonary fibrosis in vivo. In addition, senescent MSCs could effectively induce the phenotype of pulmonary fibrosis both in vitro and in vivo. To further confirm how senescent MSCs regulate IPF progression, we demonstrate that FGF-4 is significantly elevated in senescent MSCs, which can induce the activation of pulmonary fibroblasts. In vitro, FGF-4 can activate Wnt signaling in a FOXM1-dependent manner. Inhibition of FOXM1 via thiostrepton effectively impairs FGF-4-induced activation of pulmonary fibroblast and dramatically suppresses the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Conclusion These findings reveal that FGF-4 plays a crucial role in senescent MSCs-mediated pulmonary fibrogenesis, and suggests that strategies aimed at deletion of senescent MSCs or blocking the FGF-4/FOXM1 axis could be effective in the therapy of IPF.

Member 5 of the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation (T3X5) in central Sichuan Basin has made a breakthrough in exploration recently. However, this new stratum has not been investigated sufficiently with respect to basic geology, making its types and distribution of sedimentary facies unclear, which severely restricts its subsequent exploration evaluation. In this study, types of sedimentary microfacies in the first sand group of T3X5 (T3X51) are clarified through core observation and logging interpretation using core, log and seismic data, and then distribution of sedimentary microfacies in T3X51 is determined according to seismic waveform features and seismic prediction. The results show that T3X51 in the Dongfengchang area is mainly composed of deltaic deposits of several microfacies, such as delta front underwater distributary channel, sheet sand, and interdistributary bay. On seismic sections, different microfacies are significantly different in waveform features, the underwater distributary channel is characterized by one trough between two peaks, while diversion bay exhibits chaotic reflections between T6 and T51. The sedimentary microfacies varied greatly during the depositional period of T3X51 in the Dongfengchang area, this is because that the sediment supply was mainly controlled by the southwest and southeast provenance regions. Three superimposed underwater distributary channels are developed in the Dongfengchang area. The phase-1 superimposed underwater distributary channel in the northwest transition to sheet sand in the northeast, the phase-2 superimposed underwater distributary channel in the south extends shortly, the phase-3 superimposed underwater distributary channel in the northeast has a large development scale. These research findings are helpful to guide the subsequent exploration of T3X5 gas reservoir and also theoretically significant for investigating the depositional evolution of the Xujiahe Formation in central Sichuan Basin.

B Introduction: b Patients (pts) with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who relapse after stem cell transplant or chimeric antigen receptor therapy or are refractory to second-line therapy have poor prognosis and few treatment options (Chow et al., 2019). LONG-TERM RESPONSES WITH LONCASTUXIMAB TESIRINE: UPDATED RESULTS FROM LOTIS-2, THE PIVOTAL PHASE 2 STUDY IN PATIENTS WITH RELAPSED/REFRACTORY DIFFUSE LARGE B-CELL LYMPHOMA Stock ownership: ADC Therapeutics Research funding: ADC Therapeutics B L. Wang b Employment or leadership position: ADC Therapeutics. [Extracted from the article]

ABSTRACT: Heat stress (HS) brings great challenges to the poultry industry. Vitamin B6 (VB6) is an essential micro-nutrient for animals to maintain normal physiological functions and possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to explore the effect of VB6 on alleviating HS-induced intestinal barrier impairment in broilers. A total of 250 broilers (609.76 ± 0.34 g) were randomly allocated to 5 groups with 5 replicate cages of 10 birds each. The broilers in thermoneutral (TN) group were raised in thermoneutral conditions (23 ± 1°C) and fed with a basal diet. The birds in other four groups were housed under cycle high temperature (34 ± 1°C for 8 h/d) from d 21 to 35 and fed with the basal diet (HS group) or basal diet supplemented with 6, 12, or 24 mg/kg VB6 (HB-6, HB-12, HB-24 groups). The results showed that HS reduced the growth performance, increased ileum inflammatory cytokines levels, and impaired the gut barrier function (P < 0.05). Compared to the HS group, final body weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake, and the feed conversion ratio were improved by VB6 supplementation. The diamine oxidase, interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-18, IL-10, and interferon-γ levels were reduced by VB6 supplementation (P < 0.05). Moreover, VB6 supplementation linearly or quadratically enhanced villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio of duodenum and jejunum, and decreased crypt depth of duodenum and ileum. The mRNA expression of Occlaudin, ZO1, Mucin2, Mucin4, E-cadhein, and β-catenin were increased by VB6 treatment (P < 0.05). Furthermore, dietary VB6 altered the diversity and community of gut microbiota (P < 0.05). A total of 83 differential metabolites associated with the amelioration of VB6 were identified, which were primarily enriched in glycerophospholipid metabolism, caffeine metabolism, and glutathione metabolism pathway. Collectively, VB6 may improve the growth performance and intestinal barrier function of heat-stressed broilers by regulating the ileal microbiota and metabolic homeostasis.

Background Hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases. Its management in young people remains limited. Device‐based therapies, such as low‐level tragus stimulation (LL‐TS), a noninvasive method that reduces sympathetic activity, have recently been explored for resistant hypertension. Methods and Results This trial involved patients with Grade 1 hypertension with no other medical history. LL‐TS (20 Hz, 1 mA, 1 h/day) was applied for 3 months on the tragus (Intervention group [IG]) or earlobe (Control group [CG]). Blood pressure and outcomes were assessed at the first, second, and third months. Among 40 patients, 21 were in IG and 19 in CG. Baseline systolic blood pressure was similar between IG (142.62±8.18 mm Hg) and CG (143.00±8.61 mm Hg), P=0.89. Post‐LL‐TS, systolic blood pressure showed significant reductions in IG compared with CG at the first (IG: 134.47±5.95 mm Hg, CG: 141.28±6.78 mm Hg, P=0.002), second (IG: 132.50±7.51 mm Hg, CG: 140.62±7.15 mm Hg, P=0.001), and third months (IG: 128.81±7.13 mm Hg, CG: 136.51±7.96 mm Hg, P=0.003). diastolic blood pressure also differed significantly: first month (IG: 85.34±5.81 mm Hg, CG: 89.74±6.32 mm Hg, P=0.03), second month (IG: 82.12±5.22 mm Hg, CG: 88.57±7.11 mm Hg, P=0.002), and third month (IG: 80.71±5.96 mm Hg, CG: 87.55±5.26 mm Hg, P=0.001). Heart rate was unchanged (P>0.05). Only 0.01% of IG subjects reported site irritation, with no serious adverse events. Conclusions LL‐TS led to significant blood pressure reductions in young patients with essential hypertension. Further larger trials are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of LL‐TS. Registration URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/; Unique identifier: ChiCTR2000038448.

Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) is a widely used indicator to assess the intensity of drought based on a similar two-layer bucket (TLB) model, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the TLB model cannot quantify surface water balance, effectively, which may lead to the mis-assessment of drought. Therefore, an optimized PDSI indicator named RW-PDSI based on the water balance is constructed. RW-PDSI is developed using the output of a newly proposed remote-sensing-based water balance assessment tool (RWBAT) model. The RWBAT model is constructed to depict the detailed hydrological processes on a fine spatial scale using high-resolution remote sensing data. To test its performance, we collected tree-ring data on the Loess Plateau (LP) to show the drought conditions in past decades (1991–2020). Tree-ring data provide a useful continuous multi-year data archive for drought assessment. Our results showed that the correlation between RW-PDSI and tree-ring data was statistically significant (p

Abstract Background Accumulating neuroimaging evidence indicates that patients with cervical dystonia (CD) have changes in the cortico-subcortical white matter (WM) bundle. However, whether these patients’ WM structural networks undergo reorganization remains largely unclear. We aimed to investigate topological changes in large-scale WM structural networks in patients with CD compared to healthy controls (HCs), and explore the network changes associated with clinical manifestations. Methods Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was conducted in 30 patients with CD and 30 HCs, and WM network construction was based on the BNA-246 atlas and deterministic tractography. Based on the graph theoretical analysis, global and local topological properties were calculated and compared between patients with CD and HCs. Then, the AAL-90 atlas was used for the reproducibility analyses. In addition, the relationship between abnormal topological properties and clinical characteristics was analyzed. Results Compared with HCs, patients with CD showed changes in network segregation and resilience, characterized by increased local efficiency and assortativity, respectively. In addition, a significant decrease of network strength was also found in patients with CD relative to HCs. Validation analyses using the AAL-90 atlas similarly showed increased assortativity and network strength in patients with CD. No significant correlations were found between altered network properties and clinical characteristics in patients with CD. Conclusion Our findings show that reorganization of the large-scale WM structural network exists in patients with CD. However, this reorganization is attributed to dystonia-specific abnormalities or hyperkinetic movements that need further identification.

Abstract Background The thalamus has a central role in the pathophysiology of idiopathic cervical dystonia (iCD); however, the nature of alterations occurring within this structure remain largely elusive. Using a structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approach, we examined whether abnormalities differ across thalamic subregions/nuclei in patients with iCD. Methods Structural MRI data were collected from 37 patients with iCD and 37 healthy controls (HCs). Automatic parcellation of 25 thalamic nuclei in each hemisphere was performed based on the FreeSurfer program. Differences in thalamic nuclei volumes between groups and their relationships with clinical information were analysed in patients with iCD. Results Compared to HCs, a significant reduction in thalamic nuclei volume primarily in central medial, centromedian, lateral geniculate, medial geniculate, medial ventral, paracentral, parafascicular, paratenial, and ventromedial nuclei was found in patients with iCD (P

The effects of solid solution temperature, aging temperature and aging cooling rate on the microstructure evolution of forged Ti-22.5Al-24.7Nb (at. %) alloy were investigated. With the increasing solid solution temperature, the number of equiaxed microstructure first increases and then decreases, reaching the maximum at 900 °C. Lamellar microstructure solubilizes in the matrix or gradually becomes coarser and shorter, and transforms into equiaxed microstructure. When the solution temperature is 1000 °C, equiaxed α2 phase gradually changes to be lath-shaped and concave. During the aging process, some α2 phase transforms into O phase, and the aging temperature affects the shape of equiaxed microstructure and the spacing between the needle-like microstructure. With the increasing aging temperature, the number of equiaxed microstructure increases linearly, and the proportion of fine secondary O phase decreases while the thickness increases. The lamellar morphology of O phase can be retained at a faster cooling rate, while a portion of lamellar O phase is converted to the B2 phase after furnace cooling. Through heat treatment, the volume fraction and the size of lamellar O phase could be well controlled.

Primary aldosteronism (PA), often due to aldosteronoma, commonly causes secondary hypertension and typically requires surgery. We present a case of an elderly man with longstanding hypertension, complicated by cerebral hemorrhage and myocardial infarction. Enhanced CT imaging identified a right-sided aldosteronoma and left adrenal gland fullness. Combined with upright supine aldosterone ratio, captopril challenge test, bilateral adrenal venous sampling, and CYP11B1/CYP11B2 fusion gene testing, the diagnosis of PA was confirmed. Despite the absence of surgical intervention in this patient, pharmacotherapy effectively managed hypertension and enhanced cardiac function, thereby underscoring the advantageous utilization of aldosterone antagonists in non-surgical candidates diagnosed with PA.

This study analyzed the petrological characteristics, diagenesis, pore types, and physical properties of the tight coarse-grained siliciclastic sequences in the third member of the Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation (also referred to as the Xu-3 Member) in the western Yuanba area in the northeastern Sichuan Basin, China, based on the results of 242.61-m-long core description, 292 thin-section observations, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and 292 physical property tests. The types and genetic mechanisms of high-quality tight coarse-grained siliciclastic reservoirs in this member was determined thereafter. The research objective is to guide the exploration and development of the tight coarse-grained siliciclastic sequences in the Xu-3 Member. The results of this study are as follows. Two types of high-quality reservoirs are developed in the coarse-grained siliciclastic sequences of the Xu-3 Member, namely the fractured fine-grained sandy conglomerate type and porous medium-grained calcarenaceous sandstone type. Hydrodynamic energy in the sedimentary environment is the key factor controlling the formation of high-quality reservoirs. These high-quality reservoirs are developed mainly in the transitional zone with moderately high hydrodynamic energy between delta-plain braided channels and delta-front subaqueous distributary channels. The dolomitic debris (gravel) content is the main factor affecting the reservoirs’ physical properties. The micritic algal debris and sandy debris in the dolomitic debris (or gravels) tend to recrystallize during burial, forming intercrystalline pores within. In the medium-grained calcarenaceous sandstones, intercrystalline pores in the dolomitic debris are formed at the early diagenetic stage, and a pore system consisting of structural fractures connecting intergranular pores, intergranular dissolution pores, and kaolinite intergranular micropores is developed at the late stage of diagenesis. The formation of intercrystalline pores in dolomite gravels and gravel-edge fractures, a pore system connected by gravel-edge and tectonic fractures, is closely related to the dolomite gravels in the sandy fine-grained conglomerates.

OBJECTIVE: This work aimed at assessing the peripheral complete blood count during the first trimester of pregnancy in women with spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) compared with age-matched controls who are women with healthy pregnancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional case-control study, with 175 sPTB and 175 age-matched healthy controls, carried out between January 2019 and December 2019. Baseline data and the complete blood count parameters examined during the first trimester of all the participants were recorded. The receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate cut-off point and diagnostic characteristics and area under the curve predicting sPTB. RESULTS: White blood count, platelet, lymphocyte, monocyte, and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio values were significantly higher, and platelet-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio values were lower in sPTB group than healthy control group in the first trimester of pregnancy. Receiver-operator curve analysis suggested that lymphocyte, white blood count, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-monocyte ratio, monocyte, and platelet in the first trimester of pregnancy had predictive value for sPTB. The greatest predictive was lymphocyte, and the areas under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROCs) reached 0.853. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphocyte values during the first trimester of pregnancy were the most predictive spontaneous preterm delivery. Therefore, in the management of the higher risk of preterm delivery, lymphocyte values could be a more cost-effective method during the first trimester of pregnancy because it does not need any kit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifaceted chronic joint disease characterized by complex mechanisms. It has a detrimental impact on the quality of life for individuals in the middle-aged and elderly population while also imposing a significant socioeconomic burden. At present, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the pathophysiology of OA. The objective of this study was to examine the genes, functional pathways, and immune infiltration characteristics associated with the development and advancement of OA. Methods The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was utilized to acquire gene expression profiles. The R software was employed to conduct the screening of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and perform enrichment analysis on these genes. The OA-characteristic genes were identified using the Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and the Lasso algorithm. In addition, the infiltration levels of immune cells in cartilage were assessed using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Subsequently, a correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between immune cells and the OA-characteristic genes. Results A total of 80 DEGs were identified. As determined by functional enrichment, these DEGs were associated with chondrocyte metabolism, apoptosis, and inflammation. Three OA-characteristic genes were identified using WGCNA and the lasso algorithm, and their expression levels were then validated using the verification set. Finally, the analysis of immune cell infiltration revealed that T cells and B cells were primarily associated with OA. In addition, Tspan2, HtrA1 demonstrated a correlation with some of the infiltrating immune cells. Conclusions The findings of an extensive bioinformatics analysis revealed that OA is correlated with a variety of distinct genes, functional pathways, and processes involving immune cell infiltration. The present study has successfully identified characteristic genes and functional pathways that hold potential as biomarkers for guiding drug treatment and facilitating molecular-level research on OA.

Rice is a very important type of food crop because it is a staple food source. Crop losses at the farmer level due to competition with weeds reach 10-1.5%. This study aims to determine the structure of rice weed communities in rice fields in Patia Village, Patia District, and Pandeglang Regency. The research method uses an observation method with the sampling technique used as a random method. The plot used was 2 m x 2 m. Weed sampling was carried out by recording the types of weed types and counting the number of individuals of each species. Measurements of environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, pH, and light intensity were measured. The data parameters measured include the Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H'), evenness index (J'), dominance index (D), wealth index (S), and abundance of rice weed species. The results of the study were that the types of rice weeds found in the rice fields of Patia Village, District, and Patia, Pandeglang Regency, namely Ludwigia octovalvis (Jacq) Raven, Commanded cylindricaL. Beauv, Spigelia anthelmia, Ageratum conyzoides, Spihemoclea zeylanica, Altemanthera sessillis, Eclipta prostate, Cypress deformed L., Digitaria sp. and Mimosa chaste L. The structure of the weed community in the rice fields of Patia Village, Patia District, Pandeglang Regency is the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H') of 1.94; Evenness Index (J') of 0.884; Dominance Index (D) of 0.15.