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ST6GAL2, a member of the sialoglycosyltransferase family, primarily localizes within the cellular Golgi apparatus. However, the role of the ST6GAL2 gene in skeletal muscle growth and development remains elusive. In this study, the impact of the ST6GAL2 gene on the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of primary chicken myoblasts at the cellular level was investigated. Quantitative fluorescent PCR was used to measure the expression levels of genes. Subsequently, using gene knockout mice, we assessed its effects on skeletal muscle growth and development in vivo. Our findings reveal that the ST6GAL2 gene promotes the expression of cell cycle and proliferation-related genes, including CCNB2 and PCNA, and apoptosis-related genes, such as Fas and Caspase-9. At the individual level, double knockout of ST6GAL2 inhibited the formation of both fast and slow muscle fibers in the quadriceps, extensor digitorum longus, and tibial anterior muscle, while promoting their formation in the gastrocnemius and soleus. These results collectively demonstrate that the ST6GAL2 gene facilitates the proliferation, apoptosis, and fusion processes of primary chicken myoblasts. Additionally, it promotes the enlargement of cross-sectional muscle fiber areas and regulates the formation of fast and slow muscle fibers at the individual level, albeit inhibiting muscle fusion. This study provides valuable insights into the role of the ST6GAL2 gene in promoting proliferation of skeletal muscle.

Superhydrophobic coatings for umbrella canopies have the potential to solve the issue of rain residue. However, achieving both impalement resistance and mechanical robustness in these coatings poses a significant challenge and limits their practical applications. In this study, we propose a similar “pole erecting” method utilizing perfluorodecyl polysiloxane modified SiO2 nanoparticles (F-silica) as the pole and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) as the screw to enhance impalement resistance and mechanical robustness, which is attributed to the three-tier hierarchical micro-/micro-/nanostructure bonded by PDMS, along with a reduction in aspect ratio. The obtained PDMS0.5-F-silica could withstand 150 min of water drop impacting (equivalent to approximately 19,000 water drops) and 60 s of 50 kPa water jetting, also showed exceptional endurance against various mechanical tests, including 200 cycles of reciprocating abrasion, 1000 cycles of Martindale abrasion and 200 cycles of tape peeling. Moreover, when applying the PDMS0.5-F-silica coating to umbrella canopies, we observed an absence of rain residue after subjecting the umbrella to 20 h rain. These findings are promising for the development and practical implementation of superhydrophobic coatings.

Reservoir slope stability during water level drawdown has drawn increasing concern in geotechnical engineering in recent years. In this study, an efficient reliability analysis framework based on the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) surrogate model is employed to evaluate the failure probability of unsaturated slopes subjected to the rapid drawdown considering the depth-dependent properties of spatially varying soils. A c-φ slope is selected as an illustrative example to investigate the coupled influence of the non-stationary characteristic of shear strength parameters and saturated hydraulic conductivity, as well as water level drawdown velocity, maximum drop height and scale of fluctuation on the slope failure probability. Results show that the adopted framework can estimate the low-level probability of slope failure with high accuracy and efficiency. It is found that the velocity and maximum height of water level drawdown have a significant effect on the unsaturated slope stability. Furthermore, it is recommended that the depth-dependent non-stationary soil properties be considered in most cases to ensure a more accurate result.

Abstract Herein, we report a copper(I)-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides and 1,3-enynes, which provides a series of chiral poly-substituted pyrrolidines in high regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivities. Both 4-aryl-1,3-enynes and 4-silyl-1,3-enynes serve as suitable dipolarophiles while 4-alkyl-1,3-enynes are inert. Moreover, the method is successfully applied in the construction of both tetrasubstituted stereogenic carbon centers and chiral spiro pyrrolidines. The DFT calculations are also conducted, which imply a concerted mechanism rather than a stepwise mechanism. Finally, various transformations started from the pyrrolidine bearing a triethylsilylethynyl group and centered on the alkyne group are achieved, which compensates for the inertness of 4-alkyl-1,3-enynes in the present reaction.

The patient presented with abdominal pain for the first time 10 years ago and was diagnosed with a left ureteral calculus, left hydronephrosis, and hydroureter. The patient’s abdominal pain disappeared after palliative treatment, but he refused any treatment measures for his calculus and hydrops. He was readmitted due to chronic pelvic pain 8 years ago and was diagnosed with a pelvic abscess and left renal atrophy after imaging examination. We performed pus aspiration treatment under the guidance of transrectal B-mode ultrasound and used antibiotic fluid for purulent cavity rinse, followed by intravenous injection of antibiotics. The abscess shrank in follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the pain symptom disappeared in his pelvic. We followed up with the patient for 6 months, and he had no symptoms related to his pelvic abscess that was diagnosed before. Recent abdominal computed tomography (CT) images revealed that his left kidney atrophy still exists, and a pelvic stone was found at the site of the original abscess. This case once again proves that a ureteral calculus should be treated in time; otherwise, it can lead to serious complications such as a pelvic abscess and renal atrophy. A pelvic stone can be caused by a ureteral calculus migration. Minimally invasive treatments have minimal damage to the body and are widely applicable, and the patient was cured by one of them, abscess aspiration, which implies that they can also be used for patients who cannot tolerate surgical procedures.

Pelvic abscess is mostly caused by gynecological inflammation or digestive system diseases such as appendicitis or Crohn’s disease. This case of pelvic abscess originates from ureteral calculus and is not commonly seen in clinical practice. This is mainly due to the patient’s ureteral stones not being actively treated. After local puncture and pus extraction, as well as the application of effective antibiotics, the patient recovered. Therefore, this case provides clinical doctors with experience that ureteral stones may cause serious complications and should be actively treated after detection.

With the advantages of simple structure, good energy dissipation effect and so on, the sky jump energy dissipation is widely used in energy dissipation of water conservancy project. But at present, the prediction about the range of the free nappe is not complete. The studies show that the ejection angle is different at different locations of the outlet section, but the specific distribution of the outlet section velocity is still unclear. The measurement of free nappe range is mostly the direct measurement, how to accurately control is still difficult, and no systematic study has been made. Especially, the studies on the diffusion width of free nappe are few, the understanding of free nappe diffusion is not enough. In this article, the deflection degree of flow velocity at the outlet section in the lateral direction is quantified by the spread angle. Studied the distribution characteristic of spread angle through numerical simulation. The results show that the distribution characteristics and the maximum value of spread angle are affected by the change of flip bucket size and approach flow condition, and presented a set of equations for calculating the maximum angle.

Abstract Background Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE), as a benign parasitic disease with malignant infiltrative activity, grows slowly in the liver, allowing sufficient time for collateral vessels to emerge in the process of vascular occlusion. Methods The portal vein (PV), hepatic vein and hepatic artery were observed by enhanced CT and the inferior vena cava (IVC) by angiography, respectively. Analysis of the anatomical characteristics of the collateral vessels helped to look into the pattern and characteristics of vascular collateralization caused by this specific etiology. Results 33, 5, 12 and 1 patients were included in the formation of collateral vessels in PV, hepatic vein, IVC and hepatic artery, respectively. PV collateral vessels were divided into two categories according to different pathways: type I: portal -portal venous pathway (13 cases) and type II: type I incorporates a portal-systemic circulation pathway (20 cases). Hepatic vein (HV) collateral vessels fell into short hepatic veins. The patients with IVC collateral presented with both vertebral and lumbar venous varices. Hepatic artery collateral vessels emanating from the celiac trunk maintains blood supply to the healthy side of the liver. Conclusions Due to its special biological nature, HAE exhibited unique collateral vessels that were rarely seen in other diseases. An in-depth study would be of great help to improve our understanding related to the process of collateral vessel formation due to intrahepatic lesions and its comorbidity, in addition to providing new ideas for the surgical treatment of end-stage HAE.

Background: MicroRNA-216a-5p (miR-216a-5p) mediates inflammatory responses and neuronal injury to participate in the pathology of spinal cord injury (SCI). This study intended to explore the engagement of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell exosomes (BMSC-Exo)-derived miR-216a-5p in locomotor performance, neuronal injury, and microglia-mediated inflammation in SCI rats.Methods: Rat BMSC or BMSC-Exo was injected into SCI rats. GW4869 treatment was adopted to suppress the exosome secretion from BMSC. Subsequently, miR-216a-5p-overexpressed BMSC-Exo (BMSC-miR-Exo) or negative-control-overexpressed BMSC-Exo (BMSC-NC-Exo) were injected into SCI rats.Results: The injection of BMSC or BMSC-Exo enhanced locomotor performance reflected by Basso, Beattie & Bresnahan score (p < 0.001), and neuronal viability reflected by NeuN+ cells (p < 0.01), but attenuated neuronal apoptosis reflected by TUNEL positive rate, cleaved-caspase-3 expression, and B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 expression (p < 0.05). Additionally, the injection of BMSC or BMSC-Exo suppressed microglia M1 polarization-mediated inflammation reflected by IBA1+iNOS+ cells, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 (p < 0.01). Notably, the effect of BMSC on the above functions was retarded by the GW4869 treatment (most p < 0.05). Subsequently, the injection of BMSC-miR-Exo further improved locomotor performance (p < 0.05), while inhibiting neuronal apoptosis (p < 0.05) and microglia M1 polarization-mediated inflammation (p < 0.05) compared to BMSC-NC-Exo. Interestingly, the injection of BMSC-miR-Exo reduced toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) (p < 0.01), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (p < 0.05), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) (p < 0.05) expressions versus BMSC-NC-Exo.Conclusion: BMSC-Exo-derived miR-216a-5p enhances functional recovery by attenuating neuronal injury and microglia-mediated inflammation in SCI, which may be attributable to its inhibition of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.

This study investigated the effect of combined thymosin α1 and vitamin C (Tα1 + VitC) on the immunological responses of septic rats. Five groups were designed. The septic model was established by the cecal ligation puncture (CLP) method. The sham group did not undergo CLP, the model group was given normal saline solution, the Tα1 group was given Tα1 (200 µg/kg), the VitC group was given VitC (200 mg/kg), and the Tα1 + VitC group was given Tα1 + VitC. Specimens for immunological analyses were collected at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h posttreatment in each group except for the sham group (only at 48 h). CD4 + CD25 + T cells in the peripheral blood and dendritic cell (DC) proportions in the spleen were analyzed by flow cytometry. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-ß1), and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) were measured by ELISA. CD4 + CD25 + T cells and OX62 + DCs levels significantly increased in the model group and decreased in the Tα1 and/or VitC treatment groups. Similarly, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-ß1, and NF-κB significantly increased in the model group and decreased in the Tα1, VitC, and Tα1 + VitC groups, indicating that combined Tα1 and VitC therapy may help regulate the immunological state of patients with sepsis, thereby improving prognosis.

Background: Hepatic cystic echinococcosis (HCE) rupture into the biliary tract, one of the most common and refractory complications, is treated by laparotomy to remove hydatid lesions. The aim of this article was to investigate the role of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in the treatment of this particular disease. Patients and Methods: This was is a retrospective analysis of 40 patients with HCE ruptured into the biliary tract in our hospital from September 2014 to October 2019. They were divided into two groups, ERCP group (group A, n = 14) and conventional surgery group (group B, n = 26). Group A was treated with ERCP first to control infection and improve the general condition before undergoing laparotomy at an optional stage while group B was treated with laparotomy directly. First, the infection parameters and liver, kidney and coagulation functions of group A patients before and after ERCP were compared to evaluate treatment effectiveness. Second, the intraoperative and post-operative parameters during the laparotomy of group A were compared with group B to evaluate the impact of ERCP treatment on laparotomy. Results and Conclusions: White blood cell, NE%, platelet, procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, Total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase (ALT), ALT and Cr in group A significantly improved by ERCP (P < 0.05); during laparotomy, the bleeding amount and hospital stay in group A were better (P < 0.05); moreover, concerning the post-operative complications, the incidence of acute renal failure and coagulation dysfunction in group A was significantly less (P < 0.05). ERCP, which not only quickly and effectively controls infection and improves the patient's systemic condition but also provides good support for subsequent radical surgery, enjoys good prospects for clinical application.

Abstract Background This study was designed to investigate clinical efficiency and application indications of hepatic lobe hyperplasia techniques for advanced hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (AE) patients. Methods A retrospective case series covering 19 advanced hepatic AE patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from September 2014 to December 2021 and undergoing hepatic lobe hyperplasia techniques due to insufficient remnant liver volume were analyzed. Changes of liver function, lesions volume, remnant liver volume, total liver volume before and after operation have been observed. Results Among the patients, 15 underwent portal vein embolization (PVE). There was no statistical difference in total liver volume and lesions volume before and after PVE (P > 0.05). However, the remnant liver volume was significantly increased after PVE (P

Measurement(s) Gene expression profiles of specific chicken skeletal muscles • cross section area of chicken skeletal muscles and type I muscle fiber quantity Technology Type(s) RNA sequence • Histological Procedure Factor Type(s) different skeletal muscles Sample Characteristic - Organism Gallus gallus Sample Characteristic - Environment farm

Abstract Background Although there are common postoperative complications, Roux-en-Y cholangiojejunostomy is still broadly used as a standard surgical procedure for patients with biliary stricture. This study aimed to explore long-term risk factors of cholangiojejunostomy in patients with biliary stricture who underwent revisional cholangiojejunostomy. Methods Clinical data of 61 patients with biliary stricture undergoing revisional cholangiojejunostomy were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were classified into two groups (patients with traumatic biliary stricture and non-traumatic biliary stricture). Postoperative complications and survival time were successfully followed up. Results Among the patients, 34 underwent revisional cholangiojejunostomy due to traumatic biliary stricture, and 27 underwent revisional cholangiojejunostomy due to non-traumatic biliary surgery. Although there was no statistical difference in most clinical data between two groups, biliary dilation or not during the first surgery, cholelithiasis or not during the first surgery, long-term complications after first surgery, cholelithiasis or not during the second surgery, identifying abnormalities during the second surgery and long-term complications after second surgery were significantly different. All patients were successfully followed up and average follow-up time for patients with traumatic and non-traumatic biliary stricture was (88.44 ± 35.67) months and (69.48 ± 36.61) months respectively. Survival analysis indicated that there was no statistical difference in overall survival between two groups. Additionally, cox proportional hazard analysis demonstrated that first preoperative bilirubin level, short-term complication after first surgery and identifying abnormalities during the second surgery were independent risk factors that may have significant effects on patients' overall survival and long-term prognosis after cholangiojejunostomy. Among the intraoperative abnormal findings, residual lesions after the first operation had significant effects on the patients overall survival in the earlier stage. Relatively, anastomotic stoma stricture and biliary output loop problems had obvious effects on patients' overall survival at later stages. Conclusion First preoperative bilirubin level, short-term complication after first surgery and abnormal findings during the second surgery were independent risk factors of revisional cholangiojejunostomy, which may affect patients' long-term survival. Therefore, surgeons should minimize incidence of postoperative complications through fully evaluating optimal operative time and standardizing surgical procedures.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) joint inflammation severely affects joint function and quality of life in patients and leads to joint deformities and limb disability. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs used in the treatment of RA do not fully control the progression of joint inflammation and bone destruction and have notable adverse reactions. Traditional Chinese medicine formula JuanBiQiangGu Granules (JBQG) are commonly used for the treatment of RA inflammation and delay of bone destruction, but has not been evaluated through high-quality clinical studies. There is a pressing need for well-designed, randomized, parallel, controlled clinical studies to evaluate the exact effect of JBQG on RA joint inflammation and improvement of patient quality of life.Methods: This is a randomized, parallel, controlled clinical study in which 144 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to 2 groups in a 1:1 ratio. The JBQG group received methotrexate 7.5 mg qw and JBQG granules 8 mg tid, while the MTX group received methotrexate 7.5 mg qw. The endpoint was 12 weeks after treatment. Relevant indices at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks after treatment were observed and recorded, and DAS28-ESR, HAQ-DI, and Sharp scores were recorded for each patient. Blood samples were collected to test for CRP, ESR, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, and INF-γ, and adverse reactions and liver and kidney function (AST, ALT, Cr, BUN) were recorded for safety assessment. After 12 weeks of treatment, the effect of JBQG granules on disease activity, improvement in bone damage, and patient quality of life scores and safety in RA patients were evaluated.Results: A total of 144 subjects completed treatment (71 in the JBQG group and 73 in the MTX group) and were included in the analysis. At baseline, there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of the observed indicators (p > 0.05). After treatment, 76.06% of patients in the JBQG group had DAS28-ESR levels below or equal to Low, including 45.07% in Remission and 5.63% in High, compared to 53.1% in the MTX group below or equal to Low, 12.33% in Remission, and 17.81% in High. CRP was significantly reduced (8.54 ± 5.87 vs. 11.86 ± 7.92, p < 0.05, p = 0.005), ESR was significantly reduced (15.1 ± 6.11 vs. 21.96 ± 9.19, p < 0.0001), TNF-α was significantly reduced (1.44 ± 0.83 vs. 1.85 ± 1.07, p < 0.05, p = 0.011), IL-17 was significantly reduced (0.53 ± 0.33 vs. 0.71 ± 0.38, p < 0.05, p = 0.004), and INF-γ was significantly reduced (3.2 ± 1.51 vs. 3.89 ± 1.77, p < 0.05, p = 0.014). The median (IQR) OPG in the JBQG group was 2.54 (2.21–3.01), significantly higher than in the MTX group 2.06 (1.81–2.32), p < 0.0001), and the median (IQR) β-CTX in the JBQG group was 0.4 (0.32–0.43), significantly lower than in the MTX group 0.55 (0.47–0.67), p < 0.0001). The median (IQR) VSA scores were 2 (1–3), a decrease from 3 (2–4) in the MTX group (p < 0.0001). The median (IQR) Sharp scores were 1 (1–2), a decrease from 2 (1–2) in the MTX group, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05, p = 0.28). The median (IQR) HAQ-DI scores were 11 (8–16), significantly lower than in the MTX group 26 (16–30) (p < 0.0001). The median (IQR) AST in the JBQG group was 16 (12–20), with a significant difference compared to the MTX group 19 (13–25) (p < 0.01, p = 0.004); the median (IQR) ALT in the JBQG group was 14 (10–18), with a significant difference compared to the MTX group 16 (11–22.5) (p < 0.05, p = 0.015). There were no statistically significant differences in Cr or BUN (p > 0.05).Conclusion: JuanBiQiangGu Granules can be used to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis, alleviate joint inflammation, reduce the incidence of adverse reactions to methotrexate, and has good safety.Clinical Trial Registration:http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn/index.html; identifier: ChiCTR2100046373.

Lithium–oxygen (Li–O2) batteries, recognized as candidates for the highest energy storage, face challenges of irreversibility and low efficiency due to insulating discharge products. Addressing these issues, our study explores innovative dual-atom catalysts (DACs) comprising non-precious metals, specifically atomically scaled nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe), positioned on defective mesopore sites of nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) to enhance battery performance. We successfully achieved the synthesis of both homogeneous (Fe–Fe-NCNTs and Ni–Ni-NCNTs) and heterogeneous (Ni–Fe-NCNTs and Fe–Ni-NCNTs) DACs on NCNTs, by varying the loading sequences and combination of Ni and Fe. Our findings demonstrate that Fe-first-loaded DACs, particularly heterogeneous Ni–Fe-NCNT variants, excelled in both NO2− mediation reactivity and catalytic activity, achieving a longer lifespan of 200 cycles and maintaining consistent ORR/OER overpotential. Insights into the mesoporous loading sites and reaction mechanisms of these DACs in Li–O2 cells were gained through density functional theory calculations. This research paves the way for replacing costly noble metal catalysts with tailored non-noble metal combinations, potentially revolutionizing Li–O2 cell technology and broadening applications in heterogeneous catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a type of bone cancer most often affects pre-teens and teens, but it is still a rare disorder. Neuropilin and tolloid-like 2 (NETO2) has been reported to promote OS progression, but its upstream mechanism in OS cells remains obscure. Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were conducted to examine RNA and protein levels, separately. Functional assays were performed to assess the impact of NETO2 on OS cell malignancy. Moreover, bioinformatics analyses and mechanism experiments were performed to identify the upstream mechanism of NETO2 in OS cells. Results: Functionally, NETO2 depletion repressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) but triggered the apoptosis of OS cells. NETO2 is directly targeted and negatively regulated by microRNA-101-3p (miR-101-3p). Mechanically, miR-101-3p could combine with long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) TYMS opposite strand RNA (TYMSOS) in OS cells. In addition, our study proved that TYMSOS promotes the malignancy of OS via elevating NETO2 expression as miR-101-3p sponge. Conclusion: TYMSOS-miR-101-3p-NETO2 axis promotes the malignant behaviors of OS cells, which might offer a novel sight for OS treatment.

Reconstruction of the Cretaceous tectonic evolution of the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is of great significance to understanding the formation and early evolution of the Tibetan Plateau. The thick late Mesozoic sedimentary sequence in the Western Sichuan Basin may record the evolution of the basin itself and the tectonic uplift history of the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau during the Cretaceous period. Here we provide new multi-proxy provenance data from conglomerate clast populations, sandstone petrography, heavy mineral assemblages, U-Pb dating of detrital zircon, paleocurrent data, and detrital garnet geochemistry from the Cretaceous clastic units in the southwest corner of Sichuan Basin. Our analysis reveals two distinct changes in sediment provenance recorded in the Cretaceous strata at the southwest corner of the Sichuan Basin. The first significant change of detrital provenance was identified in the mid-Cretaceous Jiaguan Formation. Metamorphic rocks and volcanic rocks clast, as well as feldspar and mica, increased significantly, a heavy mineral assemblage dominated by hematite–limonite and ilmenite with high ATi and RuZi and low ZTR values, predominantly type Bi garnet and mostly 164 Ma, 207 Ma, 440 Ma, 780 Ma–824 Ma, and 1840 Ma detrital zircon ages, interpreted to be sourced from the Songpan-Ganzi fold belt and Longmenshan orogenic belt. The second shift, in the Guankou Formation, is marked by a low compositional maturity, a distinct increase in fossiliferous carbonate clasts and high GZi index with type Bii garnet, and Triassic zircon ages, indicating the exhumation of Longmenshan orogenic belt during the late Cretaceous. These data collectively indicate that the significant surface uplift and rapid denudation of the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau were probably initiated in the mid-Cretaceous (∼120 Ma). In conclusion, a detailed hands-on provenance analysis of the clastic sedimentary sequences in the southwest corner of the Sichuan Basin enabled us to determine catchment areas and shifts hitherto unstudied, thus contributing to the exhumation history of the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.

Though sedimentary mercury in marine sediments has been regarded as a geological indicator of volcanic activity based on volcanism activity is the dominant natural source of Hg to the oceans, the influence of diagenesis on mercury cannot be dismissed. Marine mudstone has been selected to explore the migration of mercury from the syn-sedimentary stage to the diagenetic stage in this review. Marine mudstones undergo a series of significant transformation processes, including the illitization of smectite and the formation of framboidal pyrite aggregates during the diagenetic stage. This process makes the adsorption capacity of minerals change significantly that clay minerals are weakened, while pyrites are enhanced. In this reason, it is inferred that the sedimentary mercury may re-migrate from clay minerals to pyrite. This at least means that the indication of volcanic activity by mercury enrichment in marine mudstone need to be re-evaluated.

The pathogenicity of bacteria is closely related to their tolerance to environmental stress. When the pathogenic Vibrio bacteria is exposed to external stressosome, a protein-signaling hub within Vibrio bacteria senses and transmits stress signals through reversible phosphorylation. In order to explore the influence of ultra-high pressure (UHP) on the conformation of RsbT protein kinase in Vibrio and on its downstream signaling transduction, three pressure points of 100 MPa, 300 MPa and 500 MPa are used in this experiment.Each pressure point is kept for 5 minutes. After western blotting, in the RsbT protein kinase, phosphorylation ability decreases as the pressure increases. The RsbT conformation alters and its phosphorylation ability almost disappears when the pressure is above 300 MPa. This study offers new theoretical support for the influence of pressure on RsbT protein kinase conformation and biological activity in stressosome, which provide insights into treatment of food-bone bacteria using UHP.

The deterioration of rock mass under dynamic mechanical state is difficult to determine, especially when evolution trends of micro-fractures are considered. Taking the limestone from Wuxia section of the Three Gorges Reservoir area as studying case, cross-scale tests and theoretical analysis were adopted to study the influence of dry-wet cycles on rock deterioration. The weakly acidic condition (pH = 6) and the dry environment at 105°C were together constituted the two extreme mechanical states of the dry-wet cycles. Meanwhile, the number of dry-wet cycles and soaking time were used as the main variables to analyze the deterioration trend. After introducing the damage mechanics, the quantitative relationship between the mechanical parameters and changing mechanical states was obtained. Combined with the microstructure obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM), it can be found that with the increase of dry-wet cycles and soaking time, the morphology of mineral particles changed, the number of secondary pores gradually increased, the surface structure became looser, and the microcracks gradually increased, causing the decrease of macro strength. The related method proposed in this paper could provide significant references to determine the mechanical parameters of rocky reservoir bank.

The research on the pre-collisional tectonic evolution of basin-mountain system at the margin of Tibetan plateau provides insights into the upward and outward growth mechanism of the plateau in the Cenozoic. Lower Jurassic Baitianba Formation quartz-rich conglomerate exposed along the edge of the northwest Sichuan Basin whereas these deposits were incompatible with peripheral carbonatite-dominated orogenic belts, which aroused our great interest. To better understand the origin of quartz-rich conglomerate and early erosional unroofing history of northeastern Tibetan Plateau margin, this study focuses on sandstone petrography analysis along with U-Pb age dating of the detrital zircons of Baitianba Formation gravel and sandstone sample from northwestern Sichuan Basin, which is located to north Longmen Shan thrust belt. In the distinctive Lower Jurassic quartz gravel samples, there are at least two distinct provenance sources. One is characterized by a unimodal age population at ca. 400–1,000 Ma but the absence of younger detrital zircons (

Abstract Background Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) lesion microenvironment (LME) is crucial site where parasite-host interactions happen and of great significance during surgery and obtaining liver samples for basic research. However, little is known about quantification of LME range and its’ metabolic activity regarding different lesion characteristics. Methods A prospective and retrospective analysis of LME from surgical AE patients was performed. Patients (n = 75) received abdominal computed tomography (CT) and position emission tomography/computed tomography using 18F-fluodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG-PET/CT) within 1 week prior to surgery. Semiquantitatively, calcification was clustered with 0%, B, A > D, A > F, E > B, E > D, E > F, C > B, C > D, C > F (P B, A > D, A > F, A > E, C > B, C > D, C > F, E > D, E > F, B > D, B > F (P C, A > D, A > F, B > D, B > F, C > D, C > F (P

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopy in the treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (AE). Methods: Between January 2018 and December 2019, 213 hepatic AE patients were admitted to the authors’ institution. Among them, 165 patients (77.46%, 165/213) underwent surgery. Of 13 patients who underwent laparoscopic treatment, two required conversion to open surgery. The remaining 11 patients (group 1) were analyzed. During the same period, 154 patients underwent open surgery, but only 14 records were compatible with the criteria for the laparoscopic approach and were reviewed retrospectively (group 2). Results: Conversion to open surgery occurred in two cases. Both groups were basically consistent in terms of detailed demographic data, characteristics of the lesions, and surgical strategy (P > 0.05). The laparoscopic group not only achieved the same R0 resection as the open group, but the results were also significantly superior to those of the open group in terms of postoperative complications, postoperative catheterization time, and postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.042, P = 0.046, and P = 0.045, respectively). No recurrences were observed in either group during this period. Conclusions: Laparoscopic surgery provides a safe and efficacious approach for hepatic AE in selected patients. Large, prospective, randomized trials are needed to confirm its superiority.

Tibetan chickens living at high altitudes show specific physiological adaptations to the extreme environmental conditions. However, the regulated base of how chickens adapt to high-altitude habitats remains largely unknown. In this study, we sequenced 96 transcriptomes (including 48 miRNA and 48 mRNA transcriptomes of heart, liver, lung, and brain) and resequenced 12 whole genomes of Tibetan chickens and Peng'xian yellow chickens. We found that several miRNAs show the locally optimal plastic changes that occurred in miRNAs of chickens, such as miR-10c-5p, miR-144-3p, miR-3536, and miR-499-5p. These miRNAs could have effects on early adaption to the high-altitude environment of chickens. In addition, the genes under selection between Tibetan chickens and Peng'xian yellow chickens were mainly related to oxygen transport and oxidative stress. The I-kappa B kinase/NF-kappa B signaling pathway is widely found for high-altitude adaptation in Tibetan chickens. The candidate differentially expressed miRNAs and selected genes identified in this study may be useful in current breeding efforts to develop improved breeds for the highlands.

Abstract. Background. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is a promising method for the study of brain function. Typically, rs-fMRI is performed on anesthetized animals. Although different functional connectivity (FC) in various anesthetics on whole brain have been studied, few studies have focused on different FC in the aged brain. Here, we measured FC under three commonly used anesthesia methods and analyzed data to determine if the FC in whole brain analysis were similar among groups. Methods. Twenty-four male aged Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 8 in each group). Anesthesia was performed under either isoflurane (ISO), combined ISO + dexmedetomidine (DEX) or α-chloralose (AC) according to the groups. Data of rs-fMRI was analyzed by FC in a voxel-wise way. Differences in the FC maps between the groups were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and post hoc two-sample t tests. Results. Compared with ISO + DEX anesthesia, ISO anesthesia caused increased FC in posterior brain and decreased FC in the middle brain of the aged rat. AC anesthesia caused global suppression as no increase in FC was observed. Conclusion. ISO could be used as a substitute for ISO + DEX in rat default mode network studies if the left temporal association cortex is not considered important.

Abstract Background Partial peri-cystectomy (PPC) is one of the major surgical approaches for hepatic cystic echinococcosis (CE) and has been practiced in most centers worldwide. Cysto-biliary communication (fistula, leakage, rupture) is a problematic issue in CE patients. T-tube is a useful technique in situations where an exploration and decompression are needed for common bile duct (CBD). However, postoperative biliary complications for cystic cavity still remains to be studied in depth. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis of CE cases in our single center database from 2007 March to 2012 December was performed. Patients (n = 51) were divided into two cohorts: double T-tube drainage (one at CBD for decompression and one at the fistula for sustaining in cystic cavity, n = 23) group and single T-tube drainage cohort (only one at CBD for decompression, n = 28). Short-/long-term postoperative complications focusing on biliary system was recorded in detail and they were followed-up for median 11 years. Results Overall biliary complication rates for double and single T-tube drainages were 17.4% vs. 39.3% (P > 0.05). Short-term complications ranged from minor to major leakages, cavity infection and abscess formation, and prevalence was 17.4% vs. 21.4% (P > 0.05) respectively for double and single T-tube groups; most importantly, double T-tube drainage group had obvious advantages regarding long-term complications (P

Abstract Osteoporosis is a skeleton disease affecting 55% of people over age 60, and the number is still increasing due to an ageing population. One method to prevent osteoporosis is to increase the formation of new bone while preventing the resorption of older bone. Thus, osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is of great importance in improving the treatment of osteoporosis. On the other hand, glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used to treat the chronic inflammatory disorders, but long‐term exposure to GCs can induce osteoporosis. In present study, we treated BMSCs with dexamethasone (DEX) to simulate GC‐induced osteoporosis. MTT assay, ALP activity, and Alizarin Red were used to evaluate the role miRNA‐291a‐3p in the DEX‐induced osteogenic differentiation suppression. Further, we used qPCR and western blot to investigate the mechanisms of miRNA‐291a‐3p affecting BMSCs differentiation. The results showed that miRNA‐291a‐3p could improve the cell viability, osteogenic differentiation, and ALP activity, which are suppressed by DEX in BMSCs. Furthermore, we found that the osteogenesis genes Runx2, DMP1, and ALP were upregulated whereas the lipogenic genes C/EBPα and PPARγ were downregulated when miRNA‐291a‐3p mimics were transfected. Additionally, we demonstrated that miRNA‐291a‐3p promoted BMSCs' osteogenic differentiation by directly suppressing DKK1 mRNA and protein expression and subsequently activating Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway. Our study suggests that miR‐291a‐3p plays an important role in preventing osteoporosis and may serve as a potential miRNA osteoporosis biomarker.

Shenlian (SL) decoction is a herbal formula composed of Coptis and ginseng, of which berberine and ginsenoside are the main constituents. Even though SL decoction is widely used in treating diabetes in China, the mechanism of its antidiabetes function still needs further study. Gut microbiota disorder is one of the important factors that cause diabetes. To explore the effect of SL decoction on intestinal microbiota, gut microbiota of mice was analyzed by sequencing the gut bacterial 16S rRNA V3+V4 region and metagenomics. In this study, results demonstrated that SL decoction had a better hypoglycemic effect and β cell protection effect than either ginseng or Coptis chinensis. Alpha diversity analysis showed that all interventions with ginseng, Coptis, and SL decoction could reverse the increased diversity and richness of gut microbiota in db/db mice. PCoA analysis showed oral SL decoction significantly alters gut microbiota composition in db/db mice. 395 OTUs showed significant differences after SL treatment, of which 37 OTUs enriched by SL decoction showed a significant negative correlation with FBG, and 204 OTUs decreased by SL decoction showed a significant positive correlation with FBG. Results of KEGG analysis and metagenomic sequencing showed that SL decoction could reduce the Prevotellaceae, Rikenellaceae, and Helicobacteraceae, which were related to lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, riboflavin metabolism, and peroxisome, respectively. It could also upregulate the abundance of Bacteroidaceae, which contributed to the metabolism of starch and sucrose as well as pentose-glucuronate interconversions. In the species level, SL decoction significantly upregulates the relative abundance of Bacteroides_acidifaciens which showed a significant negative correlation with FBG and was reported to be a potential agent for modulating metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. In conclusion, SL decoction was effective in hypoglycemia and its mechanism may be related to regulating gut microbiota via upregulating Bacteroides_acidifaciens.