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Epidemiological evidence indicates that vitamin D is involved in defense against diabetes; however, the precise underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. In the present study, the effect of vitamin D on the pathogenesis of diabetes was investigated, with an emphasis on its direct effect on pancreatic β-cells. A streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) mouse model and MIN6 mouse insulinoma β-cells were subjected to vitamin D treatment. Histopathological analysis of pancreatic islets was performed to investigate insulitis, and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to determine the mRNA and protein expression levels of markers of autophagy [microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) and Beclin 1] and regulation of apoptosis [B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)]. Apoptosis of MIN6 cells was examined by flow cytometry following annexin V/propidium iodide labeling. The secretion of insulin was measured by ELISA. The results revealed that vitamin D reduced the incidence of T1DM, enhanced insulin secretion and relieved pancreatic inflammation in STZ-treated mice. Furthermore, vitamin D increased the mRNA expression levels of LC3 and Beclin 1, and increased Bcl-2 protein expression levels in STZ-treated MIN6 cells, while decreasing the apoptosis rate. The results of the present study demonstrated, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, that vitamin D induces autophagy and suppresses apoptosis of pancreatic β-cells, as well as preventing insulitis. These findings regarding vitamin D provide insights into its involvement in diabetes, and suggest a potential novel strategy for the treatment of diabetes via agents enhancing autophagy in pancreatic β-cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a pre-/poststudy comparing surgical and nonsurgical treatment. The study aims to identify the role of orthopedic spinal surgery in improving life satisfaction and self-esteem in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. It reveals the effectivity of surgical correction of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in eligible patients in leading to curve correction and in increasing self-esteem and life satisfaction.

Background and PurposeThis study investigated the safety and efficacy of using the minimally invasive operation of laparoscopic orchiopexy to treat palpable inguinal canalicular undescended testes.Patients and MethodsLaparoscopic orchiopexy was performed on 90 Chinese patients (103 testes) with inguinal canalicular palpable undescended testes. Patients with testes that were nonpalpable, ectopic, retractable, or palpable but distal to the external ring were excluded. Patients in the study ranged from 8 months to 6 years old (mean age 17 months). Of the 103 testes undergoing operation, 26.7 were on the left side of the body and 58.9 were on the right; 14.4 of the patients had bilateral undescended testes. Laparoscopic techniques were used by the same surgeon to move the spermatic vessels and transfer the testis into the scrotum.ResultsAll 103 testes were successfully descended by laparoscopy. In the first 46 unilateral cases, the operation took significantly longer for the first 15 patients than the next 31, which were completed in 32.7 ± 5.2 min. Of all 90 patients, a complication was encountered in only one, and this occurred at the beginning of the surgeon's learning curve. Of 77 unilateral undescended testes, a patent processes vaginalis was found in 90.3 of the cases on the ipsilateral side and 15.6 on the contralateral side. All of the testes maintained an adequate size and intrascrotal position with no atrophy or recurrent inguinal hernia during a follow-up of 6 to 12 months.ConclusionsThe laparoscopic approach to orchiopexy is a safe way to descend the inguinal canalicular palpable testis. It offers several advantages of a minimally invasive technique and yield effective results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an aero-engine exhaust gas temperature prediction model based on LightGBM optimized by the chaotic rate bat algorithm is proposed to monitor aero-engine performance effectively. By introducing chaotic rate, the convergence speed and precision of bat algorithm are improved, which chaotic rate bat algorithm is obtained. The LightGBM is optimized by chaotic rate bat algorithm and it is used to predict exhaust gas temperature. Taking a type of aero-engine for example, some relevant performance parameters from the flight data measured by airborne sensors were selected as input variables and exhaust gas temperature as output variables. The data set is divided into training and test sets, and the CRBALightGBM model is trained and tested, and compared with ensemble algorithms such as RF, XGBoost, GBDT, LightGBM, and BA-LightGBM. The results show that the mean absolute error of this method in the prediction of exhaust gas temperature (after normalization) is 0.0065, the mean absolute percentage error is 0.77% and goodness of fit R2 has reached to 0.9469. The prediction effect of CRBA-LightGBM is better than other comparison algorithms and it is suitable for aero-engine condition monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocarrier dynamics in tungsten disulfide—black phosphorus (BP) heterostructures were studied by time-resolved differential reflection measurements. The heterostructures were fabricated by stacking together monolayer WS2 and BP flakes that are both fabricated by mechanical exfoliation. Efficient and ultrafast transfer of photocarriers from WS2 to BP flakes was observed. This confirms the type-I band alignment of WS2/BP heterostructures that was predicted by theory. Accompanied with the photocarrier interlayer transfer process from WS2 to BP flakes, the change of the absorption of WS2 persists for several nanoseconds. These results promote the consciousness about the carrier dynamics of interlayer transfer process in van der Waals heterostructures and its application in optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, the optimal design of the hydraulic buffer is studied to reduce the recoil force of a sniper grenade launcher. According to the structural characteristics of the weapon, the installation scheme and size limitation of the hydraulic buffer are analyzed and calculated. The mathematical model of the hydraulic buffer is established, and the Runge-Kutta method is used. An optimization model is established based on design variables of the size and spacing of flow hole as well as objective values of buffer efficiency and effect. Moreover, the optimization model is obtained by a particle swarm optimization algorithm. The dynamic simulation and shooting test of the optimized scheme are conducted. The influence of hydraulic buffer on the movement of weapon components and its cushioning effect is compared with the original weapon. The results show that the hydraulic buffer can absorb some recoil energy of the automatic mechanism and reduce the peak velocity of each component. The peak recoil force and impulse of the weapon are reduced by 21.0% and 6.5%, respectively. The recoil impact of the weapon is effectively reduced by installing a hydraulic buffer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteosarcoma is a bone tumor with a high incidence in children and adolescents. Chemotherapy for osteosarcoma is limited, and effective targeted drugs are urgently needed to treat osteosarcoma. Exosomes as a natural nano drug delivery platform have been widely studied and proven to have good drug delivery performance. However, the low production of exosomes hinders its development as a carrier. Exosome mimetics (EMs) as an alternative product of exosomes solve the problem of low production of exosomes and maintain the good performance of exosomes as carriers. In this study, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were sequentially extruded to generate EMs to encapsulate doxorubicin (EM-Dox) to treat osteosarcoma. The results showed that we successfully prepared EMs of BMSC, and EM-Dox was prepared using an active-loading approach. Our engineered EM-Dox demonstrated significantly more potent tumor inhibition activity and fewer side effects than free doxorubicin. This novel biological nanomedicine system provides a promising opportunity to develop novel precision medicine for osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Intramedullary (IM) nailing is the preferred method for treatment of femoral shaft fractures. However, for the surgical staff and the patients, exposure to large dose of X-rays is inevitable during the procedure. In this paper, a new technique based on ultrasound is proposed to guide the reduction of femoral fractures, reducing radiation exposure.Methods and Results: By means of particular continuous transverse and multiplanar longitudinal scanning, the deformity pattern information of the fracture could be efficiently acquired. Adequate reduction could be achieved under the real-time guidance of intraoperative ultrasound.Conclusions: Intraoperative ultrasound can guide the reduction of femoral shaft fracture using IM nailing, and reduce the radiation exposure of medical staff and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urethral reconstruction is one of the great surgical challenges for urologists. A cell-based tissue- engineered urethra may be an alternative for patients who have complicated long strictures and need urethral reconstruction. Here, we demonstrated the feasibility of using autologous urine-derived stem cells (USCs) seeded on small intestinal submucosa (SIS) to repair a urethral defect in a rabbit model. Methods: Autologous USCs were obtained and characterized, and their capacity to differentiate into urothelial cells (UCs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) was tested. Then, USCs were labeled with PKH67, seeded on SIS, and transplanted to repair a urethral defect. The urethral defect model was surgically established in New Zealand white male rabbits. A ventral urethral gap was created, and the urethral mucosa was completely removed, with a mean rabbit penile urethra length of 2 cm. The urethral mucosal defect was repaired with a SIS scaffold (control group: SIS with no USCs; experimental group: autologous USC-seeded SIS; n = 12 for each group). A series of tests, including a retrograde urethrogram, histological analysis, and immunofluorescence, was undertaken 2, 3, 4, and 12 weeks after the operation to evaluate the effect of the autologous USCs on urethral reconstruction. Results: Autologous USCs could be easily collected and induced to differentiate into UCs and SMCs. In addition, the urethral caliber, speed of urothelial regeneration, content of smooth muscle, and vessel density were significantly improved in the group with autologous USC-seeded SIS. Moreover, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis were found in the control group with only SIS, but not in the experimental autologous USC-seeded SIS group. Furthermore, immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that the transplanted USCs differentiated into UCs and SMCs in vivo. Conclusions: Autologous USCs can be used as an alternative cell source for cell-based tissue engineering for urethral reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 3-year-old girl who was admitted to a hospital for complaints of bilateral Wilm's tumor in the abdomen. The patient then underwent ultrasonic examination which revealed a tumor in her right and left kidneys. The patient was then subjected to a preoperative chemotherapy and an ultrasonic examination for monitoring.

Study Design: A retrospective study. Objective: The aim of this study is to introduce a novel regional predictor for sagittal balance in elderly populations and explore its effectiveness of evaluating sagittal balance. Summary Of Background Data: Sagittal balance is getting increasing recognition of importance due to its significant association of health-related quality of life. However, no regional parameters could well reflect and predict the whole sagittal balance. Methods: Medical records of elderly patients in our outpatient clinic from January 2012 to January 2014 were reviewed with standing full-spine lateral radiograph. Radiological parameters were evaluated, including max thoracic kyphosis (maxTK), max lumbar lordosis (maxLL), LL minus TK(LL-TK), PI minus LL (PI-LL), sacrum slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), pelvic incidence (PI), and SVA (sagittal vertical axis). Correlation analysis between SVA, LL-TK, and other radiological spinopelvic parameters and was pursued. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether patients were well-aligned in sagittal plane: Group A (well-aligned, SVA ≤50  mm) and Group B (poorly aligned, SVA >50  mm), and demographic and sagittal parameters were compared. LL-TK ≥0° and PI-LL ≤13° were used as a threshold value to evaluate their effectiveness of prediction for sagittal balance. Results: A total of 129 patients (M: 25 and F: 104) were included in this study. SVA was significantly correlated with NRS (numeric rating scales), age, maxLL, PT, LL-TK, and PI-LL (all, P < 0.05). Age, maxTK, maxLL, SS, PT, PI, SVA, and NRS were significantly correlated with LL-TK (all P < 0.05). Significant differences were found in age, maxLL, PT, LL-TK, PI-LL, SVA, and NRS between Group A (M: 15 and F: 72) and Group B (M: 10 and F: 32) (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, both LL-TK ≥0° and PI-LL ≤13° were observed in 75 patents, among which SVA ≤50 mm was found in 67 patients (89%). Among patients whose LL-TK and PI-LL were <0° and >13°, 34 patients were poorly aligned (34/39, 87%). Conclusion: LL-TK was a good regional predictor for sagittal balance in elderly population, especially combined with PI-LL. Level Of Evidence: 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To describe 19 years of clinical experience managing pediatric patients with testicular yolk sac tumors at the Chongqing Medical University Affiliated Children's Hospital. Methods This study involved a retrospective review of the records of 61 pediatric patients who presented with testicular yolk sac tumor at our institution between 1995 and 2014. Results All patients presented with a painless scrotal mass. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were elevated (n = 15). Ultrasonography identified the yolk sac tumors as solid masses. Color Doppler flow imaging showed rich blood flow inside and around the masses in 84.8% cases. X-ray of the scrotum showed no intrascrotal calcification (n = 38). Inguinal orchiectomy was performed in 60 patients, one case was treated with testis-sparing surgery. In 11 cases, radical dissection of the inguinal lymph nodes was performed. Histological analysis showed pathologies typical of yolk sac tumor including microcapsule and reticular structures, gland tube-gland bubble structures, an embryo sinus structure, and papillary structures. All patients received postoperative chemotherapy. Serum AFP levels returned to normal 1 to 2 months after surgery. No patients treated with surgery in our hospital relapsed. Conclusion Testicular yolk sac tumor presents as a painless scrotal mass, increased serum AFP levels, and a solid mass on ultrasound. Chest radiography and abdominal ultrasound should be used to accurately stage the tumor. We advocate for inguinal orchiectomy for Stage I disease and postoperative chemotherapy to prevent recurrence in the ipsilateral or contralateral testis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-obstructive azoospermia is the most challenging type of male infertility. Stem cell based therapy provides the potential to enhance the recovery of spermatogenesis following cancer therapy. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) possess the potential to differentiate or trans-differentiate into multi-lineage cells, secrete paracrine factors to recruit the resident stem cells to participate in tissue regeneration, or fuse with the local cells in the affected region. In this study, we tested whether spermatogenically-induced BMSCs can restore spermatogenesis after administration of an anticancer drug. Allogeneic BMSCs were co-cultured in conditioned media derived from cultured testicular Sertoli cells in vitro, and then induced stem cells were transplanted into the seminiferous tubules of a busulfan-induced azoospermatic rat model for 8 weeks. The in vitro induced BMSCs exhibited specific spermatogonic gene and protein markers, and after implantation the donor cells survived and located at the basement membranes of the recipient seminiferous tubules, in accordance with what are considered the unique biological characteristics of spermatogenic stem cells. Molecular markers of spermatogonial stem cells and spermatogonia (Vasa, Stella, SMAD1, Dazl, GCNF, HSP90a, integrinß1, and c-kit) were expressed in the recipient testis tissue. No tumor mass, immune response, or inflammatory reaction developed. In conclusion, BMSCs might provide the potential to trans-differentiate into spermatogenic-like-cells, enhancing endogenous fertility recovery. The present study indicates that BMSCs might offer alternative treatment for the patients with azoospermatic infertility after cancer chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a versatile method for fabricating 3D macroporous materials using colloidal crystals as the templates. ZnO and Cu2O were deposited by the electrochemical method via the colloidal crystal template. Not only were 3D inverse opal structures and 2D nanobowls fabricated, but nanoparticles with a controlled shape were also prepared. Morphological controls via colloidal crystal templating are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al2O3/NbAlO/Al2O3 sandwich dielectric films were grown on InP substrate and annealed. X-ray reflectivity measurements suggested that 1.0 nm interfacial layer existed at InP interface, x-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy indicated the films were crystallized. X-ray photoelectron spectra indicated the oxidization of InP substrate, and the valence-band offset between the dielectric film and InP interface was calculated to be 3.1 eV. The electrical measurements indicated that the leakage current density was 40 mA/cm2 at gate bias of 1 V, and the equivalent oxide thickness and the dielectric constant were 1.7 and 20 nm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The substrate treatment with seeding promoter can promote the two-dimensional material lateral growth in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. Herein, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as a novel seeding promoter were used to obtain uniform large-area MoS2 monolayer. The obtained monolayer MoS2 films were confirmed by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, Raman and photoluminescence spectra. Raman mapping revealed that the MoS2 monolayer was largely homogeneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]