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Abstract Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease initiated by biofilm microorganisms and mediated by host immune imbalance. Uncontrolled periodontal infections are the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Thrombotic diseases can lead to partial or complete obstruction of blood flow in the circulatory system, manifesting as organ or tissue ischemia and necrosis in patients with arterial thrombosis, and local edema, pain and circulatory instability in patients with venous thrombosis, which may lead to mortality or fatality in severe case. Recent studies found that periodontitis might enhance thrombosis through bacterial transmission or systemic inflammation by affecting platelet-immune cell interactions, as well as the coagulation, and periodontal therapy could have a prophylactic effect on patients with thrombotic diseases. In this review, we summarized clinical findings on the association between periodontitis and thrombotic diseases and discussed several novel prothrombotic periodontitis-related agents, and presented a perspective to emphasize the necessity of oral health management for people at high risk of thrombosis.

In the present study, the influence of training on the microstructural evolution, martensitic transformation behavior and mechanical/functional properties of Ti–V–Al–Zr shape memory alloy was investigated systematically. With the increasing of training cycling number, the degree of martensite reorientation became larger and larger. Moreover, higher density of dislocations appeared in the interior of martensite variants, upon the excessive training cycling number was applied. The international stress can be brought into the matrix, which not only promoted to the ω→αˊˊ transition, but also made the martensite phase stabilizer and even suppressed the αˊˊ→β martensitic transformation during training process. The superior mechanical properties including maximum fracture stress of 906 MPa and the higher fracture strain of 33.6% can be obtained in Ti–V–Al–Zr shape memory alloy subjected with the training cycles number of 5th, which can be attributed to the matrix strengthening stemmed from work hardening and suppression of ω precipitation. Meanwhile, the lower critical stress for the martensite variant reorientation and enhanced matrix strength synergistically contributed to the superior strain recovery characteristics with total completely recoverable strain of 6% in Ti–V–Al–Zr shape memory alloy by controlling training cycles number of 5th. Meanwhile, the higher micro-hardness can be obtained by training.

The dose equivalent rate of 225Ac and its daughter equilibrium system were measured and calculated. In addition, the dose equivalent rates of 131I and 99mTc with the same activity were also calculated. The tenth- and half-value thicknesses of lead for 225Ac were derived based on measurement data. The results show that dose equivalent rate at 0.5 m, for unshielded 85.5 MBq 225Ac, is 4.56 times higher than dose equivalent rate maximum limit 2.5 μSv/h of personnel operation positions form standard. The measured and theoretical values of dose equivalent rate at 0.5 m are more consistent than those at 0.15 m for 225Ac source, especially under lead shielding conditions of 0 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, and 20 mm. For the same activity, measured dose equivalent rate of 225Ac is about half of 131I and about 1.5 times of 99mTc theoretical value. We should pay attention to external radiation protection during the use of 225Ac. It is suggested that, 20 mm can be used as the lead tenth value thickness, and 5 mm as the lead half value thickness conservatively for 225Ac and its descendants.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of malnutrition assessed by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) on major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) in the elderly patients after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR).Materials and methodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of elderly patients who underwent EVAR in a tertiary hospital. Malnutrition status was assessed by the GNRI. The primary outcome was MACCE. The predictive ability of the GNRI was compared with both the Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) and the modified Frailty Index (mFI) using Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.ResultA total of 453 patients underwent EVAR November 2015 and January 2020 was retrospectively analyzed, equally divided into three (low/medium/high) groups according to GNRI values which ranked from low to high. Five (1.10%) patients were lost in follow-up after surgery, and the median length of follow-up was 28.00 (15.00–47.00) months. The high GNRI values reduced length of hospital stay following EVAR in comparison to patients in low GNRI values group (β 9.67, 95% CI 4.01–23.32, p = 0.0113; adjusted β −1.96, 95% CI −3.88, −0.05, p = 0.0454). GNRI status was associated with a significantly increased risk of long-term mortality after EVAR (Medium GNRI, unadjusted HR 0.40, 95%CI 0.23–0.70, p = 0.0014; adjusted HR 0.47, 95%CI 0.26–0.84, p = 0.0107; high GNRI, 0.27 95%CI 0.14–0.55; p = 0.0003; adjusted HR 0.32 95%CI 0.15–0.68, p = 0.0029). Both medium and high GNRI values were linked to significantly reduced risks of MACCE compared to low GNRI score patients (Medium GNRI, unadjusted HR 0.34, 95%CI 0.13–0.88, p = 0.00265; adjusted HR 0.37, 95%CI 0.14–0.96, p = 0.0408; High GNRI, 0.26 95%CI 0.09–0.78; p = 0.0168; adjusted HR 0.21 95%CI 0.06–0.73, p = 0.0029). Compared with the RCRI and mFI, the GNRI had better discrimination in predicting long-term MACCE. An area under the curve (AUC) for GNRI mFI, and RCRI is 0.707, 0.614 and 0.588, respectively. (Z statistic, GNRI vs. mFI, p = 0.0475; GNRI vs. RCRI, p = 0.0017).ConclusionMalnutrition assessed by the GNRI may serve as a useful predictor of long-term MACCE in elderly patients after EVAR, with preferable discrimination abilities compared with both RCRI and mFI.

Introduction Endovascular therapy has emerged as a prominent strategy for managing femoropopliteal peripheral artery disease, offering acceptable safety and efficacy compared with open surgical bypass. Both paclitaxel-eluting stents and heparin-bonded covered stents have exhibited enhanced clinical outcomes compared with bare metal stents. However, there is currently a lack of level I evidence comparing the safety and efficacy of paclitaxel-eluting stents and heparin-bonded covered stents. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety outcomes of these two types of stents.Methods and analysis The ELITE trial is a prospective, multicentre, parallel, randomised controlled trial. A total of 450 patients will be recruited. The primary endpoints of the study include primary patency at 1 year post-index procedure.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of West China Hospital of Sichuan University (approval number: 2023–1186). The results will be submitted to a major clinical journal for peer review and publication.Trial registration ELITE trial was registered on 27 September 2023 in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (ChiCTR2300076236).

Abstract Background Severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), a significant global health concern, imposes a substantial disease burden. In China, there is inadequate data concerning the monitoring of respiratory pathogens, particularly bacteria, among patients with SARI. Therefore, this study aims to delineate the demographic, epidemiological, and aetiological characteristics of hospitalised SARI patients in Central China between 2018 and 2020. Methods Eligible patients with SARI admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Within the first 24 h of admission, respiratory (including sputum, nasal/throat swabs, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, thoracocentesis fluid, etc.), urine, and peripheral blood specimens were collected for viral and bacterial testing. A multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic approach was used to identify human influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, human bocavirus, human coronavirus, human metapneumovirus, and rhinovirus. Bacterial cultures of respiratory specimens were performed with a particular focus on pathogenic microorganisms, including S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, Strep A, H. influenzae, A. baumannii, and E. coli. In cases where bacterial culture results were negative, nucleic acid extraction was performed for PCR to assay for the above-mentioned eight bacteria, as well as L. pneumophila and M. pneumoniae. Additionally, urine specimens were exclusively used to detect Legionella antigens. Furthermore, epidemiological, demographic, and clinical data were obtained from electronic medical records. Results The study encompassed 1266 patients, with a mean age of 54 years, among whom 61.6% (780/1266) were males, 61.4% (778/1266) were farmers, and 88.8% (1124/1266) sought medical treatment in 2020. Moreover, 80.3% (1017/1266) were housed in general wards. The most common respiratory symptoms included fever (86.8%, 1122/1266) and cough (77.8%, 986/1266). Chest imaging anomalies were detected in 62.6% (792/1266) of cases, and 58.1% (736/1266) exhibited at least one respiratory pathogen, with 28.5% (361/1266) having multiple infections. Additionally, 95.7% (1212/1266) of the patients were from Henan Province, with the highest proportion (38.3%, 486/1266) falling in the 61–80 years age bracket, predominantly (79.8%, 1010/1266) seeking medical aid in summer and autumn. Bacterial detection rate (39.0%, 495/1266) was higher than viral detection rate (36.9%, 468/1266), with the primary pathogens being influenza virus (13.8%, 175/1266), K. pneumoniae (10.0%, 127/1266), S. pneumoniae (10.0%, 127/1266), adenovirus (8.2%, 105/1266), P. aeruginosa (8.2%, 105/1266), M. pneumoniae (7.8%, 100/1266), and respiratory syncytial virus (7.7%, 98/1266). During spring and winter, there was a significant prevalence of influenza virus and human coronavirus, contrasting with the dominance of parainfluenza viruses in summer and autumn. Respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus exhibited higher prevalence across spring, summer, and winter. P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, and M. pneumoniae were identified at similar rates throughout all seasons without distinct spikes in prevalence. However, S. pneumoniae showed a distinctive pattern with a prevalence that doubled during summer and winter. Moreover, the positive detection rates of various other viruses and bacteria were lower, displaying a comparatively erratic prevalence trend. Among patients admitted to the intensive care unit, the predominant nosocomial bacteria were K. pneumoniae (17.2%, 43/249), A. baumannii (13.6%, 34/249), and P. aeruginosa (12.4%, 31/249). Conversely, in patients from general wards, predominant pathogens included influenza virus (14.8%, 151/1017), S. pneumoniae (10.4%, 106/1017), and adenovirus (9.3%, 95/1017). Additionally, paediatric patients exhibited significantly higher positive detection rates for influenza virus (23.9%, 11/46) and M. pneumoniae (32.6%, 15/46) compared to adults and the elderly. Furthermore, adenovirus (10.0%, 67/669) and rhinovirus (6.4%, 43/669) were the primary pathogens in adults, while K. pneumoniae (11.8%, 65/551) and A. baumannii (7.1%, 39/551) prevailed among the elderly, indicating significant differences among the three age groups. Discussion In Central China, among patients with SARI, the prevailing viruses included influenza virus, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus. Among bacteria, K. pneumoniae, S. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and M. pneumoniae were frequently identified, with multiple infections being very common. Additionally, there were substantial variations in the pathogen spectrum compositions concerning wards and age groups among patients. Consequently, this study holds promise in offering insights to the government for developing strategies aimed at preventing and managing respiratory infectious diseases effectively.

Abstract Objective For traumatic lower extremity artery injury, it is unclear whether it is better to perform endovascular therapy (ET) or open surgical repair (OSR). This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of ET versus OSR for traumatic lower extremity artery injury. Methods The Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Databases were searched for studies. Cohort studies and case series reporting outcomes of ET or OSR were eligible for inclusion. Robins-I tool and an 18-item tool were used to assess the risk of bias. The primary outcome was amputation. The secondary outcomes included fasciotomy or compartment syndrome, mortality, length of stay and lower extremity nerve injury. We used the random effects model to calculate pooled estimates. Results A total of 32 studies with low or moderate risk of bias were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that patients who underwent ET had a significantly decreased risk of major amputation (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.21–0.85; I2=34%) and fasciotomy or compartment syndrome (OR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.20–0.50, I2 = 14%) than patients who underwent OSR. No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding all-cause mortality (OR = 1.11, 95% CI 0.75–1.64, I2 = 31%). Patients with ET repair had a shorter length of stay than patients with OSR repair (MD=-5.06, 95% CI -6.76 to -3.36, I2 = 65%). Intraoperative nerve injury was just reported in OSR patients with a pooled incidence of 15% (95% CI 6%–27%). Conclusion Endovascular therapy may represent a better choice for patients with traumatic lower extremity arterial injury, because it can provide lower risks of amputation, fasciotomy or compartment syndrome, and nerve injury, as well as shorter length of stay.

Abstract Electromagnetic wave lensing, a common physical phenomenon recognized in visible light for centuries, finds extensive applications in manipulating light in optical systems such as telescopes and cameras. Magnetohydrodynamic wave is a common perturbation phenomenon in the corona. By using high spatio-temporal resolution observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, here, we report the observation of a magnetohydrodynamic wave lensing in the highly ionized and magnetized coronal plasma, where quasi-periodic wavefronts emanated from a flare converged at a specific point after traversing a coronal hole. The entire process resembles an electromagnetic wave lensing from the source to the focus. Meanwhile, the magnetohydrodynamic wave lensing is well reproduced through a magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulation with full spatio-temporal resolution. We further investigate potential applications for coronal seismology, as the lensing process encodes information on the Alfvén speed, in conjunction with favorable geometric and density variations.

ABSTRACTInner Mongolia Cashmere goats are excellent genetic resources in China. Cashmere yield/body weight (g/kg), staple diameter (It is the cross-sectional diameter of coarse wool)/staple length (μm/cm), and fiber diameter (It is the cross-sectional diameter of fluff)/fiber length(μm/cm) were studied as secondary traits. Using the CORR and REG programs of SAS9.2, it was found that there is a significant phenotypic correlation and regression between the three secondary traits. The variance components analysis and genetic parameters estimation using the AIREML of the WOMBAT software. The results showed that all secondary traits have moderate heritability (0.17–0.30), and the heritability of each secondary trait of the long staple type is higher than other types. The genetic correlation of each secondary trait is between −0.39 and 0.27, and the genetic correlation of each secondary trait increases with the increase of staple length. Therefore, selection staple length can be to indirect selection of secondary traits.

Aging and obesity are closely related. A key change in the adipose tissue during the aging process is the decline of lipolysis. The excitation of the sympathetic nerve system is a key pathway to promote lipolysis, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this work, in vitro and in vivo aging models with and without tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) knockdown were treated with total saponins from Panax japonicus (TSPJs), and the expression of lipolysis-related proteins was examined. It was found that TSPJs could promote the expression of lipolysis-related genes and TH in adipocytes both in vitro and in vivo, and the expression of lipolysis-related genes was downregulated after TH knockdown. It was inferred that TSPJs could promote the excitation of sympathetic nerves by increasing the expression of TH in adipose tissue, which positively regulated the expression of lipases to revitalize lipolysis. The results suggested that TSPJs resisted aging-induced obesity and could be a potential medication for weight management.

AbstractContext Panax japonicus is the dried rhizome of Panax japonicus C.A. Mey. (Araliaceae). Saponins from Panax japonicus (SPJ) exhibit anti-oxidative and anti-aging effects.Objective We evaluated the neuroprotective effects of SPJ on aging rats.Materials and methods Sprague-Dawley rats (18-months-old) were randomly divided into aging and SPJ groups (n = 8). Five-month-old rats were taken as the adult control (n = 8). The rats were fed a normal chow diet or the SPJ-containing diet (10 or 30 mg/kg) for 4 months. An in vitro model was established by d-galactose (d-Gal) in the SH-SY5Y cell line and pretreated with SPJ (25 and 50 µg/mL). The neuroprotection of SPJ was evaluated via Nissl staining, flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy and Western blotting in vivo and in vitro.Results SPJ improved the neuronal degeneration and mitochondrial morphology that are associated with aging. Meanwhile, SPJ up-regulated the protein levels of mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) and optic atrophy 1 (Opa1) and down-regulated the protein level of dynamin-like protein 1 (Drp1) in the hippocampus of aging rats (p

Objective: Hypertension is a major risk factor for the type B aortic dissection (TBAD), while many patients do not manage or regulate their hypertension consistently, leading to stable or unstable hypertension. Currently, the effects of stable and unstable hypertension on the biomechanical properties of the aorta remain unclear. The objective was to identify a blood pressure state that represents a greater risk for TBAD development. Methods: A total of 183 samples (108 axial and 75 circumferential) were divided into three groups. Fatigue tensile tests were carried out to simulate normotension, stable hypertension, and unstable hypertension conditions, respectively. Uniaxial tensile tests were performed; thus, the elastic modulus, energy loss, and the peeling force were assessed to evaluate the biomechanical properties. Results: Compared with normal blood pressure, the modulus of elastic fibers decreased under stable hypertension (0.05 ± 0.02 MPa vs. 0.11 ± 0.03 MPa, p < 0.001) and unstable hypertension (0.08 ± 0.02 MPa, p = 0.008), while collagen fibers increased under stable hypertension (2.14 ± 0.51 MPa vs. 1.10 ± 0.24 MPa, p < 0.001) but decreased under unstable hypertension (0.52 ± 0.14 MPa, p < 0.001) in the axial direction. Similar trends were observed circumferentially. Energy loss was highest under unstable hypertension (0.16 ± 0.03 vs. 0.08 ± 0.03, p < 0.001). Peeling force was significantly reduced under stable hypertension (81.69 ± 12.72 N/m vs. 111.10 ± 27.65 N/m, p < 0.001) and further under unstable hypertension (71.37 ± 16.13 N/m, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Stable and unstable hypertension significantly impair the biomechanical properties of the aortic wall, with unstable hypertension leading to greater damage. Hypertensive patients are recommended to strictly follow medical advice to control blood pressure to avoid a higher risk of TBAD due to improper blood pressure management.

Introduction The best lifestyle for small abdominal aortic aneurysms (sAAA) is essential for its conservative management. Physical exercise can improve the cardiopulmonary function of the patients, but it remains unclear which specific type of exercise is most beneficial for individuals with sAAA. The current study was designed to investigate the effect of physician-guided enhanced physical exercise programme on the aorto-cardiac haemodynamic environment, aneurysm sac wall, cardiac function and growth rate of sAAA by multimodality MRI.Methods and analysis AAA MOVE study is a prospective, parallel, equivalence, randomised controlled trial. Eligible individuals will be recruited if they are diagnosed with sAAA (focal dilation of abdominal aorta with maximum diameter

Phlegmasia cerulea dolens (PCD) is a rare yet severe complication of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), characterized by a high amputation rate and mortality. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in managing this condition. PCD predominantly affects the lower extremities rather than the upper extremities. We herein present a rare upper extremity PCD case accompanied with supra vena cava and pulmonary embolism in a cervical cancer patient, who presented to our institution with severe pain, edema and irreversible venous gangrene of right upper limb with no response to anticoagulation therapy. Emergency fasciotomy and amputation were performed due to the progressed venous gangrene, however, the patient developed severe infection and coagulation disorders, gastrointestinal bleeding and disseminated intravascular coagulation after the surgery. Despite medical interventions, her family chose to withdraw treatment and the patient died in ICU at the fourth day following emergency surgery.

Hybrid thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has been proved to be an effective and reliable treatment option for aortic arch diseases requiring extension of the proximal landing zone. However, hybrid TEVAR was associated with potential risk of post-operative complications, including cerebral infarction, endoleaks and paraplegia. Here we reported a rare case of bypass graft infection complicated with mitral valve aneurysm and perforation following landing zone 2 hybrid TEVAR procedure, who presented with symptoms of fever, major bleeding and anastomotic pseudoaneurysm and received emergency bypass graft removal and stent implantation with acceptable short and midterm follow-up results.

Abstract The energy balance in the corona of the Sun is the key to the long-standing coronal heating dilemma, which could be potentially revealed by observational studies of decayless kink oscillations of coronal plasma loops. A bundle of very long off-limb coronal loops with the length of $$736\pm 80$$ 736 ± 80 Mm and a lifetime of about 2 days are found to exhibit decayless kink oscillations. The oscillations are observed for several hours. The oscillation amplitude is measured at 0.3–0.5 Mm, and the period at 28–33 min. The existence of 30-min periodicity of decayless kink oscillations indicates that the mechanism compensating the wave damping is still valid in such a massive plasma structure. It provides important evidence for the non-resonant origin of decayless kink oscillations with 2–6 min periods, i.e., the lack of their link with the leakage of photospheric and chromospheric oscillations into the corona and the likely role of the broadband energy sources. Magnetohydrodynamic seismology based on the reported detection of the kink oscillation, with the assistance of the differential emission measure analysis and a background coronal model provides us with a comprehensive set of plasma and magnetic field diagnostics, which is of interest as input parameters of space weather models.

Hydrogen energy is the clean energy with the most potential in the 21st century. The microchannel reactor for methanol steam reforming (MSR) is one of the effective ways to obtain hydrogen. Ceramic materials have the advantages of high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and high mechanical strength, and are ideal materials for preparing the catalyst support in microchannel reactors. However, the structure of ceramic materials is hard and brittle, and the feature size of microchannel is generally not more than 1 mm, which is difficult to process using traditional processing methods. Diamond wire saw processing technology is mainly used in the slicing of hard and brittle materials such as sapphire and silicon. In this paper, a microchannel with a periodic corrugated microstructure was fabricated on a ceramic plate using diamond wire sawing, and then as a catalyst support when used in a microreactor for MSR hydrogen production. The effects of wire speed and feed speed on the amplitude and period size of the periodic corrugated microstructure were studied using a single-factor experiment. The microchannel surface morphology was observed via SEM and a 3D confocal laser microscope under different processing parameters. The microchannel samples obtained under different processing parameters were supported by a multiple impregnation method. The loading strength of the catalyst was tested via a strong wind purge experiment. The experimental results show that the periodic corrugated microstructure can significantly enhance the load strength of the catalyst. The microchannel catalyst support with the periodic corrugated microstructure was put into the microreactor for a hydrogen production experiment, and a good hydrogen production effect was obtained. The experimental results have a positive guiding effect on promoting ceramic materials as the microchannel catalyst support for the development of hydrogen energy.

In accordance with the requirements of AQ 6201—2019, the coal mine monitoring system industry standard stipulates that the monitoring system must perform locking within 2 s when the sensor fails or exceeds the limit. At the same time, there are clear provisions on the off-site control and inspection cycle. At present, polling mode is used between sub stations and sensors, sub stations and hosts of the coal mine monitoring system with master-slave communication mode, which has low real-time performance and maximum loss of one patrol cycle, leading to long power off control time in case of sensor failure or overrun, untimely remote control, overtime patrol cycle and other problems. After detailed investigation and analysis on the characteristics of CAN bus, AQ 6201—2019, Technical Scheme for Upgrading Coal Mine Safety Monitoring System(COAJH[2016] No. 5), and combining the application experience of CAN bus in coal mines, this study designs a sensor with hostless communication mode from the aspects of the structure of the hostless monitoring system, CAN bus electromagnetic compatibility, the design of the whole sensor, the key technology of the sensor software, etc. During the continuous operation of the system, there is no abnormal data generated from the sensor, and the methane sensor failure or out of limit power failure test is conducted. The test locking time: the local control locking can be completed within 2 s, and the remote control locking can be completed within 5 s. The technical indicators meet the AQ 6201—2019 General Technical Requirements for Coal Mine Safety Monitoring System.

IntroductionPneumonia are the leading cause of death worldwide, and antibiotic treatment remains fundamental. However, conventional sputum smears or cultures are still inefficient for obtaining pathogenic microorganisms.Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has shown great value in nucleic acid detection, however, the NGS results for lower respiratory tract microorganisms are still poorly studied.MethodsThis study dealt with investigating the efficacy of mNGS in detecting pathogens in the lower respiratory tract of patients with pulmonary infections. A total of 112 patients admitted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between April 30, 2018, and June 30, 2020, were enrolled in this retrospective study. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained from lower respiratory tract from each patient. Routine methods (bacterial smear and culture) and mNGS were employed for the identification of pathogenic microorganisms in BALF. ResultsThe average patient age was 53.0 years, with 94.6% (106/112) obtaining pathogenic microorganism results. The total mNGS detection rate of pathogenic microorganisms significantly surpassed conventional methods (93.7% vs. 32.1%, P < 0.05). Notably, 75% of patients (84/112) were found to have bacteria by mNGS, but only 28.6% (32/112) were found to have bacteria by conventional approaches. The most commonly detected bacteria included Acinetobacter baumannii (19.6%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (14.3%), Staphylococcus faecium (12.5%), Enterococcus faecium (12.5%), and Haemophilus parainfluenzae (11.6%). In 29.5% (33/112) of patients, fungi were identified using mNGS, including 23 cases of Candida albicans (20.5%), 18 of Pneumocystis carinii (16.1%), and 10 of Aspergillus (8.9%). However, only 7.1 % (8/112) of individuals were found to have fungi when conventional procedures were used. The mNGS detection rate of viruses was significantly higher than the conventional method rate (43.8% vs. 0.9%, P < 0.05). The most commonly detected viruses included Epstein–Barr virus (15.2%), cytomegalovirus (13.4%), circovirus (8.9%), human coronavirus (4.5%), and rhinovirus (4.5%). Only 29.4% (33/112) of patients were positive, whereas 5.4% (6/112) of patients were negative for both detection methods as shown by Kappa analysis, indicating poor consistency between the two methods (P = 0.340; Kappa analysis). ConclusionSignificant benefits of mNGS have been shown in the detection of pathogenic microorganisms in patients with pulmonary infection. For those with suboptimal therapeutic responses, mNGS can provide an etiological basis, aiding in precise anti-infective treatment.

Abstract is missing (Shot communication)

ObjectiveTo understand the experience， knowledge and attitudes of e-cigarette users in Shanghai， and to provide evidence for the development of intervention programs for e-cigarette use.MethodsThe Respondent-Driven Sampling （RDS） method was used to recruit 40 e-cigarette users for qualitative interviews from November 2020 to February 2021. NVivo （11.0） software was used to code interview records， and the thematic pattern and relationship analysis were conducted.ResultsIn terms of the reasons and user experience of e-cigarette use， most respondents used e-cigarettes for the first time after recommendation of friends； The reasons for the current use of e-cigarettes focus on the subjective feelings generated by the use of e-cigarettes （easy to use， replacing traditional tobacco， and having many flavors）. Compared with traditional tobacco use， respondents said e-cigarettes tasted good and had no physical impact （they could be used all the time without making them uncomfortable）. In terms of the awareness of e-cigarette use related knowledge， the respondents' opinions on whether e-cigarettes caused health risks were mostly based on their own experience of using them， and they said it was difficult to identify real information online. As for whether they were interested in relevant knowledge， most respondents said they wanted to learn about the professional knowledge related to e-cigarettes. Regarding the attitude related to the use of e-cigarettes， most respondents believed that e-cigarettes are addictive， e-cigarettes are not a safe alternative to traditional tobacco， and e-cigarettes couldn't help them quit smoking. Three out of ten respondents said they supported including e-cigarettes in the Regulation on Smoking Control in Public.ConclusionThere are certain characteristics of e-cigarette users' feelings， related knowledge and attitude towards e-cigarette use that should be targeted to carry out publicity， education and intervention.

The high prevalence of chronic wounds is a growing concern. Recently, hypochlorous acid (HOCl)-based solutions were introduced as an alternative antimicrobial for wound cleansing. In this study, we assessed the in vitro bactericidal activities of seven commercially available wound irrigation products commonly found in South-East Asia. The evaluation was conducted using quantitative suspension method, EN 13727 in either low or high protein conditions. Under low protein conditions, four out of the five HOCl products achieved bactericidal activity (≥5 log10 reduction factor; RF) within 2–5 min, and only one product achieved 5 log10 RF at 15 s. None of the HOCl achieved 5 log10 RF under high protein, even after 30 min of exposure time. In contrast, protein interference on the antimicrobial activities of polyhexamethylene biguanide-based product is less pronounced (low protein: 60 s vs. high protein: 2 min to attain ≥5 log10 RF). Octenidine dihydrochloride is the only active not affected by protein interference achieving ≥5 log10 RF within 15 s in both low and high protein conditions. These findings warrant the need to screen antimicrobial wound care products, especially HOCl-based products, in high protein condition to better reflect the antimicrobial activities in wound care.

Membrane transporters are proteins that mediate the entry and exit of substances through the plasma membrane and organellar membranes and are capable of recognizing and binding to specific substances, thereby facilitating substance transport. Membrane transporters are divided into different types, e.g., ion transporters, sugar transporters, amino acid transporters, and aquaporins, based on the substances they transport. These membrane transporters inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation through ion regulation, sugar and amino acid transport, hormone induction, and other mechanisms. They can also promote enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions in plants, activate antioxidant enzyme activity, and promote ROS scavenging. Moreover, membrane transporters can transport plant growth regulators, solute proteins, redox potential regulators, and other substances involved in ROS metabolism through corresponding metabolic pathways, ultimately achieving ROS homeostasis in plants. In turn, ROS, as signaling molecules, can affect the activity of membrane transporters under abiotic stress through collaboration with ions and involvement in hormone metabolic pathways. The research described in this review provides a theoretical basis for improving plant stress resistance, promoting plant growth and development, and breeding high-quality plant varieties.

Abstract The practical application of lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) is severely hindered by the undesirable shuttling of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and sluggish redox kinetics of sulfur species. Herein, a series of ultrathin single‐atomic tungsten‐doped Co3O4 (Wx‐Co3O4) nanosheets as catalytic additives in the sulfur cathode for LSBs are rationally designed and synthesized. Benefiting from the enhanced catalytic activity and optimized electronic structure by W doping, the Wx‐Co3O4 not only reduces the shuttling of LiPSs but also decreases the energy barrier of sulfur redox reactions of sulfur species, leading to accelerated electrode kinetic. As a result, LSB cathodes with the use of 5.0 wt% W0.02‐Co3O4 as the electrocatalyst show the high reversible capacities of 1217.0 and 558.6 mAh g−1 at 0.2 and 5.0 C, respectively, and maintain a high reversible capacity of 644.6 mAh g−1 at 1.0 C (1.0 C = 1675 mA g−1) after 500 cycles. With a high sulfur loading of 5.5 mg cm−2 and electrolyte–electrode ratio of 8 μLelectrolyte mgsulfur−1, the 5.0 wt% W0.02‐Co3O4‐based sulfur cathode also retains a high reversible areal capacity of 3.86 mAh cm−2 at 0.1 C after 50 cycles with an initial capacity retention of 84.7%.

ObjectiveThe aims of the present study were to explore the risk factors for type 2 endoleaks (T2ELs) after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and the association between T2ELs and the iliolumbar artery.Materials and methodsA single-center, retrospective case–control study in West China Hospital was conducted among patients with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) who underwent EVAR between June 2010 and June 2019. The associations of patient characteristics, anatomical factors, internal iliac artery embolization, and ILA with the primary outcome were analyzed. The secondary objective was to analyze survival and reintervention between the T2EL group and the non-T2EL group. Kaplan–Meier survival, propensity matching analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used.ResultsA total of 603 patients were included. The median follow-up was 51 months (range 5.0–106.0). There was a significant difference in the diameter of the lumbar artery (LA), middle sacral artery (MSA) and inferior mesentery artery (IMA), proportion of thrombus and LA numbers. The univariate analysis showed that T2ELs were more likely to develop more thrombus in aneurysm cavity (OR = 0.294, p = 0.012), larger MSA (OR = 1.284, p = 0.04), LA (OR = 1.520, p = 0.015), IMA (OR = 1.056, p

As a significant research direction in remote sensing fields, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) tracking has achieved rapid development in recent years. However, due to limited power and computation resources on aerial platforms, the tracking methods deployed on UAVs usually require high computational efficiency and performance. In addition, various challenges (i.e., similar object, background clutter, and occlusion) have inevitably occurred during the UAV tracking phase. Therefore, considering the above issues comprehensively, this article proposes a dynamic aberrance-repressed temporal regularized correlation filter (CF) to achieve stable tracking in UAV remote sensing videos. First, we have introduced the aberrance-repressed temporal regularizations into the discriminative CF framework. Second, a novel objective loss function is constructed to adjust the strength of each regularization for training the filter. Then, a new judgment mechanism based on the response variation is exploited to reflect the response fluctuation and applied to tune parameters of both regularizations. Finally, comprehensive experiments are done on three different UAV benchmarks, i.e., UAV123@10fps, UAVDT, and VisDrone2018, to verify the performance of our tracker and have demonstrated that our tracker achieves superior performance against other total 25 state-of-the-art trackers while reaching $\sim$35 FPS on a single CPU.

Macau Science Satellite-1 (known as MSS-1) is a low-inclination mission that will be launched at the beginning of 2023. An optical bench is used for accessing high-precision strength and direction measurements of the magnetic field. In this paper, we present a thermal stability design for the optical bench based on quasi-kinematic support by kinematic hinges on the MSS-1. The change in angles with the finite element method (FEM) model modified by thermal deformation test data is analyzed. The robustness of the structure is also investigated via the Monte Carlo method. Two main results are obtained. First, the peak-to-peak value (Vp-p) of the inter-boresight angle is at most 1.24″, and the Vp-p of the inter-boresight angle modification and analysis is no more than 3.13″, both of which are better than those on the Swarm satellites in orbit. Second, the 90° fibers of the carbon-reinforced arm need to be strictly controlled during the technological process.

Abstract Polypyrrole (PPy) is a very promising pseudocapacitive electrode material for supercapacitors. However, the poor electrochemical performances and cycling stability caused by volumetric change and counterion drain severely limited its practical application and commercialization. Herein, we present a pulse‐potential polymerization strategy for uniformly depositing a dual‐doped PPy with ordered and shorter molecular structure by balancing the concentration polarization. Such a strategy ensures more homogeneous stress distribution of PPy during ultralong cycling tests and improves the cycle stability. Moreover, the pulse‐potential polymerized PPy with dual anion doping behavior induces enhanced protonation level and improved electrical conductivity, which boosting the charge transfer kinetics. Therefore, the as‐synthesized PPy exhibits a remarkable capacitance performance (7250 mF/cm2 @ 3 mA/cm2), outstanding rate capability (3073 mF/cm2 @ 200 mA/cm2) and a long cycle life. The assembled symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitors (ASC) exhibit good energy densities (0.8 mWh/cm2 for ASC and 0.5 mWh/cm2 for symmetric supercapacitor), and excellent durability with zero capacitive loss after 35,000 cycles. In addition, we have fabricated small pouch devices, which can effectively operate a variety of electronic products (including the high‐voltage 5 V smartphone, and tablet) and well withstand the external extreme tests during operation, demonstrating the quantitative investigation of the real‐life application of aqueous supercapacitors.

Abstract. Background:. For patients with severe neck angulation (SNA), hemodynamic and clinical outcomes following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) are still unclear. This study aimed to explore the influence of SNA on hemodynamic and clinical outcomes following EVAR. Methods:. This study included a hemodynamic analysis and a retrospective cohort study from West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 2011 and December 2020. The Cox regression model, inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis, sensitivity analysis, and subgroup analysis were applied. Primary outcome was type IA endoleak (T1AEL). Results:. In this hemodynamic analysis, nine non-severe neck angulation (nSNA) and 16 SNA idealized models were constructed. We found a significant difference in drag force between SNA and nSNA models (7.016 ± 2.579 N vs. 4.283 ± 1.460 N, P = 0.008), and proximal neck angles were significantly associated with the magnitude of drag force (F = 0.082 × α–0.006 × β + 2.818, α: 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.070–0.094; P = 0.001; β: 95% CI −0.019 to 0.007; P = 0.319). In our cohort study, 514 nSNA patients (71.5 ± 8.5 years; 459 males) and 208 SNA patients (72.5 ± 7.8 years; 135 males) were included, with a median follow-up duration of 34 months (16–63 months). All baseline characteristics were well balanced after IPTW matching. We found that SNA was associated with a significant risk of adverse limb event (hazard ratio [HR] 2.18, 95% CI 1.09–3.12), yet was not associated with T1AEL, overall survival, or reintervention. In patients without proximal or distal additional procedures (DAP), subgroup analyses suggested a significant risk of T1AEL (Proximal: HR 5.25, 95% CI 1.51–18.23; Distal: HR 5.07, 95% CI 1.60–16.07) and adverse limb event (Proximal: HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.01–5.07; Distal: HR 2.91, 95% CI 1.30–6.54) in SNA patients. However, no noticeable difference was observed in patients with proximal or DAP. Conclusions:. SNA has a critical influence on hemodynamic and clinical outcomes following EVAR. Appropriate additional procedures may be of great benefit to SNA patients.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exhibit a length more than 200 nucleotides and they are characterized by non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) not encoded into proteins. Over the past few years, the role and development of lncRNAs have aroused the rising attention of researchers. To be specific, KCNQ1OT1, the KCNQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1, is clearly classified as a regulatory ncRNA. KCNQ1OT1 is capable of interacting with miRNAs, RNAs and proteins, thereby affecting gene expression and various cell functions (e.g., cell proliferation, migration, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis, viability, autophagy and inflammation). KCNQ1OT1 is dysregulated in a wide range of human diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and cataract), and it is speculated to act as a therapeutic target for treating various human diseases. On the whole, this review aims to explore the biological functions, underlying mechanisms and pathogenic roles of KCNQ1OT1 in human diseases.

IntroductionGrafting is a commonly used cultural practice to counteract salt stress and is especially important for vegetable production. However, it is not clear which metabolic processes and genes are involved in the response of tomato rootstocks to salt stress.MethodsTo elucidate the regulatory mechanism through which grafting enhances salt tolerance, we first evaluated the salt damage index, electrolyte permeability and Na+ accumulation in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) leaves of grafted seedlings (GSs) and nongrafted seedlings (NGSs) subjected to 175 mmol·L− 1 NaCl for 0-96 h, covering the front, middle and rear ranges.ResultsCompared with the NGS, the GSs were more salt tolerant, and the Na+ content in the leaves decreased significantly. Through transcriptome sequencing data analysis of 36 samples, we found that GSs exhibited more stable gene expression patterns, with a lower number of DEGs. WRKY and PosF21 transcription factors were significantly upregulated in the GSs compared to the NGSs. Moreover, the GSs presented more amino acids, a higher photosynthetic index and a higher content of growth-promoting hormones. The main differences between GSs and NGSs were in the expression levels of genes involved in the BR signaling pathway, with significant upregulation of XTHs. The above results show that the metabolic pathways of “photosynthetic antenna protein”, “amino acid biosynthesis” and “plant hormone signal transduction” participate in the salt tolerance response of grafted seedlings at different stages of salt stress, maintaining the stability of the photosynthetic system and increasing the contents of amino acids and growth-promoting hormones (especially BRs). In this process, the transcription factors WRKYs, PosF21 and XTHs might play an important role at the molecular level.DiscussionThe results of this study demonstrates that grafting on salt tolerant rootstocks can bring different metabolic processes and transcription levels changes to scion leaves, thereby the scion leaves show stronger salt tolerance. This information provides new insight into the mechanism underlying tolerance to salt stress regulation and provides useful molecular biological basis for improving plant salt resistance.

Endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) has been increasingly used to treat abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) due to its lower mortality and shorter recovery time. However, the complications caused by renal artery coverage remained a major concern. In this study, three types of renal orientation and five types of partial renal coverage degree were adopted to numerically investigate the flow pattern, wall shear stress distribution, and blood perfusion during a cardiac cycle. The results show that as for the mild partial coverage (=

In this analysis, we use spectroscopic observations of the quiet Sun made by the IRIS instrument and investigate wave propagation. We analyze various spectral lines formed in different atmospheric layers, such as the photosphere, chromosphere, and transition region. We examine the Doppler velocity time series at various locations in the quiet Sun to determine the dominant oscillation periods. Our results executing statistical analysis resemble those of the classical physical scenario, indicating that the photosphere is mainly characterized by the dominant 5 minute period, while the chromosphere is primarily associated with the 3 minute oscillation period. In the transition region, we observe a variety of oscillation periods, with dominant periods of 3, 8, and 12 minutes. We estimate the cutoff frequency by deducing the phase difference between two Doppler velocity time series obtained from spectral line pairs in different atmospheric layers formed at different temperatures. This reveals a significant correlation between 3 minute periods in the transition region and photospheric oscillations, suggesting that these oscillations in the transition region might propagate from the photosphere. Additionally, we analyze the phase difference between chromospheric oscillations and photospheric oscillations, demonstrating that only the 3 minute oscillations propagate upward. Based on the statistical analyses, we suggest the presence of magnetoacoustic waves in the solar atmosphere, some of which are propagating from the lower solar atmosphere upward, while some others are propagating downward. The transition region carries both long-period oscillations generated in situ and some photospheric oscillations that are also able to reach there from below.

In the present paper, using MPI-AMRVAC , we perform a 2.5D numerical magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the dynamics and associated thermodynamical evolution of an initially force-free Harris current sheet subjected to an external velocity perturbation under the condition of uniform resistivity. The amplitude of the magnetic field is taken to be 10 G, typical of the solar corona. We impose a Gaussian velocity pulse across this current sheet that mimics the interaction of fast magnetoacoustic waves with a current sheet in the corona. This leads to a variety of dynamics and plasma processes in the current sheet, which is initially quasi-static. The initial pulse interacts with the current sheet and splits into a pair of counterpropagating wavefronts, which form a rarefied region that leads to an inflow and a thinning of the current sheet. The thinning results in Petschek-type magnetic reconnection followed by a tearing instability and plasmoid formation. The reconnection outflows containing outward-moving plasmoids have accelerated motions with velocities ranging from 105 to 303 km s ^−1 . The average temperature and density of the plasmoids are found to be 8 MK and twice the background density of the solar corona, respectively. These estimates of the velocity, temperature, and density of the plasmoids are similar to values reported from various solar coronal observations. Therefore, we infer that the external triggering of a quasi-static current sheet by a single-velocity pulse is capable of initiating magnetic reconnection and plasmoid formation in the absence of a localized enhancement of resistivity in the solar corona.

As the penetration rate of new energy generation in distributed distribution networks continues to increase, the integration of numerous new energy power plants and associated power electronic devices presents challenges to the power quality of traditional power systems. Therefore, conducting power quality-related research in distribution networks is of significant importance for maintaining power system stability, safeguarding electrical equipment, and enhancing electrical safety. A framework for evaluating the overall power quality of new energy-penetrated distribution network systems based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is proposed. This framework aggregates and calculates the global power quality index (GPQI) through averaging, thereby completing the assessment of power quality situations. By enhancing the computation speed of evaluation metrics through an improved S-transform and considering various disturbances such as diminished illumination, wind power disconnection, and high-current grounding, the GPQI values are used to assess power quality under diverse scenarios. Simulation and experimental results confirm the framework’s close alignment with real scenarios and its effectiveness in evaluating power quality within distribution networks. This method is crucial for maintaining power system stability, protecting electrical equipment, and enhancing overall electrical safety within distribution networks.

Abstract Background Covered stent has become one of the mainstream therapies for aortoiliac obstructive disease (AIOD), with a higher patency rate than bare metal stent. Covered balloon-expandable (CBE) stent can be placed more accurately with higher a radial support force, while covered self-expanding (CSE) stent has greater elasticity and higher trackability. However, there is no level I evidence regarding the comparison safety and efficacy between the CSE stent and CBE stent in AIOD to date. Therefore, this study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of CBE stent (BARD®LIFESTREAM™) and CSE stent (GORE® VIABAHN™) in AIOD. Methods This trial is a prospective, single-center, parallel, noninferiority, randomized controlled trial. A total of 106 patients will be enrolled and these patients will be randomized to either the CBE stent group or the CSE stent group. The primary end point of the study is the occurrence of target lesion revascularization (TLR) at 12 months after the intervention. Discussion To our knowledge, the ballooN sElf cOver steNt AorToiliAc occuLusive (NEONATAL) trial is the first RCT to compare CBE and CSE stent in AIOD patients. The main aim is to compare the TLR of the target lesion between CBE stent and CSE stent at 12 months post-procedure. The results of clinical trials may contribute to establishing a strategic guideline for choosing the optimal type of covered stent in the treatment of AIOD patients. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trials Registry ChiCTR2100046734. Registered on 27 May 2021

Introduction Postoperative renal function decline is a major concern for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and endovascular abdominal aortic repair (EVAR). Diluting contrast medium in the power injector may be helpful in reducing the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy, but it can also blur fluoroscopic vision during surgery. The quality of the current evidence is very low; thus, this study is designed to investigate the effect of contrast dilution in the power injector on renal function changes in patients after endovascular aortic repair.Method and analysis The study is a prospective, single-blind, parallel, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial with two independent cohorts: Cohort TEVAR and EVAR. Individuals will enter the appropriate cohort based on clinical interviews if they meet the eligibility criteria. Participants in Cohort TEVAR and EVAR will be randomly allocated to the intervention group (diluting contrast medium to 50% in the power injector) and control group (pure contrast medium in the power injector) separately in a 1:1 ratio. The primary study points consist of the proportion of patients who develop acute kidney injury within 48 hours after TEAVR or EVAR (first stage) and freedom of major adverse kidney events at 12 months after TEAVR or EVAR (second stage). The safety endpoint is freedom of all types of endoleaks at 30 days after TEVAR or EVAR. Follow-up will be conducted at 30 days and 12 months after intervention.Ethics and dissemination The trial was approved by the Ethics Committee on Biomedical Research, West China Hospital of Sichuan University (approval number: 20201290). The results of the study will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at academic conferences.Trial registration number Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100042555).

Cervical cancer (CC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. However, cervical cancer is preceded by the pre-malignant cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) that can last for up to 20 years before becoming malignant. Therefore, early screening is the key to prevent the progression of cervical lesions into invasive cervical cancer and decrease the incidence. The genes, down-regulated and hypermethylated in cancers, may provide potential drug targets for cervical cancer. In our current study, using the datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases, we found that endothelin 3 (EDN3) was downregulated and hypermethylated in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). The further analysis in GSE63514 (n=128) dataset and in our samples (n=221) found that the expression of EDN3 was decreased with the degree of cervical lesions. Pyrosequencing was performed to evaluate 4 CpG sites of the EDN3 promoter region in our samples (n=469). The data indicated that the methylation level of EDN3 was increased with the degree of cervical lesions. EDN3 silencing mediated by methylation can be blocked by 5-Azacytidine (5-Aza), a DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) inhibitor, treatment in cervical cancer cell lines. Ethynyldeoxyuridine (EdU) assay, would-healing assay, clone formation assay and transwell assay were conducted to investigate the biological function of EDN3 in cervical cancer cell lines. The results of these experiments confirmed that overexpression of EDN3 could inhibit the proliferation, clone formation, migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells. EDN3 may provide potential biomarker and therapeutic target for CSCC.

Background: Predicting the development of sporadic type B aortic dissection (TBAD) always remains a difficult issue. This study aimed to identify high-risk patients for development of TBAD based on morphological parameters.Methods: This propensity-score-matched case-control study collected and reconstructed the computed tomography angiography of acute TBAD patients and hospital-based control participants without aortic dissection from January 2013 to December 2016. Multivariate regression analysis was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Discriminant and reclassification abilities were compared between our model and a previously established model.Results: Our study included 76 acute TBAD patients and 79 control patients (48 cases and 48 controls after propensity-score matching). The degree of question mark (aOR 1.07, 95% CI 1.04–1.11), brachiocephalic trunk diameter (aOR 1.49, 95% CI 1.20–1.85), brachiocephalic trunk angle (aOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94–0.99), aortic root diameter (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.15–1.48), and aortic width (aOR 1.12, 95% CI 1.07–1.17) were associated with a significantly increased risk of TBAD formation. Similar findings were observed in the propensity-score matching and sensitivity analysis only including hyperacute TBAD patients. A novel prediction model was established based on the aforementioned parameters. The new model showed significantly improved discriminant ability compared with the previously established model (c-index 0.78 [95% CI 0.71–0.85] vs. 0.67 [95% CI 0.58–0.75], p = .03), driven by increased reclassification ability in identifying TBAD patients (NRI for events 0.16, 95% CI 0.02–0.30, p = .02).Conclusion: Morphological predictors, including the degree of question mark, aortic width, aortic root diameter, brachiocephalic trunk angle, and brachiocephalic trunk diameter, may be used to identify patients at high risk of TBAD.

Taking the secondary sub node system of industrial Internet as the platform and the coal mine monitoring system as the access object, this paper analyzes the structure of the industrial Internet system and the key technologies required for the monitoring system to access the industrial Internet, and designs and develops an access gateway. The gateway is applied to the connecting end of the switch and industrial Internet in the monitoring system. The data sent by the monitoring sub-station of the switch is analyzed and processed, then packaged in JSON format, and passed into the industrial Internet cloud software through MQTT protocol. The practical application shows that the scheme has reasonable architecture design, good stability and superior performance, and provides a feasible scheme for monitoring system to access industrial Internet.

Abstract To improve the heat transfer performance of microchannels, a novel microchannel embedded with connected grooves crossing two sidewalls and the bottom surface (type A) was designed. A comparative study of heat transfer was conducted regarding the performances of type A microchannels, microchannels embedded with grooves on their bottom (including types B and C), or on the sidewalls (type D) as well as smooth rectangular microchannels (type E) via a three-dimensional numerical simulation and experimental validation (at Reynolds numbers from 118 to 430). Numerical results suggested that the average Nusselt number of types A, B, C, and D microchannels were 106, 73.4, 50.1, and 12.6% higher than that of type E microchannel, respectively. The smallest synergy angle β and entropy generation number N s,a were determined for type A microchannels based on field synergy and nondimensional entropy analysis, which indicated that type A exhibited the best heat transfer performance. Numerical flow analysis indicated that connected grooves induced fluid to flow along two different temperature gradients, which contributed to enhanced heat transfer performance.

BackgroundHostile anatomy, especially severely angulated neck and tortuous iliac arteries, has always been a conundrum in endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Crossed limb (CL) graft, also called the “ballerina technique,” has been utilized to address this problem by facilitating gate cannulation. In terms of short and long-term outcomes, correlated studies have made inconsistent conclusions and this issue remains controversial. Based on a previous cohort study conducted in our center, we aim to prospectively compare the safety and efficacy between CL and standard limb (SL) configuration in patients receiving EVAR.MethodsThis is a prospective, single-center, non-randomized controlled trial. A total of 275 patients who meet the inclusion criteria will be enrolled and allocated with a 4:11 ratio of CL to SL, which is based on results of our previous study. All patients will receive same perioperative management and postoperative medications. All EVAR procedures will be performed under standard protocol, utilizing Endurant II or IIs Stent Graft. The configuration of the graft stent will be decided by surgeons and confirmed by final angiography. The primary outcome is 3-year freedom from major adverse limb-graft events (MALEs). Endpoints will be assessed at the following time points: 1, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months.DiscussionTo our best knowledge, this crosseD vs. stANdard Configuration in Endovascular Repair (DANCER) trial is the first non-randomized controlled trial to compare these two graft configurations in EVAR. The main aim is to compare the MALEs between two groups at 3 years postoperatively. This trial will hopefully provide high-level evidence for employing CL in EVAR.Clinical trial registration[www.chictr.org.cn], identifier [ChiCTR2100053055].

Abstract Background Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare neuroendocrine neoplasms, but the prognosis of patients with resected CBTs has seldom been elucidated. This study was conducted to investigate the association between variables, especially sex, and the prognosis of carotid body tumor resection. Methods This was a large-volume single-center retrospective cohort study. Patients who were diagnosed with CBTs between 2009 and 2020 at our center were analyzed retrospectively. Their preoperative, surgical, and follow-up data were collected, and the association between variables and outcomes of CBT resection was assessed by correlation analysis, multivariate logistic regression, and multivariate Cox regression as appropriate. Results A total of 326 patients (66.6% were females) were included. Males developed larger CBTs than females (4.3 ± 1.8 cm vs. 3.8 ± 1.4 cm, P = .003). Males were more likely to develop succinate dehydrogenase B (SDHB) mutations (P = .019) and had worse relapse-free survival rates (P = .024). Although tumor size and Shamblin classification had positive relationships with neurological complications and intraoperative blood loss, they did not affect the overall survival rate of patients, which was only influenced by remote metastasis (P = .007) and local recurrence (P = .008). Conclusions Compared to females, males with CBT resection were found to have more SDHB mutations and worse relapse-free survival rates, which may lead to the deterioration of prognosis. Tumor size and Shamblin classification cannot predict the overall survival rate of patients with excised CBTs. Graphical abstract

BackgroundEndovascular abdominal aortic repair (EVAR) and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) have become the first-line treatment for aortic diseases, but current evidence is uncertain regarding whether a percutaneous approach has better outcomes than cutdown access, especially for patient-centered outcomes (PCOs). This study is designed to compare these outcomes of percutaneous access vs. cutdown access after endovascular aortic repair.MethodThe SWEET study is a randomized, controlled, single-blind, single-center non-inferiority trial with two parallel groups in two cohorts respectively. After eligibility screening, subjects who meet the inclusion criteria will be divided into Cohort EVAR or Cohort TEVAR according to clinic interviews. And then participants in two cohorts will be randomly allocated to either intervention groups receiving percutaneous access endovascular repair or controlled groups receiving cutdown access endovascular repair separately. Primary clinician-reported outcome (ClinRO) is access-related complication, and primary patient-centered outcome (PCO) is time back to normal life. Follow-up will be conducted at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months postoperatively.DiscussionThe choice of either percutaneous or cutdown access may not greatly affect the success of EVAR or TEVAR procedures, but can influence the quality of life and patient-centered experience. Given the very low evidence for ClinROs and few data for PCOs, comparison of the percutaneous vs. cutdown access EVAR and TEVAR is essential for both patient-centered care and clinical decision making in endovascular aortic repair.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100053161 (registered on 13th November, 2021).

Multi-object tracking (MOT) is one of the significant directions of computer vision. Though existing methods can solve simple tasks like pedestrian tracking well, some complex downstream tasks featuring uniform appearance and diverse motion remain difficult. Inspired by DETR, the tracking-by-attention (TBA) method uses transformers to accomplish multi-object tracking tasks. However, there are still issues with existing TBA methods within the TBA paradigm, such as difficulty detecting and tracking objects due to gradient conflict in shared parameters, and insufficient use of features to distinguish similar objects. We introduce FusionTrack to address these issues. It utilizes a joint track-detection decoder and a score-guided multi-level query fuser to enhance the usage of information within and between frames. With these improvements, FusionTrack achieves 11.1% higher by HOTA metric on the DanceTrack dataset compared with the baseline model MOTR.

Although learning-based multi-view stereo algorithms have produced exciting results in recent years, few researchers have explored the specific role of deep sampling in the network. We posit that depth sampling accuracy more directly impacts the quality of scene reconstruction. To address this issue, we proposed NTPP-MVSNet, which utilizes normal vector and depth information from neighboring pixels to propagate tangent planes. Based on this, we obtained a more accurate depth estimate through homography transformation. We used deformable convolution to acquire continuous pixel positions on the surface and 3D-UNet to account for the regression of depth and normal vector maps without consuming additional GPU memory. Finally, we applied homography transformation to complete the mapping of the imaging plane and the neighborhood surface tangent plane to generate a depth hypothesis. Experimental trials on the DTU and Tanks and Temples datasets demonstrate the feasibility of NTPP-MVSNet, and ablation experiments confirm the superior performance of our deep sampling methodology.

Background: The decreased renal function is known to be associated with biological aging, of which the main pathological features are chronic inflammation and renal interstitial fibrosis. In previous studies, we reported that total saponins from Panax japonicus (SPJs) can availably protect acute myocardial ischemia. We proposed that SPJs might have similar protective effects for aging-associated renal interstitial fibrosis. Thus, in the present study, we evaluated the overall effect of SPJs on renal fibrosis. Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) aging rats were given SPJs by gavage beginning from 18 months old, at 10 mg/kg/d and 60 mg/kg/d, up to 24 months old. After the experiment, changes in morphology, function and fibrosis of their kidneys were detected. The levels of serum uric acid (UA), β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) and cystatin C (Cys C) were assayed with ELISA kits. The levels of extracellular matrix (ECM), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), inflammatory factors and changes of oxidative stress parameters were examined. Results: After SPJs treatment, SD rats showed significantly histopathological changes in kidneys accompanied by decreased renal fibrosis and increased renal function; As compared with those in 3-month group, the levels of serum UA, Cys C and β2-MG in 24-month group were significantly increased (p

Inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α and IL-1β impair intestinal barrier function in aging by disrupting intestinal tight junction integrity. Icariin (ICA) has a variety of pharmacological effects. Indeed, ICA produces anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative stress, and inhibitory effects on microRNA (miRNA) expression. This study was to explore whether ICA could alleviate inflammation-associated intestinal barrier function impairment in aging and its underlying mechanism. Of particular interest, network pharmacology prediction indicated the potential therapeutic impacts of ICA for the treatment of colitis. Then, rats were used to study whether ICA has a protective effect on the reduction of tight junctions caused by inflammatory cytokines. Next, Caco-2 cell monolayers were used to explore the mechanism by which ICA alleviates the down-regulation of tight junctions. Network pharmacology prediction revealed that ICA alleviated colitis via suppressing oxidative stress. After ICA intervention, expressions of inflammatory cytokines were reduced, but tight junctions, antioxidant enzymes in aging rats were up-regulated. ICA reversed the TNF-α-induced decrease in abundance of Occludin protein in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Meanwhile, ICA alleviated the increase in permeability and expression of miR-122a. However, the protective effect of ICA was markedly attenuated after transfection with miR-122a mimics. In conclusion, ICA reduced the expressions of Occludin, Claudin1, and Claudin5 in colon, which were related to the reduction of TNF-α and IL-1β and alleviation of colonic in vivore. And ICA attenuated TNF-α-induced Occludin disruption and epithelial barrier impairment by decreasing miR-122a expression in Caco-2 cell monolayers.

This study explored the role of metformin (MET) in regulating the polarization of alveolar macrophages to protect against acute lung injury (ALI) in rats caused by paraquat (PQ) poisoning. The in vivo studies showed that the 35 mg/kg dose of MET increased the survival rate of rats, alleviated pathological damages to the lungs and their systemic inflammation, promoted the reduction of the pro-inflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels, and increased the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 levels in the rat serum. At the same time, the MET intervention decreased the expression of M1 macrophage marker iNOS in the lungs of the PQ-poisoned rats while increasing the M2 macrophage marker, Arg1, expression. In vitro, the concentration of MET > 10 mmol/L affected NR8383 viability adversely and was concentration-dependent; however, no adverse impact on NR8383 viability was observed at MET ≤ 10 mmol/L concentration, resisting the reducing effect of PQ on NR8383 vitality. The PQ-induced NR8383 model with MET intervention showed significantly reduced secretions of IL-6 and TNF-α in NR8383, and lowered expressions of M1 macrophage markers iNOS and CD86. Additionally, MET increased IL-10 secretion and the M2 macrophage markers, Arg1 and Mrcl, expressions. Therefore, we speculate that MET could regulate alveolar macrophage polarization to protect against PQ-poisoning caused ALI.