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Objective(s): Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a commonly recurrent inflammatory bowel disease. T helper 17 (Th17)/regulatory T (Treg) cell balance plays an essential role in UC progression. However, it is unknown whether curcumin chitosan microspheres (CCM) regulate the Th17/Treg cell balance.Materials and Methods: The UC mouse model was established by administering 3% dextran sodium sulfate and treated with CCM. The influence of CCM on the Th17/Treg balance was detected using flow cytometry. Cell experiments were conducted to investigate the role and mechanism of IGF2BP1 in Th17/Treg balance.Results: We revealed that CCM demonstrated a significant therapeutic effect on UC. CCM obviously decreased the Th17 cell percentage but boosted the Treg cell percentage in UC mice. CCM remarkably increased the mRNA expression of Foxp3 but suppressed RORγt and interleukin-10 mRNA expression. PCR array of RNA modification-related genes revealed that the m6A binding protein IGF2BP1 was a key molecule in CCM regulation of Th17/Treg balance. IGF2BP1 overexpression dramatically repressed the CCM-induced balance of Th17/Treg cell differentiation. Mechanically, IGF2BP1 targeted LRP5 and regulated LRP5 through m6A modification. Furthermore, the silencing of LRP5 canceled the suppressive effect of IGF2BP1 on Th17/Treg cell percentage.Conclusion: CCM modulated the Th17/Treg balance through IGF2BP1-mediated m6A modification, thereby alleviating UC, and providing new ideas for the treatment of UC.

Objective: To conduct an analysis of the flavonoids in Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo from Guangxi and to investigate the effects of different growth years on the accumulation of flavonoids. Methods: A Kromasil 100-5 C18 column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm) was used for chromatographic separation with a gradient elution of acetonitrile-methanol (v:v=1:1)−0.01 mol/L ammonium acetate solution as the mobile phase. Mass spectrometry data was collected using ESI ion source in negative ion mode. HPLC was used to establish the characteristic chromatographic fingerprints of 25 batches of Dendrobium officinale from Guangxi, and principal component analysis and cluster analysis were employed to investigate the effects of different growth periods on the accumulation of flavonoid components. Results: A total of 19 flavonoids were identified from Dendrobium officinale from Guangxi through the HPLC-ESI-MSn technique, encompassing 9 flavonoid glycosides, 4 flavonol glycosides, 2 acylated flavonoid glycosides, 3 acylated flavonol glycosides, and 1 dihydroflavone. The characteristic maps of flavonoids in Dendrobium officinale from Guangxi were established, and 9 common peaks were identified. Based on clustering and principal component analysis, 25 samples were categorized into four classes in accordance with growth years and rod color (green rod for 1~3 years, green rod for 3~5 years, red rod for 1~3 years, red rod for 3~5 years). Additionally, the peak area of the characteristic peak of flavonoids increased with the increase of growth years. There was no marked difference in flavonoid content between the 'red' and 'green' during the 1~3 years of growth. Nevertheless, the contents of moscatin I, moscatin III, chrysin, and specific peaks (peak 8, peak 9) in the red rod samples were significantly higher than those in the green rod samples during the 3~5 years. Conclusion: In this study, leveraging mass spectrometry analysis integrated with chemical pattern recognition, elucidated the common characteristics of flavonoid compounds in Dendrobium officinale sourced from Guangxi. It emphasized the crucial influence of growth years on the accumulation of flavonoid compounds. Specifically, after 3~5 years of growth, the flavonoid content in 'red stem' samples was significantly higher than that in 'green stem' samples. This finding provided a solid theoretical basis for the investigation of pharmacological activities, application development, evaluation of genetic resources, and optimization of harvesting strategies for Dendrobium officinale.

Abstract Background To investigate the association between white matter changes and ventricular expansion in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) based on diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI). Methods We included 32 patients with iNPH who underwent DSI using a 3T MRI scanner. The lateral ventricles were manually segmented, and ventricular volumes were measured. Two methods were utilised in the study: manual region-of-interest (ROI) delineation and tract diffusion profile analysis. General fractional anisotropy (GFA) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were extracted in different white matter regions, including the bilateral internal capsule (anterior and posterior limbs) and corpus callosum (body, genu, and splenium) with manual ROI delineation. The 18 main tracts in the brain of each patient were extracted; the diffusion metrics of 100 equidistant nodes on each fibre were calculated, and Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used to determine the correlation between diffusion measures and ventricular volume of iNPH patients. Results The GFA and FA of all ROI showed no significant correlation with lateral ventricular volume. However, in the tract diffusion profile analysis, lateral ventricular volume was positively correlated with part of the cingulum bundle, left corticospinal tract, and bilateral thalamic radiation posterior, whereas it was negatively correlated with the bilateral cingulum parahippocampal (all p

Objective To explore the relationship between the intraoperative plasma transfusion volume, the changes of blood coagulation test values and the clinical prognosis of surgical patients, so as to provide a theoretical basis for guiding the rational use of blood during the operation. Methods The clinical data of 556 surgical patients who received plasma infusion from January 2017 to December 2020 in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital were collected. Patients were divided into low plasma dose group (

BackgroundReliable quantification of the association between hypertension requiring medication and postoperative 30-day mortality in adult patients who undergo craniotomy for tumor resection is limited. We aimed to explore the associations between these factors.Materials and methodsThis work was a retrospective cohort study that used propensity score matching (PSM) among 18,642 participants from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database between 2012 and 2015. Hypertension requiring medication and postoperative 30-day mortality were the independent and dependent target variables, respectively. PSM was conducted via nonparsimonious multivariate logistic regression to balance the confounders. Robust estimation methods were used to investigate the association between hypertension requiring medication and postoperative 30-day mortality.ResultsA total of 18,642 participants (52.6% male and 47.4% female) met our inclusion criteria; 7,116 (38.17%) participants with hypertension required medication and had a 3.74% mortality rate versus an overall mortality rate of 2.46% in the adult cohort of patients who underwent craniotomy for tumor resection. In the PSM cohort, the risk of postoperative 30-day mortality significantly increased by 39.0% among patients with hypertension who required medication (OR = 1.390, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.071–1.804, p = 0.01324) after adjusting for the full covariates. Compared with participants without hypertension requiring medication, those with hypertension requiring medication had a 34.0% greater risk of postoperative 30-day mortality after adjusting for the propensity score (OR = 1.340, 95% CI: 1.040–1.727, p = 0.02366) and a 37.6% greater risk of postoperative 30-day mortality in the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTW) cohort (OR = 1.376, 95% CI: 1.202, 1.576, p

Mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most common genetic cause of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, whether LRRK2 mutations cause PD and degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons via a toxic gain-of-function or a loss-of-function mechanism is unresolved and has pivotal implications for LRRK2-based PD therapies. In this study, we investigate whether Lrrk2 and its functional homolog Lrrk1 play a cell-intrinsic role in DA neuron survival through the development of DA neuron-specific Lrrk conditional double knockout (cDKO) mice. Unlike Lrrk germline DKO mice, DA neuron-restricted Lrrk cDKO mice exhibit normal mortality but develop age-dependent loss of DA neurons, as shown by the progressive reduction of DA neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) at the ages of 20 and 24 months. Moreover, DA neurodegeneration is accompanied with increases in apoptosis and elevated microgliosis in the SNpc as well as decreases in DA terminals in the striatum, and is preceded by impaired motor coordination. Taken together, these findings provide the unequivocal evidence for the cell-intrinsic requirement of LRRK in DA neurons and raise the possibility that LRRK2 mutations may impair its protection of DA neurons, leading to DA neurodegeneration in PD.

Abstract Background To assess the cognitive function changes and brain network neuroplasticity in school-age children having large (diameter > 5 cm) left middle fossa arachnoid cyst (MFACs). Methods Eleven patients and 22 normal controls (NC) between 6 and 14 years of age were included. The CNS Vital Signs (CNS VS) were administered for cognitive assessment. The differences of cognitive data and functional connectivity (FC) in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) were compared between the patient group and the NC group. The correlations between the altered FC and cognitive data in the patient group were assessed. Results Patient group had significantly poorer attention (including Complex Attention, Sustained Attention, Simple Attention, Cognitive Flexibility, and Executive Function) and memory function (Visual Memory and Working Memory) than the NC group (uncorrected p-value, p-unc

Abstract Background Limited data exist regarding preoperative serum sodium (Na) and 30-day mortality in adult patients with tumor craniotomy. Therefore, this study investigates their relationship. Methods A secondary retrospective analysis was performed using data from the ACS NSQIP database (2012–2015). The principal exposure was preoperative Na. The outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality. Binary logistic regression modeling was conducted to explore the link between them, and a generalized additive model and smooth curve fitting were applied to evaluate the potential association and its explicit curve shape. We also conducted sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses. Results A total of 17,844 patients (47.59% male) were included in our analysis. The mean preoperative Na was 138.63 ± 3.23 mmol/L. The 30-day mortality was 2.54% (455/17,844). After adjusting for covariates, we found that preoperative Na was negative associated with 30-day mortality. (OR = 0.967, 95% CI:0.941, 0.994). For patients with Na ≤ 140, each increase Na was related to a 7.1% decreased 30-day mortality (OR = 0.929, 95% CI:0.898, 0.961); for cases with Na > 140, each increased Na unit was related to a 8.8% increase 30-day mortality (OR = 1.088, 95% CI:1.019, 1.162). The sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis indicated that the results were robust. Conclusions This study shows a positive and nonlinear association between preoperative Na and postoperative 30-day mortality in adult patients with tumor craniotomy. Appropriate preoperative Na management and maintenance of serum Na near the inflection point (140) may reduce 30-day mortality.

Introduction: Due to its highly aggressiveness and malignancy, glioblastoma (GBM) urgently requires a safe and effective treatment strategy. Zeylenone, a natural polyoxygenated cyclohexenes compound isolated from Uvaria grandiflora, has exhibited potential biological activities in various human diseases, including tumors.Methods: We designed and synthesized a series of (+)-Zeylenone analogues and evaluated their anti-GBM roles through structural-activity analysis. Cell Counting Kit-8, TUNEL, transwell and flow cytometry were employed for investigating the anticancer effects of CA on GBM cells. Western blotting, molecular docking, qRT-PCR and ChIP assays were performed to reveal the underlying mechanisms by which CA regulates the GBM cell cycle. The nude mouse xenograft model, HE staining, immunohistochemistry and was used to evaluate the anticancer effect of CA in vivo.Results: We identified CA ((1R, 2R, 3S)-3-p-fluorobenzoyl-zeylenone) as having the lowest IC50 value in GBM cells. CA treatment significantly inhibited the malignant behaviors of GBM cells and induced G0/G1 phase arrest in vitro. Furthermore, we validated the molecular mechanism by which CA interferes with EZH2, attenuating the down-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p27 and p16 by the PRC2 complex. By establishing orthotopic nude mice models, we further validated the inhibitory role of CA on tumorigenesis of GBM cells in vivo and its potential values to synergistically potentiate the anti-tumor effects of EZH2 inhibitors.Conclusion: Overall, this paper elucidated the anti-GBM effects and potential mechanisms of CA, and may provide a therapeutic drug candidate for GBM treatment.

Abstract Background With the advancement of whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) technology, massively parallel sequencing (MPS) remains the mainstream due to its accuracy, low cost, and high throughput. The development of the analytical pipeline corresponding to MPS has always been of great importance. Increasingly large population genomics studies, as a specific type of big data research, pose new challenges for analysis solutions. Results Here, we introduce ZBOLT, a comprehensive analysis system that incorporates both software and hardware advancements, making it an appropriate choice for large‐scale population genomic studies that require extensive data processing. In this study, we first evaluate ZBOLT's calling accuracy using the Genome in a Bottle (GIAB) benchmark dataset. Then we apply ZBOLT to a large‐scale population genomics study with 5,616 high sequencing depth samples totaling 1.16Pbp (base pair). As the results show, ZBOLT demonstrates exceptional efficiency and low energy consumption, processing 100Tbp per day and using 1kWh per 100Gbp sequenced sample. Conclusion This research serves as a valuable reference for analyzing sequencing data from large population cohorts and underscores the significant potential of ZBOLT in large‐scale population genomics studies.

ObjectivesDysnatremia is a common electrolyte disturbance after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) and a known risk factor for adverse neurological events and clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of dysnatremia with worse abnormal EEG patterns, brain injuries detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and early adverse outcomes.MethodsWe monitored continuous EEG in 340 children during the initial 48 h following cardiac surgery. Demographics and clinical characteristics were recorded. Sodium concentrations were measured in the arterial blood gas analysis every 6 h. Hyponatremia and hypernatremia were classified by the average of sodium concentrations over 48 h. Postoperative cerebral MRI was performed before hospital discharge.ResultsIn our patient cohort, dysnatremia was present in 46 (13.5%) patients. Among them, hyponatremia occurred in 21 (6.2%) and hypernatremia in 25 (7.4%). When compared to patients with normonatremia, hyponatremia was not associated with EEG abnormalities and early adverse outcomes (Ps ≥ .14). In hypernatremia group, the CPB time was significantly longer and more frequent use of DHCA (Ps ≤ .049). After adjusting for time, CPB time and the use of DHCA, hypernatremia was significantly associated with worse EEG abnormalities (including background, seizures and pathological delta brushes), more severe brain injuries on MRI (Ps ≤ .04) and trended to be associated with longer postoperative mechanical ventilation time (P = .06).ConclusionHypernatremia and hyponatremia were common in children after cardiac surgery. Hypernatremia, but not hyponatremia, was significantly associated with worse EEG abnormalities and more severe brain injuries on MRI and extended postoperative mechanical ventilation time.

Selective hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone is intriguing in chemical industry. Though a few catalysts with promising performances have been developed in recent years, the basic principle for catalyst design is still missing owing to the unclear catalytic mechanism. This work tries to unravel the mechanism of phenol hydrogenation and the reasons causing the selectivity discrepancy on noble metal catalysts under mild conditions. Results show that different reaction pathways always firstly converge to the formation of cyclohexanone under mild conditions. The selectivity discrepancy mainly depends on the activity for cyclohexanone sequential hydrogenation, in which two factors are found to be responsible, i.e. the hydrogenation energy barrier and the competitive chemisorption between phenol and cyclohexanone, if the specific co-catalyzing effect of H2O on Ru is not considered. Based on the above results, a quantitative descriptor, Eb(one/pl)/Ea, in which Ea can be further correlated to the d band center of the noble metal catalyst, is proposed by the first time to roughly evaluate and predict the selectivity to cyclohexanone for catalyst screening.

Objective To investigate the incidence of clinical massive blood transfusion in hospitals, the proportion of departments conducted massive blood transfusion and the current situation of component transfusion, so as to provide a theoretical basis for medical decision-making and further research on massive blood transfusion. Methods The basic clinical data and transfusion of blood components were retrospectively collected from 489 patients (514 occasions) who received massive blood transfusion at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from Jan. 1 2014 to Dec. 31 2018. Results The incidence of massive blood transfusion during the 5-year period was 1.2/1 000 inpatients (95%CI: 1.1-1.3), and the 30-day all-cause mortality was 21.88%; in the departments where massive blood transfusion occurred, the mortality rate was the highest in the trauma emergency department (60%), followed by intensive care unit (56.25%) and other surgery department (46.67%), while there was no death in the obstetric department. All patients received red blood cells [median 14 U (11.5-19.13)] and plasma [median 1 600 mL (1 200-2 200)], of which 47% received platelet [median 0 U (0-10)] and 32.68% received cryoprecipitate [0 U (0-10)]. The results of logistics regression analysis of all-cause mortality risk showed that compared with the youth group, the risk of all-cause death at 30 days of elderly patients over 65 years old (65 < age ≤79 years old: OR=2.471, 95%CI=[1.044, 5.847], P 80 years old: OR=7.563, 95%CI=[1.587, 36.049], P

To inhibit commutation failure (CF), in this paper, the influence factors of CF were analyzed, and considering different fault types and different valves, the mathematical expression of extinction angle was deduced. In addition, by analyzing existing control strategies for inhibiting CF, it is indicated that existing control strategies cannot quickly and accurately obtain the AC voltage amplitude and zero-crossing phase shift angle. To solve this problem, this paper proposed a fast AC voltage measurement method, and the zero-crossing phase shift angle can be calculated by AC voltage amplitude. On this basis, a commutation failure predictive control method (CFPCM) was proposed to inhibit CF. The CFPCM can adapt to all fault types. Finally, based on the CIGRE HVDC benchmark model, the commutation failure prevention module (CFPREV) and CFPCM simulation model were built using PSCAD/EMTDC to verify the effectiveness of the proposed CFPCM. The simulation results showed that the CFPCM can not only inhibit CF more effectively, but also reduce the fluctuation of DC current, AC voltage, and extinction angle with a fault occurred in the inverter AC system.

Abstract Background Evidence regarding the relationship between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality of intracranial tumor patients undergoing craniotomy is still limited. Therefore, the present research was conducted to explore the link of the platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality. Methods Electronic medical records of 18,642 adult patients undergoing craniotomy for brain tumors from 2012 to 2015 in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, were subject to secondary retrospective analysis. A binary logistic regression model evaluated the independent association between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality. A generalized additive model and smooth curve fitting was conducted to explore the exact shape of the curve between them. Additionally, We also conducted sensitivity analyses to test the robustness of the results, and performed subgroup analyses. Results Eighteen thousand sixty-three patients were included in this study analysis. Of these, 47.49% were male. The mean preoperative platelet value was (244.12 ± 76.77) × 109/L. The 30-day postoperative mortality of included participants was 2.5% (452/18,063). After adjusting covariates, the results showed that preoperative platelet was positively associated with 30-day postoperative mortality (OR = 0.999, 95%CI: 0.997, 1.000). There was also a nonlinear relationship between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality, and the inflection point of the platelet was 236. The effect sizes (OR) on the right and left sides of the inflection point were 1.002 (1.000, 1.004) and 0.993 (0.990, 0.995), respectively. And sensitive analysis demonstrated the robustness of the results. Subgroup analysis showed a stronger association between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality in non-emergency surgery patients when preoperative platelet value is less than 235 × 109/L. Conclusions This research demonstrates a positive and non-linear relationship between preoperative platelet and 30-day postoperative mortality in U.S. adult brain tumor patients undergoing craniotomy. Preoperative platelet is strongly related to 30-day postoperative mortality when the platelet is less than 235 × 109/L. Proper preoperative management of platelet and maintenance of platelet near inflection point (235) could reduce risk of 30-day postoperative mortality in these cases.

Abstract PPARγ agonists have been proven to be neuroprotective in vitro and in vivo models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In the present study, we identified ligustrazine piperazine derivative (LPD) as a novel PPARγ agonist, which was detected by a dual-luciferase reporter assay system. LPD treatment dose-dependently reduced Aβ40 and Aβ42 levels in PC12 cells stably transfected with APP695swe and PSEN1dE9. Intragastric administration of LPD for 3 months dose-dependently reversed cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice. LPD treatment substantially decreased hippocampal Aβ plaques in APP/PS1 mice and decreased the levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42 in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, LPD treatment induced mitophagy in vivo and in vitro and increased brain 18F-FDG uptake in APP/PS1 mice. LPD treatment significantly increased OCR, ATP production, maximal respiration, spare respiratory capacity, and basal respiration in APP/PS1 cells. Mechanistically, LPD treatment upregulated PPARγ, PINK1, and the phosphorylation of Parkin (Ser65) and increased the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio but decreased SQSTM1/p62 in vivo and in vitro. Importantly, all these protective effects mediated by LPD were abolished by cotreatment with the selective PPARγ antagonist GW9662. In summary, LPD could increase brain glucose metabolism and ameliorate cognitive deficits through PPARγ-dependent enhancement of mitophagy in APP/PS1 mice.

Background: The elevated Cyclin B1 expression contributes to various tumorigenesis and poor prognosis. Cyclin B1 expression could be regulated by ubiquitination and deubiquitination. However, the mechanism of how Cyclin B1 is deubiquitinated and its roles in human glioma remain unclear. Methods: Co-immunoprecipitation and other assays were performed to detect the interacting of Cyclin B1 and USP39. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to investigate the effect of USP39 on the tumorigenicity of tumor cells. Results: USP39 interacts with Cyclin B1 and stabilizes its expression by deubiquitinating Cyclin B1. Notably, USP39 cleaves the K29-linked polyubiquitin chain on Cyclin B1 at Lys242. Additionally, overexpression of Cyclin B1 rescues the arrested cell cycle at G2/M transition and the suppressed proliferation of glioma cells caused by USP39 knockdown in vitro. Furthermore, USP39 promotes the growth of glioma xenograft in subcutaneous and in situ of nude mice. Finally, in human tumor specimens, the expression levels of USP39 and Cyclin B1 are positively relevant. Conclusion: Our data support the evidence that USP39 acts a novel deubiquitinating enzyme of Cyclin B1 and promoted tumor cell proliferation at least in part through Cyclin B1 stabilization, represents a promising therapeutic strategy for tumor patients.

Background Disturbed cerebral autoregulation has been reported in children with congenital heart disease before and during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, but not after. We sought to characterize the cerebral autoregulation status in the early postoperative period in relation to perioperative variables and brain injuries. Methods and Results A prospective and observational study was conducted in 80 patients in the first 48 hours following cardiac surgery. Cerebral oximetry/pressure index (COPI) was retrospectively calculated as a moving linear correlation coefficient between mean arterial blood pressure and cerebral oxygen saturation. Disturbed autoregulation was defined as COPI >0.3. Correlations of COPI with demographic and perioperative variables as well as brain injuries on electroencephalogram and magnetic resonance imaging and early outcomes were analyzed. Thirty‐six (45%) patients had periods of abnormal COPI for 7.81 hours (3.38 hours) either at hypotension (median 90 mm Hg) or both. Overall, COPI became significantly lower over time, suggesting improved autoregulatory status during the 48 postoperative hours. All of the demographic and perioperative variables were significantly associated with COPI, which in turn was associated with the degree of brain injuries and early outcomes. Conclusions Children with congenital heart disease following cardiac surgery often have disturbed autoregulation. Cerebral autoregulation is at least partly the underlying mechanism of brain injury in those children. Careful clinical management to manipulate the related and modifiable factors, particularly arterial blood pressure, may help to maintain adequate cerebral perfusion and reduce brain injury early after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Further studies are warranted to determine the significance of impaired cerebral autoregulation in relation to long‐term neurodevelopment outcomes.

PPARγ agonists have been reported to induce cell death in pituitary neuroendocrine tumor (PitNET) cell cultures. However, the therapeutic effects of PPARγ agonists in vivo remain unclear. In the present study, we found that intranasal 15d-PGJ2, an endogenous PPARγ agonist, resulted in growth suppression of Fischer 344 rat lactotroph PitNETs induced by subcutaneous implantation with a mini-osmotic pump containing estradiol. Intranasal 15d-PGJ2 reduced the volume and weight of the pituitary gland and the level of serum prolactin (PRL) in rat lactotroph PitNETs. 15d-PGJ2 treatment attenuated pathological changes and significantly decreased the ratio of PRL/pituitary-specific transcription factor 1 (Pit-1) and estrogen receptor α (ERα)/Pit-1 double-positive cells. Moreover, 15d-PGJ2 treatment induced apoptosis in the pituitary gland characterized by an increased ratio of TUNEL-positive cells, cleavage of caspase-3, and elevated activity of caspase-3. 15d-PGJ2 treatment decreased the levels of cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Furthermore, 15d-PGJ2 treatment markedly increased the protein expression of PPARγ and blocked autophagic flux, as evidenced by the accumulation of LC3-II and SQSTM1/p62 and the decrease in LAMP-1 expression. Importantly, all these effects mediated by 15d-PGJ2 were abolished by cotreatment with the PPARγ antagonist GW9662. In conclusion, intranasal 15d-PGJ2 suppressed the growth of rat lactotroph PitNETs by inducing PPARγ-dependent apoptotic and autophagic cell death. Therefore, 15d-PGJ2 may be a potential new drug for lactotroph PitNETs.

Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly aggressive brain tumor with an extremely low survival rate. New and effective approaches for treatment are therefore urgently needed. Here, we successfully developed M1-like macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles (M1EVs) that overcome multiple challenges via guidance from two macrophage-related observations in clinical specimens from GBM patients: enrichment of M2 macrophages in GBM; and origination of a majority of infiltrating macrophage from peripheral blood. To maximize the synergistic effect, we further functionalized the membranes of M1EVs with two hydrophobic agents (the chemical excitation source CPPO (C) and the photosensitizer Ce6 (C)) and loaded the hydrophilic hypoxia-activated prodrug AQ4N (A) into the inner core of the M1EVs. After intravenous injection, the inherent nature of M1-derived extracellular vesicles CCA-M1EVs allowed for blood-brain barrier penetration, and modulated the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment via M2-to-M1 polarization, which increased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels. Furthermore, the reaction between H2O2 and CPPO produced chemical energy, which could be used for Ce6 activation to generate large amounts of reactive oxygen species to achieve chemiexcited photodynamic therapy (CDT). As this reaction consumed oxygen, the aggravation of tumor hypoxia also led to the conversion of non-toxic AQ4N into toxic AQ4 for chemotherapy. Therefore, CCA-M1EVs achieved synergistic immunomodulation, CDT, and hypoxia-activated chemotherapy in GBM to exert a potent therapeutic effect. Finally, we demonstrated the excellent effect of CCA-M1EVs against GBM in cell-derived xenograft and patient-derived xenograft models, underscoring the strong potential of our highly flexible M1EVs system to support multi-modal therapies for difficult-to-treat GBM.

BackgroundThe purpose of this research was to synthesize the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to investigate the link between preoperative hematocrit and postoperative 30-day mortality in patients with tumor craniotomy.MethodsA secondary retrospective analysis of electronic medical records of 18,642 patients with tumor craniotomy between 2012 and 2015 was performed. The principal exposure was preoperative hematocrit. The outcome measure was postoperative 30-day mortality. We used the binary logistic regression model to explore the link between them and conducted a generalized additive model and smooth curve fitting to investigate the link and its explicit curve shape. We conducted sensitivity analyses by converting a continuous HCT into a categorical variable and calculated an E-value.ResultsA total of 18,202 patients (47.37% male participants) were included in our analysis. The postoperative 30-day mortality was 2.5% (455/18,202). After adjusting for covariates, we found that preoperative hematocrit was positively associated with postoperative 30-day mortality (OR = 0.945, 95% CI: 0.928, 0.963). A non-linear relationship was also discovered between them, with an inflection point at a hematocrit of 41.6. The effect sizes (OR) on the left and right sides of the inflection point were 0.918 (0.897, 0.939) and 1.045 (0.993, 1.099), respectively. The sensitivity analysis proved that our findings were robust. The subgroup analysis demonstrated that a weaker association between preoperative hematocrit and postoperative 30-day mortality was found for patients who did not use steroids for chronic conditions (OR = 0.963, 95% CI: 0.941–0.986), and a stronger association was discovered in participants who used steroids (OR = 0.914, 95% CI: 0.883–0.946). In addition, there were 3,841 (21.1%) cases in the anemic group (anemia is defined as a hematocrit (HCT)

Cinnamomum cassia Presl (CCP) has a beneficial impact on diabetes and dementia. In this research, the underlying mechanism of flavonoids of Cinnamomum cassia Presl (CFS) on diabetes-related cognitive impairment (DRCI) were inferred by a network pharmacology approach. The conjectures of network study were verified through the advanced glycation end products (AGEs) systems in vitro and the long-term diabetic rats. The experimental results showed CFS inhibited AGEs generated from nonenzymatic glycosylation reaction in vitro as well as in the brain of long-term diabetic rats in a dose-dependently manner. In morris water maze study, CFS restored the cognitive ability of diabetic rats. Moreover, the hippocampal morphology damage and oxidative stress were ameliorated by CFS, while the hippocampal level of AGEs, RAGE and pJNK/JNK were decreased significantly. These results indicated CFS may suppress AGEs accumulation via inhibiting glycosylation, and alleviating oxidative stress caused by AGEs, thereby prevents the neuronal injury and ameliorates DRCI.

Cl− movement and Cl−-sensitive signal pathways contributes to the survival and switch of inflammatory phenotype of microglia and are believed to play a key role in the inflammatory brain injury after ischemic stroke. Here, we demonstrated an important role of Cl− transmembrane transporter Swell1, in the survival and M2-like polarization of microglia in ischemic stroke. Knockdown or overexpression of Swell1 in cultured microglia inhibited or increased hypotonic-activated Cl− currents, respectively, and these changes were completely blocked by the volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) inhibitor DCPIB. Swell1 conditional knock-in mice promoted microglia survival in ischemic brain region and resulted in significant reductions in neural cell death, infarction volume and neurological deficits following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Using gene manipulating technique and pharmacological inhibitors, we further revealed that Swell1 opening led to SGK1 (a Cl−-sensitive kinase)-mediated activation of FOXO3a/CREB as well as WNK1 (another Cl−-sensitive kinase)-mediated SPAK/OSR1-CCCs activation, which promoted microglia survival and M2-like polarization, thereby attenuating neuroinflammation and ischemic brain injury. Taken together, our results demonstrated that Swell1 is an essential component of microglia VRACs and its activation protects against ischemic brain injury through promoting microglia survival and M2-like polarization.

After nearly forty years of development, China’s land consolidation policies (CLCP) have become an important tool for promoting rural revitalization and sustainable development. However, as a major land management policy, there is still a lack of quantitative evaluation research on its text. This paper establishes an evaluation system for CLCP using text analysis and the PMC-Index model. Based on a reasonable definition of the connotation of land consolidation, this paper collects 313 related policies issued by China’s central government from 1982 to 2022, using text analysis to sort out the characteristics of issuance time, policy types, issuing institutions, and cooperation networks. By combining the outcomes of text mining with the previous research results to set evaluation indicators for the PMC-Index model, it distinguishes between comprehensive policies and specialized policies and separately evaluates them. Then, the PMC-Surface is established to clearly display the calculation results. The results show that the evaluation scores of comprehensive policies and specialized policies showed an upward trend over time. This indicates that the content of CLCP is constantly being enriched and expanded. The evaluation scores for different dimensions of comprehensive policies are relatively balanced, whereas there are significant differences in the evaluation scores of various dimensions of specialized policies. Both comprehensive policies and specialized policies have weaknesses in policy functions, incentives and constraints, and implementation guarantees, so improvements may be needed in these areas in the future. This study provides valuable insights into the advantages and disadvantages of a single land consolidation policy in China.

The tribological properties of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) play a significant role in artificial joint materials. Graphite fluoride (GrF), a novel solid lubricant, was incorporated into ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) at different concentrations via ball milling and heat pressing to prepare the GrF-UHMW-PE composites. The structure, hardness, and tribological behavior of the composites were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry, ball indentation hardness, and a reciprocating ball-on-plane friction tester, respectively. The results of FT-IR showed that hydrogen bonds (C-F···H-C) could be formed between GrF and UHMW-PE. The hardness of the composites was significantly enhanced by increasing the GrF concentrations. GrF in the composites displayed superior lubricant properties and the coefficient of friction (COF) of the composites was significantly decreased at lower concentrations of GrF viz. 0.1 and 0.5 wt%. The addition of GrF also significantly enhanced the anti-wear properties of the composites, which was a combined effect of lubrication as well as hardness provided by GrF. At 0.5 wt% GrF concentration, the COF and the wear rate were reduced by 34.76% and 47.72%, respectively, when compared to UHMW-PE. As the concentration of GrF increased, the wear modes of the composites transitioned from fatigue wear to abrasive wear. Our current work suggested that GrF-UHMW-PE composites could be a suitable candidate for artificial joint materials.

Pituitary adenoma (PA) includes invasive pituitary adenoma (IPA) and noninvasive pituitary adenoma (NIPA), which are associated with the endocrine system. The gut microbiome plays an important role in human metabolism, but the association between the gut microbiome and pituitary adenoma remains unclear. A total of 44 subjects were enrolled in this study. Of these, 29 PA patients were further divided into IPA patients (n = 13) and NIPA patients (n = 16), while 15 healthy age-matched subjects were defined as control subjects. We collected faecal samples and characterized the gut microbial profiles by metagenomic sequencing using the Illumina X-ten platform. PLS-DA showed different microbial clusters among the three groups, and slightly different microbial ecological networks were observed. LEfSe analysis revealed significant alterations in the microbial community among PA patients. In particular, the enrichment of Clostridium innocuum, along with the reduced abundance of Oscillibacter sp. 57_20 and Fusobacterium mortiferum, were observed both in the IPA and NIPA groups compared to the control group. Moreover, PA patients could be effectively classified based on these bacteria using a support vector machine algorithm. In summary, this study demonstrated significant differences in the gut microbiome between PA patients and healthy controls. Future mechanistic experiments are needed to determine whether such alterations are a cause or consequence of pituitary adenoma.

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles and play an essential role in the mediation of intercellular communication both in health and disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has historically been used to maintain human health and treat various diseases up till today. The interplay between exosomes and TCM has attracted researchers’ growing attention. By integrating the available evidence, TCM formulas and compounds isolated from TCM as exosome modulators have beneficial effects on multiple disorders, such as tumors, kidney diseases, and hepatic disease, which may associate with inhibiting cells proliferation, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, and attenuating fibrosis. Exosomes, a natural delivery system, are essential in delivering compounds isolated from TCM to target cells or tissues. Moreover, exosomes may be the potential biomarkers for TCM syndromes, providing strategies for TCM treatment. These findings may provide a novel insight into TCM from exosomes and serve as evidence for better understanding and development of TCM.

ObjectiveThere is limited evidence to clarify the specific relationship between pre-operative blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and post-operative 30-day mortality in patients undergoing craniotomy for tumors. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this relationship in detail.MethodsElectronic medical records of 18,642 patients undergoing craniotomy for tumors in the ACS NSQIP from 2012 to 2015 were subjected to secondary retrospective analysis. The principal exposure was pre-operative BUN. Outcome measures were post-operative 30-day mortality. We used binary logistic regression modeling to evaluate the association between them and conducted a generalized additive model and smooth curve fitting (penalized spline method) to explore the potential relationship and its explicit curve shape. We also conducted sensitivity analyses to ensure the robustness of the results and performed subgroup analyses.ResultsA total of 16,876 patients were included in this analysis. Of these, 47.48% of patients were men. The post-operative 30-day mortality of the included cases was 2.49% (420/16,876), and the mean BUN was 16.874 ± 6.648 mg/dl. After adjusting covariates, the results showed that pre-operative BUN was positively associated with post-operative 30-day mortality (OR = 1.020, 95% CI: 1.004, 1.036). There was also a non-linear relationship between BUN and post-operative 30-day mortality, and the inflection point of the BUN was 9.804. For patients with BUN < 9.804 mg/dl, a 1 unit decrease in BUN was related to a 16.8% increase in the risk of post-operative 30-day mortality (OR = 0.832, 95% CI: 0.737, 0.941); for patients with BUN > 9.804 mg/dl, a 1 unit increase in BUN was related to a 2.8% increase in the risk of post-operative 30-day mortality (OR = 1.028, 95% CI: 1.011, 1.045). The sensitivity analysis proved that the results were robust. The subgroup analysis revealed that all listed subgroups did not affect the relationship between pre-operative BUN and post-operative 30-day mortality (P > 0.05).ConclusionOur study demonstrated that pre-operative BUN (mg/dl) has specific linear and non-linear relationships with post-operative 30-day mortality in patients over 18 years of age who underwent craniotomy for tumors. Proper pre-operative management of BUN and maintenance of BUN near the inflection point (9.804 mg/dl) could reduce the risk of post-operative 30-day mortality in these cases.

Traditional grouting materials have certain limitations, such as greater cement consumption, high cost, slow setting rate, and insufficient early strength, hindering their wide applicability. In this paper, desulfurization gypsum (DG) and fly ash (FA) are used as the main raw materials, supplemented by a small amount of Portland cement (PC), to develop a low-cost, fast-setting, and high-early-strength filling material. The mechanical properties and setting characteristics were assessed for varying PC, DG, and FA ratios. The effects of different mineral crystal formations on mechanical properties and hydration characteristics were analyzed. The results show that adding DG leads to a sudden decrease in mechanical properties while accelerating the setting. The compressive strength and setting rate increase with increasing DG content. FA can assist in PC hydration and delay the setting time, and the dosage should be limited to 20%. A synergistic enhancement effect between DG and FA can be achieved, forming grossular-type aluminosilicate and promoting compressive strength development. The optimal performance is achieved when PC, DG, and FA are added at 20%, 60%, and 20% dosages, respectively.

Abstract Background Primary facial spasm accompanied by arrhythmia is a rare clinical phenomenon and has not been reported before. We describe this phenomenon and discuss its mechanism and treatment. Case presentation We herein present a rare case of a patient with left primary facial spasm and a third-degree atrioventricular block (III degree AVB), who was implanted with a temporary cardiac pacemaker to receive microvascular decompression (MVD) because of refusal of a permanent cardiac pacemaker. The symptoms of facial spasm disappeared after MVD. The temporary cardiac pacemaker was removed on the second day after surgery. Her ECG still showed the third-degree atrioventricular block after a follow-up period of 5 months. Conclusions We are the first to report a patient with facial spasm and arrhythmia who was implanted with a temporary cardiac pacemaker to receive MVD. This case report demonstrated that the concomitant presence of a III degree AVB maybe not a contraindication for MVD, and the etiology of this facial spasm was the actual vascular compression of the facial nerve entry zone that was not related to the atrioventricular block.

Abstract Background The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has extraordinarily impacted global healthcare. Neuro-oncological surgery units have peculiar features that make them highly relevant in the strategic reaction to the pandemic. In this Chinese Society of Neuro-Oncology (CSNO) initiated survey, we appraise the changes implemented in neuro-oncological surgery hospitals across different Asian countries and provide expert recommendations for responses at different stages of the pandemic. Methods We performed a 42-question survey of the early experience of neuro-oncological surgery practice in hospitals across different Asian countries on April 1, 2020, with responses closed on April 18, 2020. Results 144 hospitals completed the questionnaire. Most were in WHO post-peak phase of the pandemic and reported a median reduction in neuro-oncological surgery volume of 25–50%. Most (67.4%) resumed elective surgery in only COVID-19 negative patients;11.1% performed only emergency cases irrespective of COVID-19 status;2.1% suspended all surgical activity. Ninety-one (63.2%) relocated personnel from neurosurgery to other departments. Fifty-two (36.1%) hospitals suspended post-operative adjuvant therapy and 94 (65.2%) instituted different measures to administer post-operative adjuvant therapy. Majority (59.0%) of the hospitals suspended research activity. Most (70%) respondents anticipate that current neurosurgery restrictions will continue to remain for > 1 month. Conclusions Majority of the respondents to our survey reported reduced neuro-oncological surgery activity, policy modification, personnel reallocation, and curtailment of educational/research activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The persistent widespread interruption of surgical neuro-oncology in even post-peak phases of the pandemic raises serious concerns about the long-term impact of the pandemic on neuro-oncological patients and highlights the essence of timely measures for pandemic preparedness, patient triage, and workforce protection.

Gardenia yellow pigment (GYP) was isolated from Gardenia jasminoides fruit. GYP possess various beneficial biological activities, but its immunomodulatory activity remains incompletely known. In present study, we evaluated the stability of GYP at different temperature, light, pH, and metal ions firstly. The antioxidant capacity of GYP was then evaluated by 1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), 2, 2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), Ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and Hydroxyl radicals. Finally, the immunomodulatory activities and underlying mechanism of GYP were determined using RAW264.7 cells. The results indicated that the stability of GYP was greatly affected by higher temperature (60–100 ℃), ultraviolet radiation, acid, alkali, and Fe3+. Furthermore, GYP exhibited strong antioxidant activity, and the IC50 values of DPPH, ABTS, and Hydroxyl radicals were 0.44, 0.07, and 0.09 mg/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, FRAP value was 1.65 ± 0.04 mM FeSO4 at the GYP concentration of 0.11 mg/mL. The cell experiment exhibited that GYP significantly enhanced the proliferation and phagocytosis of macrophages. It also increased the secretion of NO, TNF-α, IL-10, and COX-2, and promoted the activation of transcription factor (NF-κB) in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, GYP promoted the phosphorylation of P13K and Akt in RAW264.7 cells, indicating that GYP might exert its immunoregulatory effects through modulation of PI3K/Akt pathway. Overall, the results of this study suggest that GYP can be used as a natural antioxidant and immunomodulator in the fields of functional foods.

BackgroundThe association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality is controversial. Thus, the purpose of our research was to survey the association between BMI and postoperative 30-day mortality in brain tumor patients undergoing craniotomy.MethodsThis study analyzed data collected in a multicenter, cross-sectional study that consecutively and nonselectively collected data from a total of 18,642 patients undergoing craniotomy for tumors in the ACS NSQIP from 2012 to 2015. We constructed three linear and non-linear binomial logistic models (the inflection point was set at 18.5) to evaluate the association between BMI and postoperative 30-day mortality, respectively. We also conducted subgroup analyses. Additionally, we compared non-linear models with vs. without interaction with sex.ResultsA total of 17,713 patients were included in this analysis. Of these, 47.38% were male. The postoperative 30-day mortality of the included cases was 2.39% (423/17,713), and the mean BMI was 28.41 ± 6.05 kg/m2. The linear logistic models suggested that after adjusting for the covariates, BMI was not associated with postoperative 30-day mortality (OR=0.999; 95% CI: 0.981, 1.017). The non-linear binomial logistic models suggested a nonlinear relationship between BMI and postoperative 30-day mortality. When BMI was < 18.5, we observed a stronger negative association between them after adjusting for covariates; the OR and 95% CI were 0.719, 0.576-0.896. When BMI was > 18.5, the relationship between them was not significant. We also found that a one-unit decrease in BMI for male patients with BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 was related to a 34.6% increase in the risk of postoperative 30-day mortality (OR=0.654, 95% CI (0.472, 0.907). There was no significant association between them in male patients with BMI > 18.5 kg/m2 or female patients.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates a non-linear relationship between BMI and the risk of postoperative death. Preoperative underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) would increase the risk of postoperative death in male patients (> 18 years old) undergoing craniotomy for brain tumors. Appropriate nutritional management prior to craniotomy for brain tumors may reduce the risk of postoperative 30-day mortality in underweight men.

Background: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cyanotic heart disease. However, the association of cardiac metabolic reprogramming changes and underlying molecular mechanisms in TOF-related chronic myocardial hypoxia damage are still unclear.Methods: In this study, we combined microarray transcriptomics analysis with liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) spectrum metabolomics analysis to establish the metabolic reprogramming that occurs in response to chronic hypoxia damage. Two Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, GSE132176 and GSE141955, were downloaded to analyze the metabolic pathway in TOF. Then, a metabolomics analysis of the clinical samples (right atrial tissue and plasma) was performed. Additionally, an association analysis between differential metabolites and clinical phenotypes was performed. Next, four key genes related to sphingomyelin metabolism were screened and their expression was validated by real-time quantitative PCR (QT-PCR).Results: The gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that sphingolipid metabolism was downregulated in TOF and the metabolomics analysis showed that multiple sphingolipids were dysregulated. Additionally, genes related to sphingomyelin metabolism were identified. We found that four core genes, UDP-Glucose Ceramide Glucosyltransferase (UGCG), Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Phosphatase 2 (SGPP2), Fatty Acid 2-Hydroxylase (FA2H), and Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Phosphatase 1 (SGPP1), were downregulated in TOF.Conclusion: Sphingolipid metabolism was downregulated in TOF; however, the detailed mechanism needs further investigation.

Objective: Rathke cleft cysts (RCC) are benign sellar lesions, and endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES) for symptomatic RCC is becoming increasingly popular, but total resection or partial resection (TR or PR) of the cyst wall is still inconclusive. The aim of this study was to review the complications and clinical prognoses associated with total and partial resection of the cyst wall by EES.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a series of 72 patients with symptomatic RCC treated by EES from -January 2011 to June 2019 at Shenzhen University First Affiliated Hospital. For these 72 cases, 30 were treated with TR and 42 were treated with PR. Intra- and post-operative complications and clinical prognosis were investigated.Results: All 72 patients underwent a pure EES. In the TR group, 10 patients (33.3%) had intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage (CSF leak), three patients (10%) had postoperative CSF leak, eight patients (26.7%) had postoperative diabetes insipidus (DI), eight patients (26.7%) had postoperative electrolyte disturbance, and 12 patients (40%) had temporary hypopituitarism postoperatively. While in the PR group, three patients (7.1%) had intraoperative CSF leak, two patients (4.8%) had postoperative DI, three patients (7.1%) had postoperative electrolyte disturbance, four patients (9.5%) had temporary hypopituitarism postoperatively, and no cases experienced postoperative CSF leak. The intra- and post-operative complications were significantly higher in TR group then PR group (P IntraoperativeCSFleak = 0.004, P Post−operativeCSFleak =0.036, P TransientDI = 0.008, P Temporaryhypopituitarism = 0.002, P Permanenthypopituitarism = 0.036, P Electrolytedisturbance = 0.023). No significant differences in post-operative improvement and recurrence.Conclusions: EES is a safe and effective approach for the treatment of symptomatic RCC. Complete sucking out the cyst contents and partial resection of the cyst wall may be sufficient for treatment, and total resection of the cyst wall is associated with a higher incidence of complications.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common and serious complication faced by children following ventricular septal defect (VSD) surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The objective of this study was to explore potential predictors inherent to AKI.Methods: VSD infants who were scheduled for elective cardiac surgery with CPB from 2017 to 2020 were enrolled in this study. Based on the Pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-Stage Renal Disease (pRIFLE) criteria, patients were divided into AKI and non-AKI groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out in order to evaluate potential risk factors for AKI. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to evaluate the predictive probabilities of risk factors for AKI.Results: Of all the 338 enrolled VSD infants, 49 manifested AKI with an incidence of 14.5% (49/338). The ROC curve indicated that albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (AFR) during CPB was a significant predictor of AKI [area under the curve (AUC), 0.711; p < 0.001]. Based on the univariate and multivariate logistic analyses, AFR during CPB [odds ratio (OR), 1.89; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.22–2.76, p = 0.011] was the only independent risk factor for AKI.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that a low AFR (

To further enhance the compressive strength of alkali-activated materials and reveal their condensation behavior, the reactivity of alkali-activated slag materials was enhanced through the addition of different kinds and proportions of sodium silicate. The mechanical properties of the specimens were observed regularly and the condensation behavior was further analyzed. The results showed that both solid and liquid sodium silicate could significantly improve the compressive strength. The maximum increase in compressive strength was 123.7%, while the initial and final setting times were significantly shortened to 9 min. When solid sodium silicate content increased from 5% to 15%, the compressive strength first increased to 34.6 MPa and then decreased to 28.6 MPa, indicating that 10% was the optimum solid sodium silicate content. The large amount of crystallized solid sodium silicate in the specimen led to the decrease in mechanical properties. When liquid sodium silicate content increased from 5% to 15%, the compressive strength first increased to 52.8 MPa and then tended to be stable, implying that 10% was the optimum content. This shows that its reinforcement effect has a maximum limit. The activation effect of liquid sodium silicate was better than that of solid.

Objective. We retrospectively analyzed the surgical results of pulmonary blood flow studies to guide ventricular septal defect (VSD) closure in the correction of pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect with major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (PA/VSD/MAPCAs). Methods. A total of 57 children who were diagnosed with PA/VSD/MAPCAs and who underwent intraoperative pulmonary blood flow studies at our hospital between August 2016 and June 2019 were included. Surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass records were collected. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to verify the accuracy of pulmonary blood flow studies to predict VSD closure. Results. Complete VSD closure was achieved in 39 of 57 children (68.42%), with a median age of 2 years and 5 months (range: 7 months to 15 years and 9 months) and a median weight of 11.0 kg (5.7–36.5 kg). Partial VSD repair was recorded for 21 children (36.84%), including 4 children (19.05%) who underwent VSD closure in the later stages and 13 children (61.90%) who were under follow-up and waiting to undergo complete VSD closure. There was only one child (1.75%) with VSD left. After eliminating the data of four unqualified cases, the ROC curve for predicting VSD closure based on 53 pulmonary blood flow studies was obtained at a p value of

To increase the hydration reaction rate and the amount of hydration products, different types and proportions of acids were mixed into mortars. The effects of the acid type and content on the early compressive strength of cement-based materials and the strengthening mechanism were assessed via X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectrum analyses. The addition of acetic acid or hydrochloric acid significantly increased the compressive strength of mortars at 1 d and 3 d, and slightly increased it at 28 d. With increasing acetic acid content, the strengthening effect increased first and then decreased with the best content at 4%. With increasing hydrochloric acid content, the strengthening effect decreased gradually with the best content at 2%.

In this study, coralline-activated materials were prepared using ball-milled coral powder as cementitious material and coral sand as fine aggregate. XRF (X-ray fluorescence) and chemical dissolution tests were carried out to determine the content and reactivity of various elements in coral powder. The compressive strength of the developed composites was evaluated at different ages, and the formation and transformation of mineral crystals in coralline-activated samples were further analyzed by XRD (X-ray diffractometer). The results show that the calcium content in coral powder was as high as 89.5% (loss on ignition). However, only 56% of the active calcium could participate in the polymerization reaction. The silicon and aluminum content was too low, and the slag addition could improve the deficiency of silicon and aluminum in coral powder. With the increase in slag content (from 0% to 50%), the compressive strength of the composites increases significantly. Nevertheless, the enhancement is not pronounced when the slag content exceeds 50%. The increase in slag amount can stimulate the transformation of calcium minerals, e.g., aragonite and calcite, into hydrated calcium silicate and calcium aluminosilicate gels, which significantly enhances the resulting compressive strength.

To study the key factors that affect the mechanical properties of polymer materials and explore the relationship between mineral crystal formation and strength development, fly ash (FA) polymer samples were prepared using sodium hydroxide, slag, liquid sodium silicate, and hydrated lime as activators. A change in the compressive strength was observed, and X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out to confirm the change. The effects of different types and amounts of activators on the formation and transformation of mineral crystals in FA polymer samples as well as on the development of compressive strength were studied. Moreover, the relationship between the formation and transformation of mineral crystals and the development of compressive strength was established. The results show that the strongly alkaline excitation environment established by sodium hydroxide is the prerequisite for crystal formation and development of compressive strength. Under this strongly alkaline excitation environment, slag, hydrated lime, and liquid sodium silicate can increase the amounts of calcium and silicon, which promote the formation and development of hydrated calcium silicate and hydrated calcium silicoaluminate in polymers and significantly improve the compressive strength.

The distribution of substrate temperature plays a decisive role on the uniformity of polycrystalline diamond films on cemented carbide tools with a long flute, prepared by a hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). In this work, the heat dissipation mode at the bottom of tools is a focal point, and the finite volume method (FVM) is conducted to simulate and predict the temperature field of tools, with the various materials of the holder placed under the tools. The simulation results show that the thermal conductivity of the holder affects the temperature difference of the individual tools greatly, but only affects the temperature of different tools at the same XY plane slightly. Moreover, the ceramic holder can reduce the difference in temperature of an individual tool by 54%, compared to a copper one. Afterwards, the experiments of the deposition of diamond films is performed using the preferred ceramic holder. The diamond coatings on the different positions present a highly uniform distribution on their grain size, thickness, and quality.

With the speedy development of sequencing technologies, noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has been widely applied in clinical practice for testing for fetal aneuploidy. The cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) concentration in maternal plasma is the most critical parameter for this technology because it affects the accuracy of NIPT-based sequencing for fetal trisomies 21, 18 and 13. Several approaches have been developed to calculate the cffDNA fraction of the total cell-free DNA in the maternal plasma. However, most approaches depend on specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) allele information or are restricted to male fetuses.In this study, we present an innovative method to accurately deduce the concentration of the cffDNA fraction using only maternal plasma DNA. SNPs were classified into four maternal-fetal genotype combinations and three boundaries were added to capture effective SNP loci in which the mother was homozygous and the fetus was heterozygous. The median value of the concentration of the fetal DNA fraction was estimated using the effective SNPs. A depth-bias correction was performed using simulated data and corresponding regression equations for adjustments when the depth of the sequencing data was below 100-fold or the cffDNA fraction is less than 10%.Using our approach, the median of the relative bias was 0.4% in 18 maternal plasma samples with a median sequencing depth of 125-fold. There was a significant association (r = 0.935) between our estimations and the estimations inferred from the Y chromosome. Furthermore, this approach could precisely estimate a cffDNA fraction as low as 3%, using only maternal plasma DNA at the targeted region with a sequencing depth of 65-fold. We also used PCR instead of parallel sequencing to calculate the cffDNA fraction. There was a significant association (r = 98.2%) between our estimations and those inferred from the Y chromosome.

Graphene oxide/ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (GO/UHMWPE) nanocomposite is a potential and promising candidate for artificial joint applications. However, after irradiation and accelerated aging, the mechanical and tribological behaviors of the nanocomposites are still unclear and require further investigation. GO/UHMWPE nanocomposites were successfully fabricated using ultrasonication dispersion, ball-milling, and hot-pressing process. Then, the nanocomposites were irradiated by gamma ray at doses of 100 kGy. Finally, GO/UHMWPE nanocomposites underwent accelerated aging at 80°C for 21 days in air. The mechanical and tribological properties of GO/UHMWPE nanocomposites have been evaluated after irradiation and accelerated aging. The results indicated that the incorporation of GO could enhance the mechanical, wear, and antiscratch properties of UHMWPE. After irradiation, these properties could be further enhanced, compared to unirradiated ones. After accelerated aging, however, these properties have been significantly reduced when compared to unirradiated ones. Moreover, GO and irradiation can synergistically enhance these properties.