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Abstract To investigate the extent of damage and seepage characteristics of water-saturated coal samples after subjecting them to microwave cycling. The microwave equipment was used to process the coal samples by microwave cycling. The non-contact digital image processing technology and acoustic emission system were used to carry out the triaxial loading experimental study of the coal samples to obtain the mechanical parameter characteristics, energy evolution pattern, acoustic emission information and permeability characteristics of coal samples under different microwave cycle times. The results of the study show that: With the increase in the number of microwave cycles, dense grid-loaded cracks gradually appeared on the surface of the coal samples, the triaxial partial stresses of the coal samples decreased, and the strains also decreased, and the modulus of elasticity and Poisson’s ratio also decreased; In the densification stage stage, the dissipated energy is higher than the elastic energy, and as the elastic stage proceeds, the elastic energy gradually reverses to exceed the dissipated energy, and the total energy and elastic energy of the coal samples decrease with the increase in the number of cycles, and the dissipated energy rises; Coal samples produce a large number of fissures due to the increase in the number of microwave cycles, the more frequent the fissure activity during the loading process, the acoustic emission amplitude and ringing count scattering points all become dense with the increase in the number of cycles, and the data increase; Initial permeability, destructive permeability and average permeability were all increased, microwave treatment has a better effect of permeability enhancement, the permeability of the treated coal samples was changed from low permeability to medium permeability, and the permeability enhancement was the largest in 6 cycles, and the permeability was increased by 7.18 times. This article explores the damage condition of water-saturated coal samples under microwave cycling treatment. Then, it explores the effect of microwave cycling on the permeability enhancement of the coal body, which provides a new method for exploring the gas permeability enhancement and extraction of low-permeability coal samples underground.

Near-surface wind speed exerts profound impacts on many environmental issues, while the long-term (≥60 years) trend and multidecadal variability in the wind speed and its underlying causes in global high-elevation and mountainous areas (e.g., Tibetan Plateau) remain largely unknown. Here, by examining homogenized wind speed data from 104 meteorological stations over the Tibetan Plateau for 1961–2020 and ERA5 reanalysis datasets, we investigated the variability and long-term trend in the near-surface wind speed and revealed the role played by the westerly and Asian monsoon. The results show that the homogenized annual wind speed displays a decreasing trend (−0.091 m s−1 per decade, p

Abstract Background This study assessed the diagnosis, staging and treatment guidance of lung cancer (LC) based on seven tumor-associated autoantibodies (TAAbs) —p53, PGP9.5, SOX2, GBU4-5, MAGE A1, CAGE, and GAGE7. Methods ELISA was used to determine the TAAb serum levels in 433 patients diagnosed with LC (161 surgical patients) and 76 patients with benign lung disease (16 surgical patients). The statistical characteristic of the TAAbs was compared among patients with different clinicopathological features. Pre- to postoperative changes in TAAb levels were analyzed to determine their value of LC. Results Among all patients, the positive rate of the seven TAAbs was 23.4%, sensitivity was 26.3%, accuracy was 36.3%, specificity was 93.4%, positive predictive value was 95.8%, and negative predictive value was 18.2%; the positive rate for the LC group (26.3%) was significantly higher than that for the benign group (6.6%; P

Summary: Background: The accurate evaluation of axillary lymph node (ALN) response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer holds great value. This study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence system utilising multiregional dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) and clinicopathological characteristics to predict axillary pathological complete response (pCR) after NAC in breast cancer. Methods: This study included retrospective and prospective datasets from six medical centres in China between May 2018 and December 2023. A fully automated integrated system based on deep learning (FAIS-DL) was built to perform tumour and ALN segmentation and axillary pCR prediction sequentially. The predictive performance of FAIS-DL was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. RNA sequencing analysis were conducted on 45 patients to explore the biological basis of FAIS-DL. Findings: 1145 patients (mean age, 50 years ±10 [SD]) were evaluated. Among these patients, 506 were in the training and validation sets (axillary pCR rate of 40.3%), 127 in the internal test set (axillary pCR rate of 37.8%), 414 in the pooled external test set (axillary pCR rate of 48.8%), and 98 in the prospective test set (axillary pCR rate of 43.9%). For predicting axillary pCR, FAIS-DL achieved AUCs of 0.95, 0.93, and 0.94 in the internal test set, pooled external test set, and prospective test set, respectively, which were also significantly higher than those of the clinical model and deep learning models based on single-regional DCE-MRI (all P

PurposeThis study aimed to develop and validate a radiogenomics nomogram for predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on the basis of MRI and microRNAs (miRNAs).Materials and methodsThis cohort study included 168 patients (training cohort: n = 116; validation cohort: n = 52) with pathologically confirmed HCC, who underwent preoperative MRI and plasma miRNA examination. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify independent risk factors associated with MVI. These risk factors were used to produce a nomogram. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and F1-score. Decision curve analysis was performed to determine whether the nomogram was clinically useful.ResultsThe independent risk factors for MVI were maximum tumor length, rad-score, and miRNA-21 (all P < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and F1-score of the nomogram in the validation cohort were 0.970, 0.722, 0.884, and 0.916, respectively. The AUC of the nomogram was 0.900 (95% CI: 0.808–0.992) in the validation cohort, higher than that of any other single factor model (maximum tumor length, rad-score, and miRNA-21).ConclusionThe radiogenomics nomogram shows satisfactory predictive performance in predicting MVI in HCC and provides a feasible and practical reference for tumor treatment decisions.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the value of radiomics nomogram based on computed tomography (CT) on the diagnosis of benign and malignant solitary indeterminate smoothly marginated solid pulmonary nodules (SMSPNs).MethodsThis study retrospectively reviewed 205 cases with solitary indeterminate SMSPNs on CT, including 112 cases of benign nodules and 93 cases of malignant nodules. They were divided into training (n=143) and validation (n=62) cohorts based on different CT scanners. Radiomics features of the nodules were extracted from the lung window CT images. The variance threshold method, SelectKBest, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were used to select the key radiomics features to construct the rad-score. Through multivariate logistic regression analysis, a nomogram was built by combining rad-score, clinical factors, and CT features. The nomogram performance was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).ResultsA total of 19 radiomics features were selected to construct the rad-score, and the nomogram was constructed by the rad-score, one clinical factor (history of malignant tumor), and three CT features (including calcification, pleural retraction, and lobulation). The nomogram performed better than the radiomics model, clinical model, and experienced radiologists who specialized in thoracic radiology for nodule diagnosis. The AUC values of the nomogram were 0.942 in the training cohort and 0.933 in the validation cohort. The calibration curve and decision curve showed that the nomogram demonstrated good consistency and clinical applicability.ConclusionThe CT-based radiomics nomogram achieved high efficiency in the preoperative diagnosis of solitary indeterminate SMSPNs, and it is of great significance in guiding clinical decision-making.

Objective(s): Cardiac arrest is a crucial procedure in various cardiac surgeries, during which the heart is subjected to an ischemic state. The occurrence of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is inevitable due to aortic blockage and opening. The Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution is commonly used as an organ protection liquid to mitigate cardiac injury during cardiac surgery. Despite its widespread use, there is significant potential for improving its protective efficacy.Materials and Methods: The cardioprotective effect of HTK solution with and without melatonin was evaluated using the isolated Langendorff-perfused mouse heart model. The isolated C57bL/6 mouse hearts were randomly divided into four groups: control, I/R, HTK solution treatment before reperfusion (HTK+I/R), and HTK solution combined with melatonin before reperfusion (HTK+M+I/R). Cardiac function and myocardial injury markers were then measured. AMP-activated protein kinase α2 (AMPKα2) KO mice were used to investigate the underlying mechanism.Results: In our study, we found that melatonin significantly improved the protective effects of HTK solution in an isolated Langendorff-perfused mouse model, mechanistically by reducing mitochondrial damage, improving energy metabolism, inhibiting cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and reducing myocardial infarction size. We also observed that the HTK solution alone was ineffective in inhibiting ER stress, but when melatonin was added, there was a significant reduction in ER stress. Furthermore, melatonin was found to alleviate carbonyl stress during cardiac I/R. Interestingly, our results showed that the cardioprotective properties of melatonin were dependent on AMPKα2.Conclusion: The findings presented in this study offer a valuable empirical foundation for the development of perioperative cardioprotective strategies.

The trajectory generator is an important tool for the algorithm research and simulation verification of inertial navigation systems and their integrated navigation systems. By exploring and analyzing the research status of trajectory generators in different carriers, the design methods and main ideas of the ideal, numerical algorithm and mathematical model trajectory generators are outlined, and the research focuses are summarized. The three types of trajectory generators are then simulated and compared, and their characteristics and problems are analyzed. Finally, possible prospects for the next step in trajectory generator research are briefly discussed, providing ideas for future research in this field.

Abstract Background Gene variants are responsible for more than half of hearing loss, particularly in nonsyndromic hearing loss (NSHL). The most common pathogenic variant in SLC26A4 gene found in East Asian populations is c.919-2A > G followed by c.2168A > G (p.H723R). This study was to evaluate their variant frequencies in patients with NSHL from special education schools in nine different areas of Southwest China’s Yunnan. Methods We performed molecular characterization by PCR-products directly Sanger sequencing of the SLC26A4 c.919-2AG and c.2168 A > G variants in 1167 patients with NSHL including 533 Han Chinese and 634 ethnic minorities. Results The SLC26A4 c.919-2A > G variant was discovered in 8 patients with a homozygous state (0.69%) and twenty-five heterozygous (2.14%) in 1167 patients with NSHL. The total carrier rate of the c.919-2A > G variant was found in Han Chinese patients with 4.50% and ethnic minority patients with 1.42%. A significant difference existed between the two groups (P G allele variant frequency was ranged from 3.93% in Kunming to zero in Lincang and Nvjiang areas of Yunnan. We further detected the SLC26A4 c.2168 A > G variant in this cohort with one homozygotes (0.09%) and seven heterozygotes (0.60%), which was detected in Baoshan, Honghe, Licang and Pu`er areas. Between Han Chinese group (0.94%) and ethnic minority group (0.47%), there was no statistical significance (P > 0.05). Three Han Chinese patients (0.26%) carried compound heterozygosity for c.919-2A > G and c.2168 A > G. Conclusion These data suggest that the variants in both SLC26A4 c.919-2A > G and c.2168 A > G were relatively less frequencies in this cohort compared to the average levels in most regions of China, as well as significantly lower than that in Han-Chinese patients. These results broadened Chinese population genetic information resources and provided more detailed information for regional genetic counselling for Yunnan.

Abstract For the ecologically vulnerable Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), hypoxia is increasingly becoming an extremely important environmental risk factor that significantly affects the health of both humans and livestock in the plateau region, as well as hindering high-quality development. To focus on the problem of hypoxia, it is especially urgent to study the surface oxygen concentration (i.e., oxygen concentration). However, the existing research is not sufficient, and there is a lack of oxygen concentration data collected on the QTP. In this study, through the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research and field measurements, the oxygen concentration data and corresponding geographic environmental data were collected at 807 measurement points on the QTP from 2017 to 2022, and the spatiotemporal oxygen concentration patterns were estimated. This work filled the gaps in the measurement and research of oxygen concentrations on the QTP while providing data support for analyses of the influencing factors and spatiotemporal characteristics of oxygen concentrations, which is of great significance for promoting the construction of ecological civilization in the QTP region.

In order to effectively avoid the possible drawbacks of water seal inhibiting gas resolution and reducing coal seam permeability, based on the existing air jet research foundation, theoretical analysis and laboratory experiments were used to analyze and study the punching characteristics of high-pressure air jets and the law of punching and breaking coal under the combination of jet parameters. The results show that, among the three factors affecting the experimental results, the jet pressure has the greatest influence, the impact target distance is second, and the nozzle size has the least influence on the experimental results; the optimal combination of jet parameters in the experimental range is 12 MPa, 30 mm impact target distance and 3.5 Mach number nozzle size. The effect of jet punching increases with the increase of jet pressure, when the jet pressure reaches 10 MPa, the specimen penetrates, and when it is further increased to 12 MPa, the specimen is broken; there is an optimal impact target distance for jet punching, and the jet punching effect is the best under this target distance, which is generally 6-7 times the nozzle diameter; the nozzle size has little effect on the effect of punching experiments, and the punching effect tends to be constant.

China's glacier water resources (GWRs) are not only indispensable suppliers of fresh water for humans living in large domestic areas but also affect the water supply to downstream neighbouring countries. Therefore, it is crucial to systematically evaluate the spatiotemporal (mis-) matches between the supply and demand potentials of China's GWRs and the combined supply and demand effects in the 21st century to enable regional sustainable development. To facilitate such research, in this study, we first regionalized the importance of China's GWRs in terms of the supply potential and downstream human dependence to reveal the spatial (mis-) matches between supply and demand potentials. Then, changes in the service potential of glacier meltwater and in population dynamics, as well as their temporal (mis-) matches and associated opportunities and risks, were further assessed at the river basin scale. The results showed that GWR plays an important role in 4 of 16 macroscale glacier-fed basins (i.e., Tarim, Junggar, Ili, and Zangxi) and 11 of 37 subbasins within the China region due to higher supply potential and demand potential in those basins. The importance of China's GWRs increases dramatically when taking the demand potential of downstream countries into account, especially in the Ganges and Indus river basins. The peaks in meltwater runoff from the most glacierized basins of the eastern Tianshan Mountains, eastern Qilian Mountains, and southeastern Tibetan Plateau of China occur slightly earlier than the projected peak population (around 2030) under the mid-range Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP245), leading to a compound risk in terms of decreasing meltwater supply and increasing human dependence at the end of the 2020s. However, the peak meltwater is expected to occur later than the peak population in the Tarim, Qiangtang Plateau, and Qaidam basins. The opportunities offered by the increase in meltwater can relieve the water resource pressure for those populations under water-stressed conditions. Greater attention should also be paid to water shortage risks in the transboundary river basins, especially in the Indus and Ganges basins, because the peak meltwater within China is generally expected to occur sooner than the projected peak population of downstream countries. This study provides an effective planning and decision-making basis for the full utilization of China's GWRs and adaptation when glacier runoff declines.

BackgroundIt has been well established that glycosylation plays a pivotal role in initiation, progression, and therapy resistance of several cancers. However, the correlations between glycosylation and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have not been elucidated in detail.MethodsThe paramount genes governing glycosylation were discerned via the utilization of the Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network and correlation analysis, coupled with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis. To construct risk models exhibiting heightened predictive efficacy, cox- and lasso-regression methodologies were employed, and the veracity of these models was substantiated across both internal and external datasets. Subsequently, an exploration into the distinctions within the tumor microenvironment (TME), immunotherapy responses, and enriched pathways among disparate risk cohorts ensued. Ultimately, cell experiments were conducted to validate the consequential impact of SMS in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC).ResultsA total of 184 genes orchestrating glycosylation were delineated for subsequent scrutiny. Employing cox- and lasso-regression methodologies, we fashioned a 3-gene signature, proficient in prognosticating the outcomes for patients afflicted with HNSCC. Noteworthy observations encompassed distinctions in the Tumor Microenvironment (TME), levels of immune cell infiltration, and the presence of immune checkpoint markers among divergent risk cohorts, holding potentially consequential implications for the clinical management of HNSCC patients.ConclusionThe prognosis of HNSCC can be proficiently anticipated through risk signatures based on Glycosylation-related genes (GRGs). A thorough delineation of the GRGs signature in HNSCC holds the potential to facilitate the interpretation of HNSCC’s responsiveness to immunotherapy and provide innovative strategies for cancer treatment.

Summary: Coronavirus nucleocapsid protein (NP) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a central role in many functions important for virus proliferation including packaging and protecting genomic RNA. The protein shares sequence, structure, and architecture with nucleocapsid proteins from betacoronaviruses. The N-terminal domain (NPRBD) binds RNA and the C-terminal domain is responsible for dimerization. After infection, NP is highly expressed and triggers robust host immune response. The anti-NP antibodies are not protective and not neutralizing but can effectively detect viral proliferation soon after infection. Two structures of SARS-CoV-2 NPRBD were determined providing a continuous model from residue 48 to 173, including RNA binding region and key epitopes. Five structures of NPRBD complexes with human mAbs were isolated using an antigen-bait sorting. Complexes revealed a distinct complement-determining regions and unique sets of epitope recognition. This may assist in the early detection of pathogens and designing peptide-based vaccines. Mutations that significantly increase viral load were mapped on developed, full length NP model, likely impacting interactions with host proteins and viral RNA.

Abstract Clinical evidence shows that the mechanical stimulation obtained from occlusion could enhance periodontal ligament (PDL) remodeling. Mechano‐growth factor (MGF) is a growth factor produced specifically following mechanical stimulus Here, we aim to investigate the mechanical enhancement potential and mechanism of the MGF in PDL regeneration. In vivo study found that MGF produced from the PDL under occlusion force could strongly enhance PDL remodeling. In vitro experiments and mathematical modeling further confirmed the mechanical enhancement effect of MGF for PDLSC differentiation toward fibroblasts. A mechanochemical coupling effect of MGF mediated the enhancement of mechanical effect, which was modulated by Fyn‐FAK kinases signaling and subsequent MAPK pathway. Finally, enhanced PDL regeneration under the mechanochemical coupling of MGF and occlusal force was verified in vivo. There exists an additive mechanical effect of MGF mediated by Fyn‐FAK crosstalk and subsequent ERK1/2 and p38 phosphorylation, which could be developed as an MGF‐centered adjuvant treatment to optimize PDL remodeling, especially for patients with weakened bite force or destroyed periodontium.

Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is corelated with tumor-associated material (TAM), coagulation system and adipocyte tissue, but the relationships between them have been inconsistent. Our study aimed to explore the cut-off intervals of variables that are non-linearly related to ccRCC pathological T stage for providing clues to understand these discrepancies, and to effectively preoperative risk stratification. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 218 ccRCC patients with a clear pathological T stage between January 1st, 2014, and November 30th, 2021. The patients were categorized into two cohorts based on their pathological T stage: low T stage (T1 and T2) and high T stage (T3 and T4). Abdominal and perirenal fat variables were measured based on preoperative CT images. Blood biochemical indexes from the last time before surgery were also collected. The generalized sum model was used to identify cut-off intervals for nonlinear variables. Results: In specific intervals, fibrinogen levels (FIB) (2.63–4.06 g/L) and platelet (PLT) counts (>200.34 × 109/L) were significantly positively correlated with T stage, while PLT counts (

Abstract Background Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), an autosomal dominant genetic disease, is the main cause of sudden death in adolescents and athletes globally. Hypoxia and immune factors have been revealed to be related to the pathology of HCM. There is growing evidence of a role for hypoxia and inflammation as triggers and enhancers in the pathology in HCM. However, the role of hypoxia- and immune-related genes in HCM have not been reported. Methods Firstly, we obtained four HCM-related datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database for differential expression analysis. Immune cells significantly expressed in normal samples and HCM were then screened by a microenvironmental cell population counter (MCP-counter) algorithm. Next, hypoxia- and immune-related genes were screened by the LASSO + support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Single-gene enrichment analysis and expression validation of key genes were then performed. Finally, we constructed a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network of key genes. Results In this study, 35 differentially expressed hypoxia genes were found. By using LASSO + SVM-RFE analysis, 10 more targets with differentially expressed hypoxia genes were identified. The MCP-count algorithm yielded five differentially expressed immune cells, and after assessing them for WGCNA characteristics, 612 immune genes were discovered. When hypoxia and immune genes were combined for cross-tabulation analysis, three hypoxia- and immune-related genes (ATP2A2, DDAH1, and OMA1) were identified. Conclusion Based on hypoxia characteristic genes, three key genes were identified. These were also significantly related to immune activation, which proves a theoretical basis and reference value for studying the relationship between HCM and hypoxia and immunity. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of noncommunicable disease-related death worldwide, and effective therapeutic strategies against CVD are urgently needed. Mitochondria dysfunction involves in the onset and development of CVD. Nowadays, mitochondrial transplantation, an alternative treatment aimed at increasing mitochondrial number and improving mitochondrial function, has been emerged with great therapeutic potential. Substantial evidence indicates that mitochondrial transplantation improves cardiac function and outcomes in patients with CVD. Therefore, mitochondrial transplantation has profound implications in the prevention and treatment of CVD. Here, we review the mitochondrial abnormalities that occur in CVD and summarize the therapeutic strategies of mitochondrial transplantation for CVD.

Abstract Background Ferroptosis, which is characterized by lipid peroxidation and iron accumulation, is closely associated with the pathogenesis of acute renal injury (AKI). Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G), a typical flavonoid that has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on ischemia‒reperfusion (I/R) injury, can induce AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. This study aimed to show that C3G exerts nephroprotective effects against I/R-AKI related ferroptosis by regulating the AMPK pathway. Methods Hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced HK-2 cells and I/R-AKI mice were treated with C3G with or without inhibiting AMPK. The level of intracellular free iron, the expression of the ferroptosis-related proteins acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ACSL4) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and the levels of the lipid peroxidation markers 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were examined. Results We observed the inhibitory effect of C3G on ferroptosis in vitro and in vivo, which was characterized by the reversion of excessive intracellular free iron accumulation, a decrease in 4-HNE, lipid ROS, MDA levels and ACSL4 expression, and an increase in GPX4 expression and glutathione (GSH) levels. Notably, the inhibition of AMPK by CC significantly abrogated the nephroprotective effect of C3G on I/R-AKI models in vivo and in vitro. Conclusion Our results provide new insight into the nephroprotective effect of C3G on acute I/R-AKI by inhibiting ferroptosis by activating the AMPK pathway.

PURPOSETo explore the utility of four-phase computed tomography (CT) in distinguishing renal oncocytoma with central hypodense areas from clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).METHODSEighteen patients with oncocytoma and 63 patients with ccRCC presenting with central hypodense areas were included in this study. All patients underwent four-phase CT imaging including the excretory phases later than 20 min after contrast injection. Two blinded experienced radiologists visually reviewed the enhancement features of the central hypodense areas in the excretory phase images and selected the area demonstrating the greatest degree of enhancement of the tumor in the corticomedullary phase images. Regions of interest (ROIs) were placed in the same location in each of the three contrast-enhanced imaging phases. Additionally, ROIs were placed in the adjacent normal renal cortex for normalization. The ratio of the lesion to cortex attenuation (L/C) for the three contrast-enhanced imaging phases and absolute de-enhancement were calculated. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to obtain the cut-off values.RESULTSComplete enhancement inversion of the central areas was observed in 12 oncocytomas (66.67%) and 16 ccRCCs (25.40%) (P = 0.003). Complete enhancement inversion combined with L/C in the corticomedullary phase lower than 1.0 (P < 0.001) or absolute de-enhancement lower than 42.5 HU (P < 0.001) provided 86.42% and 85.19% accuracy, 61.11% and 55.56% sensitivity, 93.65% and 93.65% specificity, 73.33% and 71.43% positive predictive value (PPV), and 89.39% and 88.06% negative predictive value (NPV), respectively, for the diagnosis of oncocytomas. Combined with complete enhancement inversion, L/C in the corticomedullary phase lower than 1.0 and absolute de-enhancement lower than 42.5 HU provided 87.65%, 55.56%, 96.83%, 83.33%, and 88.41% of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV, respectively, for the diagnosis of oncocytomas.CONCLUSIONThe combination of enhancement features of the central hypodense areas and the peripheral tumor parenchyma can help distinguish oncocytoma with central hypodense areas from ccRCC.

Abstract Incorporating seasonality into livestock spatial distribution is of great significance for studying the complex system interaction between climate, vegetation, water, and herder activities, associated with livestock. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) has the world’s most elevated pastoral area and is a hot spot for global environmental change. This study provides the spatial distribution of cattle, sheep, and livestock grazing on the warm-season and cold-season pastures at a 15 arc-second spatial resolution on the QTP. Warm/cold-season pastures were delineated by identifying the key elements that affect the seasonal distribution of grazing and combining the random forest classification model, and the average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the model is 0.98. Spatial disaggregation weights were derived using the prediction from a random forest model that linked county-level census livestock numbers to topography, climate, vegetation, and socioeconomic predictors. The coefficients of determination of external cross-scale validations between dasymetric mapping results and township census data range from 0.52 to 0.70. The data could provide important information for further modeling of human-environment interaction under climate change for this region.

The traditional Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (SINS)/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) integrated system uses standard Kalman Filter (KF) to estimate the error states, which weakens the correlation between the different error components to directly initialed the Error Covariance Matrix (ECM) into diagonalization. This initialed method is also widely applied in State Transformation Extended Kalman Filter (STEKF) and Invariant Extended Kalman Filter (IEKF), which results in state estimation failing to achieve the optimal performance. To solve this problem, this paper first analyses the transformed relationship from traditional linear error state to the nonlinear error state redefined in STEKF and IEKF, and the strong correlation is found between the redefined error state components, namely the ECM in STEKF or IEKF no longer appears as a diagonal matrix. Then, aiming at the nonlinear error states, the transformed models of ECM in STEKF and IEKF are derived respectively, which establishes the theoretical basis for ECM initialization based on the error states correlation. Finally, the accuracy, feasibility and general applicability of the proposed method are verified by a boat-mounted field trial.

Abstract Background Although the central scar is an essential imaging characteristic of renal oncocytoma (RO), its utility in distinguishing RO from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not been well explored. The study aimed to evaluate whether the combination of CT characteristics of the peripheral tumor parenchyma (PTP) and central hypodense area (CHA) can differentiate typical RO with CHA from RCC. Methods A total of 132 tumors on the initial dataset were retrospectively evaluated using four-phase CT. The excretory phases were performed more than 20 min after the contrast injection. In corticomedullary phase (CMP) images, all tumors had CHAs. These tumors were categorized into RO (n = 23), clear cell RCC (ccRCC) (n = 85), and non-ccRCC (n = 24) groups. The differences in these qualitative and quantitative CT features of CHA and PTP between ROs and ccRCCs/non-ccRCCs were statistically examined. Logistic regression filters the main factors for separating ROs from ccRCCs/non-ccRCCs. The prediction models omitting and incorporating CHA features were constructed and evaluated, respectively. The effectiveness of the prediction models including CHA characteristics was then confirmed through a validation dataset (8 ROs, 35 ccRCCs, and 10 non-ccRCCs). Results The findings indicate that for differentiating ROs from ccRCCs and non-ccRCCs, prediction models with CHA characteristics surpassed models without CHA, with the corresponding areas under the curve (AUC) being 0.962 and 0.914 versus 0.952 and 0.839 respectively. In the prediction models that included CHA parameters, the relative enhancement ratio (RER) in CMP and enhancement inversion, as well as RER in nephrographic phase and enhancement inversion were the primary drivers for differentiating ROs from ccRCCs and non-ccRCCs, respectively. The prediction models with CHA characteristics had the comparable diagnostic ability on the validation dataset, with respective AUC values of 0.936 and 0.938 for differentiating ROs from ccRCCs and non-ccRCCs. Conclusion The prediction models with CHA characteristics can help better differentiate typical ROs from RCCs. When a mass with CHA is discovered, particularly if RO is suspected, EP images with longer delay scanning periods should be acquired to evaluate the enhancement inversion characteristics of CHA.

Clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common histological type of renal cancer and has the highest mortality. Several studies have been conducted on the relationship between adipose tissue and ccRCC prognosis, however, the results have been inconsistent to date. The current study aimed at establishing a link between abdominal fat composition and short-term prognosis in patients with ccRCC after T-stage stratification. We retrospectively analysed 250 patients with pathologically confirmed ccRCC (173 low T-stage and 77 high T-stage) in our hospital. The computed tomography (CT) images were evaluated using ImageJ. Then, subcutaneous and visceral fat areas (SFA and VFA), total fat areas (TFA) and the relative VFA (rVFA) were measured and computed. Meanwhile, biochemical indices of blood serum were analysed. The results showed that rVFA in low T-stage cohort who had a history of short-term postoperative complications were significantly lower than those who did not. No such association was observed in the high T-stage cohort. Further investigation revealed that the correlations between biochemical indexes and fat area-related variables varied across T-stage groups. As a result, rVFA is a reliable independent predictor of short-term prognosis in patients with low T-stage ccRCC but not in patients with high T-stage ccRCC.

Abstract Background Primary cardiac schwannoma remains extremely rare and difficult to distinguish from other myocardial tumours. We report a case of cardiac schwannoma that occurred in the lateral wall of the right ventricle and grew in the myocardial walls. It is the third case of schwannoma that occurred in the free wall of the right ventricle. Moreover, we reviewed and summarised the literature for cases involving benign cardiac schwannomas. Case presentation We present a case of a 64-year-old woman who presented to our centre with syncope for 1–2 min. Echocardiogram and contrast-enhanced computed tomography subsequently revealed a 2.9 × 1.9 cm homogeneous mass originating from the anterior wall of the right ventricle. The patient underwent thoracotomy to resect the mass, which was pathologically verified as Schwann cell tumour. Conclusions This is a rare case added to the limited existing literature on cardiac schwannoma. Comprehensive analysis of various imaging examinations is helpful to determine the extent of the tumour. Complete surgical resection is recommended for similar cases involving cardiac schwannomas, especially when the patient has related symptoms. Patients generally have a good prognosis. The pathogenesis of cardiac schwannoma needs further research in order to prevent and manage this rare lesion.

Abstract In this study, the surface crack-propagation law and pore damage characteristics of coal samples of different water contents after they undergo leaching in liquid nitrogen are investigated using a 4 K scientific-research camera, HC-U7 non-metal ultrasonic detector, nuclear magnetic resonance testing technology, and self-made multi-functional three axial fluid–solid coupling test system. Experimental investigations are conducted on coal samples of different water contents before and after they undergo liquid-nitrogen freezing and thawing in order to determine the propagation law of surface fissures, the development law of internal micro-fissures, the development process of internal pores, the change law of the pore-size distribution, and the law of coal-sample deformation and gas seepage during the stress process. The test results show that, with the increase in water content in the liquid-nitrogen leaching process, the frost heave force on the coal surface increases, and the greater the increase ratio of the coal porosity, the faster is the development of micro-cracks and pores. Under the action of liquid nitrogen, the number of micro-pores, meso-pores, and macro-pores in the coal sample increased, and with the formation of new cracks and the connection of the original cracks, liquid-nitrogen freezing and thawing can promote the development of the pore structure in the coal body. The permeability changes of coal samples of different water contents during unloading failure exhibit obvious stage characteristics. The above results demonstrate that the moisture content of coal has a significant effect on the development of surface cracks and pore-damage characteristics of coal after liquid-nitrogen freezing and thawing, and there is a positive correlation between the surface crack expansion and internal damage of the coal samples of different moisture contents leached in liquid nitrogen.

Abstract Mitochondria-induced cell death is a vital mechanism of heart failure (HF). Thus, identification of mitochondria-related genes (Mito-RGs) based on transcriptome sequencing data of HF might provide novel diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for HF. First, bioinformatics analysis was conducted on the GSE57338, GSE76701, GSE136547, and GSE77399 datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus. Next, we analyzed HF-Mito differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network for obtaining critical genes and exploring their functions. Subsequently, immune cell scores of the HF and normal groups were compared. The potential alteration mechanisms of the key genes were investigated by constructing a competing endogenous RNA network. Finally, we predicted potential therapeutic agents and validated the expression levels of the key genes. Twenty-three HF-Mito DEGs were acquired in the GSE57338 dataset, and the PPI network obtained four key genes, including IFIT3, XAF1, RSAD2, and MX1. According to gene set enrichment analysis, the key genes showed high enrichment in myogenesis and hypoxia. Immune cell analysis demonstrated that aDCs, B cells, and 20 other immune cell types varied between the HF and normal groups. Moreover, we observed that H19 might affect the expression of IFIT3, AXF1, and RSAD2. PCGEM1 might regulate RSAD2 expression. A total of 515 potential therapeutic drugs targeting the key genes, such as tretinoin, silicon dioxide, and bisphenol A, were acquired. Finally, IFIT3, RSAD2, and MX1 expression increased in HF samples compared with normal samples in the GSE76701 dataset, conforming to the GSE57338 dataset analysis. This work screened four key genes, namely, IFIT3, XAF1, RSAD2, and MX1, which can be further explored in subsequent studies for their specific molecular mechanisms in HF.

Summary: Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. However, accurate diagnosis of breast cancer using medical images heavily relies on the experience of radiologists. This study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence model that diagnosed single-mass breast lesions on contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) for assisting the diagnostic workflow. Methods: A total of 1912 women with single-mass breast lesions on CEM images before biopsy or surgery were included from June 2017 to October 2022 at three centres in China. Samples were divided into training and validation sets, internal testing set, pooled external testing set, and prospective testing set. A fully automated pipeline system (FAPS) using RefineNet and the Xception + Pyramid pooling module (PPM) was developed to perform the segmentation and classification of breast lesions. The performances of six radiologists and adjustments in Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4 under the FAPS-assisted strategy were explored in pooled external and prospective testing sets. The segmentation performance was assessed using the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), and the classification was assessed using heatmaps, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity. The radiologists’ reading time was recorded for comparison with the FAPS. This trial is registered with China Clinical Trial Registration Centre (ChiCTR2200063444). Findings: The FAPS-based segmentation task achieved DSCs of 0.888 ± 0.101, 0.820 ± 0.148 and 0.837 ± 0.132 in the internal, pooled external and prospective testing sets, respectively. For the classification task, the FAPS achieved AUCs of 0.947 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.916–0.978), 0.940 (95% [CI]: 0.894–0.987) and 0.891 (95% [CI]: 0.816–0.945). It outperformed radiologists in terms of classification efficiency based on single lesions (6 s vs 3 min). Moreover, the FAPS-assisted strategy improved the performance of radiologists. BI-RADS category 4 in 12.4% and 13.3% of patients was adjusted in two testing sets with the assistance of FAPS, which may play an important guiding role in the selection of clinical management strategies. Interpretation: The FAPS based on CEM demonstrated the potential for the segmentation and classification of breast lesions, and had good generalisation ability and clinical applicability. Funding: This study was supported by the Taishan Scholar Foundation of Shandong Province of China (tsqn202211378), National Natural Science Foundation of China (82001775), Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province of China (ZR2021MH120), and Special Fund for Breast Disease Research of Shandong Medical Association (YXH2021ZX055).

Abstract Background The interaction between tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumors offers various targets in mounting anti-tumor immunotherapies. However, the prognostic biomarkers in endometrial carcinoma (EC) are still limited. Here, we aimed to analyze the TME features and identify novel prognostic biomarkers for EC. Methods ESTIMATE, CIBERSORT, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, univariate and multivariate Cox regression, and functional enrichment analysis were performed to identify immune- and survival-related hub genes as well as possible molecular mechanisms. The limma package and deconvolution algorithm were adopted to estimate the abundance of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) and their relationship with the target gene. In the validation section, tissue microarrays (TMAs) of EC and multiplex immunohistochemistry (m-IHC) were evaluated to validate the expression of TNFRSF4, and its correlation with immune markers, including CD4, CD8, and FOXP3. Besides, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to determine the diagnostic performance of TNFRSF4, CD4, CD8, and FOXP3 in EC. Results Two genes, TNFRSF4 and S1PR4, were screened out from 386 intersection differential expression genes (DEGs) shared by ImmuneScore and StromalScore in EC. Highlighted by TNFRSF4, we found that it was not only positively correlated with the TICs (mainly CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and Tregs) but significantly related to the prognosis in patients of EC, both verified by data from The Cancer Genome Altas (TCGA)-EC database and clinical samples. At the same time, the expression trend of TNFRSF4 was further confirmed by an integrated meta-analysis based on six microarrays from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO). Conclusions Collectively, TNFRSF4, a previously unrecognized key player in EC, could serve as a potential biomarker for prognosis prediction and immunomodulation of EC.

Abstract Immunotherapy targeting programmed cell death‐1 (PD‐1) has considerably improved the prognosis of patients with advanced cancers; however, its efficacy in the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is unfavourable. To address the issue of PDAC immunotherapy, we investigated the expression of two PD‐1 ligands, PD‐L1 and PD‐L2, in PDAC, analysed their role in survival, and explored their correlation with clinicopathological features, immune infiltration, and DNA damage response molecules. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 291 surgically resected PDAC samples. In tumour cells (TCs) and immune cells (ICs), the positivity of PD‐L1 expression was 30 and 20% and that of PD‐L2 expression was 40 and 20%, respectively. Moreover, PD‐L1 expression on TCs correlated with its expression on ICs (p

Abstract Siglec‐15, a novel immune checkpoint, is an emerging target for next‐generation cancer immunotherapy. However, the role of Siglec‐15 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains poorly understood. We investigated the expression of Siglec‐15 and its association with clinicopathological characteristics, programmed cell death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1), immune cells, and DNA damage repair (DDR) molecules in a cohort of 291 patients with PDAC. Positive tumour cell expression of Siglec‐15 and PD‐L1 was observed in 18.6 and 30.3% of the samples, respectively. We also detected Siglec‐15 positivity in macrophages in 3.4% of patients. Co‐expression of Siglec‐15 with PD‐L1 was observed in 6.1% of the patients. A total of 33 PD‐L1‐negative samples (18.0%) were Siglec‐15‐positive. Siglec‐15 was observed more frequently in moderate‐to‐well‐differentiated tumours. Siglec‐15 was associated with a low density of Tregs and CD45RO T cells, high BRCA1 expression, and improved survival. Both Siglec‐15 and PD‐L1 are independent factors of patient outcomes. The prognostic significance of Siglec‐15 for survival was more discriminative in lymph node‐negative, high BRCA1 expression, or low BRCA2 expression tumours than in lymph node‐positive, low BRCA1 expression, or high BRCA2 expression tumours. In conclusion, we identified Siglec‐15 as a promising predictor for prognosis combined with different DDR molecular statuses and complex tumour‐infiltrating cells in PDAC. Targeting Siglec‐15 may be a novel therapeutic option for patients who are unresponsive to anti‐PD‐1 therapy. Future studies are needed to validate the prognostic significance of Siglec‐15 and to investigate its regulatory mechanisms in this disease.

The aim of this study was to examine the propagation characteristics of liquified petroleum gas (LPG)/air explosion. As such, the flame propagation process and pressure parameters of LPG explosion with an equivalent ratio of 1 were obtained using horizontal, long straight pipes and a high-speed camera. The large eddy simulation and power-law flame model were used to reproduce the simulation results, and the morphological evolution of the flame front during the explosion process was analyzed. The results showed that as the blockage ratio gradient increased, the time required for the flame to propagate from the electrode to the end of the pipe increased. Meanwhile, a flocculent flame formed at the end of the pipeline with a blockage ratio of 91%. Additionally, the maximum flame propagation speed changed in the same way as the blockage ratio. The gradient change of the barrier blockage ratio considerably influenced the pressure kinetics characteristics of LPG explosion: the maximum explosion pressure increased first and then decreased, the time to reach the maximum explosion pressure increased, and the deflagration index increased first and then decreased. The chemical kinetics analysis of premixed gas showed that when propane, n-butane, and isobutane were present in the premixed system, some of the elemental reactions that promote n-butane consumption inhibited propane and isobutane consumption. Meanwhile, the formation and consumption rate of H*, O*, and OH* from LPG during the explosion process was less than that of single-component combustible gas except propane.

We reported the metastatic chordoma in the right gluteus maximus of a 73-year-old man. The patient was initially diagnosed with sacrococcygeal chordoma and treated with surgical resection. Unfortunately, he had a gluteal metastasis and recurrence and suffered the third-operation therapy. Chordoma is a rare malignant tumor and may metastasize, but the metastasis and recurrence of chordoma at the right gluteus maximus following sacrococcygeal region are extraordinarily rare. This unusual case report may be helpful to clinical workers in diagnosing chordoma.

Rolling treatments have been identified as a promising fabrication and deformation processing technique for graphene/metal composites with high performance. However, it is still a challenge to choose appropriate rolling parameters to achieve high strength, ductility and electrical conductivity of the composite simultaneously. In this study, graphene/Cu composites were prepared with an in situ growth method and rolling treatment. The effects of rolling deformation and temperature on the microstructural evolution of graphene and Cu grains, interface bonding between graphene and the matrix, mechanical and electrical properties were systemically investigated. The cold-rolled composite with 85% deformation displayed a maximum ultimate strength of 548 MPa, a high elongation of 8.8% and a good electrical conductivity of 86.2% IACS. This is attributed to oriented graphene arrangement and matrix grain refinement. Our research provides a comprehensive understanding for the rolling behavior of graphene/Cu composites, and can promote the development of graphene-based composites with high performance.

Three-dimensional porous network encapsulation strategy is an effective means to obtain composite phase-change materials (PCMs) with high heat storage capacity and enhanced thermal conductivity. Herein, macroporous reduced graphene oxide (rGO) aerogels with adjustable pore size are prepared by the emulsion template method and hydrothermal reduction process. Further, the shape-stabilized rGO-aerogel-based composite PCMs are constructed after the combination of 3D porous rGO supports and paraffin wax (PW) through vacuum melting infiltration. By regulating the pore structure of the rGO aerogel network, the rGO-based composite PCMs achieve excellent energy storage properties with a phase-change enthalpy of 179.94 J/g for the loading amount of 95.61 wt% and an obvious enhancement in thermal conductivity of 0.412 W/m−1·K−1, which is 54.89% higher than pristine PW and enduring thermal cycling stability. The obtained macroporous rGO-aerogel-based composite PCMs with high thermal storage and heat transfer performance effectively broaden the application of PCMs in the field of thermal energy storage.

In order to enhance the plasma nitriding efficiency and improve the hardness and wear resistance of 316L austenitic stainless steel, severe plastic deformation was adopted prior to plasma nitriding. The microstructure, phase constituents, hardness and wear resistance samples after plasma nitriding were determined by metallographic microscope, X-ray diffractometer, microhardness tester and universal friction and wear tester. The results showed that severe plastic deformation had significant enhancement effect on plasma nitriding efficiency. Under the same plasma nitriding parameters of 420 °C and 4 h, the thickness of nitriding layer was increased from 6.36 μm to 14.10 μm, more than twice thicker enhanced by severe plastic deformation. XRD confirmed that the nitriding layer is consisted of S phase. Meanwhile, the surface hardness was improved from 990HV to 1110 HV and with moderated gradient of cross sectional hardness; more valuably, the wear resistance was greatly enhanced by severe plastic deformation.

Abstract In this work, unique Co3O4/N‐doped reduced graphene oxide (Co3O4/N‐rGO) composites as favorable sulfur immobilizers and promoters for lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are developed. The prepared Co3O4 nanopolyhedrons (Co3O4‐NP) and Co3O4 nanocubes mainly expose (112) and (001) surfaces, respectively, with different atomic configurations of Co2+/Co3+ sites. Experiments and theoretical calculations confirm that the octahedral coordination Co3+ (Co3+Oh) sites with different oxidation states from tetrahedral coordination Co2+ sites optimize the adsorption and catalytic conversion of lithium polysulfides. Specially, the Co3O4‐NP crystals loaded on N‐rGO expose (112) planes with ample Co3+Oh active sites, exhibiting stronger adsorbability and superior catalytic activity for polysulfides, thus inhibiting the shuttle effect. Therefore, the S@Co3O4‐NP/N‐rGO cathodes deliver excellent electrochemical properties, for example, stable cyclability at 1 C with a low capacity decay rate of 0.058% over 500 cycles, superb rate capability up to 3 C, and high areal capacity of 4.1 mAh cm−2. This catalyst's design incorporating crystal surface engineering and oxidation state regulation strategies also provides new approaches for addressing the complicated issues of Li–S batteries.

Extracellular traps (ETs) and tumor-infiltrating immune cells play crucial roles in tumor progression. However, little is known about the clinical significance of tumor-infiltrating neutrophils and macrophages and the related ETs in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This study investigates the associations between neutrophil or macrophage infiltration or ET formation and the clinicopathological features, molecular characteristics, immune checkpoint molecules, clinical outcomes, and response to adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in PDAC. We performed multiplex immunofluorescence staining to detect ET formation by neutrophils or macrophages using tissue microarrays obtained from 205 patients, and analyzed the immunohistochemistry data for PD-L1, PD-L2, B7-H3, and B7-H4. The ET expression rates in macrophages and neutrophils were 23.9% and 45.4%, respectively. Patients with a high density of neutrophils or positive expression of neutrophil ETs exhibited poorer progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS), whereas macrophage ETs were not related to PFS and DSS. Neutrophil infiltration and ET formation were identified as independent prognostic predictors of DSS using univariate and multivariate Cox analyses. Patients with PDAC with lower neutrophil infiltration or negative staining for neutrophil ETs are more likely to benefit from ACT. Patients with PDAC were more accurately stratified based on the infiltration of neutrophils and presence of neutrophil ETs, and patients with low neutrophil infiltration and negative staining for neutrophil ETs showed the best survival. Patients with positive neutrophil ETs demonstrated inferior DSS compared to those with negative neutrophil ETs in the PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) < 1% and PD-L1 IC < 1% subgroups. However, the positive expression of neutrophil ETs was not related to DSS in the PD-L1 TPS ≥ 1% or PD-L1 IC ≥ 1% subgroup. Our findings emphasize the potential of neutrophil infiltration and ETs as prognostic markers that could guide the formulation of more effective personalized treatments for PDAC.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a complex clinical syndrome with multiple etiologies and pathogenesis, which lacks early biomarkers and targeted therapy. Recently, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) family protein have received increasing attention owing to its pleiotropic protein molecule character in acute kidney injury, where it performed a dual role in the pathological process. macrophage migration inhibitory factor and macrophage migration inhibitory factor-2 are released into the peripheral circulation when Acute kidney injury occurs and interact with various cellular pathways. On the one hand, macrophage migration inhibitory factor exerts a protective effect in anti-oxidation and macrophage migration inhibitory factor-2 promotes cell proliferation and ameliorates renal fibrosis. On the other hand, macrophage migration inhibitory factor aggravates renal injury as an upstream inflammation factor. Herein, we provide an overview on the biological role and possible mechanisms of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and macrophage migration inhibitory factor-2 in the process of Acute kidney injury and the clinical application prospects of macrophage migration inhibitory factor family proteins as a potential therapeutic target.

Pain is one of the most serious problems plaguing human health today. Pain is not an independent pathophysiological condition and is associated with a high impact on elevated disability and organ dysfunction. Several lines of evidence suggested the associations of pain with cardiovascular diseases, especially myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, while the role of pain in I/R injury and related mechanisms are not yet comprehensively assessed. In this review, we attempted to explore the role of pain in myocardial I/R injury, and we concluded that acute pain protects myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and chronic pain aggravates cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury. In addition, the construction of different pain models and animal models commonly used to study the role of pain in myocardial I/R injury were discussed in detail, and the potential mechanism of pain-related myocardial I/R injury was summarized. Finally, the future research direction was prospected. That is, the remote regulation of pain to cardiac function requires peripheral pain signals to be transmitted from the peripheral to the cardiac autonomic nervous system, which then affects autonomic innervation during cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury and finally affects the cardiac function.

Immune checkpoint modulation has been a vital therapeutic option in many malignancies, and targeting of novel immune checkpoints, including OX40/OX40L costimulatory signaling, is being assessed in clinical trials. However, little is known about the role of OX40 and OX40L in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Thus, we investigated the clinical significance of OX-40 and OX40L and their associations with alternative immune checkpoints, immune infiltrates, clinicopathological features, and clinical outcomes. We performed multiplexed immunofluorescence staining for OX40, OX40L, CD8, and CD68 using tissue microarrays from 255 patients. Immunohistochemistry data for PD-L1, B7-H3, B7-H4, CD3, and Foxp3 were analyzed. And the RNA sequencing data of OX40/OX40L in The Cancer Genome Atlas and International Cancer Genome Consortium databases were also evaluated. The positive rates for OX40 on tumor cells (TCs) and immune cells (ICs) were 8.6% and 10.2%, respectively, and the positive rates for OX40L on TCs, ICs, and macrophages were 20%, 40.4%, and 12.9%, respectively. OX40 was associated with favorable clinicopathological features. OX40+ on ICs, OX40L+ on TCs, or OX40L+ on macrophages, rather than the total gene and protein levels of OX40/OX40L, were associated with improved survival. OX40+ on ICs and OX40L+ on macrophages were independent factors of clinical outcomes. Moreover, we could more accurately stratify patients through the combination of OX40 on ICs and OX40L on TCs, and patients with OX40+ ICs and OX40L+CK+ showed the best outcome. And we demonstrated that patients with OX40-ICs and low CD8+ T cells infiltration had unfavorable survival. Intriguingly, OX40+ ICs or OX40L+ macrophages demonstrated superior survival in patients with PD-L1 negativity than in those with PD-L1 positivity. Furthermore, OX40+ ICs were correlated with negative B7-H4 on TCs, high densities of CD3 T cells, and high densities of Foxp3 T cells; OX40+ TCs and OX40L+ TCs were associated with low densities of Foxp3 T cells. We identified OX40 and OX40L as promising predictors for prognosis in PDAC.

Forkhead box (FOX) transcription factors play a crucial role in the regulation of many diseases, being an evolutionarily conserved superfamily of transcription factors. In recent years, FoxK1/2, members of its family, has been the subject of research. Even though FoxK1 and FoxK2 have some functional overlap, increasing evidence indicates that the regulatory functions of FoxK1 and FoxK2 are not the same in various physiological and disease states. It is important to understand the biological function and mechanism of FoxK1/2 for better understanding pathogenesis of diseases, predicting prognosis, and finding new therapeutic targets. There is, however, a lack of comprehensive and systematic analysis of the similarities and differences of FoxK1/2 roles in disease, prompting us to perform a literature review.

The purpose of this work is to study the effect of charging conditions on hydrogen damage. The effects of electrochemical hydrogen charging current density and time on hydrogen-induced blistering (HIB), cracking behavior, and mechanical properties of Q690 steel are studied by electrochemical hydrogen charging, microstructure observation, and slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) tests. The results show that HIB and internal cracks occur when the Q690 steel is charged at different current densities. The charging conditions have a significant effect on the HIB characteristics of the material and the morphology, number, size, and location of internal cracks. The geometrical parameters of blisters on the surface of Q690 steel are quantitatively evaluated, and deeper cracks are found at higher hydrogen concentrations. At high hydrogen charging current density (50 mA/cm2), due to the accumulation of a large number of hydrogen atoms and the precipitation of hydrogen, the active sites on Q690 steel surface increase dramatically, leading to the initiation of a large number of blisters. At this time, high current density is responsible for the initiation of blisters. The relationship between hydrogen charging current density and mechanical properties of Q690 steel is studied, and the change in the fracture morphology is observed. The Q690 steel was damaged and failed due to an internal crack caused by excessive hydrogen pressure. On the other hand, electrochemical hydrogen charging leads to the degradation of mechanical properties and the transition from ductile fracture to brittle fracture.

Abstract A quantitative analysis of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) enhancement was conducted for the early prediction of the pathological response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Retrospective analysis of the data of 111 patients was conducted, and all of them underwent NAC in our hospital and surgical resection after the end of all cycles from January 2018 to May 2019. They were divided into pathological complete response (PCR) and non-PCR groups. We determined whether a statistical difference in the percentage of CESM grey value reduction (ΔCGV) was present in the PCR and non-PCR groups and whether a statistical difference was observed in the diagnostic efficiency of craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) view subtraction images. Independent sample t-test was used to compare different groups, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare the diagnostic efficacy of CC and MLO for pathological response after NAC, and the Delong test was used to compare the area under the ROC curve (AUC). Statistical significance was considered at P

Abstract Background Metformin is a first-line drug in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treatment, yet whether metformin may increase all-cause or cardiovascular mortality of T2DM patients remains inconclusive. Methods We searched PubMed and Embase for data extracted from inception to July 14, 2020, with a registration in PROSPERO (CRD42020177283). This study included randomized controlled trials (RCT) assessing the cardiovascular effects of metformin for T2DM. This study is followed by PRISMA and Cochrane guideline. Risk ratio (RR) with 95% CI was pooled across trials by a random-effects model. Primary outcomes include all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Results We identified 29 studies that randomly assigned patients with 371 all-cause and 227 cardiovascular death events. Compared with untreated T2DM patients, metformin-treated patients was not associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality (RR: 0.98; 95%CI: 0.69–1.38; P = 0.90), cardiovascular mortality (RR: 1.13; 95% CI: 0.60, 2.15; P = 0.70), macrovascular events (RR: 0.87; 95%CI: 0.70–1.07; P = 0.19), heart failure (RR: 1.02; 95% CI:0.61–1.71; P = 0.95), and microvascular events (RR: 0.78; 95% CI:0.54–1.13; P = 0.19). Combination of metformin with another hypoglycemic drug was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality (RR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.16) and cardiovascular mortality (RR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.22, 4.00) compared with hypoglycemic drug regimens with no metformin. Conclusion The combination of metformin treatment may impose higher risk in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. This finding, at least in part, shows no evidence for benefits of metformin in combination in terms of all-cause/cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular events for T2DM. However, the conclusion shall be explained cautiously considering the limitations from UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS).

Although much is known about how adipose tissue affects the development of clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC), little information is available for the utility of sex-specific abdominal visceral fat composition as a predictor of clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) T stage. We conducted CT-based sex-specific abdominal fat measurements in ccRCC patients to assess whether VFA distribution could predict the ccRCC T stage. In total, 253 patients (182 males and 71 females) from our hospital with pathologically confirmed ccRCC (178 low T-stage and 75 high T-stage) were retrospectively reviewed for the present study. Computed tomography (CT) scans were assessed using ImageJ to differentiate between the visceral and subcutaneous fat areas (VFA and SFA), after which the relative VFA (rVFA) and total fat area (TFA) were computed. The relationships between these fat area-related variables, patient age, sex, and BMI, and ccRCC T stage were then evaluated through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to clarify the association between general or sex-specific abdominal visceral fat and T stage. Following adjustment for age, males with high T stage ccRCC exhibited an increased rVFA as compared to males with low T stage ccRCC, with the same relationship being observed among females. This association between rVFA and high T stage was confirmed through both univariate and multivariate models. As thus, sex-specific visceral fat composition is a reliable independent predictor that can identify both male and female patients with high T stage ccRCC.

Necroptosis contribute to the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury. Ginsenoside Rg2 has been reported to have cardioprotective effects against MI/R injury; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This work aimed to investigate the effect of ginsenoside Rg2 on necroptosis induced by MI/R and to explore the mechanism. In this study, hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury model was established in H9c2 cells. In vivo, male C57/BL6 mice were subjected to myocardial ischemia 30 min/reperfusion 4 h. Rg2 (50 mg/kg) or vehicle was intravenously infused 5 min before reperfusion. Cardiac function and the signaling pathway involved in necroptosis were investigated. Compared with H/R group, Rg2 significantly inhibited H/R-induced cardiomyocyte death. Rg2 treatment effectively inhibited the phosphorylation of RIP1, RIP3, and MLKL in H/R cardiomyocytes, and inhibited RIP1/RIP3 complex (necrosome) formation. In mice, Rg2 treatment manifested significantly lower ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced myocardial necroptosis, as evidenced by decrease in phosphorylation of RIP1, RIP3, and MLKL, inhibited lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and Evans blue dye (EBD) penetration. Mechanically, an increased level of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and MCP-1 were found in MI/R hearts, and Rg2 treatment significantly inhibit the expression of these factors. We found that TNFα-induced phosphorylation of RIP1, RIP3, and MLKL was negatively correlated with transforming growth factor-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) phosphorylation, and inhibition of TAK1 phosphorylation led to necroptosis enhancement. More importantly, Rg2 treatment significantly increased TAK1 phosphorylation, enhanced TAK1 binding to RIP1 while inhibiting RIP1/RIP3 complex, ultimately reducing MI/R-induced necroptosis. These findings highlight a new mechanism of Rg2-induced cardioprotection: reducing the formation of RIP1/RIP3 necrosome by regulating TAK1 phosphorylation to block necroptosis induced by MI/R.

The effect of porous flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) barriers on the kinetic properties of propane explosions is investigated based on fluid dynamics and combustion-related theory. Furthermore, using small-sized cylindrical pipes, separate experimental studies on propane deflagration are conducted with different types of flexible PVC barriers placed in the pipeline. The results show that when the conditions of the same nature as the obstacles appear at the outlet end of the pipeline and the blocking rate is low, the presence of porous flexible PVC barriers counteracts the effect of tail-end barriers on propane deflagration. In the tail-end opening experiment, the porous flexible PVC obstacle has a significant effect on the flame pattern passing through it but has a weaker effect on the flames before they pass through it. Furthermore, it only affects the degree of “fingertip” sharpening of finger-shaped flames; the fewer the number of holes in the obstacle, the higher the sharpness of the fingertip flame. The porous flexible PVC barriers can reduce the rate of flame propagation and creasing of propane deflagration. The porous flexible PVC barriers have a lifting effect on the overpressure of the blast and a delaying effect on the onset of peak overpressure; the larger the number of holes in the barrier, the stronger the delaying effect.

After long-term oxidation and energy storage, broken coal body borehole walls and drainage shaft walls may cause spontaneous combustion during gas extraction. The high-temperature thermal shock caused by the spontaneous combustion of coal incurs thermal damage on adjacent coal, which, in turn, causes changes in the mechanical properties of the coal. However, only a few studies have been conducted in this context, which has limited our understanding of the thermal damage characteristics of coal bodies in such situations. This study aimed to experimentally investigate the correlation between the crack evolution law and the mechanical properties of coal bodies at different temperatures (50–300°C) using heat-force loading considering Ping Mei No. 10 coal mine as the research object. The results suggest that the coal body experiences a large amount of visible damage, and becomes increasingly complex. At 50–300°C, some indexes (such as longitudinal wave velocity, Poisson’s ratio, compressive strength, elastic modulus, impact energy index, and pre-peak strain) are positively correlated with temperature. In addition, the dynamic failure time and temperature show a negative correlation, and the overall change slope is small. The relationship between each index and temperature at 200–300°C is opposite to that at 50–200°C, and the overall change slope is larger. Moreover, when the oxidation temperature exceeds 200°C, the destruction of the coal body changes from elastic brittleness to ductility-plasticity. High-temperature oxidation incurs irreversible thermal damage of coal. Hence, it is necessary to focus on the changes in mechanical properties of coal after a spontaneous combustion process is extinguished.