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ObjectivesTo investigate the association between contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features of PTC and central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and to develop a predictive model for the preoperative identification of CLNM.MethodsThis retrospective study evaluated 750 consecutive patients with PTC from August 2020 to April 2023. Conventional ultrasound and qualitative CEUS features were analyzed for the PTC with or without CLNM using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. A nomogram integrating the predictors was constructed to identify CLNM in PTC. The predictive nomogram was validated using a validation cohort.ResultsA total of 684 patients were enrolled. The 495 patients in training cohort were divided into two groups according to whether they had CLNM (pCLNM, n= 191) or not (nCLNM, n= 304). There were significant differences in terms of tumor size, shape, echogenic foci, enhancement direction, peak intensity, and score based on CEUS TI-RADS between the two groups. Independent predictive US features included irregular shape, larger tumor size (≥ 1.0cm), and score. Nomogram integrating these predictive features showed good discrimination and calibration in both training and validation cohort with an AUC of 0.72 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.77) and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.85), respectively. In the subgroup with larger tumor size, age ≤ 35 years, irregular shape, and score > 6 were independent risk factors for CLNM.ConclusionThe score based on preoperative CEUS features of PTC may help to identify CLNM. The nomogram developed in this study provides a convenient and effective tool for clinicians to determine an optimal treatment regimen for patients with PTC.

Context Toddalolactone, the main component of Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam. (Rutaceae), has anticancer, antihypertension, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal activities.Objective This study investigated the metabolic characteristics of toddalolactone.Materials and methods Toddalolactone metabolic stabilities were investigated by incubating toddalolactone (20 μM) with liver microsomes from humans, rabbits, mice, rats, dogs, minipigs, and monkeys for 0, 30, 60, and 90 min. The CYP isoforms involved in toddalolactone metabolism were characterized based on chemical inhibition studies and screening assays. The effects of toddalolactone (0, 10, and 50 µM) on CYP1A1 and CYP3A5 protein expression were investigated by immunoblotting. After injecting toddalolactone (10 mg/kg), in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles using six Sprague–Dawley rats were investigated by taking 9-time points, including 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h.Results Monkeys showed the greatest metabolic capacity in CYP-mediated and UGT-mediated reaction systems with short half-lives (T1/2) of 245 and 66 min, respectively, while T1/2 of humans in two reaction systems were 673 and 83 min, respectively. CYP1A1 and CYP3A5 were the major CYP isoforms involved in toddalolactone biotransformation. Induction of CYP1A1 protein expression by 50 μM toddalolactone was approximately 50% greater than that of the control (0 μM). Peak plasma concentration (Cmax) for toddalolactone was 0.42 μg/mL, and Tmax occurred at 0.25 h post-dosing. The elimination t1/2 was 1.05 h, and the AUC0–t was 0.46 μg/mL/h.Conclusions These findings demonstrated the significant species differences of toddalolactone metabolic profiles, which will promote appropriate species selection in further toddalolactone studies.

The selective elimination of radioactive cesium from complicated wastewater is imperative in view of environment and human health. Montmorillonite has been accepted as one of the most promising adsorbents for cesium purification. However, its poor selectivity still remains a major challenge. Herein, a novel montmorillonite-sulfur composite was developed via a facile one-step solvent-free method and used for Cs+ removal. Owing to the fact that soft Lewis base S2− ligand interacted more strongly with softer Lewis acid Cs+ than other cations, the capacity and selectivity towards Cs+ was significantly enhanced. In this case, a large capacity of 160.9 mg g−1 was achieved. The distribution coefficient value (∼4000 mL g−1) was 3-times larger than that of pristine montmorillonite (∼1500 mL g−1). Moreover, this composite could be easily recycled and reused within five times recycling experiments. Therefore, this low-cost and facilely prepared composite are expected to be used for the selective removal of Cs+ from complicated wastewater containing various competing ions.

Stress is associated with psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and panic disorders. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with these stress-related psychiatric disorders than men. A key phenotype in stress-related psychiatric disorders is impairment in cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to develop new strategies to respond to different patterns in the environment. Because gonadal hormones can contribute to sex differences in response to stress, it is important to consider where females are in their cycle when exposed to stress and cognitive flexibility testing. Moreover, identifying neural correlates involved in cognitive flexibility could not only build our understanding of the biological mechanisms behind this crucial skill but also leads to more targeted treatments for psychiatric disorders. Although previous studies have separately examined sex differences in cognitive flexibility, stress effects on cognitive flexibility, and the effect of gonadal hormones on cognitive flexibility, many of the findings were inconsistent, and the role of the estrous cycle in stress-induced impacts on cognitive flexibility is still unknown. This study explored potential sex differences in cognitive flexibility using an operant strategy shifting-paradigm after either control conditions or restraint stress in freely cycling female and male rats (with estrous cycle tracking in the female rats). In addition, we examined potential neural correlates for any sex differences observed. In short, we found that stress impaired certain aspects of cognitive flexibility and that there were sex differences in cognitive flexibility that were driven by the estrous cycle. Specifically, stress increased latency to first press and trials to criterion in particular tasks. The female rats demonstrated more omissions and perseverative errors than the male rats; the sex differences were mostly driven by proestrus female rats. Interestingly, the number of orexinergic neurons was higher in proestrus female rats than in the male rats under control conditions. Moreover, orexin neural count was positively correlated with number of perseverative errors made in cognitive flexibility testing. In sum, there are sex differences in cognitive flexibility that are driven by the estrous cycle and are stress-dependent, and orexin neurons may underlie some of the sex differences observed.

In order to solve the multi-objective planning and trajectory tracking control problem related to maritime autonomous surface ships (MASSs), a new design scheme for autonomous navigation is proposed in this paper, with a receding horizon navigation and control (RHNC) system that contains navigation and control modules. In the navigation module, we designed a superposition field gradient descent local search algorithm based on the cost field, emission field, and guidance field to navigate the MASS reference path, and in the control module, we designed a nonlinear controller that can handle multiple constraints based on the NMPC framework. Under the new scheme, the navigation module completes local path planning to reduce costs and emissions, the control module accomplishes accurate trajectory tracking and real-time collision avoidance, and the information is transmitted in both directions between the two modules to collaboratively complete the MASS navigation and control tasks. We conducted a simulation study of the navigation algorithm and controller and the autonomous navigation system using a Kriso Container ship (KCS). The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed cooperative design scheme in reducing navigation costs and emissions and avoiding autonomous collision avoidances.

Salt-water phase diagram of the ternary system (NaCl + NaBO2 + H2O) is significant in separate boron resources from brine. Solubilities and physicochemical properties bifurcated to density and refractive index for the ternary system at 288.15 and 308.15 K and 0.1 MPa were investigated experimentally by means of isothermal dissolution. According to the experimental data, the phase diagrams for this system at two temperatures were constructed and their physicochemical properties were drawn. There both contain two invariant points, three univariant isotherm dissolution curves, and three crystallization regions corresponding to sodium metaborate tetrahydrate (NaBO2·4H2O, Smt), double salt teepleite (NaCl·NaBO2·2H2O, Te), and halite (NaCl, Ha) for (NaCl + NaBO2 + H2O). At the invariant points of this ternary system, the coexisting solid phases are both for (Smt + Te) and (Te + Ha), respectively. It was found that the double salt of teepleite was incongruent at 288.15 K and then transformed into congruent at 308.15 K. Comparing the phase diagrams at 288.15 and 308.15 K, it reveals that the area of the crystallization region of NaBO2·4H2O decreased with the increase of temperature obviously, while the area of NaCl·NaBO2·2H2O increased sharply and that of NaCl increased lightly. The refractive indices and densities of the system at two temperatures are similarly increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of NaCl concentration in the solution and attain extreme points at both invariant points. Besides, the calculated values of densities and refractive indices utilizing the empirical equations are in accordance with the experimental data at 288.15 and 308.15 K.

Phase equilibria and phase diagrams for the ternary aqueous system containing lithium, sodium, and pentaborate ions at 298.15 and 323.15 K and 101.325 kPa were investigated by the methods of isothermal dissolution equilibrium. From the experimental data, the phase diagrams and the diagrams of physicochemical properties versus composition of lithium pentaborate in the equilibrium systems were plotted, respectively. The phase diagrams of the ternary system LiB5O8 + NaB5O8 + H2O at two temperatures contain one invariant point, two univariant curves, and two crystallization regions corresponding to sodium pentaborate pentahydrate (NaB5O8·5H2O) and lithium pentaborate pentahydrate (LiB5O8·5H2O). Due to the different dissolution behaviors of pentaborate salts in the aqueous systems, the component of LiB5O8 has a relatively strong effect on the solubility of NaB5O8. It was found that this system belongs to a simple eutectic type at two temperatures, and neither double salts nor solid solutions were formed. The densities and refractive indices in the ternary system at 298.15 and 323.15 K are as similar as changing regularly with the increase of LiB5O8 concentration. On the basis of empirical equations of the density and refractive index in electrolytes, the calculated values of density and refractive index agreed well with the experimental values at two temperatures.

The phase equilibrium of the ternary system (NaCl + CH3OH + H2O) at 298.15, 308.15, 318.15 K, and 0.1 MPa has been investigated by the isothermal dissolution equilibrium method. Solubilities and physicochemical properties including refractive index (nD) and density (ρ) in the ternary system were determined experimentally. According to the experimental data, the phase diagrams and diagrams of physicochemical properties versus sodium chloride concentration in the solvents at 298.15, 308.15, and 318.15 K were plotted, respectively. The experimental results showed that the system did not cause stratification and the equilibrium solid phase was anhydrous sodium chloride. Neither double salt nor solid solution was found at the three temperatures. The physicochemical properties of the ternary system change regularly with the increase of sodium chloride concentration in the solution, and the solvation effect of CH3OH on NaCl was significant. Moreover, the calculated values of NaCl solubility data based on the CNIBS/R-K equations agreed well with the experimental results, and the thermodynamic functions in the dissolution process of NaCl in the CH3OH-H2O binary system were also calculated for further investigation of NaCl dissolution process.

Objectives: To investigate the association between contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features of PTC and central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and to develop a predictive model for the preoperative identification of CLNM. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 750 consecutive patients with PTC from August 2020 to April 2023. Conventional ultrasound and qualitative CEUS features were analyzed for the PTC with or without CLNM using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. A nomogram integrating the predictors was constructed to identify CLNM in PTC. The predictive nomogram was validated using a validation cohort. Results: A total of 684 patients were enrolled. The 495 patients in training cohort were divided into two groups according to whether they had CLNM (pCLNM, n= 191) or not (nCLNM, n= 304). There were significant differences in terms of tumor size, shape, echogenic foci, enhancement direction, peak intensity, and score based on CEUS TI-RADS between the two groups. Independent predictive US features included irregular shape, larger tumor size (≥ 1.0cm), and score. Nomogram integrating these predictive features showed good discrimination and calibration in both training and validation cohort with an AUC of 0.72 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.77) and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.85), respectively. In the subgroup with larger tumor size, age ≤ 35 years, irregular shape, and score > 6 were independent risk factors for CLNM. Conclusion: The score based on preoperative CEUS features of PTC may help to identify CLNM. The nomogram developed in this study provides a convenient and effective tool for clinicians to determine an optimal treatment regimen for patients with PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a critical challenge worldwide, particularly in China. This study aimed to explore the spatiotemporal transmission patterns and socioeconomic factors of PTB in Dongguan city, China.Methods/design An ecological study based on the reported new PTB cases between 2011 and 2020 was conducted in Dongguan city, China. The spatiotemporal analysis methods were used to explore the long-term trend, spatiotemporal transmission pattern and socioeconomic factors of PTB.Main outcome measures The number of new PTB cases.Participants We collected 35 756 new PTB cases, including 23 572 males and 12 184 females.Results The seasonal–trend decomposition indicated a significant downward trend for PTB with a significant peak in 2017 and 2018, and local spatial autocorrelation showed more and more high–high clusters in the central and north-central towns with high incidence. The multivariate spatial time series analysis revealed that the endemic component had a leading role in driving PTB transmission, with a high total effect value being 189.40 (95% CI: 171.65–207.15). A Bayesian spatiotemporal model revealed that PTB incidence is positively associated with the agricultural population ratio (relative risk (RR) =1.074), gender ratio (RR=1.104) and the number of beds in medical institutions (RR=1.028).Conclusions These findings revealed potential spatiotemporal variability and spatial aggregation of PTB, so targeted preventive strategies should be made in different towns based on spatiotemporal transmission patterns and risk factors.

Benzophenone (BP)-type UV filters are commonly added to sunscreens and cosmetics to protect against UV radiation for human skin and hair. As a result, BPs are ubiquitous in the environment and human body, and their endocrine-disrupting characteristics have been a hot topic of discussion. However, our knowledge regarding the detrimental effects of prenatal exposure to BPs on pregnant women and their offspring remains limited. To fill this gap, we determined five BP derivatives in 600 serum samples obtained from pregnant women. All the target analytes, except 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP-1), have achieved a 100 % detection rate. The most prevalent compound was 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (BP-3), with a median concentration of 0.545 ng/mL. Significant and positive correlations were observed among BP derivatives, indicating both endogenous metabolism and common external sources. Utilizing Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and quantile-based g-computation (QGC) models, we found relationships between BP exposure and reduced neonatal birth weight (BW) and birth chest circumference (BC) during the third trimester. Notably, the adverse effect of BPs on birth size was sex-specific. Moreover, triglyceride (TG) was identified as a potential mediator of the effect of BPs on blood pressure, and co-exposure to BPs was linked to disruptions in thyroid hormone levels and glucose regulation. Further research is warranted to unravel the toxicity of BPs and their detrimental effects on pregnant women and fetuses.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen that causes substantial illness and death among children worldwide. The genetic backgrounds of pneumococci that cause infection versus asymptomatic carriage vary substantially. To determine the evolutionary mechanisms of opportunistic pathogenicity, we conducted a genomic surveillance study in China. We collected 783 S. pneumoniae isolates from infected and asymptomatic children. By using a 2-stage genomewide association study process, we compared genomic differences between infection and carriage isolates to address genomic variation associated with pathogenicity. We identified 8 consensus k-mers associated with adherence, antimicrobial resistance, and immune modulation, which were unevenly distributed in the infection isolates. Classification accuracy of the best k-mer predictor for S. pneumoniae infection was good, giving a simple target for predicting pathogenic isolates. Our findings suggest that S. pneumoniae pathogenicity is complex and multifactorial, and we provide genetic evidence for precise targeted interventions.

Stress is associated with psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and panic disorders. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with these stress-related psychiatric disorders than men. A key phenotype in stress-related psychiatric disorders is impairment in cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to develop new strategies to respond to dierent patterns in the environment. Because gonadal hormones can contribute to sex differencse in response to stress, it is important to consider where females are in their cycle when exposed to stress and cognitive flexibility testing. Moreover, identifying neural correlates involved in cognitive flexibility could not only build our understanding of the biological mechanisms behind this crucial skill but also leads tomore targeted treatments for psychiatric disorders. Although previous studies have separately examined sex differencse in cognitive flexibility, stress eects on cognitive flexibility, and the eect of gonadal hormones on cognitive flexibility, many of the findings were inconsistent, and the role of the estrous cycle in stress-induced impacts on cognitive flexibility is still unknown. This study explored potential sex differencse in cognitive flexibility using an operant strategy shifting-paradigm after either control conditions or restraint stress in freely cycling female and male rats (with estrous cycle tracking in the female rats). In addition, we examined potential neural correlates for any sex differencse observed. In short, we found that stress impaired certain aspects of cognitive flexibility and that there were sex differencse in cognitive flexibility that were driven by the estrous cycle. Specifically, stress increased latency to first press and trials to criterion in particular tasks. The female rats demonstrated more omissions and perseverative errors than themale rats; the sex differencse were mostly driven by proestrus female rats. Interestingly, the number of orexinergic neurons was higher in proestrus female rats than in the male rats under control conditions. Moreover, orexin neural count was positively correlated with number of perseverative errorsmade in cognitive flexibility testing. In sum, there are sex differencse in cognitive flexibility that are driven by the estrous cycle and are stress-dependent, and orexin neurons may underlie some of the sex differencse observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]