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Femoral version (FV) is more widely adopted with the definition as the angle between the long axis of the femoral neck and the tangent line of the posterior femoral condyles on the axial plane, and the normal range between 5 and 20°. FV can be measured by imaging and functional tests. Cross-sectional CT including both the hip and the knee is the typically used imaging technique, yet variation exists according to the different landmarks used. As MRI investigations are routinely performed preoperatively, and protocols can be easily adopted to include version measurement, they are frequently used as an alternative to CT and offers several advantages. Abnormal FV has adverse effects on the biomechanics and musculoskeletal health of the whole lower limb. It affects the lever arm of muscles and the forces that the hip and patellofemoral joints suffer, and can lead to disorders such as osteoarthritis and impingement. In adult hip preservation surgery for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), abnormal FV is sometimes accompanied by other morphological abnormities of the hip, a more severe DDH, and can help predict postoperative range of motion (ROM), and postoperative impingement. Currently, the most frequently used surgical technique for abnormal FV is femoral derotational osteotomy. Many controversies are left to be solved, including the specific origin of FV, the indication for femoral derotational osteotomy, especially in patients with combined DDH and abnormal FV, and the explicit compensation mechanism of abnormal FV by tibial torsion.

Objetivo: Investigar el efecto del bloqueo del grupo del nervio pericapsular en analgesia temprana en pacientes ancianos con fractura de cadera. Método: Se seleccionaron 44 pacientes ancianos con fractura de cadera ingresados en nuestro hospital entre agosto de 2021 y diciembre de 2022, divididos en dos grupos según diferentes programas de analgesia. Resultados: En T1~T4, los valores de la escala visual análoga (EVA) en reposo y con actividad en el grupo P fueron menores que en el grupo F (p < 0.05). Los puntajes de la EVA en reposo y en actividad en T5 en ambos grupos no mostraron diferencias visibles (p > 0.05). Después de 30 minutos de bloqueo, la presión arterial sistólica y diastólica, y la frecuencia cardiaca, disminuyeron en ambos grupos (p < 0.05), pero no se encontró una diferencia obvia entre ellos (p > 0.05). Antes de la cirugía, las puntuaciones del Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) y de la Mini-Mental State Scale (MMSE) en ambos grupos eran reducidas, y la puntuación del PSQI en el grupo P fue menor que en el grupo F, y la puntuación del MMSE fue mayor que en el grupo F (p < 0.05). Conclusiones: La técnica de bloqueo del grupo del nervio pericapsular es segura y efectiva en la analgesia temprana de fracturas de cadera en ancianos. Puede bloquear eficazmente la respuesta al estrés fisiológico causado por un trauma agudo, mejorar la calidad del sueño preoperatorio y reducir la incidencia de disfunción cognitiva.

Cirrhotic ascites refers to the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity due to severe liver disease and impaired liver function, which leads to poor blood circulation in the body, increased pressure in the hepatic sinus wall, and the exudation of fluid from the plasma into the peritoneal cavity. Cirrhotic ascites is a common complication of cirrhosis and poses a threat to the health and lives of modern people, causing a heavy social burden worldwide. So far, there are no effective treatment methods available to improve the quality and quantity of life for patients and their partners; existing drugs can only alleviate the symptoms of cirrhotic ascites and slow down its progression. This article aims to carefully examine the pathogenesis of cirrhotic ascites by exploring various contributing factors such as portal hypertension, renal dysfunction, inflammation, growth factors, oxidative stress, immunocytes, and gut microbiota. The purpose is to gain better insights and deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved in this condition.

Doxorubicin (DOX), a commonly used chemotherapy drug, is hindered due to its tendency to induce cardiotoxicity (DIC). Ferroptosis, a novel mode of programmed cell death, has received substantial attention for its involvement in DIC. Recently, natural product-derived ferroptosis regulator emerged as a potential strategy for treating DIC. In this review, a comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases to gather relevant articles on the use of natural products for treating DIC in relation to ferroptosis. The available papers were carefully reviewed to summarize the therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms of natural products in modulating ferroptosis for DIC treatment. It was found that ferroptosis plays an important role in DIC pathogenesis, with dysregulated expression of ferroptosis-related proteins strongly implicated in the condition. Natural products, such as flavonoids, polyphenols, terpenoids, and quinones can act as GPX4 activators, Nrf2 agonists, and lipid peroxidation inhibitors, thereby enhancing cell viability, attenuating myocardial fibrosis, improving cardiac function, and suppressing ferroptosis in both in vitro and in vivo models of DIC. This review demonstrates a strong correlation between DOX-induced cardiac ferroptosis and key proteins, such as GPX4, Keap1, Nrf2, AMPK, and HMOX1. Natural products are likely to exert therapeutic effects against DIC by modulating the activity of these proteins.

Abstract The tunnel face stability in purely cohesive soils with linearly increasing strength was investigated using three-dimensional finite element limit analysis (FELA). Both the collapse (active failure) and blow-out (passive failure) of the tunnel face were considered in the analysis. The rigorous upper bound (UB) and lower bound (LB) solutions of the load factor were calculated with a wide range of ground conditions to cover a broad scope of practical application. The results showed that the whole surface of the face is at failure in the collapse case; while in the blow-out case, there exists a gradual evolution process from partial failure to global failure within the tunnel face with increasing buried depth. Later, based on 960 finite element limit analysis results, a series of practical equations were proposed for tunnel face stability analysis in purely cohesive soils. These equations can be employed to quickly calculate the UB and LB solutions of the limit support pressure and the stability number of a tunnel face in both the collapse and blow-out cases. Finally, the calculation results from these equations were compared with those from previous studies in detail. The comparisons showed that the proposed equations make an improvement over existing methods and can be used as an efficient tool in practical engineering.

High levels of groundwater containing both arsenic and fluorine are prevalent, resulting in serious health problems when consumed as drinking water. This co-pollution phenomenon is widespread and requires urgent attention. The multiple forms of arsenic and arsenic–fluorine co-contamination pose a significant challenge to efficiently co-remove both substances. This research utilized a green and stable synthesis approach to create MgLaFe layered double oxide (LDO) heterostructures, which were anchored on α-MnO2 nanowires. The materials comprise magnesium and lanthanum elements with a powerful attraction toward fluoride ions; elemental iron, which can establish stable compounds with arsenate; and MnO2, which can effectively oxidize arsenous acid, thereby enabling efficient co-removal of arsenic and fluorine. The efficient oxidation process of the MnO2 nanowire and the prompt ion adsorption process of the LDO work together synergistically. The adsorption performance was assessed through isotherms and kinetic fitting. Chemisorption was found to be the process for As(Ⅲ), As(V), and F− adsorption, with As(Ⅲ) going through monolayer adsorption on the surface of MnO2 nanowires, while As(V) and F− were mainly adsorbed by multilayer process on LDO. The maximum adsorption capacities were 111.76, 230.51, and 765.10 mg/g for As(Ⅲ), As(V), and F−, respectively. The x-ray photo-electronic spectroscopy analysis provided further elucidation on the adsorption mechanism of the MnO2@LDO heterostructure, detailing each component's role in the process. The results confirm the successful construction of the heterostructure and the efficient coupling of oxidation and adsorption.

Crosstalk between nerves and bone is essential for bone repair, for which Schwann cells (SCs) are crucial in the regulation of the microenvironment. Considering that exosomes are critical paracrine mediators for intercellular communication that exert important effects in tissue repair, the aim of this study is to confirm the function and molecular mechanisms of Schwann cell-derived exosomes (SC-exos) on bone regeneration and to propose engineered constructs that simulate SC-mediated nerve–bone crosstalk. SCs promoted the proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) through exosomes. Subsequent molecular mechanism studies demonstrated that SC-exos promoted BMSC osteogenesis by regulating the TGF-β signaling pathway via let-7c-5p. Interestingly, SC-exos promoted the migration and tube formation performance of endothelial progenitor cells. Furthermore, the SC-exos@G/S constructs were developed by bioprinting technology that simulated SC-mediated nerve–bone crosstalk and improved the bone regeneration microenvironment by releasing SC-exos, exerting the regulatory effect of SCs in the microenvironment to promote innervation, vascularization, and osteogenesis and thus effectively improving bone repair in a cranial defect model. This study demonstrates the important role and underlying mechanism of SCs in regulating bone regeneration through SC-exos and provides a new engineered strategy for bone repair.

There are problems in the special pastoral environment, including large changes in target size and serious interference from light and environmental factors. To solve the above problems, an enhanced YOLOv4-tiny target detection network is proposed in this study. This network first solves the problem of livestock size fluctuation in pastoral areas, uses a pyramid network with multiscale feature fusion, and considers shallow local detail features and deep semantic information. Subsequently, a novel compound multichannel attention mechanism is proposed to increase the accuracy of the target detection network for the pastoral environment. The problem of poor accuracy of target detection network is solved. The algorithm is ported to Jetson AGX embedded platform for validation to examine the real-time performance of the algorithm. As revealed by the experimental results, enhanced YOLOv4-tiny achieves 89.77% detection accuracy and 30 frames/second detection speed, which increases the average detection accuracy by 11.67% compared with the conventional YOLOv4-tiny while maintaining almost the same detection rate.

ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of tislelizumab plus chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone as a first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).MethodsA partitioned survival model was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of tislelizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced or metastatic OSCC over a 10-year lifetime horizon from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system. Costs and utilities were derived from the drug procurement platform and published literature. The model outcomes comprised of costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to address uncertainty and ensure the robustness of the model.ResultsTislelizumab plus chemotherapy yielded an additional 0.337 QALYs and incremental costs of $7,117.007 compared with placebo plus chemotherapy, generating an ICER of $21,116.75 per QALY, which was between 1 time ($12,674.89/QALY) and 3 times GDP ($38,024.67/QALY) per capita. In one-way sensitivity analysis, the ICER is most affected by the cost of oxaliplatin, paclitaxel and tislelizumab. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, when the willingness-to-pay threshold was set as 1 or 3 times GDP per capita, the probability of tislelizumab plus chemotherapy being cost-effective was 1% and 100%, respectively.ConclusionTislelizumab plus chemotherapy was probably cost-effective compared with chemotherapy alone as the first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic OSCC in China.

Granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA) is a rare autoimmune disease that can involve multiple systems throughout the body, including the ear, nose, upper and lower respiratory tracts. It is classified as an antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. Telitacicept is a novel recombinant fusion protein targeting B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS). Telitacicept can inhibit the development and maturation of abnormal B cells by blocking BLyS, and inhibit the production of antibodies by abnormal plasma cells by blocking APRIL (A proliferation-inducing ligand), which is expected to become a new drug for the treatment of GPA. We report a 64-year-old man diagnosed at our hospital with GPA involving multiple systems including kidneys, lungs, nose and ears. Renal involvement was severe, with a clinical characteristic of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and a pathologic manifestation of crescentic nephritis with plasma cell infiltration. The patient was treated with hormones, immunoglobulins and cyclophosphamide (CYC) with the addition of telitacicept and a rapid reduction in hormone dosage. The patient’s renal function improved significantly within a short period of time, and his hearing and lung lesions improved significantly. At the same time, he did not develop serious infections and other related complications. Our report suggests that short-term control of the patient’s conditions is necessary in GPA patients with organ-threatening disease. Telitacicept combined with CYC and glucocorticoids may be an induction therapy with safety and feasibility. However, more clinical trials are needed to validate the efficacy and safety of the therapeutic regimen.

Hepatic fibrosis is the formation of scar tissue in the liver. This scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and can lead to liver dysfunction and failure if left untreated. It is usually caused by chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis B or C, alcohol abuse, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Pathological angiogenesis plays a crucial role in the development of hepatic fibrosis by promoting the growth of new blood vessels in the liver. These new vessels increase blood flow to the damaged areas of the liver, which triggers the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). HSCs are responsible for producing excess collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins that contribute to the development of fibrosis. Pathological angiogenesis plays a crucial role in the development of hepatic fibrosis by promoting the growth of new blood vessels in the liver. These new vessels increase blood flow to the damaged areas of the liver, which triggers the activation of HSCs. HSCs are responsible for producing excess collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins that contribute to the development of fibrosis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been found to target pathological angiogenesis, thereby providing a potential treatment option for hepatic fibrosis. Several studies have demonstrated that TCM exhibits anti-angiogenic effects by inhibiting the production of pro-angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin-2, and by reducing the proliferation of endothelial cells. Reviewing and highlighting the unique TCM recognition of treating hepatic fibrosis by targeting pathological angiogenesis may shed light on future hepatic fibrosis research.

In the context of the separation of three rights of land and agricultural modernization, this paper is based on the land economic survey data from eleven provinces in China in 2019, covering the eastern, middle, and western regions of China. Based on the value chain theory and its “second-round effect”, which pertains to the multi-round effects of value chain distribution theory, various research methods such as Probit, Tobit, the two-part model, SFA, PSM, and the intermediary effect model are employed to analyze the direct impact of the agriculture value chain (AVC) on farmers’ land factor inputs and the income effects caused by them, which are the “second-round effect” of the AVC on land factor inputs. The research results show the following: Firstly, the AVC has a significant positive impact on the behavior and area of farmers’ land transferring-in, which helps guide farmers towards large-scale land operation. Secondly, the AVC significantly improves farmers’ production efficiency and promotes land transfer through differences in production efficiency, representing the “second-round effect” mechanism of the AVC on land factor inputs. Moreover, the AVC will increase farmers’ net land production income by 48.74%, which is the “second-round effect” of the AVC on farmers’ agricultural income and also the motivation for farmers’ land factor inputs. Finally, the expansion of land area and the improvement of production efficiency jointly increase farmers’ agricultural income, among which production efficiency plays a partial intermediary effect in increasing agricultural income if farmers join the AVC. This paper believes that we should further promote the market-oriented reform of land factors, support the innovation of the benefit linkage mechanism of the AVC, and promote appropriate areas of land operation by farmers, thereby achieving common prosperity and promoting agricultural modernization in China.

Background Lapatinib is an oral small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor indicated for advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer. In order to reduce the treatment cost, a high-fat enteral nutrition emulsion TPF-T was selected as a dose-sparing agent for lapatinib-based therapies. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TPF-T on lapatinib pharmacokinetics. Methods First, a simple and rapid liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method was developed to quantitatively evaluate lapatinib in rabbit plasma. The method was fully validated according to the China Pharmacopoeia 2020 guidance. Rabbits and rats were chosen as the animal models due to their low and high bile flows, respectively. The proposed LC–MS/MS method was applied to pharmacokinetic studies of lapatinib, with or without TPF-T, in rabbit and rat plasma. Results The LC–MS/MS method revealed high sensitivity and excellent efficiency. In the rabbit model, co-administration with TPF-T resulted in a 32.2% increase in lapatinib exposure. In the rat model, TPF-T had minimal influence on the lapatinib exposure. In both models, TPF-T was observed to significantly elevate lapatinib concentration in the absorption phase. Conclusion Co-administration with TPF-T had a moderate effect on increasing exposure to lapatinib. Dose sparing using a high-fat liquid diet is potentially feasible for lapatinib-based therapies.

Abstract A bias-independent inter-modulation method is proposed and demonstrated for measuring low-frequency modulation and bias half-wave voltages of Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs). The method consists of simultaneous sinusoidal modulation on the modulation and bias ports of the MZM under test. Sinusoidal-modulated sidebands heterodyne with each other and generate the desired inter-modulation products after photodetection, which allows extracting both the modulation depth and half-wave voltage for the modulation and bias ports of the MZM. Our method is independent of bias voltages of the MZM, which can be canceled out by carefully choosing the sinusoidal-modulation frequencies. Moreover, the proposed method enables the low swing voltage for measuring both the modulation depth and half-wave voltage of MZMs. Experiments indicate that the proposed method features the simple setup and high accuracy for low-frequency response measurement ranging from 1 Hz to 1 MHz.

Abstract Background It is important to reorient the acetabular fragment into an optimal position and version to ensure a good long-term outcome after Bernese periacetabular osteotomy (PAO). Unfortunately, the intraoperative balance between overcorrection and undercorrection remains challenging for the surgeon. The purpose of this study was to answer two questions: (1) Does the femoral head coverage measured on intraoperative fluoroscopy agree with that measured on postoperative radiography? (2) What is the reliability of intraoperative fluoroscopy in identifying hip center correction in PAO? Methods A total of 173 patients (173 hips) who underwent PAO for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) at our center from July 01, 2020, to December 31, 2020, were retrospectively reviewed. Imaging data from 111 patients (female/male, 98/13; right/left, 72/39; mean age, 28.93 years) were included in this study. The analysis included measurement of the lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), acetabular index (AI), anterior wall index (AWI), posterior wall index (PWI), extrusion index (EI), and medial offset distance (MO). These measurements were acquired from intraoperative fluoroscopic images and postoperative radiographs and compared by paired t test using SPSS (version 24.0). Significance was determined at a p value of

Abstract Objective We sought to correlate various spinopelvic and lower limb alignments, and to examine the current spinopelvic theories on a Chinese cohort. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 166 patients undergoing THA. Among them, 138 patients with unilateral THA met the inclusion criteria. Sagittal alignments and cup orientations were measured on standing and sitting lateral EOS images. Patients were categorized into two groups with a scoring system for lumbar spine degeneration. Patients’ demographics including age, sex, lumbar spine degeneration and radiographic measurements were studied. Results PT, SS, LL and TK differed significantly between standing and sitting within each group except for TK in degenerative group (32.8 ± 13.9 vs. 32.9 ± 14.2, p = 0.905). Compared with degenerative spine group, non-degenerative spine patients have great pelvic mobility (ΔPT, -24.4 ± 12.5° vs. -17.6 ± 10.7, p = 0.0008), greater lumbar mobility (ΔLL, -34.8 ± 15.2 vs. -21.7 ± 12.2, p =

MAFLD stands for metabolic-related fatty liver disease, which is a prevalent liver disease affecting one-third of adults worldwide, and is strongly associated with obesity, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. It encompasses a broad spectrum of conditions ranging from simple liver fat accumulation to advanced stages like chronic inflammation, tissue damage, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. With limited approved drugs for MAFLD, identifying promising drug targets and developing effective treatment strategies is essential. The liver plays a critical role in regulating human immunity, and enriching innate and adaptive immune cells in the liver can significantly improve the pathological state of MAFLD. In the modern era of drug discovery, there is increasing evidence that traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions, natural products and herb components can effectively treat MAFLD. Our study aims to review the current evidence supporting the potential benefits of such treatments, specifically targeting immune cells that are responsible for the pathogenesis of MAFLD. By providing new insights into the development of traditional drugs for the treatment of MAFLD, our findings may pave the way for more effective and targeted therapeutic approaches.

This article applies nuclear magnetic resonance technology to the study of boron-containing traditional Chinese medicine, in order to explore the morphological evolution of boron elements in traditional Chinese medicine. Borax is a traditional Chinese medicine with anti-corrosion, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and anticonvulsant effects. It is made by boiling, removing stones, and drying borax minerals like borate salts. This article introduces an 11B nuclear magnetic resonance method for identifying and characterizing boron-containing compounds in TCM. We applied this technology to borax aqueous solutions in different chemical environments and found that with boron mixed in the form of SP2 hybridization in equilateral triangles and SP3 hybridization in equilateral tetrahedra, the pH changes in alkaline environments significantly affected the ratio of the two. At the same time, it was found that in addition to the raw material peak, boron signals of other boron-containing compounds were also detected in 20 commercially available boron-containing TCM preparations. These new boron-containing compounds may be true pharmaceutical active ingredients, and adding them directly to the formula can improve quality and safety. This article describes the detection of 11B NMR in boron-containing traditional Chinese medicine preparations. It is simple, non-destructive, and can provide chemical fingerprint studies for boron-containing traditional Chinese medicine.

Abstract Background This study is aimed to investigate retrospectively the radiographic and clinical outcomes in children and young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) undergoing periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) with or without femoral osteotomy (FO) for hip subluxation. Methods A consecutive cohort of twenty-one patients (23 hips) with symptomatic CP hip subluxation were treated with PAO with or without FO and reviewed retrospectively. Two patients (2 hips) were excluded due to insufficient follow-up and lost to follow-up, respectively. The Reimers migration percentage, lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), Sharp angle, neck-shaft angle (NSA), femoral anteversion (FNA), Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and hip pain were assessed. Results Twenty-one hips (19 patients) with CP treated with PAO with or without FO were included. Five hips received PAO. Sixteen hips underwent PAO with FO. Mean age at surgery was 19 ± 6 and 15 ± 4 years for PAO and PAO plus FO, respectively. Mean follow-up was 44.0 ± 28.3 months for PAO and 41.5 ± 17.2 months for PAO + FO. All hips were painful before surgery and painless at final visits. The GMFCS improved by one level in 10 of 19 patients. There was significant increase in LCEA (p

BackgroundSepsis remains a complex condition with incomplete understanding of its pathogenesis. Further research is needed to identify prognostic factors, risk stratification tools, and effective diagnostic and therapeutic targets.MethodsThree GEO datasets (GSE54514, GSE65682, and GSE95233) were used to explore the potential role of mitochondria-related genes (MiRGs) in sepsis. WGCNA and two machine learning algorithms (RF and LASSO) were used to identify the feature of MiRGs. Consensus clustering was subsequently carried out to determine the molecular subtypes for sepsis. CIBERSORT algorithm was conducted to assess the immune cell infiltration of samples. A nomogram was also established to evaluate the diagnostic ability of feature biomarkers via “rms” package. ResultsThree different expressed MiRGs (DE-MiRGs) were identified as sepsis biomarkers. A significant difference in the immune microenvironment landscape was observed between healthy controls and sepsis patients. Among the DE-MiRGs, NDUFB3 was selected to be a potential therapeutic target and its significant elevated expression level was confirmed in sepsis using in vitro experiments and confocal microscopy, indicating its significant contribution to the mitochondrial quality imbalance in the LPS-simulated sepsis model. ConclusionBy digging the role of these pivotal genes in immune cell infiltration, we gained a better understanding of the molecular immune mechanism in sepsis and identified potential intervention and treatment strategies.

Abstract Tissue engineering is theoretically thought to be a promising method for the reconstruction of biological joints, and thus, offers a potential treatment alternative for advanced osteoarthritis. However, to date, no significant progress is made in the regeneration of large biological joints. In the current study, a biomimetic scaffold for rabbit humeral head regeneration consisting of heterogeneous porous architecture, various bioinks, and different hard supporting materials in the cartilage and bone regions is designed and fabricated in one step using 3D bioprinting technology. Furthermore, orchestrated dynamic mechanical stimulus combined with different biochemical cues (parathyroid hormone [PTH] and chemical component hydroxyapatite [HA] in the outer and inner region, respectively) are used for dual regulation of endochondral ossification. Specifically, dynamic mechanical stimulus combined with growth factor PTH in the outer region inhibits endochondral ossification and results in cartilage regeneration, whereas dynamic mechanical stimulus combined with HA in the inner region promotes endochondral ossification and results in efficient subchondral bone regeneration. The strategy established in this study with the dual modulation of endochondral ossification for 3D bioprinted anisotropic scaffolds represents a versatile and scalable approach for repairing large joints.

Abstract Background Some patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) complained of anterior knee pain (AKP) before and after Bernese periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) surgery. The purpose of this study was to (1) identify the characteristics of patellofemoral joint (PFJ) deformities in patients with DDH and (2) to determine the effects of PAO on the PFJ. Methods Seventy patients (86 hips) were included in the DDH group. Thirty-three patients (33 knees) without AKP and hip pain were included in the control group. All patients underwent simultaneous CT scans of the hip and knee joints before PAO and after hardware removal surgery. The distance from the anterior inferior iliac spine to the ilioischial line (DAI), was measured in DDH patients. Imaging parameters of knees, including the sulcus angle (SA), femoral trochlear depth (FTD), patellar width (PW), tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (TT-TG), patellar tilt angle (PTA) and lateral shift of the patella (LSP) were measured in patients in both the DDH and control group. TT-TG, PTA, and LSP of DDH patients were measured before PAO and after hardware removal. The DAI, PTA, LSP and TT-TG of all DDH patients before and after Bernese PAO were compared using paired t-tests. The FTD, PW, and SA of the DDH patients and the control group were analyzed using independent t-tests. PTA, TT-TG, and LSP between the control group and preoperative DDH patients, between the control group and post PAO patients were compared using independent t-tests. Results The DAI changed from 4.04 ± 0.61 mm before PAO surgery to 5.44 ± 0.63 mm after PAO surgery. The SA of the DDH group (140.69 ± 11.30 degree) was greater than that of the control group (130.82 ± 6.43 degree). The FTD and the PW of the DDH group (5.45 ± 1.59 mm, 4.16 ± 0.36 mm) were smaller than that of the control group (7.39 ± 1.20 mm, 4.24 ± 0.38 mm). The changes in LSP, PTA, and TT-TG before and after surgery were not statistically significant. Both before and after PAO, there was no statistically significant difference in the parameters of LSP, PTA, and TT-TG compared with the control group. Conclusion The knee joints of DDH patients presented a certain degree of femur trochlear groove dysplasia and patellofemoral instability. PAO surgery did not change PFJ stability, although the origination point of the rectus femoris muscle moved laterally during PAO surgery.

Interferon regulatory factor 2 (IRF2) participates in the differentiation of immune T cells. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC)-derived exosomes can secret mRNA, miRNAs, and proteins to regulate tumor microenvironment. The present study focused on the miRNA/IRF2 axis in regulating Th1/Th2 ratio and cell apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The flow cytometry analysis was performed to examine the Th1/Th2 ratio and AML apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. The contents of Interferon γ (IFN-γ) and Interleukin-4 (IL-4) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. StarBase was used to predict the potential binding site between miR-222-3p and the 3′ untranslated region of IRF2. Luciferase reporter assay was applied for validating the combination of miR-222-3p and IRF2. BM-MSC exosomes were successfully isolated. BM-MSC exosomes increased Th1/Th2 ratio and promoted apoptosis of AML cells. Further analysis showed that IRF2 was targeted by miR-222-3p. Overexpression of miR-222-3p promoted Th1/Th2 ratio and AML cell apoptosis. IRF2 partially reversed the effect that is exerted by miR-222-3p on Th1/Th2 ratio and AML cell apoptosis. Overexpression of miR-222-3p promoted Th1/Th2 ratio and caspase 3 expression in vivo. To sum up, miR-222-3p promotes Th1/Th2 ratio and AML cell apoptosis by regulating IRF2 expression, which provided crucial targets for the treatment of AML.

Most field scientific observation and research stations are located at the end of power grids which are usually not extended to such areas. Consequently, the power supply of equipment in field observation stations cannot be guaranteed. Meanwhile, regions with poor ecosystem stability are relatively sensitive to environmental changes and thus prone to degradation and succession due to external interference. In this paper, the photovoltaic (PV) power generation system of a grassland ecohydrological field scientific observation and research station was taken as the research object. Two kinds of distributed PV power generation systems were simulated and analyzed by use of PVsyst software. The total power of laboratory equipment, PV power generation efficiency, and system cost of the field observation station were calculated and analyzed. The design scheme and scale of PV power generation systems suitable for field observation stations were determined. Finally, a PV power generation test system was set up, and PV power generation data were sorted out. The feasibility of the design scheme of PV power generation systems was verified by analyzing the relationship between the simulated and actual power generation of systems and that between the daily energy use proportions of field observation stations. Besides, the environmental benefits of PV systems were analyzed, and their amount of energy saving and emission reduction was calculated. This study can solve the issue of the low power supply guarantee rate of field observation stations, provide a design basis and beneficial reference for the construction of environment-friendly field laboratory stations, and realize green energy saving and the sustainable use of energy while protecting the ecosystem from being destroyed.

The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) 1 Hanson Aggregates stratigraphic research well, Carter County, Kentucky, USA, was drilled to a total depth of 1474 m as a field-scale test of potential CO2 storage reservoir properties in the Central Appalachian Basin. Geomechanical properties of the Rose Run sandstone (upper Ordovician Knox group) were tested for its suitability as a storage reservoir. A 9.8-m thick section of the Rose Run was penetrated at 1000 m drilled depth and a whole-diameter core and rotary sidewall cores were taken. Average porosity and permeability measured in core plugs were 9.1% and 44.6 mD, respectively. Maximum vertical stress gradient calculated in the wellbore was 26 MPa/km. Wellbore fractures in dolomites underlying and overlying the Rose Run follow the contemporary N53°E Appalachian Basin stress field. The Rose Run elastic geomechanical properties were calibrated to values measured in core plugs to evaluate its fracturing risk as a CO2 storage reservoir. Mean Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio values of the Rose Run were 45 GPa and 0.23, respectively, whereas Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio values were 77.1 GPa and 0.28, respectively, in the overlying Beekmantown dolomite, suggesting the Rose Run may fracture if overpressured during CO2 injection but be confined by the Beekmantown. Triaxial compressive strength measured in core plugs found the Rose Run and Beekmantown fractured at mean axial stresses of 156.5 MPa and 282.2 MPa, respectively, confirming the Beekmantown as suitable for confining CO2 injected into the Rose Run. A step-rate test was conducted in a mechanically-isolated 18.6-m interval bracketing the Rose Run. Static Rose Run reservoir pressure was 9.3 MPa, and fracture gradient under injection was 13.6 MPa/km, suggesting step-rate testing before CO2 injection, and subsequent pressure monitoring to ensure confinement. As the region around the KGS 1 Hanson Aggregates well is underpressured and adjacent to faulted Precambrian basement, further research is needed to evaluate its induced seismicity risk during CO2 injection.

BackgroundTo identify the diagnostic biomarkers of metabolism-related genes (MRGs), and investigate the association of the MRGs and immune infiltration landscape in diabetic nephropathy (DN).MethodsThe transcriptome matrix was downloaded from the GEO database. R package “limma” was utilized to identify the differential expressed MRGs (DE-MRGs) of HC and DN samples. Genetic Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of DE-MRGs were performed using “clusterProfiler” R package. WGCNA, LASSO, SVM-RFE, and RFE algorithms were employed to select the diagnostic feature biomarkers for DN. The ROC curve was used to evaluate discriminatory ability for diagnostic feature biomarkers. CIBERSORT algorithm was performed to investigate the fraction of the 22-types immune cells in HC and DN group. The correlation of diagnostic feature biomarkers and immune cells were performed via Spearman-rank correlation algorithm.ResultsA total of 449 DE-MRGs were identified in this study. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the DE-MRGs were mainly enriched in small molecules catabolic process, purine metabolism, and carbon metabolism. ADI1, PTGS2, DGKH, and POLR2B were identified as diagnostic feature biomarkers for DN via WGCNA, LASSO, SVM-RFE, and RFE algorithms. The result of CIBERSORT algorithm illustrated a remarkable difference of immune cells in HC and DN group, and the diagnostic feature biomarkers were closely associated with immune cells.ConclusionADI1, PTGS2, DGKH, and POLR2B were identified as diagnostic feature biomarkers for DN, and associated with the immune infiltration landscape, providing a novel perspective for the future research and clinical management for DN.

ObjectivesNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. We evaluated NAFLD using the US FLI to determine whether there is an association between urinary organophosphorus (OPE) levels and the “prevalence” of NAFLD in US individuals.MethodsThe current study included 1,102 people aged 20 years and older with information from the 2011–2014 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. NAFLD was assessed using the U.S. FLI. Individual OPE metabolites and OPE combinations were linked to NAFLD using logistic regression and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression. All analyzes were carried out separately on males and females. The possible impacts of age, serum total testosterone (TT), and menopausal state, as well as the importance of the interaction term with exposure, were investigated using stratified analysis.ResultsBis (2-chloroethyl) phosphate and bis (1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate were associated with NAFLD in all males after adjusting for covariates (P < 0.05). A combination of OPEs (OPE index) was positively linked with NAFLD in the WQS analysis of all males (odds ratio for OPE index: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.19). Stratified analyzes for males revealed that considerable connections were largely confined to individuals over 60 years old or with low total testosterone. In women, the connection was limited and inconsistent, except for the OPE index, which was positively linked with NAFLD in post-menopausal women.ConclusionsIn this study, environmental exposure to OPE was linked to an elevated risk of NAFLD in males, particularly those over 60 years old or with low TT levels. Aside from the continuous positive connection of a combination of OPEs with NAFLD risk in post-menopausal women, these correlations were weaker in women. However, these findings should be taken with caution and verified in future investigations by collecting numerous urine samples in advance to strengthen OPE exposure estimates.

Wireless sensing has emerged as an innovative technology that enables many smart applications such as indoor localization, activity recognition, and user tracking. However, achieving reliable and precise results in wireless sensing requires an accurate distinction between line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight transmissions. This paper introduces PEiD, a novel method that utilizes low-cost WiFi devices for transmission path identification, offering real-time measurements with high accuracy through the application of machine-learning-based classifiers. To overcome the deficiencies of commodity WiFi in bandwidth, PEiD explores the peak energy index distribution extracted from the channel impulse responses. Our approach effectively captures the inherent randomness of channel properties and significantly reduces the number of samples required for identification, thus surpassing previous methods. Additionally, to tackle the challenge of mobility, a sliding window technique is also adopted to achieve continuous monitoring of transmission path status. According to our extensive experiments, PEiD can attain a best path identification accuracy of 97.5% for line-of-sight scenarios and 94.3% for non-line-of-sight scenarios, with an average delay of under 300 ms (92% accuracy) even in dynamic environments.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a potent chemotherapeutic agent that is used against various types of human malignancies. However, the associated risk of cardiotoxicity has limited its clinical application. Danhong injection (DHI) is a Chinese medicine with multiple pharmacological activities and is widely used for treating cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential protective effect of DHI on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in vivo and to investigate the possible underlying mechanisms. First, a sensitive and reliable HPLC−ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS method was developed to comprehensively analyze the chemical compositions of DHI. A total of 56 compounds were identified, including phenolic acids, tanshinones, and flavonoids. Then, a DOX-induced chronic cardiotoxicity rat model was established to assess the therapeutic effect of DHI. As a result, DHI administration prevented the reduction in body weight and heart weight, and improved electrocardiogram performance. Additionally, the elevated levels of serum biochemical indicators were reduced, and the activities of oxidative enzymes were restored in the DOX-DHI group. Network pharmacology analysis further revealed that these effects might be attributed to 14 active compounds (e.g., danshensu, salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid B, rosmarinic acid, and tanshinone IIA) and 15 potential targets (e.g., CASP3, SOD1, NOS3, TNF, and TOP2A). The apoptosis pathway was highly enriched according to the KEGG analysis. Molecular docking verified the good binding affinities between the active compounds and the corresponding apoptosis targets. Finally, experimental validation demonstrated that DHI treatment significantly increased the Bcl-2 level and suppressed DOX-induced Bax and caspase-3 expression in rat heart tissue. Furthermore, DHI treatment obviously decreased the apoptosis rate of DOX-treated H9c2 cells. These results indicate that DHI attenuated DOX-induced cardiotoxicity via regulating the apoptosis pathway. The present study suggested that DHI is a promising agent for the prevention of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Linezolid is an oxazolidinone antibacterial drug, and its therapeutic drug monitoring and individualized treatment have been challenged since its approval. With the in-depth clinical research of linezolid, we have changed our attitude toward its therapeutic drug monitoring and our view of individualized treatment. On the basis of summarizing the existing clinical studies, and based on the practical experience of each expert in their respective professional fields, we have formed this expert consensus. Our team of specialists is a multidisciplinary team that includes pharmacotherapists, clinical pharmacology specialists, critical care medicine specialists, respiratory specialists, infectious disease specialists, emergency medicine specialists and more. We are committed to the safe and effective use of linezolid in patients in need, and the promotion of its therapeutic drug monitoring.

Allicin is the main active ingredient in freshly-crushed garlic and some other allium plants, and its anticancer effect on cancers of digestive system has been confirmed in many studies. The aim of this review is to summarize epidemiological studies and in vitro and in vivo investigations on the anticancer effects of allicin and its secondary metabolites, as well as their biological functions. In epidemiological studies of esophageal cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and biliary tract cancer, the anticancer effect of garlic has been confirmed consistently. However, the results obtained from epidemiological studies in gastric cancer and colon cancer are inconsistent. In vitro studies demonstrated that allicin and its secondary metabolites play an antitumor role by inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, controlling tumor invasion and metastasis, decreasing angiogenesis, suppressing Helicobacter pylori, enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs, and reducing the damage caused by chemotherapeutic drugs. In vivo studies further demonstrate that allicin and its secondary metabolites inhibit cancers of the digestive system. This review describes the mechanisms against cancers of digestive system and therapeutic potential of allicin and its secondary metabolites.

Soil contaminations by heavy metals near oilfields have been widely reported and are causing great concern. Thus, it is highly desirable to develop cost-effective materials and methods to avoid heavy metal residues contaminating soil and food. An effective, environmentally friendly, and inexpensive remediation material for heavy metal-polluted soil was designed and prepared using biochar (BC) combined with humic acid (HA) resulting from sodium humate (NaHA) simply reacting with wood vinegar (BHW). After adding BHW, the chemical fractions of copper and cadmium in the soil undergo larger changes. Meanwhile, the availability of heavy metals decreases. The maximum adsorption capacity of copper and cadmium in the soil using the BHW is larger than that only using biochar. The adsorption kinetics ensures that the adsorption process of Cd2+ and Cu2+ ions on BHW is chemical adsorption, which is best fitted using the pseudo-second-order rate equation. The thermodynamics guarantees that the metal ions adsorb on the heterogeneous surface of BHW in multilayer, which is credited to the enhancement of oxygen-containing groups in the biochar combined with the humic acid. The remediation material BHW holds promise for the immobilization of heavy metal in the soils and could be recommended based on its economic feasibility, high efficacy, and environmental safety.

Shipping networks face natural or man-made port emergencies, and the failure of a port affects the network’s connectivity and efficiency. It is very necessary to give priority to the selection of ports that should be maintained or ensure service capacity in case of port failure. The importance evaluation of ports is of great significance to improve the efficiency of maritime transport. In view of this, this paper proposed a port importance evaluation method in shipping networks integrating the centrality index and vulnerability index. The indexes are, respectively, degree centrality, weighted degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, change rate of network efficiency, and connectivity. The weight of each index is calculated by the projection pursuit model. The results show that the proposed method integrates the different performances of each index. The importance of Singapore port, Colombo port, and Port Klang rank as the top three. They are the hub ports of the main lines of Asia, Europe, and Africa and occupy extremely important core positions in the network. Finally, the ports are classified based on importance value, and the shipping network after the failure of some ports is compared. This research can provide a scientific basis for ensuring the efficiency, connectivity, and stability of shipping networks.

Abstract Sinkholes are the most abundant surface features in karst areas worldwide. Understanding sinkhole occurrences and characteristics is critical for studying karst aquifers and mitigating sinkhole‐related hazards. Most sinkholes appear on the land surface as depressions or cover collapses and are commonly mapped from elevation data, such as digital elevation models (DEMs). Existing methods for identifying sinkholes from DEMs often require two steps: locating surface depressions and separating sinkholes from non‐sinkhole depressions. In this study, we explored deep learning to directly identify sinkholes from DEM data and aerial imagery. A key contribution of our study is an evaluation of various ways of integrating these two types of raster data. We used an image segmentation model, U‐Net, to locate sinkholes. We trained separate U‐Net models based on four input images of elevation data: a DEM image, a slope image, a DEM gradient image, and a DEM‐shaded relief image. Three normalization techniques (Global, Gaussian, and Instance) were applied to improve the model performance. Model results suggest that deep learning is a viable method to identify sinkholes directly from the images of elevation data. In particular, DEM gradient data provided the best input for U‐net image segmentation models to locate sinkholes. The model using the DEM gradient image with Gaussian normalization achieved the best performance with a sinkhole intersection‐over‐union (IoU) of 45.38% on the unseen test set. Aerial images, however, were not useful in training deep learning models for sinkholes as the models using an aerial image as input achieved sinkhole IoUs below 3%.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a highly heterogeneous non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and the prognosis of DLBCL patients is widely affected by multivariables. Clinical-factors-based prognostic systems stratify the prognosis of DLBCL with certain limitations, and the value of ferritin on the prognosis of DLBCL is unclear. In this study, 225 cases were retrieved from 4 centers of Huaihai Lymphoma Working Group (HHLWG) as the derivation cohort, and 66 cases were from the other 6 centers of HHLWG as external validation cohort. X-Tile program divided ferritin into three groups when applying 175.00 and 391.90 μg/L as the optimal cutoff points. Based on multivariable analysis, ferritin appeared to be a stronger predictor. A total of three variables (ferritin, age, and lactate dehydrogenase) were included for the development of the nomogram. The C-indexes were 0.73 and 0.70 in the derivation and validation cohort, and the calibration curve showed the consistency between the nomogram prediction and the actual observation. In conclusion, Ferritin-based nomogram enhanced the prognostic value of IPI in DLBCL.

Ports play a vital role in the development of cities. In order to study the contribution of seaports to the urban economy, this paper uses the input–output method and multiplier theory to calculate the direct, indirect, and ripple economic contribution of ports to cities. Then, this paper selects Xiamen Port as an example to calculate the economic contribution. Xiamen Port is a major port on the southeast coast of China and an important node of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It can provide a reference for other port cities. A more detailed index system for evaluating the economic contribution is also constructed. Next, the time series ARIMA model is used to predict the cargo throughput and container throughput of Xiamen Port in the next four years. Finally, there are some suggestions put forward for the development of Xiamen Port. The results show the total economic contribution of Xiamen Port to the city accounted for 10.48% of the city’s GDP in 2017. Direct, indirect, and ripple economic contributions accounted for 2.84%, 2.13%, and 5.51%, respectively. The contribution of Xiamen Port to the city is in line with the growth pole theory, which not only allows for rapid growth in Xiamen Port itself but also drives the development of the entire region through the multiplier effect. The cargo throughput and container throughput of Xiamen Port will maintain continuous growth in the next four years. Therefore, the development of Xiamen Port should be accelerated to enhance its economic contribution to the city.

Optical spectrum analysis is the most direct and effective method for characterizing electro-optic modulation spectra. According to the Rayleigh criterion, the best resolution of an optical spectrum analysis is limited by the point spread function of an optical spectrum analyzer (OSA) and the relative intensity of closely spaced spectral lines. In this paper, we propose a boosted iterative deconvolution (BID) method to resolve the intrinsic modulation of spectral lines from the measured optical carrier and modulation spectra. In our scheme, the electro-optic modulation spectrum is considered the convolution of the optical carrier spectrum and the intrinsic δ-function modulation spectrum, and the BID method enables fast and accurate extraction of the δ-function spectral lines from the measured modulation spectrum. The proof-of-concept experiment demonstrates that our method can improve the resolution of OSA by 10–30 p.m. at different relative intensities, with a best resolution of 10 p.m. in the iso-intensity case and wavelength errors of less than 2 p.m., which largely improves the measurement resolution and accuracy of the modulation spectrum.

Sceptridium ternatum is a herbaceous plant with significant potential for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. In this study, we established a spectrum-effect relationship-based strategy to investigate the bioactive basis and tissue distribution in S. ternatum. First, a phytochemical analysis on the ethanol extracts from roots, stems, and leaves of S. ternatum was performed using the colorimetric method, high-performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet (HPLC–UV), and high-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC–ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS). Then, radical scavenging assays and the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cell model were used to estimate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, respectively. Spectrum-effect relationship analysis and molecular docking were further employed to evaluate the correlation between the phytochemical profile and anti-inflammatory activity. Our results demonstrate that S. ternatum leaves contained the most abundant flavonoids and exerted the best biological activities. Their IC50 values for scavenging 2,2ʹ-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals were 2.43 ± 0.13 and 5.36 ± 0.54 mg/mL, respectively. In lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, the leaf extract caused the greatest reduction in nitric oxide production (38.15%) and interleukin-6 release (110.86%). Spectrum-effect relationship analysis and molecular docking indicated that quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside-7-O-glucoside possessed high anti-inflammatory activity by binding with interleukin-6. In conclusion, S. ternatum is a rich source of bioactive flavonoids with potential for exploitation in the prevention and treatment of oxidative stress and inflammation-related pathologies.

BackgroundBlood supply, which is crucial for nutrition and drug delivery, was determined by microvessel density as well as the diffusion distance between vessels and cancer cells. Therefore, we evaluated the distance from microvessels to cancer cells (Dmvcc) and its role in the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.MethodsPatients with primary NSCLC were retrospectively analyzed. The tumor samples were immunochemically stained with CD31 to visualize the microvessels. The Dmvcc was defined as the mean distance from each microvessel to its nearest cancer cell in the “hot-spot” of an individual patient. The patients were stratified into short- and long-distance groups using five strategies, including dichotomy by the median value, optimal cutoff, trichotomy, quartation and per-10 µm increase. The correlation between the Dmvcc and survival was evaluated by using univariate and multivariate analyses with various Dmvcc strategies.ResultsIn total, 100 patients were analyzed. The median value of Dmvcc was 13.1 μm (ranged, 1.6 to 269.7 μm; mean value, 24.4 ± 33.5 μm). The optimal cutoff value of Dmvcc for predicting survival outcome was 20 μm. Dmvcc was significantly related to overall survival (OS) with all the five categories (p = 0.001–0.000004) and progression-free survival (PFS) categorized by optimal cutoff value (p = 0.024), trichotomy (p = 0.041) and per-10 µm increase (p = 0.040) after adjusting for other factors. Patients with longer Dmvcc (≥20 μm) were observed to have poor survival outcomes (OS: HR = 13.5, 95CI: 4.42–41.18, p = 0.000005; PFS: 3.26, 95CI: 1.56–6.81, p = 0.002). A high Dmvcc per-10 µm was associated with a significantly increased risk of cancer-related death and progression by 98% (p = 0.0001) and 30% (p = 0.044), respectively.ConclusionThe NSCLC tissues had varying distances from microvessels to cancer cells, and long distances were strongly associated with poor survival.

Biochar (BC) combined with humic acid (HA) and wood vinegar (WV) was designed and prepared as an inexpensive, effective, and environmentally friendly immobilization material (BHW) for metal-polluted soil. The influences of the wood vinegar and humic acid on the immobilization properties and adsorption mechanism of this new material were also investigated. The remediation performance was evaluated using a laboratory-made, nickel-contaminated soil with a Ni2+ concentration of 200 mg per kg surface soil (top 20 cm from agricultural land). The results indicated that the immobilization ratio sequence of nickel (II) in the soil was BC

Abstract Background As a recognized cause of groin pain following total hip arthroplasty, iliopsoas tendonitis probably results from different factors. Given the anatomic disadvantage, dysplastic hips theoretically make acetabular component relatively retroverted or oversized, screws implanted frequently, and iliopsoas tendonitis more likely. However, the prevalence and mechanism of iliopsoas tendonitis following total hip replacement in dysplastic hips are not fully understood. Methods One hundred and thirty-three total hip arthroplasties for Crowe type 2 to 4 dysplastic hips were compared with 126 total hip arthroplasties for hips without dysplasia in this study. Preoperative patient demographic data were well matched between the groups. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed. Results A significantly higher frequency of protruded screws (24.8% vs 0), anterior overhang of acetabular components (30.8% vs 4.0%), and increased leg lengthening (3.6 [2.0–6.8] vs 0.5 [0–1.8]) was found in the dysplastic group (all p values

Abstract Background The present study aimed to investigate the underlying role of interferon-regulatory factor 2 (IRF2)–inositol polyphosphate-4-phosphatase, type-II (INPP4B) axis in the regulation of autophagy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Methods Quantitative real time PCR (QRT-PCR) and western blot were performed to determine the expression levels of IRF2, INPP4B and autophagy-related markers in AML cell lines. Autophagy was assessed by elevated Beclin-1 expression, the conversion of light chain 3 (LC3)-I to LC3-II, downregulated p62 expression and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-LC3 puncta formation. The colony formation and apoptosis assays were performed to determine the effects of IRF2 and INPP4B on the growth of AML cells. Results IRF2 and INPP4B were highly expressed in AML cell lines, and were positively correlated with autophagy-related proteins. Overexpression of IRF2 or INPP4B stimulated autophagy of AML cells, whereas inhibition of IRF2 or INPP4B resulted in the attenuation of autophagy. More importantly, IRF2 or INPP4B overexpression reversed autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3-MA)-induced proliferation-inhibitory and pro-apoptotic effects, while IRF2 or INPP4B silencing overturned the proliferation-promoting and anti-apoptotic effects of autophagy activator rapamycin. Conclusion IRF2–INPP4B signaling axis attenuated apoptosis through induction of autophagy in AML cells.

A large number of EGFR mutant non‐small cell lung cancer patients primordially benefit from first‐line treatment with first‐generation EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as gefitinib and erlotinib. However, multiple acquired resistance mechanisms have been described that limit the clinical efficacy of first‐generation EGFR‐TKIs. Herein, we report a rare case of lung adenocarcinoma harboring an EGFR exon 19‐deletion mutation before the administration of target therapy. This patient acquired resistance to first‐generation EGFR‐TKIs through small cell lung cancer (SCLC) transformation accompanied by the T790M mutation. Unexpectedly, this SCLC patient maintained a sensitive response to the third‐generation EGFR‐TKI osimertinib. This special case may indicate that osimertinib represents an effective target drug for SCLC patients who harbor an EGFR T790M mutation.

In this work, a novel amphoteric copolymer named Poly(sodium p-styrenesulfonate–co-acrylic acid-co-diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC)) was synthesized via free radical polymerization. Afterwards, P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) was explored for use as a dispersant in coal water slurry (CWS) preparation. The structure of P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. The synthetic conditions were optimized as the feed ratio of AA to SS was 1 : 1 (for Yulin coal) or 1.5 : 1 (for Yili coal), and DMDAAC dosage was 4.0 wt% (for Yulin coal) and 6.0 wt% (for Yili coal) toward total monomers. The performances of P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) as a dispersant for CWS were evaluated by various technologies, such as apparent viscosity, zeta potential, static stability and contact angle measurements. The results revealed that the optimized dosage of P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) in CWS preparation was 0.3 and 0.4 wt% for Yulin coal and Yili coal respectively. In this optimum condition, CWS prepared using P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) as dispersant showed a typical shear thinning behaviour and excellent stability, which are desired in industries. The rheological models also confirmed the pseudo-plastic characteristics of CWS. Finally, compared with the widely used anionic dispersant naphthalene sulphonate formaldehyde condensate (NSF) and poly(sodium p-styrenesulfonate) (PSS), P(SS-co-AA-co-DMDAAC) developed in this work exhibited better slurry making performance. The introduction of cationic functional groups promoted the adsorption of the dispersant, which further enhanced the electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance among coal particles. Accordingly, the viscosity of CWS decreased and static stability enhanced.

With the unique advantages of mineral TCMs gradually emerging in clinical treatment, health care, and precaution, it has played an important role in the international medical market. Commonly, mineral TCMs with similar appearance and different processing methods have different effects, but they are easy to be confused in preparation, storage, transportation, and other links, which affects the use and causes related problems. In this paper, six kinds of easily confused mineral TCMs, including coral skeleton, ophicalcitum, calamine, matrii sulfas exsiccatus, gypsum, and alumen, are rapidly characterized using Raman spectroscopy, which can be distinguished with different Raman peaks at 0–300 cm−1 due to the different lattice structure. The THz spectra of these mineral TCMs show that different mineral TCMs have different THz absorption coefficients at 0.3–2.0 THz. Furthermore, compared with the ineffectiveness of the Raman spectrum for differentiating mineral TCMs prepared with disparate processing methods, the terahertz absorption spectrum plays an active role in making up the limitation of low-wavenumber Raman spectroscopy. The combination of low-wavenumber Raman and THz spectroscopy provides a simple and feasible scheme for the identification of mineral TCMs, which could play an important role in the quality control of mineral TCMs.

The pharmaceutical co-crystal has attracted increasing interest due to the improvement of physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients. The characterization of pharmaceutical co-crystal is an integral part of the pharmaceutical field. In this paper, the low-frequency vibrational properties for carbamazepine co-crystals with nicotinamide and saccharin (CBZ-NIC and CBZ-SAC) have been characterized by combining the THz spectroscopy with low-wavenumber Raman spectroscopy. The experiment results show that, compared with the individual constituents, CBZ-NIC and CBZ-SAC co-crystals not only have different characteristic absorption peaks in the 0.3-2.5 THz region, but also have significant low-wavenumber Raman characteristic peaks in 0–100 cm−1. Density functional theory was performed to simulate the terahertz and low-wavenumber Raman spectra of the two co-crystals, where the calculation agreed well with the measured vibrational peak positions. The vibrational modes of CBZ-NIC and CBZ-SAC co-crystals were assigned through comparing theoretical results with the experimental spectra. Meanwhile, the low-frequency infrared and/or Raman active of characteristic peaks for such co-crystals were discussed. The results indicate the combination of THz spectroscopy and low-wavenumber Raman spectroscopy can provide more comprehensive low-frequency vibrational information for pharmaceutical co-crystals, such as collective vibration and skeleton vibration, which could play an important role in pharmaceutical science.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a kind of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) that regulate the expression of target genes and play a role in the occurrence and development of cancers. Colon cancer (COAD) is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality. However, the prognostic value of miRNAs in COAD is still confusing. In this study, we obtain miRNAs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) expression profiles of COAD from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. After preliminary data screening and preprocessing, we acquire the expression data of 894 miRNAs and 17,019 mRNAs. Then, compared with the normal samples, 39 upregulated miRNAs and 54 downregulated miRNAs are identified by differential expression analysis. Furthermore, we obtain 1,487 upregulated mRNAs and 2,847 downregulated mRNAs. We confirm nine key miRNAs related to the survival rate of COAD patients. Moreover, by using bioinformatics methods, we get 461 common genes from both the target genes of these nine key miRNAs and differentially expressed mRNAs. Through analyzing the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of these 461 common genes and survival analysis, we confirm five hub genes as promising biomarkers for COAD prognosis. It is worth mentioning that no previous reports have found that PGR and KCNB1 are related to COAD. We expect these key miRNAs and hub genes will provide a new way for the study of COAD.

This study was to identify functions of ILC2, a newly found innate lymphoid cell which mainly locates in mucosa organs like lungs and intestines, in IBD. We injected rIL-33 protein to C57/BL6 mouse to explore how IL-33 induces ILC2 proliferation. The results showed that ILC2 reached a proliferation peak at day 5 and expressed multiple surface markers like CD127, C-kit, CD69, CD44, ST2, CD27, DR3, MHCII, and CD90.2. ILC2 also expressed high quantity of IL-13 and IL-5 and few IL-17A which indicates a potentially immunological function in IBD development. Afterwards, we transferred sort purified ILC2 to Rag1-/- mouse given DSS to induce acute colitis in order to explore the innate function of ILC2. Data showed that ILC2 alleviates DSS-induced acute innate colitis by repairing epithelial barrier and restore body weight. Furthermore, we found that ILC2 can cause macrophages polarizing to M2 macrophages in the gut. Therefore, we concluded that ILC2 played a therapeutic role in mouse acute colitis.