Search

Chinese wingnut (Pterocarya stenoptera) is a medicinally and economically important tree species within the family Juglandaceae. However, the lack of high-quality reference genome has hindered its in-depth research. In this study, we successfully assembled its chromosome-level genome and performed multi-omics analyses to address its evolutionary history and synthesis of medicinal components. A thorough examination of genomes has uncovered a significant expansion in the Lateral Organ Boundaries Domain gene family among the winged group in Juglandaceae. This notable increase may be attributed to their frequent exposure to flood-prone environments. After further differentiation between Chinese wingnut and Cyclocarya paliurus, significant positive selection occurred on the genes of NADH dehydrogenase related to mitochondrial aerobic respiration in Chinese wingnut, enhancing its ability to cope with waterlogging stress. Comparative genomic analysis revealed Chinese wingnut evolved more unique genes related to arginine synthesis, potentially endowing it with a higher capacity to purify nutrient-rich water bodies. Expansion of terpene synthase families enables the production of increased quantities of terpenoid volatiles, potentially serving as an evolved defense mechanism against herbivorous insects. Through combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis, we identified the candidate genes involved in the synthesis of terpenoid volatiles. Our study offers essential genetic resources for Chinese wingnut, unveiling its evolutionary history and identifying key genes linked to the production of terpenoid volatiles.

Abstract Patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often exhibit limited responses to traditional chemotherapy, resulting in poor prognosis. The combination of venetoclax (VEN) with hypomethylating agents has been established as the standard treatment for elderly or medically unfit AML patients unable to undergo intensive chemotherapy. Despite this, the availability of novel VEN-based therapies specifically tailored for those with R/R AML remains scarce. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest data presented at the 65th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, shedding light on the progress and efficacy of VEN-based therapies for R/R AML.

Reliable operation of oil-immersed power transformers is crucial for electrical transmission and distribution networks. However, the aging of high voltage assets including power transformers along with the increasing of load demand have heightened the importance of adopting cost-effective asset management strategies. Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) has been recognized as a valuable diagnostic tool for detecting potential faults and monitoring the condition of oil-immersed power transformers. Traditional offline DGA method involves periodic sampling and laboratory analysis, which often results in delayed detection and response to emerging faults. To address these limitations, online DGA approach has been emerged to provide real-time monitoring and continuous data acquisition. This paper presents a new asset management approach for mineral oil-immersed power transformers by analysing the online DGA data using convolutional neural networks. The proposed approach provides real time solutions to classify emerging fault type and predict transformer health deterioration level with high accuracy. Results show that the accuracy of fault diagnostics of the proposed approach is approximately 87%.

Abstract Gliomas with CDKN2A mutations are known to have worse prognosis but imaging features of these gliomas are unknown. Our goal is to identify CDKN2A specific qualitative imaging biomarkers in glioblastomas using a new informatics workflow that enables rapid analysis of qualitative imaging features with Visually AcceSAble Rembrandtr Images (VASARI) for large datasets in PACS. Sixty nine patients undergoing GBM resection with CDKN2A status determined by whole-exome sequencing were included. GBMs on magnetic resonance images were automatically 3D segmented using deep learning algorithms incorporated within PACS. VASARI features were assessed using FHIR forms integrated within PACS. GBMs without CDKN2A alterations were significantly larger (64 vs. 30%, p = 0.007) compared to tumors with homozygous deletion (HOMDEL) and heterozygous loss (HETLOSS). Lesions larger than 8 cm were four times more likely to have no CDKN2A alteration (OR: 4.3; 95% CI 1.5–12.1; p

Abstract Venetoclax (VEN), the first selective Bcl-2 inhibitor, has shown efficacy and safety both as monotherapy and in combination with other agents in the treatment of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), while its role in relapsed or refractory (R/R) disease is not well defined. Here, we reviewed the latest advances of VEN-based therapy for R/R AML from the 2022 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, including some novel and encouraging regimes, such as VCA, VAH, and HAM regimes, etc. Further research is still needed to fully understand the optimal use of these agents in R/R AML treatment.

Conclusions: Our study, for the first time, suggests that vitamin C supplement use or higher dietary vitamin C intake during preconception and early pregnancy could alleviate the risk of GDM associated with exposure to As and Hg. The results warrant further investigation.

Introduction Recent preclinical studies have discovered unique synergism between radiotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors, which has already brought significant survival benefit in lung cancer. In locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), neoadjuvant radiotherapy plus immune checkpoint inhibitors have also achieved surprisingly high pathological complete response (pCR) rates even in proficient mismatch-repair patients. As existing researches are all phase 2, single-cohort trials, we aim to conduct a randomised, controlled trial to further clarify the efficacy and safety of this novel combination therapy.Methods and analysis Eligible patients with LARC are randomised to three arms (two experiment arms, one control arm). Patients in all arms receive long-course radiotherapy plus concurrent capecitabine as neoadjuvant therapy, as well as radical surgery. Distinguishingly, patients in arm 1 also receive anti-PD-1 (Programmed Death 1) treatment starting at Day 8 of radiation (concurrent plan), and patients in arm 2 receive anti-PD-1 treatment starting 2 weeks after completion of radiation (sequential plan). Tislelizumab (anti-PD-1) is scheduled to be administered at 200 mg each time for three consecutive times, with 3-week intervals. Randomisation is stratified by different participating centres, with a block size of 6. The primary endpoint is pCR rate, and secondary endpoints include neoadjuvant-treatment-related adverse event rate, as well as disease-free and overall survival rates at 2, 3 and 5 years postoperation. Data will be analysed with an intention-to-treat approach.Ethics and dissemination This protocol has been approved by the institutional ethical committee of Beijing Friendship Hospital (the primary centre) with an identifying serial number of 2022-P2-050-01. Before publication to peer-reviewed journals, data of this research will be stored in a specially developed clinical trial database.Trial registration number NCT05245474.

Abstract While studies suggested adverse impacts of COVID-19 on scientific outputs and work routines for scientists, more evidence is required to understand detailed obstacles challenging scientists’ work and productivity during the pandemic, including how different people are affected (e.g., by gender). This online survey-based thematic analysis investigated how the pandemic affected scientists’ perception of scientific and academic productivity in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and medicine fields. The analysis examined if inequitable changes in duties and responsibilities for caregiving for children, family, and/or households exist between scientists who are mothers compared to scientists who are fathers or non-parents. The survey collected data from 2548 survey responses in six languages across 132 countries. Results indicate that many scientists suffered from delays and restrictions on research activities and administrations due to the lockdown of institutions, as well as increased workloads from adapting to online teaching environment. Caregiving responsibility for children and family increased, which compromised time for academic efforts, especially due to the temporary shutdown of social supports. Higher percentages of female parent participants than male parent participants expressed such increased burdens indicating unequal divisions of caregiving between women and men. A range of physical and mental health issues was identified mainly due to overworking and isolation. Despite numerous obstacles, some participants reported advantages during the pandemic including the efficiency of online teaching, increased funding for COVID-related research, application of alternative research methodologies, and fluidity of the workday from not commuting. Findings imply the need for rapid institutional support to aid various academic activities and diminish gender inequity in career development among academicians, highlighting how crisis can exacerbate existing inequalities.

The compression packer is an important downhole oil production tool, and its failure is mainly attributed to the degradation of its embedded rubber cylinders under the action of high temperatures. In the present study we have made a comprehensive investigation on the mechanical response of the sealing packer based on two rubber materials at high temperatures. Firstly, by measuring the material parameters under different temperatures, we established the constitutive relationships of the two rubber materials (Aflas and Kalrez) in consideration of the temperature effect, in the light of the Mooney-Rivlin model. Next, the sealing performances of two optimized packers were analyzed including Aflas and Kalrez rubber cylinders. The effects of high temperature and the initial setting pressure on the sealing effects of these two optimized packers were probed based on the finite element analysis (FEA), and the ranges of temperature and initial setting pressure for best sealing were determined. This study can provide some ideas for the material selection and structural optimization for sealing packers, aiming to ensure the safe operation of the packers in severe environments.

Background: This study aimed to provide a detailed analysis of the temporal trends of cancer incidence rates for individuals aged 0–19 years in selected regions globally from 1978 to 2012. Methods: Data were obtained from Volumes V-XI of Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5), published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. A total of 53 registries in 23 regions from the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania that contained information on cancer incidence throughout 1978-2012 (35 years) were included in this study. Joinpoint regression was used for the analysis of trends. Results: Most regions showed increasing trends in overall childhood cancer among children (aged 0-14 years) and adolescents (aged 15-19 years). Nearly all regions showed rising trends in childhood and adolescent leukemia incidence rates, whereas the incidence of lymphoma among children generally decreased. Only France, Australia, and New Zealand showed decreasing trends for malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumors among adolescents. Kidney cancer and bone cancer incidence rates remained stable for most regions. The incidence of thyroid cancer among adolescents increased in most regions and that of testicular cancer decreased in approximately one-half of the regions studied. Conclusion: The international temporal trends of cancer incidents among children and adolescents are varied by region, cancer type, age group, and gender, and have changed over time.

PurposeTo establish a high-risk prediction model for aromatase inhibitor-associated bone loss (AIBL) in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.MethodsThe study included breast cancer patients who received aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment. Univariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with AIBL. The dataset was randomly divided into a training set (70%) and a test set (30%). The identified risk factors were used to construct a prediction model using the eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) machine learning method. Logistic regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression methods were used for comparison. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the performance of the model in the test dataset.ResultsA total of 113 subjects were included in the study. Duration of breast cancer, duration of aromatase inhibitor therapy, hip fracture index, major osteoporotic fracture index, prolactin (PRL), and osteocalcin (OC) were found to be independent risk factors for AIBL (p < 0.05). The XGBoost model had a higher AUC compared to the logistic model and LASSO model (0.761 vs. 0.716, 0.691).ConclusionThe XGBoost model outperformed the logistic and LASSO models in predicting the occurrence of AIBL in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer receiving aromatase inhibitors.

Second-line treatment for metastatic or locally advanced urothelial cancer (UC) is limited. Immunotherapy is approved as a second-line treatment for metastatic UC. Its use as a first-line agent is limited to patients who are ineligible for cisplatin-based treatments. The fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitor, erdafitinib, can be applied as a third-line approach after the failure of these prior treatments in eligible patients. Therefore, it is especially important to combine limited drugs for second-line treatment of advanced or metastatic UC. Anlotinib is a multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor agent with both anti-angiogenic and FGFR inhibitory effects. For two patients with advanced and metastatic UC, we combined anlotinib and tislelizumab therapy even though there is no indication of its use. We describe two patients with programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)-negative advanced bladder cancer, one with FGFR3 mutation and another with FGFR3 wild type. Both patients had progressed after first-line chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin. We selected anlotinib in combination with tislelizumab, a programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor, for second-line treatment. Responses were evaluated as partial remission in both cases, who achieved up to 12 months of progression-free survival with no significant adverse events. Two patients with PD-L1-negative UC underwent second-line therapy using tislelizumab in combination with anlotinib, and the efficacy was better than that of tislelizumab alone. These results suggest that anlotinib may act synergistically with tislelizumab in the treatment of UC.

BackgroundIrinotecan-loaded drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (DEBIRI-TACE) is a safe and effective therapeutic option for unresectable colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). The evaluation of treatment response after DEBIRI-TACE is very important for assessing the patient’s condition. At present, the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) with the tumor size obtained by CT and/or MRI and PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) based on fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) are used for evaluating the response to therapy of solid tumors; however, their value in the assessment of treatment response after DEBIRI-TACE remains unclear.Case presentationA 52-year-old male with unresectable simultaneous CRLM was treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Yanbian University with DEBIRI-TACE combined with systemic chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Carcinoembryonic antigen levels decreased by 82.50% after 27 days of treatment. At 6 weeks post-surgery, FDG-PET/CT showed that the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of intrahepatic lesions was reduced to 62.14%. Abdominal MRI revealed that the sum of target lesion diameters was less than 30% that at baseline. PERCIST indicated partial metabolic response, whereas RECIST suggested stable disease.ConclusionFDG PET/CT-based PERCIST may be accurate in determining treatment response and evaluating patient prognosis after DEBIRI-TACE in unresectable CRLM.

Abstract Background Living–learning communities and global or diversity learning experiences have been identified as educational practices which often have a “high impact” on student success, as well as providing interpersonal competencies that are greatly valued by employers. Even without a specific intercultural or diversity component, living–learning communities would seem to offer rich settings for the development of the ability to work effectively across cultural difference. Yet intercultural learning outcomes are rarely assessed outside the domain of study abroad or diversity training programs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether participation in a “global science” living–learning community can increase the intercultural competence of first year international and domestic students, as measured by a well-known quantitative instrument, the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). Results In the first 2 years of the study, the intercultural learning content focused primarily on ‘dealing effectively with difference’ and produced minimal mean gains in intercultural competence. Examination of qualitative data from these experiences (using a well-known rubric to frame the analysis) as well as a review of the literature around intercultural learning (principally in study abroad contexts) suggested that focusing on similarity and self-awareness, coupled with individualized feedback, was likely to be a more appropriate pedagogy for students’ competency development. Following the curriculum revision, 2 years worth of participants exhibited much higher mean gains in IDI scores, as well as higher rates of shifting to a new stage of effectiveness by semester’s end. Conclusions This study contributes to the STEM education literature by attempting to apply several years of research findings about effective intercultural competence development, principally from study abroad programs, to STEM education in on-campus contexts. In so doing, it has implications for how STEM educators can more effectively work towards cultivating global-ready STEM graduates, and towards reaching STEM students who, for whatever reason, do not typically participate in study abroad.

PurposeTo study the status quo of the cognitive function of the breast cancer patients with (who went through) the endocrine therapy by the epidemiological investigation, analyze the key factor of the cognition impairment and explore the impact of the endocrine therapy time on the cognition decline after using Propensity Score Matching to balance the covariates.MethodsIn this study, the epidemiological questionnaire information was collected from 226 female breast cancer endocrine treatment patients who visited the Breast Clinic of Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine from November 2020 to February 2022, and the results of the overall cognitive function, the function test of each cognitive domain, the patient’s self-cognition, quality of life, and emotional status evaluation of the patients. In this study, according to the principle of random matching, the nearest matching method with a matching tolerance of 0.2 and a matching ratio of 1:2 was used for orientation score matching. After the covariant such as age, BMI, and duration of education were balanced, the effects of the duration of endocrine therapy on the overall cognitive function and the functions of each cognitive domain were analyzed.ResultsIn 226 cases of female breast cancer patients (who went through) the endocrine therapy, the propensity score matching was performed, ultimately, 99 were ruled out, successful matched ones were 49 of the cognition-decline group and 78 of the standard group. With age, education time, BMI and other covariates balanced, the endocrine therapy duration was the risk factor of the cognition impairment (P < 0.05, OR = 1.296, 95% CI = 1.008−1.665), with the extension of endocrine treatment time, there was a rising risk of the cognition impairment (LLA statistic = 5.872, P < 0.05). The cognitive domain scores in the cognition-decline group were lower than the standard group (P < 0.05), but there was a difference in self-report cognition.ConclusionThe endocrine therapy duration was the risk factor for the cognition impairment of the breast cancer patients, and with prolonged endocrine treatment, there was a rising (an increasing) risk for the cognition impairment.

This study aimed to better understand the relationship between the street environment and walking behavior by deciphering the pedestrians' street environment preference based on their route choice behavior while walking. The route data of 219 residents were collected using an unobtrusive tracking method and subjected to binary logistic regression models to analyze the pedestrian route choice behavior. The results revealed that except for the walking distance, the trip purpose and travel status are the potential factors influencing the route choice of pedestrians. Furthermore, it was revealed that on-street parking, garbage bins, and streetlights could influence the pedestrians to select longer distance routes. In addition, pedestrians were more likely to select the shortest distance route when they were engaged in leisure activities with an accompanist. The findings of this study would offer insights, from different perspectives, into the micro-scale street environment and the walking behavior of pedestrians.

Heparin (HP) is a polysaccharide that is widely used in the clinic as an anticoagulant. A major side effect associated with HP is the heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), which is initiated by the immune response to complex formed by HP and platelet factor 4 (PF4). Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) are the depolymerized version of HP, which have reduced risks of inducing HIT. However, it is still necessary to evaluate the immunogenicity of LMWHs to ensure their drug safety. Since HIT involves very complicated processes, the evaluation of HP and LMWH immunogenicity requires experiments from multiple aspects, of which the binding affinity between HP and PF4 is a key property to be monitored. Herein, we developed a novel competitive biolayer interferometry (BLI) method to investigate the binding affinity between HP and PF4. The influence of different domains in HP on its immunogenicity was compared for better understanding of the molecular mechanism of HP immunogenicity. Furthermore, the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of HP and LMWH can be measured by competitive combination, which is important for the quality control during the developing and manufacturing of HP and LMWH drugs.

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers. The role of autophagy in the pathobiology of CRC is intricate, with opposing functions manifested in different cellular contexts. The Yes-associated protein (YAP), a transcriptional coactivator inactivated by the Hippo tumor-suppressor pathway, functions as an oncoprotein in a variety of cancers. In this study, we found that YAP could negatively regulate autophagy in CRC cells, and consequently, promote tumor progression of CRC in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, YAP interacts with TEAD forming a complex to upregulate the transcription of the apoptosis-inhibitory protein Bcl-2, which may subsequently facilitate cell survival by suppressing autophagy-related cell death; silencing Bcl-2 expression could alleviate YAP-induced autophagy inhibition without affecting YAP expression. Collectively, our data provide evidence for YAP/Bcl-2 as a potential therapeutic target for drug exploration against CRC.

Bone marrow involvement (BMI) of solid tumors is a special type of distant metastasis. It has an occult onset, atypical clinical and laboratory features, and a high mortality. We present a nasopharyngeal carcinoma case with cervical and axillary lymph nodes, bilateral lung, multiple bone, and bone marrow metastases, who was treated chemotherapy plus targeted therapy under the guidance of a patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model, followed by maintenance chemotherapy plus immunotherapy. The patient’s symptoms were relieved after four cycles of chemotherapy plus targeted therapy. His bone marrow biopsy turned negative after 7 months of therapy. In addition, his total peripheral T cells as well as the proportion of CD8+ T cells increased during the course of therapy. The combination of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy provides an effective antitumor regimen for advanced NPC patients with BMI.

To better comprehend the relationship between the environment and walking, this study developed a conceptual framework that explained the association between the street environment and the route choice behavior of pedestrians. We collected the route choice data of 219 residents of the Chunliu community in Dalian and used a conditional Logit model to analyze the factors influencing route choice behavior to explain how the street environment affected pedestrians' walking habits and induced them to choose longer or more complicated routes for their activities. We found that sidewalk and driveway width, garbage bins, green spaces, the characteristics of street walls, the proportion of facilities could influence pedestrians' walking habits and compel them to choose longer and more complex routes. This study would provide new insights into walking characteristics and offer policy recommendations to the government on improving the street environment.

The aggregation of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) is one potential cause for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Heparin can either promote or inhibit Aβ aggregation. The sulfation pattern and chain size determine its binding affinity and its role. Using 2D-NMR analysis and molecular modelling, the binding motif of heparin oligoaccharides to Aβ was determined to be HexA-GlcNS-IdoA2S-GlcNS6S. Iduronic acid epimerization and 6-O-sulfation are key factors for the binding affinity, while 3-O-sulfation of Arixtra (heparin pentasaccharide) is not involved in the binding to Aβ. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) was used to study the glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-peptide complex and identified V12HHQKL17 as the binding site of GAG at Aβ. Furthermore, an MTT assay was applied to evaluate the anti-Aβ fibril formation function of heparin tetrasaccharide, and indicated that the heparin tetrasaccharide with the defined sequence represents a promising inhibitor of Aβ aggregation.

Background: Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is a characterized component in red ginseng widely used in Korea and China. GRh2 exhibits a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. However, its effects on Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection have not been clarified yet. Methods: The effect of GRh2 against T. gondii was assessed under in vitro and in vivo experiments. The BV2 cells were infected with tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain, and the effects of GRh2 were evaluated by MTT assay, morphological observations, immunofluorescence staining, a trypan blue exclusion assay, reverse transcription PCR, and Western blot analyses. The in vivo experiment was conducted with BALB/c mice inoculated with lethal amounts of tachyzoites with or without GRh2 treatment. Results and conclusion: The GRh2 treatment significantly inhibited the proliferation of T. gondii under in vitro and in vivo studies. Furthermore, GRh2 blocked the activation of microglia and specifically decreased the release of inflammatory mediators in response to T. gondii infection through TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. In mice, GRh2 conferred modest protection from a lethal dose of T. gondii. After the treatment, the proliferation of tachyzoites in the peritoneal cavity of infected mice markedly decreased. Moreover, GRh2 also significantly decreased the T. gondii burden in mouse brain tissues. These findings indicate that GRh2 exhibits an anti–T. gondii effect and inhibits the microglial activation through TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, providing the basic pharmacological basis for the development of new drugs to treat toxoplasmic encephalitis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges for working conditions for scientists, but little is known for how the associations of these challenges with scientists' mental health and productivity differ by sex and status as a parent. This online survey study in six languages collected data from 4,494 scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine fields across 132 countries during October-December 2021. We compared the type of challenges for work, changes in work hours, and perception in productivity during the pandemic by sex and status as a parent (children

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work–life balance may be unequal between female and male scientists. Further information is needed regarding whether the working conditions and career satisfaction for women and racialized scientists are disproportionately affected by the pandemic. This online survey collected data from 1171 scientists in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and medicine (STEMM), public health, or other areas of science/engineering working in the US to examine potential disparities in changes in work hours and career satisfaction by gender and race/ethnicity. A significantly higher percentage of women reported increased work hours compared to men. Women, especially racialized women, experienced disproportionately higher increases in teaching and service than the other groups, which contributed to the increased total work hours for women. Satisfaction with the current career progress was lowest for racialized women compared to their counterparts. Our results indicate that the pandemic has inequitably affected allocation of workloads and career satisfaction by gender and race in scientific fields. Institutions of higher education and other research organizations should acknowledge the gender/race differences in science before and during the pandemic to better support the career development and achievement of all scientists, especially women and even more so racialized women.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common gynecological endocrine disease, involving multiple genes, multiple pathways, and complex hormone secretion processes. Hence, the pathogenesis of PCOS cannot be explained by a single factor. Omics analysis includes genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, which are fast and effective methods for studying the pathogenesis of diseases. PCOS is primarily characterized by androgen excess, and reproductive and metabolic dysfunctions. The application of omics analysis in the body fluids, blood, cells or tissues of women with PCOS offers the potential for unexpected molecular advantages in explaining new mechanisms of PCOS etiology and pathophysiology, and provides new perspectives for identifying potential biomarkers and developing new therapeutic targets. At present, several omics analyses have been applied to produce complex datasets. In this manuscript, the recent advances in omics research on PCOS are summarized, aiming at an important and parallel review of the newly published research.

PurposeThis study aimed to elucidate the prognostic significance of a novel inflammation-joined and nutrition-related clinicopathological marker for colorectal cancer (CRC).MethodsVarious factors from preoperative fasting blood samples from 2471 patients with CRC were retrospectively analyzed. Factors related to prognosis were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to generate survival curves, while the log-rank test was used to measure survival differences between groups.ResultsUnivariate analysis revealed that C-reactive protein (CRP)/mean corpuscular volume (MCV) ratio, TNM stage, differentiation, right-sided tumor, age, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, and CRP level were significantly associated with poor prognosis in CRC. In contrast, adjuvant chemotherapy is regarded as a protective factor. Elevation of CRP/MCV ratio (odds ratio [OR]: 1.535, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.121–2.104, P = 0.008), TNM stage (OR: 2.747, 95% CI: 2.175–3.469, P < 0.001), and differentiation (OR, 1.384; 95% CI, 1.150–1.666; P = 0.001) were prognostic risk factors in the multivariate analyses. Subgroup analysis showed that CRP/MCV, TNM staging system, and differentiation also independently affected survival in patients with lymph node-positive CRC. The nomogram based on these three indicators showed that CRP/MCV had a greater prognostic value and clinical significance for lymph node-positive patients with poorly differentiated tumors at the late stage.ConclusionA novel nomogram using the clinicopathologic index of inflammation and nutrition was constructed to predict the prognosis of CRC. Early interventions should be emphasized for advanced-stage patients with severe inflammation and poor nutritional status.

Developing an interculturally competent STEM workforce is the need of time. Research has demonstrated that STEM students find it challenging to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds. This study used Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) instrument to understand the intercultural learning gains of technology students by administrating the survey in the program's first year and final year. The data were analyzed using multivariate statistics to assess the intercultural learning gains of the students. The study results indicate that students demonstrated a statistically significant increase in intercultural competence as they progressed from their first year to their final year of college. The study also indicated that having an intercultural mindset and participating in intercultural activities such as study abroad programs or intercultural mentoring can help students internalize intercultural competence and make meaningful gains on the intercultural development continuum. The study also provides recommendations to help students develop interculturally.

A keloid (KD) is a benign dermal fibrotic tumor. Treatment of KDs is challenging and the recurrence rate is high; thus, there is an unmet need to explore new target sites and new treatment methods. As a tumor-associated cytokine, autocrine motility factor (AMF) can effectively stimulate the random and directional movement of cells. We first found that AMF was overexpressed in keloid fibroblasts (KFs) and the proliferation and migration of KFs were promoted by AMF stimulation. After treatment with Y-27632, RhoA kinase inhibitor, the proliferation and migration capacity of KFs declined significantly, and type I collagen protein, active RhoA and ROCK1 also were downregulated. In addition, a KD transplantation model was established under the skin of nude mice, with KD intramural injection AMF siRNA, we found that the weight of the KD was smaller than in the control group (P

A power transformer is one of the most critical and expensive assets in electric power systems. Failure of a power transformer would not only result in a downtime to the entire transmission and distribution networks but may also cause personnel and environmental hazards due to oil leak and fire. Hence, to enhance a transformer’s reliability and extend its lifespan, a cost-effective and reliable condition monitoring technique should be adopted from day one of its installation. This will help detect incipient faults, extend a transformer’s operational life, and avoid potential consequences. With the global trend to establish digital substation automation systems, transformer online condition monitoring has been given much attention by utilities and researchers alike. Several online and offline condition monitoring techniques have been recently proposed for oil-immersed power transformers. This paper is aimed at providing a state-of-the-art review for the various condition monitoring technologies used for oil-immersed power transformers. Concept of measurements and analysis of the results along with the future trend of condition monitoring techniques are presented.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) constitute a considerable fraction of the glycoconjugates found on cellular membranes and in the extracellular matrix of virtually all mammalian tissues. The essential role of GAG-protein interactions in the regulation of physiological processes has been recognized for decades. However, the underlying molecular basis of these interactions has only emerged since 1990s. The binding specificity of GAGs is encoded in their primary structures, but ultimately depends on how their functional groups are presented to a protein in the three-dimensional space. This review focuses on the application of NMR spectroscopy on the characterization of the GAG-protein interactions. Examples of interpretation of the complex mechanism and characterization of structural motifs involved in the GAG-protein interactions are given. Selected families of GAG-binding proteins investigated using NMR are also described.

BackgroundTo compare laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy (LPG) and laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) with regard to outcomes, including efficacy and safety, in patients with proximal gastric cancer.MethodsOriginal English-language articles comparing LPG and LTG for proximal gastric cancer up to November 2019 were systematically searched in the Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Knowledge, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases by two independent reviewers. Our main endpoints were surgery-related features (operation time, blood loss, harvested lymph nodes, and postoperative hospital stay), postoperative complications (anastomotic leakage, anastomotic bleeding, anastomotic stenosis, and reflux esophagitis), and oncologic outcomes (5-year overall survival and recurrent cancer).ResultsFourteen studies including a total of 1,282 cases (510 LPG and 772 LTG) were enrolled. Fewer lymph nodes were harvested (WMD = −13.33, 95% CI: −15.66 to −11.00, P < 0.00001) and more postoperative anastomotic stenosis (OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.21 to 3.39, P = 0.007) observed in LPG than LTG. There were no significant differences in other explored parameters between the two methods. However, based on a subgroup analysis of digestive tract reconstruction, LPG with esophagogastrostomy (LPG-EG) had shorter operative time (WMD = −42.51, 95% CI: −58.99 to −26.03, P < 0.00001), less intraoperative blood loss (WMD = −79.52, 95% CI: −116.63 to −42.41, P < 0.0001), and more reflux esophagitis (OR = 3.92, 95% CI: 1.56 to 9.83, P = 0.004) than was observed for LTG. There was no difference between LPG performed with the double tract anastomosis/double-flap technique (DT/DFT) and LTG.ConclusionLPG can be performed as an alternative to LTG for proximal gastric cancer, especially LPG-DT/DFT, with comparable safety and efficacy.

Background: After achieving a clinical complete response through neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, a nonoperative management approach for rectal cancer patients known as Wait and Watch (W&W) has gained increasing attention. However, the W&W strategy has been related to higher local recurrence and ambiguous long-term survival. This meta-analysis compared key prognosis indicators between W&W and surgical treatment in an effort to clarify some long-standing points of confusion. Methods: Pubmed, Web of Science, EMbase, Cochrane Library were searched for relevant researches comparing W&W with surgery treatment, with a time criteria set from 1 January 2002 to 4 July 2019. Endpoints were 2-year local regrowth/recurrence, 2-year distant metastasis (plus local regrowth/recurrence), 3- and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Results: In total, nine studies with 801 patients were enrolled, of which 348 were managed by W&W and 453 by surgery. Surgery patients were further divided into a pathological complete response (pCR) group (all included patients achieved pCR) and a surgery group (consisting of both pCR and non-pCR patients without deliberate screening). Compared with the surgery group, W&W patients have higher 3- and 5-year OS, and are not inferior on 2-year local regrowth (LR), 2-year distant metastasis (DM)/DM+LR, and 3- and 5-year DFS. On the other hand, compared with the pCR group, the W&W group is inferior on 2-year LR, 3- and 5-year DFS, and 5-year OS, and not inferior on 2-year DM/DM+LR and 3-year OS. Conclusions: In contrast with patients undergoing surgical treatment, the W&W group has higher 3- and 5-year OS, and is not inferior on other major prognostic indicators, which, however, is based on the fact that the tumor stage in the W&W group is generally earlier. Versus surgically treated patients who acquired pCR, W&W group is inferior on all major prognostic indicators except 2-year DM/DM+LR and 3-year OS. Additionally, by comparison of cCR definitions across different studies, we conclude that implementation of the strictest cCR criteria is critical for W&W patients to acquire maximum prognostic benefit.

PURPOSE: To analyze articles published in the Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing from 2013 to 2017 to determine the latest research trends and understand how 2013 Korea Women's Health Statistics were reflected in journal articles. METHODS: A total of 130 studies were analyzed. Research design, types of research, research framework, research subjects, characteristics of quantitative research, characteristics of qualitative research, and keywords were analyzed using a structured analysis format. RESULTS: Quantitative and qualitative research accounted for 83.8% and 13% of these 130 studies analyzed, respectively. Non-experimental and experimental research accounted for 70.7% and 13.1% of these studies, respectively. The most frequent study subjects were childbearing women (62.8%), including college students, mothers, and adults. A total of 69.1% of non-experimental research and 88.2% of experimental research used convenience sampling. Questionnaires were most frequently used for data collection. The most frequent keyword domain involved health-related concepts (41%) among nine domains and the most frequently used keyword was “women.” CONCLUSION: This study suggest that further experimental research should be conducted in the future. Also, adolescent and the elderly women should be focused on as subjects in future studies based on results of 2013 Korean Women's Health Statistics.

Scholars suggest that study abroad programs must intentionally design and implement intercultural intervention for students' growth. This study used a mixed-method approach to examine the effectiveness of an online curriculum designed to facilitate the intercultural competence development of semester abroad students. Three theories informed the curricular design and study: the Intercultural Development Continuum, the Intercultural Praxis Model, and the Intercultural Knowledge and Competence VALUE rubric. Using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) distributed before and after the study abroad experience, the study analyzed data sets for a treatment group with 110 students and a control group with 88 students. The results demonstrated that students in the treatment group achieved a statistically significant higher level of meaningful gains in their IDI scores from pre- to post-test compared to the control group. In addition, students described their growth in specific competencies. These findings contribute to study abroad literature by assessing a theoretically grounded online curriculum rooted in intercultural theories so as to suggest best practices in group mentoring, stage-based pedagogy, and critical reflection for intercultural competence development during a study abroad program.

The language concerning traditional arts and crafts is increasingly applied in modern fashion designing, which has become the important design ideas by focusing on the traditions. By elaborating the recognition of traditional arts and crafts, its diversified emerges in fashion arts including its classification s, materials, production methods, design methods and the diversity of design themes, the author discusses the creative application by combining the traditional arts and crafts and the modern fashion design and artistry. By explaining the traditional culture and analyzing its applications, the author explores the innovative application of traditional arts and crafts in the industry of modern fashion arts. The terminal aim is to link up the traditions and fashion, protect and inherit China’s traditional arts and crafts, promote modern fashion brands and extend the cultural connotation of fashion brands.

Intercultural competence (IC) has been identified as a crucial outcome of world language education. The purpose of the study is to compare possible differences in IC development between face-to-face and asynchronous virtual modes of delivery that were taken as emergency measures early in the COVID-19 pandemic for a beginning Italian course with 18- to 22-year-old students. The American Association of Colleges & Universities Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education Rubric serves as a theoretical framework to determine learning outcomes and guide qualitative assessment. Applying a mixed-methods approach, the study collects quantitative data using the Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Short Scale and qualitative data from student reflection assignments for both face-to-face (2019) and asynchronous virtual (2020) courses. A comparison of IC development between the two cohorts shows similar achievement of intercultural learning in both modes. Implications for IC development in language classrooms are discussed.

Background: We undertook a randomized controlled trial to ascertain if single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) was more beneficial for reducing postoperative pain than traditional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (TLC). Moreover, the influencing factors of SILC were analyzed. Methods: A total of 552 patients with symptomatic gallstones or polyps were allocated randomly to undergo SILC (n = 138) or TLC (n = 414). Data on postoperative pain score, operative time, complications, procedure conversion, and hospital costs were collected. After a 6-month follow-up, all data were analyzed using the intention-to-treat principle. Results: Among SILC group, 4 (2.9%) cases required conversion to TLC. Mean operative time of SILC was significantly longer than that of TLC (58.97 ± 21.56 vs. 43.38 ± 19.02 min, P < 0.001). The two groups showed no significant differences in analgesic dose, duration of hospital stay, or cost. Median pain scores were similar between the two groups 7 days after surgery, but SILC-treated patients had a significantly lower median pain score 6 h after surgery (10-point scale: 3 [2, 4] vs. 4 [3, 5], P = 0.009). Importantly, subgroup analyses of operative time for SILC showed that a longer operative time was associated with greater prevalence of pain score >5 (≥100 min: 5/7 patients vs.

To establish area specific control strategy for ambient ozone in the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA), the maximum ozone concentration in each local government district in the SMA were estimated by using the OZone Isopleth Plotting Package for Research (OZIPR) model. The modeling period was June 2000 and the emission inventory data used were from National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER). Except the islands of Incheon, whole Seoul and Incheon areas were volatile organic compounds (VOCs) limited, i.e., decreasing the oxides of nitrogen (NOX) emission alone may increase the maximum ozone concentration upto certain point. In Gyeonggi, 12 areas were VOCs limited while 12 areas were in between VOCs limited and NOX limited, i.e., decreasing both NOX and VOCs emission may decrease the maximum ozone concentration. Majority of the estimated ozone values were lower than the measured values. The reason could be inaccuracy in emission inventories and/or transport from other areas. The same calculation was carried out for June 2004 and it was found that Seoul was still in the VOCs limited condition.