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Lin Xu,* Dongxu Zhao,* Pengcheng Tian,* Jiaan Ding,* Zhengyu Jiang, Guanyin Ni, Zhongheng Hou, Caifang Ni Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Caifang Ni, Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China, Email szncf@suda.edu.cn Zhongheng Hou, Department of Interventional Radiology, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou, People’s Republic of China, Email 1453713285@qq.comPurpose: We aimed to develop a prognostic nomogram utilizing preoperative serum prealbumin levels to predict the overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Patients and Methods: A total of 768 individuals with unresectable HCC who underwent TACE at three medical facilities in Suzhou between January 2007 December 2018 were included. The patient cohort was assigned to a training set (n = 461) and a validation set (n = 307). Cox regression analysis identified independent prognostic factors, which were then used to construct a prognostic nomogram. Internal validation was performed in the testing group, and its effectiveness and capability were evaluated with reference to the concordance index (C-index), area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).Results: Independent risk factors identified through Cox regression analyses included the BCLC stage, cirrhosis, invasion, tumor number, preoperative serum PALB, performance status (PS), and tumor size. The nomogram demonstrated a C-index of 0.734 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.710– 0.758) in the training set and 0.717 (95% CI: 0.678– 0.756) in the validation set, indicating strong discriminatory ability. The nomogram also demonstrated favorable discriminatory performance with AUC values of 0.873, 0.820, and 0.833 for 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS, respectively, in the training set, and 0.854, 0.765, and 0.724 in the validation set. The AUC value of the nomogram (0.843) was significantly higher than that of the four conventional staging systems. Moreover, calibration graphs confirmed a strong concordance between the predicted and observed results. Furthermore, DCA underscored the significant clinical utility of the nomogram. Additionally, the low-risk group exhibited considerably superior rates of survival compared to the high-risk group.Conclusion: The developed nomogram demonstrated excellent prognostic capability, which served as a valuable tool for personalized clinical decision-making for patients with HCC.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, nomogram, prealbumin, overall survival, prognosis

Large lakes and reservoirs play important roles in modulating regional hydrological cycles and climate; however, their representations in coupled models remain uncertain. The existing lake module in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) system (hereafter WRF-Lake), although widely used, did not accurately predict temperature profiles in deep lakes mainly due to its poor lake surface property parameterizations and underestimation of heat transfer between lake layers. We therefore revised WRF-Lake by improving its (1) numerical discretization scheme; (2) surface property parameterization; (3) diffusivity parameterization for deep lakes; and (4) convection scheme, the outcome of which became WRF-rLake (i.e., revised lake model). We evaluated the off-line WRF-rLake by comparing simulated and measured water temperature at the Nuozhadu Reservoir, a deep reservoir in southwestern China. WRF-rLake performs better than its predecessor by reducing the root-mean-square error (RMSE) against observed lake surface temperatures (LSTs) from 1.4 to 1.1gC and consistently improving simulated vertical temperature profiles. We also evaluated the sensitivity of simulated water temperature and surface energy fluxes to various modeled lake processes. We found (1) large changes in surface energy balance fluxes (up to 60Wm-2) associated with the improved surface property parameterization and (2) that the simulated lake thermal structure depends strongly on the light extinction coefficient and vertical diffusivity. Although currently only evaluated at the Nuozhadu Reservoir, we expect that these model parameterization and structural improvements could be general and therefore recommend further testing at other deep lakes and reservoirs..

Su Wan,1 Guantai Ni,1 Jin Ding,1 Yuansheng Huang2 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopedics, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yuansheng HuangDepartment of Orthopedics, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, No. 2 Zheshan West Road, Jinghu District, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 0553-5739999Fax +86 0553-5738279Email hys841123@163.comBackground: Cervical cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies in gynecology with increasing incidence in recent years. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to regulate human cancers including cervical cancer. F-box and leucine-rich repeat protein 19 antisense RNA 1 (FBXL19-AS1) have been unmasked to exert carcinogenic functions in several cancers except cervical cancer.Aim: Present study hammered at investigating the function and mechanism of FBXL19-AS1 in cervical cancer.Methods: RT-qPCR was utilized to test gene expression. EdU staining, colony formation, transwell, flow cytometry and TUNEL assays were applied for measuring the impact of FBXL19-AS1 on cervical cancer cell functions. Moreover, RIP, RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assays were utilized for detecting the correlations among FBXL19-AS1, miR-193a-5p and PIN1 (peptidylprolyl cis/trans isomerase, NIMA-interacting 1).Results: FBXL19-AS1 exhibited elevated expression in cervical cancer tissues and cells. Silencing FBXL19-AS1 repressed cell proliferation through arresting cell cycle and stimulating apoptosis, and losing FBXL19-AS1 also restrained cell migration and invasion. Also, we discovered FBXL19-AS1 as a miR-193a-5p sponge, while miR-193a-5p was a tumor inhibitor in cervical cancer. Further, PIN1 was proved as the miR-193a-5p target, and FBXL19-AS1 augmented PIN1 expression in cervical cancer via sequestering miR-193a-5p. Of note, PIN1 accelerated the progression of cervical cancer, and its upregulation counteracted the impacts of depleted FBXL19-AS1 on cervical cancer cell functions.Conclusion: FBXL19-AS1 contributes to malignant phenotypes in cervical cancer by sponging miR-193a-5p and regulating PIN1.Keywords: FBXL19-AS1, miR-193a-5p, PIN1, cervical cancer

Jing Wang,1 Guangxiao Ni,2 Yanming Liu,3 Ying Han,4 Lin Jia,5 Yali Wang1,6 1Department of Chinese Medicine Diagnostics, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, People’s Republic of China; 3College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Chinese Medicine, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050051, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Respiratory Diseases, Hebei Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, People’s Republic of China; 6College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yali WangDepartment of Chinese Medicine Diagnostics, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Luquan Xingyuan Road 3, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050200, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail lvyihongni1988@163.comPurpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of tanshinone IIA (TSA) on focal cerebral ischemia in rats and to investigate whether it was associated with Nogo-A/NgR1/RhoA/Rho-associated protein kinase 2 (ROCKII)/myosin light chain (MLC) signaling.Methods: In this study, focal cerebral ischemia animal model was used. Neurological deficit scores and infarction volume were investigated to evaluate the neuroprotection of TSA. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Nissl staining, and immunofluorescence staining were conducted to detect ischemic changes in brain tissue and changes in neurofilament protein 200 (NF200) and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) expression, respectively. Western blotting and qRT-PCR analyses were used to detect the expression levels of NF200, GAP-43 and Nogo-A/NgR1/RhoA/ROCKII/MLC pathway-related signaling molecules.Results: TSA treatment can improve the survival rate of rats, reduce the neurological score and infarct volume, and reduce neuron damage. In addition, TSA also increased axon length and enhanced expression of NF200 and GAP-43. Importantly, TSA significantly attenuated the expression of Nogo-A, NgR1, RhoA, ROCKII, and p-MLC, and thus inhibiting the activation of this signaling pathway.Conclusion: TSA promoted axonal regeneration by inhibiting the Nogo-A/NgR1/RhoA/ROCKII/MLC signaling pathway, thereby exerting neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia rats, which provided support for the clinical application of TSA in stroke treatment.Keywords: tanshinone IIA, cerebral ischemia, axonal regeneration, neuroprotective effect, neurite outgrowth inhibitor-A, Nogo receptor, Rho-associated protein kinase

Plasmon polaritons, or plasmons, are coupled oscillations of electrons and electromagnetic fields that can confine the latter into deeply subwavelength scales, enabling novel polaritonic devices. While plasmons have been extensively studied in normal metals or semimetals, they remain largely unexplored in correlated materials. In this paper, we report infrared (IR) nano-imaging of thin flakes of CsV3Sb5, a prototypical layered Kagome metal. We observe propagating plasmon waves in real-space with wavelengths tunable by the flake thickness. From their frequency-momentum dispersion, we infer the out-of-plane dielectric function ϵ c that is generally difficult to obtain in conventional far-field optics, and elucidate signatures of electronic correlations when compared to density functional theory (DFT). We propose correlation effects might have switched the real part of ϵ c from negative to positive values over a wide range of middle-IR frequencies, transforming the surface plasmons into hyperbolic bulk plasmons, and have dramatically suppressed their dissipation. Plasmons polaritons, or collective excitations of electrons and electromagnetic fields, have been rarely studied in layered correlated materials. Shiravi et al. report hyperbolic plasmon polaritons in thin flakes of the Kagome metal CsV3Sb5 and discuss correlation effects on their formation and tunability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chengcheng Zhu,1 Huafeng Ding,1 Junwen Yang,1 Yihui Zhou,1 Yonghong Luo,1 Suhua Shi,1 Ying Zhang,1 Yalan Wei,2 Guantai Ni1 1Departments of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Yi Jishan General Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 2Departments of Gynecology and Obstetrics, General Hospital of Wuhu Second People’s Hospital, Wuhu, Anhui, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Guantai Ni; Yalan WeiDepartments of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Yi Jishan General Hospital of Wannan Medical College, 2 Zheshan West Road, Wuhu, Anhui 241000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-138 5532 0259Email 12sunhl14@163.com; 603329457@qq.comIntroduction: Proline hydroxylase 2 (PHD2) is involved in tumorigenesis. This study aimed to examine PHD2 and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) expression in different endometrial tissues and explore the correlations between PHD2 and HIF-1α expression with clinicopathological characteristics of endometrial cancer.Methods: We collected 50 tissue sections of endometrial adenocarcinoma, 30 of atypical endometrial hyperplasia, and 30 of control normal endometrium. The expression of PHD2 was detected by PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical analysis.Results: PHD2 mRNA and protein levels reduced in endometrial cancer tissues compared to normal endometrium (p

Xin-chang Zhang, Hao Chen, Wen-tao Xu, Yang-yang Song, Ya-hui Gu, Guang-xia Ni The Second Clinical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China Purpose: Fibromyalgia (FM) can cause chronic widespread pain and seriously affect the quality of patient lives. Acupuncture therapy is widely used for pain management. However, the effect of acupuncture on FM is still uncertain. The aim of this review was to determine the effect and safety of acupuncture therapy on the pain intensity and quality of life in patients with FM.Materials and methods: We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for FM published before May 2018. A meta-analysis was performed according to the Cochrane systematic review method by using RevMan 5.3 software, and GRADE was used to evaluate the quality of the evidence.Results: We identified 12 RCTs that compared acupuncture therapy to sham acupuncture or conventional medication. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture was significantly better than sham acupuncture for relieving pain (MD =-1.04, 95% CI [-1.70, –0.38], P=0.002, I2=78%) and improving the quality of life (MD =-13.39, 95% CI [-21.69, –5.10], P=0.002, I2=82%), with low- to moderate-quality evidence in the short term. At follow-up in the long term, the effect of acupuncture was also superior to that of sham acupuncture. No serious adverse events were found during acupuncture.Conclusion: Acupuncture therapy is an effective and safe treatment for patients with FM, and this treatment can be recommended for the management of FM. Keywords: acupuncture, fibromyalgia, pain, quality of life, meta-analysis

Plasmon polaritons are hybrid excitations of light and mobile electrons that can confine the energy of long-wavelength radiation at the nanoscale. Plasmon polaritons may enable many enigmatic quantum effects, including lasing.sup.1, topological protection.sup.2,3 and dipole-forbidden absorption.sup.4. A necessary condition for realizing such phenomena is a long plasmonic lifetime, which is notoriously difficult to achieve for highly confined modes.sup.5. Plasmon polaritons in graphene--hybrids of Dirac quasiparticles and infrared photons--provide a platform for exploring light-matter interaction at the nanoscale.sup.6,7. However, plasmonic dissipation in graphene is substantial.sup.8 and its fundamental limits remain undetermined. Here we use nanometre-scale infrared imaging to investigate propagating plasmon polaritons in high-mobility encapsulated graphene at cryogenic temperatures. In this regime, the propagation of plasmon polaritons is primarily restricted by the dielectric losses of the encapsulated layers, with a minor contribution from electron-phonon interactions. At liquid-nitrogen temperatures, the intrinsic plasmonic propagation length can exceed 10 micrometres, or 50 plasmonic wavelengths, thus setting a record for highly confined and tunable polariton modes. Our nanoscale imaging results reveal the physics of plasmonic dissipation and will be instrumental in mitigating such losses in heterostructure engineering applications.The fundamental limits to plasmon damping in graphene are determined using nanoscale infrared imaging at cryogenic temperatures, and plasmon polaritons are observed to propagate over 10 micrometres in high-mobility encapsulated graphene., Author(s): G. X. Ni [sup.1] [sup.2] , A. S. McLeod [sup.1] [sup.2] , Z. Sun [sup.2] , L. Wang [sup.3] , L. Xiong [sup.1] [sup.2] , K. W. Post [sup.2] [...]

We report on the modulation of interlayer exchange coupling (IEC) between the ferromagnet (FM) Fe and insulating antiferromagnet (AFM) CoO and its impact on the Gilbert damping by a time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect technique. By inserting a wedge spin conductor Ag layer at the interface of Fe/CoO, it is revealed that both uniform spin precession frequency and Gilbert damping constant of Fe film decrease with increasing Ag thickness up to ∼2 nm, and above that with eliminated IEC, these two parameters reach the intrinsic values of the Fe film. The precession frequency and damping also show similar variation tendency with temperature for attenuated IEC. These results prove that the exchange coupling at the FM–AFM interface plays an essential role for the spin angular momentum transfer to the insulating AFM layer, and the spin pumping is insignificant even for the very thin spin conductor layer. Our findings may have general insights into the role of the FM/AFM interface in the magnetization dynamics and spin angular momentum transfer for future spintronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]