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Applications of Bayesian updating commonly treat soil parameters as random variables. A significant issue with this is that soil parameters are highly subjective. Therefore, using traditional parameter-based models, Bayesian analysis starts from a subjective prior and it is unclear how this may influence the overall results of a study. In this paper, Bayesian updating is combined with a data-driven method, known as CRACA (i.e., CReep And Consolidation Analysis), for predicting the settlement of embankments on soft soil. Importantly, the method directly ingests measured oedometer data and, therefore, avoids the subjectivity involved in parameter selection. Because parameters are not used, scaling factors are introduced that account uncertainty associated with the laboratory measurements and the automated interpretation process. These factors have an initial value of unity (returning the prior) and are updated in a Bayesian framework as settlement monitoring data are revealed over time to improve future forecasts. The model was applied to an embankment case history and was shown to result in a rapid improvement in the accuracy and a narrowing of the 95% confidence interval as settlement monitoring data are revealed to the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Flower buds of Anthurium andraeanum frequently cease to grow and abort during the early flowering stage, resulting in prolonged planting times and increased commercialization costs. Nevertheless, limited knowledge exists of the mechanism of flower development after initiation in A. andraeanum. Results: In this study, the measurement of carbohydrate flow and intensity between leaves and flowers during different growth stages showed that tender leaves are strong sinks and their concomitant flowers are weak ones. This suggested that the tender leaves compete with their concomitant flower buds for carbohydrates during the early growth stages, potentially causing the abortion of the flower buds. The analysis of transcriptomic differentially expressed genes suggested that genes related to sucrose metabolism and auxin response play an important role during flower bud development. Particularly, co-expression network analysis found that AaSPL12 is a hub gene engaged in flower development by collaborating carbohydrate and auxin signals. Yeast Two Hybrid assays revealed that AaSPL12 can interact with AaARP, a protein that serves as an indicator of dormancy. Additionally, the application of exogenous IAA and sucrose can suppress the expression of AaARP, augment the transcriptional abundance of AaSPL12, and consequently expedite flower development in Anthurium andraeanum. Conclusions: Collectively, our findings indicated that the combination of auxin and sugar signals could potentially suppress the repression of AaARP protein to AaSPL12, thus advancing the development of flower buds in Anthurium andraeanum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Flower buds of Anthurium andraeanum frequently cease to grow and abort during the early flowering stage, resulting in prolonged planting times and increased commercialization costs. Nevertheless, limited knowledge exists of the mechanism of flower development after initiation in A. andraeanum. Results: In this study, the measurement of carbohydrate flow and intensity between leaves and flowers during different growth stages showed that tender leaves are strong sinks and their concomitant flowers are weak ones. This suggested that the tender leaves compete with their concomitant flower buds for carbohydrates during the early growth stages, potentially causing the abortion of the flower buds. The analysis of transcriptomic differentially expressed genes suggested that genes related to sucrose metabolism and auxin response play an important role during flower bud development. Particularly, co-expression network analysis found that AaSPL12 is a hub gene engaged in flower development by collaborating carbohydrate and auxin signals. Yeast Two Hybrid assays revealed that AaSPL12 can interact with AaARP, a protein that serves as an indicator of dormancy. Additionally, the application of exogenous IAA and sucrose can suppress the expression of AaARP, augment the transcriptional abundance of AaSPL12, and consequently expedite flower development in Anthurium andraeanum. Conclusions: Collectively, our findings indicated that the combination of auxin and sugar signals could potentially suppress the repression of AaARP protein to AaSPL12, thus advancing the development of flower buds in Anthurium andraeanum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Leptobrachella, L. wumingensis sp. nov., was described from the Damingshan National Nature Reserve, Wuming District, Nanning City, Guangxi, China based on morphological, molecular and bioacoustic data. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S mtDNA fragments revealed that the new species is closely related to L. daming-shanensis. Uncorrected p-distances between the new species and all homologous DNA sequences available for the 16S gene of Leptobrachella are greater than 7.1%. Morphologically, L. wumingensis sp. nov. differs from its congeners in several ways, including a medium body size (SVL 26.0-26.7 mm in males, 30.6-34.8 mm in females), lack of toe webbing and lateral fringes, shagreened and granular dorsal surface, pale brown dorsum with darker brown markings, iris bicolored, with the upper half copper and fading to silver in the lower half, and the presence of small irregular black spots and tangerine tubercles on the flanks. Furthermore, we found the new species to have two types of advertisement calls and relatively high dominant frequencies, making it distinct from its congeners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the predominant mycotoxin that originated toxicity in broilers through oxidative damage, intestinal barrier dysfunction, reduced immune system and dysfunction of microorganisms and enzymes in target organs. The intestine is the first AFB1 target organ destroyed after the bird's body is induced. This review summarises the current knowledge of the negative results of AFB1‐induced intestinal damage on broiler production. It was conducted in accordance with the relevant studies in the cited literatures being retrieved from PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Web of Science. First, AFB1 can change the intestinal barrier function by destroying the intestinal architecture, tissue and cell integrity of the gut epithelium. Second, AFB1 can damage the immune barrier function of the gastrointestinal mucosa. Third, the microbiota of birds interacts closely with the ingested aflatoxin. Finally, because broilers are tremendously sensitive to AFB1 contamination, the poisonous and noxious effects of this mycotoxin in the broiler industry cause millions of dollars in losses every year. This review briefly discussed that the AFB1, which affects the intestines of broiler chickens, was reduced the immune apparatus, antioxidant protection system, gastric system, and broiler production status and its impact on human health. Therefore, this review will improve our perception of the important intestine in a bird's health and the adverse effect of AFB1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a world buffeted by chaos emanating from the power transition between the USA and China, the behaviour patterns of a rising power carry considerable significance. This article explains a rising power's choice of policies towards small states and why it adopts them. We then test the competing "power" and "culture" hypotheses by analysing asymmetric interactions during the "power transition" between the Turkic/Eastern Turkic Khanate and Sui-Tang China. The policies of Sui-Tang China towards Tuyuhun, Koguryo, and the Serindian oasis city-states confirm the materialist logic whereby it is the power balance between the major powers that determines a rising power's strategic tendency when confronting the hegemon and which, in turn, generates the overall approaches of its policies towards small countries. However, the most-similar sub-cases invalidate the cultural affinity hypothesis. The study undermines the Chinese exceptionalism argument through its provision of a causal chain connecting great-power relations and asymmetric relations. Our findings suggest that, prior to overtaking the USA, China will maintain a defensive posture towards the USA and adopt moderate policies towards lesser nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The DOHaD theory suggests that adverse environmental factors in early life may lead to the development of metabolic diseases including diabetes and hypertension in adult offspring through epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation. Folic acid (FA) is an important methyl donor in vivo and participates in DNA replication and methylation. The preliminary experimental results of our group demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 50 µg/kg/d) exposure during pregnancy could lead to glucose metabolism disorders in male offspring, but not female offspring; however, the effect of folic acid supplementation on glucose metabolism disorders in male offspring induced by LPS exposure remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, pregnant mice were exposed to LPS on gestational day (GD) 15–17 and were given three doses of FA supplementation (2 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, or 40 mg/kg) from mating to lactation to explore its effect on glucose metabolism in male offspring and the potential mechanism. This study confirmed that FA supplementation of 5 mg/kg in pregnant mice improved glucose metabolism in LPS-exposed offspring during pregnancy by regulating gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) is associated with poor prognosis in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors for LLNM and establish prediction models that could individually assessed the risk of LLNM. Methods: A total of 619 PTC patients were retrospectively analyzed in our study. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed for male and female patients, respectively, to assess relationships between clinicopathological features and LLNM. By integrating independent predictors selected by binary logistic regression modeling, preoperative and postoperative nomograms were developed to estimate the risk of LLNM. Results: LLNM was detected in 80 of 216 male patients. Of 403 female patients, 114 had LLNM. The preoperative nomogram of male patients included three clinical variables: the number of foci, tuner size, and echogenic foci. In addition to the above three variables, the postoperative nomogram of male patients included extrathyroidal extension (ETE) detected in surgery, central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and high-volume CLNM. The preoperative nomogram of female patients included the following variables: age, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT), BRAF V600E, the number of foci, tumor size and echogenic foci. Variables such as CLT, BRAF V600E, the number of foci, tumor size, ETE detected in surgery, CLNM, high-volume CLNM and central lymph node ratio were included in the postoperative nomogram. Above Nomograms show good discrimination. Conclusions: Considering the difference in the incidence rate of LLNM between men and women, a separate prediction system should be established for patients of different genders. These nomograms are helpful in promoting the risk stratification of PTC treatment decision-making and postoperative management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automobile flexible sheet metal parts are prone to produce non-negligible grasping deformation, and choosing an appropriate layout of grasping points is an important means to reduce the grasping deformation for sheet metal parts. It is challenging to optimize the layout of grasping points efficiently and accurately because of the large number of robot fingers due to a large size sheet part. In order to improve the optimization efficiency and reduce the computational cost, this paper proposes a two-stage optimization design method for the layout of grasping points based on GSA-Kriging surrogate model. First, the number of robot fingers and their feasible range are determined according to the stability of robotic grasping operation and the degree of deformation at different positions. Then, according to the position distribution of grasping points, they are divided into two stages for optimization. Finally, GSA-Kriging surrogate model and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) are used to find the optimal layout of grasping points. In this paper, the layout of grasping point optimization of a certain car door sheet part is utilized as a case to validate the proposed method and we have designed an experimental system to test the proposed grasp method on a curved sheet part. The result shows that the GSA-Kriging surrogate model is more accurate and more stable than Kriging and other surrogate models. At the same time, the two-stage optimization method improves the optimization efficiency while reducing the calculation cost and burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the effect of prosocial behaviours on Chinese undergraduate nursing students' subjective well‐being (SWB) and examine the roles of psychological resilience and coping styles. The sample for this study included 683 nursing students from two undergraduate universities in Henan Province, China. SWB, prosocial behaviours, psychological resilience, and coping styles were assessed by the Index of Well‐Being, the Prosocial Behavioural Tendency Scale, the Connor‐Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, respectively. We adopted Pearson's correlation analysis and the PROCESS Macro Model 81 in regression analysis to explore the relationships among prosocial behaviours, psychological resilience, coping styles, and SWB. Prosocial behaviours of undergraduate nursing students had a positive predictive effect on SWB; psychological resilience and coping styles both were the mediating variable between prosocial behaviours and undergraduate nursing students' SWB; psychological resilience and coping styles played a chain mediating role between the prosocial behaviours and SWB of undergraduate nursing students. The results indicated that prosocial behaviours not only directly affected the SWB of undergraduate nursing students but also affected the SWB of undergraduate nursing students via psychological resilience and coping styles. These results offer certain theoretical support and guidance for the research and improvement of undergraduate nursing students' SWB and emphasize the importance of interventions to increase prosocial behaviours, improve psychological resilience, promote positive coping styles, and address negative coping styles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Obesity increases risk of thyroid cancer. However, the association between obesity and the progression of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remains controversial. This retrospective study aimed to explore the relationship between obesity and regional patterns of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in PTC. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed data from 1015 patients with PTC. We calculated obese parameters, such as body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), and body surface area (BSA). Logistic regression models were used to assess associations between obese parameters and the rate of lymph node metastasis (LNM), number of LNM, pattern of LNM, and lymph node ratio (LNR). Results. Higher BMI was not associated with different regional patterns of LNM in PTC. In men with PTC, high BFP was an independent predictor of total LNM, central lymph node metastasis (CLNM), total lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM), multiple lateral lymph node metastasis, and simultaneous metastasis in lateral compartment. In addition, male patients with high BFP had higher central LNR and higher number of CLNM. For women, high BSA was an independent predictor of LLNM and level IV metastasis. Female patients with high BSA had higher number of CLNM. Conclusion. BFP and BSA, possibly influenced by gender, were positively associated with the number and risk of LNM in different regions of PTC patients. However, BMI was not the predictor for aggressiveness of PTC in terms of LNM. Clinical decision-making for regional LNM in PTC patients should consider the factor of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We numerically and theoretically investigated the elliptic and vortex solitons, and their dynamical stabilities in a magnetized dusty plasma. By using the Petviashvili method, a type of completely localized solitons, which are also confirmed analytically, is found numerically. Numerical results indicate that the amplitude is proportional to its velocity and inverse proportional to the nonlinear interaction strength. The linear stability analysis shows that these solitons are always linearly stable, which agrees well with the nonlinear dynamic evolution. Finally, we find that both elastic and inelastic collisions exist when two localized solitons collide. It is an elastic one when the collision occurs between a localized soliton and a stable line soliton. However, a series of localized solitons will be excited if a localized soliton and an unstable line soliton collide, suggesting that inelastic collisions also exist. This finding may be helpful to understand the nonlinear phenomena in magnetized dusty plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implantable ultrasonic energy harvesters that scavenge wireless mechanic energy from ultrasound own remarkable potential in advanced medical protocols for neuroprosthetics, wireless power, biosensor, etc. The main challenge for this kind of device is to achieve high‐efficiency energy conversion in a weak ultrasonic pressure field. Here, a multilayered piezoelectret with strain enhanced piezoelectricity by introducing a parallel‐connected air hole array in an interdielectric layer sandwiched between a pair of electrets for an efficient ultrasonic energy harvester is presented. This device delivers a remarkable peak output power around 13.13 mW and short‐circuits current around 2.2 mA when implanted into tissues at 5~10 mm under an ultrasonic probe setup at 25 mW cm−2, which is higher than the required power threshold of bioelectronic devices and current threshold of nerve stimulation. Furthermore, the feasibility of supplying power to implantable bioelectronics and working as neuroproteins for peripheral nerve stimulation are both demonstrated. It is anticipated that this highly efficient, easily fabricated, and biocompatible device will potentially enable applications for multifunctional and advanced implantable bioelectronics in the next generation of diagnosis and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The existence of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) causes tumor relapses, metastasis and resistance to conventional therapy in breast cancer. NDR1 kinase, a component of the Hippo pathway, plays important roles in multiple biological processes. However, its role in cancer stem cells has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of NDR1 in modulating BCSCs. Methods: The apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/Propidium Iodide staining and analyzed by flow cytometry. BCSCs were detected by CD24/44 or ALDEFLUOR staining and analyzed by flow cytometry. The proliferation ability of BCSCs was evaluated by sphere formation assay. The expression of interested proteins was detected by western blot analysis. The expression of HES-1 and c-MYC was detected by real-time PCR. Notch1 signaling activation was detected by luciferase reporter assay. Protein interaction was evaluated by immunoprecipitation. Protein degradation was evaluated by ubiquitination analysis. The clinical relevance of NDR1 was analyzed by Kaplan–Meier Plotter. Results: NDR1 regulates apoptosis and drug resistance in breast cancer cells. The upregulation of NDR1 increases CD24low/CD44high or ALDEFLUORhigh population and sphere-forming ability in SUM149 and MCF-7 cells, while downregulation of NDR1 induces opposite effects. NDR1 increased the expression of the Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD) and activated the transcription of its downstream target (HES-1 and c-MYC). Critically, both suppression of Notch pathway activation by DAPT treatment or downregulation of Notch1 expression by shRNA reverses NDR1 enhanced BCSC properties. Mechanically, NDR1 interactes with both NICD or Fbw7 in a kinase activity-independent manner. NDR1 reduces the proteolytic turnover of NICD by competing with Fbw7 for NICD binding, thereby leading to Notch pathway activation. Furthermore, NDR1 might function as a hub to modulate IL-6, TNF-α or Wnt3a induced activation of Notch1 signaling pathway and enrichment of breast cancer stem cells. Moreover, we find that the elevation of NDR1 expression predictes poor survival (OS, RFS, DMFS and PPS) in breast cancer. Conclusion: Our study revealed a novel function of NDR1 in regulating BCSC properties by activating the Notch pathway. These data might provide a potential strategy for eradicating BCSC to overcome tumor relapses, metastasis and drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propagation characteristics of obliquely incident terahertz waves in high-temperature magnetized plasma are studied by the scattering matrix method (SMM) and Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) method. Three cases of electron density distribution (uniform, double exponential, and Epstein distributions) are considered. Numerical simulation exhibits that the SMM can give out the nearly same results with the WKB method, which indicates that these two methods work very well for solving this problem. Through the analysis of the incident angle, we found that as the incident angle increases, it is not conducive to the transmission of left-handed circularly polarized (LCP) waves and right-handed circularly polarized (RCP) waves. When the incident angle increases to a certain value, the phenomenon of “total reflection” will appear. We also systematically calculated the influence of physical parameters such as electron density, collision frequency, plasma thickness, magnetic field strength, and electron temperature on the transmission characteristics. These theoretical results are helpful to alleviate “blackout” problem and improve communication quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injuries occurred in many pathological and surgical processes (e.g. thrombolytic therapy, organ transplantation, aortic cross-clamping, coronary angioplasty and cardiopulmonary bypass) and harmed multiple organs and tissues. Vitamin D is a well-known sterol hormone and a nutritional ingredient able to promote the deposit of calcium and regulate phosphorus metabolism in the body. In addition, vitamin D has therapeutic effects on some diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, neurological diseases, multiple sclerosis and inflammation). Studies showed that vitamin D3 was closely related with I/R injury occurrences in heart, brain, spine, liver, kidney, and ovary. The literature searching was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and SCOPUS from inception to 20 September 2021. Data showed that supplements with vitamin D3 can remarkably attenuate I/R injuries. This paper reviewed recent progresses of vitamin D3 preventing I/R injuries in clinical investigations and animal tests to enlighten future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNAi is an effective tool for gene function analysis and a promising strategy to provide environmentally friendly control approaches for pathogens and pests. Recent studies support the utility of bacterium-mediated RNAi as a cost-effective method for gene function study and a suitable externally applied delivery mechanism for pest control. Here, we developed a bacterium-mediated RNAi system in Spodoptera frugiperda based on four target genes, specifically, Chitinase (Sf -CHI), Chitin synthase B (Sf -CHSB), Sugar transporter SWEET1 (Sf -ST), and Hemolin (Sf -HEM). RNAi conducted by feeding larvae with bacteria expressing dsRNAs of target genes or injecting pupae and adults with bacterially synthesized dsRNA induced silencing of target genes and resulted in significant negative effects on growth and survival of S. frugiperda. However, RNAi efficiency and effects were variable among different target genes and dsRNA delivery methods. Injection of pupae with dsCHI and dsCHSB induced a significant increase in wing malformation in adults, suggesting that precise regulation of chitin digestion and synthesis is crucial during wing formation. Injection of female moths with dsHEM resulted in lower mating, fecundity, and egg hatching, signifying a critical role of Sf -HEM in the process of egg production and/or embryo development. Our collective results demonstrate that bacterium-mediated RNAi presents an alternative technique for gene function study in S. frugiperda and a potentially effective strategy for control of this pest, and that Sf -CHI, Sf -CHSB, Sf -ST, and Sf -HEM encoding genes can be potent targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to use umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) loaded with graphene oxide (GO) granular lubricant to treat knee osteoarthritis (KOA) animal models and to analyze their effect on cytokine levels in the articular cavity. Methods: Twenty-four New Zealand rabbit models of KOA were established by the modified Hulth and cartilage injury method, and they were assigned to the blank group, the GO group, the UCMSC group, and the GO + UCMSC group, each group containing six animal models. The GO and UCMSC groups were treated by a single intra-articular injection. The treatment was started one month after surgical modeling, and the observation period was eight weeks. The expression levels of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), glycosaminoglycan (GAG), and collagen-II (COL-II) in serum and articular fluid after treatment were compared to analyze the efficacy. Results: The GO granular lubricant caused no significant improvement in the intra-articular environment of the knee joint, and UCMSCs caused a certain degree of improvement in the inflammatory environment. The improvement results of NO, IL-6, TNF-α, GAG, and COL-II were the best in the GO + UCMSC group, but the improvement results of inflammatory cytokine levels in serum and articular fluid were not consistent, especially the differences in NO, IL-6, and TNF-α were greater. Conclusion: UCMSCs loaded with the GO granular lubricant can reduce the inflammatory level and improve the level of biochemical environment in the articular cavity, and thus promote cartilage repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), such as hookworm, roundworm and whipworm, and food-borne trematodiases, including Clonorchis sinensis, remain a public health problem worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Objective: We aimed to determine the current prevalence of these parasites in Guangxi, China, which is located in a subtropical region. Methods: A cross-sectional study and a 4-year longitudinal surveillance study were carried out. Stool samples were collected and examined microscopically for parasite eggs using the modified Kato-Katz thick smear method. Results: The study subjects selected using stratified random cluster sampling for the cross-sectional study and longitudinal surveillance study numbered 15,683 and 24,429, respectively. In the cross-sectional study, hookworm, roundworm, whipworm, pinworm, C. sinensis, and tapeworm were found. The total prevalence of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) was 6.4% (95% CI, 6.0-6.8). The prevalences of C. sinensis, hookworm, roundworm, whipworm, and pinworm were 10.6%, 4.2%, 0.3%, 0.3%, and 1.8%, respectively. The prevalence of C. sinensis in males (14.0%, 95% CI, 13.3-14.8) was significantly higher than in females (7.2%, 95% CI, 6.7-7.8) (P = 0.0001). The prevalence also was significantly higher in the medical worker group (20.8%, 95% CI, 12.9-28.7) than in all other occupational groups (10.5%, 95% CI, 10.0-11.0) (P = 0.0001). The prevalence of hookworm in females (5.3%, 95% CI, 4.8-5.8) was significantly higher than in males (3.0%, 95% CI, 2.6-3.3) (P = 0.0001). In the longitudinal surveillance study, the prevalence of C. sinensis and STHs in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 were 12.0%, 6.0%, 11.0%, and 10.0% and 2.6%, 2.8%, 1.5%, and 1.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Adult male and occupation of and medical workers are risk factors for infection with C. sinensis and hookworm. The prevalence rate of C. sinensis remains high while those of the other STHs are decreasing, suggesting that enhanced health education should be focused on C. sinensis in Guangxi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the significance of tumor number on clinicopathologic factors and outcomes of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 667 patients with PTC. We compared clinicopathologic features of patients with a different tumor number. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze risk factors of recurrence.Results: In papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), the increase in the number of tumor foci was related to a higher risk of minimal extrathyroidal extension (ETE) and lymphovascular invasion (P < .05). Patients with PTMC with four or more foci had a significantly higher risk of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and lateral lymph node metastasis (LLNM) than patients with solitary tumors (P < .05). Patients with macro-PTC with four or more foci and with three foci had a higher risk of gross ETE and lymphovascular invasion than patients with solitary tumors (P < .05). The increase in the tumor number was related to a higher risk of CLNM in macro-PTC (P < .05). The number of foci was the independent predictor of recurrence in patients with macro-PTC (P < .05).Conclusions: An increase in the number of tumors was associated with an increased risk of aggressive clinicopathologic features in PTMC and macro-PTC. The number of tumor foci could influence risk of recurrence in macro-PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-clinical testing of small molecules for therapeutic development across many pathologies relies on the use of in-vitro and in-vivo models. When designed and implemented well, these models serve to predict the clinical outcome as well as the toxicity of the evaluated therapies. The two-dimensional (2D) reductionist approach where cells are incubated in a mono-layer on hard plastic microtiter plates is relatively inexpensive but not physiologically relevant. In contrast, well developed and applied three dimensional (3D) in vitro models could be employed to bridge the gap between 2D in vitro primary screening and expensive in vivo rodent models by incorporating key features of the tissue microenvironment to explore differentiation, cortical development, cancers and various neuronal dysfunctions. These features include an extracellular matrix, co-culture, tension and perfusion and could replace several hundred rodents in the drug screening validation cascade. Human neural progenitor cells from middle brain (ReN VM, Merck Millipore, UK) were expanded as instructed by the supplier (Merck Millipore, UK), and then seeded in 96-well low-attachment plates (Corning, UK) to form multicellular spheroids followed by adding a Matrigel layer to mimic extracellular matrix around neural stem cell niche. ReN VM cells were then differentiated via EGF and bFGF deprivation for 7 days and were imaged at day 7. Radiotherapy was mimicked via gamma-radiation at 2Gy in the absence and presence of selected DYRK1A inhibitors Harmine, INDY and Leucettine 41 (L41). Cell viability was measured by AlamarBlue assay. Immunofluorescence staining was used to assess cell pluripotency marker SOX2 and differentiation marker GFAP. After 7 days of differentiation, neuron early differentiation marker (GFAP, red) started to be expressed among the cells expressing neural stem cell marker SOX2 (green). Radiation treatment caused significant morphology change including the reduced viability of the spheroids. These spheroids also revealed sensitizing potential of DYRK1A inhibitors tested in this study, including Harmine, INDY and L41. Combined with the benefit of greatly reducing the issues associated with in vivo rodent models, including reducing numbers of animals used in a drug screening cascade, cost, ethics, and potential animal welfare burden, we feel the well-developed and applied 3D neural spheroid model presented in this study will provide a crucial tool to evaluate combinatorial therapies, optimal drug concentrations and treatment dosages. Image 1 • A minimised 3D in vitro models based on neural progenitor cell line ReN VM, with morphology features distinct from 2D culture. • Applying the 3D ReN VM spheroid model to reveal the radio-sensitizing potential of three representative DYRK1A (dual specificity tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A) inhibitors. • The 3Rs for animals in research potential of the 3D model contributing to the emerging challenges in neurotoxicity evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the genus Leptobrachella, L. guinanensis sp. nov., is described in this study based on morphological, molecular, and bioacoustic data. The species was discovered in the Shiwandashan National Nature Reserve in Shangsi County, Guangxi, China. Phylogenetically, L. guinanensis sp. nov. is closely related to L. ventripunctata. However, there are distinct morphological differences between L. guinanensis sp. nov. and L. ventripunctata, as well as three other sympatric species (L. shangsiensis, L. shiwandashanensis, and L. sungi). These differences include body size (SVL 30.5–32.5 mm in males; 38.7–41.8 mm in females in the new species vs 25.5–28.0 mm in males, 31.5–35.0 mm in females in L. ventripunctata), the absence of brown spots on the ventral surface (vs chest and belly creamy white with many scattered brown spots in L. ventripunctata), 1/3 toe webbing and wide toe lateral fringes (vs no toe webbing and no lateral fringes in L. ventripunctata), and distinct dermal ridges under toes (vs absent in L. ventripunctata). Furthermore, the dominant vocal frequencies of the new species range from 7.3 to 8.3 kHz, which is unique compared to other Leptobrachella species and represents the highest dominant frequencies ever recorded. The Shiwandashan National Nature Reserve is now home to four known sympatric species of Leptobrachella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The status of central lymph nodes is crucial for determining the surgical approach to papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Because of the differences between genders in central lymph node metastasis (CLNM), we aimed to construct separate predictive models for CLNM according to gender. Methods: In our study, a total of 1258 PTC patients who underwent thyroid cancer surgery from September 2021 to March 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. The data were analysed univariately and multivariately using SPSS software grouped according to gender and nomograms of CLNM were plotted using R software. The variables included in this study were sex, Age, body mass index, Diabetes, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLT), Suspicious central lymph node (SCLN), A/T, Margin, Microcalcification (MC), BRAF, Number, Location, CLNM. Results: The preoperative nomogram in male patients included four clinical variables: CLT, Margin, Number, Size. The preoperative nomogram of female patients included six clinical variables: Age, SCLN, Margin, MC, Number, Size. The calibration curves showed great agreement in both the training group and the validation group. The decision curve analysis showed the feasibility of nomogram in predicting CLNM in both man and woman. Conclusion: Based on the successful establishment of nomogram, we can analyze the variability of CLNM between male and female, which may provide clinicians with personalized clinical schemes in the treatment of PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Many patients taking risperidone for the treatment of psychiatric disorders experience substantial body weight gain. Researchers have speculated that risperidone induces obesity by modulating central signals; however, the precise central mechanisms involved remain to be fully elucidated. Methods: Twenty‐four C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups: a control group; a risperidone‐treated group; a lorcaserin‐treated group; and a combined risperidone + lorcaserin‐treated group. The mice were received the corresponding treatments for 4 weeks, and their brains were collected for in situ hybridization analysis. A subset of C57BL/6J mice was administrated with risperidone or placebo, and brains were collected 60 minutes post‐treatment for determination of c‐fos activity. In addition, brains of NPY‐GFP mice treated with or without risperidone were collected to perform colocalization of NPY and c‐fos, as well as NPY and 5‐HT2c receptor using immunohistochemistry. Results: There was significantly elevated c‐fos expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (Arc) of risperidone‐treated mice. More than 68% c‐fos‐positive neurons were NPY‐expressing neurons. Furthermore, in situ hybridization revealed that Arc NPY mRNA expression was significantly increased in the risperidone‐treated group compared with control group. Moreover, we identified that 95% 5‐HT2c receptors were colocalized with NPY positive neurons, and increased Arc NPY mRNA expression induced by risperidone was markedly reduced by cotreatment with lorcaserin, a specific 5‐HT2c receptor agonist. Conclusion: Our findings provide critical insight into the mechanisms underlying antipsychotic‐induced obesity, which may assist the development of therapeutic strategies to address metabolic side effects of risperidone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The color of mineral pigments changes obviously with their particle size. However, how the particle size of these mineral pigments affects the color of the mineral pigment color block remains unclear. Based on optical principles and the physical properties of mineral pigment particles, our analysis found that changes in the particle size not only nonlinearly affect the behavior of light at the first surface of the mineral pigment color block, but also affect the interaction of light with the particles within the body of the mineral pigment color block, ultimately changing the spectral reflectance and color of the mineral pigment color block. Finally, we derived a nonlinear monotonically decreasing relationship between the particle size and the spectral reflectance. The experiment conducted in this article selected six kinds of mineral pigments as color block samples and observed the changes in the spectral reflectance and color value with the particle size. These studies are beneficial for color researchers conducting scientific research related to mineral pigments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a novel method for rapid determination of the degree of deacetylation (DD) of chitosan samples by headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC). In this method, overdose of an acid is added to protonate the free amino groups in chitosan, which further reacts with bicarbonate (as an alkali titrant) in a close vial. Based on measuring the HS-GC signal for CO 2 vs. the volume of HCO 3 − added by a stepwise titration, two transition points can be obtained. The DD value is calculated by net volume of HCO 3 − consumed, i.e., by the R NH 3 + groups in chitosan. The results showed that the present method has a good measurement precision (RSD < 0.82%) and accuracy (relative differences < 6.46% when compared with the results measured by a reference method). Since the HS-GC can perform an automated sample reaction equilibration and measurement, it could be much more efficient than the existing methods in the batch sample analysis. Image 1 • A novel HS-GC technique was developed to quantify the DD value of chitosan. • The resulting product CO 2 is used as the indicator. • The method was based on determining two transition points from CO 2 releasing curve. • This method is accurate and suitable to be used in the batch sample analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using a strategy of introducing two organic ligands with different donor groups, two new Cu(II) and Cd(II) coordination polymers (CPs) [Cu3(OH)(pz)3(Hpz)(H2O)(ipa)](H2O)4 (1, Hpz = pyrazol, H2ipa = isophthalic acid) and [Cd(phen)(ndc)](H2O) (2, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, H2ndc = 1,2-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid) are synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of the as-prepared CPs were determined by the single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) studies and their phase purities have been confirmed via the power X-day diffraction analysis (PXRD). The Cu(II)-based complex 1 is composed of trinuclear Cu3(µ3-OH)(pz)3 clusters that extended by the ipa2− ligands into a 1D left-handed helical chain along the c axis. In complex 2, the ndc2− ligands connect with the binuclear Cd2 unit along the c axis to shape a 1D chain-like structure, which is further stacked into a 2D layered network via π–π stacking. The as-prepared two CPs transformed to the nanoscale regime by mechanical grinding to yield nano 1 and nano 2 with excellent water dispersibility, maintaining its crystallinity. In addition, the in vitro 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay were conducted on the gastric cancer cell line AGS with increasing concentrations of the two nanosized CPs, which reveal their promising anticancer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient NNN pincer Ru(II)-catalyzed preparation of quinazolines via acceptorless dehydrogenative strategy has been developed. Under the optimized conditions, a broad range of substituted o -aminobenzyl alcohols and (hetero)aryl or alkyl nitriles were well tolerated to afford various 2-substituted quinazolines in high yields. Subsequently, a set of control experiments have been performed to elucidate the reaction mechanism, which underwent alcohol oxidation, nitrile hydration, and cyclocondensation steps. The current protocol is featured with several advantages, such as environmental benignity, operational simplicity, broad substrate scope (compatible with aliphatic nitriles, up to 87% yield), and short reaction time (mostly in 2 h). Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under cooperative catalysis of iridium and a Brønsted acid, different C4-substituted azlactones react with vinyl benzoxazinones via a formal [4+2] cycloaddition or substitution reaction in a chemo- and stereoselective mode. Furthermore, the catalytic asymmetric version of the formal [4+2] cycloaddition established cooperative catalysis of iridium and a chiral thiourea-tertiary amine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A one-step, quantitative method for CMNV was developed. • The assay had a detection limit of 5.7 viral copies. • The assay was no cross-reactivity observed with six common shrimp viruses. • This is a useful tool for CMNV detection and quantification. Abstract Covert mortality nodavirus (CMNV), an emerging RNA virus, is the pathogen of viral covert mortality disease (VCMD), which has emerged as a cause of serious losses in shrimp aquaculture in China. To improve VCMD diagnosis, a one-step, real-time TaqMan probe-based reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was developed in this study. The TaqMan RT-qPCR was optimized firstly, whereby the best results were obtained with 0.2 μM of each primer, 0.2 μM probe, and 0.5 μL Enzyme Mix II. The optimal reaction program was determined as 15 min at 51ºC for reverse transcription and 5 min at 95 ºC, followed by 40 cycles of denaturation at 94 ºC for 10 s, and annealing and extension at 52.7 ºC for 30 s. The optimized assay detected as little as 9.6 pg total RNA from CMNV-infected shrimp and 5.7 copies of the target plasmid. The RT-qPCR assay for CMNV with a high correlation coefficient (r2 = 0.996) was developed basing on the standard curve generated by plotting the threshold cycle values (y) against the common logarithmic copies (log 10 n c as x; n c is copy number) of pMD20-CMNV. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of this assay versus the previously reported RT-qPCR was 96.2% and 98.0%, respectively. This method is highly specific to CMNV, as it showed no cross-reactivity with other common shrimp viruses. It is anticipated that the newly developed and optimized RT-qPCR assay will be instrumental for the rapid diagnosis and quantitation of CMNV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper reports on a practical method for rapid determination of the degree of substitution of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-Na) by a headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC). In this method, CMC-Na was treated with a strong acid cation exchange resin to completely convert it to CMC-H form in 30 min at a room temperature, which was further reacted with bicarbonate in a close vial for 15 min at 60 °C. The resulting product, i.e. CO 2 , was then determined by HS-GC, from which the DS of CMC-Na can be calculated. The results showed that the present method has a good measurement precision (RSD < 4%) and accuracy (relative differences < 7% when compared with the results measured by a reference method). Since the HS-GC can perform an automated sample reaction equilibration and measurement, it could be much more efficient than the existing methods in the batch sample analysis. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A practical method for rapid determination of the degree of substitution of sodium carboxymethylcellulose was proposed. • CMC-Na was pretreated with strong acid cation exchange resin. • The conditions of ion exchange were explored. • Compared with a reference method, the present method had improved measurement precision and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Soft competitive learning Fuzzy Adaptive Resonance Theory (SFART) model is proposed. • The Yu's norm similarity measure is utilized to improve feature selection. • SFART model was established by Yu's norm similarity criterion and lateral inhibition theory. • A parameter optimization method based on Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is proposed. • Fuzzy c-means (FCM), Fuzzy ART, and fuzzy ARTMAP (FAM) are compared with the proposed SFART. Abstract In this work, a new classification method called Soft Competitive Learning Fuzzy Adaptive Resonance Theory (SFART) is proposed to diagnose bearing faults. In order to solve the misclassification caused by the traditional Fuzzy ART based on hard competitive learning, a soft competitive learning ART model is established using Yu's norm similarity criterion and lateral inhibition theory. The proposed SFART is based on Yu's norm similarity criterion and soft competitive learning mechanism. In SFART, Yu's similarity criterion and the lateral inhibition theory were employed to measure the proximity and select winning neurons, respectively. To further improve the classification accuracy, a feature selection technique based on Yu's norms is also proposed. In addition, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is introduced to optimize the model parameters of SFART. Meanwhile, the validity of the feature selection technique and parameter optimization method is demonstrated. Finally, fuzzy ART/ ARTMAP (FAM) as well as the feasibility of the proposed SFART algorithm are validated by comparing the diagnosis effectiveness of the proposed algorithm with the classic Fuzzy c-means (FCM), Fuzzy ART and fuzzy ARTMAP (FAM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is one of the most common types of gynecological cancer. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are associated with the carcinogenesis and progression of EC. In the following review, the emerging role of lncRNAs in EC initiation and progression is considered. The profile of lncRNAs is becoming higher as the contribution of lncRNAs to carcinogenesis through diverse mechanisms is being increasingly recognized, including in EC. A number of lncRNA‑profiling studies have identified aberrantly expressed lncRNAs in EC tissue, and the regulatory network associated with these lncRNAs may be critical in EC progression. Additionally, certain lncRNAs may have diagnostic and/or prognostic significance. The potential function of lncRNAs as prospective therapeutic and prognostic targets in EC will be evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper proposed a new method for the determination of the viscosity average molar mass of guar gum, based on a volatile tracer assisted twice headspace extraction gas chromatographic technique. The feasibility study showed that n-butanol was a suitable tracer to be used in this method. The results showed that the present method had a good precision (with the relative standard deviation < 0.86%) and good accuracy (in which the relative differences were within 7.94% when compared with the reference method). The present method is simple and practical. It can conduct an automated measurement when a batch sample testing is required. Highlights • Establish a new method for measuring the average molecular weight of guar gum. • n-Butanol as Tracer for twice headspace extraction. • Good linear relationship between the logarithm of ( M ¯ v) of guar gum and the headspace signal value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The NaOH-based hydrolysis kinetics of ETA in ethanol/water was conducted by headspace-gas chromatography technique. • The increase dosage of ethanol can promote the hydrolysis of ETA within 0.70 of the molar ratio of ethanol/water. • The hydrolysis product will enhance the hydrolysis rate. Abstract NaOH-based hydrolysis of epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride (ETA) was carried out in a batch reactor using ethanol/water system. The analytic technique, headspace-gas chromatography, was employed in order to follow the time evolution of ETA aqueous solution. Various effects on hydrolysis degree, such as, molar ratio of ethanol/water, NaOH concentration, reaction temperature, and dosage of hydrolysis product (2,3-dihydroxypropyl trimethylammonium chloride) were investigated. And then the kinetic model of the hydrolysis of ETA was developed and the possible mechanism of nucleophilic ring opening reaction was proposed. Furthermore, the model parameters of the process were also determined by data fitting. The results show that ETA hydrolysis follows the pseudo-first order law and kinetic model agrees well with the experimental results. Therefore, based on this kinetic model we could control the hydrolysis degree of ETA during ETA-involved cationic etherification of natural polymer in order to improve the etherification efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Investigating the adaptive mechanism of insects to different and ecologically relevant temperatures can help in prediction of abundances and control of pests. Here, we found that both heat and cold stresses significantly affected the survival of eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults as well as the reproductive fitness of both sexes in Spodoptera frugiperda. Further, based on differential transcriptome analysis in adults, we found that temperature stresses induced sex-specific transcriptional responses that were related to heat or cold detection and resistance, suggesting that male and female moths may adopt different strategies to cope with heat and cold stresses. The results of this study suggest that the negative effects of cold and heat stresses on survival and reproduction may be the consequence of damage to the insect body and cellular microenvironment caused by thermal stress as well as indirect effects from increased expenditure on anti-stress responses. This study provides new information for understanding the stress responses of moths and contributes to the adaptive prediction and control of this pest. In this study, we found that both heat and cold stresses significantly affected the survival and reproduction of both sexes in Spodoptera frugiperda adults, with larvae showing relatively higher extreme temperature tolerance. Further transcriptomic analysis in adults found remarkable differences and similarities between sexes in terms of temperature stress responses. Metabolism-related processes were suppressed in heat stressed females, which did not occur to the same extend in males. Moreover, both heat and cold stress reduced immune activities in both sexes. Heat stress induced the upregulation of many heat shock proteins in both sexes, whereas the response to cold stress was insignificant. More cold tolerance-related genes, such as cuticle proteins, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, and facilitated trehalose transporter Tret1, were found upregulated in males, whereas most of these genes were downregulated in females. Moreover, a large number of fatty acid-related genes, such as fatty acid synthases and desaturases, were differentially expressed under heat and cold stresses in both sexes. Heat stress in females induced the upregulation of a large number of zinc finger proteins and reproduction-related genes; whereas cold stress induced downregulation in genes linked to reproduction. In addition, TRPA1-like encoding genes (which have functions involved in detecting temperature changes) and sex peptide receptor-like genes were found to be differentially expressed in stressed moths. These results indicate sex-specific heat and cold stress responses and adaptive mechanisms and suggest sex-specific trade-offs between stress-resistant progresses and fundamental metabolic processes as well as between survival and reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. In investigating concerns brought up regarding the authenticity of the article, the editors reached out to the corresponding author for an explanation. The corresponding author failed to provide a satisfactory explanation. The editors therefore feel that the findings of the manuscript cannot be relied upon and that the article needs to be retracted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports on a simple method for the determination of lysine content by an in situ sample pretreatment and headspace gas chromatographic measurement (HS-GC) technique, based on carbon dioxide (CO2) formation from the pretreatment reaction (between lysine and ninhydrin solution) in a closed vial. It was observed that complete lysine conversion to CO2 could be achieved within 60 min at 60 °C in a phosphate buffer medium (pH = 4.0), with a minimum molar ratio of ninhydrin/lysine of 16. The results showed that the method had a good precision (RSD < 5.23%) and accuracy (within 6.80%), compared to the results measured by a reference method (ninhydrin spectroscopic method). Due to the feature of in situ sample pretreatment and headspace measurement, the present method becomes very simple and particularly suitable to be used for batch sample analysis in lysine-related research and applications.The flow path of the reaction and HS-GC measurement for the lysine analysis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report on a headspace gas chromatographic method for determining the content of 3‐chloro‐1,2‐propanediol in polyamideamine epichlorohydrin resin solution. It was based on quantitatively converting 3‐chloro‐1,2‐propanediol to formaldehyde by periodate oxidation in a closed headspace sample vial at a room temperature for 10 min, and then to methanol by borohydride reduction at 90°C for 40 min followed by the headspace gas chromatographic measurement. The results showed that the present method has an excellent measurement precision (relative standard deviation < 2.60%) and accuracy (recoveries from 96.4–102%) in 3‐chloro‐1,2‐propanediol analysis. The limit of quantitation was 0.031 mg/mL. It is simple and suitable for determining the 3‐chloro‐1,2‐propanediol content in polyamideamine epichlorohydrin resin solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we reported on the nano-scale nickel/iron particles loaded in carboxymethyl/nanofibrillated cellulose (CMC/NFC) hydrogel for the dechlorination of o -dichlorobenzene (DCB) in aqueous solution. The biodegradable hydrogel may provide an ideal supporting material for fastening the bimetallic nano-scale particles, which was examined and characterized by TEM, SEM-EDX, FT-IR and BET. The performance of the selected bimetallic particles was evaluated by conducting the dechlorination of DCB in the solution under different reaction conditions (e.g., pH, dosage of nickel/iron nanoparticles and temperature). The results showed that about 70% of DCB could be dechlorinated at 20 °C in 8 h, which indicated that the immobilized reactive material had a high reduction activity when Ni/Fe loading dosage in the hydrogel (18 wt%) was considered. Moreover, the reduction behavior agreed to the pseudo-first order reaction, in which the dechlorination rate was irrelative to the pH aqueous solution. A kinetic model for predicting the concentration of DCB during the reduction reaction was established based on the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on an ionic-liquid assisted headspace gas chromatographic (HS-GC) for the determination of the content of alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) in its latex samples, in which the GC system was equipped with a thermal conductivity detector (TCD). The method was based on the AKD hydrolysis conducted in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (ionic-liquid) added medium at 100 °C for 10 min in a closed headspace sample vial, and the measured CO 2 (the resulting product of the hydrolysis) by HS-GC. The results showed that the present method has a good measurement precision (RSD <2.3%) and accuracy (recoveries from 96 − 105%), and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) is 0.9%. The present method is very suitable to be used for the routine check of AKD content in its latex sample in mill applications. The study also showed that the content of AKD in the tested commercial latex samples were in the range of 3.5–12%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oleanolic acid (OA) is a triterpenoid contained in many herbal medicines. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of OA against D-galactosame plus lipopolysaccharides (D-GalN/LPS)-induced acute liver injury and the underling mechanisms. Mice were randomly divided into normal control with vehicles only (corn oil), D-GalN/LPS only (700 mg/10 μg/kg, ip), OA-po (200 μmol/kg in corn oil, po) plus D-GalN/LPS, and OA-sc (50 μmol/kg in 2% tween 80, sc) plus D-GalN/LPS groups. OA pretreatment was conducted twice daily for 4 consecutive days. Hepatotoxicity was evaluated by histopathology, serum enzyme activity, hepatic lipid peroxidation and GSH levels. To reveal the possible mechanisms of the protection, mRNA and protein expressions of toxicity-relevant genes and proteins were examined by real-time RT-PCR and western-blot analysis. Both OA-po and OA-sc at therapeutic doses successfully protected liver injury induced by D-GalN/LPS, as evidenced by reduced serum enzyme activities, prevented liver hemorrhage, massive necrosis, and reduced degenerative lesions. OA increased hepatic GSH contents and decreased lipid peroxidation (MDA) levels. Furthermore, OA significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and ER responsive gene Gadd45. D-GalN/LPS-induced activation of p-JNK and NF-κB p65, and protein overexpression of caspase-3, caspase-8, and COX2 were significantly suppressed by OA. These results clearly demonstrated OA-po is effective as OA-sc in protecting against D-GalN/LPS-induced liver injury, and the protection mechanisms are related to reduction of oxidative damage, suppression of TNFα-triggered signaling through the NF-kB and JNK pathways, thus reducing apoptosis and hepatocellular death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nivolumab is a new standard of care for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and provides an overall survival benefit of 5.40 months in comparison with everolimus. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of nivolumab for the second-line treatment of mRCC from the perspective of US payers and identified the range of drug costs for which the addition of nivolumab to standard therapy could be considered cost-effective from a Chinese perspective.Methods: A partitioned survival model was constructed to estimate lifetime costs, life-years, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Costs were estimated for the US and Chinese health care systems. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.Results: Nivolumab provided an additional 0.29 QALYs at a cost of $151,676/QALY in the United States. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/QALY, at the current cost of nivolumab, the chance of nivolumab being cost-effective was 3.10%. For China, when nivolumab cost less than $7.90 or $9.70/mg, there was a nearly 90% likelihood that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for nivolumab would be less than $22,785 or $48,838/QALY, respectively.Conclusions: For the United States, nivolumab is unlikely to be a high-value treatment for mRCC at the current price, and a price reduction appears to be justified. In China, value-based prices for nivolumab are $7.90 and $9.70/mg for the country and Beijing City, respectively. This study could and should inform the multilateral drug-price negotiations in China that may be upcoming for nivolumab. Cancer 2017;123:2634-41. © 2017 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiangiogenic therapy for cancer is a strategy targeted at tumour vasculature, often in combination with conventional cytotoxicity treatments. Animal testing is still the most common method used for evaluating the efficacy of new drugs but tissue-engineered in vitro models are becoming more acceptable for replacing and reducing the use of animals in anti-cancer drug screening. In this study, a 3D co-culture model of human endothelial cells and ovarian cancer cells was developed. This model has the potential to mimic the interactions between endothelial cells and ovarian cancer cells. The feasibility of applying this model in drug testing was explored here. The complex morphology of the co-culture system, which features development of both endothelial tubule-like structures and tumour structures, was analysed quantitatively by an image analysis method. The co-culture morphology integrity was maintained for 10 days and the potential of the model for anti-cancer drug testing was evaluated using Paclitaxel and Cisplatin, two common anti-tumour drugs with different mechanisms of action. Both traditional cell viability assays and quantitative morphological analyses were applied in the drug testing. Cisplatin proved a good example showing the advantages of morphological analysis of the co-culture model when compared with mono-culture of endothelial cells, which did not reveal an inhibitory effect of Cisplatin on the tubule-like endothelial structures. Thus, the tubule areas of the co-culture reflected the anti-angiogenesis potential of Cisplatin. In summary, in vitro cancer models can be developed using a tissue engineering approach to more closely mimic the characteristics of tumours in vivo. Combined with the image analysis technique, this developed 3D co-culture angiogenesis model will provide more reproducible and reliably quantified results and reveal further information of the drug’s effects on both tumour cell growth and tumour angiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Linkage and sucker type fingers are integrated into a generalized gripper. • This gripper can realize three grasping modes. • The use of space linkage mechanism makes the structure compact. • The structural parameters are optimized by multi-objective optimization. • The feasibility of the optimized procedure is validated by comparing analysis. In this paper, a generalized gripper with multiple grasping modes is designed to grasp various sheet parts. The novelty of the gripper lies in two sets of fingers and two sets of compact force transmission mechanisms with large mechanical gain. In order to achieve the above functions of the gripper, link-type fingers and sucker-type fingers are integrated together so the gripper has multiple grasping modes. At the same time, the force transmission system was redesigned, and the kinematic model of the force transmission system is established by means of D-H (Denavit-Hartenberg) method. Secondly, workspace, mechanical gain and linkage length are taken as the objective functions to obtain these optimized structural parameters of the gripper. For the purpose of further validating optimization results, the comparison of results of the proposed optimization procedure with these in commercial software. And compared results indicate that the proposed optimization procedure can acquire a larger workspace and greater mechanical gain. Finally, according to the optimized parameters, a generalized gripper is manufactured. The design experiments prove that the gripper can realize multiple grasping modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At present, it is still controversial whether lymph nodes posterior to the right recurrent laryngeal nerve (LN-prRLN) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients should be dissected. Failure to dissect metastatic lymph nodes results in continued metastasis from the positive lymph nodes to other regions. Our study aimed to establish a predictive model and predict the probability of metastasis of the lymph nodes posterior to the right recurrent laryngeal nerve (LNM-prRLN) in patients. Methods: A total of 309 patients underwent surgery for thyroid cancer between May 2019 and September 2022. The risk factors were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses, and statistically significant risk factors identified in the multivariate analysis were included in the nomogram. We used the calibration curve and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to verify the accuracy of the prediction model. Results: Multivariate analysis showed that irregular tumor margins (OR: 3.549, 95% CI 1.294–9.733, P = 0.014), extrathyroidal extension (OR: 4.507, 95% CI 1.694–11.993, P = 0.003), maximum tumor diameter > 1 cm (OR: 5.729, 95% CI 2.617–12.542, P < 0.001), overweight status (OR: 2.296, 95% CI 1.057–4.987, P = 0.036), high total cholesterol level (OR: 5.238, 95% CI 2.304–11.909, P < 0.001), and multifocality (OR: 11.954, 95% CI 5.233–27.305, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for LNM-prRLN. The area under the ROC curve was 0.927. The calibration curve showed good agreement between the predicted and observed rates of LNM-prRLN. Conclusion: The probability of LNM-prRLN could be predicted by a nomogram based on the statistically significant risk factors identified in the multivariate analysis. This nomogram can guide clinicians when preoperatively evaluating the status of the LN-prRLN with regard to LNM-prRLN in PTC patients. For patients at high risk for LNM-prRLN, the preventive dissection of LN-prRLNs can be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]