Search

Abstract Nanofiltration (NF) membranes are commonly supplied in spiral-wound modules, resulting in numerous drawbacks for practical applications (e.g., high operating pressure/pressure drop/costs). Vacuum-driven NF could be a promising and low-cost alternative by utilizing simple components and operating under an ultra-low vacuum pressure (

Abstract Migraine is a common bi-directional comorbidity of epilepsy, indicating potential complex interactions between the two conditions. However, no previous studies have used brain morphology analysis to assess possible interactions between epilepsy and migraine. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM), surface-based morphometry (SBM), and structural covariance networks (SCNs) can be used to detect morphological changes with high accuracy. We recruited 30 individuals with epilepsy and comorbid migraine without aura (EM), along with 20 healthy controls (HC) and 30 epilepsy controls (EC) without migraine. We used VBM, SBM, and SCN analysis to compare differences in gray matter volume, cortical thickness, and global level and local level graph theory indexes between the EM, EC, and HC groups to investigate structural brain changes in the EM patients. VBM analysis showed that the EM group had gray matter atrophy in the right temporal pole compared with the HC group (p

Abstract Background Local therapies may benefit patients with oligometastatic cancer. However, there were limited data about pancreatic cancer. Here, we compared the efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to the primary tumor and all oligometastases with SBRT to the primary tumor alone in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Methods A retrospective review of patients with synchronous oligometastatic pancreatic cancer (up to 5 lesions) receiving SBRT to all lesions (including all oligometastases and the primary tumor) were performed. Another comparable group of patients with similar baseline characteristics, including metastatic burden, SBRT doses, and chemotherapy regimens, receiving SBRT to the primary tumor alone were identified. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were progression frees survival (PFS), polyprogression free survival (PPFS) and adverse events. Results There were 59 and 158 patients receiving SBRT to all lesions and to the primary tumor alone. The median OS of patients with SBRT to all lesions and the primary tumor alone was 10.9 months (95% CI 10.2–11.6 months) and 9.3 months (95% CI 8.8–9.8 months) (P

Abstract Objective Several antiseizure medications (ASMs) have been approved for the treatment of focal epilepsy. However, there is a paucity of evidence on direct comparison of ASMs. We evaluated the comparative efficacy and safety of all approved add‐on ASMs for the treatment of focal epilepsy using network meta‐analysis. Methods Data through extensive literature search was retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrial.gov databases using predefined search terms from inception through March 2023. PRISMA reporting guidelines (CRD42023403450) were followed in this study. Efficacy outcomes assessed were ≥50%, ≥75%, and 100% responder rates. Patient retention rate and safety outcomes such as overall treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and individual TEAEs were assessed. “Gemtc” 4.0.4 package was used to perform Bayesian analysis. Outcomes are reported as relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Literature search retrieved 5807 studies of which, 75 studies were included in the analysis. All ASMs showed significantly higher ≥50% responder rate compared with placebo. Except the ≥75% seizure frequency reduction for zonisamide (2.23; 95% CI: 1.00–5.70) and 100% for rufinamide (2.03; 95% CI: 0.54–11.00), all other interventions showed significantly higher ≥75% and 100% responder rates compared with placebo. Among treatments, significantly higher 100% responder rate was observed with cenobamate compared to eslicarbazepine (10.71; 95% CI: 1.56–323.9) and zonisamide (10.63; 95% CI: 1.37–261.2). All ASMs showed a lower patient retention rate compared to placebo, with the least significant value observed for oxcarbazepine (0.77; 95% CI: 0.7–0.84). Levetiracetam showed a lower risk of incidence (1.0; 95%CI: 0.94–1.1; SUCRA: 0.885067) for overall TEAE compared with other medications. Significance All approved ASMs were effective as add‐on treatment for focal epilepsy. Of the ASMs included, cenobamate had the greatest likelihood of allowing patients to attain seizure freedom. Plain Language Summary This article compares the efficacy and safety of antiseizure medications (ASMs) currently available to neurologists in the treatment of epileptic patients. Several newer generation ASMs that have been developed may be as effective or better than the older medications. We included 75 studies in the analysis. In comparison, all drugs improved ≥50%, ≥75% and 100% responder rates compared to control, except for Zonisamide and Rufinamide in the ≥75% and 100% responder rate categories. Retention of patients undergoing treatment was lower in drugs than placebo. All drugs were tolerated, the levetiracetam showed the best tolerability. Cenobamate more likely help completely to reduce seizures.

Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) is the 5th most prevalent cancer and the 4th primary cancer-associated mortality globally. As the first identified m6A demethylase for removing RNA methylation modification, fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) plays instrumental roles in cancer development. Therefore, we study the biological functions and oncogenic mechanisms of FTO in GC tumorigenesis and progression. In our study, FTO expression is obviously upregulated in GC tissues and cells. The upregulation of FTO is associated with advanced nerve invasion, tumor size, and LNM, as well as the poor prognosis in GC patients, and promoted GC cell viability, colony formation, migration and invasion. Mechanistically, FTO targeted specificity protein 1 and Aurora Kinase B, resulting in the phosphorylation of ataxia telangiectasia mutated and P38 and dephosphorylation of P53. In conclusion, the m6A demethylase FTO promotes GC tumorigenesis and progression by regulating the SP1-AURKB-ATM pathway, which may highlight the potential of FTO as a diagnostic biomarker for GC patients’ therapy response and prognosis.

This research investigates the use of compound image schemas in the discourse surrounding Japan’s nuclear wastewater discharge. By analyzing editorials from Asahi Shimbun, this study reveals how discourse producers, from government bodies to media outlets, employ image schemas to navigate, shape, and legitimize their stances on this contentious issue. The investigation identifies the prevalent use of PATH and CONTAINER schemas, facilitating the construction of complex narrative spaces that define “in-group” and “out-group” dynamics, thereby guiding public perception and discourse participation towards an implicit endorsement of specific policy directions. The findings highlight the dynamic interplay between micro-level discourse strategies and macro-level cognitive frameworks, projecting tailored narratives into the public sphere. This projection, rooted in sophisticated cognitive mechanisms, illustrates the strategic use of discourse to influence public opinion and legitimize environmental policy decisions, reflecting broader social implications and the power of discourse in shaping environmental risk perceptions.

Abstract Nickel is the most widely used inexpensive active metal center of the heterogeneous catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methane. However, Ni-based catalysts suffer from severe deactivation in CO2 methanation reaction due to the irreversible sintering and coke deposition caused by the inevitable localized hotspots generated during the vigorously exothermic reaction. Herein, we demonstrate the inverse CeAlOx/Ni composite constructed on the Ni-foam structure support realizes remarkable CO2 methanation catalytic activity and stability in a wide operation temperature range from 240 to 600 °C. Significantly, CeAlOx/Ni/Ni-foam catalyst maintains its initial activity after seven drastic heating-cooling cycles from RT to 240 to 600 °C. Meanwhile, the structure catalyst also shows water resistance and long-term stability under reaction condition. The promising thermal stability and water-resistance of CeAlOx/Ni/Ni-foam originate from the excellent heat and mass transport efficiency which eliminates local hotspots and the formation of Ni-foam stabilized CeAlOx/Ni inverse composites which effectively anchored the active species and prevents carbon deposition from CH4 decomposition.

Background Transurethral resection of bladder tumour has been the mainstay of bladder cancer staging for > 60 years. Staging inaccuracies are commonplace, leading to delayed treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging offers rapid, accurate and non-invasive staging of muscle-invasive bladder cancer, potentially reducing delays to radical treatment. Objectives To assess the feasibility and efficacy of the introducing multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging ahead of transurethral resection of bladder tumour in the staging of suspected muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Design Open-label, multistage randomised controlled study in three parts: feasibility, intermediate and final clinical stages. The COVID pandemic prevented completion of the final stage. Setting Fifteen UK hospitals. Participants Newly diagnosed bladder cancer patients of age ≥ 18 years. Interventions Participants were randomised to Pathway 1 or 2 following visual assessment of the suspicion of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer or muscle-invasive bladder cancer at the time of outpatient cystoscopy, based upon a 5-point Likert scale: Likert 1–2 tumours considered probable non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer; Likert 3–5 possible muscle-invasive bladder cancer. In Pathway 1, all participants underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumour. In Pathway 2, probable non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer participants underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumour, and possible muscle-invasive bladder cancer participants underwent initial multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging. Subsequent therapy was determined by the treating team and could include transurethral resection of bladder tumour. Main outcome measures Feasibility stage: proportion with possible muscle-invasive bladder cancer randomised to Pathway 2 which correctly followed the protocol. Intermediate stage: time to correct treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Results Between 31 May 2018 and 31 December 2021, of 638 patients approached, 143 participants were randomised; 52.1% were deemed as possible muscle-invasive bladder cancer and 47.9% probable non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Feasibility stage: 36/39 [92% (95% confidence interval 79 to 98%)] muscle-invasive bladder cancer participants followed the correct treatment by pathway. Intermediate stage: median time to correct treatment was 98 (95% confidence interval 72 to 125) days for Pathway 1 versus 53 (95% confidence interval 20 to 89) days for Pathway 2 [hazard ratio 2.9 (95% confidence interval 1.0 to 8.1)], p = 0.040. Median time to correct treatment for all participants was 37 days for Pathway 1 and 25 days for Pathway 2 [hazard ratio 1.4 (95% confidence interval 0.9 to 2.0)]. Limitations For participants who underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy or palliation for multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-diagnosed stage T2 or higher disease, it was impossible to conclusively know whether these were correct treatments due to the absence of histopathologically confirmed muscle invasion, this being confirmed radiologically in these cases. All patients had histological confirmation of their cancers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to realise the final stage. Conclusion The multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-directed pathway led to a substantial 45-day reduction in time to correct treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, without detriment to non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer participants. Consideration should be given to the incorporation of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging ahead of transurethral resection of bladder tumour into the standard pathway for all patients with suspected muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The improved decision-making accelerated time to treatment, even though many patients subsequently needed transurethral resection of bladder tumour. A proportion of patients can avoid transurethral resection of bladder tumour completely, reducing costs and morbidity, given the much lower cost of magnetic resonance imaging and biopsy compared to transurethral resection of bladder tumour. Future work Further work to cross-correlate with the recently developed Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System will improve accuracy and aid dissemination. Longer follow-up to examine the effect of the pathway on outcomes is also required. Incorporation of liquid deoxyribonucleic acid-based biomarkers may further improve the quality of decision-making and should also be investigated further. Study registration This study is registered as ISRCTN 35296862. Funding This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: 14/08/60) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 42. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information. Plain language summary The BladderPath trial explored how to accelerate diagnosis and avoid unnecessary surgery for patients with bladder cancer which had grown into the muscle wall of the bladder, referred to as muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Following initial outpatient diagnosis, bladder cancer patients currently undergo inpatient or day-case surgical tumour removal using a telescope (transurethral resection of bladder tumour). This surgery is fundamental to the treatment of early bladder cancer (non-muscle-invasive). However, for muscle-invasive disease, the main role of transurethral resection of bladder tumour is to confirm that the tumour has grown into the bladder muscle, and this is often inaccurate; the actual correct treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients should include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and/or bladder removal. For these patients, having transurethral resection of bladder tumour may delay this correct treatment and impact survival. Additionally, for patients determined to need palliative care due to advanced disease, the transurethral resection of bladder tumour may represent over-treatment. A magnetic resonance imaging scan with contrast agent (called multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging) gives a clearer picture of the bladder than normal scans, allowing distinction between invasive and non-invasive tumours. The BladderPath trial investigated adding multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging for patients with suspected muscle-invasive bladder cancer and the effect on treatment times. Subsequent therapy could include transurethral resection of bladder tumour if clinically determined as necessary by the treating team. Trial participants were randomly allocated either to the standard pathway (Pathway 1: all underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumour) or to a new pathway (Pathway 2). In Pathway 2, urologists conducting the initial outpatient diagnostic bladder inspections used a scale to assess whether tumours appeared to be either probably non-muscle-invasive or possibly muscle-invasive. Participants whose tumours appeared possibly muscle-invasive had initial multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging as their next investigation instead of transurethral resection of bladder tumour. We then compared the duration of time from initial diagnosis to receiving the correct treatment for participants in each pathway. Of the 143 participants, 75 (52.1%) were diagnosed as possibly muscle invasive. In Pathway 1, the duration for half of the participants in the group to have received their correct treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer was 98 days, which reduced to 53 days in Pathway 2. Furthermore, the duration for half of all the participants in the two groups to have received their correct treatment was 37 days for Pathway 1 and 31 days for Pathway 2. In summary, use of initial multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in suspected muscle-invasive bladder cancer participants substantially reduced the time to correct treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or instigation of palliative care) and avoided unnecessary surgery. There was no negative impact on participants with non-invasive disease. Adopting multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging into the pathway ahead of transurethral resection of bladder tumour for patients with suspected muscle-invasive bladder cancer is recommended. Scientific summary Background Bladder cancer (BC) is the fifth most common cancer in Western society. Standard management follows a pathway established > 60 years ago with the first description of transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT), and prognosis has not improved for 30 years. Following visual diagnosis by outpatient flexible cystoscopy, TURBT is the subsequent diagnostic and staging tool for all patients. While TURBT is mostly well-tolerated and therapeutic for non-muscle-invasive BC (NMIBC), its role in muscle-invasive BC (MIBC) is predominantly diagnostic. Furthermore, for MIBC patients, initial TURBT often under-stages invasion (up to 30% of MIBCs are initially staged as high-grade NMIBC at first TURBT) and may contribute to extravesical tumour dissemination as a result of the piecemeal resection process. Subsequently, accurate staging by cross-sectional pelvic imaging post TURBT is impaired by post-surgical artefacts. Moreover, internationally, TURBT followed by histopathological review and multidisciplinary team (MDT) decision-making typically adds a number of weeks to the pathway, creating a delay in commencing correct radical treatment for MIBC patients and potentially worse outcomes. Thus, an ideal pathway would separate NMIBC patients from MIBC patients at the time of diagnosis by the faster and more accurate application of established technologies to expedite therapy, potentially improving outcomes. Imaging advances suggesting multiparametric (mp) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may allow the accurate discrimination of NMIBC from MIBC, theoretically offering a safer and faster route to radical treatment than TURBT. To test the hypothesis whether MIBC patients can be safely expedited to radical treatment by using initial mpMRI for local staging rather than TURBT, we undertook the BladderPath randomised controlled trial [NHS Research Ethics Committee (REC) approval 17/LO/1819, ISRCTN 35296862]. Objectives To assess the feasibility and efficacy of the substitution of TURBT with mpMRI in the staging of patients with suspected MIBC, hypothesising that image-directed (mpMRI) staging would shorten the time period to correct treatment for MIBC patients compared to the standard TURBT-based pathway. Methods BladderPath is a randomised trial comparing risk-stratified image-directed (mpMRI) care with TURBT for patients with newly diagnosed BC. Patients with symptoms suspicious of a new diagnosis of BC were identified via haematuria clinics, and they provided written informed consent for study participation. Ineligible patients were those unable or unwilling to undergo MRI, those with a previous BC diagnosis and those who had previously entered the study. Participants with possible MIBC (Likert 3–5 as visually assessed on a 5-point Likert scale at flexible cystoscopy) were randomised to standard TURBT assessment (Pathway 1) or mpMRI-based assessment (Pathway 2) with flexible cystoscopy tumour biopsy Pathway 2 probable NMIBC (Likert 1–2) participants underwent TURBT. Primary outcomes: Feasibility phase – proportion of Pathway 2 possible MIBC participants who correctly followed protocol (target: 80%); intermediate stage – time to first correct treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, decision for palliative care) for participants with confirmed MIBC (target: 30-day improvement) and as time to TURBT or palliative care for NMIBC. Randomisation was achieved by using a computerised allocation program; stratification variables included participants’ sex, age and clinician’s initial visual assessment of muscle invasiveness of the tumour. Blinding of participants, caregivers and outcome assessors was not possible. Results Between 31 May 2018 and 31 December 2021, recruitment took place in 15 UK urology centres; 638 patients were screened as potentially eligible, of which 309 were registered and 143 were randomised (72 to Pathway 1, 71 to Pathway 2). The 166 registered patients not randomised were not found to have BC during initial cystoscopy. Three participants were subsequently found to be ineligible post randomisation (one in Pathway 1, two in Pathway 2). Seven participants withdrew from the study (three in Pathway 1, four in Pathway 2), including three participants who were confirmed as not having cancer. Nine protocol deviations were reported by nine participants (five in Pathway 1, four in Pathway 2). The primary outcome for the feasibility stage was the proportion of possible MIBC participants randomised to Pathway 2 who correctly followed the pathway protocol. In total, 36 of the 39 [92%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 79% to 98%] possible MIBC participants in Pathway 2 underwent mpMRI as per protocol. Three Pathway 2 possible MIBC participants did not undergo mpMRI post randomisation: one participant had metal in their eye, one patient withdrew (29 days post randomisation) and one underwent MRI prior to trial entry (scan was requested independently of the study). Of the 36 participants who underwent mpMRI, 17 were diagnosed as MIBC, 16 as NMIBC and 3 were inconclusive. The secondary outcome for the feasibility stage was the overall proportion of randomised participants who correctly followed the protocol in each pathway. For Pathway 1, this was defined as the number of probable NMIBC and possible MIBC participants randomly accrued who underwent TURBT at an appropriate stage, as a proportion of all participants randomised to that pathway. For Pathway 2, it was defined as the number of probable NMIBC participants who underwent TURBT plus the number of possible MIBC participants who underwent mpMRI, divided by all randomised to Pathway 2. The overall proportion of participants who correctly followed their respective protocol pathway was 96% (95% CI 88% to 99%) in each pathway. There was no statistical difference between the pathways. For the Intermediate stage, the primary outcome was time to correct treatment (TTCT) for participants who were initially classified as possible MIBC and were then confirmed to have MIBC (by TURBT or mpMRI). For the 25 participants who were initially classified as possible MIBC and were then confirmed as MIBC (14 in Pathway 1; 11 in Pathway 2), 24 participants received a correct treatment (the remaining patients died 81 days post randomisation, before a correct treatment; date last seen is used in the time-to-event analysis). Median TTCT for all participants who were initially classified as possible MIBC and were then confirmed to have MIBC (N = 25) was 77 days (95% CI 54 to 98). Median TTCT for Pathway 1 (N = 14) was 98 days (95% CI 72 to 125). Median TTCT for Pathway 2 (N = 11) was 53 days (95% CI 20 to 81). The p-value of 0.0201 suggests a statistical difference in TTCT between the pathways. A Cox model adjusting for the stratification factors of sex and age, with study centre included as a random effect, showed that the hazard ratio (HR) of an event for Pathway 2 versus Pathway 1 was 2.9 (95% CI 1.0 to 8.1, p = 0.04). An event in this model indicates a patient receiving a correct treatment; therefore, the HR of 2.9 indicates that participants in Pathway 2 received correct treatment 2.9 times quicker than those in Pathway 1. To assess the secondary outcome of TTCT for probable NMIBC participants confirmed as NMIBC, there were 58 participants initially classified as probable NMIBC and then confirmed as NMIBC (28 in Pathway 1 and 30 in Pathway 2), all of whom received correct treatment of TURBT. Median TTCT for probable NMIBC participants confirmed as NMIBC (N = 58) was 16 days (95% CI 11 to 23); median TTCT for Pathway 1 (N = 28) was 14 days (95% CI 10 to 29) and 17 days (95% CI 8 to 25) for Pathway 2 (N = 25), log-rank p = 0.6677. A Cox model adjusting for the stratification factors of sex and age showed that the HR for Pathway 2 versus Pathway 1 was 0.8 (95% CI 0.5 to 1.5). For the secondary outcome of TTCT for all randomised participants, 131 of 143 randomised participants had received a correct treatment (72 in Pathway 1 and 71 in Pathway 2); participants who had not received a correct treatment were censored at their date last seen and included in the time-to-treatment analysis. Median TTCT for all randomised participants (N = 143) was 31 days (95% CI 22 to 37); median TTCT for Pathway 1 (N = 72) was 37 days (95% CI 23 to 47) and 25 days (95% CI 18 to 35) for Pathway 2 (N = 71), log-rank p = 0.0295. A Cox model adjusting for the stratification factors of sex and age showed that the HR for Pathway 2 versus Pathway 1 was 1.4 (95% CI 0.9 to 2.0). To assess the secondary outcome of time to definitive treatment (TTDT) for all randomised participants, 137 randomised participants had received definitive treatment (6 participants did not receive definitive treatment and their date last seen was used in the time-to-event analysis). Median TTDT for all randomised participants (N = 143) was 23 days (95% CI 20 to 29); median TTDT for Pathway 1 (N = 72) was 23 days (95% CI 17 to 29) and for Pathway 2 (N = 71) was 22 days (95% CI 17 to 32), log-rank p-value of 0.9619. A Cox model adjusting for the stratification factors of sex and age showed that the HR for Pathway 2 versus Pathway 1 was 0.9 (95% CI 0.6 to 1.2). Clinical analysis Delays in administering the correct treatment for MIBC patients after initial urological consultation and disease diagnosis are internationally widespread [Russell B, Liedberg F, Khan MS, Nair R, Thurairaja R, Malde S, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of delay in radical cystectomy and the effect on survival in bladder cancer patients. Eur Urol Oncol 2020;3(2):239–49]. Prolonged delays contribute to poor prognosis, and so attempts to improve and refine the diagnostic and treatment pathways for BC patients are of international importance and a priority for patients and healthcare professionals alike [Russell et al. 2020; Bessa A, Maclennan S, Enting D, Bryan R, Josephs D, Hughes S, et al. Consensus in bladder cancer research priorities between patients and healthcare professionals using a four-stage modified Delphi method. Eur Urol 2019;76(2):258–9]. Although first described over 60 years ago, the piecemeal resection of bladder tumour(s), TURBT, remains the initial diagnostic and staging tool for all patients. The shortcomings of TURBT are well-reported [Bessa et al. 2019; Del Giudice F, Flammia RS, Pecoraro M, Moschini M, D’Andrea D, Messina E, et al. The accuracy of Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS): an updated comprehensive multi-institutional, multi-readers systematic review and meta-analysis from diagnostic evidence into future clinical recommendations. World J Urol 2022;40(7):1617–28; Wallace DM, Bryan RT, Dunn JA, Begum G, Bathers S; West Midlands Urological Research Group. Delay and survival in bladder cancer. BJU Int 2002;89(9):868–78; Bryan RT, Collins SI, Daykin MC, Zeegers MP, Cheng KK, Wallace DMA, et al. Mechanisms of recurrence of Ta/T1 bladder cancer. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2010;92(6):519–24], all of which may delay the correct radical treatment for MIBC patients or lead to incorrect therapy choices. Over the course of the last decade, data suggest that mpMRI may allow the accurate discrimination of NMIBC and MIBC, and so potentially offering a safer and faster route to radical treatment than TURBT (Panebianco et al. 2018; Del Giudice et al. 2022). We have shown that it is feasible to introduce mpMRI for initial staging into the pathway for those patients visually diagnosed with possible MIBC at outpatient diagnostic flexible cystoscopy. Moreover, we have demonstrated that by doing so, possible MIBC patients receive their correct therapy significantly quicker – 45 days quicker, even if some of these MIBC patients still require TURBT either to resolve diagnostic uncertainty or as part of their planned care (e.g. to debulk tumour prior to radiotherapy). Although the relationship between delay and survival in BC is complex (Wallace et al. 2002), it is reasonable to contemplate that administering correct treatment to MIBC patients more than 6 weeks earlier than the current standard of care can only be beneficial. Several studies report adverse outcomes associated with delays of over 3 months between bladder cancer diagnosis and radical cystectomy (Russell et al. 2020); the mpMRI-guided BladderPath pathway (Pathway 2) undercut this TTCT by a considerable margin (median TTCT 53 days), whereas the standard pathway did not (median TTCT 98 days). Unfortunately, with substantial interruptions to recruitment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been unable to recruit sufficient patients to evaluate our a priori survival outcomes. Further limitations to the study are that, for patients who underwent systemic chemotherapy, radiotherapy or palliation for mpMRI-diagnosed MIBC, it is impossible to conclusively know whether these were ‘correct’ treatments in the sense that staging was radiological not pathological, that is by histological confirmation of muscle invasion. This is however the norm for staging of most cancers. All patients had histological confirmation of their cancers and all treatments were approved via the relevant MDT. An important component of this new pathway is the ability of urologists to accurately triage patients as probable NMIBC or possible MIBC at the time of outpatient diagnostic flexible cystoscopy based upon the macroscopic appearances of suspicious bladder lesions. Building upon previous evidence (Bryan et al. 2010), we have shown that 89% of visually diagnosed probable NMIBCs were pathologically confirmed as NMIBCs, demonstrating that urologists can reliably identify such tumours. Hence, the simple patient pathway change suggested by the BladderPath data described here is universally applicable and is easy to implement. Conclusions The mpMRI-directed pathway led to a substantial reduction in TTCT for MIBC participants without detriment to the TTCT for NMIBC participants. Consideration should be given to the incorporation of mpMRI ahead of TURBT in the standard pathway for all patients with suspected MIBC. A proportion of patients were able to avoid TURBT completely and the improved decision-making accelerated time to treatment, even though many patients subsequently needed TURBT as part of their treatment plan. Trial registration This trial is registered as ISRCTN 35296862. Funding This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: 14/08/60) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 42. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Quinoa is an important economic food crop. However, quinoa seedlings are susceptible to drought stress, and the molecular mechanism of drought tolerance remains unclear. In this study, we compared transcriptomic and physiological analyses of drought-tolerant (L1) and susceptible (HZ1) genotypes exposed to 20% PEG for 3 and 9 days at seedling stage. Compared with HZ1, drought stress had less damage to photosynthetic system, and the contents of SOD, POD and CAT were higher and the contents of H2O2 and O2−were lower in L1 leaves. Based on the RNA-seq method, we identified 2423, 11856, 1138 and 3903 (HZ1-C3-VS-T3, HZ1-C9-vs-T9, L1-C3-vs-T3 and L1-C9-vs-T9) annotated DEGs. Go enrichment was shown in terms of Biological Process: DEGs involved in biological processes such as metabolic process, cellular process, and single-organism process were most abundant in all four comparison treatments. In Molecular Function: the molecular functions of catalytic activity, binding and transporter activity have the most DEGs in all four processes. Cellular Component: membrane, membrane part, and cell have the most DEGs in each of the four processes. These DEGs include AP2/ERF, MYB, bHLH, b-ZIP, WRKY, HD-ZIP, NAC, C3h and MADS, which encode transcription factors. In addition, the MAPK pathway, starch and sucrose metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and plant hormone signal transduction were significantly induced under drought stress, among them, G-hydrolases-66, G-hydrolases-81, G-hydrolases-78, Su-synthase-02, Su-synthase-04, Su-synthase-06, BRI1-20 and bHLH17 were all downregulated at two drought stress points in two genotypes, PP2C01, PP2C03, PP2C05-PP2C07, PP2C10, F-box01 and F-box02 were upregulated at two drought stress points in two genotypes. These results agree with the physiological responses and RNA-seq results. Collectively, these findings may lead to a better understanding of drought tolerance, and some of the important DEGs detected in this study could be targeted for future research. And our results will provide a comprehensive basis for the molecular network that mediates drought tolerance in quinoa seedlings and promote the breeding of drought-resistant quinoa varieties.

This study conducts a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis guided content analysis of 56 Chinese government-sponsored poverty reduction posters across three historical stages since the founding of the People’s Republic of China to understand visual strategies, represented participants, and thematic shifts. Initially, visual strategies focus on action-oriented, collective agricultural activities. Over time, they shift to highlighting technological advancements and individual achievements, using “offer” images and various perspectives to engage viewers. Early posters predominantly feature peasants and collective groups, later expanding to include individuals and technological symbols, reflecting China’s socio-economic reforms. The thematic shifts move from collective efforts to targeted, locally-tailored strategies and the principle of “teaching people to fish,” mirroring broader socio-political transformations. This evolution underscores the role of visual media in shaping public understanding and garnering support for national policies. By highlighting the dynamic interaction between visual elements and socio-political contexts, the study reveals how government-sponsored media has adapted to effectively communicate the progress and objectives of China’s poverty alleviation efforts.

Abstract Merging structural variations (SVs) at the population level presents a significant challenge, yet it is essential for conducting comprehensive genotypic analyses, especially in the era of pangenomics. Here, we introduce PanPop, a tool that utilizes an advanced sequence-aware SV merging algorithm to efficiently merge SVs of various types. We demonstrate that PanPop can merge and optimize the majority of multiallelic SVs into informative biallelic variants. We show its superior precision and lower rates of missing data compared to alternative software solutions. Our approach not only enables the filtering of SVs by leveraging multiple SV callers for enhanced accuracy but also facilitates the accurate merging of large-scale population SVs. These capabilities of PanPop will help to accelerate future SV-related studies.

In order to evaluate the differences in physicochemical quality and flavor of commercially edible tiger nut oil, gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (GC-IMS) combined with principal component analysis was used to compare the volatile compounds in tiger nut oil from different extraction methods (physical pressing, hot pressing, subcritical extraction, high-pressure cold pressing and cold pressing). The GC-IMS results showed that 76 volatile compounds including 12 esters, 16 alcohols, 29 aldehydes, 9 ketones, 5 acids, 3 furans, 1 pyrazine and 1 sulfur compound were identified in the oil from different extraction methods. The relative content of aldehydes, esters and furans (53.54%, 13.06%, 5.41%) in the hot-pressing group were higher than others. The flavor differences of tiger nut oil from different processes were mainly derived from four key flavor substances as 1-octen-3-ol, nonanal, (E)-2-octenal and hexanal. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) showed that PC1 and PC2 were 48.7% and 30.1%, respectively, with a cumulative difference contribution of 78.8%, and the differences in volatile compounds between different processes were significant, which could be well distinguished by different extraction methods. The results of pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between b* value and acid value, peroxide value, p-malondialdehyde value and 1-octen-3-ol (0.57

ObjectiveEndocrinopathies are the most common immune-related adverse events (irAEs) observed during therapy with PD-1 inhibitors. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the risk of immune-related endocrinopathies in patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors.MethodsWe performed a systematic search in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases to retrieve all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving PD-1 inhibitors, spanning from their inception to November 24, 2023. The comparative analysis encompassed patients undergoing chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or receiving placebo as control treatments. This study protocol has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023488303).ResultsA total of 48 clinical trials comprising 24,514 patients were included. Compared with control groups, patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors showed an increased risk of immune-related adverse events, including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, hypophysitis, thyroiditis, diabetes mellitus, and adrenal insufficiency. Pembrolizumab was associated with an increased risk of all aforementioned endocrinopathies (hypothyroidism: RR=4.76, 95%CI: 3.55-6.39; hyperthyroidism: RR=9.69, 95%CI: 6.95-13.52; hypophysitis: RR=5.47, 95%CI: 2.73-10.97; thyroiditis: RR=5.95, 95%CI: 3.02-11.72; diabetes mellitus: RR=3.60, 95%CI: 1.65-7.88; adrenal insufficiency: RR=4.80, 95%CI: 2.60-8.88). Nivolumab was associated with an increased risk of hypothyroidism (RR=7.67, 95%CI: 5.00-11.75) and hyperthyroidism (RR=9.22, 95%CI: 4.71-18.04). Tislelizumab and sintilimab were associated with an increased risk of hypothyroidism (RR=19.07, 95%CI: 5.46-66.69 for tislelizumab and RR=18.36, 95%CI: 3.58-94.21 for sintilimab). For different tumor types, both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism were at high risks. Besides, patients with non-small cell lung cancer were at a higher risk of thyroiditis and adrenal insufficiency. Patients with melanoma were at a higher risk of hypophysitis and diabetes mellitus. Both low- and high-dose group increased risks of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.ConclusionRisk of endocrine irAEs may vary in different PD-1 inhibitors and different tumor types. Increased awareness and understanding of the risk features of endocrine irAEs associated with PD-1 inhibitors is critical for clinicians.Systematic review registrationcrd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier PROSPERO (CRD42023488303).

As one of the optically active components, phytoplankton are common photosynthetic organisms in oceans, nearshore, and inland water bodies. The variations in phytoplankton algal density play a crucial role in understanding primary productivity, carbon cycling, and early warning of algal blooms. In this study, three typical eutrophic lakes in China, Lake Taihu, Lake Chaohu, and Lake Dianchi, were taken as the research area. Algorithms for estimating algal density of cyanobacteria-dominated and non-cyanobacteria-dominated water types were developed based on Mie theory. The results demonstrated that the developed algorithm had favorable estimation performance for inland eutrophic lakes, with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.88, a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 51%, an unbiased mean absolute percentage error (UMAPE) of 39%, and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 23.99 × 106 cells/L. Furthermore, comparison with other algorithms for estimating algal density showed that the developed algorithm had the lowest MAPE of 60% and UMAPE of 43%, with the RMSE of 23.42 × 106cells/L. Extensive evaluation based on satellite-ground synchronous data demonstrated the applicability of the developed algorithm to the Sentinel-3 OLCI sensor, enabling the determination of spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of algal density in the three lakes from 2016 to 2022 using Sentinel-3 OLCI images. The results of algal density inversion revealed a continuous decreasing trend in algal density in Lake Dianchi from 2016 to 2022, while the algal density in Lake Taihu and Lake Chaohu both decreased after 2019.

Abstract Arabidopsis thaliana serves as a model species for investigating various aspects of plant biology. However, the contribution of genomic structural variations (SVs) and their associate genes to the local adaptation of this widely distribute species remains unclear. Here, we de novo assemble chromosome-level genomes of 32 A. thaliana ecotypes and determine that variable genes expand the gene pool in different ecotypes and thus assist local adaptation. We develop a graph-based pan-genome and identify 61,332 SVs that overlap with 18,883 genes, some of which are highly involved in ecological adaptation of this species. For instance, we observe a specific 332 bp insertion in the promoter region of the HPCA1 gene in the Tibet-0 ecotype that enhances gene expression, thereby promotes adaptation to alpine environments. These findings augment our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the local adaptation of A. thaliana across diverse habitats.

In several disciplines, such as X-ray astronomy, synchrotron radiation facilities, X-ray microscopy, and X-ray lithograph, X-ray-focusing mirrors are crucial parts. They make it possible for scientists and researchers to execute cutting-edge nanoscale imaging techniques, analyze the structure and properties of materials, and explore the cosmos. However, controlling deformation during the manufacturing process is crucial to ensure the production of high-quality components. The strong bonding force of the film is one of the primary causes of mirror distortion while making X-ray-focusing mirrors. As a release layer, diamond-like carbon (DLC) was coated between Au and NiP alloy to lessen distortion during the demolding process for X-ray optic mirrors. In this investigation, we first used density functional theory (DFT) simulation to determine the binding energies of NiP–Au and C–Au. The interactions were then observed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. When Au is deposited at low energy and room temperature on a NiP substrate, the phenomena of diffusion layer creation at the interface can be seen for the first time in direct observation. The 6.8 nm diffusion layer between Au and NiP, which causes the high binding energy, is primarily responsible for the increased adhesion strength. Molecular dynamic simulation and tensile testing were used to compute and assess the adhesion strength. According to the findings, Au–C's adhesion strength was 96.4% lower than Au–NiP's. After the DLC release layer was introduced, the deformation of mirror shape as measured by a spot measurement method of optical performance significantly improved. In addition, we created and successfully implemented the 20 nm DLC release layer for the project.

Abstract Yak has been subject to natural selection, human domestication and interspecific introgression during its evolution. However, genetic variants favored by each of these processes have not been distinguished previously. We constructed a graph-genome for 47 genomes of 7 cross-fertile bovine species. This allowed detection of 57,432 high-resolution structural variants (SVs) within and across the species, which were genotyped in 386 individuals. We distinguished the evolutionary origins of diverse SVs in domestic yaks by phylogenetic analyses. We further identified 334 genes overlapping with SVs in domestic yaks that bore potential signals of selection from wild yaks, plus an additional 686 genes introgressed from cattle. Nearly 90% of the domestic yaks were introgressed by cattle. Introgression of an SV spanning the KIT gene triggered the breeding of white domestic yaks. We validated a significant association of the selected stratified SVs with gene expression, which contributes to phenotypic variations. Our results highlight that SVs of different origins contribute to the phenotypic diversity of domestic yaks.

Blood flow measurement of microvessels in human tissues is of vital importance for the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. In this paper, the detection method of abnormal blood flow regions based on near-infrared correlation spectroscopy is studied. We used the NL-Bregman-TV imaging algorithm to realize Blood flow imaging. However, due to the limitation of the number and distribution of detectors, the pixels obtained from images are extremely low, which cannot meet the practical requirements of the visual and the abnormal blood flow range measurement. In this paper, the bicubic interpolation method is used to improve the resolution of low-pixel blood flow images. The parameter index of the normalized similarity was proposed to help judge the effect of the interpolation method on the resolution of this kind of image. Aiming at the extraction of abnormal regions, a threshold segmentation algorithm based on the histogram difference method and a morphological processing algorithm is proposed to extract the contour of abnormal blood flow. The method proposed in this paper can be used to accurately locate and extract the clear and smooth contour of abnormal blood flow.

Abstract as one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, quinoa has been widely valued for its rich nutritional value and green health. In this study, 22 CDK genes (CqCDK01-CqCDK22) were identified from quinoa genome using bioinformatics method. The number of amino acids was 173–811, the molecular weight was 19,554.89 Da-91,375.70 Da, and the isoelectric point was 4.57–9.77. The phylogenetic tree divided 21 CqCDK genes into six subfamilies, the gene structure showed that 12 (54.5%) CqCDK genes (CqCDK03, CqCDK04, CqCDK05, CqCDK06, CqCDK07, CqCDK11, CqCDK14, CqCDK16, CqCDK18, CqCDK19, CqCDK20 and CqCDK21) had UTR regions at 5’ and 3’ ends. Each CDK protein had different motifs (3–9 motifs), but the genes with the same motifs were located in the same branch. Promoter analysis revealed 41 cis-regulatory elements related to plant hormones, abiotic stresses, tissue-specific expression and photoresponse. The results of real-time fluorescence quantitative analysis showed that the expression level of some CDK genes was higher under drought and salt stress, which indicated that CDK genes could help plants to resist adverse environmental effects. Subcellular localization showed that CqCDK15 gene was localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm, and transgenic plants overexpressing CqCDK15 gene showed higher drought and salt tolerance compared to the controls. Therefore, CDK genes are closely related to quinoa stress resistance. In this study, the main functions of quinoa CDK gene family and its expression level in different tissues and organs were analyzed in detail, which provided some theoretical support for quinoa stress-resistant breeding. Meanwhile, this study has important implications for further understanding the function of the CDK gene family in quinoa and our understanding of the CDK family in vascular plant.

Recruitment and retention in cancer trials are long-standing issues, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK National Institute of Health Research and leading clinicians have emphasised the urgency to achieve and surpass prepandemic levels of participation.Data from a recent UK trial demonstrated the impact of COVID-19 and highlighted factors that limited recruitment. In response to this worldwide problem, studies have identified strategies for remediation at the levels of funding, the research environment, study design and trial team-related aspects, yet evidence of progress is lacking.Equality, diversity and inclusivity have become central to UK health and social policy during the 2000s. The need for greater inclusivity in trials has become a particular concern for cancer researchers and funders in the UK and in the USA, in recognition of potential bias in results. In the UK trials, the lack of standardised recording of ethnicity data renders interpretation difficult and caution is required in comparisons with the USA.Recently, the focus of concern has shifted away from the impact of deprivation and low socioeconomic status on trial participation. Barriers created by these factors and their frequent intersection with ethnicity should not be overlooked.The UK has adopted an advisory approach to broadening recruitment, publishing policy documents, guidance and toolkits. In the USA, by contrast, action on inclusion is increasingly mandated. Within the UK paradigm, the cancer research community is strongly encouraged to adopt a coordinated approach towards standardised digital data collection and embed and evaluate innovative, cocreated, locally relevant strategies.

【Objective】The study was conducted to explore the annual growth characteristics of pond-cultured rich the basic data of culture biology so as to provide references for the artificial pond culture and breeding of Bahaba taipingensis, and further protect and use the germplasm resources of B. taipingensis.【Method】Taking the B. taipingensis juveniles artificially cultured for less than one year as research materials, the growth parameters such as body length and body mass of pond-cultured B. taipingensis juveniles were measured regularly within one year, and the annual growth characteristics of B. taipingensis juveniles were analyzed.【Result】The initial average body length and average body mass of juveniles of B. taipingensis were increased from 4.56 (±0.54) cm to 30.22 (±4.32) cm and 10.63 (±0.91) g to 1 085.73 (±328.55) g after 365 days of growth. The body length was increased by 562.16%, with an average daily growth of 0.07 cm. The specific growth rate of body length ranged from 0.08%/d to1.08%/d, and the variation coefficient of body length ranged from 7.83% to 14.31%. The body mass was increased by 10 117.06 %, with an average daily growth of 2.95g. The specific growth rate of body mass ranged from 0.68%/d to 2.77%/d and the variation coefficient of body mass ranged from 8.53% to 33.37%. The specific growth rate and variation coefficient of body mass were greater than those of body length, and the annual change of fatness ranged from 2.21% to 11.18%. The body length of B. taipingensis juvenile was shown to be correlated with body mass in a power function: m=0.3783L2.2363, (R2=0.9705, b= 2.2363 < 3), with a negative allometric growth stage. There was linear relationship between the total length (LT) and body length (L): LT =1.1918L+0.2809 (R2=0.9986). There was quadratic function between the total length (LT) and age (t): LT=-0.0002t2+0.159t+4.6652 (R2=0.9791), quadratic function between body length (L) and age (t): L=-0.0002t2+0.1294t+3.7988 (R2=0.9865), and quadratic function between body mass (m) and age (t): m=0.0076t2+0.0618t+28.915 (R2=0.9956).【Conclusion】The B. taipingensis juvenile under artificial pond-cultureconditions grow well within one year, being at negative allometric growth stage.

In this study, tomato seed (TS) samples were subjected to different roasting conditions (90–170 °C and 10–30 min) to compare their effects on the chemical composition and oxidative stability of tomato seed oil (TSO). Unroasted TS was considered as a control sample. Our results revealed that moderate roasting (130 °C/20 min) can significantly increase the content of linoleic acid (54.01–54.89%), linolenic acid (2.17–2.41%), phytosterols (2789.56–3037.31 mg/kg), squalene (5.06–13.10 mg/kg), total phenols (22.37–22.67 mg GAE/100 g), and other functional components (p < 0.05) in TSO, while the antioxidant activity (via DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays) also increased. In addition, the tocopherol content decreased significantly (758.53–729.50 mg/kg). Accelerated oxidation experiments showed that roasting (170 °C/30 min) increased the oxidative stability index (OSI) of TSO from 5.35 to 7.07 h (p < 0.05). Furthermore, roasting gradually increased the content of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) (0–1.74 mg/kg), which indicates that the oxidative stability and the degree of the Maillard reaction increased upon roasting. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) showed that moderate roasting (130 °C/20 min) improved the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and oxidative stability of TSO. Furthermore, this work provides a useful theoretical basis for the processing and wide application of TSO in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

Abstract The free‐space optical communication is regarded as a promising technique for next generation networks. However, all the data are exposed in free space with high risk of being attacked or eavesdropping by unauthorized parties. Here, a bipolar photodetector based on the graphene/GaN heterojunction is demonstrated. The polarity of the UV light photocurrent is opposite to that of the red light photocurrent, which results from the interface state filling effect and hot carrier injection into graphene, verified by Kelvin probe force microscope measurement results. Four stable photocurrent levels are demonstrated with only a single graphene/GaN heterojunction via the photocurrent polarity control, which is employed for a secure capability in conventional optical communication by setting visible and UV light as secret and key information, respectively. The technique provides a new strategy to design photodetectors for information encryption technology.

Summary: Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent digestive tract malignant tumor characterized by an insidious onset, ease of metastasis, rapid growth, and poor prognosis. Here, we report that fibronectin type III domain containing 1 (FNDC1) has high expression in GC and indicates poor outcomes in patients with GC. FNDC1 over-expression or knockdown promotes or inhibits tumorigenesis and metastasis, respectively. The expression of FNDC1 is upregulated by TWIST1, strengthening its interaction with Gβγ and VEGFR2. The formation of the trimers, TWIST1 plus Gβγ and VEGFR2, increases VEGFR2 phosphorylation and Gβγ trafficking, which activates RAS-MAPK and PI3K-AKT signaling, benefiting GC progression. In this study, we demonstrated that arsenite can efficiently suppress FNDC1 expression, attenuating the formation of the trimers and downstream pathways. Altogether, our results indicate that FNDC1 might be a promising target for clinical treatment and prognostic judgment, while FNDC1 inhibition by arsenite provides a new opportunity for overcoming this fatal disease.

Abstract Background Small peptides encoded by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted attention for their various functions. Recent studies indicate that these small peptides participate in immune responses and antigen presentation. However, the significance of RNA modifications remains unclear. Methods Thirteen non-m6A-related neoantigen-coding lncRNAs were selected for analysis from the TransLnc database. Next, a neoantigen activation score (NAS) model was established based on the characteristics of the lncRNAs. Machine learning was employed to expand the model to two additional RNA-seq and two single-cell sequencing datasets for further validation. The DLpTCR algorithm was used to predict T cell receptor (TCR)-peptide binding probability. Results The non-m6A-related NAS model predicted patients’ overall survival outcomes more precisely than the m6A-related NAS model. Furthermore, the non-m6A-related NAS was positively correlated with tumor cells’ evolutionary level, immune infiltration, and antigen presentation. However, high NAS gliomas also showed more PD-L1 expression and high mutation frequencies of T-cell positive regulators. Interestingly, results of intercellular communication analysis suggest that T cell-high neoplastic cell interaction is weaker in both of the NAS groups which might arise from decreased IFNGR1 expression. Moreover, we identified unique TCR-peptide pairs present in all glioma samples based on peptides encoded by the 13 selected lncRNAs. And increased levels of neoantigen-active TCR patterns were found in high NAS gliomas. Conclusions Our work suggests that non-m6A-related neoantigen-coding lncRNAs play an essential role in glioma progression and that screened TCR clonotypes might provide potential avenues for chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy for gliomas.

The understanding of the impact of prenatal exposure to metal mixtures on birth weight is limited. We aimed to identify metal mixture components associated with birth weight and to determine additional pairwise interactions between metals showing such associations. Concentrations of 18 metals were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in urine samples collected in the 3rd trimester from a prenatal cohort (discovery; n = 1849) and the Healthy Baby Cohort (replication; n = 7255) in Wuhan, China. In the discovery set, we used two penalized regression models, i.e., elastic net regression for main effects and a lasso for hierarchical interactions, to identify important mixture components associated with birth weight, which were then replicated. We observed that 8 of the 18 measured metals were retained by elastic net regression, with five metals (vanadium, manganese, iron, cesium, and barium) showing negative associations with Z-scores for birth weight and three metals (cobalt, zinc, and strontium) showing positive associations. In replication set, associations remained significant for vanadium (β = −0.035; 95% confidence interval [CI], −0.059 to −0.010), cobalt (β = 0.073; 95% CI, 0.049 to 0.097), and zinc (β = 0.040; 95% CI, 0.016 to 0.065) after Bonferroni correction. We additionally identified and replicated a single pairwise interaction between iron and copper exposure on birth weight (P

In this study, we aimed to compare survival outcomes after receiving radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and hepatic resection (HR) for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with stratification by tumor size and age. A retrospective cohort was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2015. Patients were grouped by tumor size (0-2, 2-5, and > 5 cm) and age (>65 and ≤65). Overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were assessed. For patients >65 with tumors measuring 0-2 and 2-5 cm, the HR group had better OS and DSS compared with the RFA group. For patients >65 with tumors > 5 cm, OS and DSS did not differ significantly between the RFA and HR groups (p = 0.262 and p = 0.129, respectively). For patients ≤65, the HR group had better OS and DSS compared with the RFA group regardless of tumor size. For patients with resectable solitary HCC, regardless of age, HR is the better choice not only for tumors ≤ 2 cm, but also for tumors 2-5 cm. For resectable solitary HCC with tumors ＞5 cm, HR is the better choice for patients ≤65 but for patients >65, the issue of treatment choice needs to be further studied.

To reveal the deep seismogenic environment and mechanism of earthquakes in Songyuan City, Northeastern China, 59 broadband magnetotelluric sites in the Songyuan area were arranged in this study at a spacing of 5 km. In addition, two intersecting magnetotelluric profiles, with a total of 23 measuring sites and a spacing of 2 km, were established near the Ningjiang earthquake swarm. Using a nonlinear conjugate gradient (NLCG) algorithm, resistivity structures in the lithosphere were obtained at different scales using three-dimensional (3D) inversion. The research results show that: a deep high-conductivity system (

Enhancers are located upstream or downstream of key deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences in genes and can adjust the transcription activity of neighboring genes. Identifying enhancers and determining their functions are important for understanding gene regulatory networks and expression regulatory mechanisms. However, traditional enhancer recognition relies on manual feature engineering, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, making it difficult to perform large-scale recognition analysis. In addition, if the original dataset is too small, there is a risk of overfitting. In recent years, emerging methods, such as deep learning, have provided new insights for enhancing identification. However, these methods also present certain challenges. Deep learning models typically require a large amount of high-quality data, and data acquisition demands considerable time and resources. To address these challenges, in this paper, we propose a data-augmentation method based on generative adversarial networks to solve the problem of small datasets. Moreover, we used regularization methods such as weight decay to improve the generalizability of the model and alleviate overfitting. The Transformer encoder was used as the main component to capture the complex relationships and dependencies in enhancer sequences. The encoding layer was designed based on the principle of k-mers to preserve more information from the original DNA sequence. Compared with existing methods, the proposed approach made significant progress in enhancing the accuracy and strength of enhancer identification and prediction, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method. This paper provides valuable insights for enhancer analysis and is of great significance for understanding gene regulatory mechanisms and studying disease correlations.

BackgroundProspective observations on the effectiveness, safety, tolerance, and influence of comorbidity of add-on lacosamide (LCM) therapy are still lacking, especially for domestic generic LCM in China.ObjectiveIn this multicenter real-world study, we aimed to evaluate lacosamide (LCM) as the first add-on therapy in adult Chinese patients with focal epilepsy that had initially been treated with monotherapy.MethodsA cohort of consecutive focal epilepsy patients aged over 16 years were enrolled and followed at the multi-epilepsy centers in China. LCM was prescribed as the first add-on therapy. The main outcome measures included seizure frequency and response rate. Data on seizure-free rate, retention rate, scales of depression and anxiety, and adverse events were also collected as additional outcome measures.ResultsA total number of 107 adult subjects (60 men, 56.07%) were enrolled. The mean age was 37.16 ± 15.01 years, and the mean age at seizure onset was 312.35 ± 199.97 months. After the LCM add-on therapy, the ≥50% response rates were 76.19, 81.73, 94.12, and 95.79% at the visit at 4 weeks (visit 2), 8 weeks (visit 3), 16 weeks (visit 4), and 24 weeks (visit 5), respectively, compared to the baseline (visit 1). A total of 34 patients (31.78%) had no seizures during the whole follow-up period. The posttreatment emotional performance of the 97 subjects, defined as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory (NDDI) scores, was significantly better than the baseline one. Only one patient suffered from mild dizziness.ConclusionLCM as the first add-on therapy in adult focal epilepsy in China was effective and safe. Further prospective studies with long-term follow-up periods are needed to confirm our present findings.Clinical trial registrationhttp://www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2100042485.

Oil churning lubrication is an important lubrication method of gear system. Considering the viscoelasticity of the lubricant oil will result in additional resistance upon gears immersed in the oil while running at high-speed，and the gear system can get disturbed at all times due to self-exciting vibration and other factors. Thus，considering the backlash，time-varying mesh stiffness，transmission error，stochastic disturbances，oil churning resistance and other nonlinear factors， compares and analyzes the influence of oil churning resistance upon dynamic characteristics of the gear system under stochastic disturbance by establishing a nonlinear dynamic model of straight gears with 6 degrees of freedom and using by Lagrange method using the bifurcation diagram，phase diagram，Poincarè diagram，time-history graph and dynamic load factors （DLF） obtained by the R-K method. The results show that stochastic disturbances can change the chaotic characteristics of the system，and its influence on the phase diagram is particularly obvious，the trajectory shape remains the same，but the periodicity is significantly affected and the periodic motion turns to quasi-periodic motion. When the condition of being under stochastic disturbances is considered as a normal working state，the oil churning resistance can make the system enter the chaotic state in advance.

Brassinosteroids (BRs), the sixth major phytohormone, can regulate plant salt tolerance. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of BRs on plant salt tolerance, generating a large amount of research data. However, a meta-analysis on regulating plant salt tolerance by BRs has not been reported. Therefore, this study conducted a meta-analysis of 132 studies to elucidate the most critical physiological mechanisms by which BRs regulate salt tolerance in plants from a higher dimension and analyze the best ways to apply BRs. The results showed that exogenous BRs significantly increased germination, plant height, root length, and biomass (total dry weight was the largest) of plants under salt stress. There was no significant difference between seed soaking and foliar spraying. However, the medium method (germination stage) and stem application (seedling stage) may be more effective in improving plant salt tolerance. BRs only inhibit germination in Solanaceae. BRs (2 μM), seed soaking for 12 h, and simultaneous treatment with salt stress had the highest germination rate. At the seedling stage, the activity of Brassinolide (C28H48O6) was higher than that of Homobrassinolide (C29H50O6), and post-treatment, BRs (0.02 μM) was the best solution. BRs are unsuitable for use in the germination stage when Sodium chloride is below 100 mM, and the effect is also weakest in the seedling stage. Exogenous BRs promoted photosynthesis, and antioxidant enzyme activity increased the accumulation of osmoregulatory and antioxidant substances and reduced the content of harmful substances and Na+, thus reducing cell damage and improving plant salt tolerance. BRs induced the most soluble protein, chlorophyll a, stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rate, Glutathione peroxidase, and root-Ca2+, with BRs causing Ca2+ signals in roots probably constituting the most important reason for improving salt tolerance. BRs first promoted the accumulation of Ca2+ in roots, which increased the content of the above vital substances and enzyme activities through the Ca2+ signaling pathway, improving plant salt tolerance.

ABSTRACT: Aims: A high proportion of all patients with tuberculosis (TB) present with extrapulmonary TB (EPTB), including concurrent EPTB involving more than one extrapulmonary lesion site. However, previous reports only characterized lesions of single-site EPTB cases. This study aimed to investigate epidemiological characteristics and association rules of concurrent EPTB cases in China. Methods: An observational multi-centre study of 208,214 patients with EPTB lesions was undertaken in China from January 2011 to December 2017. Multi-variable logistic regression analysis was used to identify associations between gender and concurrent EPTB, and age and concurrent EPTB. Association rules were analysed for significance using the Apriori algorithm. Results: The most common EPTB lesion was tuberculous pleurisy (49.8%), followed by bronchial TB (14.8%) and tuberculous meningitis (7.6%). The most common type of concurrent EPTB was tuberculous pleurisy concurrent with tuberculous peritonitis (1.80%). In total, 22 association rules, including 20 strong association rules, were identified; among these, the highest confidence rates were found for tuberculous myelitis concurrent with tuberculous meningitis, and sacral TB concurrent with lumbar vertebral TB. The association rules of EPTB concurrent with other EPTB types were found to vary with gender and age. The confidence rate of tuberculous myelitis concurrent with tuberculous meningitis was higher in females (83.67%) than males, and was highest in patients aged 25–34 years (87.50%). Conclusions: Many types of concurrent EPTB were found. Greater awareness of concurrent EPTB disease characteristics is needed to ensure timely clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Background. Tuberculosis (TB), a multisystemic disease with protean presentation, remains a major global health problem. Although concurrent pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) cases are commonly observed clinically, knowledge regarding concurrent PTB-EPTB is limited. Here, a large-scale multicenter observational study conducted in China aimed to study the epidemiology of concurrent PTB-EPTB cases by diagnostically defining TB types and then implementing association rules analysis. Methods. The retrospective study was conducted at 21 hospitals in 15 provinces in China and included all inpatients with confirmed TB diagnoses admitted from Jan 2011 to Dec 2017. Association rules analysis was conducted for cases with concurrent PTB and various types of EPTB using the Apriori algorithm. Results. Evaluation of 438,979TB inpatients indicated PTB was the most commonly diagnosed (82.05%) followed by tuberculous pleurisy (23.62%). Concurrent PTB-EPTB was found in 129,422 cases (29.48%) of which tuberculous pleurisy was the most common concurrent EPTB type observed. The multivariable logistic regression models demonstrated that odds ratios of concurrent PTB-EPTB cases varied by gender and age group. For PTB cases with concurrent EPTB, the strongest association was found between PTB and concurrent bronchial tuberculosis (lift = 1.09). For EPTB cases with concurrent PTB, the strongest association was found between pharyngeal/laryngeal tuberculosis and concurrent PTB (lift = 1.11). Confidence and lift values of concurrent PTB-EPTB cases varied with gender and age. Conclusions. Numerous concurrent PTB-EPTB case types were observed, with confidence and lift values varying with gender and age. Clinicians should screen for concurrent PTB-EPTB in order to improve treatment outcomes.

UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs), important enzymes in biotransformation, control the levels and distribution of numerous endogenous signaling molecules and the metabolism of a wide range of endogenous and exogenous chemicals. The UGT superfamily in mammals consists of the UGT1, UGT2, UGT3, and UGT8 families. UGTs are rate-limiting enzymes in the glucuronate pathway, and in tumors, they are either overexpressed or underexpressed. Alterations in their metabolism can affect gluconeogenesis and lipid metabolism pathways, leading to alterations in tumor cell metabolism, which affect cancer development and prognosis. Glucuronidation is the most common mammalian conjugation pathway. Most of its reactions are mainly catalyzed by UGT1A, UGT2A and UGT2B. The body excretes UGT-bound small lipophilic molecules through the bile, urine, or feces. UGTs conjugate a variety of tiny lipophilic molecules to sugars, such as galactose, xylose, acetylglucosamine, glucuronic acid, and glucose, thereby inactivating and making water-soluble substrates, such as carcinogens, medicines, steroids, lipids, fatty acids, and bile acids. This review summarizes the roles of members of the four UGT enzyme families in tumor function, metabolism, and multiple regulatory mechanisms, and its Inhibitors and inducers. The function of UGTs in lipid metabolism, drug metabolism, and hormone metabolism in tumor cells are among the most important topics covered.

IntroductionThe quality of pressed walnut oil can be improved by moderate roasting treatment.MethodsThis study compared physicochemical characteristics and antioxidant ability of walnut oils pressed from differently roasted pretreated walnuts, analyzed the correlation among these indicators by using Pearson correlation coefficient and correlation coefficient heatmap, and evaluated the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of walnut oil under optimal pretreatment roasting conditions using headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS).ResultsHierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were able to remarkably distinguish walnut oil produced by different roasting processes. In addition, correlation analysis showed that there was a significant impact among indicators. There were 73 VOCs were identified in the optimum roasted treated walnut oil, consisting of 30 aldehydes, 13 alcohols, 11 ketones, 10 esters, 5 acids, 2 oxygen-containing heterocycles, 1 nitrogen-containing heterocycle and 1 other compound. GC-IMS results showed that aldehydes contributed significantly to the volatile flavor profile of walnut oil, especially (E)-2-heptenal, (E)-2-pentenal and hexenal.DiscussionThe properties of walnut oil based on varying roasting pretreatment of walnut kernels were significantly differentiated. Roasting at 120°C for 20 min is a suitable pretreatment roasting condition for pressing walnut oil. Roasting at 120°C for 20 min is a suitable pretreatment roasting condition for pressing walnut oil.

Summary: Background: There are a lack of studies about whether radiation dose escalation synergizes with immunotherapy and targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer. In this study, we performed a secondary analysis to investigate whether a high radiation dose rather than a low dose plus pembrolizumab and trametinib provided improved survival compared with gemcitabine in post-operative locally recurrent pancreatic cancer. Methods: In this open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial, eligible patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma characterized by mutant KRAS and positive immunohistochemical staining of PD-L1 and documented post-operative local recurrence were randomly assigned using an interactive voice or web response system, without stratification, to receive stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with doses ranging from 35 to 40Gy in five fractions, pembrolizumab 200 mg every three weeks and oral trametinib 2 mg once daily (SBRT + K + M) or SBRT and gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2) on day 1 and 8 of each 21-day cycle (SBRT + G) until disease progression in our hospital in China. Those had radiotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted therapy were excluded. Patients and investigators were not masked to the assignment. In each arm, patients were stratified based on biologically effective dose (BED10; α/β = 10) of 60–65Gy and BED10 ≥65Gy. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) and the secondary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). All patients received their assigned treatment and were included in the efficacy and safety analyses. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02704156. Findings: Between Oct 10, 2016, and Oct 28, 2017, 147 of 170 randomly assigned participants were eligible for inclusion in this analysis. In BED10 of 60–65Gy group, 34 and 29 patients had SBRT + G and SBRT + K + M, respectively. While there were 42 and 42 patients with SBRT + G and SBRT + K + M in BED10 ≥65Gy group. Patients in the SBRT + K + M group had longer OS compared with the SBRT + G group, but this did not reach statistical significance (median: 15.1 vs. 12.4 months, HR 0.67 [95%CI 0.43–1.04]; p = 0.071). For BED10 of 60–65Gy, OS was similar between patients in the SBRT + K + M and SBRT + G groups (median, 13.6 vs. 12.4 months; HR 0.69 [95% CI 0.41–1.16]; p = 0.16). For BED10 of ≥65Gy, PFS was prolonged with SBRT + K + M versus SBRT + G (median: 8.6 vs. 5.0 months, HR 0.48 [95% CI 0.31–0.77]; p = 0.0021). For BED10 of 60–65Gy, there was no significant difference in PFS between the two groups (PFS: median, 7.9 vs. 4.3 months; HR 0.69 [95% CI 0.42–1.15]; p = 0.16). In BED10 of 60–65Gy group, 7 (20.6%) and 8 patients (27.6%) with SBRT + G and SBRT + K + M had grade 3 or 4 adverse events (p = 0.52). In BED10 ≥65Gy group, 8 (19.0%) and 12 patients (28.6%) with SBRT + G and SBRT + K + M had grade 3 or 4 adverse events (p = 0.31). No treatment-related death occurred. Interpretation: Dose escalation of SBRT may improve PFS with pembrolizumab and trametnib versus gemcitabine for patients with post-operative locally recurrent pancreatic cancer. However, benefits of PFS did not translate into longer OS. This may be ascribed to small sample size and post-hoc analysis that was not powered to determine the significance. Therefore, synergy of high dose of SBRT with immunotherapy and targeted therapy required further investigations in phase 3 trials. Funding: Shanghai Shenkang Centre and Changhai Hospital.

Abstract Background Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) rarely reveals structural changes in patients with suspected anti-Tr/DNER encephalitis and thus provides very limited information. Here, we combined structural MRI, functional MRI, and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) findings to characterize this rare disorder in a patient. Case presentation A 43-year-old woman presented with progressive cerebellar ataxia, memory impairment, anxiety, and depression. Anti-Tr antibodies were detected in both her serum (1:10) and cerebrospinal fluid (1:10). A diagnosis of anti-Tr-positive autoimmune cerebellar ataxia was established. The patient’s symptoms were worse, but her brain MRI was normal. Meanwhile, voxel-based morphometry analysis showed bilateral reduced cerebellar volume, especially in the posterior lobe and uvula of the cerebellum and the middle of the left temporal lobe compared with 6 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects (6 females, 43 ± 2 years; p

Background: Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) protect cardiorenal function by robust anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic functions beyond classical functions of maintaining fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. The application of traditional steroidal MRAs to chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been limited by adverse events, especially when combined with renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors, guideline-recommend drugs for CKD patients. Recently, the development of non-steroidal MRAs gives patients with CKD a promising option. Summary: The discovery of non-steroidal MRAs is based on the molecular structure of the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and differ in structure from spironolactone, a progesterone derivative. The structure of non-steroidal MRAs determines their more effective and selective inhibition of MR providing patients more benefits with fewer adverse effects than MRAs. Recently, two types of non-steroidal MRAs, finerenone and esaxerenone, have been authorized for clinical use. We elaborate on the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms of MR, review the history of MRAs, compare two generations of MRAs, and introduce the forward clinical trials of finerenone and esaxerenone. Key Messages: Finerenone reduces the cardiovascular and kidney composite outcomes in diabetic patients with CKD eliciting a cardiorenal protection effect. Esaxerenone can effectively reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients and albuminuria in diabetic patients with CKD. The risk of hyperkalemia is controllable and acceptable through the serum potassium-based dose titrate. Combination therapy with sodium glucose cotransport-2 (SGLT2) inhibition or a new potassium binder may be a safer and more efficient approach.

Epilepsy, a functional disease caused by abnormal discharge of neurons, has attracted the attention of neurologists due to its complex characteristics. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a reversible mRNA modification that plays essential role in various biological processes. Nevertheless, no previous study has systematically evaluated the role of m6A regulators in epilepsy. Here, using gene expression screening in the Gene Expression Omnibus GSE143272, we identified seven significant m6A regulator genes in epileptic and non-epileptic patients. The random forest (RF) model was applied to the screening, and seven m6A regulators (HNRNPC, WATP, RBM15, YTHDC1, YTHDC2, CBLL1, and RBMX) were selected as the candidate genes for predicting the risk of epilepsy. A nomogram model was then established based on the seven-candidate m6A regulators. Decision curve analysis preliminarily showed that patients with epilepsy could benefit from the nomogram model. The consensus clustering method was performed to divide patients with epilepsy into two m6A patterns (clusterA and clusterB) based on the selected significant m6A regulators. Principal component analysis algorithms were constructed to calculate the m6A score for each sample to quantify the m6A patterns. Patients in clusterB had higher m6A scores than those in clusterA. Furthermore, the patients in each cluster had unique immune cell components and different cell death patterns. Meanwhile, based on the M6A classification, a correlation between epilepsy and glucose metabolism was laterally verified. In conclusion, the m6A regulation pattern plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. The research on m6A regulatory factors will play a key role in guiding the immune-related treatment, drug selection, and identification of metabolism conditions and mechanisms of epilepsy in the future.

The Bagridae fish family holds significant economic value and enjoys a high demand in the commercial market due to its desirable characteristics, such as delicious meat, fewer muscle spines, and a pleasing flavor. In recent years, the Bagridae has experienced rapid development in the seed industry in response to industry demands. Researchers have conducted extensive studies on genetic breeding in the Bagridae, employing a comprehensive breeding approach that combines conventional breeding techniques with innovative new technologies and cooperative efforts. In this review, we present an overview of the market situation and discuss various breeding processes applied to the Bagridae, including selective breeding, genetic engineering breeding, cell engineering breeding, molecular marker-assisted breeding, and hybrid breeding. Additionally, we focus on introducing the cultivation methods for two new Bagridae varieties. Furthermore, we explore and summarize the breeding conditions, genetic background, heterosis, comprehensive breeding technology, stress resistance, and metabolic nutrition of hybrid Bagridae catfishes. Overall, noticeable heterosis has been observed in the breeding of the hybrid yellow catfish “Huangyou-1”, which exhibits promising market prospects and economic benefits for aquaculture. Our study aims to underscore the importance of harnessing the heterosis of catfish, particularly the Pelteobagrus and Bagridae species. Consequently, this review provides an update on the current available information regarding the seed industry of the Bagridae fish family.

Aggressive angiomyxoma (AAM) is a rare mesenchymal tumor primarily growing in the soft tissue of the pelvis and perineum in women of reproductive age. It is a benign tumor that still has a probability of being accompanied by localized invasion. Although negative margins of resection are difficult to achieve due to the invasive nature of the tumor and the lack of a well-defined capsule, the first line of treatment for AAM is surgery. The diagnosis of AAM is difficult to make due to a lack of specific manifestations and specific tumor markers. In this study, we reported a case of aggressive angiomyxoma in a 2-year-old girl that rarely develops in the skull with craniocerebral compression. The patient initially had a mass on her head that attracted the attention of her family, and then she began to have episodic headaches. Surgery was performed after hospitalization, and the tumor recurred 1 year after the operation, around the originally affected skull.

Back-gated WSe2 field effect transistor (FET) with amorphous BN (a-BN) capping layer was fabricated by a direct chemical vapor deposition (CVD) assemble technique, and the electrical performance was investigated. The field effect mobility and the on/off current ratio of the a-BN capped WSe2 FET both improved by one order of magnitude due to the clean and conformal contact between the BN and WSe2 interface that further reduced the extrinsic scattering. This technique could be further applied for other 2D material based devices.

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis (NMDARe), a common autoimmune encephalitis, can be accompanied by demyelinating disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). To compare the clinical characteristics of patients with different overlapping syndromes, we searched the PubMed database and performed a systematic review. Of the 79 patients with overlapping syndromes, 15 had MS, 18 had aquaporin-4-antibody-positive NMOSD (AQP4-Ab-positive NMOSD), and 46 had MOGAD. Compared with classical NMDARe, overlapping syndromes showed atypical symptoms, such as limb weakness, sensory disturbance, and visual impairments in addition to the main symptoms of NMDARe and a lower ratio of ovarian teratoma. Patients with MOGAD overlap were the youngest, while patients with MS and AQP4-Ab-positive NMOSD overlap tended to be older than patients with classical NMDARe. A majority of patients with NMDARe who overlapped with MS or AQP4-Ab-positive NMOSD were female, but this was not the case for patients overlapped with MOGAD. When NMDARe and demyelinating diseases occurred sequentially, the interval was the longest in patients with NMDARe overlapped with MS. A favorable outcome was observed in patients overlapping with MOGAD, but no robust comparison can be drawn with the patients overlapping with AQP4-Ab-positive NMOSD and MS regarding the small number of available data. The long-term prognosis of overlapping syndromes needs further investigation.

Spin injection, spin accumulation and spin detection have been investigated in few-layer graphene lateral spin valves at room temperature. Compared to the zero value of spin accumulation signal in Co/Graphene/Co lateral spin valve even after thermal treatment, clear spin accumulation signals were observed in Co/MgO/Graphene/MgO/Co lateral spin valve after 270 °C thermal annealing. Our finding provides a robust way to achieve the spin injection in graphene lateral spin valves.

With the acceleration of industrialization, the removal of refractory organic dyes from water and how to promote its practical application remains a challenge. Herein, we synthesized an FeCo-LDH/LI-NDG composite electrode material by a simple laser-induced technique on polyimide films, which could electrocatalytically activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to completely degrade MB in about 6 min. The reaction rate constant (kobs) was 0.461 min−1. It was faster than most of the currently reported electrocatalysts. The reaction system demonstrated good interference resistance and catalytic effectiveness in the pH range of 3 to 9. According to the chemical quenching and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments, the non-radical pathway of 1O2 and the radical pathways of SO4·−, ·OH and O2·− were involved in the reaction synergistically, with 1O2 playing the dominant role. 1O2 was produced through the dual pathway of PMS electron loss at the anode and O2·− intermediate transformation at the cathode. The two activation methods of electro-activation and catalytic activation of PMS had synergistic effects to achieve high efficiency in the whole process of production, reaction and recovery, providing new ideas to advance practical applications.

Sensor ontology provides a standardized semantic representation for information sharing between sensor devices. However, due to the varied descriptions of sensor devices at the semantic level by designers in different fields, data exchange between sensor devices is hindered. Sensor ontology matching achieves data integration and sharing between sensors by establishing semantic relationships between sensor devices. Therefore, a niching multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm (NMOPSO) is proposed to effectively solve the sensor ontology matching problem. As the sensor ontology meta-matching problem is essentially a multi-modal optimization problem (MMOP), a niching strategy is introduced into MOPSO to enable the algorithm to find more global optimal solutions that meet the needs of different decision makers. In addition, a diversity-enhancing strategy and an opposition-based learning (OBL) strategy are introduced into the evolution process of NMOPSO to improve the quality of sensor ontology matching and ensure the solutions converge to the real Pareto fronts (PFs). The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of NMOPSO in comparison to MOPSO-based matching techniques and participants of the Ontology Alignment Evaluation Initiative (OAEI).

Nowadays, broiler production is faced with great challenges due to intensive culture modes, and chickens are more susceptible to oxidative stress. Consequently, synthetic antioxidants have been used to reduce this process, but their use has shown potential health risks. Thus, the use of natural ingredients has been suggested as a strategy to prevent oxidative stress. This study investigated how dietary dried jujube fruit powder (DJFP) supplementation influences the growth performance, antioxidant stability, meat composition, and nutritional quality of Cobb broilers. A total of 360 unsexed broilers (1-day-old) were randomly assigned to treatments that varied in DJFP levels: a basal diet without DJFP (control) and diets supplemented with 50 g/kg DJFP (P1), 100 g/kg DJFP (P2), and 150 g/kg DJFP (P3), with 9 replicates per treatment (90 broilers/treatment or 10 broilers/replicate). The results demonstrated improvement in the growth performance of broilers in terms of body weight (BW), body weight gain (WG), average daily body weight gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) following dietary DJFP supplementation. In addition, the antioxidant stabilities in the DJFP-treated broilers were improved and inhibited the production of lipid oxidation products compared with the control, with those in the P2 group showing the most marked effect. Moreover, dietary DJFP supplementation significantly increased (p < 0.05) the activity of antioxidant enzymes in broilers. Furthermore, the breast meat of the broilers displayed an increased protein content with a simultaneous reduction in the fat content after DJFP treatment (p < 0.05). Essential amino acid levels were higher in the DJFP-supplemented groups (p < 0.05). The sum of saturated fatty acids was lower, and that of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and the polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio (PUFA/SFA) were higher in the DJFP-supplemented groups (p < 0.05). Together, these results indicate that up to 100 g/kg of dietary DJFP supplementation can enhance the growth performance and antioxidant capacity, meat composition, and amino acid and fatty acid composition in broiler breast meat. In conclusion, dietary DJFP supplementation is a healthy alternative to the use of synthetic antioxidants in broiler production, especially in regions rich in jujube resources.

Abstract People with epilepsy (PWE) have an increased suicide prevalence. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for suicidal tendency among PWE in West China. A nested case–control study was designed in a cohort of patients with epilepsy (n = 2087). In total, 28 variates were calculated. In the univariate analysis, unemployment, low income, seizure frequency, seizure-free time, infectious or structural etiology, levetiracetam or phenobarbital use, anxiety, depression, and stigma were associated with suicidal tendency. A multivariate analysis indicated that unemployment (odds ratio [OR] 5.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.13–15.48), levetiracetam use (OR 2.80, 95%CI 1.11–7.05), depression (C-NDDI-E score ≥ 13; OR 3.21, 95%CI 1.26–8.21), and stigma (SSCI score ≥ 16; OR 6.67, 95%CI 1.80–24.69) were independently associated with suicidal tendency. Conditional inference tree analysis indicated that SSCI and C-NDDI-E scores could effectively identify patients with suicidal tendency. Thus, this study suggests that unemployment, levetiracetam use, depression, and stigma are independent risk factors for suicidal tendency in PWE in China.