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The influence of TiN addition on the new precipitation sequence and hardening effects of TiN modified Al-Mn-Sc alloy processed by LPBF was systematically studied in this work. The diffusion behavior of TiN particles results in obvious difference in the main alloying elements concentrations, altering the lattice constants of both primary and secondary L12-Al3(Ti,Sc,Zr) precipitates in the alloy matrix composite. After being subjected to peak-aging treatment, a novel precipitation sequence was observed in the sample containing 1.5 wt% TiN via generating a higher volume fraction of coherent L12-Al3Sc and semi-coherent rod-like Al6(Mn,Fe) precursors, corresponding to an alleviated internal strain as well. This new phenomenon has been demonstrated as a novel hardening mechanisms contributing to both microstructure refinement and mechanical property enhancement. As the results, the sample containing 1.5 wt% TiN exhibits an ultra-high yield strength of 651 ± 7 MPa and a compensate fracture elongation rate of 3.9 ± 0.3 %.

In this work, the various amount of Nb powder was mechanically mixed into the Cu–Al–Mn shape memory alloys (SMAs) to prepare quaternary SMAs by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Altered microstructure, transformation behaviour of alloys and its underlying mechanisms were analyzed. Corresponding shape memory effect (SME) was also studied. Result shows that Nb content has significant effect on the microstructure, phase transition temperatures (TTs) and SME. The microstructure of the alloy was refined by addition of appropriate Nb content. The formation of precipitates and massive grain boundaries after the addition of Nb caused a reduction of TTs and wide thermal hysteresis. Sample with 1 at%Nb containing fine and small volume fraction precipitate shows the best available strain.

Mechanical and corrosion behaviors perpendicular to build direction (XOY) and along build direction (XOZ) of UNS S31803 duplex stainless steel (DSS) fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) were investigated. With the post-annealing, the steel exhibited a ferrite-austenite microstructure. For XOY plane, austenite displayed a primarily texture while ferrite kept preferred orientation, and mainly held a Nishiyama-Wassermann orientation relationship. However, for XOZ plane, austenite showed a mixed texture. The average size of ferrite grains was larger for XOZ plane than XOY. The austenite in XOY plane was mostly island morphology grains, while in XOZ plane, there were a large number of coarse columnar grains. A higher geometrically necessary dislocation density and proportion of low-angle grain boundaries on XOY plane were observed. The yield strength and ultimate tensile strength values perpendicular to build direction were higher than those along build direction. While the total elongation perpendicular to build direction was lower. Moreover, the XOY plane shows slightly better corrosion resistance than the XOZ.

In this paper, a novel design strategy for l-PBFed AlMnMgScZr/TiN composites with ultrahigh strength was proposed. TiN particles can not only function as ceramic reinforcement, but also decompose and reprecipitate to form a large density of L12-precipitates at a high melting temperature during l-PBF. Meanwhile, the primary L12-Al3X (X=Ti/Sc/Zr) phase promotes the columnar-to-equiaxed grain transition effect, creating a fine bi-modal grain structure in the as-built sample. A high volume fraction of L12 nanoparticles are additionally precipitated from Al matrix during post heat treatment. In this regard, effective grain refinement and precipitation hardening mechanism contribute to an excellent tensile performance with a combination of an ultimate tensile strength of 681±4 MPa, a yield strength of 677±4 MPa, and an elongation rate of 5.4 ± 1.2%. The yield strength of 677 MPa is particularly the highest among all previously reported l-PBFed Al matrix composites and Al alloys.

In this study, the Cu-11.85Al-3.88Mn-1.6Nb (wt.%) shape memory alloy with low cost and a highly functional response was manufactured by selective laser melting(SLM). The effects of energy inputs (123–185J/mm3) on their microstructure, mechanical, and shape memory properties were investigated. It was observed that all of the samples were composed of 18R and 2H martensite, and the nanosized (Cu, Mn)3Al3Nd4 phase was formed during selective laser melting(SLM). In addition, the good compressive fracture strength and strain were 1652Mpa, and 15.1% respectively. An excellent shape memory effect of 99.26% recovery ratio and 5.32% shape memory strain was obtained by SLM.

Abstract In this paper, the influence of three-dimensional graphene (3DG) on the microstructure and chloride diffusion properties of fly ash cement paste was investigated. 3DG accounting for 0.0–0.2% of cement mass was evenly dispersed in hardened cement paste containing fly ash by using ultrasonic and polycarboxylate superplasticizer. The microstructure of the cement paste was characterized by mercury intrusion test (MIP), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results indicate that an appropriate amount of 3DG accelerates the secondary hydration of fly ash and provides a platform for the growth of cement hydration crystals. Moreover, the hydrated crystal fills the pores, reduces the harmful porosity, and refines the pore structure. The enhanced microstructure significantly improved mechanical properties and chloride diffusion resistance of hardened fly ash cement. With the addition of 0.1% 3DG, the compressive strength increased by 31.33%, and the chloride diffusion coefficient was reduced by 49.44%. The findings are beneficial to promote the generalized application of 3DG in cement in the marine environment.

Abstract Background To develop and validate tumor‐to‐blood based nomograms for preoperative prediction of lymph node (LN) metastasis in patients with lung cancer (LC). Methods A prediction model was developed in a primary cohort comprising 330 LN stations from patients with pathologically confirmed LC, these data having been gathered from January 2016 to June 2019. Tumor‐to‐blood variables of LNs were calculated from positron emission tomography‐computed tomography (PET‐CT) images of LC and the short axis diameters of LNs were measured on CT images. Tumor‐to‐blood variables, number of stations suspected of harboring LN metastasis according to PET, and independent clinicopathological risk factors were included in the final nomograms. After being internally validated, the nomograms were used to assess an independent validation cohort containing 101 consecutive LN stations accumulated from July 2019 to March 2020. Results Four tumor‐to‐blood variables (left atrium, inferior vena cava, liver, and aortic arch) and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) for LNs were found to be significantly associated with LN status (p

Abstract Background A deep learning (DL) model that can automatically detect and classify cervical canal and neural foraminal stenosis using cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. Methods A method comprising region-of-interest (ROI) detection and cascade prediction was formulated for diagnosing cervical spinal stenosis based on a DL model. First, three part-specific convolutional neural networks were employed to detect the ROIs in different parts of the cervical MR images. Cascade prediction of the stenosis categories was subsequently performed to record the stenosis level and position on each patient slice. Finally, the results were combined to obtain a patient-level diagnostic report. Performance was evaluated based on the accuracy (ACC), area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, F1 Score, diagnosis time of the DL model, and recall rate for ROI detection localization. Results The average recall rate of the ROI localization was 89.3% (neural foramen) and 99.7% (central canal) under the five-fold cross-validation of the DL model. In the dichotomous classification (normal or mild vs. moderate or severe), the ACC and AUC of the DL model were comparable to those of the radiologists, and the F1 score (84.8%) of the DL model was slightly higher than that of the radiologists (83.8%) for the central canal. Diagnosing whether the central canal or neural foramen of a slice is narrowed in the cervical MRI scan required an average of 15 and 0.098 s for the radiologists and DL model, respectively. Conclusions The DL model demonstrated comparable performance with subspecialist radiologists for the detection and classification of central canal and neural foraminal stenosis on cervical spine MRI. Moreover, the DL model demonstrated significant timesaving ability.

Abstract Background The contribution of interspecies interactions between coinfecting pathogens to chronic refractory infection by affecting pathogenicity is well established. However, little is known about the impact of intraspecific interactions on infection relapse, despite the cross-talk of different strains within one species is more common in clinical infection. We reported a case of chronic refractory pulmonary infection relapse, caused by two methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) strains (SA01 and SA02) and revealed a novel strategy for relapse via intraspecific cooperation. Methods The hemolytic ability, growth curve, biofilm formation, virulence genes and response of G. mellonella larvae to S. aureus infection were analysed to confirm this hypothesis. Results SA02 hemolytic activity was inhibited by SA01, along with the expression of hemolysin genes and the virulence factor Hla. Additionally, SA01 significantly enhanced the biofilm formation of SA02. AIP-RNAIII may be a possible pathway for this interaction. Compared with mono-infection, a worse outcome (decreased larval survival and increased microbial burden) of the two MSSA strains coinfected with G. mellonella confirmed that intraspecific interactions indeed enhanced bacterial survival in vivo. Conclusion The intraspecific interaction of S. aureus could lead to chronic refractory infection via pathogenicity changes.

By high-throughput sequence methods, the research explored the diversity and succession of the bacterial communities in fermented grains of Shanxi aged vinegar. The results showed that during the acetic acid fermentation of Shanxi aged vinegar, mainly 7 phyla were at the phylum level, including Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, among which the relative abundance of Firmicutes showed an increasing trend during the fermentation, and finally even reached over 98%, dominating the entire fermentation stage. At the genus level, the main bacteria participating in the acetic acid fermentation stage of Shanxi aged vinegar included Lactobacillus (57.4%~66.4%), Acetobacter (3.8%~27.3%), Streptococcus (0.3%~3.0%), Weissella (0.2%~1.8%), Bacillus (0.1%~1.2%), Pseudomonas (0%~1.8%), etc, among which Lactobacillus and Acetobacter bacteria dominated, with a relative abundance of around 90% in the first 5 days of fermentation. Meanwhile, Pseudomonas was not detected in the vinegar Pei samples during the early stage of the acetic acid fermentation, but appeared in the samples on the 5th day and reached its peak (1.1%~3.4%) on the 7th day. Besides, "mash inoculation" adopted during the acetic acid fermentation of Shanxi aged vinegar, the bacterial community structure as well as changes in different fermentation batches were basically the same, and the shared microbial species accounted for more than 70% of the total, indicating the stability of the solid-state fermentation process of Shanxi aged vinegar.

Benzothiadiazole (BTH) is a plant resistance inducer that effectively delays ripening and senescence in fruits. To understand its possible mechanism, transcriptomics and metabolomics analyses were performed on banana (Musa spp.) fruit treated with BTH after their inoculation with the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum musae. A total of 1,747 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and 1,160 were up- and 587 downregulated between the BTH and control conditions. These DEGs were highly enriched in metabolic pathways related to disease resistance, such as phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoids, and starch and sucrose metabolism. A metabolome analysis identified 138 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) of which 73 were upregulated and 65 downregulated between the BTH and control conditions. Flavonoids were significantly upregulated DAMs. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses showed that the lignin biosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways played important roles in the disease resistance of banana fruit induced by BTH by upregulating the expression of PAL, 4CL, PER, CHS, FLS, and FL3H. Moreover, WRKY transcription factors (TFs) also played key roles in this process of resistance by mediating genes related to disease resistance, such as PR1, PR1c, TLPH, PTI5, and other genes. Our results suggested that the BTH treatment significantly changed the expression of transcripts and metabolites related to the hormone signaling, secondary metabolism, disease resistance, and key TFs, which induced the disease resistance and delayed the ripening process. The insights into these molecular mechanisms also provide potential targets for genetic or chemical approaches to further enhance fruit quality and resistance.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is well known for its biofilm formation ability and is responsible for serious, chronic refractory infections worldwide. We previously demonstrated that advanced glycation end products (AGEs), a hallmark of chronic hyperglycaemia in diabetic tissues, enhanced biofilm formation by promoting eDNA release via sigB upregulation in S. aureus, contributing to the high morbidity and mortality of patients presenting a diabetic foot ulcer infection. However, the exact regulatory network has not been completely described. Here, we used pull-down assay and LC-MS/MS to identify the GlmS as a candidate regulator of sigB in S. aureus stimulated by AGEs. Dual-luciferase assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) revealed that GlmS directly upregulated the transcriptional activity of sigB. We constructed NCTC 8325 ∆glmS for further validation. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that AGEs promoted both glmS and sigB expression in the NCTC 8325 strain but had no effect on NCTC 8325 ∆glmS. NCTC 8325 ∆glmS showed a significant attenuation in biofilm formation and virulence factor expression, accompanied by a decrease in sigB expression, even under AGE stimulation. All of the changes, including pigment deficiency, decreased haemolysis ability, downregulation of hla and hld expression, and less and sparser biofilms, indicated that sigB and biofilm formation ability no longer responded to AGEs in NCTC 8325 ∆glmS. Our data extend the understanding of GlmS in the global regulatory network of S. aureus and demonstrate a new mechanism by which AGEs can upregulate GlmS, which directly regulates sigB and plays a significant role in mediating biofilm formation and virulence factor expression.

IntroductionEravacycline (ERV), a novel tetracycline derivative, exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, but data on the bacterial activity against Chinese bacterial isolates are very scarce. This study aims to evaluate the activity of eravacycline against the common Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria isolates in Guangdong, China.MethodsThe clinical isolates were collected from four centers between 1 November 2023 and 31 January 2024, and the susceptibility of eravacycline (MIC50, MIC90, and MIC) was determined using broth microdilution as a reference method and E-TEST strips to evaluate their consistency. A total of 594 strains were collected from the four centers, including Staphylococcus aureus (n = 126), Enterococcus faecalis (n = 58), Enterococcus faecium (n = 29), Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 136), Escherichia coli (n = 187), and Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 58).Results and discussionThe MIC50 and MIC90 (mg/L) of eravacycline were 0.12 and 1 for S. aureus, 0.06 and 0.12 for E. faecalis, 0.06 and 0.5 for E. faecium, 0.25 and 0.5 for E. coli, 0.5 and 2 for K. pneumoniae, and 0.25 and 2 for A. baumannii. Based on the FDA and EUCAST breakpoints, the susceptibility of eravacycline against S. aureus was 46.03% vs. 83.33%, 56.90% vs. 94.93% against E. faecalis, and 62.07% vs. 79.31% in E. faecium. The susceptibility rates of E. coli and K. pneumoniae were 90.37% and 58.09, respectively. To evaluate the performance between the broth microdilution test (BMD) and ETEST methods, we compared essential agreement (EA), categorical agreement (CA), very major error (VME), and major error (ME). The results demonstrated that compared with BMD, eravacycline measured by ETEST had higher VME and ME referring to FDA breakpoints than EUCAST breakpoints in the Gram-positive isolates. Since there were no intermediate breakpoints for the eravacycline, the MIC values measured by the ETEST method might result in lower CA and higher VME and ME. This study provides MIC values of eravacycline against Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens in four hospitals in Guangdong Province, and eravacycline is an effective therapeutic candidate for common bacteria.

Abstract Background Accurate prognostic assessment is vital for the personalized treatment of endometrial cancer (EC). Although radiomics models have demonstrated prognostic potential in EC, the impact of region of interest (ROI) delineation strategies and the clinical significance of peritumoral features remain uncertain. Our study thereby aimed to explore the predictive performance of varying radiomics models for the prediction of LVSI, DMI, and disease stage in EC. Methods Patients with 174 histopathology-confirmed EC were retrospectively reviewed. ROIs were manually delineated using the 2D and 3D approach on T2-weighted MRI images. Six radiomics models involving intratumoral (2Dintra and 3Dintra), peritumoral (2Dperi and 3Dperi), and combined models (2Dintra + peri and 3Dintra + peri) were developed. Models were constructed using the logistic regression method with five-fold cross-validation. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was assessed, and was compared using the Delong’s test. Results No significant differences in AUC were observed between the 2Dintra and 3Dintra models, or the 2Dperi and 3Dperi models in all prediction tasks (P > 0.05). Significant difference was observed between the 3Dintra and 3Dperi models for LVSI (0.738 vs. 0.805) and DMI prediction (0.719 vs. 0.804). The 3Dintra + peri models demonstrated significantly better predictive performance in all 3 prediction tasks compared to the 3Dintra model in both the training and validation cohorts (P

Abstract Background Acute complete gastric volvulus is a rare and life-threatening disease, which is prone to gastric wall ischemia, perforation, and necrosis. If it is not treated by surgery in time, the mortality rate can range from 30 to 50%. Clinical presentations of acute gastric volvulus are atypical and often mimic other abdominal conditions such as gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux, gastric dilation, and pancreatitis. Imaging studies are crucial for diagnosis, with barium meal fluoroscopy being the primary modality for diagnosing gastric volvulus. Cases of acute gastric volvulus diagnosed by ultrasound are rarely reported. Case presentation We reported a rare case of acute gastric volvulus in a 4-year-old Chinese girl who presented with vomiting and abdominal pain. Ultrasound examination revealed the “whirlpool sign” in the cardia region, raising suspicion of gastric volvulus. Diagnosis was confirmed by X-ray barium meal fluoroscopy, which indicated left-sided diaphragmatic hernia and obstruction at the cardia region. Surgical intervention confirmed our suspicion of acute complete gastric volvulus combined with diaphragmatic hernia. Conclusion In this case, we reported an instance of acute complete gastric volvulus. Ultrasound revealed a “whirlpool sign” in the cardia, which is likely to be a key sign for the diagnosis of complete gastric volvulus.

After hunting, predators tend to leave a large amount of carrion behind. It is widely reported that this resource is commonly used by various species in the ecosystem and is essential for the survival of scavengers, particularly in winter. Although recent studies are focused on mammals, little is known about how this works with facultative scavenger birds, which may lead to a serious underestimation of the key role that top predators such as the Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) play in ecosystems. Here, we conducted a field feeding experiment to quantitatively evaluate the effects of Amur tiger on avian scavengers by simulating their predation residue. The results show that the Corvidae is the main bird species that consumes carrion, while woodpeckers and some insectivorous songbirds also benefit from the remains that Amur tiger leaves behind. We assumed that in winter, if the daily energy demand for the six main scavenger birds completely relied on the predation residues of Amur tiger separately, the prey remains of one Amur tiger could feed about 28 crows, 49 Azure-winged magpies, 61 Eurasian jays, 235 Eurasian nuthatches, 96 Great spotted woodpeckers, or 385 Willow tits. It means that the prey remains of top predators like Amur tiger may be an extremely important resource to avian scavengers and carrion could be a potential ecological indicator of Amur tiger keystone effect. This study provides experimental evidence from the field for the first time, and reveals the ecological mechanism of the role of keystone species of the Amur tiger, i.e., how to indirectly protect other animal groups in the forest ecosystem that have important ecological value for the biodiversity and the health of local forest vegetation through the protection of the Amur tiger.

Birds are sensitive to environmental changes and can drive range shifts rapidly due to their high mobility. Though previous studies have examined the associations between species traits and range shifts, whether species traits could still explain heterogeneity in shift directions remains poorly explored. Here, we compiled new bird records of China from 2000 to 2019 and analyzed species traits associated with apparent shift directions. We collected 350 provincial-level new records of birds belonging to 67 families of 22 orders. Of these, 32 are threatened, with 3 critically endangered, 11 endangered, and 18 vulnerable. Provinces in western China (i.e., Yunnan and Xizang) had relatively higher species richness of new recorded birds; this pattern was also reflected in the phylogenetic diversity we observed. In addition, provinces in northern China (i.e., Tianjin, Shandong, and Beijing) had relatively higher richness-controlled phylogenetic diversity. Phylogenetic overdispersion of new recorded bird communities was observed in 61.29% of provinces (19 of 31). The main shift directions indicated by new bird records were northward (with nearly 50% of birds moving NW, N and NE). Migration, hand-wing index (HWI), body mass, and range size are the four key factors that most significantly influence the shift directions in bird species, suggesting that bird movement toward newly suitable areas varies with species-specific traits. Together, these results demonstrate the importance of considering species ecological traits when predicting shift directions of birds.

Abstract Congenital fibrinogen disorders are a group of coagulation deficiencies caused by fibrinogen defects and are divided into four types, including afibrinogenemia, hypofibrinogenemia, dysfibrinogenemia, and hypodysfibrinogenemia. In this study, we collected a family with hypofibrinogenemia, and genetics analysis identify a novel pathogenic variants (c.668G > C, p.Arg223Thr) in the FGG gene. And electron microscope observation revealed significant changes in the ultrastructure of fibrin of the proband. Our research expands the phenotypic and genetic spectrum associated with the FGG gene, which would facilitate in genetic counselling and prenatal genetic diagnosis.

Which functional group shows a stronger affinity for U(VI) and can be introduced into material to enhance selective enrichment? This is crucial for U(VI) capture material design and evaluation. Following these questions, we herein compared and analyzed bare graphene, graphene oxide (GO), and carboxylated graphene oxide (GO-COOH) through experimental and theoretical calculations. Experiments show that U(VI) adsorption on GO-COOH (Qm = 344.1 mg/g) mainly occurs via inner-sphere complexation with the C=O group in -COOH. The -COOH group can significantly enhance the enrichment and selectivity of U(VI), and its affinity for U(VI) is greater than that of -OH. There is a strong interaction between [UO2(H2O)10]2+ and -COOH with an interaction energy of 1.13 eV. When U(VI) is adsorbed on GO, the original C-O(H) bond in GO breaks, leading to U(VI) seizing -OH and forming a more stable complex [UO2(H2O)10(OH)]1+. However, the desorption of U(VI) from GO is easier due to the weakened interaction between [UO2(H2O)10(OH)]1+ and GO after the C-O(H) bond breakage. Briefly, the combination of experimental observations and theoretical calculations provides a comprehensive understanding of the affinity and selectivity of -COOH and -OH for U(VI), and highlights the potential of using -COOH functionalization to enhance the U(VI) enrichment and separation performance of materials.

Abstract Background We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of three surgical methods in the treatment of various types of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). Methods Herein, 314 cases of CSP were treated in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University between June 2017 and June 2020. The patients were divided into three groups based on the treatment received: group A (n = 146; curettage by pituitrin combined with ultrasonic monitoring and hysteroscopy-guided surgery), group B [n = 90; curettage after methotrexate (MTX) injection into the local gestational sac], and group C (n = 78; laparoscopic, transvaginal, and transabdominal cesarean scar resection). These groups were divided into three subgroups (type I, type II, and type III) according to the CSP type of the patients. Results The intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, hospitalization cost, menstrual recovery time, and serum β-HCG normalization time were lower in groups A than in groups B or C with type I, II and III CSP (P

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Long‐term changes in the microenvironment of the brain contribute to the degeneration of neurological function following TBI. However, current research focuses primarily on short‐term modulation during the early phases of TBI, not on the critical significance of long‐term homeostasis in the brain microenvironment. Notably, dysfunction of the glymphatic‐lymphatic system results in the accumulation of danger/damage‐associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) in the brain, which is regarded as the leading cause of long‐term microenvironmental disturbances following TBI. Here, a nanostructure, Nano‐plumber, that co‐encapsulates the microenvironment regulator pro‐DHA and the lymphatic‐specific growth factor VEGF‐C is developed, allowing for a sustainable and orderly regulation of the microenvironment to promote long‐term neurological recovery. Nano‐plumber reverses the injury microenvironment by suppressing microglia and astrocytes activation and maintaining reduced activation via enhanced glymphatic‐lymphatic drainage, and significantly improves the neurological function of rodents with TBI. This study demonstrates that glymphatic‐lymphatic system reconstruction is essential for enhancing long‐term prognosis following TBI, and that the Nano‐plumber developed here may serve as a clinically translatable treatment option for TBI.

Abstract Objective To compare the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) for differentiating pulmonary nodules and masses. Methods We systematically searched six databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and three Chinese databases, to identify studies that used both DWI and PET/CT to differentiate pulmonary nodules. The diagnostic performance of DWI and PET/CT was compared and pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 was used to assess the quality of the included studies, and STATA 16.0 software was utilized to perform statistical analysis. Results Overall, 10 studies that enrolled a total of 871 patients with 948 pulmonary nodules were included in this meta-analysis. DWI had greater pooled sensitivity (0.85 [95% CI 0.77–0.90]) and specificity (0.91 [95% CI 0.82–0.96]) than PET/CT (sensitivity, 0.82 [95% CI 0.70–0.90]); specificity, (0.81, [95% CI 0.72–0.87]). The area under the curve of DWI and PET/CT were 0.94 (95% CI 0.91–0.96) and 0.87 (95% CI 0.84–0.90) (Z = 1.58, P > 0.05), respectively. The diagnostic odds ratio of DWI (54.46, [95% CI 17.98–164.99]) was superior to that of PET/CT (15.77, [95% CI 8.19–30.37]). The Deeks’ funnel plot asymmetry test showed no publication bias. The Spearman correlation coefficient test revealed no significant threshold effect. Lesion diameter and reference standard could be potential causes for the heterogeneity of both DWI and PET/CT studies, and quantitative or semi-quantitative parameters used would be a potential source of bias for PET/CT studies. Conclusion As a radiation-free technique, DWI may have similar performance compare with PET/CT in differentiating malignant pulmonary nodules or masses from benign ones.

Key points 1. Primary leiomyosarcoma of the spine is extremely rare. 2. Some imaging features could be valuable for diagnosing the disease. 3. The treatment of choice is surgical gross-total resection of the tumor.

IntroductionUnderstanding the variations of oligosaccharide in breast milk contribute to better study how human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) play a role in health-promoting benefits in infants.MethodsSix abundant HMOs, 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL), 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), Lacto-N-tetraose (LNT), Lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), 3’-sialyllactose (3’-SL) and 6’-sialyllactose (6’-SL), in breast milk collected at 0–5 days, 10–15 days, 40–45 days, 200–240 days, and 300–400 days postpartum from six locations across China were analyzed using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography-pulsed amperometric detector.ResultsThe concentration of individual HMO fluctuated dynamically during lactational stages. The median ranges of 2’-FL, 3-FL, LNT, LNnT, 3’-SL, and 6’-SL across the five lactational stages were 935–2865 mg/L, 206–1325 mg/L, 300–1473 mg/L, 32–317 mg/L, 106–228 mg/L, and 20–616 mg/L, respectively. The prominent variation was observed in the content of 6’-SL, which demonstrates a pattern of initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease. Among the five lactational stages, the transitional milk has the highest concentration, which was 31 times greater than the concentration in mature milk at 300–400 days postpartum, where the content is the lowest. Geographical location also influenced the content of HMOs. LNT and LNnT were the highest in mature milk of mothers from Lanzhou among the six sites at 40–240 days postpartum. Breast milks were categorized into two groups base on the abundance of 2’-FL (high and low). There was no significant difference in the proportions of high and low 2’-FL phenotypes among the six sites, and the percentages of high and low 2’-FL phenotypes were 79% and 21%, respectively, across all sites in China.DiscussionThis study provided a comprehensive dataset on 6 HMOs concentrations in Chinese breast milk during the extended postpartum period across a wide geographic range and stratified by high and low 2’-FL phenotypes.

Abstract Background Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a low-grade malignant vascular neoplasm with the potential to metastasize. Primary EHE of the spine is very rare and an accurate diagnosis is crucial to treatment planning. We aim to investigate the imaging and clinical data of spinal EHE to improve the understanding of the disease. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the imaging manifestations and clinical data of 12 cases with pathologically confirmed spinal EHE. The imaging features analyzed included number, locations, size, border, density, signal, majority of the lesions, expansile osteolysis, residual bone trabeculae, sclerotic rim, vertebral compression, enhancement. Results Patients included 5 female and 7 male patients (mean age: 43.0 ± 19.6 years; range 15–73 years). Multiple lesions were noted in 1 case and single lesion was noted in 11 cases. The lesions were located in the thoracic, cervical, lumbar, and sacral vertebrae in 7, 3, 1, and 1 cases, respectively. They were centered in the vertebral body and posterior elements in 9 and 3 cases, respectively. Residual bone trabeculae, no sclerotic margin, and surrounding soft-tissue mass were noted in 11 cases, each, and mild expansile osteolysis and vertebral compression were noted in 10 and 6 cases, respectively. MRI was performed for 11 patients, all of whom showed isointensity on T1WI, hyperintensity or slight hyperintensity on T2WI, and hyperintensity on fat-suppressed T2WI. A marked enhancement pattern was noted in 10 cases. Conclusion Spinal EHE tend to develop in the thoracic vertebrae. EHE should be considered when residual bone trabeculae can be seen in the bone destruction area, accompanied by pathological compression fracture, no sclerotic rim, and high signal intensity for a vascular tumor on T2WI.

This study examined the mediating role of children’s approaches to learning (ATL) in parenting style and Chinese preschoolers’ pre-academic skills (i.e., literacy and numeracy) as well as the moderating role of family socioeconomic status (SES) in the mediating process. Participants were 307 children aged five to six years old from four public kindergartens in Shanghai, China. Parents provided demographic information and reported their parenting style (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive) and teachers rated each child’s ATL and pre-academic skills. Results indicated that: (1) authoritative parenting positively related to children’s pre-academic skills while no significant relationships were identified either for authoritarian or permissive parenting with pre-academic skills; (2) children’s ATL partially mediated the relationship between authoritative parenting and children’s pre-academic skills; (3) family SES moderated the relationship between children’s ATL and pre-academic skills. Specifically, children’s ATL was more strongly related to pre-academic skills for children from low SES families as compared to their high-SES peers. These findings contribute to the understanding of the effects of parenting styles on Chinese children’s early academic achievement and underscore the importance of ATL to children’s pre-academic skills, especially for low-SES children.

Abstract Background The Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) is the largest and one of the most endangered cats in the world. In wild and captive cats, communication is mainly dependent on olfaction. However, vocal communication also plays a key role between mother and cubs during the breeding period. How cubs express their physiological and psychological needs to their mother and companions by using acoustic signals is little known and mainly hindered by the difficult process of data collection. Here, we quantitatively summarized the vocal repertoire and behavioral contexts of captive Amur tiger cubs. The aim of the present work was to investigate the behavioral motivations of cub calls by considering influential factors of age, sex, and rearing experiences. Results The 5335 high-quality calls from 65 tiger cubs were classified into nine call types (Ar-1, Ar-2, Er, eee, Chuff, Growl, Hiss, Haer, and Roar) produced in seven behavioral contexts. Except for Er, eight of the nine call types were context-specific, related to Play (Ar-2, eee, and Roar), Isolation (Ar-1), Offensive Context (Haer, Growl, and Hiss), and a friendly context (Chuff). Conclusions The results suggest that cubs are not quiet, but instead they express rich information by emitting various call types, which are probably crucial for survival in the wild. We herein provide the first detailed spectrogram classification to indicate vocal repertoires of calls and their coding with respect to behavioral contexts in Amur tiger cubs, and we pave the steps for revealing their social communication system, which can be applied for conservation of populations. These insights can help tiger managers or keepers to improve the rearing conditions by understanding the feline cubs’ inner status and needs by monitoring their vocal information expressions and exchanges.