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Three commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with low, medium, and high H2S-producing capacity were chosen to investigate the effect of yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) levels and composition on volatile compounds in a chemically defined medium, specifically high, medium, and low initial YAN levels with varying proportions of DAP or sulfur-containing amino acids (cysteine and methionine). The results revealed that the initial YAN containing a larger proportion of diammonium phosphate resulted in a higher YAN consumption rate during the early stages of fermentation. The yeast strain had a greater effect on the volatiles than the YAN level and composition. Keeping the total YAN constant, a higher proportion of sulfur-containing amino acids resulted in a considerably higher production of 3-methylthiopropanol. The sensory impact of three key volatile sulfur compounds was investigated in a Chardonnay wine matrix, indicating that 3-methylthiopropanol at subthreshold or greater concentrations was effective in enhancing the cantaloupe aroma.

Senescent cell accumulation in the pulmonary niche is associated with heightened susceptibility to age-related disease, tissue alterations, and ultimately a decline in lung function. Our current knowledge of senescent cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) dynamics is limited, and our understanding of how senescent cells influence spatial ECM architecture changes over time is incomplete. Herein is the design of an in vitro model of senescence-associated extracellular matrix (SA-ECM) remodeling using a senescent lung fibroblast-derived matrix that captures the spatiotemporal dynamics of an evolving senescent ECM architecture. Multiphoton second-harmonic generation microscopy was utilized to examine the spatial and temporal dynamics of fibroblast SA-ECM remodeling, which revealed a biphasic process that established a disordered and heterogeneous architecture. Additionally, we observed that inhibition of transforming growth factor-β signaling during SA-ECM remodeling led to improved local collagen fiber organization. Finally, we examined patient samples diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis to further tie our results of the in vitro model to clinical outcomes. Moreover, we observed that the senescence marker p16 is correlated with local collagen fiber disorder. By elucidating the temporal dynamics of SA-ECM remodeling, we provide further insight on the role of senescent cells and their contributions to pathological ECM remodeling.

Ginger, as a rich herb resource in China, has played an important role in food and medicine since ancient times. It is also known as a medicinal and edible homologous plant that possesses unique medical and nutritional values. Ginger polysaccharide is considered one of the most important bio-active components in ginger, which have attracted many attentions for various of bioactivities. In this review, the methods of extraction and purification of polysaccharide, as well as structural characteristics are discussed, what’s more, functional properties including antioxidant, immunity regulatory, anti-tumor and their influencing factors are reviewed. It is expected to provide valuable reference for further research and industrial application of ginger polysaccharide.

This paper addresses the valuation of European options, which involves the complex and unpredictable dynamics of fractal market fluctuations. These are modeled using the α-order time-fractional Black–Scholes equation, where the Caputo fractional derivative is applied with the parameter α ranging from 0 to 1. We introduce a novel, high-order numerical scheme specifically crafted to efficiently tackle the time-fractional Black–Scholes equation. The spatial discretization is handled by a tailored finite point scheme that leverages exponential basis functions, complemented by an L1-discretization technique for temporal progression. We have conducted a thorough investigation into the stability and convergence of our approach, confirming its unconditional stability and fourth-order spatial accuracy, along with (2−α)-order temporal accuracy. To substantiate our theoretical results and showcase the precision of our method, we present numerical examples that include solutions with known exact values. We then apply our methodology to price three types of European options within the framework of the time-fractional Black–Scholes model: (i) a European double barrier knock-out call option; (ii) a standard European call option; and (iii) a European put option. These case studies not only enhance our comprehension of the fractional derivative’s order on option pricing but also stimulate discussion on how different model parameters affect option values within the fractional framework.

Due to its good corrosion resistance and high rigidity, fluoroplastic steel heat exchangers have become one of the main feasible solutions to the problem of flue gas waste heat recovery. Therefore, a heat transfer performance test of a fluoroplastic steel heat exchanger was carried out, and a new heat transfer correlation (Nu = 0.11Re0.72Pr0.36, 1900 < Re < 4100, Pr ≈ 0.8) of a fluid transverse tube bank suitable for smooth fluoroplastic surfaces was proposed. Comparing the results of the proposed correlation and the Zhukauskas correlation, the calculation discrepancy was decreased when using the proposed correlation, and the average discrepancy dropped from 16.8% to 3.3%. As the thickness of the fluoroplastic film was reduced, the gap between the two correlations widened. Thus, the Zhukauskas correlation was not applicable to fluoroplastic steel heat exchangers with a thin fluoroplastic film. However, the deviation between the two correlations decreased as the condensing heat transfer area increased. For the fluoroplastic steel heat exchanger with a large condensation heat transfer area, the Zhukauskas correlation could still be utilized. It was interesting to observe that the deviation between the two correlations was reduced when only flue gas condensation was present, but it showed an increasing trend with the increase in condensation intensity.

Abstract Primary breast neuroendocrine (NE) neoplasms are uncommon, and definitions harbor controversy. We retrospectively collected 73 triple‐negative breast cancers (TNBC) and evaluated NE biomarker expression along with p53 aberrant staining (which correlates with TP53 gene mutation) and Rb protein loss by immunohistochemistry. In the study cohort, we found 11 (15%) cases of TNBC with neuroendocrine differentiation (TNBC‐NED) showing positivity for one or more NE markers (synaptophysin/chromogranin/insulinoma‐associated protein 1 [INSM1]). We also identified one separate small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Histologic types for these 11 TNBC‐NED cases were as follows: 8 invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) not otherwise specified (NOS), 2 IDC with apocrine features, 1 IDC with solid papillary features. INSM1 had the highest positivity and was seen in all 11 carcinomas. Seven (64%) cases showed p53 aberrant staining, 6 (55%) had Rb protein loss, while 6 (55%) had p53/Rb co‐aberrant staining/protein loss. TNBC‐NED was associated with Rb protein loss (p

Thesis supervision is a crucial teaching activity in higher education that plays a vital role in assisting students in completing their studies. The outbreak of COVID-19 has necessitated the transitionto remote, synchronous interactions for supervising academic papers. However, existing tools for conducting these remote sessions often fall short of meeting the requirements of both teachers and students. This paper focuses on an investigation into the utilization of virtual reality (VR) technology for conducting remote thesis supervision meetings at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), a Sino-British institution located in Suzhou, China. Through a year-long qualitative inquiry involving two teachers and five students who participated in the project both in Liverpool and Suzhou, this research examines how actual collaborative work is conducted during remote supervision via a research-developed tool. The results of this study emphasize the need for improvements in the current design to better align with the practical requirements of teachers and students during such meetings. Furthermore, this research provides insights into the design considerations for VR applications tailored to specific use cases and offers a set of implementation details to guide the development of VR-based remote collaboration tools for thesis supervision meetings.

The online and accurate capture of dynamic changes in furnace temperature distribution is crucial for production efficiency improvement and international environmental policy compliance in power plants. To achieve this, a measurement system with a reliable online reconstruction capability and high temporal resolution is necessary. This paper presents a novel technique that can improve the temporal resolution of the currently existing acoustic tomography (AT) system using frequency division multiplexing (FDM). This method allows for concurrent transmissions of acoustic signals in several different frequency bands instead of a sequential manner, which leads to more efficient channel utilization and allows all acoustic signals to be acquired at the same time, so that a better temporal uniformity of multipath acoustic signals can be realized. Theoretical analysis and experiments have been conducted to verify the effectiveness of this technique. The results prove that the proposed method can significantly improve the temporal resolution of the AT system while maintaining the accuracy and robustness of the reconstruction.

Oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and gut-liver axis dysbiosis have been suggested as the primarily involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver injury. Previous research established that yeast extract (YE) has antioxidant, immune-boosting or microbiota-regulating properties. However, there is currently lack of information regarding the efficacy of YE on alcoholic liver injury. This study seeks to obtain data that will help to address this research gap using a Wistar male rat experimental model. Histologic and biochemical analysis results showed that the groups treated with both low-dose yeast extract (YEL) and high-dose yeast extract (YEH) had lower degrees of alcohol-induced liver injury. The abundance of Peptococcus and Ruminococcus reduced in the low-dose yeast extract (YEL) group, while that of Peptococcus, Romboutsia, Parasutterella, and Faecalibaculum reduced in the high-dose (YEH) group. Furthermore, Spearman analysis showed that the gut microbes were significantly associated with several liver-related indicators. For the analysis of differential metabolites and enriched pathways in the YEL group, the abundance of lysophosphatidylcholine (16:0/0:0) significantly increased, and then the levels of histamine, adenosine and 5′ -adenine nucleotide were remarkedly elevated in the YEH group. These findings suggest that both high and low doses of YE can have different protective effects on liver injury in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) rats, in addition to improving gut microbiota disorder. Besides, high-dose YE has been found to be more effective than low-dose YE in metabolic regulation, as well as in dealing with oxidative stress and inflammatory responses.

Inverted papillomas (IP) are benign neoplasms of the sinonasal cavity with a high rate of malignant transformation compared to simple nasal polyps, estimated in approximately 10% of cases. Recurrence of IP-associated squamous cell carcinoma (IP-SCC) following resection is relatively common, and treatment options are limited indicating a need for the introduction of tumor profiling in order to determine potential therapeutic targets. We present the case of a patient diagnosed with a highly invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising from an inverted sinonasal papilloma. We aim to associate molecular analysis with beneficial treatment options for this patient diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer.

Flagship species’ conservation strategies hold significant prominence in biodiversity preservation. The giant panda, a globally recognized species, has drawn attention to its benefits and constraints as a flagship species. This study aimed to assess the potential benefits of a dual flagship strategy using both the giant panda and snow leopard, compared to an approach solely using the giant panda. We identified the number of potential beneficiary species based on their habitat overlap with the giant panda and snow leopard in Sichuan and Gansu, China. Subsequently, we examined public preferences for these two flagships and their influencing factors through questionnaire surveys within and outside China. The dual flagship strategy covered the habitats of more species and amplified existing protection for those species already benefiting from giant panda conservation efforts. The giant panda was commonly perceived as “Adorable”, “Innocent”, and “Rare”, while perceptions of the snow leopard leaned towards “Mighty”, “Mysterious”, and “Rare”. Though the giant panda is widely favored, the survey indicates a notable preference for snow leopards among a proportion of respondents. The dual flagship strategy offers expanded wildlife habitat coverage and benefits a broader range of species. Moreover, the combined appeal of the snow leopard and giant panda, each possessing unique charm and symbolism, holds the potential to garner broader societal interest and support. This study may serve as a reference for policy decisions in the Giant Panda National Park and other similar protected areas, optimizing conservation management and outreach initiatives for flagship species strategies. It may also benefit conservation strategies centered on other flagship species.

Abstract Whether sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) should be performed in patients with microinvasive breast cancer (MIBC) has been a matter of debate over the last decade. MIBC has a favorable prognosis and while metastasis to the axilla is rare, it can impact treatment recommendations. In this study we evaluated clinical and histological features in both MIBC and background DCIS including ER, PR, and HER-2, number of foci of MIBC, the extent of the DCIS, nuclear grade, presence of comedo necrosis, as well as surgical procedures, adjuvant treatment and follow up to identify variables which predict disease free survival (DFS), as well as the factors which influence clinical decision making. Our study included 72 MIBC patients with a mean patient follow-up time of 55 months. Three patients with MIBC had recurrence, and two deceased, leaving five patients in total with poor long-term outcomes and a DFS rate of 93.1%. Performing mastectomy, high nuclear grade, and negativity for ER and HER-2 were found to be associated with the use of SLNB, although none of these variables were found to be associated with DFS. One positive lymph node case was discovered following SLNB in our study. This suggests the use of SLNB may provide diagnostic information to some patients, although these are the anomalies. When comparing patients who had undergone SLNB to those which had not there was no difference in DFS. Certainly, the use of SLNB in MIBC is quite the conundrum. It is important to acknowledge that surgical complications have been reported, and traditional metrics used for risk assessment in invasive breast cancer may not hold true in the setting of microinvasion.

The potential of citizen science projects in research has been increasingly acknowledged, but the substantial engagement of these projects is restricted by the quality of citizen science data. Based on the largest emerging citizen science project in the country—Birdreport Online Database (BOD), we examined the biases of birdwatching data from the Greater Bay Area of China. The results show that the sampling effort is disparate among land cover types due to contributors' preference towards urban and suburban areas, indicating the environment suitable for species existence could be underrepresented in the BOD data. We tested the contributors' skill of species identification via a questionnaire targeting the citizen birders in the Greater Bay Area. The questionnaire show that most citizen birdwatchers could correctly identify the common species widely distributed in Southern China and the less common species with conspicuous morphological characteristics, while failed to identify the species from Alaudidae, Caprimulgidae, Emberizidae, Phylloscopidae, Scolopacidae and Scotocercidae. With a study example, we demonstrate that spatially clustered birdwatching visits can cause underestimation of species richness in insufficiently sampled areas; and the result of species richness mapping is sensitive to the contributors' skill of identifying bird species. Our results address how avian research can be influenced by the reliability of citizen science data in a region of generally high accessibility, and highlight the necessity of pre-analysis scrutiny on data reliability regarding to research aims at all spatial and temporal scales. To improve the data quality, we suggest to equip the data collection frame of BOD with a flexible filter for bird abundance, and questionnaires that collect information related to contributors’ bird identification skill. Statistic modelling approaches are encouraged to apply for correcting the bias of sampling effort.

A novel stable laser absorption spectroscopy (LAS) tomographic sensor with enhanced stability and spatial resolution is developed and applied to complex combustion flame diagnosis. The sensor reduces the need for laser collimation and alignment even in extremely harsh environments and improves the stability of the received laser signal. Furthermore, a new miniaturized laser emission module was designed to achieve multi-degree of freedom adjustment. The full optical paths can be sampled by 8 receivers, with such arrangement, the equipment cost can be greatly reduced, at the same time, the spatial resolution is improved. In fact, 100 emitted laser paths are realized in a limited space of 200mm×200 mm with the highest spatial resolution of 1.67mm×1.67 mm. The stability and penetrating spatial resolution of the LAS tomographic sensor were validated by both simulation and field experiments on the afterburner flames. Tests under two representative experiment states, i.e., the main combustion and the afterburner operation states, were conducted. Results show that the error under the main combustion state was about 4.32% and, 5.38% at the afterburner operation state. It has been proven that this proposed sensor can provide better tomographic measurements for combustion diagnosis, as an effective tool for improving performances of afterburners.

It is known that humans and animals can learn and utilize category information quickly and efficiently to adapt to changing environments, and several brain areas are involved in learning and encoding category information. However, it is unclear that how the brain system learns and forms categorical representations from the view of neural circuits. In order to investigate this issue from the network level, we combine a recurrent neural network with reinforcement learning to construct a deep reinforcement learning model to demonstrate how the category is learned and represented in the network. The model consists of a policy network and a value network. The policy network is responsible for updating the policy to choose actions, while the value network is responsible for evaluating the action to predict rewards. The agent learns dynamically through the information interaction between the policy network and the value network. This model was trained to learn six stimulus-stimulus associative chains in a sequential paired-association task that was learned by the monkey. The simulated results demonstrated that our model was able to learn the stimulus-stimulus associative chains, and successfully reproduced the similar behavior of the monkey performing the same task. Two types of neurons were found in this model: one type primarily encoded identity information about individual stimuli; the other type mainly encoded category information of associated stimuli in one chain. The two types of activity-patterns were also observed in the primate prefrontal cortex after the monkey learned the same task. Furthermore, the ability of these two types of neurons to encode stimulus or category information was enhanced during this model was learning the task. Our results suggest that the neurons in the recurrent neural network have the ability to form categorical representations through deep reinforcement learning during learning stimulus-stimulus associations. It might provide a new approach for understanding neuronal mechanisms underlying how the prefrontal cortex learns and encodes category information.

Abstract Background Succinate‐CoA ligase/synthetase (SCS) deficiency is responsible for encephalomyopathy with mitochondrial DNA depletion and mild methylmalonic aciduria. Variants in SUCLG1, the nuclear gene encoding the alpha subunit of the SCS enzyme playing a pivotal role in maintaining mtDNA integrity and stability, are associated with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome 9 (MTDPS9). Methods In this study, we reported an infant with clinical features of MTDPS9 from China. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was used to identify the genetic cause. Bioinformatic analysis and mtDNA level detection were performed to assess pathogenicity. Results The proband manifested with hypotonia, lactic acidosis, mild methylmalonic aciduria, hearing loss and psychomotor retardation. WES identified new compound heterozygous SUCLG1 variants of c.601A>G (p.R201G) in exon 6 and c.871G>C (p.A291P) in exon 8. Computational analysis predicted that these missense variants might alter structure stability and mitochondrial translocation of SUCLG1. qRT‐PCR showed 68% depletion of mtDNA content in proband as compared to controls. Conclusion Novel compound heterozygous variants c.601A>G (p.R201G) and c.871G>C (p.A291P) in SUCLG1 may cause MTDPS9 in this family. Our finding should be helpful for molecular diagnosis, genetic counseling and clinical management of SCS deficiency disorders.

Defective in cullin neddylation 1 domain containing 1 (DCUN1D1) is an E3 ligase for the neddylation, a post-translational process similar to and occurring in parallel to ubiquitin proteasome pathway. Although established as an oncogene in a variety of squamous cell carcinomas, the precise role of DCUN1D1 in prostate cancer (PCa) has not been previously explored thoroughly. Here, we investigated the role of DCUN1D1 in PCa and demonstrated that DCUN1D1 is upregulated in cell lines as well as human tissue samples. Inhibition of DCUN1D1 significantly reduced PCa cell proliferation and migration and remarkably inhibited xenograft formation in mice. Applying both genomics and proteomics approaches, we provide novel information about the DCUN1D1 mechanism of action. We identified CUL3, CUL4B, RBX1, CAND1 and RPS19 proteins as DCUN1D1 binding partners. Our analysis also revealed the dysregulation of genes associated with cellular growth and proliferation, developmental, cell death and cancer pathways and the WNT/β-catenin pathway as potential mechanisms. Inhibition of DCUN1D1 leads to the inactivation of β-catenin through its phosphorylation and degradation which inhibits the downstream action of β-catenin, reducing its interaction with Lef1 in the Lef1/TCF complex that regulates Wnt target gene expression. Together our data point to an essential role of the DCUN1D1 protein in PCa which can be explored for potential targeted therapy.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious psychiatric disorder, with an increasing incidence in recent years. The abnormal dopaminergic pathways of the midbrain cortical and limbic system are the key pathological regions of MDD, particularly the ventral tegmental area- nucleus accumbens- medial prefrontal cortex (VTA-NAc-mPFC) neural circuit. MDD usually occurs with the dysfunction of dopaminergic neurons in VTA, which decreases the dopamine concentration and metabolic rate in NAc/mPFC brain regions. However, it has not been fully explained how abnormal dopamine concentration levels affect this neural circuit dynamically through the modulations of ion channels and synaptic activities. We used Hodgkin-Huxley and dynamical receptor binding model to establish this network, which can quantitatively explain neural activity patterns observed in MDD with different dopamine concentrations by changing the kinetics of some ion channels. The simulation replicated some important pathological patterns of MDD at the level of neurons and circuits with low dopamine concentration, such as the decreased action potential frequency in pyramidal neurons of mPFC with significantly reduced burst firing frequency. The calculation results also revealed that NaP and KS channels of mPFC pyramidal neurons played key roles in the functional regulation of this neural circuit. In addition, we analyzed the synaptic currents and local field potentials to explain the mechanism of MDD from the perspective of dysfunction of excitation-inhibition balance, especially the disinhibition effect in the network. The significance of this article is that we built the first computational model to illuminate the effect of dopamine concentrations for the NAc-mPFC-VTA circuit between MDD and normal groups, which can be used to quantitatively explain the results of existing physiological experiments, predict the results for unperformed experiments and screen possible drug targets.

Liver is the most common metastatic site for colorectal cancer (CRC), there is no satisfied approach to treat CRC liver metastasis (CRCLM). Here, we investigated the role of a polycomb protein BMI-1 in CRCLM. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that BMI-1 expression in liver metastases was upregulated and associated with T4 stage, invasion depth and right-sided primary tumor. Knockdown BMI-1 in high metastatic HCT116 and LOVO cells repressed the migratory/invasive phenotype and reversed epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), while BMI-1 overexpression in low metastatic Ls174T and DLD1 cells enhanced invasiveness and EMT. The effects of BMI-1 in CRC cells were related to upregulating snail via AKT/GSK-3β pathway. Furthermore, knockdown BMI-1 in HCT116 and LOVO cells reduced CRCLM using experimental liver metastasis mice model. Meanwhile, BMI-1 overexpression in Ls174T and DLD1 significantly increased CRCLM. Moreover, sodium butyrate, a histone deacetylase and BMI-1 inhibitor, reduced HCT116 and LOVO liver metastasis in immunodeficient mice. Our results suggest that BMI-1 is a major regulator of CRCLM and provide a potent molecular target for CRCLM treatment.

Abstract In this paper, we explore the open string amplitude’s dual role as a space-time S-matrix and a 2D holomorphic CFT correlation function. We pursue this correspondence in two directions. First, beginning with a general disk integrand dressed with a Koba-Nielsen factor, we demonstrate that exchange symmetry for the factorization residue of the amplitude forces the integrand to be expandable on SL(2,R) conformal blocks. Furthermore, positivity constraints associated with unitarity imply the SL(2,R) blocks must come in linear combinations for which the Virasoro block emerges at the “kink” in the space of solutions. In other words, Virasoro symmetry arises at the boundary of consistent factorization. Next, we consider the low energy EFT description, where unitarity manifests as the EFThedron in which the couplings must live. The existence of a worldsheet description implies, through the Koba-Nielsen factor, monodromy relations which impose algebraic identities amongst the EFT couplings. We demonstrate at finite derivative order that the intersection of the “monodromy plane” and the four-dimensional EFThedron carves out a tiny island for the couplings, which continues to shrink as the derivative order is increased. At the eighth derivative order, on a three-dimensional monodromy plane, the intersection fixes the width of this island to around 1.5% (of ζ(3)) and 0.2% (of ζ(5)) with respect to the toroidally compactified Type-I super string answer. This leads us to conjecture that the four-point open superstring amplitude can be completely determined by the geometry of the intersection of the monodromy plane and the EFThedron.

Abstract Background Among women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, 30% have a prior diagnosis of benign breast disease (BBD). Thus, it is important to identify factors among BBD patients that elevate invasive cancer risk. In the general population, risk factors differ in their associations by clinical pathologic features; however, whether women with BBD show etiologic heterogeneity in the types of breast cancers they develop remains unknown. Methods Using a nested case-control study of BBD and breast cancer risk conducted in a community healthcare plan (Kaiser Permanente Northwest), we assessed relationships of histologic features in BBD biopsies and patient characteristics with subsequent breast cancer risk and tested for heterogeneity of associations by estrogen receptor (ER) status, tumor grade, and size. The study included 514 invasive breast cancer cases (median follow-up of 9 years post-BBD diagnosis) and 514 matched controls, diagnosed with proliferative or non-proliferative BBD between 1971 and 2006, with follow-up through mid-2015. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained using multivariable polytomous logistic regression models. Results Breast cancers were predominantly ER-positive (86%), well or moderately differentiated (73%), small (74%

Roads, acting as barriers, hamper wildlife movements and disrupt habitat connectivity. Bridges and culverts are common structures on roads, and some of them can function to allow wildlife passage. This study investigated the effects of traffic, the surrounding landscape, human disturbance, and bridge and culvert structures on the utilization of bridges and culverts as dedicated passages by wildlife, using motion-activated infrared camera traps along a 64 km road in Giant Panda National Park, Sichuan, China. The results show that both species richness and counts of wildlife recorded at the bridge and culvert were significantly lower than those observed at sites distant from roads. No large-sized wildlife was recorded at the bridges and culverts. Human activities and traffic volume significantly and negatively affect medium-sized wildlife utilization of bridges and culverts. We conclude that bridges and culverts serve as wildlife crossings, but their efficacy is weak. This emphasizes the necessity of retrofitting bridges and culverts via mitigation facilities such as noise and light barriers, and vegetation restoration on both sides of the roads in Giant Panda National Park.

Abstract Background It is well established that tumors are antigenic and can induce an immune response by the host, entailing lymphocytic infiltration of the tumor and surrounding stroma. The extent and composition of the immune response to the tumor, assessed through evaluation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte counts, has been shown in many studies to have prognostic and predictive value for invasive breast cancer, but currently, there is little evidence regarding the association between infiltrating immune cell counts (IICCs) in women with benign breast disease (BBD) and risk of subsequent invasive breast cancer. Methods Using a cohort of 15,395 women biopsied for BBD at Kaiser Permanente Northwest, we conducted a nested case-control study in which cases were women who developed a subsequent invasive breast cancer during follow-up and controls were individually matched to cases on age at BBD diagnosis. We assessed IICCs in normal tissue and in the BBD lesions, and we used unconditional logistic regression to estimate the multivariable odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations between IICCs and breast cancer risk. Results There was no association between the IICC in normal tissue (multivariable OR per 5% increase in IICC = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.96–1.16) or in the BBD lesion (OR per 5% increase in IICC = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.96–1.18) and risk of subsequent invasive breast cancer. Also, there were no associations within subgroups defined by menopausal status, BBD histology, BMI, and history of smoking. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that IICCs in BBD tissue are not associated with altered risk of subsequent invasive breast cancer.

Abstract Background Due to the increased risk of viral infection and the severe shortage of medical resources during the pandemic of COVID-19, most hospitals in the epidemic areas significantly reduced non-emergency admissions and services, if not closed. As a result, it has been difficult to treat cancer patients on time, which adversely affects their prognosis. To address this problem, cancer centers must develop a strategic plan to manage both inpatients and outpatients during the pandemic, provide them with the necessary treatment, and at the same time prevent the spread of the virus among patients, visitors and medical staff. Methods Based upon the epidemic situation in Zhejiang Province, China, the number of running non-emergency medical wards in the Zhejiang Cancer Hospital was gradually increased in a controlled manner. All staff of the hospital received COVID-19 preventive training and was provided with three different levels of protection according to the risks of their services. Only patients without a known history of SARS-CoV-2 contact were eligible to schedule an appointment. Body temperature was measured on all patients upon their arrival at the hospital. Chest CT image, blood cell counting and travel/contact history were investigated in patients with fever. Respiratory tract samples, such as sputum and throat swabs, from all patients, including those clinically suspected of SARS-CoV-2 infection, were collected for nucleic acid detection of SARS-CoV-2 before treatment. Results A total of 3697 inpatients and 416 outpatients seeking cancer treatment were enrolled from February 1 to April 3, 2020, in compliance with the hospital’s infection-control interventions. The clinicopathological parameters of the patients were summarized herein. 4237 samples from 4101 patients produced negative RNA testing results. Four clinically suspected patients all presented negative RNA test results and were excluded from the SARS-CoV-2 infection through follow-up retesting and monitoring. Seven patients with only N-gene positive results were retested, followed by CT scan and SARS-CoV-2 contact history investigation. All of them were finally diagnosed as non-infected patients. There was one outpatient who was confirmed positive by virus RNA test and then followed up. She might be an asymptomatic laboratory-confirmed case. During the study period, there was no SARS-CoV-2 infection among staff, patients and escorts of patients in the Zhejiang Cancer Hospital. Conclusion This study suggested our infection-control interventions, including viral nucleic acid test, could be used as a reliable method to screen cancer patients in the area with moderate COVID-19 prevalence. Cancer may not be a high-risk factor of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Abstract We exploit the correspondence between twisted homology and quantum group to construct an algebra explanation of the open string kinematic numerator. In this setting the representation depends on string modes, and therefore the cohomology content of the numerator, as well as the location of the punctures. We show that quantum group root system thus identified helps determine the Casimir appears in the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov connection, which can be used to relate representations associated with different puncture locations.

The temperature and soot volume fraction in afterburn flame are very important parameters in flame analysis and burner design. A novel method that combines the 3-D emission measurement technique and the camera position and attitude calibration by using the translation and rotation matrix is proposed. The spectral intensities of oxygen-enriched combustion and afterburner flame facility were designed for testing purposes. The theoretical analysis and experimental results are provided in this paper. The results demonstrated that this novel technique can provide good measurement accuracy with high spatial resolution.

A new arc-consistent viscous-spring artificial boundary (ACVAB) was proposed by changing a traditional flat artificial boundary based on the theory of viscous-spring artificial boundaries. Through examples, the concept underpinning the establishment and specific setting of the boundary in the finite element software were described. Through comparison with other commonly used artificial boundaries in an example for near-field wave analysis using the two-dimensional (2D) half-space model, the reliability of the ACVAB was verified. Furthermore, the ACVAB was used in the numerical analysis of the effects of an earthquake on underground structures. The results were compared with the shaking table test results on underground structures. On this basis, the applicability of the ACVAB to a numerical model of seismic response of underground structures was evaluated. The results show that the boundary is superior to common viscous-spring boundaries in terms of accuracy and stability, and therefore, it can be used to evaluate radiation damping effects of seismic response of underground structures and is easier to use.

Maffucci syndrome is a rare non-familial condition characterized by enchondromas/chondrosarcomas and soft tissue hemangiomas. Multiple fibroadenomas in young women has been described in patients with Maffucci syndrome. IDH1/2 somatic mutations have been identified in tumors arising in a context of Maffucci syndrome in small case series. We present the case of a 20-year-old woman with multicentric bilateral breast fibroadenomas and history of finger enchondroma although a next generation sequencing study failed to demonstrate IDH1/2 gene mutations. The combination of enchondroma and multiple and bilateral breast fibroadenomas in a young patient should warrant consideration of Maffucci syndrome. Given the possibility of genetic mosaicism in tumor cells and lack of IDH1/2 somatic mutations in certain Maffucci-related tumors, closer and longer patient follow up is indicated in such patient.

Papillary neoplasms of the breast encompass a broad spectrum of lesions that remain one of the most challenging topics in breast pathology. Although recognizing the papillary architecture is straightforward, classification into in situ and invasive can be problematic due to the overlapping features among these lesions. This review focuses on diagnosing and classifying the papillary neoplasm with an update from the WHO 5th edition and current opinion on clinical management.

Background: Oncotype Dx (ODx) is a genomic assay which estimates the risk of distant recurrence and predicts adjuvant chemotherapy benefit in early stage breast cancer patients. Most ODx data is derived from excisional specimens. Aim: We assess the utility of ODx on core needle biopsies (CNB) and measure its impact on neoadjuvant treatment decisions, particularly in patients with clinically complicated situations. Methods: Consecutive ODx results on breast CNBs with invasive carcinoma from 2012-2020 at 3 tertiary care hospitals with dedicated Breast Health Centers were reviewed. Clinical indications to perform ODx on CNB were recorded through a review of patients’ electronic medical records. Clinicopathologic features, surgical or oncologic modalities and follow-up data were recorded. Results: Three distinct clinical indications for performing ODx on CNB in 85 ER+ invasive breast carcinomas were identified: 1) Excisions with insufficient tissue to perform ODx, 2) adjudicate neoadjuvant therapy versus primary surgical resection, and 3) select neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) versus neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET). Primary surgery was selected in patients with low score RS (18). NET was preferred over NAC in patients with low RS (

Introduction Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast is a non-obligate precursor of invasive breast cancer (IBC). Many DCIS patients are either undertreated or overtreated. The overarching goal of the study described here is to facilitate detection of patients with DCIS at risk of IBC development. Here, we propose to use risk factor data and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) DCIS tissue from a large, ethnically diverse, population-based cohort of 8175 women with a first diagnosis of DCIS and followed for subsequent IBC to: identify/validate miRNA expression changes in DCIS tissue associated with risk of subsequent IBC; evaluate ipsilateral IBC risk in association with two previously identified marker sets (triple immunopositivity for p16, COX-2, Ki67; Oncotype DX Breast DCIS score); examine the association of risk factor data with IBC risk.Methods and analysis We are conducting a series of case–control studies nested within the cohort. Cases are women with DCIS who developed subsequent IBC; controls (2/case) are matched to cases on calendar year of and age at DCIS diagnosis. We project 485 cases/970 controls in the aim focused on risk factors. We estimate obtaining FFPE tissue for 320 cases/640 controls for the aim focused on miRNAs; of these, 173 cases/346 controls will be included in the aim focused on p16, COX-2 and Ki67 immunopositivity, and of the latter, 156 case–control pairs will be included in the aim focused on the Oncotype DX Breast DCIS score®. Multivariate conditional logistic regression will be used for statistical analyses.Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Boards of Albert Einstein College of Medicine (IRB 2014-3611), Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, Henry Ford Health System, Mayo Clinic, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute and Hackensack Meridian Health, and from Lifespan Research Protection Office. The study results will be presented at meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Abstract Background The breast cancer microenvironment contributes to tumor progression and response to chemotherapy. Previously, we reported that increased stromal Type X collagen α1 (ColXα1) and low TILs correlated with poor pathologic response to neoadjuvant therapy in estrogen receptor and HER2-positive (ER+/HER2+) breast cancer. Here, we investigate the relationship of ColXα1 and long-term outcome of ER+/HER2+ breast cancer patients in an adjuvant setting. Methods A total of 164 cases with at least 5-year follow-up were included. Immunohistochemistry for ColXα1 was performed on whole tumor sections. Associations between ColXα1expression, clinical pathological features, and outcomes were analyzed. Results ColXα1 expression was directly proportional to the amount of tumor associated stroma (p = 0.024) and inversely proportional to TILs. Increased ColXα1 was significantly associated with shorter disease free survival and overall survival by univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, OS was lower in ColXα1 expressing (HR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.2–3.9) tumors of older patients (> = 58 years) (HR = 5.3; 95% CI = 1.7–17) with higher stage (HR = 2.6; 95% CI = 1.3–5.2). Similarly, DFS was lower in ColXα1 expressing (HR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.6–5.7) tumors of older patients (HR = 3.2; 95% CI = 1.3–7.8) with higher stage (HR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.6–5.7) and low TILs. In low PR+ tumors, higher ColXα1 expression was associated with poorer prognosis. Conclusion ColXα1 expression is associated with poor disease free survival and overall survival in ER+/HER2+ breast cancer. This study provides further support for the prognostic utility of ColXα1 as a breast cancer associated stromal factor that predicts response to chemotherapy.

Abstract Background Cytokeratin 7 (CK7) and GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) are considered as immunohistochemical hallmarks of breast cancers; however, there are breast tumors lacking these markers. Clinicopathological characterization of CK7 negative breast cancer has not been addressed previously and similar studies on GATA3 negative tumors are limited. Methods This study included 196 consecutive cases of Nottingham Grade 3 breast cancers with 159 cases of Grade 1 and Grade 2 tumors for comparison. CK7 and GATA3 expression was correlated with patient’s age, histological type, pathological grade and stage, hormone receptor status, molecular subtype and overall survival. Results CK7 negativity was seen in 13% of Grade 3, 9% of Grade 2, and 2% of Grade 1 cases (P = 0.0457). Similarly, 28% of Grade 3, 5% of Grade 2 and 2% of Grade 1 cases were GATA3 negative (P

Accurate ranging and real-time temperature monitoring are essential for metrology and safety in electrical conduit applications. This paper proposes an acoustic time-of-flight (TOF) estimation method based on the digital lock-in filtering (DLF) technique for conduit ranging and thermometry. The method establishes the relationship between the frequency and the time domain by applying a linear frequency modulated Chirp signal as the sound source and using the DLF technique to extract the first harmonic of the characteristic frequencies of the transmitted and received signals. Acoustic TOF estimation in the conduit is then achieved by calculating the mathematical expectation of the time difference between each characteristic frequency in the time-frequency relationship of the two signals. The experimental results with enhanced noise interference on different conduit lengths and various temperature conditions, proved that the proposed DLF method can establish a robust linear time-frequency relationship according to the characteristics of the Chirp signal, and the measurement accuracy of TOF has also been confirmed. Compared to the conventional method, the DLF method provides the lowest absolute error and standard deviation for both distance and temperature measurements with an enhanced robustness.

The efficient design of new earth structures and the restoration of old structures both require a reliable assessment of the compressive strength of earth materials. However, there is still much debate on the best method to accurately measure the compressive strength of earth blocks. To solve the problem of measuring the compressive strength of the earth block, the cube specimen, the half-block stacked specimen, and the full-size block specimen are used to measure the compressive strength of the molded adobe and rammed adobe, respectively, considering the influence of the specimen preparation process, loading direction, capping, and other factors. By comparing and analyzing the stress state, failure mode, and compressive strength of the specimen under various test methods, a compressive strength test method of earth blocks is determined, which is simple to operate, easy to standardize, and as close as possible to the actual strength of the blocks. The results show that the full-size block compression test method along the block thickness direction should be preferred to test the compressive strength of the earth block. The standard specimen obtained by cutting the full-size block is not suitable for the test of the compressive strength of the earth block; it can effectively solve the problem that the compressive strength of the small-thickness earth block cannot be directly measured by cutting the full-size block in half and stacking it, but it is not recommended to use the binder to bond the two half-blocks. When comparing the compressive strength of the earth blocks, the conversion coefficient related to the height-to-thickness ratio of the specimen cannot be used to convert the compressive strength. Still, the anisotropy of the material strength should be considered.

Low grade adenosquamous carcinoma (LGAC) is an uncommon variant of metaplastic “triple negative” breast cancer with clinical-radiologic characteristics and histopathology which overlaps with other entities such as syringomatous adenoma. We report a case of LGAC in a woman in her 40s who presented with breast pain. An irregular hypoechoic retroareolar mass was identified on mammogram. Biopsy showed nests of cells with squamoid appearance and compressed “tadpole-shaped” glandular structures embedded in dense collagenous stroma with lymphoid aggregates. The tumor cells were highlighted by CK7 and squamous component by CK5/6 and p63 and were ER, PR and HER2 negative. The morphologic and immunophenotypic features were consistent with LGAC. Genetic study found she was heterozygous for the p.R798* pathogenic germline mutation in BRIP1 gene. Patient underwent excision and managed with adjuvant radiation alone post operatively. This is the first LGAC reported with BRIP1 mutation and we emphasize characteristics in diagnosis, differential diagnosis and management for LGAC in this report.

This study examined the design of joints reinforced by sleeves for connecting circular concrete-filled steel tube columns to steel beams. Six half-scale specimens, including four bolt-weld joints reinforced by sleeves and two bolt and stiffened end-plate joints, were designed and tested under cyclic loading to evaluate the seismic behavior of these joints. The joint construction and beam-column stiffness ratio were taken as the main parameters in the tests. The seismic behaviors, including the failure modes, hysteretic curves, ductility, strength and stiffness degradation, and energy dissipation, were investigated. The experimental results showed that no obvious bolt loosening, fracture, or widespread weld cracking appeared in the joints reinforced by sleeves. Furthermore, the joint strength and stiffness were markedly increased by the sleeves in the joint core area. Overall, most specimens exhibited full hysteresis loops and excellent ductilities, the equivalent viscous damping coefficients were 0.263∼0.532, and the ductility coefficients were 1.77∼3.42. The interstory drift ratios satisfied the requirements specified by technical regulations. The connections of these types exhibit favorable energy dissipations and can be effectively utilized for building construction in earthquake-prone areas. This research should contribute to the future engineering applications of concrete-filled steel tube to composite structure.

The disposal of waste tire rubber has gained more attention from the viewpoint of green, environmental protection, and sustainability. Numerous attempts have been stated on the properties of crumb rubber concrete (CRC) and observed that there is a large reduction of compressive strength and elastic modulus of CRC with the increase of the rubber substitution rate. Based on the CRC with the crumb rubber volume content of 5%, the steel fibers and nanosilica were added to CRC to make steel fiber-and-nanosilica-reinforced crumb rubber concrete (SFNS-CRC) in this paper. The effects of the steel fiber volume content and nanosilica content on the compressive properties of SFNS-CRC were studied, including compressive strength, elastic modulus, peak strain, compression toughness, and failure pattern. The test results indicated that the modulus of elasticity and compressive strength of SFNS-CRC have the increasing tendency with the addition of steel fibers and nanosilica. Moreover, the peak strains have a significant increase with the increase of the steel fiber content and nanosilica replacement ratio. The compressive stress-strain curves of SFNS-CRC gradually plump with the increase of the steel fibers and nanosilica. Finally, the prediction formulas for the compressive strength, elastic modulus, and peak strain of SFNS-CRC were set up. A simple predicted model of the stress-strain curve for SFNS-CRC was proposed, which considers the effect of steel fibers and nanosilica.

In a multimodal public transport network, transfers are inevitable. Planning and managing an efficient transfer connection is thus important and requires an understanding of the factors that influence those transfers. Existing studies on predicting passenger transfer flows have mainly used transit assignment models based on route choice, which need extensive computation and underlying behavioral assumptions. Inspired by studies that use network properties to estimate public transport (PT) demand, this paper proposes to use the network properties of a multimodal PT system to explain transfer flows. A statistical model is estimated to identify the relationship between transfer flow and the network properties in a joint bus and metro network. Apart from transfer time, the number of stops, and bus lines, the most important network property we propose in this study is transfer accessibility. Transfer accessibility is a newly defined indicator for the geographic factors contributing to the possibility of transferring at a station, given its position in a multimodal PT network, based on an adapted gravity-based measure. It assumes that transfer accessibility at each station is proportional to the number of reachable points of interest within the network and dependent on a cost function describing the effect of distance. The R-squared of the regression model we propose is 0.69, based on the smart card data, PT network data, and Points of Interest (POIs) data from the city of Beijing, China. This suggests that the model could offer some decision support for PT planners especially when complex network assignment models are too computationally intensive to calibrate and use.

A simple approximation scheme to describe the half width of the Voigt profile as a function of the relative contributions of Gaussian and Lorentzian broadening is presented. The proposed approximation scheme is highly accurate and provides an accuracy better than 10−17 for arbitrary αL/αG ratios. In particular, the accuracy reaches an astonishing 10−34 (quadruple precision) in the domain 0 ≤ αL/αG ≤ 0.2371 ∪ αL/αG ≥ 33.8786.

A rapidly convergent series, based on Taylor expansion of the imaginary part of the complex error function, is presented for highly accurate approximation of the Voigt/complex error function with small imaginary argument y ≤ 0.1. Error analysis and run-time tests in double-precision arithmetic reveals that in the real and imaginary parts, the proposed algorithm provides an average accuracy exceeding 10−15 and 10−16, respectively, and the calculation speed is as fast as that reported in recent publications. An optimized MATLAB code providing rapid computation with high accuracy is presented.

Abstract We derive a vertex operator based expression for the kinematic numerators of Yang-Mills amplitudes by applying the momentum kernel formalism to open string amplitudes. The expression involves an α ′ -weighted commutator induced by the monodromy relations between the colour ordered Yang-Mills amplitudes, which mirrors the α ′ deformed colour structure observed in open string and semi-abelian Z-theory. The kinematic algebra given by this construction contains the Lie algebra of diffeomorphism as an obvious sub-algebra.

In this study, thymoquinone (TQ), a natural active substance, was investigated for its antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, and its inhibitory effect on B. cereus in reconstituted infant formula (RIF) was evaluated. In addition, the inhibitory effect of TQ on B. cereus spore germination was explored. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of TQ against eight B. cereus strains ranged from 4.0 to 8.0 μg/mL, whereas B. cereus treated with TQ displayed a longer lag phase than the untreated control. TQ exerted a good bactericidal effect on B. cereus in Luria–Bertani broth. In addition, TQ obviously reduced the intracellular ATP concentration of B. cereus, which caused depolarization of the cell membrane, increased the intracellular reactive oxygen species level, impaired the cell morphology, and destroyed proteins or inhibited proteins synthesis. This provides a mechanism for its bacteriostatic effect. TQ also inactivated B. cereus growth in RIF. Moreover, reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction illustrated that TQ downregulated the transcription of genes related to hemolysin, non-hemolytic enterotoxin, enterotoxin, and cytotoxin K. Meanwhile, TQ displayed the ability to inhibit the germination of B. cereus spores. These findings indicate that TQ, as an effective natural antimicrobial preservative, has potential applications in controlling food contamination and foodborne diseases caused by B. cereus.

According to the latest UN statistics, more than 2 billion people in the world still live in various forms of earthen buildings, including some in China. The variety of earth-based constructional materials is significant among different regions, with each region influencing the selection of local earth construction materials. In this study, earth materials from four regions of China were collected and sorted, with 10 samples from each source, and cube compressive strength tests were performed to analyze the composition and mechanical properties of the four materials, including northeast black earth, southeast red earth, northwest loess, and Xinjiang yellow sand earth. The results showed that significant differences existed in the composition of earth-based constructional materials from different regions, which have influence on the materials’ compressive strength. The order from large to small of compressive strengths was loess, black earth, yellow sandy earth, and red earth. Material load-displacement curves were influenced significantly by the plasticity index, but the overall failure processes of the various samples were basically the same.

In this paper, foam concrete (FC) was prepared by chemical foaming method. Besides, the effects of different density grades and fly ash content on the pore structure of FC and the mechanical response of FC under static and dynamic forces were discussed. At the same density grade, the FC strength shows the feature of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase of fly ash production. The pore diameter of FC prepared with protein foaming agent is between 60-800µm, with the uniform pore distribution. The higher the density grade, the smaller the proportion of irregular pores in the FC and the larger the proportion of round pores. When the fly ash content is relatively small, the pore diameter inside the concrete can be significantly reduced, and the pore shape develops more like a circle. When the external dynamic strain rate increases from 10-5/s to 10-3/s, the uniaxial compressive strength of the FC test sample increases by about 14.1%, and the triaxial compressive strength increases by about 61.9%. Therefore, FC exhibits typical ductile failure characteristics under dynamic stress, which can significantly delay the impact of dynamic loads such as earthquakes and explosions. This is of great significance for the engineering application of FC.

Place cells are important elements in the spatial representation system of the brain. A considerable amount of experimental data and classical models are achieved in this area. However, an important question has not been addressed, which is how the three dimensional space is represented by the place cells. This question is preliminarily surveyed by energy coding method in this research. Energy coding method argues that neural information can be expressed by neural energy and it is convenient to model and compute for neural systems due to the global and linearly addable properties of neural energy. Nevertheless, the models of functional neural networks based on energy coding method have not been established. In this work, we construct a place cell network model to represent three dimensional space on an energy level. Then we define the place field and place field center and test the locating performance in three dimensional space. The results imply that the model successfully simulates the basic properties of place cells. The individual place cell obtains unique spatial selectivity. The place fields in three dimensional space vary in size and energy consumption. Furthermore, the locating error is limited to a certain level and the simulated place field agrees to the experimental results. In conclusion, this is an effective model to represent three dimensional space by energy method. The research verifies the energy efficiency principle of the brain during the neural coding for three dimensional spatial information. It is the first step to complete the three dimensional spatial representing system of the brain, and helps us further understand how the energy efficiency principle directs the locating, navigating, and path planning function of the brain.

MicroRNAs are endogenous, small non-coding RNAs that control gene expression by directing their target mRNAs for degradation and/or posttranscriptional repression. Abnormal expression of microRNAs is thought to contribute to the development and progression of cancer. A history of benign breast disease (BBD) is associated with increased risk of subsequent breast cancer. However, no large-scale study has examined the association between microRNA expression in BBD tissue and risk of subsequent invasive breast cancer (IBC). We conducted discovery and validation case-control studies nested in a cohort of 15,395 women diagnosed with BBD in a large health plan between 1971 and 2006 and followed to mid-2015. Cases were women with BBD who developed subsequent IBC; controls were matched 1:1 to cases on age, age at diagnosis of BBD, and duration of plan membership. The discovery stage (316 case-control pairs) entailed use of the Illumina MicroRNA Expression Profiling Assay (in duplicate) to identify breast cancer-associated microRNAs. MicroRNAs identified at this stage were ranked by the strength of the correlation between Illumina array and quantitative PCR results for 15 case-control pairs. The top ranked 14 microRNAs entered the validation stage (165 case-control pairs) which was conducted using quantitative PCR (in triplicate). In both stages, linear regression was used to evaluate the association between the mean expression level of each microRNA (response variable) and case-control status (independent variable); paired t-tests were also used in the validation stage. None of the 14 validation stage microRNAs was associated with breast cancer risk. The results of this study suggest that microRNA expression in benign breast tissue does not influence the risk of subsequent IBC.

Crumb rubber concrete (CRC) is an environment-friendly material using crumb rubber as a composition of cement concrete. It provides an alternative method for recycling of waste tires scientifically. CRC exhibits numerous advantages compared to ordinary concrete. However, the application of CRC is limited due to its low compressive and tensile strengths. This paper puts forward a new modified method by adding steel fibers and nanosilica in CRC. Material properties’ testing of eighteen concrete mixtures was investigated, considering different strength grades of CRC and crumb rubber contents. In addition, four different steel fiber contents (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5%) and three different nanosilica content (0%, 1%, and 2%) were taken into consideration. The brittle failure of the CRC can be improved and the mechanical properties can be enhanced according to the test results. More importantly, the modified CRC with 1.0% steel fiber content has relatively high compressive and splitting tensile strengths. Furthermore, the noncompactness of CRC can be effectively improved by nanosilica, enhancing the efficiency of steel fibers simultaneously. Finally, the failure mechanism of the modified CRC is discussed in this paper.

Metallurgical slag and dust (MSD) from lead and zinc smelting, steel dust and galvanized steel scrap are important secondary sources of zinc and other valuable metals. This paper describes the production feasibility and rationality of a cleaner zinc recovery process using MSD and a hydrometallurgical method. It was found that the addition of CH3COONH4 to a NH3–H2O system promotes zinc extraction, and 83.76% of zinc could be dissolved and recovered from the MSD under the following conditions: total ammonia concentration of 5 mol l−1, stirring speed of 300 r.p.m., ammonia/ammonium ratio of 1 : 1, solid/liquid ratio of 1 : 5, leaching temperature of 25°C and a leaching time of 60 min. A leaching kinetic study indicates that the leaching process is controlled by the diffusion and interface transfer and that the reaction apparent activation energy is 22.66 kJ mol−1. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analysis showed that zinc can combine with the carboxylate anion to form Zn complexes such as [Zn2(Ac)3(NH3)2]+. Zn2SiO4, ZnS and ZnFe2O4 in NH3–CH3COONH4–H2O system did not disappear according to X-ray diffraction analysis for leaching residue.