Diverse Effects of SO2-Induced Pt-O-SO3 on the Catalytic Oxidation of C3H6 and C3H8

The effects of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the catalytic purification of short-chain hydrocarbons are still controversial, and the exact role of SO2 on adsorption and reaction pathways during the catalytic oxidation of different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) remains unclear. Herein, a three-dimensional ordered macroporous Ce0.8Zr0.2O2 supported Pt nanoparticle monolithic catalyst (Pt/OM CZO) was synthesized to investigate these effects. Our findings uncover the diverse effects of SO2: Upon SO2 treatment, the coupling between the S 3p and Pt 5d orbitals promotes the Pt-O-SO3 structure in situ formed on the catalyst surface. The propene (C3H6) molecule readily binds with the oxygen atom in Pt-O-SO3, resulting in the accumulation of acetone and carbon deposition, thereby hindering C3H6 oxidation. Conversely, a cleaved oxygen atom within the Pt-O-SO3 structure enhances propane (C3H8) adsorption and activates the C-H bond, facilitating C3H8 oxidation. These insights are pivotal for advancing the frontier of sulfur-tolerant catalysts, addressing both economic and environmental challenges.

A Coordinating Small Organic Molecule with Tunable Lower Critical Solution Temperature for Efficient Management of Solar Radiation

Structurally well-defined small molecules with lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior offer enormous prospects for fine-tuning their phase transition properties to be "on-demand" applied in the specific scene but are still underexplored. Herein, a novel amphiphilic small LCST molecule is rationally designed and synthesized. The molecule, namely TG, features a conjugation of multiple short ethylene glycol (EG) chains with the functional coordinating terpyridine (Tpy) moiety. The molecule TG demonstrates excellent LCST behavior down to 0.05 × 10-3 m in a water solution. And a cloud point Tcp = 30.9 °C with a very short thermal hysteresis ΔT = 0.2 °C and good reversibility can be achieved when c = 0.1 × 10-3 m. The excellent LCST properties of TG have enabled its successful performance as the smart window for solar radiation management with the ∆Tlum, ∆TIR, and ∆Tsol being 83.6%, 49.1%, and 67.2%, respectively. Moreover, the presence of Tpy moiety in TG enables its coordination with Ru3+ and the resulting complex also exhibits modulated LCST behavior with different concentration-dependent Tcp. These studies would provide novel small-molecule-based scaffolds for constructing better solar radiation management systems as well as other thermal-responsive smart materials.

In-field and non-destructive determination of comprehensive maturity index and maturity stages of Camellia oleifera fruits using a portable hyperspectral imager

To efficiently detect the maturity stages of Camellia oleifera fruits, this study proposed a non-invasive method based on hyperspectral imaging technology. First, a portable hyperspectral imager was used for the in-field image acquisition of Camellia oleifera fruits at three maturity stages, and ten quality indexes were measured as reference standards. Then, factor analysis was performed to obtain the comprehensive maturity index (CMI) by analyzing the change trends and correlations of different indexes. To reduce the high dimensionality of spectral data, the successive projection algorithm (SPA) was employed to select effective feature wavelengths. The prediction models for CMI, including partial least squares regression (PLSR), support vector regression (SVR), extreme learning machine (ELM), and convolutional neural network regression (CNNR), were constructed based on full spectra and feature wavelengths; for CNNR, only the raw spectra were used as input. The SPA-CNNR model exhibited more promising performance (RP = 0.839, RMSEP = 0.261, and RPD = 1.849). Furthermore, PLS-DA models for maturity discrimination of Camellia oleifera fruits were developed using full wavelength, characteristic wavelengths and their fusion CMI, respectively. The PLS-DA model using the fused dataset achieved the highest maturity classification accuracy, with the best simplified model achieving 88.6 % accuracy in prediction set. This study indicated that a portable hyperspectral imager can be used for in-field determination of the internal quality and maturity stages of Camellia oleifera fruits. It provides strong support for non-destructive quality inspection and timely harvesting of Camellia oleifera fruits in the field.

Recent advances in c-Met-based dual inhibitors in the treatment of cancers

The cellular-mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (c-Met) is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) located on the 7q31 locus encoding the Met proto-oncogene and plays a critical role in regulating cell proliferation, metastasis, differentiation, and apoptosis through various signaling pathways. However, its aberrant activation and overexpression have been implicated in many human cancers. Therefore, c-Met is a promising target for cancer treatment. However, the anticancer effect of selective single-targeted drugs is limited due to the complexity of the signaling system and the involvement of different proteins and enzymes. After inhibiting one pathway, signal molecules can be transmitted through other pathways, resulting in poor efficacy of single-targeted drug therapy. Dual inhibitors that simultaneously block c-Met and another factor can significantly improve efficacy and overcome some of the shortcomings of single-target inhibitors, including drug resistance. In this review, We introduced c-Met kinase and the synergism between c-Met and other anti-tumor targets, then dual-target inhibitors based on c-Met for the treatment of cancers were summarized and their design concepts and structure-activity relationships (SARs) were discussed elaborately, providing a valuable insight for the further development of novel c-Met-based dual inhibitors.

Development of terpenoid repellents against Aedes albopictus: a combined study of biological activity evaluation and computational modelling

To explore novel terpenoid repellents, 22 candidate terpenoid derivatives were synthesized and tested for their electroantennogram (EAG) responses and repellent activities against Aedes albopictus. The results from the EAG experiments revealed that 5-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-yl formate (compound 1) induced distinct EAG responses in female Aedes albopictus. At concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 mg/L, the EAG response values for compound 1 were 179.59, 183.99, 190.38, 193.80, and 196.66 mV, demonstrating comparable or superior effectiveness to DEET. Repellent activity analysis indicated significant repellent activity for compound 1, closest to the positive control DEET. The in silico assessment of the ADMET profile of compound 1 indicates that it successfully passed the ADMET evaluation. Molecular docking studies exhibited favourable binding of compound 1 to the active site of the odorant binding protein (OBP) of Aedes albopictus, involving hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bond interactions with residues in the OBP pocket. The QSAR model highlighted the influential role of hydrogen-bonding receptors, positively charged surface area of weighted atoms, polarity parameters of molecules, and maximum nuclear-nuclear repulsion force of carbon-carbon bonds on the relative EAG response values of the tested compounds. This study holds substantial significance for the advancement of new terpenoid repellents.

Association of blood heavy metal concentrations with hearing loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the associations between blood heavy metal concentrations and hearing loss.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was performed using Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature, Wanfang and Weipu databases. Ten studies were included, and a random or fixed-effects model was used for the meta-analysis. Review Manager 5.4 software was used for data synthesis, and Stata 15.1 software was used for the publication bias and sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

Blood lead concentrations were significantly and substantially associated with hearing loss (mean difference (MD) = 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.03, 2.26; P = 0.04; I2 = 81%), and iron deficiency was significantly related to hearing loss (MD = -0.42; 95% CI = -0.66, -0.18; P = 0.12; I2 = 60%).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest an association between blood heavy metal concentrations and hearing loss. However, there were limitations: confounding factors, lack of description for the specific methods of blinding and independent verification of case definition, limited sample size, Chinese publications comprising half of the primary data and the lack of assessment of the relationship between different blood heavy metal concentrations and the severity of hearing loss. Therefore, larger and well-designed prospective cohort studies are required for further exploration.

[Clinicopathological features of gastric alpha-fetoprotein-producing adenocarcinoma with SWI/SNF complex deletion]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and treatment of gastric alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing adenocarcinoma with SWI/SNF complex deletion. Methods: Four cases of gastric AFP-producing adenocarcinoma with SWI/SNF complex deletion diagnosed in Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University from January 2021 to December 2022 were collected, and their histomorphological characteristics, immunohistochemical (IHC), in situ hybridization of Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER), next-generation sequencing results, clinicopathological features and treatment were summarized, and literature review was conducted. Results: Among the 4 patients, there were three males and one female. They presented with abdominal pain, belching and melena. Serum AFP was significantly elevated in three patients, and endoscopy showed ulcerative lesions. Microscopically, the tumor cells showed mainly diffuse flaky or nest-like growth and typical characteristics of hepatoid adenocarcinoma. In two cases there were adenoid growth, and the tumor cells in these areas possessed clear cytoplasm, suggesting enteroblastic differentiation. The tumor cell nuclei were pleomorphic with large nucleoli and brisk mitoses. The IHC results showed that the tumor cells expressed AFP, GPC3 and SALL4, and there was retained expression of broad-spectrum keratin (CKpan) and E-cadherin. IHC detection of SWI/SNF complex subunits, namely INI1 (SMARCB1), BRG1 (SMARCA4), BRM (SMARCA2), ARID1A protein was performed. In all four cases the hepatoid adenocarcinoma region and enteroblastic differentiation region showed SMARCA2 deletion, and one case with enteroblastic differentiation also showed ARID1A deletion. SMARCB1 and SMARCA4 deletions were not seen. All the four cases were diffusely positive for p53 protein, and the Ki-67 proliferation index was 80%-90%. There were no mismatch repair deletion detected; one cases showed HER2 was strongly positive (3+), and EBER was negative. None of the four cases had mutations in the SWI/SNF complex-related subunits detected by next-generation sequencing. Among the four patients, two underwent palliative surgery due to distant metastasis at the time of surgery, two underwent radical resection. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was given to three patients. Conclusions: AFP-producing adenocarcinoma is a rare subtype of gastric cancer, which can be combined with SWI/SNF complex deletion, and the pathomorphological manifestations are different from the classical SWI/SNF complex deletion of undifferentiated carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype.

[Reappraisals of biological behaviors of PDGFRA mutant gastrointestinal stromal tumor]

Objective: To investigate the biological behavior spectrum of platelet-derived growth factor alpha receptor (PDGFRA)-mutant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and to compare the clinical values of the Zhongshan method of benign and malignant evaluation with the modified National Institutes of Health (NIH) risk stratification. Methods: A total of 119 cases of GIST with PDGFRA mutation who underwent surgical resection at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from 2009 to 2020 were collected. The clinicopathological data, follow-up records, and subsequent treatment were reviewed and analyzed statistically. Results: There were 79 males and 40 females. The patients ranged in age from 25 to 80 years, with a median age of 60 years. Among them, 115 patients were followed up for 1-154 months, and 13 patients progressed to disease. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 90.1% and 94.1%, respectively. According to the modified NIH risk stratification, 8 cases, 32 cases, 38 cases, and 35 cases were very-low risk, low risk, intermediate risk, and high risk, and 5-year DFS were 100.0%, 95.6%, 94.3%, and 80.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference in prognosis among the non-high risk groups, only the difference between high risk and non-high risk groups was significant (P=0.029). However, the 5-year OS was 100.0%, 100.0%, 95.0% and 89.0%, and there was no difference (P=0.221). According to the benign and malignant evaluation Zhongshan method, 43 cases were non-malignant (37.4%), 56 cases were low-grade malignant (48.7%), 9 cases were moderately malignant (7.8%), and 7 cases were highly malignant (6.1%). The 5-year DFS were 100.0%, 91.7%, 77.8%, 38.1%, and the difference was significant (P<0.001). The 5-year OS were 100.0%, 97.5%, 77.8%, 66.7%, the difference was significant (P<0.001). Conclusions: GIST with PDGFRA gene mutation shows a broad range of biological behavior, ranging from benign to highly malignant. According to the Zhongshan method, non-malignant and low-grade malignant tumors are common, the prognosis after surgery is good, while the fewer medium-high malignant tumors showed poor prognosis after surgical resection. The overall biological behavior of this type of GIST is relatively inert, which is due to the low proportion of medium-high malignant GIST. The modified NIH risk stratification may not be effective in risk stratification for PDGFRA mutant GIST.

Parameter optimization of the spiral fertiliser discharger for mango orchards based on the discrete element method and genetic algorithm

Introduction

In order to solve the problems of inaccurate fertilization, unstable fertilization and low fertiliserutilization rate in mango orchard.

Methods

A small spiral fertiliser discharger was designed based on the agronomic characteristics of fertilization in mango orchard. The fertilizing performance test and parameter optimization of thespiral fertiliser discharger were carried out by combining bench and simulation test. Firstly, the main influencing factors of the fertilizing performance of the spiral fertiliser discharger were analyzed by theoretical calculation formula, and the range of its value was preliminarily determined. At the same time, the digital and discrete element models of the spiral fertiliser discharger were established. Then,the discrete element model of granular fertiliser was established on the basis of the physical and related mechanical simulation parameters of granular fertiliser obtained by experimental statistics.Taking the variable coefficient of fertilizing stability as the response value, the method of singlefactor simulation fertilizing test was used to explore the parameters that have a significant influence on the variable coefficient of fertilizing stability. The response surface method (RSM) was used tosimulate the fertilizing performance of three significant parameters. Based on the quadraticregression orthogonal rotation combination design test, a second-order regression mathematicalmodel between the variable coefficient of fertilizing stability and the significant parameters wasestablished. The variable coefficient of fertilizing stability was as small as possible. The geneticalgorithm (GA) was used to optimize the regression model. Finally, the verification test of thefluidity and applicability of different fertilisers was carried out.

Results

The results of single factor test showed that the diameter of spiral blade, pitch and rotationalspeed of fertilizing shaft have significant influence on the variable coefficient of fertilizing stability.The optimal parameter combination of the spiral fertiliser discharger was obtained: 98.44 mm for thediameter of spiral blade, 54.8 mm for the pitch, and 24.43 r/min for the rotational speed of fertilizingshaft. The verification results showed that the average relative error of the test was small, and themass flow rate of different fertilisers and the variable coefficient of fertilizing stability could meetthe agronomic requirements of fertilization in mango orchards. The reliability of the discrete elementsimulation test results and research methods of the spiral fertiliser discharger was verified.

Conclusion

The results and methods of this study can provide reference for the development of mangoorchard fertilization machinery and related fertilizing performance test.

[Research on the association between ambient PM2.5 and its components and psychological distress among Chinese children and adolescents aged 9-18 years]

Objective: To analyze the association between exposure to ambient PM2.5 and its components [sulfate (SO42-), nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), organic matter (OM), and black carbon (BC)] and psychological distress among school children and adolescents aged 9 to 18 years in China. Methods: Based on data from the 2019 Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health, 130 808 children and adolescents aged 9 to 18 years were included. Scoring and determination of higher psychological distress were based on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and annual average exposure data for air pollution were matched by survey location and time. We used a restricted cubic spline approach based on logistic regression to fit the associations between PM2.5, SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, organic matter, black carbon concentrations, and psychological distress. Logistic regression models were used to analyse different age, gender, BMI and physical activity subgroups to estimate the association between exposure to high levels of pollution and high levels of psychological distress in different subgroups. Results: The proportion of children and adolescents with high levels of psychological distress in China was 30.4%, with girls being higher than boys at 31.6% and 29.1%, respectively (P<0.05). A non-linear positive association existed between exposure to PM2.5, SO42-, NO3- and organic matter concentrations and higher psychological distress. As PM2.5, NO3-, NH4+, organic matter, and black carbon concentrations continued to rise, the increase in the risk of higher psychological distress slowed, while SO42- showed little change in the OR of psychological distress at lower concentrations but continued to rise at higher concentrations. PM2.5 and its components were statistically associated with psychological distress in the physically inactive group but not in the physically active group. The association between high levels of pollutants and high psychological distress was stronger among students aged 9 to 12 years compared with students aged 13 to 15 years and 16 to 18 years. Conclusions: The ambient pollutant PM2.5 and its components are associated with psychological distress in children and adolescents aged 9 to 18 years in China. High pollutant exposure is a risk factor for high psychological distress among physically inactive children and adolescents, and there are age differences in the association between PM2.5 and components and psychological distress.

Search for Λ[over ¯]-Λ Baryon-Number-Violating Oscillations in the Decay J/ψ→pK^{-}Λ[over ¯]+c.c

We report on the first search for Λ[over ¯]-Λ oscillations in the decay J/ψ→pK^{-}Λ[over ¯]+c.c. by analyzing 1.31×10^{9}  J/ψ events accumulated with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. The J/ψ events are produced using e^{+}e^{-} collisions at a center of mass energy sqrt[s]=3.097  GeV. No evidence for hyperon oscillations is observed. The upper limit for the oscillation rate of Λ[over ¯] to Λ hyperons is determined to be P(Λ)=[B(J/ψ→pK^{-}Λ+c.c.)/B(J/ψ→pK^{-}Λ[over ¯]+c.c.)]<4.4×10^{-6} corresponding to an oscillation parameter δm_{ΛΛ[over ¯]} of less than 3.8×10^{-18}  GeV at the 90% confidence level.

Identification of a pathogen causing fruiting body rot of Sanghuangporus vaninii

Sanghuangporus vaninii is a medicinal macrofungus that is increasingly cultivated in China. During cultivation, it was found that the fruiting body of S. vaninii was susceptible to pathogenic fungi, resulting in significant economic losses to the industry. The symptoms of the disease occur in the initial stage of fruiting body development. The isolate YZB-1 was obtained from the junction of the diseased and healthy areas of the fruiting body. In order to verify the pathogenicity of YZB-1, its purified spore suspension was inoculated into the exposed area nearby the developing fruiting body of S. vaninii. After 10 days, the same disease symptoms appeared in the inoculated area. Morphological identification and molecular analysis of rDNA ITS region confirmed that the isolate YZB-1 was identified as Trichoderma virens. The temperature stability assay revealed that the mycelia of YZB-1 grew the fastest at 25 °C, with growth slowing down gradually as the temperature increased or decreased. Dual-culture tests of T. virens and S. vaninii showed that the inhibition rate of T. virens on S. vaninii mycelium was the highest (79.01 ± 2.79%) at 25 °C, and more green spores were produced at the intersection of T. virens and S. vaninii.

DTI of Opioid-Exposed Fetuses Using ComBat Harmonization: A Bi-Institutional Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The underlying mechanisms leading to altered cognitive, behavioral, and vision outcomes in children with prenatal opioid exposure are yet to be fully understood. Some studies suggest WM alterations in infants and children with prenatal opioid exposure; however, the time course of WM changes is unknown. We aimed to evaluate differences in diffusion tensor imaging MRI parameters in the brain between opioid exposed fetuses and normal controls.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a pilot, prospective cohort study in which subjects in the third trimester of pregnancy underwent fetal DTI of the brain with 20 noncolinear diffusion directions and a b-value of 500 s/mm2 at 2.5-mm isotropic resolution.

RESULTS

The study included a total of 26 fetuses, 11 opioid-exposed (mean gestational age, 32.61 [SD, 2.35] weeks) and 15 unexposed controls (mean gestational age, 31.77 [SD, 1.68] weeks). After we adjusted for gestational age, fractional anisotropy values were significantly higher in opioid-exposed fetuses relative to controls in 8 WM tracts: the bilateral lemniscus (left: P = .017; right: P = .020), middle cerebellar peduncle (P = .027), left inferior cerebellar peduncle (P = .026), right sagittal stratum (P = .040), right fornix stria terminalis (P = .022), right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (P = .011), and the right uncinate fasciculus (P = .033). Significant alteration was also identified in other DTI indices involving a series of brain regions.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate initial evidence of cerebral WM microstructural differences between opioid-exposed fetuses and unexposed controls. Further studies in larger patient populations will be needed to fully understand these findings.

Evaluation of Dual-Band Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometric Analysis for Rapid Quantification of Multi-Quality Parameters of Soy Sauce Stewed Meat

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) systems operated in dual band for the non-destructive measurement of the fat, protein, collagen, ash, and Na contents of soy sauce stewed meat (SSSM). Spectra in the waveband ranges of 650-950 nm and 960-1660 nm were acquired from vacuum-packed ready-to-eat samples that were purchased from 97 different brands. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was employed to develop models predicting the five critical quality parameters. The results showed the best predictions were for the fat (Rp = 0.808; RMSEP = 2.013 g/kg; RPD = 1.666) and protein (Rp = 0.863; RMSEP = 3.372 g/kg; RPD = 1.863) contents, while barely sufficient performances were found for the collagen (Rp = 0.524; RMSEP = 1.970 g/kg; RPD = 0.936), ash (Rp = 0.384; RMSEP = 0.524 g/kg; RPD = 0.953), and Na (Rp = 0.242; RMSEP = 2.097 g/kg; RPD = 1.042) contents of the SSSM. The quality of the content predicted by the spectrum of 960-1660 nm was generally better than that for the 650-950 nm range, which was retained in the further prediction of fat and protein. To simplify the models and make them practical, regression models were established using a few wavelengths selected by the random frog (RF) or regression coefficients (RCs) method. Consequently, ten wavelengths (1048 nm, 1051 nm, 1184 nm, 1191 nm, 1222 nm, 1225 nm, 1228 nm, 1450 nm, 1456 nm, 1510 nm) selected by RF and eight wavelengths (1019 nm, 1097 nm, 1160 nm, 1194 nm, 1245 nm, 1413 nm, 1441 nm, 1489 nm) selected by RCs were individually chosen for the fat and protein contents to build multi-spectral PLSR models. New models led to the best predictive ability of Rp, RMSEP, and RPD of 0.812 and 0.855, 1.930 g/kg and 3.367 g/kg, and 1.737 and 1.866, respectively. These two simplified models both yielded comparable performances to their corresponding full-spectra models, demonstrating the effectiveness of these selected variables. The overall results indicate that NIRS, especially in the spectral range of 960-1660 nm, is a potential tool in the rapid estimation of the fat and protein contents of SSSM, while not providing particularly good prediction statistics for collagen, ash, and Na contents.

[Immunogenicity and safety of revaccination of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in people aged 60 years and above]

Objective: To evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of revaccination of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) in elderly people aged ≥60 years. Methods: The elderly aged ≥60 years with 1 dose of PPV23 vaccination were selected as revaccination group and those without history of pneumococcal vaccine immunization were selected as the first vaccination group. One dose of PPV23 was administered to both groups, and the first blood samples were collected before vaccination while the second blood samples were collected on day 28-40 after vaccination. ELISA was used to detect the concentrations of anti-specific serotype Streptococcus pneumoniae podocyte polysaccharide immunoglobulin G, and the safety of the vaccination was evaluated after 30 days. Results: The geometric mean concentration (GMC) of antibody to 23 serotypes before the vaccination (0.73-13.73 μg/ml) was higher in revaccination group than in the first vaccination group (0.39-7.53 μg/ml), the GMC after the vaccination (1.42-31.65 μg/ml) was higher than that before the vaccination (0.73-13.73 μg/ml) in the revaccination group, and the GMC after the vaccination (1.62-43.76 μg/ml) was higher than that before the vaccination (0.39-7.53 μg/ml) in the first vaccination group; the geometric mean growth multiple in revaccination group (2.16-3.60) was lower than that in the first vaccination group (3.86-16.13); The mean 2-fold antibody growth rate was lower in revaccination group (53.68%, 95%CI: 52.30%-55.06%) than in the first vaccination group (93.16%, 95%CI: 92.18%- 94.15%), all differences were significant (P<0.001). After the vaccination, 13 serotypes of GMC were higher in the first vaccination group than in revaccination group (P<0.001), the differences were not significant for 10 serotypes of GMC (P>0.05). The incidence of local adverse reaction was 19.20% and 13.27% in revaccination group and the first vaccination group, respectively (P=0.174). Conclusions: The antibody level in ≥60 years people who received one dose of PPV23 after a 5-year interval was still higher than that in unvaccinated people. The antibody level decreased after 5 years of the first vaccination, and the antibody level could be rapidly increased by one more dose vaccination, but the overall immune response was lower than that of the first vaccination; revaccination with PPV23 has a good safety.

Case series of tracheal extubation in prone position after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography general anesthesia

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to present a 15-patient case series of tracheal extubation in the prone position after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) general anesthesia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifteen inpatients who underwent elective ERCP in our hospital were prospectively enrolled, and a series of case studies were conducted with the prone extubation technique after general anesthesia. All patients underwent routine operation of tracheal intubation under general anesthesia. After the surgery, when the train-of-four ratio (TOFr) ≥0.9, bispectral index (BIS) ≥80, tidal volume ≥6 ml/kg and the required actions could be performed, the endotracheal catheter was removed after sufficient negative pressure suction of oral secretions. After the endotracheal catheter was removed, the patient autonomously turned to the transport bed with the assistance of medical staff and was then admitted to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) for further observation. When the patient awoke, he had regained orientation, and presented stable vital signs, no nausea and vomiting, and no other discomfort symptoms, he/she was able to leave PACU and returned to the ward with a Steward score of ≥5.

RESULTS

All 15 patients who underwent ERCP elective surgery were successfully extubated in the prone position after surgery. Transient hypoxemia with SpO2 below 90% occurred in 2 of the 15 patients and returned to normal with oxygen mask administration. 7 patients had coughs and were without special treatment. Another 1 patient showed transient abnormal hemodynamic fluctuations after extubation, mean airway pressure (MAP) was higher than 20% of the baseline value, and hemodynamics was stable after drug treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The prone extubation technique is feasible for ERCP general anesthesia patients. However, a larger sample size is needed to validate its safety and to verify whether there exist advantages of the extubation technique in a prone position over a supine position.

[Association of body fat distribution with depression and social anxiety in children and adolescents: A cross-sectional study based on dual-energy X-ray detection]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the status of depression and social anxiety in children and adolescents, and to analyze the association between body fat distribution and depression, social anxiety in children and adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 1 412 children aged 7 to 18 years in Beijing were included by stratified cluster random sampling method. Body fat distribution, including total body fat percentage (total BF%), Android BF%, Gynoid BF% and Android-to-Gynoid fat ratio (AOI), were obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorption method. Depression and social anxiety were evaluated by Children Depression Inventory and Social Anxiety Scale for Children. Multivariate linear regression and restricted cubic spline analysis were used to estimate the linear and non-linear correlation between body fat distribution and depression and social anxiety.

RESULTS

13.1% and 31.1% of the children and adolescents had depressive symptoms and social anxiety symptoms respectively, and the detection rate of depression and social anxiety in the boys and young groups was significantly lower than those in the girls and old groups. There was no significant linear correlation between total BF%, Android BF%, Gynoid BF%, AOI and depression and social anxiety in the children and adolescents. However, total BF% and Gynoid BF% had significant nonlinear correlation with depression, showing an inverted U-shaped curve relationship with the tangent points of 26.8% and 30.9%, respectively. In terms of the nonlinear association of total BF%, Android BF%, Gynoid BF% and AOI with depression and social anxiety, the change trends of the boys and girls, low age group and high age group were consistent. The overall anxiety risk HR of body fat distribution in the boys was significantly higher than that in the girls, and the risk HR of depression and social anxiety were significantly higher in the high age group than those in the low age group.

CONCLUSION

There was no significant linear correlation between body fat distribution and depression and social anxiety in children and adolescents. Total BF% and depression showed an inverted U-shaped curve, mainly manifested in Gynoid BF%, and this trend was consistent in different genders and different age groups. Maintaining children and adolescents' body fat distribution at an appropriate level is the future direction of the prevention and control of depression and social anxiety in children and adolescents.

[Expression level of miR-199b in human colorectal cancer tissues and its correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis of patients]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between miR-199b and clinicopathologic features and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: Cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues of 202 patients with colorectal cancer treated in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from March to December 2011 were collected. Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression level of miR-199b in colorectal cancer tissues and corresponding adjacent normal tissues. Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test were used for survival analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the prognostic value of miR-199b in colorectal cancer patients. Results: The relative expression level of miR-199b in colorectal cancer tissues (-7.88±0.11) was lower than that in adjacent normal tissues (-6.49±0.12, P<0.001). The expression level of miR-199b in colorectal cancer tissues with lymph node metastasis (-7.51±0.14) was higher than that in colorectal cancer tissues without lymph node metastasis (-8.23±0.17, P<0.001). The relative expression levels of miR-199b in stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ colorectal cancer tissues were gradually increased, which were -8.26±0.17, -7.70±0.16 and -6.57±0.27, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The 5-year survival rates of patients with high and low expressions of miR-199b were 75.6% and 84.6%(P=0.045) respectively. ROC curve showed that when miR-199b was -7.965, the area under the curve was 0.578 (95% CI: 0.468, 0.688). Conclusion: The high expression of miR-199b in colorectal cancer tissues is associated with late TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients, and miR-199b may be used as a potential marker for postoperative progress and prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.

Ultra-high-efficiency capture of lead ions over acetylenic bond-rich graphdiyne adsorbent in aqueous solution

A satisfactory material with high adsorption capacity is urgently needed to solve the serious problem of environment and human health caused by lead pollution. Herein, hydrogen-substituted graphdiyne (HsGDY) was successfully fabricated and employed to remove lead ions from sewage and lead-containing blood. The as-prepared HsGDY exhibits the highest adsorption capacity of lead among the reported materials with a maximum adsorption capacity of 2,390 mg/g, i.e., ~five times larger than that of graphdiyne (GDY). The distinguished hexagonal hole and stack mode of HsGDY allows the adsorption of more lead via its inner side adsorption mode in one single unit space. In addition, the Pb 6s and H 1s hybridization promotes the strong bonding of lead atom adsorbed at the acetylenic bond of HsGDY, contributing to the high adsorption capacity. HsGDY can be easily regenerated by acid treatment and showed excellent regeneration ability and reliability after six adsorption-regeneration cycles. Langmuir isotherm model, pseudo second order, and density functional theory (DFT) demonstrated that the lead adsorption process in HsGDY is monolayer chemisorption. Furthermore, the HsGDY-based portable filter can handle 1,000 μg/L lead-containing aqueous solution up to 1,000 mL, which is nearly 6.67 times that of commercial activated carbon particles. And, the HsGDY shows good biocompatibility and excellent removal efficiency to 100 μg/L blood lead, which is 1.7 times higher than that of GDY. These findings suggest that HsGDY could be a promising adsorbent for practical lead and other heavy metal removal.

[Clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of gastric intermediate-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumor after surgical resection: a retrospective study]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features, treatment and prognosis of gastric intermediate-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), so as to provide a reference for clinical management and further research. Methods: A retrospective observational study of patients with gastric intermediate-risk GIST, who underwent surgical resection between January 1996 and December 2019 at Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, was carried out. Results: Totally, 360 patients with a median age of 59 years were included. There were 190 males and 170 females with median tumor diameter of 5.9 cm. Routine genetic testing was performed in 247 cases (68.6%, 247/360), and 198 cases (80.2%) showed KIT mutation, 26 cases (10.5%) showed PDGFRA mutation, and 23 cases were wild-type GIST. According to "Zhongshan Method"(including 12 parameters), there were 121 malignant and 239 non-malignant cases. Complete follow-up data were available in 241 patients; 55 patients (22.8%) received imatinib therapy, 10 patients (4.1%) experienced tumor progression, and one patient (PDGFRA mutation, 0.4%) died. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival rate at 5 years was 96.0% and 99.6%, respectively. Among the intermediate-risk GIST, there was no difference in DFS between the overall population, KIT mutation, PDGFRA mutation, wild-type, non-malignant and malignant subgroups (all P>0.05). However, the non-malignancy/malignancy analysis showed that there were significant differences in DFS among the overall population (P<0.01), imatinib treatment group (P=0.044) and no imatinib treatment group (P<0.01). Adjuvant imatinib resulted in potential survival benefit for KIT mutated malignant and intermediate-risk GIST in DFS (P=0.241). Conclusions: Gastric intermediate-risk GIST shows a heterogeneous biologic behavior spectrum from benign to highly malignant. It can be further classified into benign and malignant, mainly nonmalignant and low-grade malignant. The overall disease progression rate after surgical resection is low, and real-world data show that there is no significant benefit from imatinib treatment after surgery. However, adjuvant imatinib potentially improves DFS of intermediate-risk patients with tumors harboring KIT mutation in the malignant group. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of gene mutations in benign/malignant GIST will facilitate improvements in therapeutic decision-making.

[Clinical significance of pathological diagnosis and genetic abnormalities detection in gastrointestinal stromal tumor using endoscopic biopsy]

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of pathological diagnosis and genetic abnormalities detection of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) using endoscopic biopsy. Methods: Patients with GIST diagnosed by endoscopic biopsy (from January 1st, 2016 to August 1st, 2018, at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University) were included in this study. This retrospective study evaluated the histopathologic and immunohistochemical (IHC) features, genetic abnormalities of the tumors and the treatment and clinical course of the patients. Results: Totally 4 095 cases of GIST were collected, among which 67 patients (67/4 095, 1.6%) underwent endoscopic biopsy. Forty-eight patients (71.6%) were male and 19 (28.4%) were female, with a mean age of 61 years (range 31-90 years). Fifty-nine lesions were located in stomach and eight in duodenum. Of all the 67 cases, 47 were spindle type, 14 were epithelioid type, and 6 mixed type. IHC staining showed the positive rates were 100.0% (64/64) for DOG1, 98.4% (62/63) for CD117, 87.5% (56/64) for CD34, 3.6% (2/56) for S-100 protein, 12.1% (7/58) for α-SMA, 12.3% (7/57) for desmin and 4.0% (2/50) for CKpan. Morphologically, 34 cases were malignant; three cases (all epithelioid type) were originally misdiagnosed as poorly differentiated carcinoma; missed-diagnosis were found in four cases (spindle type) due to the insufficient diagnostic tumor cells. The genetic abnormality detection rate in the biopsy tissue was 38.8% (26/67),among them two patients were lost to follow up after biopsy, 33 patients received surgical resection, 16 cases underwent operation after neoadjuvant therapy and 16 patients with advanced disease underwent continuous imatinib therapy, with the genetic testing rate of 6.1% (2/33), 10/16 and 14/16, respectively. Conclusions: Endoscopic biopsy is a useful but rare method for the preoperative diagnosis of GIST. For majority of biopsy, accurate pathological diagnosis and auxiliary examination can be completed to guide clinical treatment. A thorough history in combination with endoscopic finding is essential to avoid misdiagnosis (epithelioid type) and missed diagnosis (spindle type) in suspicious cases. Genetic testing should be recommended in patients who will undergo targeted therapy after endoscopic biopsy, and it can provide valuable information and guidance for clinical treatment.

Plasma Branched-Chain Amino Acid Concentrations and Glucose Homeostasis in Kidney Transplant Recipients and Candidates

Background

Post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) encompasses new-onset and previously unrecognized type 2 diabetes. Kidney failure masks type 2 diabetes. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are closely associated with glucose metabolism. Therefore, understanding BCAA metabolism both in kidney failure and after kidney transplantation may inform PTDM mechanisms.

Objective

To understand the impact of present or absent kidney function on plasma BCAA concentrations.

Design

Cross-sectional study of kidney transplant recipients and kidney transplant candidates.

Setting

Large kidney transplant center in Toronto, Canada.

Measurements

We measured plasma BCAA and aromatic amino acid (AAA) concentrations in 45 pre-kidney transplant candidates (15 with type 2 diabetes, 30 without type 2 diabetes) and 45 post-kidney transplant recipients (15 PTDM, 30 non-PTDM), along with insulin resistance and sensitivity by 75 g oral glucose loading for those in each group without type 2 diabetes.

Methods

Plasma AA concentrations were analyzed using MassChrom AA Analysis and compared between groups. The insulin sensitivity for oral glucose tolerance tests or Matsuda index (a measure of whole-body insulin resistance), Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (a measure of hepatic insulin resistance), and Insulin Secretion-Sensitivity Index-2 (ISSI-2, a measure of pancreatic β-cell response) was calculated from fasting insulin and glucose concentrations, and compared with BCAA concentrations.

Results

Each BCAA concentration was higher in post-transplant subjects than pre-transplant subjects (P < .001 for leucine, isoleucine, valine). In post-transplant subjects, each BCAA concentration was higher in PTDM versus non-PTDM (odds ratio for PTDM 3-4 per 1 SD increase in BCAA concentration, P < .001 for each). Tyrosine concentrations were also higher in post-transplant subjects than pre-transplant subjects, but tyrosine did not differ by PTDM status. By contrast, neither BCAA nor AAA concentrations were different in pre-transplant subjects with or without type 2 diabetes. Whole-body insulin resistance, hepatic insulin resistance, and pancreatic β-cell response did not differ between nondiabetic post-transplant and pre-transplant subjects. Branched-chain amino acid concentrations correlated with the Matsuda index and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (P < .05 for each) only in nondiabetic post-transplant subjects-not in nondiabetic pre-transplant subjects. Branched-chain amino acid concentrations did not correlate with ISSI-2 in either pre-transplant or post-transplant subjects.

Limitations

The sample size was small, and subjects were not studied prospectively for the development of type 2 diabetes.

Conclusions

Plasma BCAA concentrations are higher post-transplant in type 2 diabetic states, but do not differ by diabetes status in the presence of kidney failure. The association of BCAA with measures of hepatic insulin resistance among nondiabetic post-transplant patients is consistent with impaired BCAA metabolism as a characteristic of kidney transplantation.

Interference of EFNA4 suppresses cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma by downregulating PYGO2

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. Ephrin A4 (EFNA4) acts as an oncogene in multiple cancers but is little known in HCC. It is revealed that EFNA4 is highly expressed in patients with HCC and influences the proliferation of HCC cells; however, detailed regulatory mechanism of EFNA4 in HCC needs to be unveiled. Here, we discovered that EFNA4 was highly expressed in HCC cell lines. EFNA4 knockdown greatly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as inhibiting angiogenesis in Huh7 cells. EFNA4 was demonstrated to interact with pygopus-2 (PYGO2) and positively regulate PYGO2 expression. Gene gain- and loss-of-function experiments revealed that the anti-tumor effect of EFNA4 knockdown was partly abolished by PYGO2 overexpression. Furthermore, EFNA4 knockdown blocked wnt/β-catenin signaling in Huh7 cells, which was then abolished by PYGO2. In conclusion, this study further ensured the oncogenic role of EFNA4 in HCC, and disclosed that EFNA4 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and wnt/β-catenin signaling in HCC by downregulating PYGO2.

Feasibility of identifying the authenticity of fresh and cooked mutton kebabs using visible and near-infrared hyperspectral imaging

Mutton kebab is an attractive type of meat product with high nutritional value, and is favored by consumers worldwide. However, mutton kebab is often subjected to adulteration due to its high price. Chicken, duck, and pork are frequently used as adulterated substitutes. The purpose of current study aims at developing a methodology based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI, 400-1000 nm) for identifying the authenticity of fresh and cooked mutton kebabs. Kebab samples were individually scanned using HSI system in their fresh and cooked states. Spectra of chicken, duck, pork, and mutton kebabs were first extracted from representative regions of interest (ROIs) identified in their calibrated hyperspectral images. After that, principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out, and results showed that the first three or two PCs were effective for identifying fresh or cooked samples of different meat species. Different effective modeling algorithms including k-nearest neighbor (KNN), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms combined with different preprocessing methods were employed to develop classification models. Performances exhibited that PLS-DA models using raw spectra outperformed the KNN and SVM models, and the accuracies reached both 100 % in prediction sets for fresh and cooked meat kebabs, respectively. Moreover, compared to iteratively variable subset optimization (IVSO), random frog (RF), and successive projections algorithm (SPA) algorithms, the PC loadings successfully screened 14 and 8 effective wavelengths for fresh and cooked meat kebabs, respectively, from the complex original full-band wavelengths. The PC-PLS-DA models showed the optimal predicted performances with overall classification accuracies of 97.5 % and 100 %, sensitivity values of 1.00 and 1.00, specificity values of 0.97 and 1.00, precisions of 0.91 and 1.00, for fresh and cooked mutton kebabs, respectively. Furthermore, the visualization of classification maps confirmed the experimental results intuitively. Overall, it was evident that HSI showed immense potential to identify the authenticity of fresh and cooked mutton kebabs when substituted by different meats including chicken, duck, and pork.