Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with primary closure is preferred for selected elderly individuals with choledocholithiasis

Background

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with primary closure (LCBDE-PC) exhibits more benefits than other surgeries for patients with choledocholithiasis. It remains unclear whether it is feasible for and beneficial to elderly individuals. This study aimed to clarify and stratify elderly patients who would benefit from LCBDE-PC.

Methods

A retrospective study of 1240 patients with choledocholithiasis who underwent laparoscopic procedures between 2011 and 2019 was conducted. Patients were divided into the young group (<65 years old, n = 708) and the elderly group (≥65 years old, n = 532). Perioperative outcomes were compared between the two groups.

Results

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with primary closure was successfully performed in 90.20% of the elderly and 94.20% of the young. No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding reoperation, postoperative bile leakage, residual stones, drainage removal, and postoperative mortality. Compared with the young, the elderly had longer postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.035) and delayed postoperative eating time (p = 0.036) in the matched cohort. Independent risk factors for failed LCBDE-PC were preoperative pancreatitis (p = 0.018), year of the surgeon's experience (p = 0.008), preoperative C-reactive protein level (p = 0.034), preoperative total bilirubin (p = 0.021), impacted common bile duct (CBD) stones (p = 0.006), blood loss (p = 0.001), and edema of the CBD (p = 0.001). A novel nomogram for predicting failed LCBDE-PC in elderly individuals exhibited a sufficient discriminative ability according to the estimated area under the curve (AUC) of 0.869 (95% CI: 0.817-0.921, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with primary closure is safe, feasible, and effective for elderly individuals with choledocholithiasis. Elderly patients with a high risk of failed LCBDE-PC should be cautious of undergoing LCBDE-PC.

Urban expansion patterns and their driving forces analysis: a comparison between Chengdu-Chongqing and Middle Reaches of Yangtze River urban agglomerations

Urban agglomerations have emerged as the primary drivers of high-quality economic growth in China. While recent studies have examined the urban expansion patterns of individual cities, a comparative study of the urban expansion patterns of urban agglomerations at two different scales is required for a more comprehensive understanding. Thus, in this study, we conduct a two-scale comparative analysis of urban expansion patterns and their driving factors of the two largest urban agglomerations in western and central China, i.e., Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration (CCUA) and the Middle Reaches of Yangtze River urban agglomerations (MRYRUA) at both the urban agglomeration and city levels. We investigate the urban expansion patterns of CCUA and MRYRUA between 2000 and 2020 using various models, including the urban expansion rate, fractal dimension, modified compactness, and gravity-center method. Then we use multiple linear regression analysis and geographically weighted regression (GWR) to explore the magnitude and geographical differentiation of influences for economic, demographic, industrial structure, environmental conditions, and neighborhood factors on urban expansion patterns. Our findings indicate that CCUA experienced significantly faster urban growth compared to MRYRUA. There is an excessive concentration of resources to megacities within the CCUA, whereas there is a lack of sufficient collaboration among the three provinces within the MRYRUA. Additionally, we identify significant differences in the impacts of driving forces of CCUA and MRYRUA, as well as spatial heterogeneity and regional aggregation in the variation of their strength. Our two-scale comparative study of urban expansion patterns will not only provide essential reference points for CCUA and MRYRUA but also serve as valuable insights for other urban agglomerations in China, enabling them to promote sustainable urban management and foster integrated regional development.

The combined signatures of telomere and immune cell landscape provide a prognostic and therapeutic biomarker in glioma

Background

Gliomas, the most prevalent primary malignant tumors of the central nervous system in adults, exhibit slow growth in lower-grade gliomas (LGG). However, the majority of LGG cases progress to high-grade gliomas, posing challenges for prognostication. The tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by telomere-related genes and immune cell infiltration, strongly influences glioma growth and therapeutic response. Therefore, our objective was to develop a Telomere-TME (TM-TME) classifier that integrates telomere-related genes and immune cell landscape to assess prognosis and therapeutic response in glioma.

Methods

This study encompassed LGG patients from the TCGA and CCGA databases. TM score and TME score were derived from the expression signatures of telomere-related genes and the presence of immune cells in LGG, respectively. The TM-TME classifier was established by combining TM and TME scores to effectively predict prognosis. Subsequently, we conducted Kaplan-Meier survival estimation, univariate Cox regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic curves to validate the prognostic prediction capacity of the TM-TME classifier across multiple cohorts. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, biological processes, and proteomaps were performed to annotate the functional aspects of each subgroup and visualize the cellular signaling pathways.

Results

The TM_low+TME_high subgroup exhibited superior prognosis and therapeutic response compared to other subgroups (P<0.001). This finding could be attributed to distinct tumor somatic mutations and cancer cellular signaling pathways. GO analysis indicated that the TM_low+TME_high subgroup is associated with the neuronal system and modulation of chemical synaptic transmission. Conversely, the TM_high+TME_low subgroup showed a strong association with cell cycle and DNA metabolic processes. Furthermore, the classifier significantly differentiated overall survival in the TCGA LGG cohort and served as an independent prognostic factor for LGG patients in both the TCGA cohort (P<0.001) and the CGGA cohort (P<0.001).

Conclusion

Overall, our findings underscore the significance of the TM-TME classifier in predicting prognosis and immune therapeutic response in glioma, shedding light on the complex immune landscape within each subgroup. Additionally, our results suggest the potential of integrating risk stratification with precision therapy for LGG.

Urban growth boundaries optimization under low-carbon development: Combining multi-objective programming and patch cellular automata models

Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs) are a tool to control urban sprawl. However, the way to optimize future urban land uses and fix their boundaries is not clear. This paper presents a new framework to delimit UGBs while accounting for ecological, economic, and carbon storage benefits. Aggregate land-use constraints are included in a multi-objective optimization algorithm to capture non-inferior solutions on the Pareto Surface (PS) under different objective scenarios. A patch-level cellular automata simulation model is then used to spatially allocate these land uses, followed by a new two-step adjustment method to delineate the UGBs. This modeling is applied to Wuhan, China. The results show that: (1) One district (Caidian) will have a strong economic growth under low-carbon development. (2) The maximization of carbon storage reduces losses in ecological benefits, suggesting that carbon storage be considered in urban growth planning. (3) The combined model framework and two-step boundary adjustment method can help urban planners define different UGB scenarios and make science-based policy decisions.

Study on primary central nervous system lymphoma in pediatric patients

BACKGROUND

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) in pediatric patients presents diagnostic and treatment challenges, leading to delays and suboptimal strategies. Moreover, PCNSL in immunocompetent pediatric patients is rarely reported. This retrospective study aimed to describe the demographic and clinical features, as well as outcomes, of pediatric PCNSL cases.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted on 11 immunocompetent pediatric patients diagnosed with PCNSL between January 2012 and April 2020. Data regarding age, gender, initial presenting symptoms, tumor location, and radiological characteristics were collected. Treatment strategies and analyzed prognosis were documented. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meir method, and data were analyzed using SPSS (version 23.0, IBM Corp.).

RESULTS

The study cohort comprised 11 patients, including 10 males and 1 female. The age at diagnosis ranged from 4 to 15 years, with a median age of 10.6 years. Headache was the most common presenting symptom, observed in 81.8% (9/11) of patients. Tumor locations in the supratentorial and infratentorial regions exhibited a similar occurrence rate. All tumors showed strong contrast enhancement on T1-weighted images. The average survival time for the 11 patients was 44.4 months. Among them, 5 patients died by the last follow-up visit, with a mean survival time of 8.8 months (one patient died in a car accident).

CONCLUSION

Headache is the predominant manifestation of PCNSL in pediatric patients. PCNSL demonstrates imaging characteristics resembling various intracranial tumors and is associated with a poor prognosis. Therefore, pediatric neurosurgeons should exercise caution in diagnosing and treating intracranial lymphoma.

Revealing Landscape of Competing Endogenous RNA Networks in Sepsis-Induced Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular dysfunction induced by sepsis is one of the most common phenotypes of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which is closely related to the high mortality of sepsis and is an urgent health problem to be solved worldwide. Unfortunately, the exact pathogenesis and pathophysiology of sepsis-induced cardiovascular dysfunction are not clear. As a research hotspot in recent years, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks are involved in the modulation of the pathophysiological progression of many diseases, including sepsis-related CVDs. Both long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) can specifically bind to microRNAs (miRNAs) as ceRNAs to target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), forming a ceRNA network composed of lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA. This review demonstrates the potential regulatory mechanism of the ceRNA networks in sepsis-induced cardiovascular toxicity, hoping to provide novel therapeutic strategies and monitoring targets for sepsis-related CVDs.

Comparison of 18 F-FDOPA and 18 F-MFBG PET/CT Images of Metastatic Pheochromocytoma

ABSTRACT

A 30-year-old man with pheochromocytoma was hospitalized for hemoptysis without inducement. CT revealed a mass in the left lung, and biopsy pathology under the bronchoscope suggested that it was a pheochromocytoma metastasis. To further identify the location of the metastatic lesions, the patient was enrolled in a clinical trial and underwent 18 F-FDOPA and 18 F-MFBG PET/CT. Images from both examinations showed similar lesions. However, the lesions differed in that the uptake of some lesions was significantly higher with 18 F-FDOPA than with 18 F-MFBG, whereas the para-aortic lesion was active in 18 F-MFBG but not in 18 F-FDOPA.

Release and mobility characteristics of thallium from polluted farmland in varying fertilization: Role of cation exchange

Batch and column leaching tests were used to study thallium's release and migration behaviour and evaluate its potential toxicity risks in soil. The results indicated that leaching concentrations of Tl using TCLP and SWLP were much higher than the threshold, indicating a high risk of thallium pollution in the soil. Furthermore, the intermittent leaching rate of Tl by Ca²⁺ and HCl reached its maximum value, demonstrating the easy release of Tl. After HCl leaching, the form of Tl in the soil has changed, and ammonium sulfate has increased its extractability. Additionally, the extensive application of calcium promoted the release of Tl, increasing its potential ecological risk. Spectral analysis showed that Tl was mainly present in minerals such as Kaolinite and Jarosite, and exhibited significant adsorption capacity for Tl. HCl and Ca²⁺ damaged the crystal structure of the soil, greatly enhancing the migration and mobility of Tl in the environment. More importantly, XPS analysis confirmed that the release of Tl (I) in the soil was the leading cause of increased mobility and bioavailability. Therefore, the results revealed the risk of Tl release in the soil, providing theoretical guidance for its pollution prevention and control.

Species-level microbiota of ticks and fleas from Marmota himalayana in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Introduction

Ticks and fleas, as blood-sucking arthropods, carry and transmit various zoonotic diseases. In the natural plague foci of China, monitoring of Yersinia pestis has been continuously conducted in Marmota himalayana and other host animals, whereas other pathogens carried by vectors are rarely concerned in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the microbiota of ticks and fleas sampling from M. himalayana in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China by metataxonomics combined with metagenomic methods.

Results

By metataxonomic approach based on full-length 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and operational phylogenetic unit (OPU) analyses, we described the microbiota community of ticks and fleas at the species level, annotated 1,250 OPUs in ticks, including 556 known species and 492 potentially new species, accounting for 48.50% and 41.71% of the total reads in ticks, respectively. A total of 689 OPUs were detected in fleas, consisting of 277 known species (40.62% of the total reads in fleas) and 294 potentially new species (56.88%). At the dominant species categories, we detected the Anaplasma phagocytophilum (OPU 421) and potentially pathogenic new species of Wolbachia, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Bartonella. Using shotgun sequencing, we obtained 10 metagenomic assembled genomes (MAGs) from vector samples, including a known species (Providencia heimbachae DFT2), and six new species affliated to four known genera, i.e., Wolbachia, Mumia, Bartonella, and Anaplasma. By the phylogenetic analyses based on full-length 16S rRNA genes and core genes, we identified that ticks harbored pathogenic A. phagocytophilum. Moreover, these potentially pathogenic novel species were more closely related to Ehrlichia muris, Ehrlichia muris subsp. eauclairensis, Bartonella rochalimae, and Rickettsia limoniae, respectively. The OPU 422 Ehrlichia sp1 was most related to Ehrlichia muris and Ehrlichia muris subsp. eauclairensis. The OPU 230 Bartonella sp1 and Bartonella spp. (DTF8 and DTF9) was clustered with Bartonella rochalimae. The OPU 427 Rickettsia sp1 was clustered with Rickettsia limoniae.

Discussion

The findings of the study have advanced our understanding of the potential pathogen groups of vectors in marmot (Marmota himalayana) in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Precision of quantitative parameters of 18F-FDG PET/CT in a rabbit VX2 tumor model

Background

The precision reflecting repeated measurement error of quantitative parameters of flourine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT) for evaluating the therapeutic effect of solid tumor can help observe whether a real biologic change in glucose metabolism occurred, or if the change was caused by errors before and after the treatment.

Methods

A total of 18 VX2 tumor-bearing male New Zealand rabbits confirmed by pathology were used, three of which were used for determining the best scanning time point after injection and 15 for a precision experiment by repeating PET/CT scans for three consecutive days. The PET volume computer-assisted reading (PET VCAR) software (GE Healthcare) was used to analyze the standardized uptake value (SUV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) parameters. The lean body mass (LBM) to calculate the SUV corrected for lean body mass (SUL) parameters was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The precision was represented as the coefficient of variation of root mean square (RMS-CV) and standard deviation of root mean square (RMS-SD). The least significant change (LSC) was also calculated when considering precision.

Results

The precision of SUV parameters, including SUV_max, SUV_mean and SUV_peak ranged from 18.3% to 18.8%, which was similar to that of the SUL parameters (18.0-18.4%). Using 80% confidence interval (CI), the LSC of SUV_max and SUL_peak were 33.1% and 33.3%, respectively; using 95% CI, the LSC of SUV_max and SUL_peak were 50.1% and 51.0%, respectively.

Conclusions

This research established the method of precision in a rabbit VX2 tumor model, which can be used for monitoring changes to assess the effects of drug treatment on solid tumors in experimental studies with ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT imaging.

Properties of Cosmic-Ray Sulfur and Determination of the Composition of Primary Cosmic-Ray Carbon, Neon, Magnesium, and Sulfur: Ten-Year Results from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

We report the properties of primary cosmic-ray sulfur (S) in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV based on 0.38×10^{6} sulfur nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment (AMS). We observed that above 90 GV the rigidity dependence of the S flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of Ne-Mg-Si fluxes, which is different from the rigidity dependence of the He-C-O-Fe fluxes. We found that, similar to N, Na, and Al cosmic rays, over the entire rigidity range, the traditional primary cosmic rays S, Ne, Mg, and C all have sizeable secondary components, and the S, Ne, and Mg fluxes are well described by the weighted sum of the primary silicon flux and the secondary fluorine flux, and the C flux is well described by the weighted sum of the primary oxygen flux and the secondary boron flux. The primary and secondary contributions of the traditional primary cosmic-ray fluxes of C, Ne, Mg, and S (even Z elements) are distinctly different from the primary and secondary contributions of the N, Na, and Al (odd Z elements) fluxes. The abundance ratio at the source for S/Si is 0.167±0.006, for Ne/Si is 0.833±0.025, for Mg/Si is 0.994±0.029, and for C/O is 0.836±0.025. These values are determined independent of cosmic-ray propagation.

The efficacy and safety of cold snare versus hot snare polypectomy for endoscopic removal of small colorectal polyps: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PURPOSE

The optimal technique for removing small colorectal polyps ranging from 5 to 10 mm in size remains uncertain. In order to compare the efficacy and adverse events between cold snare polypectomy (CSP) and hot snare polypectomy (HSP) for removing small polyps, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of available randomized controlled trials.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases from 1998 to May 2023 to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated the efficacy and safety of cold snare polypectomy (CSP) and hot snare polypectomy (HSP) for resecting small colorectal polyps. The primary outcome measure was the incomplete resection rate (IRR).

RESULTS

Seven studies that met our study criteria, with a total of 3178 included polyps, were included in our analysis. The incomplete resection rate (IRR) was found to be significantly higher in the CSP group compared to the HSP group (risk ratio [RR] 1.57 [1.17-2.11], P = 0.003). Although the CSP group had a higher local recurrence rate than the HSP group, the difference was not statistically significant (RR: 3.98 [0.66-23.84], P = 0.13). The polyp retrieval rates were not significantly different between the two groups (RR: 1.00 [0.99-1], P = 0.22). Perforation was not reported or mentioned in any of the seven studies. The overall immediate bleeding rate was significantly higher in the CSP group than the HSP group (RR: 2.26 [1.63-3.14], P < 0.001), but immediate postpolypectomy bleeding requiring additional intervention was similar between the groups (RR: 1.08 [0.54-2.17], P = 0.82). The delayed bleeding rate (RR: 0.83 [0.45-1.55], P = 0.56) and specific polypectomy time (RR: -0.46 [-1.05-0.12], P = 0.12) were also similar between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The meta-analysis shows a significantly higher IRR for CSP compared with HSP when removing small polyps.

The efficacy and safety of laparoscopic common bile duct exploration and cholecystectomy for the treatment of difficult common bile duct stones combined with gallstones: a multicenter retrospective study

PURPOSE

To analyze the benefits of laparoscopic common bile duct exploration and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LCBDE + LC) versus endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and/or endoscopic sphincterotomy following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ERCP/EST + LC) for difficult common bile duct stones combined with gallstones.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with difficult common bile duct stones combined with gallstones in three hospitals from January 2016 to January 2021 was performed.

RESULTS

ERCP/EST + LC contributed to reducing postoperative drainage time. However, LCBDE + LC showed a higher rate of complete clearance, along with lower postoperative hospital stays, expenses and incidence of postoperative hyperamylasemia, pancreatitis, re-operation and recurrence. In addition, LCBDE + LC showed safe and feasible performance in the elderly and patients with previous upper abdominal surgery.

CONCLUSION

It is an effective and safe method for LCBDE + LC for difficult common bile duct stones combined with gallstones.

A Novel Bat Coronavirus with a Polybasic Furin-like Cleavage Site

The current pandemic of COVID-19 caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), threatens human health around the world. Of particular concern is that bats are recognized as one of the most potential natural hosts of SARS-CoV-2; however, coronavirus ecology in bats is still nascent. Here, we performed a degenerate primer screening and next-generation sequencing analysis of 112 bats, collected from Hainan Province, China. Three coronaviruses, namely bat betacoronavirus (Bat CoV) CD35, Bat CoV CD36 and bat alphacoronavirus CD30 were identified. Bat CoV CD35 genome had 99.5% identity with Bat CoV CD36, both sharing the highest nucleotide identity with Bat Hp-betacoronavirus Zhejiang2013 (71.4%), followed by SARS-CoV-2 (54.0%). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Bat CoV CD35 formed a distinct clade, and together with Bat Hp-betacoronavirus Zhejiang2013, was basal to the lineage of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Notably, Bat CoV CD35 harbored a canonical furin-like S1/S2 cleavage site that resembles the corresponding sites of SARS-CoV-2. The furin cleavage sites between CD35 and CD36 are identical. In addition, the receptor-binding domain of Bat CoV CD35 showed a highly similar structure to that of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, especially in one binding loop. In conclusion, this study deepens our understanding of the diversity of coronaviruses and provides clues about the natural origin of the furin cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2.

Aspartate β-hydroxylase (ASPH) Accelerates Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Metastasis via Upregulating SHH Signaling Pathway

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Aspartate β-hydroxylase (ASPH) is an α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase involved in the post-translational hydroxylation of target proteins. ASPH has been demonstrated to be upregulated in ICC, yet its role remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the potential function of ASPH in ICC metastasis.

METHODS

Survival curves for the overall survival of pan-cancer data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was depicted using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. The expression of ASPH, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β, phosphorylation GSK-3β (p-GSK-3β), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers, and sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling elements in ICC cell lines was analyzed by western blot. Wound healing and transwell assays were conducted to examine the effects of ASPH knockdown and overexpression on cell migration and invasion. An immunofluorescence assay was conducted to evaluate the expression of glioma-associated oncogene 2 (GLI2), GSK-3β and ASPH. The effect of ASPH on tumor in vivo was analyzed using a nude mouse xenograft model.

RESULTS

Pan-cancer data showed that expressed ASPH was significantly correlated with a poor prognosis in patients. ASPH knockdown inhibited the migration and invasion of human ICC cells lines QBC939 and RBE. ASPH overexpression contributed to an increase in the N-cadherin and Vimentin, resulting in the promotion of the EMT process. The p-GSK-3β levels decreased in the presence of ASPH overexpression. The overexpression of ASPH led to an upregulation of the expression of SHH signaling elements GLI2 and SUFU. The results of in vivo experiments with a lung metastasis model in nude mice with ICC cell line RBE are consistent with these results.

CONCLUSION

ASPH accelerated metastasis of ICC cells by facilitating EMT via a GSK-3β/SHH/GLI2 axis-dependent manner, in which phosphorylation of GSK-3β was downregulated and the SHH signaling pathway was activated.

Suspended particulate matter-associated environmental corticosteroids in the Pearl River, China: Occurrence, distribution, and partitioning

Suspended particulate matter (SPM) plays an important role in the geochemical behavior and fate of organic micropollutants in aquatic environments. However, the presence of trace emerging endocrine disruptors such as environmental corticosteroids (ECs) in SPM is less well understood. This study focused on the occurrence, distribution, and partitioning of SPM-associated ECs in the Pearl River system, China. Ubiquitous particulate ECs were found in the surface water of the rivers at average concentrations (dry weight) between 0.46 ng/g (flumethasone) and 8.83 ng/g (clobetasone butyrate). The total EC (∑ECs) concentrations of the 24 selected target compounds varied from <1.03 ng/g to 62.3 ng/g, with an average and median of 17.6 ng/g and 13.7 ng/g, respectively. Higher SPM-bound EC levels were commonly observed in winter (dry season), and spatially, their relatively high contamination in urban tributary networks decreased while flowing to mainstreams and then gradually attenuated from upstream to the estuary. Despite the approximately 90 % mass distribution of ∑ECs in the aqueous phase, approximately 50 % of their effect burden was derived from the suspended particulate fractions. For the first time, in situ SPM-water partitioning coefficients (K_p) and their organic carbon-normalized ones (K_oc) of ECs were determined in surface waters, and a field-derived preliminary linear equation was proposed to estimate K_oc for ECs using basic physicochemical parameters n-octanol/water partitioning coefficient (K_ow), which is of importance with regard to the assessment of transport, fate, and risk of these emerging hazardous chemicals. Furthermore, the significant logK_oc-logK_ow relationship for ECs reveals that nonspecific hydrophobic partitioning is a major association mechanism between SPM and ECs. Moreover, hydrogen bonding is suggested to be a prevailing specific binding mechanism and provides more contribution to nonhydrophobic interactions between ECs and particulate organic matter than environmental estrogens.

Temporal Structures in Electron Spectra and Charge Sign Effects in Galactic Cosmic Rays

We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic electron fluxes in the rigidity interval from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 2.0×10^{8} electrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The electron fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. Recurrent electron flux variations with periods of 27 days, 13.5 days, and 9 days are observed. We find that the electron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the proton fluxes. Remarkably, a hysteresis between the electron flux and the proton flux is observed with a significance of greater than 6σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. Furthermore, significant structures in the electron-proton hysteresis are observed corresponding to sharp structures in both fluxes. This continuous daily electron data provide unique input to the understanding of the charge sign dependence of cosmic rays over an 11-year solar cycle.

Universal and hypoimmunogenic pluripotent stem cells for clinical usage

It is urgent to prepare and store large numbers of clinical trial grade human pluripotent stem (hPS) cells for off-the-shelf use in stem cell therapies. However, stem cell banks, which store off-the-shelf stem cells, need financial support and large amounts of technicians for daily cell maintenance. Therefore, it is valuable to create "universal" or "hypoimmunogenic" hPS cells with genome editing engineering by knocking in or out immune-related genes. Only a small number of universal or hypoimmunogenic hPS cell lines should be needed to store for off-the-shelf usage and reduce the large amounts of instruments, consumables and technicians. In this article, we consider how to create hypoimmunogenic or universal hPS cells as well as the demerits of the technology. β2-Microglobulin-knockout hPS cells did not harbor human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-expressing class I cells but led to the activation of natural killer cells. To escape the activities of macrophages and natural killer cells, homozygous hPS cells having a single allele of an HLA class I gene, such as HLA-C, were proposed. Major HLA class Ia molecules were knocked out, and CD47, HLA-G and PD-L1 were knocked in hPS cells utilizing CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing. Finally, some researchers are trying to generate universal hPS cells without genome editing. The cells evaded the activation of not only T cells but also macrophages and natural killer cells. These universal hPS cells have high potential for application in cell therapy.

Electrokinetic Remediation of Zn-Polluted Soft Clay Using a Novel Electrolyte Chamber Configuration

This study investigated a novel electrolyte chamber configuration for heavy-metal-contaminated fine-grained soil to reduce the leakage of electrolyte solution and alleviate secondary pollution, finally promoting the electrokinetic remediation (EKR) potential to be scaled up for application. Experiments were conducted on clay spiked with Zn to investigate the feasibility of the novel EKR configuration and the effect of different electrolyte compositions on the electrokinetic remedial efficiency. The results show that the electrolyte chamber situated above the soil surface is promising for the remediation of Zn-contaminated soft clay. Using 0.2 M citric acid as the anolytes and catholytes was an excellent choice for pH control in the soil and the electrolytes. Through this, the removal efficiency in different soil sections was relatively uniform and more than 90% of the initial Zn was removed. The supplementing of electrolytes resulted in the water content in the soil being distributed evenly and finally sustained at approximately 43%. Consequently, this study proved that the novel EKR configuration is suitable for fine-grained soil contaminated with Zn.

Development and validation of nomograms for predicting survival in differentiated thyroid cancer patients with or without radioiodine therapy

Objective

This study aimed to establish and validate the nomograms for predicting overall survival (OS) probabilities in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients who received and did not receive radioiodine therapy (RAI), respectively.

Methods

In this study, 11, 099 patients diagnosed with DTC in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2016 were selected. Whether they have RAI, they are divided into RAI (n=6427) and non-RAI (n=4672) groups. They were randomly assigned to either a training cohort (RAI: n=4498, non-RAI: n=3263) or a validation cohort (RAI: n=1929, non-RAI: n=1399) using R software to divide the patients in a 7-to-3 ratio randomly. Variables were selected using a backward stepwise method in a Cox regression model to determine the independent prognostic factors, which were then utilized to build two nomograms to predict the 5-, 8-, and 10-year OS probabilities in DTC patients with or without RAI. The concordance index (C‐index), the area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), the net reclassification improvement (NRI), the integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), calibration plotting, and decision-curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the performance of our models.

Results

The multivariate analyses demonstrated that birth of the year, race, histological type, tumor size, grade, TNM stage, lymph node dissections, surgery, and chemotherapy were risk factors for OS. Compared to the AJCC stage, the C‐index (RAI: training group: 0.911 vs. 0.810, validation group: 0.873 vs. 0.761; non-RAI: training group: 0.903 vs. 0.846, validation group: 0.892 vs. 0.808). The AUC values for the training cohort (RAI: 0.940, 0.933, and 0.942; non-RAI: 0.891, 0.884, and 0.852 for the 5-, 8-, and 10-year OS, respectively) and validation cohort (RAI: 0.855, 0.825, and 0.900, non-RAI: 0.867, 0.896, and 0.899), and the calibration plots of both two models all exhibited better performance. Additionally, the NRI and IDI further showed that they exhibited good 5-, 8-, and 10-year net benefits.

Conclusion

We have established the prediction models of DTC patients with or without RAI respectively through various variables. The nomogram may be more targeted to guide clinical decisions in the future.

Characterization and expression analysis of the interferon regulatory factor (IRF) gene family in zig-zag eel (Mastacembelus armatus) against Aeromonas veronii infection

Interferon regulatory factors (IRFs) play an important role in innate and adaptive immune system. However, in teleosts, the data on IRFs is still scarce. Here, for the first time, we identified 11 members of IRFs from the zig-zag eel Mastacembelus armatus (MarIRF1-10). The deduced protein sequences are highly conserved among different fish species especially in DBD and IAD domain. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that MarIRFs preferentially grouped with fish species in Synbranchiformes or Perciformes. Expression analysis showed that MarIRFs were expressed in all nine tissues including spleen, gill, muscle and intestine. After infected by Aeromonas veronii, expression of MarIRF2, MaIRF4b and MaIRF5 were significantly upregulated in spleen, MarIRF1, MarIRF2 were significantly upregulated in kidney, but in liver, nearly all MarIRFs were downregulated. Taken together, this study first reported molecular characterization and expression patterns of 11 IRFs in the zig-zag eel. All these results will contribute a lot to better understanding the antibacterial mechanism of IRFs in teleosts.

Neural correlates of bribe-taking decision dilemma: An fNIRS study

Bribe-taking decision is a social dilemma for individuals: the pursuit of economic self-interest vs. compliance with social norms. Despite the well-known existence of the conflict in deciding whether to accept bribes, little is known about its neural responses. Using functional near-infrared imaging (fNIRS) technology and the bribe-taking decision game (economic gambling game as a control condition), the current study dissociated the neural correlates of the different motivations in the bribery dilemma, as well as the inhibitory effect of social norms on bribery and its underlying brain mechanisms in supra-cortical regions. Findings revealed that if individuals are more motivated by economic interest, rejecting money (vs. accepting money) accompanies higher activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and frontopolar cortex (FPC), which reflects impulse inhibition and decision evaluation; whereas, if individuals are more consider social norms, their DLPFC is more active when they accept bribes (vs. reject bribes), which reflects their fear of punishment. Additionally, the key brain region where social norms inhibit bribery involves the left DLPFC. The current findings contribute to the literature on the neural manifestations of corrupt decisions and provide some insights into the anti-corruption movement.

POLYDATIN AMELIORATES TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY-INDUCED SECONDARY BRAIN INJURY BY INHIBITING NLRP3-INDUCED NEUROINFLAMMATION ASSOCIATED WITH SOD2 ACETYLATION

ABSTRACT

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a kind of disease with high morbidity, mortality, and disability, and its pathogenesis is still unclear. Research shows that nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor containing pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) activation in neurons and astrocytes is involved in neuroinflammatory cascades after TBI. What is more, polydatin (PD) has been shown to have a protective effect on TBI-induced neuroinflammation, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we speculated that PD could alleviate TBI-induced neuroinflammatory damage through the superoxide dismutase (SOD2)-NLRP3 signal pathway, and SOD2 might regulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation. The model of lateral fluid percussion for in vivo and cell stretching injury for in vitro were established to mimic TBI. NLRP3 chemical inhibitor MCC950, SOD2 inhibitor 2-methoxyestradiol, and PD were administered immediately after TBI. As a result, the expression of SOD2 acetylation (SOD2 Ac-K122), NLRP3, and cleaved caspase-1 were increased after TBI both in vivo and in vitro , and using SOD2 inhibitor 2-methoxyestradiol significantly promoted SOD2 Ac-K122, NLRP3, and cleaved caspase-1 expression, as well as exacerbated mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) accumulation and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) collapse in PC12 cells. However, using NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 significantly inhibited cleaved caspase-1 activation after TBI both in vivo and in vitro ; meanwhile, MCC950 inhibited mtROS accumulation and MMP collapse after TBI. More importantly, PD could inhibit the level of SOD2 Ac-K122, NLRP3, and cleaved caspase-1 and promote the expression of SOD2 after TBI both in vivo and in vitro. Polydatin also inhibited mtROS accumulation and MMP collapse after stretching injury. These results indicated that PD inhibited SOD2 acetylation to alleviate NLRP3 inflammasome activation, thus acting a protective role against TBI neuroinflammation.

Simulation of a Steep-Slope p- and n-Type HfS2/MoTe2 Field-Effect Transistor with the Hybrid Transport Mechanism

The use of a two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) metal-semiconductor (MS) heterojunction as an efficient cold source (CS) has recently been proposed as a promising approach in the development of steep-slope field-effect transistors (FETs). In addition to the selection of source materials with linearly decreasing density-of-states-energy relations (D(E)s), in this study, we further verified, by means of a computer simulation, that a 2D semiconductor-semiconductor combination could also be used as an efficient CS. As a test case, a HfS₂/MoTe₂ FET was studied. It was found that MoTe₂ can be spontaneously p-type-doped by interfacing with n-doped HfS₂, resulting in a truncated decaying hot-carrier density with an increasing p-type channel barrier. Compared to the conventional MoTe₂ FET, the subthreshold swing (SS) of the HfS₂/MoTe₂ FET can be significantly reduced to below 60 mV/decade, and the on-state current can be greatly enhanced by more than two orders of magnitude. It was found that there exists a hybrid transport mechanism involving the cold injection and the tunneling effect in such a p- and n-type HfS₂/MoTe₂ FET, which provides a new design insight into future low-power and high-performance 2D electronics from a physical point of view.