Characterization of novel polysulfide polymer coated fly ash and its application in mitigating diffusion of contaminants

Fly ash consists of a considerable amount of hazardous elements with high mobility, posing substantial environmental risks during storage in surface impoundments and landfills. This hinders its efficient reuse in construction or material industries. To enhance the versatility of fly ash applications, a novel surface modification technique, termed SuMo, has been developed to create a hydrophobic polysulfide polymer coating on the surface of fly ash particles. The physicochemical properties of SuMo fly ash samples were examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and leaching of hazardous elements was tested under practical environmental conditions (pH 4-12) based on the EPA's leaching environmental assessment framework (LEAF). The successful coating of polysulfide polymer on fly ash surface was verified through an increased percentage of C, S, and O in elemental mapping, coupled with the identification of S-O, CO, and C-H functional groups consistent with the chemical structure of polysulfide polymer. While the SuMo fly ash particles maintained their spherical shape, they exhibited increased surface roughness, robust hydrophobicity, and thermal stability up to 250 °C. Notably, owing to the coating's resilience against water leaching, the SuMo fly ash demonstrated a substantial reduction (up to 60-fold) in leachate concentrations of multiple concerning elements, including B, Be, Ba, Mn, Zn, As, Cr, Hg, etc., under various pH conditions compared to the uncoated fly ash. Furthermore, the polysulphide polymer coating effectively prevented Hg volatilization from fly ash below 163 °C. This study highlights the efficacy of the developed polysulfide polymer coating in mitigating the diffusion of hazardous elements from fly ash, thereby enhancing its potential reutilization in material, construction, and agriculture industries.

Robust Artificial Intelligence Tool for Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis: Novel Development Approach Incorporating Both Atrial Electrograms and Surface ECG and Evaluation by Head-to-Head Comparison With Hospital-Based Physician ECG Readers

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases risk of embolic stroke, and in postoperative patients, increases cost of care. Consequently, ECG screening for AF in high-risk patients is important but labor-intensive. Artificial intelligence (AI) may reduce AF detection workload, but AI development presents challenges.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used a novel approach to AI development for AF detection using both surface ECG recordings and atrial epicardial electrograms obtained in postoperative cardiac patients. Atrial electrograms were used only to facilitate establishing true AF for AI development; this permitted the establishment of an AI-based tool for subsequent AF detection using ECG records alone. A total of 5 million 30-second epochs from 329 patients were annotated as AF or non-AF by expert ECG readers for AI training and validation, while 5 million 30-second epochs from 330 different patients were used for AI testing. AI performance was assessed at the epoch level as well as AF burden at the patient level. AI achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.932 on validation and 0.953 on testing. At the epoch level, testing results showed means of AF detection sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and F1 (harmonic mean of positive predictive value and sensitivity) as 0.970, 0.814, 0.976, 0.776, and 0.862, respectively, while the intraclass correlation coefficient for AF burden detection was 0.952. At the patient level, AF burden sensitivity and positive predictivity were 96.2% and 94.5%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of both atrial electrograms and surface ECG permitted development of a robust AI-based approach to postoperative AF recognition and AF burden assessment. This novel tool may enhance detection and management of AF, particularly in patients following operative cardiac surgery.

Prediction of Fuhrman grade of renal clear cell carcinoma by multimodal MRI radiomics: a retrospective study

AIM

To explore the value of multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics combined with traditional radiologist-defined semantic characteristics and conventional (cMRI) and functional MRI (fMRI) texture features in predicting Fuhrman grade of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data of 89 patients with histopathologically proven ccRCC (low-grade, 54; high-grade, 35) were collected. Texture features were extracted from cMRI (T1- and T2-weighted imaging) and fMRI (Dixon-MRI; blood-oxygen-level dependent [BOLD]-MRI; and susceptibility-weighted imaging [SWI]) images, and the traditional characteristics (TC) were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis was performed to develop models based on TC, cMRI, and fMRI texture features for grading. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and leave-group-out cross-validation (LGOCV) were performed to test the reliability of combined models.

RESULTS

Two T2-weighted imaging-based, two Dixon_W-based, one Dixon_F-based, one BOLD-based, and three SWI-based texture features, and three TC were extracted for feature selection. TC, cMRI, fMRI, cMRI+fMRI, cMRI+TC, fMRI+TC, and cMRI+fMRI+TC models were constructed. The AUC of the cMRI+fMRI+TC model for differentiating high- from low-grade ccRCC was 0.74, with 81.42% accuracy, 75.93% sensitivity, and 91.43% specificity. The fMRI+TC model exhibited a performance similar to that of the cMRI+fMRI+TC model (p>0.05). The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the fMRI+TC and cMRI+fMRI+TC models were significantly higher than those of the other five models (all p<0.05). For the cMRI+fMRI+TC model, the mean accuracy was 85.40% after 100 LGOCV for the test sets.

CONCLUSION

Multimodal MRI radiomics combined with TC, cMRI, and fMRI texture features may be a reliable quantitative approach for differentiating high-grade ccRCC from low-grade ccRCC.

Effect of Fasted Live-Weight Gain during the Cashmere Non-Growing Period on Cashmere Production Performance and Secondary Hair Follicle Activity of Cashmere Goats

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period on cashmere production performance and secondary hair follicle activity, to provide a theoretical basis for appropriate supplementary feeding of cashmere goats. Fifty Inner Mongolian cashmere goats aged 2-4 years old were randomly selected and weighed in May and September 2019, respectively. Based on fasted live-weight gain between the two weights, the experimental ewe goats were divided into two groups: 0-5.0 kg group (n = 30) and 5.0-10.0 kg group (n = 20). Skin samples and cashmere samples were collected. Results of a Pearson correlation analysis showed that fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a moderate and strong positive correlation with cashmere yield (p = 0.021) and cashmere staple length (p = 0.002), respectively, but did not correlate with cashmere diameter (p = 0.254). Compared with cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 0-5.0 kg, cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 5.0-10.0 kg had a 17.10% increase in cashmere yield (p = 0.037) and an 8.09% increase in cashmere staple length (p = 0.045), but had no significant difference in cashmere diameter (p = 0.324). Results of a Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a strong positive correlation between fasted live-weight gain and the population of active secondary hair follicles in the skin of cashmere goats (p < 0.01). Compared with cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 0-5.0 kg, cashmere goats with a fasted live-weight gain of 5.0-10.0 kg had an increase in the population of active secondary hair follicles (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the fasted live-weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a significant effect on secondary hair follicle activity and cashmere production performance in cashmere goats. Since fasted live-weight gain reflects nutritional level to a certain extent, this study suggests that nutritional manipulations such as supplementary feeding during cashmere non-growing periods can increase cashmere production performance. However, specific nutritional manipulations during the cashmere non-growing period need further research to increase cashmere production performance.

Allisartan Isoproxil Promotes Uric Acid Excretion by Interacting with Intestinal Urate Transporters in Hyperuricemic Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

To evaluate the urate-lowering effect and potential drug targets of antihypertensive agent allisartan isoproxil (ALI) and its bioactive metabolite EXP3174, we developed an acute hyperuricemic zebrafish model using potassium oxonate and xanthine sodium salt. Losartan potassium served as the positive control (reference drug). In this model, ALI and losartan potassium exerted a greater urate-lowering effect than EXP3174 indicating that the latter is not the critical substance for elimination of uric acid. The quantitative real-time PCR showed that ALI upregulates the expression of intestinal urate transporters genes ABCG2, PDZK1, and SLC2A9 (p<0.01). Thus, we can suggest that this substance promotes uric acid excretion mainly by interacting with intestinal urate transporters.

Residual Strain Evolution Induced by Crystallization Kinetics During Anti-Solvent Spin Coating in Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite (OIHP) polycrystalline thin films are attractive due to their outstanding photoelectronic properties. The anti-solvent spin coating method is the most widely used to synthesize these thin films, and the residual strain is inevitably originates and evolves during the process. However, this residual strain evolution induced by crystallization kinetics is still poorly understood. In this work, the in situ and ex situ synchrotron grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) are utilized to characterize the evolution and distribution of the residual strain in the OIHP polycrystalline thin film during the anti-solvent spin coating process. A mechanical model is established and the mechanism of the crystallization kinetics-induced residual strain evolution process is discussed. This work reveals a comprehensive understanding of the residual strain evolution during the anti-solvent spin coating process in the OIHP polycrystalline thin films and provides important guidelines for the residual strain-related strain engineering, morphology control, and performance enhancement.

Skeletal stem cells: origins, definitions, and functions in bone development and disease

Skeletal stem cells (SSCs) are tissue-specific stem cells that can self-renew and sit at the apex of their differentiation hierarchy, giving rise to mature skeletal cell types required for bone growth, maintenance, and repair. Dysfunction in SSCs is caused by stress conditions like ageing and inflammation and is emerging as a contributor to skeletal pathology, such as the pathogenesis of fracture nonunion. Recent lineage tracing experiments have shown that SSCs exist in the bone marrow, periosteum, and resting zone of the growth plate. Unraveling their regulatory networks is crucial for understanding skeletal diseases and developing therapeutic strategies. In this review, we systematically introduce the definition, location, stem cell niches, regulatory signaling pathways, and clinical applications of SSCs.

Design, Preparation, Characterization and Evaluation of Five Cocrystal Hydrates of Fluconazole with Hydroxybenzoic Acids

To modulate the physicochemical properties of fluconazole (FLZ), a multifunctional antifungal drug, the crystal engineering technique was employed. In this paper, five novel cocrystal hydrates of FLZ with a range of phenolic acids from the GRAS list, namely, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (24DHB), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (34DHB, form I and form II), 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (35DHB), and 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (345THB) were disclosed and reported for the first time. Crystals of these five hydrates were all obtained for single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) analysis. Robust (hydroxyl/carboxyl) O-H. . . N_arom hydrogen bonds between acids and FLZ triazolyl moiety were observed to be dominant in guiding these crystal forms. The water molecule plays the role of supramolecular "linkage" in the strengthening and stabilization of these hydrates by interacting with FLZ and acids through O-H. . . O hydrogen bonds. In particular, the formation of FLZ-34DHB-H₂O (1:1:1) significantly reduces hygroscopicity and hence improves the stability of FLZ, the latter of which is unstable and easily transforms into its monohydrate form. Increased initial dissolution rates were observed in the obtained cocrystal forms, and an enhanced intrinsic dissolution rate was obtained in FLZ-35DHB-H₂O (1:1:1) in comparison with commercialized FLZ form II.

Quantitative Analysis the Weak Non-Covalent Interactions of the Polymorphs of Donepezil

Donepezil has polymorphism. Different crystalline forms can exhibit different physicochemical properties and biological activities. Exploration of intermolecular interactions is essential to reveal the formation mechanism and differences in properties of polymorphs. This study explores the weak non-covalent intermolecular interactions of donepezil polymorphs through fully ab initio quantum mechanical methods, semi-empirical methods, and Hirshfeld surface analysis. The results show that the Hirshfeld surface analysis method can clearly and intuitively reveal the intermolecular interactions. Theoretical calculations using the atom-atom Coulomb-London-Pauli (AA-CLP) method were also performed to understand the interaction energies toward the total lattice energy. The value of the lattice energy was in accordance with the melting points of the donepezil polymorphs and brought to light the nature of thermal stability. In the specific energy distribution, the contribution of the dispersion force is the most prominent. Further interaction energy analysis found that within a distance of 3.8 Å from the center of the donepezil molecule, different crystalline forms of donepezil molecules have different interaction energies with surrounding molecules. The different interaction energies between polymorphs may lead to polymorphs with different physical-chemical properties.

Discovery and Application of Postnatal Nucleus Pulposus Progenitors Essential for Intervertebral Disc Homeostasis and Degeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) results from the dysfunction of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and the exhaustion of NP progenitors (ProNPs). The cellular applications of NP cells during IDD are currently limited due to the lack of in vivo studies showing whether NP cells are heterogeneous and contain ProNPs throughout postnatal stages. In this study, single-cell RNA sequencing of purified NP cells is used to map four molecularly defined populations and urotensin II receptor (UTS2R)-expressing postnatal ProNPs is identified, which are markedly exhausted during IDD, in mouse and human specimens. The lineage tracing shows that UTS2R⁺ ProNPs preferentially resides in the NP periphery with its niche factor tenascin-C and give rise to functional NP cells. It is also demonstrated that transplanting UTS2R⁺ ProNPs with tenascin-C into injured intervertebral discs attenuate the progression of IDD. The study provides a novel NP cell atlas, identified resident ProNPs with regenerative potential, and revealed promising diagnostic and therapeutic targets for IDD.

Growth patterns of monochorionic twin pregnancy complicated by Type-III selective fetal growth restriction

OBJECTIVES

Little is known regarding fetal growth patterns in monochorionic twin pregnancy complicated by Type-III selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR). We aimed to assess fetal growth and umbilical artery Doppler pattern in Type-III sFGR across gestation and evaluate the effect of changing Doppler flow pattern on growth and intertwin growth discordance.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of all Type-III sFGR pregnancies managed at nine fetal centers over a 12-year time period. Higher-order multiple pregnancy and cases with major fetal anomaly or other monochorionicity-related complications at presentation were excluded. Estimated fetal weight (EFW) was assessed on ultrasound for each twin pair at five timepoints (16-20, 21-24, 25-28, 29-32 and > 32 weeks' gestation) and compared with singleton and uncomplicated monochorionic twin EFW. EFW and intertwin EFW discordance were compared between pregnancies with normalization of umbilical artery Doppler of the smaller twin later in pregnancy and those with persistently abnormal Doppler.

RESULTS

Overall, 328 pregnancies (656 fetuses) met the study criteria. In Type-III sFGR, the smaller twin had a lower EFW than an average singleton fetus (EFW Z-score ranging from -1.52 at 16 weeks to -2.69 at 36 weeks) and an average monochorionic twin in uncomplicated pregnancy (Z-score ranging from -1.73 at 16 weeks to -1.49 at 36 weeks) throughout the entire gestation, while the larger twin had a higher EFW than an average singleton fetus until 22 weeks' gestation and was similar in EFW to an average uncomplicated monochorionic twin throughout gestation. As pregnancy advanced, growth velocity of both twins decreased, with the larger twin remaining appropriately grown and the smaller twin becoming more growth restricted. Intertwin EFW discordance remained stable throughout gestation. On multivariable longitudinal modeling, normalization of fetal umbilical artery Doppler was associated with better growth of the smaller twin (P = 0.002) but not the larger twin (P = 0.1), without affecting the intertwin growth discordance (P = 0.09).

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormal fetal growth of the smaller twin in Type-III sFGR was evident early in pregnancy, while EFW of the larger twin remained normal throughout gestation. Normalization of umbilical artery Doppler was associated with improved fetal growth of the smaller twin. © 2021 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Portable Device Improves the Detection of Atrial Fibrillation After Ablation

Asymptomatic recurrences of atrial fibrillation (AF) have been found to be common after ablation.A randomized controlled trial of AF screening using a handheld single-lead ECG monitor (BigThumb^®) or a traditional follow-up strategy was conducted in patients with non-valvular AF after catheter ablation. Consecutive patients were randomized to either BigThumb Group (BT Group) or Traditional Follow-up Group (TF Group). The ECGs collected via BigThumb were compared using the automated AF detection algorithm, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, and cardiologists' manual review. Subsequent changes in adherence to oral anticoagulation of patients were also recorded. In this study, we examined 218 patients (109 in each group). After a follow-up of 345.4 ± 60.2 days, AF-free survival rate was 64.2% in BT Group and 78.9% in TF Group (P = 0.0163), with more adherence to oral anticoagulation in BT Group (P = 0.0052). The participants in the BT Group recorded 26133 ECGs, among which 3299 (12.6%) were diagnosed as AF by cardiologists' manual review. The sensitivity and specificity of the AI algorithm were 94.4% and 98.5% respectively, which are significantly higher than the automated AF detection algorithm (90.7% and 96.2%).As per our findings, it was determined that follow-up after AF ablation using BigThumb leads to a more frequent detection of AF recurrence and more adherence to oral anticoagulation. AI algorithm improves the accuracy of ECG diagnosis and has the potential to reduce the manual review.

Tendon-derived cathepsin K-expressing progenitor cells activate Hedgehog signaling to drive heterotopic ossification

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is pathological bone formation characterized by ossification within muscle, tendons, or other soft tissues. However, the cells of origin and mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of HO remain elusive. Here we show that deletion of suppressor of fused (Sufu) in cathepsin K-Cre-expressing (Ctsk-Cre-expressing) cells resulted in spontaneous and progressive ligament, tendon, and periarticular ossification. Lineage tracing studies and cell functional analysis demonstrated that Ctsk-Cre could label a subpopulation of tendon-derived progenitor cells (TDPCs) marked by the tendon marker Scleraxis (Scx). Ctsk+Scx+ TDPCs are enriched for tendon stem cell markers and show the highest self-renewal capacity and differentiation potential. Sufu deficiency caused enhanced chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation of Ctsk-Cre-expressing tendon-derived cells via upregulation of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling. Furthermore, pharmacological intervention in Hh signaling using JQ1 suppressed the development of HO. Thus, our results show that Ctsk-Cre labels a subpopulation of TDPCs contributing to HO and that their cell-fate changes are driven by activation of Hh signaling.

High-resolution MRI of the vessel wall helps to distinguish moyamoya disease from atherosclerotic moyamoya syndrome

AIM

To evaluate the value of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the vessel wall (VWI) for differentiating moyamoya disease (MMD) from atherosclerotic moyamoya syndrome (AS-MMS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-one patients with MMD or AS-MMS were assessed retrospectively by two independent raters regarding and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) stage grading score; collateral development in the lateral fissure and basal ganglia on MRA; and pattern of the thickening of the arterial wall; presence, degree, and pattern of enhancement; presence and distribution of deep tiny flow voids (DTFVs) and collateral development in the lateral fissure and basal ganglia on VWI. After univariate analysis between the two groups, logistic regression models based on imaging findings of MRA or VWI were implemented respectively, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to compare the discriminatory power of the two imaging methods for diagnosis of MMD. Interrater agreement was analysed using an unweighted Cohen's κ or interclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

RESULTS

MMD manifested as more concentric thickening, more homogeneous enhancement, higher presence of DTFV, smaller outer-wall boundary area of stenosis or occlusion, and smaller remodelling index on VWI. After Bonferroni-Holm correction for multiple comparisons, for AS-MMS, collaterals in both the lateral fissure and basal ganglia were not usually present on either MRA or VWI. The diagnostic performance of the multivariate logistic regression model based on VWI with an accuracy of 87.1% for classification was higher than MRA. Interrater agreement was moderate or substantial for all the imaging findings.

CONCLUSIONS

VWI might be a useful and feasible method for differentiating MMD from AS-MMS and a prospective tool for guiding first-line treatment.

Outcome of monochorionic twin pregnancy complicated by Type-III selective intrauterine growth restriction

OBJECTIVE

Type-III selective intrauterine growth restriction (sIUGR) is associated with a high and unpredictable risk of fetal death and fetal brain injury. The objective of this study was to describe the prospective risk of fetal death and the risk of adverse neonatal outcome in a cohort of twin pregnancies complicated by Type-III sIUGR and treated according to up-to-date guidelines.

METHODS

We reviewed retrospectively all monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies complicated by Type-III sIUGR managed at nine fetal centers over a 12-year period. Higher-order multiple gestations and pregnancies with major fetal anomalies or other monochorionicity-related complications at initial presentation were excluded. Data on fetal and neonatal outcomes were collected and management strategies reviewed. Composite adverse neonatal outcome was defined as neonatal death, invasive ventilation beyond the resuscitation period, culture-proven sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis requiring treatment, intraventricular hemorrhage Grade > I, retinopathy of prematurity Stage > II or cystic periventricular leukomalacia. The prospective risk of intrauterine death (IUD) and the risk of neonatal complications according to gestational age were evaluated.

RESULTS

We collected data on 328 pregnancies (656 fetuses). After exclusion of pregnancies that underwent selective reduction (n = 18 (5.5%)), there were 51/620 (8.2%) non-iatrogenic IUDs in 35/310 (11.3%) pregnancies. Single IUD occurred in 19/328 (5.8%) pregnancies and double IUD in 16/328 (4.9%). The prospective risk of non-iatrogenic IUD per fetus declined from 8.1% (95% CI, 5.95-10.26%) at 16 weeks, to less than 2% (95% CI, 0.59-2.79%) after 28.4 weeks and to less than 1% (95% CI, -0.30 to 1.89%) beyond 32.6 weeks. In otherwise uncomplicated pregnancies with Type-III sIUGR, delivery was generally planned at 32 weeks, at which time the risk of composite adverse neonatal outcome was 29.0% (31/107 neonates). In twin pregnancies that continued to 34 weeks, there was a very low risk of IUD (0.7%) and a low risk of composite adverse neonatal outcome (11%).

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort of twin pregnancies complicated by Type-III sIUGR and treated at several tertiary fetal centers, the risk of fetal death was lower than that reported previously. Further efforts should be directed at identifying predictors of fetal death and optimal antenatal surveillance strategies to select a cohort of pregnancies that can continue safely beyond 33 weeks' gestation. © 2020 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Histone demethylase LSD1 is critical for endochondral ossification during bone fracture healing

Bone fracture is repaired predominantly through endochondral ossification. However, the regulation of endochondral ossification by key factors during fracture healing remains largely enigmatic. Here, we identify histone modification enzyme LSD1 as a critical factor regulating endochondral ossification during bone regeneration. Loss of LSD1 in Prx1 lineage cells severely impaired bone fracture healing. Mechanistically, LSD1 tightly controls retinoic acid signaling through regulation of Aldh1a2 expression level. The increased retinoic acid signaling in LSD1-deficient mice suppressed SOX9 expression and impeded the cartilaginous callus formation during fracture repair. The discovery that LSD1 can regulate endochondral ossification during fracture healing will benefit the understanding of bone regeneration and have implications for regenerative medicine.

A gene prioritization method based on a swine multi-omics knowledgebase and a deep learning model

The analyses of multi-omics data have revealed candidate genes for objective traits. However, they are integrated poorly, especially in non-model organisms, and they pose a great challenge for prioritizing candidate genes for follow-up experimental verification. Here, we present a general convolutional neural network model that integrates multi-omics information to prioritize the candidate genes of objective traits. By applying this model to Sus scrofa, which is a non-model organism, but one of the most important livestock animals, the model precision was 72.9%, recall 73.5%, and F1-Measure 73.4%, demonstrating a good prediction performance compared with previous studies in Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. Additionally, to facilitate the use of the model, we present ISwine (http://iswine.iomics.pro/), which is an online comprehensive knowledgebase in which we incorporated almost all the published swine multi-omics data. Overall, the results suggest that the deep learning strategy will greatly facilitate analyses of multi-omics integration in the future.

Yuhua Fu et al. develop a CNN model that integrates multi-omics information to prioritize candidate genes of objective traits. Their model performs well when applied to important livestock non-model animals like Sus scrofa. Finally, the authors present ISwine, an online comprehensive knowledgebase which includes all published swine omics data to facilitate the integration of heterogeneous data.

[Value of magnetic resonance imaging texture analysis in evaluating renal allograft injury]

Objective: To explore the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) texture analysis in evaluating renal allograft injury. Methods: A retrospective review was performed on sixty-six patients who underwent allograft renal transplantation (42 males, 24 females; age range, 22-63 years; mean age, (40±10) years) between November 2013 and December 2016. All the patients were divided into three groups according to their eGFR on the day of MRI examination: normal renal allograft function (nRAF) group (n=15), mild to moderate renal allograft injury (mRAI) group (n=18), and severe renal allograft injury (sRAI) group (n=33). All the patients underwent conventional T(2) weighted image (T(2)WI), susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), and blood-oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI examination. MRI texture features of renal allograft were extracted. The texture features based on T(2)WI, SWI, and BOLD with absolute correlation coefficient of eGFR greater than or equal to 0.3 (P<0.05)and also with the highest Z value for Boruta algorithmwere selected. The diagnostic performance of the selected texture features in differentiating the three groups was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: T(2)WI_Perc.50%, SWI_Perc.01%, BOLD_S(4,4)Contrast, and BOLD_S(5,5)Correlat with absolute correlation coefficient of eGFR greater than or equal to 0.3 (P<0.05) and also with the highest Z value for Boruta algorithm were selected. The AUC for T(2)WI_Perc.50%, SWI_Perc.01%, and BOLD_S(5,5)Correlat in differentiating the nRAF group with the mRAI group was 0.785, 0.720, and 0.700. The AUC for T(2)WI_Perc.50%, SWI_Perc.01%, BOLD_S(4,4)Contrast, and BOLD_S(5,5)Correlat in differentiating the nRAF group with the sRAI group was 0.687, 0.733, 0.784, and 0.737.The AUC for BOLD_S(4,4) Contrast in differentiating the mRAI group with the sRAI group was 0.667. Conclusion: MRI texture analysis can provide valuable information for evaluating renal allograft injury.

SP1-induced lncRNA LINC00689 overexpression contributes to osteosarcoma progression via the miR-655/SOX18 axis

OBJECTIVE

Many findings have demonstrated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) as crucial regulatory molecules in the progression of osteosarcoma. The aim of this study was to explore the roles and mechanisms of LncRNA LINC00689 (LINC00689) in osteosarcoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Differential levels of LINC00689 and miR-655 in osteosarcoma samples and cell lines were analyzed by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The associations between LINC00689 expression and prognostic significance of osteosarcoma patients were analyzed using a series of statistical assays. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function assays were performed to investigate the role of LINC00689 in proliferation and metastasis in vitro. Bioinformatic assays, Luciferase report assays, and rescue assays were applied to illustrate the ceRNA mechanism network of LINC00689/miR-655/SOX18.

RESULTS

We found that LINC00689 expression was distinctly upregulated in osteosarcoma specimens and cell lines. MiR-655 displayed a trend of remarkably decreased expression in osteosarcoma tissues. In addition, we showed that LINC00689 could specifically interact with the promoter of SP1 and activate LINC00689 transcription. Further clinical studies indicated that higher levels of LINC00689 were associated with advanced clinical stage, positively distant metastasis, and unfavorable clinical outcome. Functional studies revealed that the knockdown of LINC00689 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells, and promoted apoptosis. Final mechanistic investigations confirmed that upregulation of LINC00689 competitively bound to miR-655 that prevented SOX18 from miRNA-mediated degradation, thus facilitating osteosarcoma progression.

CONCLUSIONS

All our findings suggested that SP1-induced upregulation of LINC00689 promoted osteosarcoma progression by regulating miR-655/ SOX18 axis, which provided a novel insight for osteosarcoma tumorigenesis.

Design of a dual-band terahertz metamaterial absorber using two identical square patches for sensing application

A dual-band terahertz metamaterial absorber composed of two identical square metallic patches and an insulating medium layer on top of a continuous metallic ground is demonstrated. Two resonance peaks (labeled A and B) with near 100% absorbance are obtained, of which peak A derived from the localized resonance of the two square patches has a line-width of 0.2571 THz and quality factor of 6.9156, while peak B which resulted from the hybrid coupling of the localized resonance of the two square patches and surface lattice resonance of the device has a very narrow line-width of 0.0083 THz and large quality factor of 296.2771. Narrow line-width and large quality factor have important prospects in sensing application. Based on this, the sensing performance of the device is explored; it is revealed that peak B exhibits highly sensitive sensing ability (including a sensing sensitivity of 1.9010 THz per RIU and figure of merit of 229.04) in terms of the surrounding index. In addition, the influence of structural parameters on the absorption performance is discussed to further verify the formation mechanism of these two absorption peaks.

[The value of DCE-MRI in predicting IDH gene mutation of high-grade gliomas]

Objective: To investigate the value of quantitative and semiquantitative parameters of DCE-MRI in predicting IDH gene mutation of high-grade gliomas before the operation. Methods: Twenty-six individuals with surgically and pathologically proved WHO Ⅲ-Ⅳ gliomas collected from April 2016 to June 2019 in First People's Hospital of Changzhou, were divided into two groups, IDH mutation group (7 cases, 27-67 years, 3 males and 4 females,) and IDH gene wild group (19 cases, 42-75 years, 12 males and 7 females) according to the results of molecular pathology. All individuals underwent conventional plain (T(1)WI, T(2)WI), enhanced MR scanning (T(1)WI) and dynamic contrast enhancement (DCE). Four quantitative parameters:volume transfer constant (K(trans)), ratio constant of back flux (Kep), extravascular extracellular space fractional volume (Ve), and blood plasma fractional volume (Vp), and four semiquantitative parameters: time to peak (TTP), maximum concentration (MAX Conc), initial area under the gadolinium concentration-time curve (IAUC) and maximum slope of decrease (MAX Slope) were measured. The independent samples t test (normal distribution and homogeneity of variance) or Mann-Whitney rank sum test (abnormal distribution or heterogeneity of variance) were used to compare the differences of quantitative and semiquantitative parameters between IDH gene mutation group and IDH gene wild type group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the efficiency of quantitative and semiquantitative parameters in predicting IDH gene mutation of high-grade gliomas. Results: The value of K(trans),TTP in IDH mutated group were 0.096 (0.080,0.135)/min and (3.95±0.34) s, respectively. The value of K(trans), TTP in IDH wild type group were 0.168 (0.132, 0.337)/min and (2.58±1.15) s, respectively. The value of K(trans) in IDH mutated group was significantly less than the value of K(trans) in IDH gene wild type group (Z value was -2.168, P value was 0.030). The value of K(trans) in IDH mutated group was significantly greater than the value of K(trans) in IDH gene wild type (Z value was -2.630, P value was 0.007). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of K(trans) and TTP in predicting IDH gene mutation of high-grade gliomas was 0.782 and 0.842, respectively. The specificity of K(trans) was higher (73.7%), The sensitivity of TTP was the higher (100.0%). Combined K(trans)and TTP were the best for predicting IDH gene mutation of high-grade gliomas, AUC was 0.865. Conclusion: Quantitative and semiquantitative parameters of DCE-MRI can help to predict IDH gene mutation of high-grade gliomas before the operation.

Targeted genetic screening in mice through haploid embryonic stem cells identifies critical genes in bone development

Mutagenic screening is powerful for identifying key genes involved in developmental processes. However, such screens are successful only in lower organisms. Here, we develop a targeted genetic screening approach in mice through combining androgenetic haploid embryonic stem cells (AG-haESCs) and clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) technology. We produced a mutant semi-cloned (SC) mice pool by oocyte injection of AG-haESCs carrying constitutively expressed Cas9 and an single guide RNA (sgRNA) library targeting 72 preselected genes in one step and screened for bone-development-related genes through skeletal analysis at birth. This yielded 4 genes: Zic1 and Clec11a, which are required for bone development, and Rln1 and Irx5, which had not been previously considered. Whereas Rln1-/- mice exhibited small skeletal size only at birth, Irx5-/- mice showed skeletal abnormalities both in postnatal and adult phases due to decreased bone mass and increased bone marrow adipogenesis. Mechanistically, iroquois homeobox 5 (IRX5) promotes osteoblastogenesis and inhibits adipogenesis by suppressing peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) activation. Thus, AG-haESC-mediated functional mutagenic screening opens new avenues for genetic interrogation of developmental processes in mice.

[Feasibility study of blood oxygen level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating the response of metastatic lymph nodes of rabbit VX2 tumor to radiotherapy]

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of blood oxygen level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating the response of metastatic lymph nodes of rabbit VX2 tumor to radiotherapy. Methods: Twenty-eight healthy New Zealand white rabbits which were provided by the Laboratory Animal Center of Soochow University, male or female, 2 to 3 months, weighing 2 to 3 kg, were used to establish the animal model of VX2 tumor popliteal fossa metastatic lymph node, and then were divided into either the radiotherapy group (n=16) or the control group (n=12). The radiotherapy group received a 20 Gy radiotherapy per rabbit, the control group received sham radiotherapy. All rabbits underwent MRI scan on four time points, including before (0 day), 3rd, 7th and 14th days after radiotherapy. The two parameters of size and R(2*) value (s(-1)) of lymph node were measured. At each time point,two rabbits in each group were sacrificed randomly to resect lymph nodes for pathological examination, and two parameters of microvessel density (MVD, strip/HP) and apoptosis index (AI, %) were analyzed. The parameters among the four time points in each group or between the two groups were compared. The correlation of lymph node size and R(2*) value with MVD or AI was analyzed, respectively. Results: A significant size difference was neither between the two groups or among the each time points in each group (P>0.05). The R(2*) of lymph node in the radiotherapy group was (29.6±1.7),(36.8±2.6),(44.8±5.8) and (57.7±6.2) s(-1) at the time points of 0, 3, 7 and 14 days, respectively, showing a gradual increase trend; MVD was (52.3±2.5),(41.0±3.6),(34.0±3.6) and (22.7±2.5) strip/HP respectively, showing a decreasing trend; AI was 12.8%±0.5%,14.9%±0.6%,20.6%±0.5% and 27.5%±0.7% respectively, showing a gradual increase trend (all P<0.05). In the control group, both R(2*) value and AI among the four time points did not change statistically (all P>0.05), but MVD showed a gradual increase trend,(50.0±3.0),(53.0±1.7),(60.3±2.5) and (70.0±2.0) strip/HP, respectively, P<0.05. There were significant differences in R(2*) and MVD at 3, 7 and 14 days, in AI at 7 and 14 days between the two groups (all P<0.05). There was a linear correlation of R(2*) value, but not of size, with MVD and AI (r=-0.87 and 0.94, respectively). Conclusion: Blood oxygen level-dependent MRI can indirectly reflect the hypoxic status of metastatic lymph nodes after radiotherapy, and has potential value in evaluating the response of metastatic lymph nodes to radiotherapy.

A Surrogate Modelling Approach Based on Nonlinear Dimension Reduction for Uncertainty Quantification in Groundwater Flow Models

In this paper, we develop a surrogate modelling approach for capturing the output field (e.g. the pressure head) from groundwater flow models involving a stochastic input field (e.g. the hydraulic conductivity). We use a Karhunen–Loève expansion for a log-normally distributed input field and apply manifold learning (local tangent space alignment) to perform Gaussian process Bayesian inference using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo in an abstract feature space, yielding outputs for arbitrary unseen inputs. We also develop a framework for forward uncertainty quantification in such problems, including analytical approximations of the mean of the marginalized distribution (with respect to the inputs). To sample from the distribution, we present Monte Carlo approach. Two examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of our approach: a Darcy flow model with contaminant transport in 2-d and a Richards equation model in 3-d.

Lkb1 deletion in periosteal mesenchymal progenitors induces osteogenic tumors through mTORC1 activation

Bone osteogenic sarcoma has a poor prognosis as the exact cell of origin and the signaling pathways underling tumor formation remain undefined. Here, we report an osteogenic tumor mouse model based on the conditional knockout of liver kinase b1 (Lkb1; also known as Stk11) in Cathepsin K (Ctsk)-Cre expressing cells. Lineage tracing studies demonstrated that Ctsk-Cre could label a population of periosteal cells. The cells functioned as mesenchymal progenitors with regard to markers and functional properties. LKB1 deficiency increased proliferation and osteoblast differentiation of Ctsk+ periosteal cells, while downregulation of mTORC1 activity, using Raptor genetic mouse model or mTORC1 inhibitor treatment, ameliorated tumor progression of Ctsk-Cre Lkb1fllfl mice. Xenograft mouse models, using human osteosarcoma cell lines, also demonstrated that LKB1 deficiency promoted tumor formation, while mTOR inhibition suppressed xenograft tumor growth. In summary, we identified periosteum-derived Ctsk-Cre expressing cells as a cell of origin for osteogenic tumor and suggested the LKB1-mTORC1 pathway as a promising target for treatment of osteogenic tumor.

Abstract P6-02-14: Not presented

This abstract was not presented at the conference.

Citation Format: Xing W, Li Q, Sun G, Cao R, Chen B, Jiang C, Ma L, Wang K. Not presented [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-02-14.

Abstract P2-01-25: Not presented

This abstract was not presented at the conference.

Citation Format: Xing W, Li Q, Cao R, Sun G, Jiang C. Not presented [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-01-25.

Phenotype Extraction Based on Word Embedding to Sentence Embedding Cascaded Approach

As a significant determinant in the development of named entity recognition, phenotypic descriptions are normally presented differently in biomedical literature with the use of complicated semantics. In this paper, a novel approach has been proposed to identify plant phenotypes by adopting word embedding to sentence embedding cascaded approach. We make use of a word embedding method to find high-frequency phenotypes with original sentences used as input in a sentence embedding method. In doing so, a variety of complicated phenotypic expressions can be recognized accurately. Besides, the state-of-the-art word representation models have been compared and among them, skip-gram with negative sampling was selected with the best performance. To evaluate the performance of our approach, we applied it to the dataset composed of 56 748 PubMed abstracts of model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. The experiment results showed that our approach yielded the best performance, as it achieved a 2.588-fold increase in terms of the number of new phenotypic descriptions when compared to the original phenotype ontology.

A gene-phenotype relationship extraction pipeline from the biomedical literature using a representation learning approach

Motivation

The fundamental challenge of modern genetic analysis is to establish gene-phenotype correlations that are often found in the large-scale publications. Because lexical features of gene are relatively regular in text, the main challenge of these relation extraction is phenotype recognition. Due to phenotypic descriptions are often study- or author-specific, few lexicon can be used to effectively identify the entire phenotypic expressions in text, especially for plants.

Results

We have proposed a pipeline for extracting phenotype, gene and their relations from biomedical literature. Combined with abbreviation revision and sentence template extraction, we improved the unsupervised word-embedding-to-sentence-embedding cascaded approach as representation learning to recognize the various broad phenotypic information in literature. In addition, the dictionary- and rule-based method was applied for gene recognition. Finally, we integrated one of famous information extraction system OLLIE to identify gene-phenotype relations. To demonstrate the applicability of the pipeline, we established two types of comparison experiment using model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. In the comparison of state-of-the-art baselines, our approach obtained the best performance (F1-Measure of 66.83%). We also applied the pipeline to 481 full-articles from TAIR gene-phenotype manual relationship dataset to prove the validity. The results showed that our proposed pipeline can cover 70.94% of the original dataset and add 373 new relations to expand it.

Availability and implementation

The source code is available at http://www.wutbiolab.cn: 82/Gene-Phenotype-Relation-Extraction-Pipeline.zip.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Periodontal infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis induces preterm birth and lower birth weight in rats

Preterm birth (PTB), accompanied by low birth weight (LBW) or not, is a syndrome with tremendous risk factors and long-term health consequences for children. In recent decades, overwhelming studies have shown that periodontitis contributes to prematurity and LBW. This study was conducted to determine the link between maternal periodontitis and the pathogenesis of PTB and/or LBW through a rat infection model induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important periodontopathic bacterium. The murine model was established by surgically ligating the left mandibular first molars and inoculating with P. gingivalis, and then all female rats initiated mating 6 weeks post infection. The gestational day and birth weight were recorded, and blood, amniotic fluid, and placental specimens were collected. Rats with a PTB and LBW newborns were observed in the P. gingivalis-infected group. Additionally, P. gingivalis infection significantly increased the maternal serum levels of interferon-γ and interleukin-1β, whereas no significant difference in the cytokine response was observed in the amniotic fluid. Moreover, with the translocation of P. gingivalis to placentas, remarkable changes in gestational tissues were found, followed by significantly enhanced expression of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) as well as Fas and Fas ligand (FasL). These results support the concept that severe cases of periodontitis caused by P. gingivalis infection may be indicative of rats being more susceptible to PTB/LBW, probably through the activation of the TLR2 and Fas/FasL pathways within the placental tissues. This study gave us new insight into how maternal periodontopathogens might be linked to placental damage and premature pathogenesis.

Paracrine and endocrine actions of bone-the functions of secretory proteins from osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts

The skeleton is a dynamic organ that is constantly remodeled. Proteins secreted from bone cells, namely osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts exert regulation on osteoblastogenesis, osteclastogenesis, and angiogenesis in a paracrine manner. Osteoblasts secrete a range of different molecules including RANKL/OPG, M-CSF, SEMA3A, WNT5A, and WNT16 that regulate osteoclastogenesis. Osteoblasts also produce VEGFA that stimulates osteoblastogenesis and angiogenesis. Osteocytes produce sclerostin (SOST) that inhibits osteoblast differentiation and promotes osteoclast differentiation. Osteoclasts secrete factors including BMP6, CTHRC1, EFNB2, S1P, WNT10B, SEMA4D, and CT-1 that act on osteoblasts and osteocytes, and thereby influenceaA osteogenesis. Osteoclast precursors produce the angiogenic factor PDGF-BB to promote the formation of Type H vessels, which then stimulate osteoblastogenesis. Besides, the evidences over the past decades show that at least three hormones or "osteokines" from bone cells have endocrine functions. FGF23 is produced by osteoblasts and osteocytes and can regulate phosphate metabolism. Osteocalcin (OCN) secreted by osteoblasts regulates systemic glucose and energy metabolism, reproduction, and cognition. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is secreted by osteoblasts and can influence energy metabolism by suppressing appetite in the brain. We review the recent progresses in the paracrine and endocrine functions of the secretory proteins of osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts, revealing connections of the skeleton with other tissues and providing added insights into the pathogenesis of degenerative diseases affecting multiple organs and the drug discovery process.

[Feasibility of using blood oxygen level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate renal fibrosis of ureteral obstruction of rabbits]

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of blood oxygen level-dependent MR (MR-BOLD) in assessing renal fibrosis of ureteral obstruction of rabbits. Methods: Forty healthy New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into control group (n=8) and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) group (n=32). The rabbits in the UUO group were subjected to unilateral ureteral obstruction of the left kidney.Coronal T(2) weighted imaging (T(2)WI) and axial BOLD examinations were performed before operation, 2, 4, 6 and 8 W after operation (each subgroup n=8). After the examinations, nephrectomy was performed for histologic evaluation.The T(2)(*) relaxation rate of the renal cortex (CR(2)(*)) , medulla (MR(2)(*)) and the same level of muscle(R(2)(*)(muscle)) were measured separately.The normalization of the cortex and medulla (sR(2)(*)), and the difference of sR(2)(*) between renal cortex and medulla before and post UUO (ΔsR(2)(*)) were calculated.The differences of sR(2)(*) (sCR(2)(*), sMR(2)(*), sCR(2)(*)(control), sMR(2)(*)(control)) at each time point between control and UUO group were compared by using independent sample t test.The LSD test was used to compare the sR(2)(*) in the control with that in the UUO group.The ΔsCR(2)(*) and ΔsMR(2)(*) values of the subgroups at UUO 2, 4, 6 and 8 W were compared by independent sample t test. Results: The sR(2)(*) values of UUO group were all lower than those of control group (all P<0.05), while sR(2)(*)(control) and sR(2)(*) in UUO group before operation were not significant different (P>0.05). The sCR(2)(*) values of UUO 2, 4, 6 and 8 W were 0.32±0.01, 0.37±0.01, 0.47±0.02 and 0.50±0.03.The sMR(2)(*) values were 0.39±0.02, 0.48±0.02, 0.58±0.04 and 0.65±0.05.There were significant differences of sCR(2)(*)(between) UUO 2 W and 6 W, UUO 2 W and 8 W, UUO 4 W and 6 W, UUO 4 W and 8 W (all P<0.01). There were significant differences of sMR(2)(*)(between) UUO 2 W and 6 W, UUO 2 W and 8 W, UUO 4 W and 8 W (all P<0.01). No significant difference was founded between sCR(2)(*) and sMR(2)(*) at each time point in control group (P>0.05). The ΔsCR(2)(*) values of UUO 2, 4, 6 and 8 W were 0.31±0.02, 0.20±0.02, 0.14±0.20, 0.09±0.04; the ΔsMR(2)(*) values were 0.51±0.05, 0.36±0.04, 0.28±0.05, 0.19±0.05. The ΔsCR(2)(*) values of UUO 2, 4 and 6 W were less than ΔsMR(2)(*) (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between ΔsCR(2)(*) and ΔsMR(2)(*) in UUO 8 W (P>0.05). Conclusions: The R(2)(*) change in medulla resulted from renal fibrosis is more significant than cortex.MR-BOLD can reflect the process of renal fibrosis.It's feasible and of great value to use renal MR-BOLD for the assessment of renal fibrosis induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction.

[Feasibility of susceptibility weighted imaging in the evaluation of renal fibrosis induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction in white rabbits]

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) to reflect the progression of renal fibrosis (RF) induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in rabbits. Methods: Total of 32 New Zealand white rabbits (aged 4-5 months) were used to establish the UUO model (RF group) and were divided into 4 subgroups (including RF-2W group, RF-4W group , RF-6W group and RF-8W group) according to the duration of obstruction(2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks). Another 8 rabbits, underwent sham operation, were used as the control group (Sham group). T2 weighted imaging (T(2)WI) and SWI sequences were performed on the rabbits at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after UUO, respectively. Rabbits were sacrificed and specimens were obtained after MR examination, then hematoxylin&eosin staining and Masson staining were performed to explore the renal tubular injury and interstitial fibrosis. The relationship between the relative signal-to-noise ratio(rSNR)measured on the SWI fusion maps and the degree of renal fibrosis was analyzed. Analysis of variance was used to compare the difference of rSNRs among 5 groups. Results: The rSNRs of the inner medulla gradually decreased over time, the rSNRs of Sham group, RF-2W group, RF-4W group, RF-6W group and RF-8W group was 2.29±0.18, 1.73±0.30, 1.67±0.08, 1.42±0.28, 1.12±0.15, respectively (F=25.876, P<0.01). In RF-2W group, the rSNRs of the outer medulla and cortex increased when compared with those in the Sham group, then they decreased gradually over time in the other groups (F=5.230, 7.621, both P<0.05). The pathological results demonstrated that the morphology of renal tubules in Sham group was normal and no apoptosis or necrosis was seen in the tubular epithelial cells. In the RF-2W group, the main pathological manifestations included renal tubules dilatation, tubular epithelial cell degeneration or necrosis and the infiltration of inflammatory cell. In Masson staining, lots of blue areas were present in the interstitial. As the obstruction time prolonged, the renal tubular collapse, inflammatory cells and fibroblasts increased significantly. Meanwhile blue area also increased significantly in Masson staining. Conclusion: SWI can be used as a noninvasive method to evaluate the pathological progression of fibrosis in the rabbit UUO model.

Neoadjuvant versus adjuvant chemoradiation for stage II-III esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a single institution experience

Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer worldwide. It is the fourth most common cause of cancer death in China and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most prevalent histologic type. Many clinical trials have explored the value of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemoradiation therapy in potentially resectable ESCC; however, these studies have produced conflicting results. This retrospective study was performed to investigate whether patients with resectable stage II/III ESCC should receive neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy in addition to surgery. A review of stage II/III thoracic ESCC patients who underwent esophagectomy and either neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemoradiation was performed. Chemotherapy regimen consisted of cisplatin 75 mg/m2 divided into 3 days and fluorouracil 500 mg/m2 on days 1 to 5. The patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy were treated with one cycle of chemotherapy concurrently with radiotherapy (40 Gy in 20 fractions, 5 days/week), and those receiving adjuvant therapy were treated with two cycles of chemotherapy concurrently with radiotherapy (46-50 Gy in 23-25 fractions, 5 days/week). A total of 122 patients met inclusion criteria, of which 49 underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiation and 73 underwent adjuvant chemoradiation. Median follow up was 36.5 months. The median survival times and 3, 5-year overall survival (OS) rates for the neoadjuvant and adjuvant groups were 39.3 versus 31.5 months, and 53.0%, 45.7% versus 42.9%, 29.7%, respectively (P = 0.091). For the patients with stage III ESCC, the median survival times and 5-year OS rates for the neoadjuvant and adjuvant groups were 39.3 versus 21.3 months, and 43.4% versus 21.0%, respectively (P = 0.021). Among lymph node-positive patients, the median survival times and 5-year OS rates for the neoadjuvant and adjuvant groups were 55.6 versus 23.7 months, and 43.0% versus 25.7%, respectively (P = 0.085). The incidence of perioperative and postoperative complications was comparable between the two groups (P > 0.05). For patients with resectable stage II/III ESCC, neoadjuvant chemoradiation does not increase postoperative complications and is associated with a trend toward better OS when compared to adjuvant chemoradiation.

[Correlation between susceptibility weighted imaging manifestation and serum cystatin C for delayed graft function]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the correlation between susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) manifestation and serum cystatin C level for delayed graft function (DGF).

METHODS

The conventional MRI, SWI and serum cystatin C of 27 cases with DGF in nephrotransplantation center in Third Affiliated Hospital of Suzhou University from September 2014 and August 2015 were retrospectively analyzed.By contrasting conventional MRI images of transplanted kidney in DGF, the imaging manifestations of benign tumors such as cysts and angiomyolipomas were excluded on SWI images, and then making the renal cortex as the reference, if the abnormal signal lesions were found in the transplanted kidney, the location and signal intensity would be analyzed. The differences in serum cystatin C level between DGF groups without and with abnormal signal lesions were compared by using independent-sample t-test.The correlation between SWI manifestation and serum cystatin C level for DGF was assessed with Spearman rank correlation analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 15 cases were found without abnormal signal lesions and the average value of their serum cystatin C level was (2.92±0.44) mg/L.A total of 12 cases were found with abnormal low signal lesions located at junctional zone between cortex and medulla, and the average value of their serum cystatin C level was (6.91±0.96) mg/L. The differences in serum cystatin C level between the two DGF groups were statistically significant (t=-4.040, P=0.000). There was a positive correlation between the abnormal low signal lesions on SWI and serum cystatin C level (r=0.660, P=0.000).

CONCLUSION

The status of renal function impairment could be reflected by being with or without abnormal signal lesions on SWI. A relatively big renal function impairment may be predicted by the appearance of abnormal low signal lesions at junctional zone between cortex and medulla on SWI.

Anisotropic Li intercalation in a Li(x)FePO4 nano-particle: a spectral smoothed boundary phase-field model

A spectral smoothed boundary phase-field model is implemented to study lithium (Li) intercalation in a LixFePO4 nano-particle immersed in a Li(+) rich electrolyte. It takes into account different physical processes on the particle surface, such as heterogeneous nucleation, Li flux and stress-free boundary conditions. We show the nucleation and growth of plate-like Li-rich crystallites along the (010) plane due to the high Li mobility along [001]. Since such plate-like crystallites, which are nucleated from (001) surfaces, align their phase boundaries along the (101) habit planes, a LixFePO4 nano-particle with prominent (010) and (001) surface facets and the longest axis length along [100] is proposed to exhibit great mechanical stability.

The Effects of Petroleum Hydrocarbons on Algae Can Be Reversed in the Presence of a Primary Consumer

The ecotoxicological effects of a mixture of petroleum hydrocarbons were tested on densities of two algae, Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis and Isochrysis galbana, and of a rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis, by single-species and customized community experiments. Test concentrations ranged from 0 to 100 mg L(-1), while five to seven treatments were assessed in triplicate within 1 month. A significant decrease in densities during single-species toxicity tests were found when concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbons were above 1.0 mg L(-1). However, equilibrium densities of algae in the customized community showed a different pattern, which increased with concentration and reached a peak at 20.0 mg L(-1). The community-based no observed effect concentration (NOEC; 1.0 mg L(-1)) was different from the NOEC derived by single-species toxic tests (0.25 mg L(-1)). This demonstrates that ecotoxicological effects on plankton as part of a community is significantly different from single-species toxicity tests owing to ecological interactions.

Pollutant threshold concentration determination in marine ecosystems using an ecological interaction endpoint

The threshold concentrations of pollutants are determined by extrapolating single-species effect data to community-level effects. This assumes the most sensitive endpoint of the life cycle of individuals and the species sensitivity distribution from single-species toxic effect tests, thus, ignoring the ecological interactions. The uncertainties due to this extrapolation can be partially overcome using the equilibrium point of a customized ecosystem. This method incorporates ecological interactions and integrates the effects on growth, survival, and ingestion into a single effect measure, the equilibrium point excursion in the customized ecosystem, in order to describe the toxic effects on plankton. A case study showed that the threshold concentration of copper calculated with the endpoint of the equilibrium point was 10 μg L(-1), which is significantly different from the threshold calculated with a single-species endpoint. The endpoint calculated using this method provides a more relevant measure of the ecological impact than any single individual-level endpoint.