A Prediction Model for Assessing the Efficacy of Thermal Ablation in Treating Benign Thyroid Nodules ≥ 2 cm: A Multi-Center Retrospective Study.

Objectives: To develop and validate a prediction model utilizing clinical and ultrasound (US) data for preoperative assessment of efficacy following US-guided thermal ablation (TA) in patients with benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) ≥ 2 cm.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively assessed 962 patients with 1011 BTNs who underwent TA at four tertiary centers between May 2018 and July 2022. Ablation efficacy was categorized into therapeutic success (volume reduction rate [VRR] > 50%) and non-therapeutic success (VRR ≤ 50%).

How the root bacterial community of responds to nematode infection: enrichments of nitrogen-fixing and nematode-antagonistic bacteria in the parasitized organs.

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are among the most damaging pathogens to host plants. Plants can modulate their associated bacteria to cope with nematode infections. The tritrophic plant-nematode-microbe interactions are highly taxa-dependent, resulting in the effectiveness of nematode agents being variable among different host plants.

An emerging role of vitamin D in amino acid absorption in different intestinal segments of on-growing grass carp ().

Vitamin D (VD), an essential nutrient for animals, has been demonstrated to stimulate the uptake of certain amino acids. However, the role of VD in the intestine, the primary site for digestion and absorption of nutrients, remains poorly characterized. Here, the grass carp () was studied to assess the influence of different doses of VD (15.

[DOM Characteristics Analysis of Surface Sediment-overlying Water in Suzhou Landscape River Course].

In order to understand the characteristics and interrelationship of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in interstitial water and overlying water of a landscape river in Suzhou, the characteristics of DOM in interstitial water and overlying water of landscape river sediments in the urban area of Suzhou from July to September after the 2020 flood season were analyzed using the UV-Vis absorption spectrum, high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), and fluorescence spectrum combined with the fluorescence region integration method. The results showed that the relative molecular weight of DOM in both the interstitial water and the overlying water was about 1000, and the relative molecular weight tended to increase in the same way over time. Both interstitial water and overlying water had the highest DOM of protein-like content, with a mass fraction that reached 68%-79%.

[Acupuncture at spring point, stream point and lower -sea point for type-2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy].

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture at -spring point, -stream point and lower -sea point on neurological function and clinical symptoms in patients with type-2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Methods: Sixty patients with type-2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. Both groups were treated with basic treatment, and the observation group was additionally treated with acupuncture at Neiting (ST 44), Xiangu (ST 43), Dadu (SP 2), Taibai (SP 3), Zusanli (ST 36), etc.

[Soil methanotrophic community structure and diversity in different vegetation types at elevation gradient of Gongga Mountain, Southwest China].

Methane (CH) is the second abundant greenhouse gas. Aerobic methane oxidations of topsoil in forest are identified as an important sink of atmosphere methane, playing critical roles in carbon cycle and global warming alleviation. Comparing the community structure and diversity of methane oxidizing bacteria (MOBs) in different vegetation ecosystems could provide new insights into the relationships between vegetation types and community of MOBs.

Molecular Design, Structural Analysis and Antifungal Activity of Derivatives of Peptide CGA-N46.

Chromogranin A (CGA)-N46, a derived peptide of human chromogranin A, has antifungal activity. To further research the active domain of CGA-N46, a series of derivatives were designed by successively deleting amino acid from both terminus of CGA-N46, and the amino acid sequence of each derivative was analyzed by bioinformatic software. Based on the predicted physicochemical properties of the peptides, including half-life time in mammalian reticulocytes (in vitro), yeast (in vivo) and E.