Describing Treatment Patterns for Elderly Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma and Predicting Prognosis by a Validated Model: A Population-Based Study.

Elderly patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) are frequently under-represented in clinical trials, which leads to the unclear management of ICC in elderly patients. This study aimed to describe treatment patterns and establish a reliable nomogram in elderly ICC patients. Based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 1651 elderly patients (≥65 years) diagnosed with ICC between 2004 and 2016.

Biodegradation of phenol by a halotolerant versatile yeast Candida tropicalis SDP-1 in wastewater and soil under high salinity conditions.

In this study, a novel halotolerant phenol-degrading yeast strain, SDP-1, was isolated from a coastal soil in Jiangsu, China, and identified as Candida tropicalis by morphology and rRNA internal transcribed space region sequence analysis. Strain SDP-1 can efficiently remove phenol at wide ranges of pH (3.0-9.

The efficacy and safety of gemcitabine-based induction chemotherapy for locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with concurrent chemoradiation: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine-based induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC).

Methods: Both observational studies (OBS) and randomized controlled trials (RCT) were included in the meta-analysis. Systematic online searches were conducted in Web of Sciences, PubMed, Embase, meeting proceedings and ClinicalTrials.

Antifungal effect of volatile organic compounds produced by Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. aureofaciens SPS-41 on oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction of Ceratocystis fimbriata.

Ceratocystis fimbriata is the pathogen of black rot disease, which widely exists in sweet potato producing areas all over the world. The antifungal activity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by Pseudomonas chlororaphis subsp. aureofaciens SPS-41 against C.

A clinical study on the factors associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma among the Chinese population.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NC) arises from the nasopharynx epithelium and the majority of NC cases globally are within China and Southeast Asia. Both short palate lung and nasal epithelium clone 1 (SPLUNC1) and myelodysplasia syndrome 1-ectopic viral integration site 1 (MDS1-EVI1) play an important role in carcinogenesis and have been found to be associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In spite of their role in NC, the association between these genes and their polymorphisms in the development of NC has thus far not been studied.

Complete Genome Sequence of the Biocontrol Agent subsp. SPS-41.

subsp. SPS-41 is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium with biocontrol potential that was isolated from the rhizosphere of sweet potato in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Our previous study demonstrated that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by SPS-41 inhibited black spot disease fungi in postharvest sweet potatoes and a variety of other plant pathogens, and the VOCs also displayed strong nematocidal activity.

Elevated Serum Myeloid-Related Protein (MRP) 8/14 in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: The current study aims to evaluate the expression and clinical significance of myeloid-related protein (MRP) 8/14 in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

Methods: The levels of MRP8/14, TNF-α, and IL-1β in the serum of the patients with AECOPD were determined using ELISA assay. The correlation between the expression of MRP8/14 and TNF-α, IL-1β, forced expiratory volume in one second FEV1 % pred in AECOPD patients was analyzed using Pearson's correlation assay.

Potential effects of adropin on systemic metabolic and hormonal abnormalities in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Research Question: The study aimed to explore the effects of adropin on hormone concentrations and glucolipid and amino acid metabolism in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design: A total of 220 PCOS patients and 67 controls were recruited and basal state plasma was collected for adropin measurement. Follicular fluids from 50 PCOS patients and 30 controls were also collected for adropin analysis.

Co-adsorption of As(III) and phenanthrene by schwertmannite and Fenton-like regeneration of spent schwertmannite to realize phenanthrene degradation and As(III) oxidation.

Co-contamination of arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in groundwater is frequently reported, and it is thus necessary to develop efficient techniques to tackle this problem. Here, we evaluated the feasibility of utilizing schwertmannite to co-adsorb As(III) and phenanthrene from water solution and regenerating spent schwertmannite via a heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction to degrade adsorbed phenanthrene and meanwhile oxidize adsorbed As(III). The results suggested that schwertmannite with a hedgehog-like morphology was superior to that with a smooth surface for the adsorption removal of As(III) or phenanthrene because of the much higher BET surface area and hydroxyl proportion of the former one, and schwertmannite formed at 72 h incubation effectively co-adsorbed As(III) and phenanthrene from water solution.

Chinese version of the clinical supervision self-assessment tool: Assessment of reliability and validity.

Background: Cultivating the professional knowledge and professional identity of nursing students is important for nursing education. The degree of professional identity of nursing students will directly affect their career options and work performance after graduation. Clinical practice is a learning process of combining the knowledge and the practical techniques of nursing.

Inhibition of XBP1 Alleviates LPS-Induced Cardiomyocytes Injury by Upregulating XIAP through Suppressing the NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Cardiomyocytes injury caused by sepsis is a complication of common clinical critical illness and an important cause of high mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Therefore, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced H9c2 cells were used to simulate the cardiomyocytes injury in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate whether X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) exacerbated LPS-induced cardiomyocytes injury by downregulating Xlinked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) through activating the NF-κB signaling pathway.

A pilot clinical trial comparing efficacy and safety of tramadol versus prednisone along with therapeutic ultrasound as adjuvant therapy in Chinese patients with carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed by ultrasonography.

The primary objective of the present clinical trial was to evaluate efficacy and safety of tramadol versus prednisone in Chinese patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) diagnosed by ultrasonography. A total of 60 patients' diagnosed with moderate CTS based on a clinical and electrophysiological parameters were enrolled in this clinical trial. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups in allocation ratio of 1:1.

Ranolazine alleviates contrast-associated acute kidney injury through modulation of calcium independent oxidative stress and apoptosis.

This study investigates the role of ranolazine in contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) and potential mechanisms. For in vivo studies, mouse models of CA-AKI and control mice were treated with ranolazine or vehicle. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine were detected by spectrophotometry.

[Utilization of scientific research articles on COVID-19 as main line for education design in online teaching of Medical Immunology].

It is a new challenge for medical students and teachers to set up basic study of Medical Immunology fully online during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To achieve the same educational quality with that of offline teaching, the online education design should be reconstructed according to the online cognitive rules of the students. During teaching progress, a cutting-edge research paper on COVID-19 was utilized as the main line for education design to accomplish the immunology teaching.

Effects of Fe and Al ions during hydrogen sulphide (HS)-induced corrosion of tetracalcium aluminoferrite (CAF) and tricalcium aluminate (CA).

With high concentration and toxic HS gas found in sewage facilities, it has ultra-high leakage risk and great environment impact, once the sealing material failure. In this study, hydrogen sulphide (HS)-induced corrosion effects of tetracalcium aluminoferrite (CAF) and tricalcium aluminate (CA) phases of cement were evaluated during the initial stages of reaction. Both phase changes and bond structures were examined by techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).

miRNA-126-3p carried by human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell enhances endothelial function through exosome-mediated mechanisms in vitro and attenuates vein graft neointimal formation in vivo.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether the combination of MSC implantation with miRNA-126-3p overexpression would further improve the surgical results after vein grafting.

Methods: human umbilical cord MSCs (hucMSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were isolated from human umbilical cords and characterized by a series of experiments. Lentivirus vector encoding miRNA-126-3p was transfected into hucMSCs and verified by PCR.

Solvent Effect on Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Chlorophylls a on Chemically Reduced Graphene Oxide.

Solvent plays an important role in the surface interaction of molecules. In this study, we use "chlorophyll a", an archetypical molecule, to investigate its supramolecular self-assembly with chemically reduced graphene oxide in three different types of solvents: polar protic, polar aprotic, and non-polar. It was observed that only a polar protic solvent that can donate protons facilitates the hydrogen bonding between chlorophyll a and chemically reduced graphene oxide nanosheets in a hybrid system.

First-principles screening of novel ferroelectric MXene phases with a large piezoelectric response and unusual auxeticity.

Out-of-plane ferroelectricity in the two-dimensional (2D) regime shows great promise for applications in next-generation electronic devices but has been rarely reported. Herein, by using high-throughput search and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, three types of ferroelectric MXene phases (type-I: Nb2CS2 and Ta2CS2; type-II: Sc2CO2 and Y2CO2; and type-III: Sc2CS2 and Y2CS2) are for the first time predicted to be achievable by surface functionalization of 2D MXenes. The identified 2D ferroelectric MXenes not only demonstrate remarkable and reversible spontaneous electric polarization along both the out-of-plane and in-plane orientations but also exhibit giant out-of-plane and in-plane piezoelectric response to the external strain.

Protective CD8 T-cell response against Hantaan virus infection induced by immunization with designed linear multi-epitope peptides in HLA-A2.1/K transgenic mice.

Background: An effective vaccine that prevents disease caused by hantaviruses is a global public health priority, but up to now, no vaccine has been approved for worldwide use. Therefore, novel vaccines with high prophylaxis efficacy are urgently needed.

Methods: Herein, we designed and synthesized Hantaan virus (HTNV) linear multi-epitope peptide consisting of HLA-A*02-restricted HTNV cytotoxic T cell (CTL) epitope and pan HLA-DR-binding epitope (PADRE), and evaluated the immunogenicity, as well as effectiveness, of multi-epitope peptides in HLA-A2.

Coordinated Modulation of Energy Metabolism and Inflammation by Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Fatty Acids.

As important metabolic substrates, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and fatty acids (FAs) participate in many significant physiological processes, such as mitochondrial biogenesis, energy metabolism, and inflammation, along with intermediate metabolites generated in their catabolism. The increased levels of BCAAs and fatty acids can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction by altering mitochondrial biogenesis and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and interfering with glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation, the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. BCAAs can directly activate the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway to induce insulin resistance, or function together with fatty acids.

Cumulative live birth rate of low prognosis patients with POSEIDON stratification: a single-centre data analysis.

Research Question: Does patient-oriented strategies encompassing individualized oocyte number (POSEIDON) classification help stratify the reproductive potential of patients with low prognosis more effectively from the perspective of prognosis; and as cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) is an effect indication, how is CLBR in patients stratified using POSEIDON?

Design: A retrospective cohort study of 10,615 women who underwent IVF treatment at the Peking University Third Hospital between January 2017 and December 2017. Patients were stratified according to POSEIDON criteria. Clinical characteristics, fresh embryo transfer outcomes and CLBR during the first two ovarian stimulation cycles were recorded.

Toward Flexible Zinc-Ion Hybrid Capacitors with Superhigh Energy Density and Ultralong Cycling Life: The Pivotal Role of ZnCl Salt-Based Electrolytes.

Zinc ion hybrid capacitors (ZIHCs) are promising energy storage devices for emerging flexible electronics, but they still suffer from trade-off in energy density and cycling life. Herein, we show that such a dilemma can be well-addressed by deploying ZnCl based electrolytes. Combining experimental studies and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, for the first time, we demonstrate an intriguing chloride ion (Cl ) facilitated desolvation mechanism in hydrated [ZnCl] (H O) (with n=1-6) clusters.

SIRT3 Ablation Deteriorates Obesity-Related Cardiac Remodeling by Modulating ROS-NF-κB-MCP-1 Signaling Pathway.

Obesity and the associated complications are a major public health issue as obesity incidence increases yearly, worldwide. Effects of obesity on heart failure have been reported previously. Obesity-related cardiac remodeling includes structural and functional dysfunctions, in which cardiac inflammation and fibrosis play a key role.

ER stress-related molecules induced by Hantaan virus infection in differentiated THP-1 cells.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) can be induced by virus infection. In this part, we explored whether Hantaan virus (HTNV) infection could induce ER stress in differentiated THP-1 (dTHP-1) cells. It showed that the mRNA and protein levels of ER stress-related 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78, HSPA5) and mRNA levels of X box-binding protein 1 (XBP-1), activating transcription factor 6(ATF6) and PKR-like ER kinase (PERK) after HTNV infection, were significantly higher than that in uninfected control group.

Sugar Transporter ZjSWEET2.2 Mediates Sugar Loading in Leaves of Mill.

In plants, sugar transporters play an important role in the allocation of sugars from cells in source organs to cells in sink organs. Hence, an understanding of the molecular basis and regulation of assimilate partitioning by sugar transporters is essential. Leaves are the main source of photosynthetic products.