Novel elbow basket mechanical lithotripter for large common bile duct stone removal.

Background: Large common bile duct (CBD) stones often require lithotripsy. In this study, we aimed to introduce a novel device-elbow basket catheter for mechanical lithotripsy (ML) of CBD stones and assess the efficacy and safety of the novel device.

Methods: This was a retrospective study.

Silk Fabric Decorated with Thermo-Sensitive Hydrogel for Sustained Release of Paracetamol.

Paracetamol is a safe and widely used antipyretic and analgesic drug, however, with the drawbacks of gastrointestinal first-pass effect and short intervals of administration. Transdermal drug delivery system can effectively avoid the liver metabolism caused by excess oral ingestion of paracetamol. Herein, a silk fabric-based medical dressing decorated by a thermo-responsive hydrogel for sustained release of paracetamol is proposed.

Autophagy targets Hd1 for vacuolar degradation to regulate rice flowering.

Flowering time (heading date) is a critical agronomic trait that determines the yield and regional adaptability of crops. Heading date 1 (Hd1) is a central regulator of photoperiodic flowering in rice (Oryza sativa). However, how the homeostasis of Hd1 protein is achieved is poorly understood.

Posaconazole oral suspension for secondary antifungal prophylaxis in allogeneic stem cell transplantation recipients: a retrospective study.

Background: There is no consensus on the optimal secondary antifungal prophylaxis (SAP) regimen in patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of posaconazole oral suspension as secondary prophylaxis of invasive fungal disease (IFD) for allo-HSCT patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from prior IFD patients who received posaconazole oral suspension as systemic antifungal prophylaxis between June 2016 and January 2021 and have a follow-up period of 1 year after HSCT.

Root growth and architecture of Tamarix chinensis in response to the groundwater level in the Yellow River Delta.

Aims: Investigate the growth adaptation law of the Tamarix chinensis root system in response to the groundwater level in a muddy coastal zone.

Methods: The high groundwater level (0.7-0.

MicroRNAs as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The clinical importance of aberrantly expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been well established, so was investigated in this systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: Articles in online databases from inception to March 17, 2021 were retrieved. Random effects meta-analysis was used to obtain sensitivity, specificity, positive (PLRs) and negative likelihood ratios (NLRs), diagnostic odds ratios (DORs), and areas under the curve (AUC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for IBD diagnosis.

Remote neural regulation mediated by nanomaterials.

Neural regulation techniques play an essential role in the functional dissection of neural circuits and also the treatment of neurological diseases. Recently, a series of nanomaterials, including upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), and silicon nanomaterials (SNMs) that are responsive to remote optical or magnetic stimulation, have been applied as transducers to facilitate localized control of neural activities. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in nanomaterial-mediated neural regulation, especially in a remote and minimally invasive manner.

Characterization of an emerging porcine respirovirus 1 isolate in the US: A novel viral vector for expression of foreign antigens.

Porcine respirovirus 1 (PRV1) is widely spread in many countries. In this study, we isolated an emgerging PRV1 strain (KS17-258) from a US swine farm. A full-length genome sequence of the virus was obtained, and the mRNA editing mechanism utilized for the expression of V/W proteins by P gene was confirmed.

Heterologous expression and characterization of two novel glucanases derived from sheep rumen microbiota.

β-Glucanases are a suite of glycoside hydrolases that depolymerize β-glucan into cellooligosaccharides and/or monosaccharides and have been widely used as feed additives in livestock. In this study, two novel glucanase genes, IDSGluc5-26 and IDSGluc5-37, derived from sheep rumen microbiota, were expressed and functionally characterized. The optimal temperatures/pH of recombinant IDSGLUC5-26 and IDSGLUC5-37 were 50 °C/5.

Modified Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy Technique for Type II Achalasia: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Aim: This retrospective study is aimed at evaluating the outcomes of a modified peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) technique in patients with type II achalasia.

Methods: We performed a modified POEM procedure, which involved a shorter (total myotomy length = 4 cm), full-thickness myotomy, on 31 patients with type II achalasia. Clinical success rates, technical success rates, pre- and postoperative esophageal manometry results, complications, and reflux-related adverse events were evaluated.

Prp19 Facilitated p21-Dependent Senescence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells.

Introduction: Evidence suggests that the role of senescence in the development of cancer is context-dependent. An orthologue of human pre-mRNA processing factor 19 (Prp19) attenuates the senescence of human endothelial cells. Prp19 has been reported to be involved in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Disruption of anthrax toxin receptor 1 in pigs leads to a rare disease phenotype and protection from senecavirus A infection.

Senecavirus A (SVA) is a cause of vesicular disease in pigs, and infection rates are rising within the swine industry. Recently, anthrax toxin receptor 1 (ANTXR1) was revealed as the receptor for SVA in human cells. Herein, the role of ANTXR1 as a receptor for SVA in pigs was investigated by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing.

Short-Term Postoperative Use of Rivaroxaban to Prevent Radial Artery Occlusion After Transradial Coronary Procedure: The RESTORE Randomized Trial.

Background: Adequate procedural anticoagulation is crucial for radial artery occlusion (RAO) prevention in patients undergoing transradial access coronary catheterization, although the effect of postprocedural anticoagulation lack thorough investigation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of short-term postoperative anticoagulation with rivaroxaban for 24 hours and 1-month RAO prevention in patients who received transradial coronary procedures.

Methods: A total of 382 patients were randomized to receive either placebo (control group) or rivaroxaban 10 mg once daily for a period of 7 days (rivaroxaban group) to evaluate the effect of the rivaroxaban in the prevention of 24 hours and 1-month RAO assessed by Doppler ultrasound.

Elevated serum IL-13 level is associated with increased Treg cells in tumor microenvironment and disease progression of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common aggressive lymphoid malignancy, with an immunosuppressive microenvironment affecting clinical outcome. Interleukin (IL)-13 overexpression is observed in multiple solid tumors and contributes to tumor progression. This study aims to investigate pretreatment serum IL-13 levels and their relationship with the prognosis of DLBCL patients.

Force-enhanced biophysical connectivity of platelet β3 integrin signaling through Talin is predicted by steered molecular dynamics simulations.

Platelet β3-integrin signaling through Talin is crucial in platelet transmembrane signaling, activation, adhesion, spreading and aggregation, and remains unclear in mechano-microenvironments. In order to examine Talin-β3 integrin biophysical connectivity, a series of "ramp-clamp" steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations were performed on complex of F3 domain of Talin and cytoplasmic tail of β3 integrin to imitate different force-loads in platelet. Pull-induced allostery of the hydrophobic pocket in F3 domain might markedly enhance complex rupture-force (> 150pN) and slow down breakage of the complex; the complex should mechano-stable for its conformational conservation under loads (≤ 80pN); increasing force below 60pN would decrease the complex dissociation probability, and force-induced extension of β5 strand on Talin and binding site residues, ASP and ALA as well as Asn, on β3-integrin were responsible for the force-enhanced linkage of the Talin-β3 integrin.

Interaction of lncRNA MIR100HG with hnRNPA2B1 facilitates mA-dependent stabilization of TCF7L2 mRNA and colorectal cancer progression.

Background: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process linked to metastasis and drug resistance with non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) playing pivotal roles. We previously showed that miR-100 and miR-125b, embedded within the third intron of the ncRNA host gene MIR100HG, confer resistance to cetuximab, an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody, in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, whether the MIR100HG transcript itself has a role in cetuximab resistance or EMT is unknown.

Ribosome profiling of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus reveals novel features of viral gene expression.

The arterivirus porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes significant economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Here we apply ribosome profiling (RiboSeq) and parallel RNA sequencing (RNASeq) to characterise the transcriptome and translatome of both species of PRRSV and to analyse the host response to infection. We calculated programmed ribosomal frameshift (PRF) efficiency at both sites on the viral genome.

Mental Representations of Time in English Monolinguals, Mandarin Monolinguals, and Mandarin-English Bilinguals.

This study recruited English monolinguals, Mandarin monolinguals, and Mandarin-English (ME) bilinguals to examine whether native English and native Mandarin speakers think about time differently and whether the acquisition of L2 English could reshape native Mandarin speakers' mental representations of temporal sequence. Across two experiments, we used the temporal congruency categorization paradigm which involved two-alternative forced-choice reaction time tasks to contrast experimental conditions that were assumed to be either compatible or incompatible with the internal spatiotemporal associations. Results add to previous studies by confirming that native English and native Mandarin speakers do think about time differently, and the significant crosslinguistic discrepancy primarily lies in the vertical representations of time flow.

Changes in ecological networks and eco-environmental effects on urban ecosystem in China's typical urban agglomerations.

Exploring the changes in ecological networks (ENs), its eco-environment effects and the differences in urban agglomerations in various urbanization stages are important for achieving sustainable ecosystem management and a better layout of ecological network. In this study, China's three typical urbanization agglomerations, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration (BTH), Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRD), and Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration (PRD), were selected as the study area. Spatiotemporal changes in ENs, the changing patterns, its eco-environment effects, and impacts of rapid urbanization were analyzed by environment indices, buffer analysis, and correlation analysis.

Multimodal neural probes for combined optogenetics and electrophysiology.

To understand how brain functions arise from interconnected neural networks, it is necessary to develop tools that can allow simultaneous manipulation and recording of neural activities. Multimodal neural probes, especially those that combine optogenetics with electrophysiology, provide a powerful tool for the dissection of neural circuit functions and understanding of brain diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of recent developments in multimodal neural probes.

Review of recently used adsorbents for antimony removal from contaminated water.

As prior pollutants, antimony (Sb) and its compounds are carcinogenic to threaten human health. With the development of the industry, various Sb-contained pollutants have been released into nature, thus heavily damaging the ecological environment. Effectively treating Sb-polluted waterbodies is very important and have obtained ever-growing attention.

Factors Associated With the Presence of Foveal Bulge in Eyes With Resolved Diabetic Macular Edema.

To evaluate factors associated with the presence of foveal bulge (FB) in resolved diabetic macular edema (DME) eyes. A total of 165 eyes with complete integrity of ellipsoid zone (EZ) at the fovea and resolved DME were divided into two groups according to the presence of FB at 6 months after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab treatment. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central foveal thickness (CFT), outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness, height of serous retinal detachment (SRD) and non-SRD, and inner segment (IS) and outer segment (OS) lengths of the two groups were measured and compared at baseline and each follow-up.

Specificity protein 1-induced serine peptidase inhibitor, Kunitz Type 1 antisense RNA1 regulates colorectal cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis through targeting heparin binding growth factor via sponging microRNA-214.

Previous studies indicated that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) serine peptidase inhibitor, Kunitz type 1 antisense RNA1 (SPINT1-AS1) could function as an oncogenic gene in various human cancers. However, the regulatory mechanisms of SPINT1-AS1 in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. It was found that SPINT1-AS1 was upregulated in CRC and contributed to the poor prognosis of CRC patients.

Outcome and safety of intracardiac echocardiography guided left atrial appendage closure within zero-fluoroscopy atrial fibrillation ablation procedures.

Background: Simultaneous atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation and left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) are sometimes recommended for both rhythm control and stroke prevention. However, the advantages of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) guidance for this combined procedure have been scarcely reported. We aim to evaluate the clinical outcomes and safety of ICE-guided LAAC within a zero-fluoroscopy catheter ablation procedure.

Magnetic compression stricturoplasty in patients with severe stricture after simultaneous esophageal atresia and duodenal obstruction repair: A case report.

Combined esophageal atresia (EA), tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) and duodenal obstruction result in various challenges in management, and a well-defined management protocol is still lacking. Esophageal stricture is the most common complication after EA repair. The use of magnetic compression alimentary tract anastomosis has been reported in children.