Copper-Promoted Intramolecular Oxidative Dehydrogenation for Synthesizing Dihydroisocoumarins and Isocoumarins.

Isocoumarins and dihydroisocoumarins are important skeletons with a wide range of biological activities, such as anti-bacterial, anti-allergy, anti-fungal, anti-tumor, and anti-HIV properties. Herein, we demonstrated divergent syntheses of isocoumarins and 3,4-dihydroisocoumarins by intramolecular dehydrogenative cyclization of 2-(3-oxobutyl) benzoic acids. This transformation undergoes Csp3-H bonds and O-H bonds coupling in air using copper salt. The reactions may undergo free radical process.

Ocular manifestations of Chinese patients with copy number variants in the NDP gene.

Purpose: Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) and Norrie disease (ND) are genetic disorders that can be caused by mutations in the NDP gene and affect retinal vasculature growth and development. This study aimed to describe the copy number variations (CNVs) in the NDP gene in Chinese FEVR families and the associated phenotypes. Methods: This study recruited 651 FEVR families. SeqCNV was used to analyze the CNVs in the families without mutations in known FEVR-associated genes. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and semiquantitative multiplex PCR were performed to verify the NDP CNVs. The probands and family members underwent complete ocular examinations. Results: NDP CNVs were identified in four patients from three unrelated families, accounting for 15% of the patients with NDP mutations and 0.46% of the entire FEVR cohort. Exon 2 deletions were detected in two families, and whole gene deletion was identified in one family. The affected individuals were born blind with total retinal detachment. Conclusions: The findings confirm that CNVs are a common NDP mutation type. The CNV-associated phenotype is congenital blindness with total retinal detachment. Antenatal genetic analyses and fetal ultrasound can facilitate early diagnosis and interventions in patients with NDP mutations.

Diagnostic value of fibrinogen to prealbumin ratio and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio in the progression of AFP-negative hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to comprehensively assess the diagnostic value of fibrinogen to prealbumin ratio (FPR) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio (GPR) as single markers or in combination in patients with alpha-fetoprotein-negative (AFP-negative) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A total of 199 healthy controls and 515 AFP-negative patients were enrolled in this study, including 180 HCC inpatients, 151 liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, and 184 chronic hepatitis (CH) cases. Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis H test were used to analyze differences between groups in laboratory parameters and clinicopathological features. The diagnostic value of FPR and GPR, alone or in combination, in AFP-negative HCC (AFP-NHCC) patients was determined via a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: The levels of FPR and GPR were gradually increased in the development of AFP-NHCC and positively correlated with the tumor size and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages. Moreover, GPR was associated with Edmondson-Steiner grades. After univariate logistic regression analysis, FPR and GPR remained independent predictors of adverse outcomes. The combination of FPR and GPR had a good ability to detect AFP-NHCC from the control group (area under curve [AUC] = 0.977), AFP-negative CH (AUC = 0.745), and AFP-negative LC (AUC = 0.666). FPR combined with GPR possessed a larger area (0.943, 0.971) and sensitivity (87.50%, 89.81%) than FPR or GPR alone for differentiating AFP-NHCC with tumor size < 3 cm or at the BCLC-A stage. CONCLUSIONS: The pretreatment levels of FPR and GPR played vital roles in the development of AFP-NHCC, especially in patients with early or small AFP-NHCC.

Chemical composition, antioxidant, antibacterial, and tyrosinase inhibition activity of extracts from Newhall navel orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck cv. Newhall) peel.

BACKGROUND: Newhall navel orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck cv. Newhall) is the major navel orange cultivar planted in China. Almost all Newhall navel orange peels produced in that country are currently discarded, which is not only harmful to the environment but also a waste of resources. It is therefore necessary to carry out research to explore the utilization potential of this resource. RESULTS: A 95% ethanol extract (EE) of Newhall orange peel was prepared and fractionated into three subextracts: petroleum ether extract (PEE), ethyl acetate extract (EtOAcE), and water extract (WE) by simple liquid / liquid extractions. These four extracts were then subjected to antioxidant, antibacterial, and tyrosinase inhibition assays. Interestingly, EtOAcE was significantly superior to all other three extracts, exhibiting the best biological effects. The total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and primary individual flavonoids of these four extracts were analyzed and compared. This was followed by principal component analysis (PCA) and the Pearson's correlation test. The result indicates that the primary bioactive compounds responsible for the biological effects of the EtOAcE are sinensetin, 4',5,6,7-tetramethoxyflavone, nobiletin, 3,3',4',5,6,7-hexamethoxyflavone, and narirutin. In view of its easy preparation and potent biological effects, EtOAcE might demonstrate excellent application potential in various industrial areas. CONCLUSIONS: This study successfully identified EtOAcE as a potent naturally occurring antioxidant, antibacterial, and tyrosinase inhibitory agent, which might add value to the utilization of Newhall navel orange peel in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Isolation and Structure-Activity Relationship of Subergorgic Acid and Synthesis of Its Derivatives as Antifouling Agent.

In this study, as part of our continuous search for environmentally-friendly antifoulants from natural resources, subergorgic acid (SA) was identified from the gorgonian coral Subergorgia suberosa, demonstrating non-toxic, significant inhibitory effects (EC50 1.25 µg/mL, LC50 > 25 µg/mL) against the settlement of Balanus amphitrite. To further explore the bioactive functional groups of SA and synthesize more potent antifouling compounds based on the lead SA, the structure-activity relationships of SA were studied, followed by rational design and synthesis of two series of SA derivatives (one being benzyl esters of SA and another being SA derivatives containing methylene chains of various lengths). Our results indicated that (1) both the double bond and ketone carbonyl are essential elements responsible for the antifouling effect of SA, while the acid group is not absolutely necessary for maintaining the antifouling effect; (2) all benzyl esters of SA displayed good antifouling effects (EC50 ranged from 0.30 to 2.50 µg/mL) with the most potent compound being 5 (EC50 0.30 µg/mL, LC50 > 25 µg/mL), which was over four-fold more potent than SA; and (3) the introduction of a methylene chain into SA reduces the antifouling potency while the length of the methylene chain may differently influence the antifouling effect, depending on the functional group at the opposite site of the methylene chain. Not only has this study successfully revealed the bioactive functional groups of SA, contributing to the mechanism of SA against the settlement of B. amphitrite, but it has also resulted in the identification of a more potent compound 5, which might represent a non-toxic, high-efficiency antifoulant.

Evaluation of neurosurgical implant infection rates and associated pathogens: evidence from 1118 postoperative infections.

OBJECTIVE: Various implanted materials are used in neurosurgery; however, there remains a lack of pooled data on infection rates (IRs) and infective bacteria over past decades. The goal of this study was to investigate implant infections in neurosurgical procedures in a longitudinal retrospective study and to evaluate the IRs of neurosurgically implanted materials and the distribution of pathogenic microorganisms. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science databases for the time period between 1968 and 2018. Neurosurgical implant infections were studied in 5 subgroups, including operations or diseases, implanted materials, bacteria, distribution by country, and time periods, which were obtained from the literature and statistically analyzed. In this meta-analysis, statistical heterogeneity across studies was tested by using p values and I2 values between studies of associated pathogens. Egger's test was used for assessing symmetries of funnel plots with Stata 11.0 software. Methodological quality was assessed to judge the risk of bias according to the Cochrane Handbook. RESULTS: A total of 22,971 patients from 227 articles satisfied the study's eligibility criteria. Of these, 1118 cases of infection were reported, and the overall IR was 4.87%. In this study, the neurosurgical procedures or disorders with the top 3 IRs included craniotomy (IR 6.58%), cranioplasty (IR 5.89%), and motor movement disorders (IR 5.43%). Among 13 implanted materials, the implants with the top 3 IRs included polypropylene-polyester, titanium, and polyetheretherketone (PEEK), which were 8.11%, 8.15%, and 7.31%, respectively. Furthermore, the main causative pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus and the countries with the top 3 IRs were Denmark (IR 11.90%), Korea (IR 10.98%), and Mexico (IR 9.26%). Except for the low IR from 1998 to 2007, the overall implant IR after neurosurgical procedures was on the rise. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the main pathogen in neurosurgery was S. aureus, which can provide a certain reference for the clinic. In addition, the IRs of polypropylene-polyester, titanium, and PEEK were higher than other materials, which means that more attention should be paid to them. In short, the total IR was high in neurosurgical implants and should be taken seriously.

A Novel Reconfigurable Logic Unit Based on the DNA-Templated Potassium-Concentration-Dependent Supramolecular Assembly.

Plenty of molecular circuits with specific functions have been developed; however, logic units with reconfigurability, which could simplify the circuits and speed up the information process, are rarely reported. In this work, we designed a novel reconfigurable logic unit based on a DNA-templated, potassium-concentration-dependent, supramolecular assembly, which could respond to the input stimuli of H+ and K+ . By inputting different concentrations of K+ , the logic unit could implement three significant functions, including a half adder, a half subtractor, and a 2-to-4 decoder. Considering its reconfigurable ability and good performance, the novel prototypes developed here may serve as a promising proof of principle in molecular computers.

Effects of Postharvest Time, Heat Treatment, pH and Filtration on the Limonin Content in Newhall Navel Orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck cv. Newhall) Juice.

Delayed bitterness causes severe economic loss in citrus juice industry worldwide, which is mostly due to the formation of limonoid compounds, especially limonin, in juice. In this study, effects of postharvest time of fruits, heat treatment, pH and filtration of juice on limonin content in Newhall navel orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck cv. Newhall) juice were investigated. Our research indicated for the first time that: (1) limonin content in juice would gradually increase to a maximal level and then remained almost constant thereafter as storage time going on, whereas the maximum constant value (MCV) of limonin content in juice significantly (p < 0.05) decreased with the increment of postharvest time of fruits being juiced; (2) heat treatment and acidification of juice only speeded up the formation of limonin to the maximal level while without changing the MCV of limonin content; (3) the juice after filtration exhibited much lower MCV of limonin content compared with the unfiltered one. These experimental observations might not only provide useful information for the development of new debitterness method for navel orange juice, but also strongly support the acid-promoted delayed bitterness mechanism, suggesting the formation of delayed bitterness might primary due to the acid-promoted rather than the enzyme-catalyzed lactonization of limonoate A-ring lactone (LARL) to produce limonin in juice of navel orange.

Environmental risk substances in soil on seed germination: Chemical species, inhibition performance, and mechanisms.

Nowadays, numerous environmental risk substances in soil worldwide have exhibited serious germination inhibition of crop seeds, posing a threat to food supply and security. This review provides a comprehensive summary and discussion of the inhibitory effects of environmental risk substances on seed germination, encompassing heavy metals, microplastics, petroleum hydrocarbons, salinity, phenols, essential oil, agricultural waste, antibiotics, etc. The impacts of species, concentrations, and particle sizes of various environmental risk substances are critically investigated. Furthermore, three primary inhibition mechanisms of environmental risk substances are elucidated: hindering water absorption, inducing oxidative damage, and damaging seed cells/organelles/cell membranes. To address these negative impacts, diverse effective coping measures such as biochar/compost addition, biological remediation, seed priming, coating, and genetic modification are proposed. In brief, this study systematically analyzes the negative effects of environmental risk substances on seed germination, and provides a basis for the comprehensive understanding and future implementation of efficient treatments to address this significant challenge and ensure food security and human survival.

Choroidal neovascularisation secondary toX-linked retinoschisis.

AIMS: Choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) in patients with X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS) has been poorly documented. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of CNV in patients with XLRS, as well as analyse the preliminary genotype-phenotype correlation. METHODS: A retrospective case series of patients with genetically confirmed XLRS was included. Demographic, clinical and genetic features were analysed, with a comparison between CNV and non-CNV eyes. RESULTS: Among 185 eyes of 129 patients with XLRS, the prevalence of CNV was 8.1% (15/185). The mean diagnostic age of all patients with CNV is 5.1±2.56 years. CNV eyes exhibited a mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution) of 1.37±0.74. All CNVs were classified as subretinal and active. Peripapillary CNVs accounted for 80.0% (12/15), while subfoveal CNVs accounted for 20.0% (3/15). In CNV eyes, the prevalence of macular atrophy (5/15, 33.3%, p=0.013) and bullous peripheral schisis (14/15, 93.3%, p=0.000) was higher compared with non-CNV eyes. Additionally, CNV eyes exhibited poorer integrity of the outer retina and BCVA (p=0.007) compared with non-CNV eyes. All 15 eyes with CNV underwent anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy. Genotype analysis revealed that 7 of 10 patients (70.0%, 10 eyes) were predicted to have missense variants, while 3 of 10 patients (30.0%, 5 eyes) exhibited severe variants. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CNV in XLRS eyes was found to be 8.1%. All CNVs secondary to XLRS were active and classified as type 2. CNV eyes demonstrated poorer visual function and compromised retinal structures. Anti-VEGF therapy demonstrated effectiveness in treating XLRS-CNVs. No significant genotype-phenotype correlation was established.

Laparoscopic continuous seromuscular circumsuture for myomectomy: a real-world, retrospective, East-Asian cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to introduce a novel laparoscopic haemostasis for myomectomy and investigate the independent risk factors for uterine fibroid recurrence. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Following strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) criteria, a retrospective study of prospectively collected available data of the consecutive patients who underwent the myomectomy in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology of the single centre between February 2018 and December 2020. PARTICIPANTS: 177 patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy resection were enrolled in the present cohort study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were classified into two groups according to their different methods of haemostasis in laparoscopic surgery. Recurrence-free survival was compared between the groups during an average follow-up of nearly 2 years. RESULTS: Of the 177 patients from 672 consecutive patients in the retrospective cohort, laparoscopic circular suture and baseball suture were carried out in 102 (57.6%) and 75 (42.4%) patients, respectively. The total amount of blood lost during surgery varied significantly (37.6 vs 99.5 mL) (p<0.001). Univariable analyses identified that age ≥40 years, position at intramural myoma, multiple fibroids and largest fibroid volume ≥50 mm3 (HR 2.222, 95% CI 1.376 to 3.977, p=0.039; HR 3.625, 95% CI 1.526 to 6.985, p=0.003; HR 3.139, 95% CI 1.651 to 5.968, p<0.001; HR 2.328, 95% CI 0.869 to 3.244, p=0.040, respectively) are independent risk factor of the recurrence of uterine fibroids. The formula of the nomogram prediction model was established as the practical clinical tool. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic continuous seromuscular circumsuture for myomectomy can effectively reduce the amount of surgical bleeding and accelerate the perioperative recovery for surgical safety. The main factors affecting the recurrence of uterine fibroids were age, location, number and volume of uterine fibroids. The nomogram can more straightforwardly assist clinicians to determine the risk of recurrence after laparoscopic myomectomy.

An online-predictive model of acute kidney injury after pancreatic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Acute kidney injury(AKI) after pancreatic surgery is associated with increased mortality, longer hospital stays and poor prognosis. This study aims to identify the risk factors and establish an easy-to-use prediction calculator by the nomogram to predict the risk of AKI after pancreatic surgery. METHODS: From January 2016 to June 2018, 1504 patients who underwent pancreatic surgery in our center were included in this retrospective analysis and randomly assigned to primary (1054 patients) and validation (450 patients) cohorts. The independent risk factors of AKI were identified using univariate and multivariate analyses. A risk-predicted nomogram for AKI was developed through multivariate logistic regression analysis in the primary cohort while the nomogram was evaluated in the validation cohort. Nomogram discrimination and calibration were assessed using C-index and calibration curves in the primary and validation cohorts. The clinical utility of the final nomogram was evaluated using decision curve analysis. RESULTS: The overall incidence of AKI after pancreatic surgery was 5.3% (79/1504). Independent risk factors including smoking history, cardiovascular disease, ASA score, baseline eGFR, bilirubin＞2 â€‹mg/dL, undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy, and intraoperative blood loss＞400 â€‹mL were identified by multivariate analysis. Nomogram revealed moderate discrimination and calibration in estimating the risk of AKI, with an unadjusted C-index of 0.79 (95 %CI, 0.73-0.85). Application of the nomogram in the validation cohort provided moderate discrimination (C-index,0.80 [95% CI, 0.72-0.88]) and good calibration. Besides, the decision curve analysis (DCA) confirmed the clinical usefulness of the nomogram. CONCLUSIONS: An easy-to-use online prediction calculator comprised of preoperative and intraoperative factors was able to individually predict the occurrence risk of AKI among patients with pancreatic surgery, which may help identify reasonable risk judgments and develop proper treatment strategies to a certain extent.

Evaluation of antibacterial activity of compounds isolated from the peel of Newhall navel orange.

Fifteen compounds including one flavanone hesperitin (1), two cinnamic acid derivatives as (E)-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (2) and (E)-ferulic acid (3), eight polymethoxyflavones (PMFs) (4-11), and four hydroxylated PMFs (12-15) isolated from orange peel were subjected to antibacterial evaluation. Compounds 1-3 exhibited wide-spectrum antibacterial effects against four test strains involving Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), and Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.0312 to 0.125 mg/mL. In contrast, all PMFs showed weak antibacterial activity against these four strains with MICs being equal to or more than 0.125 mg/mL. Hydroxylated PMFs demonstrated better antibacterial effect against Xcc relative to PMFs. In addition, the synergistic effect against Xcc was obtained when compounds 1 and 3 were combined. Furthermore, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results of Xcc treated with both compounds 2 and 3 showed shrunken and rough surface morphologies, indicative of the cell membrane damage.

Insight into the Inhibitory Mechanisms of Hesperidin on α-Glucosidase through Kinetics, Fluorescence Quenching, and Molecular Docking Studies.

The α-glucosidase inhibitor is of interest to researchers due to its association with type-II diabetes treatment by suppressing postprandial hyperglycemia. Hesperidin is a major flavonoid in orange fruit with diverse biological properties. This paper evaluates the effects of hesperidin on α-glucosidase through inhibitory kinetics, fluorescence quenching, and molecular docking methods for the first time. The inhibition kinetic analysis shows that hesperidin reversibly inhibited the α-glucosidase activity with an IC50 value of 18.52 µM and the inhibition was performed in an uncompetitive type. The fluorescence quenching studies indicate that the intrinsic fluorescence of α-glucosidase was quenched via a static quenching process and only one binding site was present between the hesperidin and α-glucosidase. The interaction between them was spontaneous and mainly driven by hydrogen bonds, as well as hydrophobic forces. Furthermore, the molecular docking results suggest that hesperidin might bond to the entrance or outlet part of the active site of α-glucosidase through a network of five hydrogen bonds formed between hesperidin and the four amino acid residues (Trp709, Arg422, Asn424, and Arg467) of α-glucosidase and the hydrophobic effects. These results provide new insight into the inhibitory mechanisms of hesperidin on α-glucosidase, supporting the potential application of a hesperidin-rich orange product as a hypoglycemic functional food.

Home monitoring for clinically suspected obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine if a home sleep apnea test (HSAT) using a type III portable monitor (PM), Nox-T3 (Nox Medical, Inc., Reykjavik, Iceland), detects obstructive sleep apnea in pregnant women. METHODS: Ninety-two pregnant women (34.5 ± 4.3 years; gestational age 25.4 ± 8.9 weeks; body mass index 29.9 ± 4.7 kg/m2) with suspected obstructive sleep apnea underwent HSAT with the Nox-T3 PM followed by overnight polysomnography (PSG) and PM recording simultaneously in the laboratory within 1 week. PMs were scored automatically and manually using a 3% criteria and compared with PSGs scored by following guidelines. RESULTS: Apnea-hypopnea indexes were 8.56 ± 10.42, 8.19 ± 13.79, and 8.71 ± 14.19 events/h on HSAT, in-laboratory PM recording, and PSG (P = .955), respectively. Bland-Altman analysis of the apnea-hypopnea index on PSG vs HSAT showed a mean difference (95% confidence interval) of -0.15 (-1.83, 1.53); limits of agreement (± 2 SD) were -16.26 to 16.56 events/h. Based on a threshold apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 5 events/h, HSAT had 91% sensitivity, 85% specificity, 84% positive-predictive value, and 92% negative-predictive value compared with PSG. When comparing the simultaneous recordings, closer agreement was observed. Automated vs manual analysis of PM showed no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: A type III PM had an acceptable failure rate and high diagnostic performance operating as a reasonable alternative for in-laboratory PSG in pregnant women. CITATION: Wang J, Zhang C, Xu L, et al. Home monitoring for clinically suspected obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(11):1951-1960.

Precipitation Behavior during Aging Operations in an Ultrafine-Grained Al-Cu-Mg Alloy Produced by High-Strain-Rate Processing.

An ultrafine-grained (UFG) Al-Cu-Mg alloy (AA2024) was produced by surface mechanical grinding treatment (SMGT) with a high strain rate, and the precipitation behavior inside the grain and at the grain boundary was investigated. During SMGT, element segregation at the boundary was rarely observed, since the solute atoms were impeded by dislocations produced during SMGT. During early aging, the atomic fraction of Cu at the grain boundary with SMGT alloys was approximately 2.4-fold larger than that without SMGT alloys, the diffusion rate of Cu atoms from the grain toward the grain boundaries was accelerated with SMGT alloys, because a higher local elastic stress and diffusion path were provided by high-density dislocations. The combined action, in terms of the composition of the alloy, the atomic radius, the diffusion path, and the diffusion driving force provided by high-density dislocations with SMGT alloys, led to a Cu/Mg atomic ratio of approximately 6.8 at the grain boundary. The average size of the precipitates inside the grain was approximately 2- and 10-fold larger than that formed after later aging with and without SMGT alloys, due to more nucleation sites at dislocation located inside the grain with SMGT alloys having attracted and captured numerous solute atoms during the aging process.

Diagnostic value of combined prealbumin-to-fibrinogen and albumin-to-fibrinogen ratios in Hp-negative gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of prealbumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (PFR) and albumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (AFR) alone or in combination in Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric cancer (Hp-NGC) patients. METHODS: This study included 171 healthy controls, 180 Hp-NGC patients, and 215 Helicobacter pylori-negative chronic gastritis (HpN) patients. We compared the differences of various indicators and pathological characteristics between groups with Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test. The diagnostic value of PFR and AFR alone or in combination for Hp-NGC patients was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: PFR and AFR were related to the progression and clinicopathological characteristics of Hp-NGC. As the disease progressed, PFR and AFR values gradually decreased and were negatively related to the tumor size and depth of invasion. In addition, the area under the curves (AUCs) that resulted from combining PFR and AFR to distinguish Hp-NGC patients from healthy controls and HpN patients were 0.908 and 0.654, respectively. When combined with PFR and AFR in the differential diagnosis of tumors with a maximum diameter ≥ 5 cm and the T3 + T4 stage, the AUCs were 0.949 and 0.922; the sensitivity was 86.32% and 80.74%; and the specificity was 94.74% and 92.98%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PFR and AFR may be used as diagnostic biomarkers for Hp-NGC. The combination of PFR and AFR was more valuable than each indicator alone in the diagnosis of Hp-NGC.

Static Electro-Mechanical Response of Axisymmetric One-Dimensional Piezoelectric Quasicrystal Circular Actuator.

The piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric quasicrystalline materials is coexcited by phonon and phason fields. Piezoelectric quasicrystalline materials have excellent properties of both piezoelectric materials and quasicrystalline materials, which are expected to be used as actuators in the fields of aerospace, automotive, and intelligent manufacturing. Based on the three-dimensional elastic theory of piezoelectric quasicrystals, the state space equation for axisymmetric piezoelectric quasicrystal circular plate actuators is derived by using the state space method. Afterwards, the finite Hankel transformation is performed on the state equation, and a system of ordinary differential equations and corresponding boundary conditions are obtained. Finally, the exact solution of axisymmetric bending of one-dimensional hexagonal piezoelectric quasicrystal circular actuators under generalized elastic simply supported boundary conditions is obtained by using the propagator matrix method. Numerical results are given to compare the degradation results in this paper with those in the literature, and present the influences of the thickness-to-span ratio and stacking sequence on the phonon, phason, and electric fields when the surface of the laminated circular actuators is subjected to mechanical load. The exact solution obtained does not introduce any deformation assumption; therefore, the exact solution can provide references for numerical calculations of the mechanical behavior of piezoelectric quasicrystals.

Meningitis patients with pneumonia: correlation between blood parameters and clinical features.

Background: This research aimed to explore the possible relationship between the main experimental parameters and clinical status in meningitis patients with pneumonia infection. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the demographic characteristics, clinical features and laboratory parameters of meningitis patients was performed. Results: D-dimer, C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) exhibited good diagnostic ability for meningitis complicated with pneumonia. Additionally, we observed a positive correlation between D-dimer and CRP in cases of meningitis with pneumonia infection. D-dimer, ESR and Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) were independently associated with meningitis patients with pneumonia infection. Conclusion: D-dimer, CRP, ESR and S. pneumoniae infection may effectively anticipate disease progression and adverse consequences in meningitis patients with pneumonia infection.

D-dimer has an early and rapid diagnostic value for the hypercoagulation state. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) have been widely used laboratory parameters for inflammatory diseases. In our study, we observed increased D-dimer, CRP and ESR levels in patients with meningitis, which were more pronounced in patients with meningitis complicated with pneumonia. It is worth noting that D-dimer and CRP showed a positive correlation in patients with meningitis. D-dimer, CRP and ESR in patients with meningitis can effectively monitor disease progression.

Testis-specific protein Y-encoded 1 regulates androgen receptor expression through the MAPK/ERK pathway in male hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the mechanism of testis-specific protein Y-encoded 1 (TSPY1) in male hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: This experimental study was carried out at Guangxi Medical University's First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi, China, between January 2016 and December 2019. The expression of TSPY1, androgen receptor (AR), messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs), and proteins were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. The co-localization and interaction of TSPY1 and AR were observed by immunofluorescence assay and co-immunoprecipitation. Hepatocellular carcinoma cells overexpressing and silencing TSPY1 were constructed, and the expression and phosphorylation levels of TSPY1, AR, and mitogen-activated protein kinases/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (MAPK/ERK) signaling pathway-related key molecules ERK1/2, p38, and JNK were also detected. RESULTS: The expression levels of TSPY1, AR mRNAs, and proteins were highly positively correlated in HCC cells in different metastatic potentials with a high correlation coefficient of R=0.929 and R=0.884. Testis-specific protein Y-encoded 1 and AR were then co-localized in the nucleus of HCC cells, and TSPY1 and AR can interact with each other. In addition, the expression of AR and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 were enhanced in TSPY1 overexpressed Huh7 cells. They were reduced in HCCLM3 cells with TSPY1 knockdown expression. In addition, in response to blocking MAPK/ERK signaling activity, AR was reduced in expression. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that there was a positive correlation between TSPY1 expression and AR in male HCC cells, and high TSPY1 expression stimulates AR expression, MAPK/ERK signaling pathway may be involved in its mechanism.