Deconstructing 3D growth rates from transmission microscopy images of facetted crystals as captured in situ within supersaturated aqueous solutions.

Here, a morphologically based approach is used for the in situ characterization of 3D growth rates of facetted crystals from the solution phase. Crystal images of single crystals of the ß-form of l-glutamic acid are captured in situ during their growth at a relative supersaturation of 1.05 using transmission optical microscopy. The crystal growth rates estimated for both the {101} capping and {021} prismatic faces through image processing are consistent with those determined using reflection light mode [Jiang, Ma, Hazlehurst, Ilett, Jackson, Hogg & Roberts (2024 ▸). Cryst. Growth Des. 24, 3277-3288]. The growth rate in the {010} face is, for the first time, estimated from the shadow widths of the {021} prismatic faces and found to be typically about half that of the {021} prismatic faces. Analysis of the 3D shape during growth reveals that the initial needle-like crystal morphology develops during the growth process to become more tabular, associated with the Zingg factor evolving from 2.9 to 1.7 (>1). The change in relative solution supersaturation during the growth process is estimated from calculations of the crystal volume, offering an alternative approach to determine this dynamically from visual observations.

[Comparison of the predictive value of multiparametric MRI and prostate-specific membrane antigen PET/CT for pelvic lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer].

Objective: To compare the diagnostic performance of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT in detecting pelvic lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer. Methods: This is a retrospective case series study. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of 115 prostate cancer patients who underwent both mpMRI and PSMA PET/CT before undergoing radical prostatectomy and extended pelvic lymph node dissection at the Department of Urology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, between March 2020 and September 2023. The age (M(IQR)) was 67(10) years (range: 45 to 84 years), and the body mass index was 24(4) kg/m2 (range: 18 to 30 kg/m2). Pathological and imaging data were obtained from the patients. Lymph node pathology results were used as the gold standard to evaluate the diagnostic performance of mpMRI and PSMA PET/CT for detecting pelvic lymph node metastasis in PCa through diagnostic evaluation tests. Comparisons between groups were performed using independent samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, or χ2 test. Results: The positive rate for detecting pelvic lymph node metastasis was 18.3% (21/115) with mpMRI and 25.2% (29/115) with PSMA PET/CT. The pathological positive rate for lymph nodes was 28.7% (33/115). In patient-based analysis, the diagnostic sensitivity of PSMA PET/CT was significantly higher than that of mpMRI (63.6% vs. 30.3%, χ2=7.36, P=0.007). In lesion-based analysis, both the sensitivity and positive predictive value of PSMA PET/CT were significantly higher than those of mpMRI (sensitivity: 68.0% vs. 21.6%, χ2=42.20, P<0.01; positive predictive value: 50.0% vs. 23.1%, χ2=7.54, P=0.006). Conclusions: PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI both demonstrates good specificity in predicting pelvic lymph node metastasis in prostate cancer. However, PSMA PET/CT is significantly superior to mpMRI in terms of sensitivity and the detection rate of pathologically positive lymph nodes.

Structure, Morphology and Surface Properties of α-Lactose Monohydrate in Relation to its Powder Properties.

The particulate properties of α-lactose monohydrate (αLMH), an excipient and carrier for pharmaceuticals, is important for the design, formulation and performance of a wide range of drug products. Here an integrated multi-scale workflow provides a detailed molecular and inter-molecular (synthonic) analysis of its crystal morphology, surface chemistry and surface energy. Predicted morphologies are validated in 3D through X-ray diffraction contrast tomography. Interestingly, from aqueous solution fastest growth is found to lie along the b-axis, i.e. the longest unit cell dimension of the αLMH crystal structure reflecting the greater opportunities for solvation on the prism compared to the capping faces leading to their slower relative growth rates. The tomahawk morphology reflects the presence of ß-lactose which asymmetrically binds to the capping surfaces creating a polar morphology. The crystal lattice energy is dominated by van der Waals interactions (between lactose molecules) with electrostatic interactions contributing the remainder. Predicted total surface energies are in good agreement with those measured at high surface coverage by inverse gas chromatography, albeit their dispersive contributions are found to be higher than those measured. The calculated surface energies of crystal habit surfaces are not found to be significantly different between different crystal surfaces, consistent with αLMH's known homogeneous binding to drug molecules when formulated. Surface energies for different morphologies reveals crystals with the elongated crystal morphologies have lower surface energies compared to those with a triangular or tomahawk morphologies, correlating well with literature data that the surface energies of the lactose carriers are inversely proportional to their aerosol dispersion performance.

[Intervention of traditional Chinese patent medicine based on syndrome differentiation in female patients after percutaneous coronary intervention due to acute coronary syndrome: a nationwide multicenter prospective cohort study].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of discriminative application of Chinese patent medicines in female patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: The study population was from the Chinese Patent Medicine (CPM) trial. CPM trial was a multicenter prospective cohort study, which enrolled patients from 40 centers in mainland China between February 2012 and December 2015, with the discriminative use of Chinese patent medicines as the exposure factor. Female patients with ACS after PCI who completed 36-month follow-up were included in this analysis, and were divided into a conventional treatment group (using conventional western medicine recommended by the guidelines) and a group with the discriminative use of proprietary Chinese medicines (on the basis of conventional western medicine treatment, discriminative use of Qishen Yiqi dropping pills for Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome, Guanxin Danshen dropping pills for blood stasis syndrome, and Danlou tablets for phlegm and blood stasis syndrome combined with the conventional western medicine). The primary endpoint event was a composite endpoint event including cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and emergency revascularization surgery. Secondary endpoint events were composite endpoint events including readmission for ACS, heart failure, stroke, and other thrombotic events. Adverse events were collected. Cox proportional risk model was used to assess the effect of discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicine on endpoint events, and sensitivity analysis was performed by comparing the results with propensity score matching analysis. Results: A total of 748 female ACS post-PCI patients were included in the analysis, aged (63.2±8.3) years. There were 370 patients in the group of discriminative application of Chinese patent medicines and 378 patients in the conventional treatment group. There were 37 cases (10.0%) and 58 cases (15.3%) of primary endpoint events in the discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicines group and the conventional treatment group, respectively. Cox analysis showed that the risk of primary endpoint in the discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicines group was lower than that in the conventional treatment group after adjusting for confounding factors (adjusted HR=0.62, 95%CI 0.40-0.96, P=0.031). There were 38 (10.3%) and 57 (15.1%) cases of secondary endpoint events in the two groups, respectively. Cox regression analysis showed that the risk of secondary endpoint events in the discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicine group was lower than that in the conventional treatment group after adjusting for confounders (adjusted HR=0.56, 95%CI 0.37-0.87, P=0.001). The results of propensity score matching analysis also showed that Chinese patent medicines based on discriminatory application could reduce the risk of primary endpoint (HR=0.62,95%CI 0.40-0.97,P=0.033) and second endpoint (HR=0.56, 95%CI 0.37-0.87,P=0.009) significantly. There was no significant difference in adverse events between the two groups (12.4% (46/370) vs. 10.3% (39/378), P=0.362). Conclusion: On the basis of conventional western medicine treatment, discriminatory application of Chinese patent medicines can reduce the risk of endpoints in female patients after PCI due to ACS without significant adverse effects.

Linc-ROR Modulates the Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Endothelial Progenitor Cells through the miR-145/Smad3 Signaling Pathway.

The endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) plays a notable role in pathological vascular remodeling. Emerging evidence indicated that long non-coding RNA-regulator of reprogramming (linc-ROR) can promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in a variety of cancer cells. Nevertheless, the function of linc-ROR in EPC EndMT has not been well elucidated. The present study investigated the effect and possible mechanisms of function of linc-ROR on the EndMT of EPCs. A linc-ROR overexpression lentiviral vector (LV linc-ROR) or a linc-ROR short hairpin RNA lentiviral vector (LV-shlinc-ROR) was used to up or downregulate linc-ROR expression in EPCs isolated from human umbilical cord blood. Functional experiments demonstrated that LV-linc-ROR promoted the proliferation and migration of EPCs, but inhibited EPC angiogenesis in vitro. In the meantime, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blotting results showed that the expression of the endothelial cell markers vascular endothelial-cadherin and CD31 was decreased, while the expression of the mesenchymal cell markers ?-smooth muscle actin and SM22? was increased at both mRNA and protein levels in LV-linc-ROR-treated EPCs, indicating that linc-ROR induced EPC EndMT. Mechanistically, the dual-luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that microRNA (miR/miRNA)-145 was a direct target of linc-ROR, and miR-145 binds to the 3'-untranslated region of Smad3. Moreover, LV-shlinc-ROR increased the expression of miR-145, but decreased the expression of Smad3. In conclusion, linc-ROR promotes EPC EndMT, which may be associated with the miR-145/Smad3 signaling pathway. Keywords: Endothelial progenitor cells, Endothelial to mesenchymal transition, Linc-ROR, MiR-145, Atherosclerosis.

Impact of central-line-associated bloodstream infections and catheter-related bloodstream infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Accurate effect estimates are needed to inform input parameters of health economic models. Central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) are different definitions used for central-line bloodstream infections and may represent dissimilar patients, but previous meta-analyses did not differentiate between CLABSIs/CRBSIs. AIM: To determine outcome effect estimates in CLABSI and CRBSI patients, compared to uninfected patients. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL were searched from January 2000 to March 2024 for full-text studies reporting all-cause mortality and/or hospital length of stay (LOS) in adult inpatients with and without CLABSI/CRBSI. Two investigators independently reviewed all potentially relevant studies and performed data extraction. Odds ratio for mortality and mean difference in LOS were pooled using random-effects models. Risk of study bias was assessed using ROBINS-E. FINDINGS: Thirty-six studies were included. Sixteen CLABSI and 12 CRBSI studies reported mortality. The mortality odds ratios of CLABSIs and CRBSIs, compared to uninfected patients, were 3.19 (95% CI: 2.44, 4.16; I2 = 49%) and 2.47 (95% CI: 1.51, 4.02; I2 = 82%), respectively. Twelve CLABSI and eight CRBSI studies reported hospital LOS; only three CLABSI studies and two CRBSI studies accounted for the time-dependent nature of CLABSIs/CRBSIs. The mean differences in LOS for CLABSIs and CRBSIs compared to uninfected patients were 16.14 days (95% CI: 9.27, 23.01; I2 = 91%) and 16.26 days (95% CI: 10.19, 22.33; I2 = 66%), respectively. CONCLUSION: CLABSIs and CRBSIs increase mortality risk and hospital LOS. Few published studies accounted for the time-dependent nature of CLABSIs/CRBSIs, which can result in overestimation of excess hospital LOS.

Spontaneous bone regeneration in segmental mandibular defects: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation for segmental mandibular defect is vital for mastication function and facial aesthetics. Interestingly spontaneous bone regeneration after segmental mandibulectomy sporadically occurs to avoid further bony rehabilitation. This study aimed to assess the potential of spontaneous bone regeneration in the treatment of mandibular defects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic search was conducted using the PubMed, EMBASE, Wiley Online Library, and Cochrane Library databases to identify eligible studies. Critical appraisal of the included articles was done using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. RESULTS: A total of 35 studies, including 60 patients, that investigated spontaneous bone regeneration after segmental mandibulectomy were included. Among these patients, 39 (65%) were male and 21 (35%) were female, with a mean age of 20.81 ± 16.38 years. Periosteum was completely and partially preserved during mandibulectomy in 25 and 13 patients, respectively. Continuous bone regeneration between mandibular stumps was observed in 53 (88.3%) patients during follow-up. Although the mandibular stump was not stabilized in 13 (21.67%) patients, continuous bony regeneration still occurred, with a mean recovery period of 30.29 months. This was significantly greater than the overall average recovery time of 19.87 months. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous bone regeneration could occur in segmental mandibular defects, particularly in young patients with intact periosteum and rigid mandibular stump fixation.

[Effect of residual dental follicle after removal of impacted mandibular third molar on the periodontal health of adjacent second molar].

Objective: To investigate whether residual dental follicles in the alveolar socket after extraction of impacted mandibular third molars affect the periodontal health of adjacent mandibular second molars, in order to provide clinical reference for the management of residual dental follicles after third molar extraction. Methods: A total of 82 patients who underwent bilateral impacted mandibular third molar extraction at the Department of Oral Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology Wuhan University, from November 1, 2020, to November 30, 2022, were included in the study. Using a self-controlled method, each patient's bilateral mandibular third molars were randomly divided into two groups: Group A underwent third molar extraction with thorough removal of residual dental follicle tissue, while Group B underwent third molar extraction without any treatment of the remaining dental follicle tissue. Operation time and adverse reactions were recorded. Clinical and radiographic examinations were performed at 6-month follow-up to evaluate the periodontal parameters and alveolar bone height of the bilateral mandibular second molars, and differences between the two groups were compared. Results: All patients had successful bilateral mandibular third molar extractions, and no serious complications occurred intraoperatively or postoperatively. There were no statistically significant differences in surgical time, postoperative pain, or facial swelling between the two groups (P>0.05). At the 6-month follow-up, the probing depth on the distal aspect of the mandibular second molars in Group A [2.67 (2.00, 3.67) mm] was significantly less than that in Group B [4.00 (3.00, 5.00) mm] (Z=-6.55, P<0.001). The clinical attachment loss on the distal aspect of the mandibular second molars in Group A [1.00 (0.00, 3.00) mm] was less than that in Group B [3.00 (2.00, 5.00) mm] (Z=-5.99, P<0.001). The distance from the alveolar crest to the cementoenamel junction on the distal aspect of the mandibular second molars in Group A [(1.86±1.34) mm] was less than that in Group B [(3.04±1.89) mm] (t=6.87,P<0.001). In patients aged≥20 years, the probability of recovery of alveolar bone height to normal level on the distal aspect of the mandibular second molars in Group A [42.3% (11/26)] was significantly higher than that in Group B [0 (0/26)] (P<0.01), while there was no statistically significant difference between Group A [63.3% (19/30)] and Group B [46.7% (14/20)] in patients aged<20 years (P>0.05). Conclusions: Residual dental follicles in the alveolar socket after extraction of impacted mandibular third molars adversely affect the periodontal health of adjacent teeth. Thorough removal of residual dental follicles during impacted mandibular third molar extraction is beneficial for the postoperative recovery of alveolar bone height of the distal aspect of the mandibular second molars, especially in patients aged≥20 years.

Diagnostic accuracy of a real-time PCR assay for detection of Helicobacter pylori and resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin directly from stool.

OBJECTIVE: The non-invasive detection of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and its resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin significantly improves the management of infected patients by enabling tailored eradication treatments without the need for endoscopic procedures. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of real-time PCR (RT-PCR) assays in identifying H. pylori infection and antibiotic resistance in stool and gastric biopsy specimens. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Stool and gastric biopsy samples were collected from patients within three days of post-hospitalization. A total of 115 samples were analyzed for H. pylori infection, and an additional 115 samples were evaluated for resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin using an RT-PCR-based molecular test. Statistical analyses were performed using (SPSS 26.0 IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: Among 115 patients (53 males, average age 50.8±13.2 years), H. pylori was detected in 93.1% of stool samples and 93.9% of gastric biopsies. The RT-PCR assay demonstrated a sensitivity of 99.1% and a specificity of 100%, with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 99.1%. Clarithromycin resistance was found in 37.3% of stool and 46.9% of gastric biopsy specimens, with the assay showing 79.6% sensitivity and 98.4% specificity. Levofloxacin resistance was identified in 32.1% of stool samples and 31.3% of gastric biopsies, with 86.3% sensitivity and 91.1% specificity of the molecular test. CONCLUSIONS: The RT-PCR-based detection of H. pylori and its resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin in stool samples represents a promising approach to enhance eradication therapy outcomes, potentially improving treatment efficacy. Chictr.org.cn: ChiCTR2300070267.

[Research advances on the mechanism of immune regulation of interferon in Aspergillus infection].

Pulmonary aspergillosis is a serious pulmonary fungal infectious disease. It is difficult to manage and has limited treatment options. Existing anti-aspergillus medications have high rates of treatment failure and increased drug resistance, making it difficult to meet the clinical requirements. Therefore, the development of new, effective treatment programs is critical. According to research, interferons play an important role in the body's immune response to bacterial and viral infectious diseases. Inadequate interferon expression or dysfunction can put the body at risk for certain infectious diseases. Interferon has been used in clinical trials to prevent or treat infectious diseases. In recent years, researchers have focused on the immunological role of interferon in Aspergillus infections and its potential for clinical application. This review summarized the most recent advances in the immunoregulatory mechanisms of interferon and its clinical application in Aspergillus infections.

Shear wave propagation in a liquid crystal: An inelastic X-ray scattering study.

We investigated the spectrum of density fluctuations of a liquid crystal, CB7CB, in two different orientations by using high-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering. Our analysis, based on Bayesian principles, revealed that high-frequency collective excitations propagate through this mesoscale-ordered sample in a peculiar manner that lies somewhere between those observed in liquids and crystalline systems. Interestingly, when we probed longer length scales, a more pronounced solid-like response emerged. This was mainly characterized by anomalously sharp inelastic excitations and the onset of shear mode propagation. Comparison with previous x-ray diffraction results suggests a correlation between the observed behavior and the mesogen arrangement.

Influence of Solvent Selection on the Crystallizability and Polymorphic Selectivity Associated with the Formation of the "Disappeared" Form I Polymorph of Ritonavir.

The comparative crystallizability and polymorphic selectivity of ritonavir, a novel protease inhibitor for the treatment of acquired immune-deficiency syndrome, as a function of solvent selection are examined through an integrated and self-consistent experimental and computational molecular modeling study. Recrystallization at high supersaturation by rapid cooling at 283.15 K is found to produce the metastable "disappeared" polymorphic form I from acetone, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, and toluene solutions in contrast to ethanol which produces the stable form II. Concomitant crystallization of the other known solid forms is not found under these conditions. Isothermal crystallization studies using turbidometric detection based upon classical nucleation theory reveal that, for an equal induction time, the required driving force needed to initiate solution nucleation decreases with solubility in the order of ethanol, acetone, acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, and toluene consistent with the expected desolvation behavior predicted from the calculated solute solvation free energies. Molecular dynamics simulations of the molecular and intermolecular chemistry reveal the presence of conformational interplay between intramolecular and intermolecular interactions within the solution phase. These encompass the solvent-dependent formation of intramolecular O-H...O hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl and carbamate groups coupled with differing conformations of the hydroxyl's shielding phenyl groups. These conformational preferences and their relative interaction propensities, as a function of solvent selection, may play a rate-limiting role in the crystallization behavior by not only inhibiting to different degrees the nucleation process but also restricting the assembly of the optimal intermolecular hydrogen bonding network needed for the formation of the stable form II polymorph.

[The association between frontotemporal connecting fibers and seizure severity in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy].

The patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) admitted in the Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from June 2009 to February 2012 were prospectively enrolled. The diffusion tensor imaing was performed on the patients at the time of enrollment and 3 years later. The fractional anisotropy (FA) values of the white matter connecting fibers(bilateral hooked, arcuate, cingulate, and superior longitudinal tracts), the connecting fibers of both hemispheres(anterior union, anterior callosal forceps, posterior forceps, and bilateral fornix), and fibers of perirhinal cortices system(bilateral radiating crown and anterior limb of the internal capsule) were measured by the region of interest method. The severity of epilepsy was evaluated using the Veterans Administration Seizure Type and Frequency Rating Scale(VA-2) and National Hospital Seizure Severity Scale (NHS3). A total of 51 patients with TLE were screened, with 27 patients completing the 3-year follow-up. There were 13 males and 14 females with an age of (32±11) years and a follow-up duration of (39.1±1.1) months. During the follow-up, 6 patients had increased/unchanged NHS3 or VA-2 scores, while 21 patients had decreased scores. Three years later, the FA values of the bilateral arcuate fasciculus, the right superior longitudinal fasciculus, the right radial coronal and corpus callosum anterior forceps in TLE patients decreased compared to baseline(P<0.05). However, compared to the patients with decreased VA-2 scores during the follow-up, the degree of increase in FA values (ΔFA, follow-up FA value-baseline FA value) of the ipsilateral hook bundle caused by epilepsy was more significant in the group with increased/unchanged VA-2 scores (decreased score group vs increased/unchanged score group:-0.032±0.063 vs 0.018±0.043, t=2.305, P=0.035). The value of ΔFA in epileptic patients with increased/unchanged NHS3 scores (0.075±0.113) was higher compared to those with decreased scores (-0.079±0.099, t=2.804, P=0.010). Correlation analysis also showed the changes in FA values of epileptic lateral fasciculus (r=0.503, P=0.009) and arcuate fasciculus (r=0.602, P=0.001)were positively correlated with the changes in VA-2 and HNS3 scores, respectively. The seizure severity in patients with TLE was closely associated with the microstructure changes in the frontal and temporal white matter, especially the arcuate and uncinate tracts, on the same side that caused seizures, which may indicate the white matter remodeling and abnormal network reformation associated with seizures.

Interplay of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease and papillary thyroid carcinoma: insights from a Chinese cohort.

PURPOSE: Thyroid cancer is one of a set of extrahepatic cancers that closely linked to metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, the connection between MAFLD and the characteristics of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) remains unexplored. METHODS: Between Jan 2020 and Oct 2022, surgical cases of PTC patients were examined at the first Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Clinical data extracted from the electronic medical system underwent a rigorous comparison between two groups, classified based on MAFLD criteria, using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: In this study of 4,410 PTC patients, 18.3% had MAFLD. MAFLD emerged as a distinct risk factor for lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.230, 95% CI 1.018-1.487) in this cohort, especially in females (OR = 1.321, 95% CI 1.026-1.702) and those with BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 (OR = 1.232, 95% CI 1.004-1.511). The presence of MAFLD was found to significantly elevate the risk of BRAF V600E mutation in both subgroups characterized by FIB-4 score ≥ 1.3 (OR = 1.968, 95% CI 1.107-3.496) and BMI < 23 kg/m2 (OR = 2.584, 95% CI 1.012-6.601). Moreover, among the subset of individuals without non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), it was noted that MAFLD considerably increased the likelihood of tumor multifocality (OR = 1.697, 95% CI 1.111-2.592). Nevertheless, MAFLD did not exhibit any correlation with increased tumor size, extra-thyroidal extension (ETE), or later TNM stage in PTC. CONCLUSION: In this cross-sectional study, we discovered a significant association between MAFLD and increased occurrences of lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, MAFLD was linked to a higher chance of BRAF V600E mutation and the presence of multiple tumors in certain subgroups.

[A survey on the application of online and offline blended teaching in microendodontics].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of online and offline blended teaching in microendodontics, attempting to promote the widespread application of blended teaching mode in Operative Dentistry and Endodontics. Methods: A questionnaire survey was carried out among 865 trainees who attended the blended teaching in microendodontics combined the online theory curriculum and offline practice training from April 6 to 28 in 2022, organized by Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Hospital of Stomatotogy, Sun Yat-sen University. The content of questionnaire included trainees' basic information as well as their perspectives and expectations on the teaching mode. Data was analyzed by SPSS 24.0 and Chi-square test was used for enumeration data. Results: A total of 855 trainees participated in the valid survey with the effective recall rate of 98.8% (855/865), 50.3% (430/855) of which were young people in 18-30 years old. Their working period ranged from 0.5 to 40 years. Physicians and physician assistants occupied 40.9% (350/855) and 32.9% (281/855), respectively. And the intermediate and senior titles accounted for 26.2% (224/855). The proportion of trainees who had used and never used dental operative microscope (DOM) were 70.5% (603/855) and 29.5% (252/855), respectively. The blended teaching in microendodontics was universally approved by the trainees, which showed more superiority in the improvement of learning efficiency and interest, comprehension of knowledge as well as practical ability, etc., compared to the traditional offline teaching. For the current stomatology education, trainees were inclined to choose the blended teaching mode combining online theory curriculum and offline practice training, whereas 41.3% (353/855) and 39.6% (339/855) of trainees agreed that the teaching effectiveness was likely influenced by the condition and frequency of the offline training, respectively. Besides, significant differences were detected in the question about the factors affecting the blended teaching effectiveness of microendodontics between the trainees who had used and not used DOM (χ²=13.37, P=0.004). Conclusions: The application of online and offline blended teaching in microendodontics was affirmed to have some advantages, and it should be considered that the discrepancy in the level of expertise among trainees probably influenced the teaching effectiveness, which may promote the quality and effect of teaching, the spread and sharing of microendodontics, and provide experience and reference for the practice teaching of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics.

Risk factors for infection in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

We conducted a meta-analysis to determine the risk of infection following shoulder arthroscopy and to identify risk factors for infection. We systematically searched the PubMed/Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library databases, as well as the reference lists of previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses; manual searches were also performed. A random-effects model was employed to estimate pooled odds ratios (ORs), based on sample size, the P-value of Egger's test and heterogeneity among studies. Of the 29,342 articles screened, 16 retrospective studies comprising 74,759 patients were included. High-quality evidence showed that patients with diabetes (OR, 1.30; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.20-1.41) or hypertension (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.10-1.44) had a higher risk of infection, while moderate quality evidence showed that patients with obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2) (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.28-1.57), those who were male (OR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.12-2.44), those who had an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class ≥3 (OR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.02-3.99) and those who had a history of smoking (OR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.39-4.28) had a higher risk of infection. The meta-analysis revealed that there was no association between age, time of surgery, or alcohol consumption and infection. This meta-analysis identified six significant risk factors for infection following shoulder arthroscopy including diabetes, obesity, hypertension, male sex, ASA class, history of smoking. These patient-related risk factors may help identify postoperative patients at higher risk for infection following shoulder arthroscopy.

Automated Growth Rate Measurement of the Facet Surfaces of Single Crystals of the ß-Form of l-Glutamic Acid Using Machine Learning Image Processing.

Precision measurement of the growth rate of individual single crystal facets (hkl) represents an important component in the design of industrial crystallization processes. Current approaches for crystal growth measurement using optical microscopy are labor intensive and prone to error. An automated process using state-of-the-art computer vision and machine learning to segment and measure the crystal images is presented. The accuracies and efficiencies of the new crystal sizing approach are evaluated against existing manual and semi-automatic methods, demonstrating equivalent accuracy but over a much shorter time, thereby enabling a more complete kinematic analysis of the overall crystallization process. This is applied to measure in situ the crystal growth rates and through this determining the associated kinetic mechanisms for the crystallization of ß-form l-glutamic acid from the solution phase. Growth on the {101} capping faces is consistent with a Birth and Spread mechanism, in agreement with the literature, while the growth rate of the {021} prismatic faces, previously not available in the literature, is consistent with a Burton-Cabrera-Frank screw dislocation mechanism. At a typical supersaturation of σ = 0.78, the growth rate of the {101} capping faces (3.2 × 10-8 m s-1) is found to be 17 times that of the {021} prismatic faces (1.9 × 10-9 m s-1). Both capping and prismatic faces are found to have dead zones in their growth kinetic profiles, with the capping faces (σc = 0.23) being about half that of the prismatic faces (σc = 0.46). The importance of this overall approach as an integral component of the digital design of industrial crystallization processes is highlighted.

[Dynamic observation on capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells induced by Echinococcus multilocularis infection].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the capillarization of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) and its association with hepatic fibrosis during the development of alveolar echinococcosis, so as to provide the basis for unraveling the mechanisms underlying the role of LSEC in the development and prognosis of hepatic injuries and hepatic fibrosis caused by alveolar echinococcosis. METHODS: Forty C57BL/6 mice at ages of 6 to 8 weeks were randomly divided into a control group and 1-, 2- and 4-week infection groups, of 10 mice in each group. Each mouse in the infection groups was intraperitoneally injected with 2 000 Echinococcus multilocularis protoscoleces, while each mouse in the control group was given an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline using the same method. All mice were sacrificed 1, 2 and 4 weeks post-infection and mouse livers were collected. The pathological changes of livers were observed using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and hepatic fibrosis was evaluated through semi-quantitative analysis of Masson's trichrome staining-positive areas. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition were examined using immunohistochemical staining of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1), and the fenestrations on the surface of LSECs were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Primary LSECs were isolated from mouse livers, and the mRNA expression of LSEC marker genes Stabilin-1, Stabilin-2, Ehd3, CD209b, GATA4 and Maf was quantified using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay. RESULTS: Destruction of local liver lobular structure was observed in mice 2 weeks post-infection with E. multilocularis protoscoleces, and hydatid cysts, which were surrounded by granulomatous tissues, were found in mouse livers 4 weeks post-infection. Semi-quantitative analysis of Masson's trichrome staining showed a significant difference in the proportion of collagen fiber contents in mouse livers among the four groups (F = 26.060, P < 0.001), and a higher proportion of collagen fiber contents was detected in mouse livers in the 4-week infection group [(11.29 ± 2.58)%] than in the control group (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical staining revealed activation of a few HSCs and ECM deposition in mouse livers 1 and 2 weeks post-infection, and abundant brown-yellow stained α-SMA and COL1A1 were deposited in the lesion areas in mouse livers 4 weeks post-infection, which spread to surrounding tissues. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed significant differences in α-SMA (F = 7.667, P < 0.05) and COL1A1 expression (F = 6.530, P < 0.05) in mouse levers among the four groups, with higher α-SMA [(7.13 ± 3.68)%] and COL1A1 expression [(13.18 ± 7.20)%] quantified in mouse livers in the 4-week infection group than in the control group (both P values < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant differences in the fenestration frequency (F = 37.730, P < 0.001) and porosity (F = 16.010, P < 0.001) on the surface of mouse LSECs among the four groups, and reduced fenestration frequency and porosity were observed in the 1-[(1.22 ± 0.48)/µm2 and [(3.05 ± 0.91)%] and 2-week infection groups [(3.47 ± 0.10)/µm2 and (7.57 ± 0.23)%] groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.001). There was a significant difference in the average fenestration diameter on the surface of mouse LSECs among the four groups (F = 15.330, P < 0.001), and larger average fenestration diameters were measured in the 1-[(180.80 ± 16.42) nm] and 2-week infection groups [(161.70 ± 3.85) nm] than in the control group (both P values < 0.05). In addition, there were significant differences among the four groups in terms of Stabilin-1 (F = 153.100, P < 0.001), Stabilin-2 (F = 57.010, P < 0.001), Ehd3 (F = 31.700, P < 0.001), CD209b (F = 177.400, P < 0.001), GATA4 (F = 17.740, P < 0.001), and Maf mRNA expression (F = 72.710, P < 0.001), and reduced mRNA expression of Stabilin-1, Stabilin-2, Ehd3, CD209b, GATA4 and Maf genes was quantified in three infection groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: E. multilocularis infections may induce capillarization of LSECs in mice, and result in a reduction in the expression of functional and phenotypic marker genes of LSECs, and capillarization of LSECs occurs earlier than activation of HSC and development of hepatic fibrosis.

[Quantitative HER2 mRNA assay in breast cancer with HER2 immunohistochemistry 0].

Objective: To investigate HER2 mRNA expression in breast cancer with HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) 0 and to analyze the feasibility of distinguishing between the tumor with HER2 µltra-low expression and the one without expression of HER2 (no staining by IHC) by HER2 mRNA level preliminarily. Methods: HER2 mRNA was analyzed by reverse transcription digital PCR in 41 cases of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded surgical tissue samples of invasive breast cancer obtained between January 2020 and March 2023 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The cohort included 21 HER2 IHC 1+ and 20 IHC 0 (12 ultra-low and 8 non-expression of HER2). HER2 mRNA expression level was quantitatively evaluated by the FAM (HER2)/VIC (reference gene) ratio. Results: The expression of HER2 mRNA for the cases with 1+, ultra-low, and non-expression of HER2 by IHC was 0.30 to 1.78 (average 0.90, median 0.82), 0.55 to 1.51 (average 0.93, median 0.90) and 0.22 to 0.78 (average 0.41, median 0.36), respectively. For the mean and median HER2 mRNA levels, there was no significant difference between HER2 IHC 1+ and HER2 ultra-low expression diseases (P=0.757). A remarkable difference in HER2 gene expression was found between the tumors with 1+ and non-expression of HER2 by IHC (P=0.002). And, HER2 ultra-low cases contained statistically higher levels of HER2 mRNA compared with non-expression of HER2 subgroup by IHC (P=0.001). Conclusions: Based on HER2 mRNA, HER2 non-expression and HER2 weak expression (including HER2 IHC 1+ and ultra-low) belong to two different types of the tumor and the disease with HER2 IHC 1+ and HER2 ultra-low expression may be the same. It is necessary to further test the performance of HER2 mRNA detection for stratifying the HER2 weak expression subgroup and to determine the threshold.