HEMAsNet: A Hemisphere Asymmetry Network Inspired by the Brain for Depression Recognition From Electroencephalogram Signals.

Depression is a prevalent mental disorder that affects a significant portion of the global population. Despite recent advancements in EEG-based depression recognition models rooted in machine learning and deep learning approaches, many lack comprehensive consideration of depression's pathogenesis, leading to limited neuroscientific interpretability. To address these issues, we propose a hemisphere asymmetry network (HEMAsNet) inspired by the brain for depression recognition from EEG signals. HEMAsNet employs a combination of multi-scale Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) blocks to extract temporal features from both hemispheres of the brain. Moreover, the model introduces a unique 'Callosum- like' block, inspired by the corpus callosum's pivotal role in facilitating inter-hemispheric information transfer within the brain. This block enhances information exchange between hemispheres, potentially improving depression recognition accuracy. To validate the performance of HEMAsNet, we first confirmed the asymmetric features of frontal lobe EEG in the MODMA dataset. Subsequently, our method achieved a depression recognition accuracy of 0.8067, indicating its effectiveness in increasing classification performance. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive investigation from spatial and frequency perspectives, demonstrating HEMAsNet's innovation in explaining model decisions. The advantages of HEMAsNet lie in its ability to achieve more accurate and interpretable recognition of depression through the simulation of physiological processes, integration of spatial information, and incorporation of the Callosum- like block.

AXIN1/MYC Axis Mediated the Osimertinib Resistance in EGFR Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells.

Osimertinib, a promising and approved third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is a standard strategy for EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, developed resistance is unavoidable, which reduces its long-term effectiveness. In this study, RNA sequencing was performed to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The PrognoScan database and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) were used to identify the key genes for clinical prognosis and gene correlation respectively. Protein expression was determined by western blot analysis. Cell viability assay and Ki67 staining were used to evaluate the effect of osimertinib on tumor cells. Finally, we screened out two hub genes, myelocytomatosis oncogene (Myc) and axis inhibition protein 1 (Axin1), upregulated in three osimertinib-resistant cell lines through RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Next, cell experiment confirmed that expression of C-MYC and AXIN1 were elevated in different EGFR mutant NSCLC cell lines with acquired resistance to osimertinib, compared with their corresponding parental cell lines. Furthermore, we demonstrated that AXIN1 upregulated the expression of C-MYC and mediated the acquired resistance of EGFR mutant NSCLC cells to osimertinib in vitro. In conclusion, AXIN1 affected the sensitivity of EGFR mutant NSCLC to osimertinib via regulating C-MYC expression in vitro. Targeting AXIN1/MYC signaling may be a potential new strategy for overcoming acquired resistance to osimertinib.

Incorporation of Epoxy Carbon onto CeO2-Supported Pt to Tackle the CO Self-Poisoning Issue.

The catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO) under ambient conditions plays a crucial role in the abatement of indoor CO, which poses risks to human health. Despite the notable activity exhibited by Pt-based catalysts in CO oxidation, their efficacy is usually diminished by the CO self-poisoning issue. In this work, three different Pt/CeO2-based catalysts, which have distinct coordinative environments of Pt but an identical Pt/CeO2 substrate structure, were synthesized by activating the catalyst with CO using different temperatures and durations. Compared with clean and graphite-covered Pt on CeO2, the one modified by epoxy carbon showed higher activity and stability. The combination of characterizations and density functional theory modeling demonstrated that the clean Pt on CeO2 rapidly deactivated due to the CO self-poisoning albeit high initial activity, and conversely, low initial activity was observed for the more stable graphite-covered catalyst due to the obstruction of the Pt site. In contrast, epoxy carbon species on Pt shifted the d-band of Pt to lower energy, weakening the Pt-CO binding strength. Such a modification mitigated the self-poisoning effect while maintaining ample active sites and enabling the complete oxidative removal of CO under ambient conditions. This work may provide a general approach to tackling the self-poisoning issue.

Safety and feasibility of three-dimensional McKeown minimally invasive esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: To compare the perioperative outcomes from McKeown minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) when performed in three-dimensional versus two-dimensional visualization system, and investigate the learning curve of a single surgeon who implemented three-dimensional McKeown MIE. METHODS: A total of 335 consecutive cases (three-dimensional or two-dimensional) were identified. Perioperative clinical parameters were compared and cumulative sum learning curve was plotted. Propensity score matching was used to reduce selection bias from confounding factors. RESULTS: Patients in three-dimensional group were associated with more chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (23.9% vs 3.0%, p < 0.01). After propensity score matching (108 matched patients in each groups), this finding was no longer statistically significant. Comparing to two-dimensional group, significant improvement in total retrieved lymph nodes (28 vs 33, p = 0.003) was observed in three-dimensional group. In addition, more lymph nodes around the right recurrent laryngeal nerve were harvested in three-dimensional group than that in two-dimensional group (p = 0.045). However, there were no significantly differences were found between the two groups in terms of other intraoperative parameters (e.g., operative time) and postoperative relevant outcomes (e.g., lung infection). Furthermore, the change point in the cumulative sum learning curves for intraoperative blood loss and thoracic procedure time was 33 procedures, respectively. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional visualization system appears to be superior in performing lymphadenectomy during McKeown MIE to that of a two-dimensional technique. For surgeons proficient in performing two-dimensional McKeown MIE, the learning curve for a three-dimensional procedure appears to begin near proficiency after more than 33 cases.

Thirty synchronous medullary and papillary thyroid carcinomas.

Synopsis for table of contents: An exceptional number of synchronous MTC/PTC in the same thyroid gland is presented. This may be the most numerous case series reported in the literature. Synchronous PTC/MTC in the same thyroid gland were classified into 4 subtypes and the clinical and pathological aspects as well as the results are presented. Background and objectives: The synchronous occurrence of multiple neoplastic processes in the thyroid gland is unusual. We investigated the clinicopathological features of 30 medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTC) in association with papillary (PTC). Method: Retrospective analysis of operated patients for thyroid tumors. Synchronous PTC/MTC in the same thyroid gland were classified into 4 subtypes: (type I) True mixed MTC/PTC, MTC and PTC closely intermingled. (Type II) Collision MTC/PTC, i.e. tumors that meet at the same site, invade each other and appear as a single mass in the thyroid gland, i.e. MTC and PTC merge. (Type III) Synchronous anatomically separate tumors in the same thyroid lobe, i.e. separated from each other by non-tumorous thyroid parenchyma. (Type IV) Synchronous tumors occurring in separate anatomical lobes or in the isthmus. Clinical and pathological data were reviewed. Location: Department of thyroid surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University. Time frame: 14 years (June 2008-November 2022). Results: Thirty patients were identified with an overall prevalence of 28621 (0.1%). 17 (56.7%) were male, 13 (43.3%) female, mean age 51.3 ± 11.0 years, mean BMI 23.6 ± 3.6kg/m2. Mean duration of symptoms was 11.2 ± 18.4 months. Mean calcitonin level was 133.7 ± 196.4 pg/ml. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) was offered in 21 cases: 9 (42.9%) were suspected carcinoma, 9 (42.9%) PTC, 1 (4.8%) MTC, 2 (9.4%) MTC/PTC. Pathology revealed type I 4 (13.3%), type II 2 (6.7%), type III 14 (46.7%), type IV 10 (33.3%). The mean diameter of MTC was 1.6 ± 2.0cm, 18 (60%) were micro-MTC. The mean diameter of PTC was 0.9 ± 1.9 cm, 26 (86.7%) were micro-PTC. In 16 (53.3%) micro-PTC/-MTC occurred in synchronous sequence. Four patients had a recurrence: 2 had to be re-operated due to MTC recurrence, 2 died due to distant metastases (bone, liver). Conclusion: We report an exceptional number of MTC/PTC in the same thyroid gland. This may be the most numerous case series reported in the literature. The clinical and pathological aspects as well as the results are presented.

Proteomic approach-based comparison of metabolic pathways and functional activities of whey proteins derived from Guishan and Saanen goat milk.

Guishan goats, a unique goat breed in Yunnan Province, have a long history and representation, but their whey protein and function remain unclear. In this study, we carried out a quantitative analysis of the Guishan and Saanen goat whey proteome using a label-free proteomic approach. A total of 500 proteins were quantified from the 2 kinds of goat whey proteins, including 463 common proteins, 37 uniquely expressed whey proteins (UEWP), and 12 differentially expressed whey proteins (DEWP). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that UEWP and DEWP were mainly involved in cellular and immune system processes, membrane, and binding. In addition, UEWP and DEWP in Guishan goats participated primarily in metabolism and immune-related pathways, whereas Saanen goat whey proteins were associated mostly with environmental information processing-related pathways. Guishan goat whey promoted the growth of RAW264.7 macrophages more than Saanen goat whey, and significantly reduced the production of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. This study provides a reference for further understanding these 2 goat whey proteins and finding functional active substances from them.

Flexible Work Arrangements and Employees' Knowledge Sharing in Post-Pandemic Era: The Roles of Workplace Loneliness and Task Interdependence.

Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) have become prevalent working norms in the post-pandemic era, but are they beneficial to employees' work? From the theoretical perspective of social exchange, previous studies have viewed FWAs as supportive practices that facilitate employees' functional intrapersonal outcomes. However, little is known about the interpersonal effects of FWAs. Based on the affective events theory, this study aims to elucidate why and when FWAs are associated with employees' knowledge sharing. A web-based survey of 314 respondents (Study 1) and a three-wave field research study of 343 employees (Study 2) provided valid questionnaires to examine the hypothesized theoretical relationships. Our findings reveal that employees who frequently adopt FWAs would produce a persistently negative affective experience-workplace loneliness-further discouraging their intentions to share knowledge with coworkers. The specific work-characteristic conditions in this relationship-task interdependence would mitigate the dysfunctional effect of FWAs on employees' knowledge sharing via workplace loneliness. Our study advances the understanding of FWAs' dysfunctional impacts on employees' knowledge sharing from the theoretical perspective of affective reactions. Our findings remind managers to avoid the interpersonal pitfalls of FWAs by increasing task interdependence among employees.

Exploring the molecular mechanism of notoginsenoside R1 in sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy based on network pharmacology and experiments validation.

Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) is an important manifestation of sepsis, and abnormal cardiac function affects the development of sepsis. Notoginsenoside R1 (NG-R1) is a unique bioactive component of Panax notoginseng with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, the effects and possible mechanisms of NG-R1 on SIC are not clear. The purpose of this study was to identify the potential targets and regulatory mechanisms of the action of NG-R1 on SIC. To investigate the potential mechanism, we used network pharmacology, molecular docking, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence. The results showed that NG-R1 ameliorated myocardial fibrosis in septic mice. Validation of network pharmacology and molecular docking results revealed that NG-R1 reduced tumor necrosis factor-Alpha (TNF-α) expression in myocardial tissues and AC16 cardiomyocytes in mice, as well as inflammatory factor release in AC16 cells, so TNF-α may be a potential target of NG-R1 against SIC. The present study demonstrated that NG-R1 could protect against SIC and by regulating the expression of TNF-α inflammatory factors, providing a new idea for sepsis drug development.

Catalytic oxidation mechanism of AsH3 over CuO@SiO2 core-shell catalysts via experimental and theoretical studies.

In this study, CuO@SiO2 core-shell catalysts were successfully synthesized and applied to efficiently remove hazardous gaseous pollutant arsine (AsH3) by catalytic oxidation under low-temperature and low-oxygen conditions for the first time. In typical experiments, the CuO@SiO2 catalysts showed excellent AsH3 removal activity and stability under low-temperature and low-oxygen conditions. The duration of the AsH3 conversion rate above 90 % for the CuO@SiO2 catalysts was 39 h, which was markedly higher than that of other catalysts previously reported in the literature. The considerable catalytic activity and stability were attributed to the protection and confinement effects of the SiO2 shell, which resulted in highly dispersed CuO nanoparticles. Meanwhile, the strong interaction between the CuO core and SiO2 shell further facilitated the formation of active species such as coordinatively unsaturated Cu2+ and chemisorbed oxygen. The accumulation of oxidation products (As2O3 and As2O5) on the interface between the CuO core and SiO2 shell and the pore channels of the SiO2 shell is the main cause of catalysts deactivation. Furthermore, through combined density functional theory (DFT) calculations and characterization methods, a reaction pathway including gradual dehydrogenation (AsH3*→AsH2*→AsH*→As*) and gradual oxidation (2As*→As*+AsO*→2AsO*→As2O3) for the catalytic oxidation of AsH3 on CuO (111) surface was constructed to clarify the detailed reaction mechanism. The CuO@SiO2 core-shell catalysts applied in this study could provide a powerful method for developing AsH3 catalysts from multiple know AsH3 removal systems.

Measuring discrepancies between simple medullary and synchronous medullary/papillary thyroid carcinomas: a comparative cross-sectional study.

Objective: To study the clinicopathological characteristics of patients with synchronous medullary and papillary thyroid carcinomas. Methods: The clinical data of patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) operated in our hospital (Department of Thyroid Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University) from February 2009 to February 2023 were evaluated using an analytical review approach. They were divided into an observation group (patients with synchronous MTC and papillary thyroid carcinoma PTC) and a control group (simple MTC) according to whether the clinical data were associated with MTC, in order to compare the clinical features, pathological types, stage characteristics and molecular biology characteristics of the two groups and to investigate the follow-up of the two groups. Results: The study included 122 MTC, 30 with synchronous MTC/PTC and 92 simple MTC. When the data were compared, the sex ratio, preoperative calcitonin level, preoperative CEA level, presence of calcifications in the MTC lesions, surgical methods, number of MTC lesions, presence of nodular goitre and presence of thyroiditis were higher in the observation group than in the control group. There was a significant difference between the groups when the MTC lesion diameter was ≤1cm in terms of preoperative CEA value (P<0.05); when the MTC lesion diameter was >1cm, there was a statistical difference between the two groups in terms of preoperative Ctn value (P<0.05). Type III was significantly different from the simple group, while type IV was more similar to the simple group. The preoperative serum Ctn value was positively correlated with maximum tumour diameter in both groups, although the correlation was stronger in the easy group. Preoperative CEA was positively correlated with maximum tumour diameter in both groups, with a stronger correlation in the combination group. Preoperative Ctn and CEA were positively correlated with lymph node metastasis in the simple group, whereas there was no apparent correlation with lymph node metastasis in the combination group. The cut-off value of preoperative serum Ctn for cervical lymph node metastases in the simple group was 39.2pg/ml and for lateral cervical lymph node metastases 195.5pg/ml. The cut-off value of preoperative serum Ctn for cervical lymph node metastases in the combination group was 60.79pg/ml and for lateral cervical lymph node metastases 152.6pg/ml. In the simple group, prognosis was significantly worse in the progression group (P<0.001), with no statistical difference between the remission and stable groups. In the combination group, the prognosis of the progression and stable groups was significantly worse than that of the remission group (P<0.001), with no statistical difference between the progression and stable groups. Conclusion: In patients with synchronous medullary and papillary thyroid carcinomas, preoperative Ctn and CEA levels, calcifications, solitary lesions, combined goitre or thyroiditis differ significantly from simple MTC. Therefore, clinical management should pay attention to the above factors and early risk screening should be performed to improve prognosis as much as possible.

Identification of potential M2 macrophage-associated diagnostic biomarkers in coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: M2 macrophages have been reported to be important in the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). Thus, the present study aims at exploring the diagnostic value of M2 macrophage-associated genes in CAD. METHODS: Transcriptome profile of CAD and control samples were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus database. The proportion of immune cells was analyzed using cell type identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was carried out to screen the relevant module associated with M2 macrophages. Differential CAD and control samples of expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by the limma R package. Functional enrichment analysis by means of the clusterProfiler R package. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and random forest (RF) algorithms were carried out to select signature genes. Receiver operating curves (ROC) were plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of selected signature genes. The expressions of potential diagnostic markers were validated by RT-qPCR. The ceRNA network of diagnostic biomarkers was constructed via miRwalk and Starbase database. CMap database was used to screen candidate drugs in the treatment of CAD by targeting diagnostic biomarkers. RESULTS: A total of 166 M2 macrophage-associated genes were identified by WGCNA. By intersecting those genes with 879 DEGs, 53 M2 macrophage-associated DEGs were obtained in the present study. By LASSO, RF, and ROC analyses, C1orf105, CCL22, CRYGB, FRK, GAP43, REG1P, CALB1, and PTPN21 were identified as potential diagnostic biomarkers. RT-qPCR showed the consistent expression patterns of diagnostic biomarkers between GEO dataset and clinical samples. Perhexiline, alimemazine and mecamylamine were found to be potential drugs in the treatment of CAD. CONCLUSION: We identified eight M2 macrophage-associated diagnostic biomarkers and candidate drugs for the CAD treatment.

SLC2A3 variants in familial and sporadic congenital heart diseases in a Chinese Yunnan population.

BACKGROUND: Solute carrier family 2 member 3 (SLC2A3), is a member of a superfamily of transport protein genes. SLC2A3 played an important role in embryonic development. Previous research reported SLC2A3 duplication was reportedly associated with congenital syndromic heart defects. However, it is not clear whether the gene is associated with non-syndromic congenital heart disease. Our study aimed to elucidate the relationship between its variation and congenital heart disease. METHODS: Genomic DNA extracted from the peripheral blood leukocytes of two families with CHD were sequenced with whole-exome sequencing to identify variations, used Sanger sequencing to investigate SLC2A3 variants in 494 Chinese patients with CHD and 576 healthy unrelated individuals. RESULTS: In members from the two families, three with CHD had the SLC2A3 (rs3931701) C > T variant. Of the 494 patients with CHD, 394 had gene variants (86 had the TT type and 308 had the CT type). Of the 576 healthy controls, 272 participants had gene variants (36 had the TT type and 236 had the CT type). The TT type [p < 0.0001, odds ratio (OR) =7.262, 95% confidence interval (CI) =4.631-11.388] and CT type (p < 0.0001, OR =3.967, 95% CI =2.991-5.263) of SLC2A3 (rs3931701) significantly increased the risk of sporadic ASD in a Chinese Yunnan population. CONCLUSIONS: Single nucleotide variations of SLC2A3, particularly, the SLC2A3 (rs3931701) C > T variant increased the risk of CHD among the studied population.

Robotic bilateral axillo-breast versus endoscopic bilateral areola thyroidectomy outcomes of 757 patients.

Background: Remote endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) and robotic thyroidectomy (RT) seem to be beneficial in selected situations to avoid anterior neck scars. There are limited data in the literature to determine whether RT via a bilateral axillo-breast approach (RT-BABA) is superior to ET via a bilateral areolar approach (ET-BAA). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcomes of RT-BABA versus ET-BAA. Methods: Between May 2013 and May 2022, 757 patients who underwent RT-BABA or ET-BAA at a high-volume Chinese thyroid center were included. Intraoperative and postoperative outcome parameters were collected and retrospectively analyzed. The moving average method was used to evaluate the learning curve. Results: The proportion of patients older than 45 years was greater in the RT group than in the ET group (14.8% vs. 7.4%, p < 0.001). The percentage of overweight patients was greater in the RT group (28.8% vs. 9.5%, p < 0.001). The number of patients treated for malignant lesions was higher in the RT group (86.8% vs. 75%, p < 0.001). The rate of thyroiditis was higher in the RT group (10.9% vs. 6.6%, p < 0.001). Surgical time was significantly shorter in the RT group (140 vs. 165min, p < 0.001). Drainage volume was higher in the RT group (100 vs. 85ml, p < 0.001). Postoperative hospital stay was shorter in the RT group (3.04 ± 0.44 vs. 3.67 ± 0.89 days, p < 0.001). The cost in the RT group was higher (49627 ± 2795 vs. 25094 ± 3368 yuan, p < 0.001). Transient vocal cord dysfunction was lower in the RT group (2.9% vs. 8.0%, p = 0.003). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the number of central lymph nodes sampled, positive lymph nodes, neural monitoring (EMG) results, and rate of transient hypoparathyroidism. The learning curve for RT was 26 cases, and the operative time for ET was constant throughout the study. Conclusions: RT-BABA is as safe and feasible as ET-BAA. RT-BABA performed better in some surgical outcomes. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the safety of RT-BABA.

Clinical Experience of Use of Percutaneous Continuous Nervemonitoring in Robotic Bilateral Axillo-Breast Thyroid Surgery.

Introduction and Objective: There is a need for a simplified technique for C-IONM in robotic surgery. The primary aim of this study was to describe our clinical experience with the use of percutaneous C-IONM in robotic bilateral axillary thyroid surgery. Methods: This study prospectively enrolled 304 consecutive patients who underwent robotic thyroidectomy via the bilateral axillo-breast approach and standardized C-IONM via percutaneous probe stimulation. Results: 323 RLNs were analyzed. C-IONM with percutaneous probes was feasible in all cases. During this study, we did not record any cases of probe displacement, and no additional robotic maneuvers were required. The average stimulation intensity was 2 mA. There were no adverse local or systemic C-IONM side effects. The mean time required for probe positioning was 3 minutes. The EMG amplitude signal of 48 RLNs decreased significantly, < 50% from the original V1 signal. In these cases, the surgical procedure was modified. Conclusion: The proposed percutaneous C-IONM provides a simplification of the continuous monitoring procedure for robotics. The advantage of percutaneous C-IONM is that it does not require additional trocar space, repeated instrument changes, and unmodified cosmesis. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the application of percutaneous C-IONM in robotic thyroid surgery.

Surface characterization of metal oxides-supported activated carbon fiber catalysts for simultaneous catalytic hydrolysis of carbonyl sulfide and carbon disulfide.

The sol-gel method was used to synthesize a series of metal oxides-supported activated carbon fiber (ACF) and the simultaneous catalytic hydrolysis activity of carbonyl sulfide (COS) and carbon disulfide (CS2) at relatively low temperatures of 60°C was tested. The effects of preparation conditions on the catalyst properties were investigated, including the kinds and amount of metal oxides and calcination temperatures. The activity tests indicated that catalysts with 5 wt.% Ni after calcining at 400°C (Ni(5)/ACF(400)) had the best performance for the simultaneous catalytic hydrolysis of COS and CS2. The surface and structure properties of prepared ACF were characterized by scanning electron microscope-energy disperse spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), carbon dioxide-temperature programmed desorption (CO2-TPD) and diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared reflection (DRFTIR). And the metal cation defects were researched by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) method. The characterization results showed that the supporting of Ni on the ACF made the ACF catalyst show alkaline and increased the specific surface area and the number of micropores, then improved catalytic hydrolysis activity. The DRFTIR results revealed that -OH species could facilitate the hydrolysis of COS and CS2; -COO and -C-O species could facilitate the oxidation of catalytic hydrolysate H2S. And the EPR results showed that high calcination temperature conditions provide more active reaction center for the COS and CS2 adsorption.

Theoretical study on NO x adsorption properties over the α-MnO2(110) surface.

Herein, α-MnO2 was studied as an adsorbent for the removal of NO x (NO, NO2) derived from flue gas. First-principles calculations based on the density functional theory (DFT) were performed to investigate the NO x adsorption properties over the α-MnO2(110) surface. NO strongly adsorbed over the α-MnO2(110) surface via chemisorption spontaneously under 550 K. The NO2 molecules adsorbed over the surface via chemisorption and physisorption when the terminal N- and O atoms approached the surface, respectively. The joint adsorption of NO x was more stable than the isolated adsorption system. Furthermore, the net charge was transferred from the molecule to the surface. The surface and temperature affected the entropy, enthalpy, NO adsorption and NO2 desorption in the temperature range of 300-550 K. The equilibrium constants decreased with an increase in temperature, which reduced the conversion rate.

Isopropoxy Tetramethyl Dioxaborolane on TiO2: Reaction Pathway and Formation of a Visible-Light-Sensitive Photocatalyst.

Borate toxicity is a concern in agriculture since a high level of borates may likely exist in irrigation water systems. In this research, transmission infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are employed to study the thermal and photochemical reactions of isopropoxy tetramethyl dioxaborolane (ITDB) on TiO2, with the aid of density functional theory calculations. In addition, the possibility for the formation of a boron-modified TiO2 (B/TiO2) surface, using ITDB as the boron source, is explored and the photocatalytic activity of the B/TiO2 is tested. After adsorption of ITDB on TiO2 at 35 °C and heating the surface to a temperature higher than ∼200 °C in a vacuum, the surface is found to be covered with both the organic components of OC(CH3)2-C(CH3)2O and OCH(CH3)2 and the inorganic components of (TiO2)BO and Ti-B-O. The organic intermediates can be further thermally transformed into pinacolone and acetone; however, the inorganic parts exist at 400 °C, forming a boron-modified surface. The thermal decomposition of ITDB is proposed to be initiated by breaking one B-O bond, forming -OC(CH3)2-C(CH3)2O-B-OCH(CH3)2 on the surface. In the case of photoreaction, the ITDB on TiO2 decomposes under photoirradiation at 325 nm to form acetone. The boron-modified TiO2 surface can absorb visible light, likely due to the presence of new states in the band gap, and shows a photocatalytical activity in degrading methylene blue, under 500 nm irradiation in air.

A meta-analysis of online health adoption and the moderating effect of economic development level.

PURPOSE: Due to the gradual transformation and upgrading of traditional medical industry, online health has become a hot spot recently. Various empirical researches have explored the critical factors that affect users' adoption behavior of online health, but their conclusions cannot be completely unified. Therefore, this paper aims at providing an integrated analysis, so as to explore the strength of the proposed online health adoption model's path relationship and the moderating effect of economic development level by dividing the sample into two subgroups, developed countries or areas and developing countries or areas. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: This paper conducted a meta-analysis by synthesizing the effect sizes extracted from a total of 43 articles including 46 empirical studies, which were searched from a variety of journals, conferences, book chapters and theses. FINDINGS: Results show that all combined effect sizes of the proposed conceptual model are statistically significant and indicate that the users' adoption behavior of online health is mainly affected by perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and subjective norm, rather than perceived behavioral control, innovativeness and trust. Furthermore, the moderator analysis confirms that the economic development level does have a moderating effect on the two relationships, perceived ease of use - perceived usefulness and innovativeness - behavioral intention. Specially, results manifest that the impact of perceived ease of use toward perceived usefulness receives more attention in developed countries or areas, while the impact of innovativeness toward behavioral intention is more noteworthy in developing counties or areas. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This paper was conducted with the view of obtaining a unified conclusion about the research field of online health adoption. Its content is original. Whether in the academia or industry, the findings of this research will have implications for the future development of online health.

The Utility of 18F-FDG PET/CT for Monitoring Response and Predicting Prognosis after Glucocorticoids Therapy for Sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis has significant heterogeneity involving multiple organs; treatment of the disease is a significant therapeutic challenge due to the difficulties in accurately monitoring disease activity and estimating prognosis. Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) plays an important role in assessing the metabolic activity. However, there is not enough evidence about the influence of this method in the clinical management and prognosis prediction for sarcoidosis. This study aims to investigate the clinical utility of 18F-FDG PET/CT for therapeutic evaluation and prognostic prediction in sarcoidosis. We had retrospectively enrolled 23 patients with sarcoidosis assigned to receive systemic glucocorticoids. All patients underwent baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT before initiating therapy and follow-up 18F-FDG PET/CT within 3 months after the therapy. The metabolic and clinical responses were classified. The baseline 18F-FDG PET/CT showed increased uptake in all patients. Based solely on biopsy-proven sites, the sensitivity of 18F-FDG PET/CT was 91.7%, and the sensitivity improved to 100% after excluding skin involvement. In the subsequent follow-up PET scans within 3 months after glucocorticoids therapy, the SUVmax were variously decreased except one; there are significant differences in the clinical remission rates and the relapse rates between patients with a favorable response and cases with no response on follow-up PET scan, the increasing metabolic response was associated with the increase in clinical remission rates and the reduction in recurrence rates. In conclusion, the present study shows that 18F-FDG PET/CT is an effective way to monitor the early therapeutic reaction and is helpful in predicting the long-term prognosis of sarcoidosis.

A Multicenter Double-blind Phase II Study of Metformin With Gefitinib as First-line Therapy of Locally Advanced Non-Small-cell Lung Cancer.

We present the rationale and study design of the CGMT (combined gefitinib and metformin therapy) trial (www.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01864681), which is aimed at treating locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. The CGMT trial is a multicenter, phase II randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled study, which is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of metformin in combination with gefitinib as first-line therapy in patients presenting with stage IIIb-IV non-small-cell lung cancer expressing the epidermal growth factor receptor mutant. Two therapies are proposed for this trial. The first regimen is comprised of gefitinib plus metformin. The second therapy is comprised of gefitinib plus placebo. The primary objective of this trail is to compare the progression-free survival rate at year 1 of the study. The secondary objective of this trial is to compare the 2-year overall survival, the 2-year progression-free survival, the objective response rate, and the disease-control rate, and to evaluate the relative safety of both therapies. Based on the statistical design, we plan to enroll approximately 200 patients.