A Soy Protein-Based Film Based on Chemical Treatment and Microcrystalline Cellulose Reinforcement Obtained from Corn Husk Byproducts.

Developing an environmentally friendly soy protein-based film that offers excellent performance has garnered considerable interest while also posing a significant challenge. Herein, we propose the strategy of covalent and noncovalent cross-linking to improve the mechanical properties of the films. First, chemical denaturation was carried out under the combined action of sodium sulfite, sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium hydroxide, and urea to reshape the structure of the protein to improve the solubility of protein and release active groups. Then, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) derived from low-cost agro-industrial byproducts (corn husk) was employed to balance the covalent cross-linking reaction between proteins and the noncovalent reaction between MCC and protein. The results indicate that the structure and properties of the soy protein-based films were modified and improved through chemical treatment in conjunction with biomass enhancement. It is concluded that the addition of 1% MCC improves the tensile strength, elastic modulus, water solubility, and water vapor permeability of "MCC-1%" by 64.7, 75.9, 22.7, and 12.9%, respectively. Additionally, the resulting film of "MCC-1%" exhibits better resistance to thermal degradation and improved thermo-stability. However, the elongation at break decreased by increasing the addition of MCC. Thus, this work may provide a simple and affordable approach to preparing a high-performing soy protein-based film.

Experimental research on the transport-transformation of organic contaminants under the influence of multi-field coupling at a site scale.

Organic-contaminated shallow aquifers have become a global concern of groundwater contamination, yet little is known about the coupled effects of hydrodynamic-thermal-chemical-microbial (HTCM) multi-field on organic contaminant transport and transformation over a short time in aquifers. Therefore, this study proposed a quick and efficient field experimental method for the transport-transformation of contaminants under multi-field coupling to explore the relationship between organic contaminants (total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzene-toluene-ethylbenzene-xylene (BTEX) and phthalates acid esters (PAEs)) and multi-field factors. The results showed that hydrodynamics (affecting pH, p < 0.001) and temperature (affecting dissolved oxygen, pH and HCO3-, p < 0.05) mainly affected the organic contaminants indirectly by influencing the hydrochemistry to regulate redox conditions in the aquifer. The main degradation reactions of the petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH, PAHs and BTEX) and PAEs in the aquifer were sulfate reduction and nitrate reduction, respectively. Furthermore, the organic contamination was directly influenced by microbial communities, whose spatial patterns were shaped by the combined effects of the spatial pattern of hydrochemistry (induced by the organic contamination pressure) and other multi-field factors. Overall, our findings imply that the spatiotemporal patterns of organic contaminants are synergistically regulated by HTCM, with distinct mechanisms for petroleum hydrocarbons and PAEs.

Digital finance, innovation transformation, and resilient city growth.

Digital finance is a pivotal catalyst for a contemporary economic system and assumes a significant auxiliary function in the establishment of resilient urban centers. This study empirically examines the enabling influence of digital finance on resilient cities using panel data from 287 prefecture-level cities and above in China between 2011 and 2020. The analysis is based on the mechanisms of innovation and transformation. The importance of digital finance in facilitating the development of resilient cities has been observed, with a specific emphasis on its impact on enhancing the adaptive capacity and growth resilience of urban areas. The utilization of digital finance has the potential to expedite the process of transforming urban industrial structures, invigorating innovation and entrepreneurial activities, and serving as a significant catalyst for the development of resilient cities. The analysis of heterogeneity reveals that various aspects of digital finance have varying degrees of influence on urban resilience. Specifically, the depth of utilization of digital finance exerts the most significant impact, followed by the level of digitalization, while the extent of coverage has the least effect. Furthermore, when considering regional distribution, the promotion effect of digital finance on resilient cities diminishes gradually from the eastern to the central and western regions.

Experimental Investigation of Pore Pressure on Sandy Seabed around Submarine Pipeline under Irregular Wave Loading.

The propagation of shallow-water waves may cause liquefaction of the seabed, thereby reducing its support capacity for pipelines and potentially leading to pipeline settlement or deformation. To ensure the stability of buried pipelines, it is crucial to consider the excess pore pressure induced by irregular waves thoroughly. This paper presents the findings of an experimental study on excess pore pressure caused by irregular waves on a sandy seabed. A series of two-dimensional wave flume experiments investigated the excess pore pressure generated by irregular waves. Based on the experimental results, this study examined the influences of irregular wave characteristics and pipeline proximity on excess pore pressure. Using test data, the signal analysis method was employed to categorize different modes of excess pore-water pressure growth into two types and explore the mechanism underlying pore pressure development under the influence of irregular waves.

[Clinical study of modified suspension reduction method combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fracture].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of modified suspension reduction method combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures. METHODS: From February 2020 to October 2021, 92 patients with thoracolumbar osteoporotic compression fracture were treated by percutaneous vertebroplasty. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into the observation group and the control group. The observation group was treated with modified suspension reduction and then percutaneous vertebroplasty, while the control group was treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty alone. The observation group (47 cases), including 20 males and 27 females, the age ranged from 59 to 76 years old with an average of (69.74±4.50) years old, fractured vertebral bodies:T10(2 cases), T11(7 cases), T12(19 cases), L1(14 cases), L2(5 cases);the control group(45 cases), including 21 males and 24 females, the age ranged from 61 to 78 years old with an average of (71.02±3.58) years old, fractured vertebral bodies:T10(3 cases), T11(8 cases), T12(17 cases), L1(12 cases), L2(5 cases);The leakage of bone cement were observed, the visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry lumbar dysfunction index (ODI), anterior vertebrae height (AVH), Cobb angle of kyphosis and the amount of bone cement injected before and after operation were recorded and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: All patients were followed up, ranged from 6 to10 with an average of (8.45±1.73) months. Two patients ocurred bone cement leakage in observation group and 3 patients in control group. AVH of observation group increased (P<0.05) and Cobb angle of injured vertebrae decreased (P<0.05). Cobb angle of injured vertebrae and AVH of the control group were not significantly changed (P>0.05). Cobb angle of injured vertebrae of the observation group was lower than that of control group (P<0.05) and AVH was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). In the observation group, VAS before operation and 1 week, 3 and 6 months after operation respectively were(7.32±1.05) scores, (3.56±1.18) scores, (1.83±0.67) scores, (1.27±0.34) scores, and ODI were(40.12±14.69) scores, (23.76±10.19) scores, (20.15±6.39) scores, (13.45±3.46) scores. In the control group, VAS before operation and 1 week, 3 and 6 months after operation respectively were(7.11±5.26) scores, (3.82±0.68) scores, (1.94±0.88) scores, (1.36±0.52) scores, and ODI were(41.38±10.23) scores, (25.13±14.22) scores , (20.61±5.82) scores, (14.55±5.27) scores . The scores of VAS and ODI after operation were lower than those before operation (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Modified suspension reduction method combined with PVP surgery for osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures has achieved good clinical results, which can effectively relieve lumbar back pain, restore vertebral height, correct kyphosis, improve lumbar function and patients' quality of life.

Responses of microbial communities subjected to hydrodynamically induced disturbances in an organic contaminated site.

Organic contaminated sites have gained significant attention as a prominent contributor to shallow groundwater contamination. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the impact of hydrodynamic effects on microbially mediated contaminant degradation at such sites. In this study, we investigated the distribution characteristics and community structure of prokaryotic microorganisms at the selected site during both wet and dry seasons, with a particular focus on their environmental adaptations. The results revealed significant seasonal variations (P < 0.05) in the α-diversity of prokaryotes within groundwater. The dry season showed more exclusive OTUs than the wet season. The response of prokaryotic metabolism to organic pollution pressure in different seasons was explored by PICRUSt2, and enzymes associated with the degradation of organic pollutants were identified based on the predicted functions. The results showed that hormesis was considered as an adaptive response of microbial communities under pollution stress. In addition, structural equation models demonstrated that groundwater level fluctuations can, directly and indirectly, affect the abundance and diversity of prokaryotes through other factors such as oxidation reduction potential (ORP), dissolved oxygen (DO), and naphthalene (Nap). Overall, our findings imply that the taxonomic composition and functional properties of prokaryotes in groundwater in organic contaminated sites is influenced by the interaction between seasonal variations and characteristics of organic pollution. The results provide new insights into microbiological processes in groundwater systems in organic contaminated sites.

Enhanced Mechanical Properties, Corrosion Resistance, Cytocompatibility, Osteogenesis, and Antibacterial Performance of Biodegradable Mg-2Zn-0.5Ca-0.5Sr/Zr Alloys for Bone-Implant Application.

Magnesium (Mg) alloys are widely used in bone fixation and bone repair as biodegradable bone-implant materials. However, their clinical application is limited due to their fast corrosion rate and poor mechanical stability. Here, the development of Mg-2Zn-0.5Ca-0.5Sr (MZCS) and Mg-2Zn-0.5Ca-0.5Zr (MZCZ) alloys with improved mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, cytocompatibility, osteogenesis performance, and antibacterial capability is reported. The hot-extruded (HE) MZCZ sample exhibits the highest ultimate tensile strength of 255.8 ± 2.4 MPa and the highest yield strength of 208.4 ± 2.8 MPa and an elongation of 15.7 ± 0.5%. The HE MZCS sample shows the highest corrosion resistance, with the lowest corrosion current density of 0.2 ± 0.1 µA cm-2 and the lowest corrosion rate of 4 ± 2 µm per year obtained from electrochemical testing, and a degradation rate of 368 µm per year and hydrogen evolution rate of 0.83 ± 0.03 mL cm-2 per day obtained from immersion testing. The MZCZ sample shows the highest cell viability in relation to MC3T3-E1 cells among all alloy extracts, indicating good cytocompatibility except at 25% concentration. Furthermore, the MZCZ alloy shows good antibacterial capability against Staphylococcus aureus.

Effects of Clavien-Dindo Classification on Long-Term Survival of Patients With Advanced Gastric Cancer After Radical Resection: A Propensity Score-matched Study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of postoperative complications (POCs) classified by the Clavien-Dindo (C-D) system on long-term survival after radical resection in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC) is not yet clear. METHODS: This study analyzed 531 patients with AGC who underwent radical resection in an institution between January 2015 and December 2017. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the occurrence of POCs and recorded according to C-D classifications. The long-term survival outcomes of the entire cohort after propensity score matching (PSM) were compared. RESULTS: After PSM, there was no significant difference in baseline data between the complications (C) group (n = 92) and the non-complications (NC) group (n = 92). Survival analysis showed that the 5-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) were lower in the C group (48.9% vs 62.0%, P = .040; 38.5% vs 54.9%, P = .005; respectively). Subgroup analysis showed that severe complications (C-D grade > II) were associated with a decrease in 5-year OS and RFS compared with the matched NC group (40.0% vs 62.0%, P = .008; 29.4% vs 54.9%, P = .001; respectively). Multivariate analysis confirmed adjuvant chemotherapy, tumor size, and complications were independent risk factors for poor survival outcomes. Further multivariate analysis showed that older age, combined excision, and comorbidities were independent risk factors for POCs. CONCLUSIONS: Severe complications reduced the survival outcome of patients. More attention should be paid to perioperative management of patients with high risk factors for complications.

Manipulating the Solvation Structure and Interface via a Bio-Based Green Additive for Highly Stable Zn Metal Anode.

The practical application of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) is limited by serious side reactions, such as the hydrogen evolution reaction and Zn dendrite growth. Here, the study proposes a novel adoption of a biodegradable electrolyte additive, γ-Valerolactone (GVL), with only 1 vol.% addition (GVL-to-H2 O volume ratio) to enable a stable Zn metal anode. The combination of experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations verifies that the green GVL additive can competitively engage the solvated structure of Zn2+ via replacing a H2 O molecule from [Zn(H2 O)6 ]2+ , which can efficiently reduce the reactivity of water and inhibit the subsequent side reactions. Additionally, GVL molecules are preferentially adsorbed on the surface of Zn to regulate the uniform Zn deposition and suppress the Zn dendrite growth. Consequently, the Zn anode exhibits boosted stability with ultralong cycle lifespan (over 3500 h) and high reversibility with 99.69% Coulombic efficiency. The Zn||MnO2 full batteries with ZnSO4 -GVL electrolyte show a high capacity of 219 mAh g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 and improved capacity retention of 78% after 550 cycles. This work provides inspiration on bio-based electrolyte additives for aqueous battery chemistry and promotes the practical application of AZIBs.

Shaping the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution in soil: A machine learning and resistivity-based prediction method.

A new method relying on machine learning and resistivity to predict concentrations of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution in soil was proposed as a means of investigation and monitoring. Currently, determining pollutant concentrations in soil is primarily achieved through costly sampling and testing of numerous borehole samples, which carries the risk of further contamination by penetrating the aquifer. Additionally, conventional petroleum hydrocarbon geophysical surveys struggle to establish a correlation between survey results and pollutant concentration. To overcome these limitations, three machine learning models (KNN, RF, and XGBOOST) were combined with the geoelectrical method to predict petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in the source area. The results demonstrate that the resistivity-based prediction method utilizing machine learning is effective, as validated by R-squared values of 0.91 and 0.94 for the test and validation sets, respectively, and a root mean squared error of 0.19. Furthermore, this study confirmed the feasibility of the approach using actual site data, along with a discussion of its advantages and limitations, establishing it as an inexpensive option to investigate and monitor changes in petroleum hydrocarbon concentration in soil.

Volatilization behavior of diesel oil-water-glass bead system exposed to freeze-thaw cycles.

Volatilization plays an important role in the attenuation and redistribution of petroleum products in contaminated porous media. However, the volatilization behavior of petroleum products exposed to freeze-thaw cycles is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the volatilization behavior of diesel oil-water-glass bead systems under different freeze-thaw cycles. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) was used to quantitatively and spatially monitor the mass loss of the diesel oil-water-glass bead system during volatilization. The mechanism of the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on volatilization in the diesel oil-water-glass bead system was analyzed. The results show that the freeze-thaw cycles have a significant effect on the volatilization rate of diesel oil and water. As the number of freeze-thaw cycles increases, the volatilization rate of diesel oil shows an overall downward trend while the volatilization rate of water shows an overall upward trend. The volatilization loss of the liquids (both diesel oil and water) is mainly due to the volatilization loss of water, indicating that water is more volatile than diesel oil in the diesel oil-water system. The spatial distribution of the diesel oil signal monitored by LF-NMR showed that diesel oil volatilizes mainly in the upper layer of the sample, associating with the preferential volatilization loss in the large pores. The lumped parameter λ related to the characteristic volatilization length LV was introduced to characterize the volatilization rate of diesel oil and water with the increase of volatilization time. For a diesel oil-water-glass bead system exposed to freeze-thaw cycles, the 1/ LV of diesel oil decreases exponentially and rapidly with increasing volatilization time, while the 1/ LV of water decreases almost linearly and slowly with increasing volatilization time. This different dependence of 1/ LV on volatilization time leads to the individual volatilization behavior of diesel oil and water.

Pretreatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio as a prognostic factor and influence on dose-effect in fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for oligometastatic brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Background: Studies on the prognostic factors for patients with brain oligo-metastasis treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) usually focus on the size of metastatic tumor and radiation dose. Some inflammatory indicators have predictive value in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastasis receiving stereotactic radiotherapy. However, the prognostic value of inflammatory indicators in NSCLC patients with brain oligo-metastasis treated with FSRT, and their effect on radiotherapy dose is unknown. Methods: A total of 95 advanced NSCLC patients with brain oligo-metastasis who had undergone FSRT treatment at Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital between January 2015 and April 2022 were enrolled into the study. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), tumor diameter and biologically effective dose (BED10) were analyzed using Chi-square test. Univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were used to identify predictors of survival. Results: Tumor diameter (< 2 cm), BED10 (≥ 48Gy) and LMR (≥ 4) were found to be independently associated with good intracranial local control survival (i-LCS) through multivariate analysis. The median i-LCS was longer in patients with 2 independent risk factors (tumor diameter ≥ 2 and LMR < 4) administered with BED10 > 53.6Gy compared with patients administered with BED10 ≤ 53.6Gy (20.7 months vs 12.0 months, P = 0.042). LMR ≥ 4 (P = 0.019) and positivity for driver gene mutations (P = 0.011) were independently associated with better overall survival (OS). Conclusions: LMR is an independent prognostic factor of i-LCS and OS in NSCLC patients with brain oligo-metastasis treated with FSRT. Patients with tumor diameter ≥ 2 and LMR < 4 should be treated with BED10 greater than 53.6Gy.

A new method for assessment of electro-osmotic permeability through the integration of theoretical and experimental ion flux in electrokinetic processes.

Electrokinetic (EK) technology is promising for removing heavy metals from contaminated unsaturated soils. It is crucial to accurately determine the unsaturated electro-osmotic permeability for predicting the efficiency of EK treatment, optimizing treatment strategies, and accurately predicting the distribution of contaminant concentrations. However, the current approach of estimating unsaturated electro-osmotic permeability, which involves measuring effective voltage, drainage volume, and performing exponential fitting, fails to address the issue of uneven voltage gradient distribution during EK treatment. Herein, a novel method was presented for estimating the electro-osmotic permeability of unsaturated porous media. This method quantifies the electro-osmotic flow in an unsaturated porous medium by considering the difference in mass-transfer efficiency (MTE) between real (with electro-osmotic flow) and hypothetical cases (without electro-osmotic flow). This difference serves as a metric for estimating the electro-osmotic permeability. Results revealed a linear relationship between the electro-osmotic permeability and the product of volumetric moisture content and tortuosity, with the slope related to the ionic mobility of target ions, hypothetical and actual MTE. To validate this method, hexavalent Cr (Cr(VI)) was selected as the target contaminant and six EK experiments were conducted with varying initial volumetric moisture content. The feasibility of the method was evaluated by fitting the results of these experiments to obtain the specific slope of the porous medium used. Compared to the existing effective voltage-drainage volume-exponential fitting method, the proposed method offers several advantages. First, it effectively addressed the issue of nonuniform voltage distribution during EK treatment in the unsaturated porous medium. Second, it overcame the problem of a nonzero electro-osmotic permeability at zero volumetric moisture content in the exponential empirical formula. Third, the proposed method was based on theoretical derivations instead of relying solely on empirical fitting. Finally, the proposed method does not require a prior estimate of the saturated electro-osmotic permeability of the porous medium.

Metabolic perturbations in pregnant rats exposed to low-dose perfluorooctanesulfonic acid: An integrated multi-omics analysis.

Emerging epidemiological evidence has linked per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure could be linked to the disturbance of gestational glucolipid metabolism, but the toxicological mechanism is unclear, especially when the exposure is at a low level. This study examined the glucolipid metabolic changes in pregnant rats treated with relatively low dose perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) through oral gavage during pregnancy [gestational day (GD): 1-18]. We explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the metabolic perturbation. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and biochemical tests were performed to assess the glucose homeostasis and serum lipid profiles in pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats randomly assigned to starch, 0.03 and 0.3 mg/kg·bw·d groups. Transcriptome sequencing combined with non-targeted metabolomic assays were further performed to identify differentially altered genes and metabolites in the liver of maternal rats, and to determine their correlation with the maternal metabolic phenotypes. Results of transcriptome showed that differentially expressed genes at 0.03 and 0.3 mg/kg·bw·d PFOS exposure were related to several metabolic pathways, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) signaling, ovarian steroid synthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, insulin resistance, cholesterol metabolism, unsaturated fatty acid synthesis, bile acid secretion. The untargeted metabolomics identified 164 and 158 differential metabolites in 0.03 and 0.3 mg/kg·bw·d exposure groups, respectively under negative ion mode of Electrospray Ionization (ESI-), which could be enriched in metabolic pathways such as α-linolenic acid metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, glycerolipid metabolism, glucagon signaling pathway, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. Co-enrichment analysis indicated that PFOS exposure may disturb the metabolism pathways of glycerolipid, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, linoleic acid, steroid biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine. The key involved genes included down-regulated Ppp1r3c and Abcd2, and up-regulated Ogdhland Ppp1r3g, and the key metabolites such as increased glycerol 3-phosphate and lactosylceramide were further identified. Both of them were significantly associated with maternal fasting blood glucose (FBG) level. Our findings may provide mechanistic clues for clarifying metabolic toxicity of PFOS in human, especially for susceptible population such as pregnant women.

Zerumbone combined with gefitinib alleviates lung cancer cell growth through the AKT/STAT3/SLC7A11 axis.

Zerumbone had been verified as a potential anti-cancer agent. Our research aimed to investigate the effect of zerumbone combined with gefitinib in lung cancer. Human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells (HPAEpiC), A549, and H460 cell lines were used to detect the efficacy of zerumbone. BALB/c nude mice were randomly divided into five groups, including model, gefitinib (Gef, 10 mg/kg), low dose zerumbone (L-Zer, 20 mg/kg), high dose zerumbone (H-Zer, 40 mg/kg), and H-Zer + Gef groups, and the tumor growth in each group was monitored. TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL) was used to detect cell apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence, and western blot were used to analyze the protein expressions in tumor tissues. Glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MAD) were detected by special kits. Zerumbone inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells in vitro. Tumor volume and weight were reduced after gefitinib or zerumbone treatment. Gefitinib and zerumbone treatment significantly promoted the apoptosis of tumor cells. The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and P53 proteins confirmed cell apoptosis. IHC results indicated that zerumbone and gefitinib treatment decreased tumor angiogenesis. Consistent with this result, the expression of EGFR, VEGFR2, and Ki-67 proteins decreased, while the expression of angiostatin and endostatin proteins increased. Interestingly, zerumbone treatment increased the level of MDA while decreasing GSH. Next, the levels of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) decreased after zerumbone and gefitinib treatment. Our study suggested that zerumbone combined with gefitinib could effectively inhibit lung cancer for multi-model therapies, including the inhibition of tumor growth, angiogenesis, induce cell apoptosis, and ferroptosis.

Robot-assisted pericystectomy using Da Vinci Xi surgical system with indocyanine green fluorescence imaging for hepatic cystic echinococcosis.

OBJECT: The clinical efficacy of robot-assisted laparoscopic pericystectomy using the Da Vinci Xi surgical system plus indocyanine green（ICG） fluorescence imaging and the conventional laparotomy for en bloc pericystectomy was compared. METHODS: The clinical data of 7 patients treated by robot-assisted laparoscopic pericystectomy using the Da Vinci Xi surgical system plus ICG fluorescence imaging at our hospital between October 2019 and July 2021 and 15 patients treated by conventional laparotomy for en bloc pericystectomy were retrospectively analyzed. RESULT: Compared with the conventional laparotomy group, the intraoperative blood loss was reduced using the Da Vinci surgical system [(225.43 ± 44.75)ml: (521.33 ± 246.34) ml, P = 0.015]. The indwelling time of the urinary catheter was also shorter [2.86 ± 0.75)d: (3.87 ± 0.81)d, P = 0.012]. However, the total expense was increased significantly [(49.9 ± 3.7) thousand RMB: (28.7 ± 5.0) thousand RMB, P < 0.001]. The two groups of patients were not significantly different in operation time, time to flatulence after surgery, time to eat a liquid diet after surgery, length of hospital stay after surgery, time to drainage tube removal, and the incidence of postoperative complications (P = 0.899). Both two groups were followed up for 3-12 months after surgery. The patients were generally good without recurrence or intra-abdominal implantation. CONCLUSION: The Da Vinci Xi surgical system could be feasibly and safely applied to the robot-assisted laparoscopic pericystectomy plus ICG fluorescence imaging for Hepatic cystic echinococcosis(HCE). This procedure could effectively remove the hepatic hydatid cysts under the ICG fluorescence imaging with a higher resection rate, causing less trauma and fewer complications.

Acrylic Resin Filling Cell Lumen Enabled Laminated Poplar Veneer Lumber as Structural Building Material.

Wood is a viable alternative to traditional steel, cement, and concrete as a structural material for building applications, utilizing renewable resources and addressing the challenges of high energy consumption and environmental pollution in the construction industry. However, the vast supply of fast-growing poplar wood has bottlenecks in terms of low strength and dimensional stability, making it difficult to use as a structural material. An environmentally friendly acrylic resin system was designed and cured in this study to fill the poplar cell cavities, resulting in a new type of poplar laminated veneer lumber with improved mechanical strength and dimensional stability. The optimized acrylic resin system had a solid content of 25% and a curing agent content of 10% of the resin solid content. The cured filled poplar veneer gained 81.36% of its weight and had a density of 0.69 g/cm3. The static flexural strength and modulus of elasticity of the further prepared laminated veneer lumber were 123.12 MPa and 12,944.76 MPa, respectively, exceeding the highest flexural strength required for wood structural timber for construction (modulus of elasticity 12,500 MPa and static flexural strength 35 MPa). Its tensile strength, impact toughness, hardness, attrition value, water absorption, water absorption thickness expansion, and water absorption width expansion were 58.81%, 19.50%, 419.18%, 76.83%, 44.38%, 13.90%, and 37.60% higher than untreated laminated veneer lumber, demonstrating improved mechanical strength and dimensional stability, significantly. This method provides a novel approach to encouraging the use of low-value-added poplar wood in high-value-added structural building material applications.

Prognostic significance of systemic immune-inflammation index in patients with bladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Systemic Immune-inflammation Index (SII) has been shown to correlate with the prognosis of numerous malignancies, but researchers have not yet reached an agreed conclusion on bladder cancer. To fill the blank, we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the prognostic role of SII in the prognosis of bladder cancer. METHODS: After analyzing relevant literature published in PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web Science up to April 30, 2022, we collected 83 articles to assess the significance of SII levels in assessing the prognosis of bladder cancer patients, and finally, 11 articles were included in the study. The correlation between pre-treatment Systemic Immunoinflammatory Index levels and survival in bladder cancer patients was assessed using risk ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Our meta-analysis comprised 11 papers altogether, and the findings revealed that higher levels of pretreatment SII were significantly associated with poorer overall survival/cancer-specific survival/progression-free survival/recurrence-free survival in bladder cancer patients (pooled HR = 1.80; 95% CI, 1.28-2.51; pooled HR = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.14-2.47; pooled HR = 1.74; 95% CI, 1.25-2.42; pooled HR = 1.73; 95% CI, 1.26-2.39). The above result was also confirmed in the subgroup analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Higher SII levels were significantly connected with overall survival/cancer-specific survival/progression-free survival/recurrence-free survival rates in bladder cancer patients, suggesting that SII is an important predictor of prognosis in bladder cancer patients.

Health State Assessment of Industrial Equipment Driven by the Fusion of Digital Twin Model and Intelligent Algorithm.

Equipment health state assessment is of great significance to improve the efficiency of industrial equipment maintenance support and realize accurate support. Using the method driven by the fusion of digital twin model and intelligent algorithm can make the equipment health state assessment more suitable for the "accuracy" requirement of equipment support. Taking the neural network algorithm as an example, this paper studies the method of unit level health state assessment of equipment driven by the fusion of digital twin model and intelligent algorithm. The principle and opportunity of equipment health state assessment based on digital twin model are analyzed, the equipment health state grade is redefined from the data-driven perspective, the selection principles of assessment parameters are established, and the unit level health state assessment model of equipment based on digital twin model and neural network algorithm is established. The proposed method is implemented by programming with Python, and the effectiveness of the method is verified by a case study. It provides support for further research of equipment-level health state assessment and the decision-making of equipment maintenance and provides reference for the study of the combination of digital twin model and other intelligent algorithms for health state assessment.

Eplet matching in pediatric heart transplantation: The SickKids experience.

BACKGROUND: Epitope-based tissue matching may be superior to HLA antigen matching. We compared antigen to molecular-level HLA matching on outcomes following pediatric heart transplantation (HTx). METHODS: This is a retrospective, single centre cohort study (2013-2020). HLA antigen and eplet mismatch analyses were performed in HTx patients <18 years old. Primary endpoint was graft loss; secondary endpoints were rejection and cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). A multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to examine associations between eplet or antigen mismatching and outcomes. A logistic regression analysis was performed to examine associations between eplet or antigen mismatching and outcomes. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients (40% males) were included, with a median age at HTx 4.3 years [range 0.05-18]. Median HLA class I and II eplet mismatches were 10 (1-22) and 11 (1-23). Median class I and II antigen mismatches were 5 (1-6) and 4 (0-6). 9 patients (11.7%) died [median time 4 months (range 0.1-46)]. Eight (10.4%) patients developed AMR [median time 22 days (IQR = 168)]. Twenty-one patients (27.3%) had acute cellular rejection [median time 40 days (IQR = 85.5)]. In univariate analysis, patients with HLA Class II DPB eplet mismatches above the median for this cohort had an increased risk of graft loss (OR 5.3 [95%CI: 1.03-27.5], p = 0.039). HLA eplet mismatching was not associated with rejection; antigen mismatching was not associated with either graft loss or rejection. In multivariable analysis, patients with HLA Class II DPB eplet mismatches above the median had an increased risk of graft loss (HR 8.14 [95% CI: 1.26-49], p = 0.02). HLA eplet mismatching was not associated with rejection; antigen mismatching was not associated with graft loss or rejection. A logistic regression analysis including 'number of HLA Class II DPB eplet mismatches' correctly predicted 95.8% of the outcomes. CONCLUSION: In our cohort of pediatric heart transplant recipients, the number of HLA Class II DPB eplet mismatches was associated with graft loss. Molecular-level HLA matching is an emerging tool for graft loss risk stratification, but further study is required.