How China anesthesiologists document and communicate difficult airway management.

BACKGROUND: According to the Chinese Society of Anesthesiology, it is recommended that patients with difficult airways be documented and notified, which will provide healthcare professionals with a direct reference when managing airways. However, compliance with this initiative remains unclear. This study was conducted to investigate the current status and need for difficult airway notification at Plastic Surgery Hospital and to explore the factors contributing to noncompliance. METHODS: Anesthesiologists, surgeons, and patients in Plastic Surgery Hospital were administered separate questionnaires regarding notification of difficult airway management. Participants were surveyed regarding their attitudes and current practices regarding difficult airway notification. In addition, questions were asked regarding the barriers that contribute to noncompliance. RESULTS: A total of 632 valid responses were obtained and analyzed, giving a response rate of 99.21%. 399 patients (89.46%) felt it was very important for anesthesiologists to inform them about their difficult airway, and 91.03% felt it was very important for them to receive a letter of their airway assessment. However, twenty-two anesthesiologists (64.7%) reported verbally informing less than 50% of patients about their difficult airway after surgery, and only four anesthesiologists informed all patients they encountered. Most surgeons (91.22%) and anesthesiologists (91.18%) believe that it is vital to inform patients verbally, while 114 surgeons (77.03%) and 31 anesthesiologists (91.18%) believe that it is essential to complete a difficult airway notification alert. Among the factors causing noncompliance, 17 (34.69%) believed that absence of mandatory rules, 9 (18.37%) believed that increased workload, and 8 (16.33%) believed that notification methods were lacking. CONCLUSIONS: The compliance to difficult airway notification remains low in Plastic Surgery Hospital despite the high incidence of difficult airways. Although anesthesiologists, surgeons, and patients are strongly in favor of it. Among the barriers to compliance were the absence of a well-developed notification system and a means of notification such as an alert form for difficult airways. This may spur the anesthesiology society to publish the notification system.

Preliminary evaluation of SaCoVLM video laryngeal mask-guided intubation in airway management for anesthetized children.

BACKGROUNDS: To preliminary evaluate the application of novel SaCoVLM video laryngeal mask -guided intubation for anesthetized children. METHODS: One hundred twenty-four children with microtia (ages 5-15 years,) who required general intubation anaesthesia, were enrolled in the study. After induction of general anesthesia,guided tracheal intubation under direct vision of the SaCoVLM was performed. Our primary outcome was first-pass success rate of guided tracheal tube placement. Secondary outcome included glottic visualization grades, the first-attempt success rate of LMA placement, the time for LMA placement and time to endotracheal intubation as well as the time for LMA removal after successful intubation, the fiberoptic grade of laryngeal view, the baseline and postinduction hemodynamic parameters were also recorded,and the incidence 24 h complications after operation. RESULTS: The first-pass success rate of guided tracheal tube placement was 91.1% (95%CI = 1.04-1.14), the status of glottic visualization was classified: grade 1 in 27cases, grade 2 in 36 cases, grade 3 in 41 cases and grade 4 in 20 cases. The first success rate of LMA placement was 92.7% (95%CI = 1.03-1.13), the time for LMA insertion was 15.7 (±9.1) s, intubation time was 30.9 (±17.6) s and withdrawl time was 24.9 (±9.3) s. The incidence of postoperative sore throat at 2 h was 29%, and 16.1% at 24 h, without dysphagia and hypoxia. CONCLUSION: The SaCoVLM video laryngeal mask-guided intubation is feasible in children, with a high success rate, could be a new promising device to guide intubation in airway management. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was approved by the University's Institutional Review Board and written informed consent was obtained from all subjects participating in the trial. The trial was registered prior to patient enrollment at clinicaltrials.gov (ChiCTR2200061481, http://www.chictr.org.cn . Principal investigator: Juan Zhi; Date of registration: 26/06/2022.

[Research Progress in Adjacent Anatomical Structure and Location of Cricothyroid Membrane].

Cricothyroid membrane puncture and incision,the key techniques to save the lives of the patients in the Can't Intubate,Can't Oxygenate (CICO) emergency,need to be mastered by all the airway management staff.However,the decision to carry out cricothyroid membrane puncture or incision is often delayed due to the unfamiliarity with the adjacent anatomical structure of the cricothyroid membrane and the inability to accurately locate the cricothyroid membrane.As a result,serious complications and rescue failure occur.Therefore,airway management staff should be familiar with the adjacent structure and positioning methods of the cricothyroid membrane,so as to improve the success rate of emergency airway rescue,reduce complications,and protect the airway and life safety of the patients.

Dexmedetomidine reduces IL-4 and IgE expression through downregulation of theTLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway to alleviate airway hyperresponsiveness in OVA mice.

BACKGROUND: Airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is a clinical manifestation of airflow limitation due to abnormal tracheal and bronchial sensitivity and is the main basis for the diagnosis of asthma. Patients with AHR are at high risk of perioperative tracheal and bronchospasm, which can lead to hypoxaemia and haemodynamic instability and, in severe cases, to a life-threatening 'silent lung'. It is therefore important to reduce the incidence or intensity of AHR episodes in the perioperative period. The inflammatory response is key to the development and progression of AHR. HYPOTHESIS/PURPOSE: Based on the modulatory role of dexmedetomidine (DEX) in the inflammatory response, we hypothesised that dexmedetomidine (DEX) attenuates inflammatory properties by inhibiting the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor (NF-κB) signalling pathway and can reduce the respiratory parameters of mechanical ventilation in ovalbumin-induced allergic airway hyperresponsiveness. STUDY DESIGN: BABL/C mice were divided into control and OVA groups (ovalbumin-induced allergy. Ten mice in all OVA models were randomly selected for in vivo invasive lung function monitoring to analyse airway resistance parameters and demonstrate successful model establishment. The remaining OVA mice were treated with dexmedetomidine 25 µg/kg for 5 days (OVA + DEX group) or dexmedetomidine 25 µg/kg + yohimbine 1 mg/kg for 5 days (OVA + DEX + yohimbine). After treatment, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) and peripheral blood (ELISA) and lung tissue (H&E and PAS) were collected for analysis of inflammatory factors, and lung tissue was verified by PCR for genes and proteins that do correlate with inflammatory mediators. RESULTS: All airway resistance parameters were increased in OVA mice by invasive lung function monitoring. Proximal airway resistance (parameter Rn) and total respiratory resistance (parameter Rrs) were attenuated after dexmedetomidine intervention treatment. Dexmedetomidine reduced total inflammatory cell count and inflammatory infiltration of lung tissue in BALF and down-regulated IL-4 and IgE levels in BALF and peripheral blood, as shown by Giemsa, H&E, PAS staining and ELISA; this mechanism of action was found to be related to the TLR4/NFκB pathway, but not to TLR4/NFκB, as measured by PCR. CONCLUSION: Dexmedetomidine reduces hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammatory responses. This mechanism of action may be related to the TLR4/NFκB signalling pathway. Overall conclusions are presented in.

Instantly Detecting Catalysts' Hot Spots Temperature In Situ during Photocatalysis by Operando Raman Spectroscopy.

Precisely detecting the catalysts' hot spots temperature in situ instantly during photocatalysis is a great challenge but extremely important for chemical reactions. However, no efficient method has been developed to instantly detect the hot spots temperature in situ during photocatalysis. Herein, we designed a simple and convenient method to measure the instant hot spots temperature in situ on the nanostructure surface during photocatalysis by operando Raman spectroscopy using 4-methoxyphenyl isocyanide (MI) as the probe molecule. The νN≡C frequency of MI varied linearly with temperature, which is caused by the orientation change of the MI induced by temperature, leading to the change in the frequency of the νN≡C bond that directly interacts with the nanostructure surface. Using in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), the surface temperature of the catalysts illuminating for each time can be measured instantly. Interestingly, the catalytic activity of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for the Au-Ag/Ag2S heterojunction nanorods (HJNRs) are higher than that for the Ag-Au-Ag HJNRs, although they have a lower surface temperature during photocatalysis; therefore, hot carriers and electronic structure contributed more to the catalytic activity of the Au-Ag/Ag2S HJNRs than that of the Ag-Au-Ag HJNRs. Such an instant hot spots temperature detecting method of catalysts can greatly facilitate the analysis of the mechanism of catalytic processes.

The Design and Manufacturing Process of an Electrolyte-Free Liquid Metal Frequency-Reconfigurable Antenna.

This communication provides an integrated process route of smelting gallium-based liquid metal (GBLM) in a high vacuum, and injecting GBLM into the antenna channel in high-pressure protective gas, which avoids the oxidation of GBLM during smelting and filling. Then, a frequency-reconfigurable antenna, utilizing the thermal expansion characteristic of GBLM, is proposed. To drive GBLM into an air-proof space, the thermal expansion characteristics of GBLM are required. The dimensions of the radiating element of the liquid metal antenna can be adjusted at different temperatures, resulting in the reconfigurability of the operating frequency. To validate the proposed concept, an L-band antenna prototype was fabricated and measured. Experimental results demonstrate that the GBLM in the antenna was well filled, and the GBLM was not oxidized. Due to the GBLM being in an air-proof channel, the designed liquid metal antenna without electrolytes could be used in an air environment for a long time. The antenna is able to achieve an effective bandwidth of over 1.25-2.00 GHz between 25 °C and 100 °C. The maximum radiation efficiency and gain in the tunable range are 94% and 2.9 dBi, respectively. The designed antenna also provides a new approach to the fabrication of a temperature sensor that detects temperature in some situations that are challenging for conventional temperature sensing technology.

A low-grade malignant soft tissue tumor with S100 and CD34 co-expression showing novel CDC42SE2-BRAF fusion with distinct features.

Recently, a novel group of spindle cell tumors defined by S100 and CD34 co-expression harboring recurrent fusions involving RET, RAF1, BRAF, and NTRK1/2 gene has been identified. Morphologically, they are characterized by monomorphic neoplasm cells, "patternless" growth pattern, stromal, and perivascular hyalinization, lacked necrosis. We reported a 52-year-old Chinese female patient with a S100 and CD34 co-expression sarcoma presenting in the right proximal forearm. The forearm mass initially emerged 19 months ago when it was misdiagnosed as a solitary fibrous tumor and was surgically removed without further treatment. Microscopically, the primary and the recurred tumors share the same features, resembling the morphology of the recently characterized group. Nevertheless, some distinct features, such as predominantly epithelioid tumor cells and focally staghorn vessels, were also present in our case. Genomic profiling with clinical next-generation sequencing was performed and revealed CDC42SE2-BRAF gene fusion, MET amplification, and CDKN2A/B deletion. Both FISH and nested RT-PCR were performed to confirm the gene fusion. The patient was treated with crizotinib for two cycles but showed no obvious benefit. The presented case adds to the spectrum of the novel, characterized solid tumors, and provides suggestions for emerging therapeutic strategies for precision medicine involving targeted kinase inhibitors.

Cloning, Yeast Expression, and Characterization of a ß-Amyrin C-28 Oxidase (CYP716A249) Involved in Triterpenoid Biosynthesis in Polygala tenuifolia.

Polygala tenuifolia Willd. is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine that is widely used in treating nervous system disorders. Triterpene saponins in P. tenuifolia (polygala saponins) have excellent biological activity. As a precursor for the synthesis of presenegin, oleanolic acid (OA) plays an important role in the biosynthesis of polygala saponins. However, the mechanism behind the biosynthesis of polygala saponins remains to be elucidated. In this study, we found that CYP716A249 (GenBank: ASB17946) oxidized the C-28 position of ß-amyrin to produce OA. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we observed that CYP716A249 had the highest expression in the roots of 2-year-old P. tenuifolia, which provided a basis for the selection of samples for gene cloning. To identify the function of CYP716A249, the strain R-BE-20 was constructed by expressing ß-amyrin synthase in yeast. Then, CYP716A249 was co-expressed with ß-amyrin synthase to construct the strain R-BPE-20 by using the lithium acetate method. Finally, we detected ß-amyrin and OA by ultra-HPLC-Q Exactive hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry and GC-MS. The results of this study provide insights into the biosynthesis pathway of polygala saponins.

[Bacteriologic profile and drug resistance in children with respiratory infection from 2016 to 2018].

OBJECTIVE: To study the bacteriologic profile and drug resistance of respiratory infection in children, and to provide a basis for etiological diagnosis and rational use of antimicrobial agents. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 15 047 children who attended the hospital due to respiratory infection from January 2016 to December 2018. Their sputum samples were collected, and the Phoenix-100 automatic microbial identification system was used for the identification and drug sensitivity analysis of the isolated pathogenic bacteria. RESULTS: Of all 17 174 sputum samples detected, there were 2 395 positive samples, with a positive rate of 13.95%; a total of 2 584 strains of pathogenic bacteria were isolated, among which there were 1 577 (61.03%) Gram-negative strains, 967 (37.42%) Gram-positive strains, and 40 (1.55%) fungal strains. The most common pathogen was Haemophilus influenzae (33.90%), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae (33.55%), Moraxella catarrhalis (19.20%), and Staphylococcus aureus (3.64%). Among the 2 331 children with positive infection, 251 had mixed infection, most commonly with Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The detection rate of pathogenic bacteria was higher in winter and spring and lower in summer and autumn. There was a significant difference in the detection rate of pathogenic bacteria between different age groups (P<0.05), with the highest detection rate in infants aged 1 month to <1 year. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus had a sensitivity rate of 100% to vancomycin, linezolid, and teicoplanin, and Haemophilus influenzae had a lower sensitivity rate to ampicillin, compound sulfamethoxazole and cefuroxime and a higher sensitivity rate to other drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Moraxella catarrhalis are the main pathogenic bacteria of respiratory infection in children, and mixed infection is the most common type of infection. The detection rate of pathogenic bacteria varies across seasons and ages. Different pathogenic bacteria have different features of drug resistance, and antibiotics should be selected based on drug sensitivity results.

Tannic acid functionalized graphene hydrogel for organic dye adsorption.

Water purification provides a feasible way to relieve the pressure of water shortage and water pollution which we are facing and adsorption is one of the most effective ways to turn polluted water into clean water. Here, we prepared graphene-tannic acid hydrogel using graphene oxide and tannic acid, a natural green reducer and adsorbent, through one-step hydrothermal method. The composition, structure, and morphology of the compounds were systematically examined. The adsorption of dyes was mainly influenced by the morphology and chemical properties of gel. The addition of tannic acid, a molecule rich in oxygen containing functional groups, changed the surface chemistry of graphene sheets and microstructures of gels, which was beneficial for contaminate adsorption. Compared with reduced graphene oxide hydrogel, the graphene-tannic acid hydrogel showed an outstanding adsorption capacity for organic dye methylene blue, more than 500 mg/g at pH 10 and the maximum adsorption capacity was up to 714 mg/g. After adsorption, ethanol and inorganic acid solution can be used as desorption agent and there was no significant adsorption capacity loss after 5 cycles.

Identification of Genes Involved in Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Sophora japonica Through Transcriptome Sequencing.

Sophora japonica is a traditional Chinese medicinal ingredient that is widely used in the medicine, food, and industrial dye industries. Since flavonoids are the main components of S. japonica, studying the flavonoid composition and content of this plant is important. This study aimed to identify molecules involved in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathways in S. japonica. Deep sequencing was performed, and 85,877,352 clean reads were filtered from 86,095,152 raw reads. The clean reads were spliced to obtain 111,382 unigenes, which were then annotated with NR, GO, KEGG, eggNOG. Differential expression analysis and NR function prediction revealed 18 differentially expressed unigenes associated with 13 enzymes in flavonoid biosynthetic pathways. Our results reveal new insights on secondary metabolite biosynthesis-related genes in S. japonica and enhance the potential applications of S. japonica in genetic engineering.

Chemoradiotherapy plus tislelizumab for mismatch repair proficient rectal cancer with supraclavicular lymph node metastasis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: According to the latest report, colorectal cancer is still one of the most prevalent cancers, with the third highest incidence and mortality worldwide. Treatment of advanced rectal cancer with distant metastases is usually unsatisfactory, especially for mismatch repair proficient (pMMR) rectal cancer, which leads to poor prognosis and recurrence. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of a pMMR rectal adenocarcinoma with metastases of multiple lymph nodes, including the left supraclavicular lymph node, before treatment in a 70-year-old man. He received full courses of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by 4 cycles of programmed death 1 inhibitor Tislelizumab, and a pathologic complete response (pCR) was achieved, and the lesion of the left supraclavicular lymph node also disappeared. CONCLUSION: pMMR advanced rectal cancer with preserved intact distant metastatic lymph nodes may benefit from full-course CRT combined with immunotherapy.

The role of N-acetylcysteine on adhesion and biofilm formation of Candida parapsilosis isolated from catheter-related candidemia.

Objectives. Anti-fungal agents are increasingly becoming less effective due to the development of resistance. In addition, it is difficult to treat Candida organisms that form biofilms due to a lack of ability of drugs to penetrate the biofilms. We are attempting to assess the effect of a new therapeutic agent, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), on adhesion and biofilm formation in Candida parapsilosis clinical strains. Meanwhile, to detect the transcription level changes of adhesion and biofilm formation-associated genes (CpALS6, CpALS7, CpEFG1 and CpBCR1) when administrated with NAC in C. parapsilosis strains, furthermore, to explore the mechanism of drug interference on biofilms.Hypothesis/Gap statement. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) exhibits certain inhibitory effects on adhesion and biofilm formation in C. parapsilosis clinical strains from CRBSIs through: (1) down-regulating the expression of the CpEFG1 gene, making it a highly potential candidate for the treatment of C. parapsilosis catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs), (2) regulating the metabolism and biofilm -forming factors of cell structure.Methods. To determine whether non-antifungal agents can exhibit inhibitory effects on adhesion, amounts of total biofilm formation and metabolic activities of C. parapsilosis isolates from candidemia patients, NAC was added to the yeast suspensions at different concentrations, respectively. Reverse transcription was used to detect the transcriptional levels of adhesion-related genes (CpALS6 and CpALS7) and biofilm formation-related factors (CpEFG1 and CpBCR1) in the BCR1 knockout strain, CP7 and CP5 clinical strains in the presence of NAC. To further explore the mechanism of NAC on the biofilms of C. parapsilosis, RNA sequencing was used to calculate gene expression, comparing the differences among samples. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis helps to illustrate the difference between two particular samples on functional levels.Results. A high concentration of NAC reduces the total amount of biofilm formation in C. parapsilosis. Following co-incubation with NAC, the expression of CpEFG1 in both CP7 and CP5 clinical strains decreased, while there were no significant changes in the transcriptional levels of CpBCR1 compared with the untreated strain. GO enrichment analysis showed that the metabolism and biofilm-forming factors of cell structure were all regulated after NAC intervention.Conclusions. The non-antifungal agent NAC exhibits certain inhibitory effects on clinical isolate biofilm formation by down-regulating the expression of the CpEFG1 gene, making it a highly potential candidate for the treatment of C. parapsilosis catheter-related bloodstream infections.

Pulmonary sequestration associated with pulmonary actinomycosis: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Pulmonary sequestration (PS), a rare pulmonary disease, arises from congenital pulmonary vascular dysplasia. Meanwhile, pulmonary actinomycosis is a purulent infection of lung lesions triggered by the inhalation of actinomycetes, which is also uncommon. Even rarer is the occurrence of pulmonary actinomycete infection secondary to PS. Herein, we present a case report of such a rare occurrence. PATIENT CONCERNS: The 21-year-old female patient had been erroneously diagnosed with pneumonia and tuberculosis, presenting symptoms of cough, sputum, and hemoptysis; however, the implemented anti-infection and antituberculosis treatments proved to be ineffective. DIAGNOSES: The diagnosis of the sequestration in the right lower lung was confirmed through an enhanced chest CT scan and a 3-dimensional reconstruction of the pulmonary vessels. INTERVENTIONS: During the surgical video-assisted thoracoscopic resection of the right lower lobe lesion, it was discovered that the isolated lung tissue's blood supply vessel originated from the thoracic aorta. Additionally, the pathological examination revealed that the lung tissue of the right lower lobe lesion was infected with pulmonary actinomycetes. OUTCOMES: Following thorough evaluation, the patient received a final diagnosis of pulmonary actinomycete infection that occurred secondary to right lower lung sequestration. Consequently, they underwent treatment consisting of high-dose penicillin administered for a period of 6 months post-operation. Over the course of the subsequent 23-month follow-up, no recurrence of the infection or abnormal CT scan findings were observed. LESSONS: Pulmonary sequestration bears clinical resemblance to pulmonary actinomycetes. In cases where recurrent episodes of pneumonia occur at the same location, and chest imaging indicates persistent lesions in the basal segment of the lower lobe near the spine, the possibility of PS should be considered. Prompt chest-enhanced CT and 3-dimensional reconstruction of pulmonary vessels are crucial for a definitive diagnosis. Imaging findings such as mass-like consolidation, cystic lesions, liquefactive necrosis, and pneumonia-like changes, coupled with typical air suspension signs and sulfur-like particles visible under tracheoscopy, suggest a potential pulmonary actinomycete infection. Timely biopsy is essential to confirm the diagnosis and prevent missed or incorrect diagnoses.

Pan-immune-inflammation value as a prognostic biomarker for colon cancer and its variation by primary tumor location.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of research indicates significant differences between left-sided colon cancers (LCC) and right-sided colon cancers (RCC). Pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) is a systemic immune response marker that can predict the prognosis of patients with colon cancer. However, the specific distinction between PIV of LCC and RCC remains unclear. AIM: To investigate the prognostic and clinical significance of PIV in LCC and RCC patients. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1510 patients with colon cancer, comprising 801 with LCC and 709 with RCC. We used generalized lifting regression analysis to evaluate the relative impact of PIV on disease-free survival (DFS) in these patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis, as well as univariate and multivariate analyses, were used to examine the risk factors for DFS. The correlation between PIV and the clinical characteristics was statistically analyzed in these patients. RESULTS: A total of 1510 patients {872 female patients (58%); median age 63 years [interquartile ranges (IQR): 54-71]; patients with LCC 801 (53%); median follow-up 44.17 months (IQR 29.67-62.32)} were identified. PIV was significantly higher in patients with RCC [median (IQR): 214.34 (121.78-386.72) vs 175.87 (111.92-286.84), P < 0.001]. After propensity score matching, no difference in PIV was observed between patients with LCC and RCC [median (IQR): 182.42 (111.88-297.65) vs 189.45 (109.44-316.02); P = 0.987]. PIV thresholds for DFS were 227.84 in LCC and 145.99 in RCC. High PIV (> 227.84) was associated with worse DFS in LCC [PIV-high: Adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 2.39; 95% confidence interval: 1.70-3.38; P < 0.001] but not in RCC (PIV-high: aHR = 0.72; 95% confidence interval: 0.48-1.08; P = 0.114). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that PIV may predict recurrence in patients with LCC but not RCC, underscoring the importance of tumor location when using PIV as a colon cancer biomarker.

Prognostic value of CD247 in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: bioinformatic analysis of TCGA database.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) is the 7th most common type of cancer in the world. Through the advantages of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) large-scale sequencing-based genome analysis technology, we can explore the potential molecular mechanisms that can improve the prognosis of HNSC patients. Methods: The HNSC transcriptome and clinical data were downloaded from TCGA database. A univariate survival analysis and differential expression analysis were conducted to obtain the intersection gene set. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis, modular analysis, and Gene Ontology (GO)/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analysis were then conducted to identify the hub genes. Clinical correlation analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed on the identified hub genes to determine the prognostic impact of hub genes on HNSC patients. Results: In total, 601 intersecting gene sets were obtained. A modular analysis was conducted, and the highest scoring module was 19.304. Based on the GO/KEGG enrichment analysis results, CD247 molecule (CD247) was ultimately selected as the gene for this study. The CD247 were divided into a high-expression group and a low-expression group. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the 2 groups (P<0.0001). The median survival time of the low-expression CD247 group was 30.9 months, and the 5-year survival rate was 36.4%. While the median survival time of the high-expression CD247 group was 68.8 months, and the 5-year survival rate was 52.3%. The clinical correlation analysis showed that CD247 was significantly negatively correlated with pathological tumor stage (pT) and pathological nodal extracapsular spread. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) showed that CD247 activating KEGG pathway hsa04650 and hsa04660. Conclusions: CD247 is an independent protective factor in the prognosis of HNSC patients. By activating the hsa04650 and hsa04660 pathways, the expression of interferon gamma, interleukin (IL)-2, and IL-10 is promoted, which in turn improves the tumor immune monitoring ability of the body, induces tumor cell apoptosis, and inhibits tumor cell growth. CD247 is a potential target for improving the clinical treatment effect of HNSC and the prognosis of patients.

A U-Shaped Dual-Frequency-Reconfigurable Monopole Antenna Based on Liquid Metal.

This study presents a U-shaped dual-frequency-reconfigurable liquid-metal monopole antenna. Eutectic Gallium-Indium (EGaIn) was used as a conductive fluid and filled in the two branches of the U-shaped glass tube. A precision syringe pump was connected to one of the branches of the U-shaped tube by a silicone tube to drive EGaIn, forming a height difference between the two liquid levels. When the height of liquid metal in the two branches met the initial condition of L1 = L2 = 10 mm, and L1 increased from 10 mm to 18 mm, the two branches obtained two working bandwidths of 2.27-4.98 GHz and 2.71-8.58 GHz, respectively. The maximum peak gain was 4.00 dBi. The initial amount of EGaIn also affected the available operating bandwidth. When the liquid metal was perfused according to the initial condition: L1 = L2 = 12 mm, and L1 was adjusted within the range of 12-20 mm, the two branches had the corresponding working bandwidths of 2.18-4.32 GHz and 2.57-9.09 GHz, and the measured maximum peak gain was 3.72 dBi. The simulation and measurement data corresponded well. A series of dual-frequency-reconfigurable antennas can be obtained by changing the initial amount of EGaIn. This series of antennas may have broad application prospects in fields such as base stations and navigation.

A Gravity-Triggered Liquid Metal Patch Antenna with Reconfigurable Frequency.

In this paper, a gravity-triggered liquid metal microstrip patch antenna with reconfigurable frequency is proposed with experimental verification. In this work, the substrate of the antenna is quickly obtained through three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. Non-toxic EGaIn alloy is filled into the resin substrate as a radiation patch, and the NaOH solution is used to remove the oxide film of EGaIn. In this configuration, the liquid metal inside the antenna can be flexibly flowed and deformed with different rotation angles due to the gravity to realize different working states. To validate the conception, the reflection coefficients and radiation patterns of the prototyped antenna are then measured, from which it can be observed that the measured results closely follow the simulations. The antenna can obtain a wide operating bandwidth of 3.69-4.95 GHz, which coverage over a range of frequencies suitable for various channels of the 5th generation (5G) mobile networks. The principle of gravitational driving can be applied to the design of reconfigurable antennas for other types of liquid metals.

Tumour heterogeneity and intercellular networks of nasopharyngeal carcinoma at single cell resolution.

The heterogeneous nature of tumour microenvironment (TME) underlying diverse treatment responses remains unclear in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Here, we profile 176,447 cells from 10 NPC tumour-blood pairs, using single-cell transcriptome coupled with T cell receptor sequencing. Our analyses reveal 53 cell subtypes, including tumour-infiltrating CD8+ T, regulatory T (Treg), and dendritic cells (DCs), as well as malignant cells with different Epstein-Barr virus infection status. Trajectory analyses reveal exhausted CD8+ T and immune-suppressive TNFRSF4+ Treg cells in tumours might derive from peripheral CX3CR1+CD8+ T and naïve Treg cells, respectively. Moreover, we identify immune-regulatory and tolerogenic LAMP3+ DCs. Noteworthily, we observe intensive inter-cell interactions among LAMP3+ DCs, Treg, exhausted CD8+ T, and malignant cells, suggesting potential cross-talks to foster an immune-suppressive niche for the TME. Collectively, our study uncovers the heterogeneity and interacting molecules of the TME in NPC at single-cell resolution, which provide insights into the mechanisms underlying NPC progression and the development of precise therapies for NPC.

[Construction of expression vector of ALAg and immune protection of its recombinant protein induced in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the candidate genes for engineering vaccine of Ascaris lumbricoides. METHODS: pMD18-T-ALAg and plasmid expression vector pET-28a(+) were digested with BamH I and EcoR I and linked to each other. The resultant plasmid pET-28a(+)-ALAg was transferred into E. coli BL21 (DE3) and its expression was induced with IPTG, and the recombinant ALAg(rALAg) was purified. A total of 30 mice were equally divided into 3 groups, the mice in each group were injected with rALAg-FCA, FCA and PBS respectively, then they were attacked by infectious eggs of Ascaris (3 600 per mouse). The IgG levels in sera of mice in each group were detected by indirect ELASA. RESULTS: rALAg was recognized by the sera from repeatedly Ascaris lumbricoides inoculated rabbits. The numbers of larvae of Ascaris lumbricoides from liver and lung of mice were 25.30 +/- 4.55 in the rALAg-FCA group and 57.60 +/- 5.76 in the PBS group, respectively, the former being the reducing rate of 69.26%, and the difference among the 3 groups showed statistical significances (P < 0.01). The IgG levels (A450 value) of the rALAg-FCA, FCA and PBS groups were 0.858 +/- 0.003, 0.149 +/- 0.004 and 0.134 +/- 0.004, respectively, there were statistical differences among them (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: ALAg can be used as a candidate gene of genetic engineering vaccine of Ascaris lumbricoides.