Preoperative carbohydrate loading and intraoperative goal-directed fluid therapy for elderly patients undergoing open gastrointestinal surgery: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The effect of a combination of a goal-directed fluid protocol and preoperative carbohydrate loading on postoperative complications in elderly patients still remains unknown. Therefore, we designed this trial to evaluate the relative impact of preoperative carbohydrate loading and intraoperative goal-directed fluid therapy versus conventional fluid therapy (CFT) on clinical outcomes in elderly patients following gastrointestinal surgery. METHODS: This prospective randomized controlled trial with 120 patients over 65 years undergoing gastrointestinal surgery were randomized into a CFT group (n = 60) with traditional methods of fasting and water-deprivation, and a GDFT group (n = 60) with carbohydrate (200 ml) loading 2 h before surgery. The CFT group underwent routine monitoring during surgery, however, the GDFT group was conducted by a Vigileo/FloTrac monitor with cardiac index (CI), stroke volume variation (SVV), and mean arterial pressure (MAP). For all patients, demographic data, intraoperative parameters and postoperative outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Patients in the GDFT group received significantly less crystalloids fluid (1111 ± 442.9 ml vs 1411 ± 412.6 ml; p < 0.001) and produced significantly less urine output (200 ml [150-300] vs 400 ml [290-500]; p < 0.001) as compared to the CFT group. Moreover, GDFT was associated with a shorter average time to first flatus (56 ± 14.1 h vs 64 ± 22.3 h; p = 0.002) and oral intake (72 ± 16.9 h vs 85 ± 26.8 h; p = 0.011), as well as a reduction in the rate of postoperative complications (15 (25.0%) vs 29 (48.3%) patients; p = 0.013). However, postoperative hospitalization or hospitalization expenses were similar between groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Focused on elderly patients undergoing open gastrointestinal surgery, we found perioperative fluid optimisation may be associated with improvement of bowel function and a lower incidence of postoperative complications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR, ChiCTR1800018227 . Registered 6 September 2018 - Retrospectively registered.

The significance of PA28γ and U2AF1 in oral mucosal carcinogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: Proteasome activator 28γ (PA28γ) upregulation plays a critical role in the carcinogenesis of many malignancies, including oral cancer. We aim to screen the related genes of PA28γ and investigate their function in oral mucosa carcinogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis was performed to screen the related genes of PA28γ. Immunohistochemical analysis was carried out to validate their correlation in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and detect their expression levels in the whole process of oral mucosa carcinogenesis. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for estimating the overall survival, and the Cox models were constructed to predict the prognosis. RESULTS: U2 small nuclear RNA auxiliary factor 1 (U2AF1) was screened out, and the correlation between U2AF1 and PA28γ was further validated in OSCC. The expression levels of PA28γ and U2AF1 were gradually increased from normal to oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) to OSCC tissues. Overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with high U2AF1 expression and the combined application of U2AF1 and PA28γ notably improved the accuracy of prognosis prediction. CONCLUSION: U2AF1 and PA28γ might play pivotal roles in the progression of OPMD, which may provide insights into the development of new therapeutic strategies to prevent OPMD from becoming malignant.

Intraoperative Implantation of Temporary Endocardial Pacing Catheter During Thoracoscopic Redo Tricuspid Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The placement of a temporary epicardial pacing wire is a challenge during a minimally invasive redo cardiac operation. The aim of this study is to assess the application of temporary endocardial pacing in patients who underwent minimally invasive redo tricuspid surgery. METHODS: Perioperative data of consecutive patients who underwent thoracoscopic redo tricuspid surgery were collected. All the tricuspid surgeries and combined procedures were performed under peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass without aortic cross-clamping. A sheath was introduced into the right jugular vein beside the percutaneous superior vena cava cannula and a temporary endocardial pacing catheter was guided into the right ventricle via the sheath prior to the right atrial closure. The pacemaker was connected and run as needed during or after operation. RESULTS: A total of 33 patients who underwent thoracoscopic redo tricuspid surgery were enrolled. Symptomatic tricuspid valve regurgitation (93.9%) and tricuspid valvular prosthesis obstruction (6.1%) after previous cardiac operations were noted as indications for a redo surgery. The mean time from previous cardiac operation to this time redo surgery was 13.3±6.4years. Isolated tricuspid valve replacement was performed in 18 patients (54.5%) and tricuspid valve plasty combined with or without mitral valve replacement was performed in 15 patients (45.5%). A temporary endocardial pacing catheter was successfully placed in the right ventricle for all patients with good sensing and pacing. No temporary pacing related complications occurred from insertion to removal of pacing catheter in the patients. CONCLUSIONS: This application of temporary endocardial pacing provided a safe and effective substitute for epicardial pacing in patients who underwent minimally invasive redo tricuspid surgery.

Identification, structure modification, and characterization of potential small-molecule SGK3 inhibitors with novel scaffolds.

The serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase (SGK) family has been implicated in the regulation of many cellular processes downstream of the PI3K pathway. It plays a crucial role in PI3K-mediated tumorigenesis, making it a potential therapeutic target for cancer. SGK family consists of three isoforms (SGK1, SGK2, and SGK3), which have high sequence homology in the kinase domain and similar substrate specificity with the AKT family. In order to identify novel compounds capable of inhibiting SGK3 activity, a high-throughput screening campaign against 50,400 small molecules was conducted using a fluorescence-based kinase assay that has a Z' factor above 0.5. It identified 15 hits (including nitrogen-containing aromatic, flavone, hydrazone, and naphthalene derivatives) with IC50 values in the low micromolar to sub-micromolar range. Four compounds with a similar scaffold (i.e., a hydrazone core) were selected for structural modification and 18 derivatives were synthesized. Molecular modeling was then used to investigate the structure-activity relationship (SAR) and potential protein-ligand interactions. As a result, a series of SGK inhibitors that are active against both SGK1 and SGK3 were developed and important functional groups that control their inhibitory activity identified.

Strain Elastography: A Valuable Additional Method to BI-RADS?

BACKGROUND: Breast lesions classified as BI-RADS-US 3 are probably benign and observation was recommended, while a considerable number of BI-RADS-US 4 lesions were benign, resulting in excessive biopsies. We focus exclusively on BI-RADS-US 3 and 4 lesions and hypothesize that improved diagnostic performance can be achieved by integrating real-time elastography (strain ratio) into the BI-RADS-US classification system. METHOD: From April 2010 to September 2015, 1071 lesions were included in the final analysis. After the conventional ultrasound examination, the BI-RADS-US (2013) classification was used to evaluate the lesions. Then the strain ratios were calculated, and the final diagnosis was made on the basis of histological results. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV and NPV were calculated and the AUCs were compared. Additionally, an analysis of the diagnostic performance expressed by the pretest and posttest probability of disease (POD) was performed in BI-RADS-US 3 and 4A lesions. RESULTS: With the cutoff point of 2.98, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the strain ratio method were 86.9 %, 86.6 % and 82.6 %, respectively. In BI-RADS-US 3 lesions, a suspicious strain ratio significantly modified the POD from 1.3 % to a posttest POD of 29.8 %. In BI-RADS-US 4A lesions, a suspicious strain ratio significantly modified the POD from 8.5 % to a posttest POD of 48.7 %. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonographic elastography (strain ratio) yields additional diagnostic information in the evaluation of BI-RADS-US 3 and 4 breast lesions. The strain ratios should be integrated into the BI-RADS-US classification system and into daily practice.

[Intravascular Large B-cell Lymphoma: a Clinical Analysis of 17 Cases].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features,response to therapy and prognosis of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL). METHODS: The clinical data of 17 cases with IVLBCL were retrospectively reviewed,and survival analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The study involved 10 males and 7 females of IVLBCL with a mean age of 53 years old. The most common symptom of the disease was recurrent fever (76.5%). The lymphoma was mainly observed in bone marrow (64.7%) and was clinically determined as stage ⅣB (70.6%). Many of the patients were also diagnosed with the hemophagocytic syndrome (29.4%). R-CHOP (rituximab,cyclophosphamide,epirubicin,vindesine,prednisone) or CHOP regimen chemotherapy significantly improved the survival of the patients (P=0.000 2). Unfortunately,those patients with bone marrow involvement were prone to relapse after treatment. CONCLUSION: IVLBCL is highly invasive and associated with poor prognosis. R-CHOP chemotherapy can significantly improve the prognosis.

Sulfur-impregnated core-shell hierarchical porous carbon for lithium-sulfur batteries.

Core-shell hierarchical porous carbon spheres (HPCs) were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method and used as host to incorporate sulfur. The microstructure, morphology, and specific surface areas of the resultant samples have been systematically characterized. The results indicate that most of sulfur is well dispersed over the core area of HPCs after the impregnation of sulfur. Meanwhile, the shell of HPCs with void pores is serving as a retard against the dissolution of lithium polysulfides. This structure can enhance the transport of electron and lithium ions as well as alleviate the stress caused by volume change during the charge-discharge process. The as-prepared HPC-sulfur (HPC-S) composite with 65.3 wt % sulfur delivers a high specific capacity of 1397.9 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 335 mA g(-1) (0.2 C) as a cathode material for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, and the discharge capacity of the electrode could still reach 753.2 mA h g(-1) at 6700 mA g(-1) (4 C). Moreover, the composite electrode exhibited an excellent cycling capacity of 830.5 mA h g(-1) after 200 cycles.

Eco-efficient one-pot synthesis of quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones at room temperature in water.

An efficient one-pot synthesis of quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones was developed. First, the reactions of anthranilic acid derivatives with potassium cyanate afforded the corresponding urea derivatives. Then, cyclization of the urea derivatives with NaOH afforded the monosodium salts of benzoylene urea. Finally, HCl treatment afforded the desired products in near-quantitative yields. This is an eco-efficient method because all the reactions were carried out in water, and the desired products were obtained simply by filtration. The aqueous filtrate was the only waste generated from the reaction. We scaled up the reaction to 1 kg starting material, thus establishing an alternative approach for the green synthesis of quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

[Comparing BFA with BuCyA as a myeloablative conditioning regimen for allogeneic stem cell transplantation in acute leukemias].

OBJECTIVE: To compare BFA (busulfan, fludarabine plus cytarabine) with BuCyA (busulfan, cyclophoshpamide plus cytarabine) as the conditioning regimens in allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute leukemias. METHODS: 83 patients with acute leukemia were allocated to BFA group (busulfan 3.2 mg/(kg x d), -9 d-6 d; fludarabine 30 mg/(m2 x d), -5 d(-) -1 d; cytarabine, 1 g/(m2 x d), -5 d(-) - 1 d) or BuCyA group (busulfan, 3.2 mg/(kg x d), -8 d(-) - 5 d; cyclophoshpamide 60 mg/(kg x d),-2 d(-) - 1 d; cytarabine, 3 g/(m2 x d), -4 d(-) - 3 d). Their three-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate, complete remission (CR) rate and incidences of acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) and hemorrhagic cystitis were monitored. RESULTS: BuCyA group had lower DFS (40.0% vs 61.9%, P = 0.039 9) and lower CR (44.0% vs 71.6%, P = 0.031 0) than BFA group. About 20% of patients treated with BuCyA were not in remission, compared with 51.6% of those treated with BFA. aGVHD occurred in 46.7% patients in the BuCyA group and 50.9% patients in the BFA group, which were 23.3% and 9.4%, respectively, for those graded III - IV. Severe infection occurred in 23.3% patients in the BuCyA group and 22.9% patients in the BFA group. Severe bleeding occurred in 26.7% patients in the BuCyA group and 11.4% patients in the BFA group. The incidence of hemorrhagic cystitis in the BuCyA group and BFA group was 16.7% and 5.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: BFA is a safer and more effective conditioning regimen compared with BuCyA.

Efficacy and safety of leflunomide for the treatment of BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients.

BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV-HC) is a severe complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. So far, no specific antiviral drug with proven efficacy has been approved for treating BKV-HC. Leflunomide is an immunosuppressive drug with antiviral activity and has been used in treating BKV-associated nephropathy after renal transplantation. This is the first report on the efficacy and safety of leflunomide in the treatment of BKV-HC. From January 2006 to January 2009, 89 patients received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and among them, 18 patients were identified as having BKV-HC, with a 20% cumulative incidence. Fourteen patients were treated with oral leflunomide. Three days of 100 mg/day leflunomide was used as loading doses and followed by maintenance doses of 20 mg/day. The urinary BKV-DNA load was monitored weekly by real-time quantitative PCR. The efficacy was evaluated on day 20 after leflunomide treatment. Seven patients (50%) achieved complete remission, 5 patients (35.7%) achieved partial remission, and 2 patients (14.3%) had more than a 1-log reduction in urinary BKV-DNA loads after treatment. During the leflunomide treatment, the graft-versus-host disease of the patients did not progress, and the dosages of the immunosuppressant were reduced simultaneously. One patient discontinued treatment because of intolerable gastrointestinal symptoms. Neutropenia occurred in 2 cases. These preliminary data suggest that leflunomide may be a potentially effective medication for treating BKV-HC without significant toxicity, but evidence supporting its use requires randomized controlled trials.

[New vegetation index fusing visible-infrared and shortwave infrared spectral feature for winter wheat LAI retrieval].

Considering the great relationships between shortwave infrared (SWIR) and leaf area index (LAI), innovative indices based on water vegetation indices and visible-infrared vegetation indices were presented. In the present work, PROSAIL model was used to study the saturation sensitivity of new vegetation indices to LAI. The estimate models about LAI of winter wheat were built on the basis of the experiment data in 2009 acting as train sample and their precisions were evaluated and tested on the basis of the experiment data in 2008. Ten visible-infrared vegetation indices and five water vegetation indices were used to construct new indices. The result showed that newly developed indices have significant relationships with LAI by numerical simulations and in-situ measurements. In particular, by implementing modified standardized LAI Determining Index (sLAIDI *), all new indices were neither sensitive to water variations nor affected by saturation at high LAI levels. The evaluation models could improve prediction accuracy and have well reliability for LAI retrieval. The result indicated that visible-infrared vegetation indices combined with water index have greater advantage for LAI estimation.

Circular RNA from Tyrosylprotein Sulfotransferase 2 Gene Inhibits Cisplatin Sensitivity in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Sponging miR-770-5p and Interacting with Nucleolin.

Chemoresistance poses a significant challenge in the treatment of advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). The role and mechanism of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in HNSCC chemoresistance remain understudied. We conducted circRNA microarray analysis to identify differentially expressed circRNAs in HNSCC. The expression of circRNAs from the tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase 2 (TPST2) gene and miRNAs was evaluated through qPCR, while the circular structure of circTPST2 was verified using Sanger sequencing and RNase R. Through Western blotting, biotin-labeled RNA pulldown, RNA immunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry, and rescue experiments, we discovered miR-770-5p and nucleolin as downstream targets of circTPST2. Functional tests, including CCK8 assays and flow cytometry, assessed the chemoresistance ability of circTPST2, miR-770-5p, and Nucleolin. Additionally, FISH assays determined the subcellular localization of circTPST2, miR-770-5p, and Nucleolin. IHC staining was employed to detect circTPST2 and Nucleolin expression in HNSCC patients. circTPST2 expression was inversely correlated with cisplatin sensitivity in HNSCC cell lines. Remarkably, high circTPST2 expression correlated with lower overall survival rates in chemotherapeutic HNSCC patients. Mechanistically, circTPST2 reduced chemosensitivity through sponge-like adsorption of miR-770-5p and upregulation of the downstream protein Nucleolin in HNSCC cells. The TCGA database revealed improved prognosis for patients with low circTPST2 expression after chemotherapy. Moreover, analysis of HNSCC cohorts demonstrated better prognosis for patients with low Nucleolin protein expression after chemotherapy. We unveil circTPST2 as a circRNA associated with chemoresistance in HNSCC, suggesting its potential as a marker for selecting chemotherapy regimens in HNSCC patients. Further exploration of the downstream targets of circTPST2 advanced our understanding and improved treatment strategies for HNSCC.

Phylogenetic analysis of the bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 from cattle herds revealing the existence of a genotype A strain in China.

In 2009, a bovine parainfluenza virus (BPIV3), named as NM09, was isolated using MDBK cell culture from the nasal swabs of normal cattle in China. The NM09 isolate was characterized by RT-PCR and nucleotide sequence analysis. Its complete genome was 15,456 nucleotides in length. Similar to other sequenced PIV strains, the NM09 virus consisted of six non-overlapping genes, which were predicted to encode nine proteins with conserved and complementary 3' leader and 5' trailer regions, conserved gene starts, gene stops, and trinucleotide intergenic sequences. Nucleotide phylogenetic analysis of matrix and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene demonstrated that this NM09 isolate belonged to BPIV3 genotype A instead of the previously reported BPIV3 genotype C in China. It is implicated that the different genotypes A and C might coexist infection for a long time in China.

[Hyperspectral estimation of leaf water content for winter wheat based on grey relational analysis (GRA)].

The objective of the present study was to compare two methods for the precision of estimating leaf water content (LWC) in winter wheat by combining stepwise regression method and partial least squares (SRM-PLS) or PLS based on the relational degree of grey relational analysis (GRA) between water vegetation indexes (WVIs) and LWC. Firstly, data utilized to analyze the grey relationships between LWC and the selected typical WVIs were used to determine the sensitivity of different WVIs to LWC. Secondly, the two methods of estimating LWC in winter wheat were compared, one was to directly use PLS and the other was to combine SRM and PLS, and then the method with the highest determination coefficient (R2) and lowest root mean square error (RMSE) was selected to estimate LWC in winter wheat. The results showed that the relationships between the first five WVI and LWC were stable by using GRA, and then LWC was estimated by using PLS and SRM-PLS at the whole stages with the R2 and RMSEs being 0.605 and 0.575, 4.75% and 7.35%, respectively. The results indicated that the estimation accuracy of LWC could be improved by using GRA firstly and then by using PLS and SRM-PLS.

[Effect of Penehyclidine hydrochloride in systemic inflammatory response syndrome caused by cardiopulmonary bypass].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Penehyclidine hydrochloride has effect on the inflammatory process and leukocytes in cardiac surgery patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: 40 rheumatic heart disease patients undergoing CPB were randomly divided into Penehyclidine hydrochloride (P) group and control (C) group (20 patients in each group). In group P, intravenous drip of 0.01 mg/kg of Penehyclidine hydrochloride injection was given before anesthesia, and 0. 015 mg/kg of Penehyclidine hydrochloride was added into initial volume of CPB. While in control group, 0.9% NaCl solution was given instead of injection as a placebo. Blood samples were taken before anesthesia (T0), 30 min after CPB (T1), 10 min after aortic off-clamping (T2) and 2 hours when CPB was over (T3). Interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumornecross alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were detected by ELISA. The morbility of pneumonia and SIRS caused by CPB was also evaluated. RESULTS: At T2 and T3, the IL-6 level was higher than T0 and T1 both in group C and group P (P < 0.05). At T2 and T3, the IL-6 level in group C was higher than that of group P (P < 0.05). The TNF-alpha level at T3 was lower than at T1 and T2 in group P (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between group P and group C at each time point (P > 0.05). The morbility of pneumonia and SIRS was higher in group C (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Penehyclidine hydrochloride can decrease the levels of proinflamnlatory cytokines in plasma and therefore attenuate the morbility of pneumonia and SIRS caused by CPB.

Molecular targets of primary cilia defects in cancer (Review).

Primary cilia are hair­like organelles that are present on the majority of mammalian cells. They are regarded as the regulatory 'hub' of cell functions due to their indispensable roles for several signaling pathways, such as Hh and Wnt pathways. Originally, cilia defects were found to cause a panoply of human diseases commonly referred to as 'ciliopathies'. Evidence is accumulating that cilia defects are involved in the onset and development of cancer. Some proteins that cause cilia defects have been identified as oncogenes in multiple cancer types. Hence, understanding the pathways that cause cilia defects in cancer is of utmost importance for the development of novel cancer therapeutic targets. The present review article provides a critical overview of the molecular targets of primary cilia defects in cancer, and highlights their vast potential as therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers.

Pathogenesis and phylogenetic analyses of canine distemper virus strain ZJ7 isolate from domestic dogs in China.

A new isolate of canine distemper virus (CDV), named ZJ7, was isolated from lung tissues of a dog suspected with CDV infection using MDCK cells. The ZJ7 isolate induced cytopathogenic effects of syncytia in MDCK cell after six passages. In order to evaluate pathogenesis of ZJ7 strain, three CDV sero-negative dogs were intranasally inoculated with its virus suspension. All infected dogs developed clinical signs of severe bloody diarrhea, conjunctivitis, ocular discharge, nasal discharge and coughing, fever and weight loss at 21 dpi, whereas the mock group infected with DMEM were normal. The results demonstrated that CDV-ZJ7 strain isolated by MDCK cell was virulent, and the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of strain ZJ7 had no change after isolation by MDCK cell when compared with the original virus from the fresh tissues. Molecular and phylogenetic analyses for the nucleocapsid (N), phosphoprotein (P) and receptor binding haemagglutinin (H) gene of the ZJ7 isolate clearly showed it is joins to the Asia 1 group cluster of CDV strains, the predominant genotype in China.

Roles of circRNAs in cancer chemoresistance (Review).

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a type of endogenous, high­stability, noncoding RNA. circRNAs exhibit various biological functions, and are involved in physiological and pathological processes occurring in various diseases, including cancers. They can not only act as microRNA and protein sponges, but also interact with proteins, translated peptides, and transcriptional and translational regulators, and compete with pre­mRNA splicing. Chemotherapy is one of the most important types of cancer treatment. However, the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy is a leading reason for the failure of chemotherapy. It has been reported that circRNAs play important roles in cancer resistance via a number of mechanisms. The functions of the circRNAs provide insight into their roles in chemoresistance pathways. In addition, some circRNAs may serve as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer resistance. Obtaining improved understanding of the molecular regulatory networks featuring circRNAs in tumors and searching for markers for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer resistance are leading issues in circRNA research. The present review introduced the functions of circRNAs, illustrated the mechanisms underlying drug resistance in cancer, described the contributions of circRNAs to this resistance and discussed the potential application of circRNAs in the treatment of drug­resistant cancer. In particular, the review aimed to reveal the main mechanisms of circRNAs in cancer drug resistance, including mechanisms involving drug transport and metabolism, alterations of drug targets, DNA damage repair, downstream resistance mechanisms, adaptive responses and the tumor microenvironment. The findings may provide novel therapeutic targets for clinical treatment of cancer chemoresistance.

Ultrasound elastography for evaluating stiffness of the human lens nucleus with aging: a feasibility study.

AIM: To investigate the significance of ultrasound elastography for evaluating stiffness of the human lens nucleus in volunteers with different ages. METHODS: A total of 90 volunteers (lens transparency, uncorrected visual acuity ≥0.5, intraocular pressure: 14-19 mm Hg) were divided into 3 groups according to age: Group A (30 people, median age: 82±3.5y, mean axial lengths 23.7±0.5 mm); Group B (30 people, median age: 46±2.1y, mean axial lengths 23.9±0.4 mm); and Group C (30 people, median age: 22±3.5y, mean axial lengths 24.0±0.4 mm). Lens nuclear stiffness was measured by Free-hand qualitative elastography by independent operators. Strain gray scale and color-coded elastography maps were recorded. In each case, three consecutive detections were performed and strain ratio was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Elastography analysis showed excellent diagnostic performance for lens sclerosis. Lens strain ratio was lowest (0.03±0.01)% in Group A and highest (2.03±0.43)% in Group C. Lens strain ratio was moderate (0.64±0.10)% in Group B. There were significant differences between these three groups (P<0.05). The lens nucleus strain rate changes with age. With aging, the lens nucleus strain rate and resilience decrease, demonstrating harder texture. CONCLUSION: The relationship between human lens stiffness and age is demonstrated by ultrasound elastography. Older age is associated with lower strain ratio and less resilience of the lens.

Microwave irradiation coupled with zero-valent iron that enhances the composite geopolymerization of chromite ore processing residue and its mechanisms.

In this work, microwave (MW) irradiation was employed to enhance the zero-valent iron (ZVI)-dominated de-contamination of chromite ore processing residue (COPR). A coupling system and the traditional two-step procedure were both conducted to evaluate the effects of MW irradiation on the reduction and the incorporation of COPR into the composite materials-based geopolymers. The factors including the ratios of liquid to solid, the mass ratios of ZVI to COPR, and the acid dosage had some obvious influence on the reduction of COPR in the MW system. The compressive strengths of 31.54 and 41.56 MPa were determined from the two-step procedure and the coupling system at the COPR dosage of 10% (mass ratio), respectively. The employment of MW irradiation not only strengthened the formation of the geopolymer matrices but also improved the chemical stabilization of Cr species in the solidified blocks. The coupled process was more conducive to incorporating the treated COPR into the geopolymer-based crystalline microstructures compared with the subsequent usage of ZVI reduction and MW irradiation.