A novel form stable phase change material with comb-like cross-linked polyurethane as supporting skeleton.

To improve the homogeneity of phase-change materials (PCMs) composites for thermal energy storage, the poly(ethylene glycol monomethyl ether)-based trimethylolpropane (Ymer-N120) with long side ethyoxyl chains is employed to form comb-like polyurethane which functioned as supporting materials for PCMs. And the results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, accelerated thermal cycling testing, thermogravimetric analysis and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) suggested a crosslinked polyurethane embedded with micron grade myristic acid (MA) crystals was prepared during the thermal curing process. The obtained comb-like polyurethane (YP) can provide 3D structure supporting materials for melting MA. And the long side ethyoxyl chain of Ymer-N120 promote the melting MA form micron-sized crystals. The results of thermal reliability testing confirmed the advantages of same methylene groups in side chains and suggested the maximal hold capability of YP crosslinks is about 50 wt% of composites. With the 50 wt% addition of MA, YPM50 can supply high latent heat (over 90 J/g of YPM50) with fine thermal stability (due to its initial decomposing temperature reaches 190 °C) without leakage (after 500 times of accelerated thermal cycling testing). All results indicated this structure supplies an effective solution for the leakage of PCMs, which show a promising application in TES.

Corrigendum: Dietary fiber and probiotics based on gut microbiota targeting for functional constipation in children with cerebral palsy.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.1001789.].

Dietary fiber and probiotics based on gut microbiota targeting for functional constipation in children with cerebral palsy.

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are very common among children with cerebral palsy. Gut microbiota has been confirmed to maintain normal GI physiological function and further contributed to cerebral palsy through the gut-brain axis. Our study was to investigate the effect of dietary fiber combined with probiotics on functional constipated children with cerebral palsy. In total, 35 patient children were enrolled and divided into general diet group (n = 14) and liquid diet group (n = 21). All the participants received Compound Dietary Fiber (CDF) for 1 month and lactic acid-producing and butyric acid-producing probiotics for 6 months. After a 1-month intervention, the frequency of spontaneous and manual defecation, and Bristol score were all significantly improved (P < 0.001). The α-diversity of the gut microbiota was significantly increased after a 1-month intervention (P < 0.05), with a higher abundance of butyric acid-producing bacteria and a lower abundance of opportunistic pathogens (P < 0.05, FDR < 0.05). However, the impersistent effect of the 6-month intervention suggested the insufficient impact of intaking probiotics alone and the short duration of CDF intervention. Moreover, although the intervention had affected the constipation symptoms equally in cerebral palsy children with a general diet and liquid diet, the general diet group showed a greater and more durable change in gut microbiota and clinical phenotypes after intervention than the liquid diet group, which indicated that longer intervention time should be considered for liquid diet children. This study not only illustrated that supplementation of dietary fiber combined with probiotics can improve functional constipation in children with cerebral palsy, but also provides guidance for optimal intervention strategy for future studies, which will further benefit cerebral palsy children. Clinical trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=46902, identifier: ChiCTR1900028257.

Modeling consolidation of soft clay by developing a fractional differential constitutive model in conjunction with an intelligent displacement inversion method.

Studying the constitutive relation of soft clays is of critical importance for fundamentally understanding their complex consolidation behavior. This study proposes a fractional differential constitutive model in conjunction with an intelligent displacement inversion method based on the classic particle swarm optimization for modeling the deformation behavior of soft clay. The model considered the rheological properties of soft clay at different consolidation stages. In addition, statistical adaptive dynamic particle swarm optimization-least squares support vector machines were implemented to identify the model parameters efficiently. The accuracy and effectiveness of the model were validated using available experimental results. Finally, the application results showed that the proposed model could efficiently simulate coupling properties of soft clay's primary and secondary consolidations.

Analysis of Gene Expression in Bladder Cancer: Possible Involvement of Mitosis and Complement and Coagulation Cascades Signaling Pathway.

This study focused on identifying bladder cancer (BC)-associated genes, transcription factors (TFs), and microRNAs (miRNAs). Two microarray data sets GSE37815 and GSE40355 were utilized to screen common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with BC. Then, functional enrichment analysis was performed for elucidating the involved functions of DEGs. Subsequently, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and submodule of PPI network were analyzed. Finally, the regulation relationships of TF-DEGs and miRNA-DEGs were obtained to construct miRNA-target-TF regulatory network. DEGs were identified across BC and normal bladder tissues samples. Functional enrichment analysis results showed that most upregulated DEGs were closely associated with the Gene Ontology function of "mitotic spindle assembly checkpoint" and pathway of "Cell cycle," whereas most downregulated DEGs were significantly associated with "Complement and coagulation cascades" pathway (e.g., A2M and F13A1) and "Ras signaling pathway" (e.g., GNG11). DEGs such as F13A1 and A2M were highlighted in the PPI network and Submodule 1. In addition, three centromere-associated CENPK, CENPF, and CENPO were enriched in Submodule 2. Moreover, miR-519d had high degree in the regulatory network and CENPO was predicted to be one target of miR-519d. The upregulated CENPK, CENPF, and CENPO, and downregulated A2M, F13A1, and GNG11 might contribute to the progression of BC. In addition, the downregulated miR-519d might lead to the development of BC by upregulating the expression of CENPO. However, future investigation of those findings should be needed.

A rare case of plexiform angiomyxoid myofibroblastic tumor in the stomach which was diagnosed at the earliest stage in the literature.

Plexiform angiomyxoid myofibroblastic tumor (PAMT) is a rare gastric mesenchymal entity with a peculiar plexiform pattern, bland spindle cells and myxoid stroma rich in arborizing blood vessels. Here we report a 44-year-old Chinese woman with PAMT. Initially she was admitted for removal of a gastric antral'polyp' found on a routine examination 5 months previously. Our gastroscopy showed a 0.8 × 0.8 cm polyp-like mass in the antrum which protruded into the lumen. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was performed to remove this mass en bloc. The specimen was carefully examined by pathologists, and the correct diagnosis of PAMT was finally made. The tumor in this case depicted typical histopathological and immunohistochemical features of gastric PAMT. This PAMT was not only the smallest on endoscopic examination in the literature but also-unlike the already reported PAMTs-exhibited a focal hyperechogenic lesion on endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). This information highlights its value on how to identify a PAMT at its early stage.

Surgical Resection of Idiopathic Distal Anterior Choroidal Artery Aneurysm Assisted by Frameless Stereotactic System Guidance: Case Report and Literature Review.

Idiopathic distal anterior choroidal artery (AChoA) aneurysms are particularly rare. Their diagnosis and treatment are difficult because of the particular characteristic of pathological anatomy. Our case mainly presented with intraventricular hemorrhage. His idiopathic aneurysm was located in the trigone of the undilated ventricle. Computed tomographic angiography demonstrated both the precise aneurysm and parent artery even when there was no dilated parent artery for the first time. It is also the first time this tiny aneurysm was resected assisted by frameless stereotactic guidance during operation after absorption of intraventricular blood. Computed tomographic angiography and frameless stereotactic guidance benefit the diagnosis and treatment of this kind of aneurysm. Sacrificing plexual AChoA did not cause any neurologic deficit.

[Diagnostic value of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration combined with Surepath liquid-based cytology test for lung lesions and mediastinal lymphadenopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnostic value of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) combined with Surepath liquid-based cytology test for lung and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. METHODS: Eighty EBUS-TBNA cases in West China Hospital of Sichuan University collected from December 2011 to June 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The conventional smears and Surepath liquid based preparations were reviewed and compared with histological biopsy. Evaluated whether liquid based preparation could improve the satisfactory rate and diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: This study included 53 men and 27 women, the male to female ratio was 1.96:1.00; the age ranged from 17 to 79 (mean 54) years. One to four lymph node groups were aspirated in each patient, resulting in a total of 109 lymph node groups, including 57 paratracheal, 34 subcarinal, three tracheal bronchial, seven pulmonary and four hilar lymph node groups. The definite locations of four other mediastinal lymph node groups were not known. The overall satisfactory rate of conventional smears and liquid-based cytology test was 90.0% and 92.5%, respectively. By histology, there were 37 cases diagnosed as malignant tumors, nine as tuberculosis, two as sarcoidosis, 11 as unexplained granulomatous inflammation, and 27 as other benign lesions. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of conventional cytological smears for tumors were 86.5%, 97.7% and 92.5% respectively; the positive and negative predictive values were 97.0% and 89.4% respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the liquid-based preparation were 89.2%, 97.7% and 93.8% respectively; the positive and negative predictive values were 97.1% and 91.3% respectively. Combining the conventional cytological smears and liquid based preparation, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 91.9%, 97.7% and 95.0% respectively; and the positive and negative predictive values were 97.1% and 93.3% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: EBUS-TBNA is a good method to diagnose lung and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Surepath liquid based cytology test could improve the sample satisfactory rate, the diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy. If combined with immunocytochemistry it could be useful for further tumor typing. EBUS-TBNA combined with Surepath liquid based preparation is an effective complement for the histologic biopsy.

[Garrè's osteomyelitis with bilateral mandible: a case report].

Garrès osteomyelitis is a specific type of chronic osteomyelitis that most commonly occurs in young patients, secondary to dental infection, and affects the unilateral side of the mandible. Bilateral mandibular Garrè's osteomyelitis is rare. In this article, a case of Garrè's osteomyelitis with bilateral mandible is reported. Its etiology, clinical pathologic features, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment methods are discussed by reviewing relevant literature.

Non-functioning paraganglioma occurring in the urinary bladder: A case report and review of the literature.

Paraganglioma, also termed extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma, may be observed at the base of the skull and neck as well as within the mediastinum and periaortic region. The clinical symptoms of paraganglioma of the urinary bladder include intermittent hypertensive attacks, micturition, headaches and palpitations due to high catecholamine levels; these types of paragangliomas are extremely rare. However, certain bladder paragangliomas do not present with any of these symptoms; thus, surgeons are not pre-warned on how to prepare for their resection. Surgery to remove pheochromocytomas may therefore result in an intraoperative hypertensive crisis and increase the mortality rate. This infrequent type of paraganglioma is only recognized through histological examination following surgery. The current study reports the case of a 61-year-old male with urinary bladder paraganglioma. The patient presented with hypertension, which was controlled to within a normal range using diovan and norvasc treatment; in addition, the patient's blood pressure was not altered with urination or postural changes. The patient was not administered an α-blocking agent or a blood volume expander prior to the surgery, and during the partial cystectomy no hypertensive crisis occurred.