Alterations in white matter fiber tracts and their correlation with flying cadet behavior.

An increasing number of studies have shown that flight training alters the human brain structure; however, most studies have focused on gray matter, and the exploration of white matter structure has been largely neglected. This study aimed to investigate the changes in white matter structure induced by flight training and estimate the correlation between such changes and psychomotor and flight performance. Diffusion tensor imaging data were obtained from 25 flying cadets and 24 general college students. Data were collected in 2019 and 2022 and analyzed using automated fiber quantification. This study found no significant changes in the flight group in 2019. However, in 2022, the flight group exhibited significant alterations in the diffusion tensor imaging of the right anterior thalamic radiation, left cingulum cingulate, bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus, and left arcuate fasciculus. These changes occurred within local nodes of the fiber tracts. In addition, we found that changes in fiber tracts in the 2022 flight group were correlated with the reaction time of the psychomotor test task and flight duration. These findings may help improve flight training programs and provide new ideas for the selection of excellent pilots.

Soil organic matter and total nitrogen as key driving factors promoting the assessment of acid-base buffering characteristics in a tea (Camellia sinensis) plantation habitat.

The issue of soil acidification in tea plantations has become a critical concern due to its potential impact on tea quality and plant health. Understanding the factors contributing to soil acidification is essential for implementing effective soil management strategies in tea-growing regions. In this study, a field study was conducted to investigate the effects of tea plantations on soil acidification and the associated acid-base buffering capacity (pHBC). We assessed acidification, pHBC, nutrient concentrations, and cation contents in the top 0-20 cm layer of soil across forty tea gardens of varying stand ages (0-5, 5-10, 10-20, and 20-40 years old) in Anji County, Zhejiang Province, China. The results revealed evident soil acidification due to tea plantation activities, with the lowest soil pH observed in tea gardens aged 10-20 and 20-40 years. Higher levels of soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), Olsen phosphorus (Olsen-P), available iron (Fe), and exchangeable hydrogen (H+) were notably recorded in 10-20 and 20-40 years old tea garden soils, suggesting an increased risk of soil acidification with prolonged tea cultivation. Furthermore, prolonged tea cultivation correlated with increased pHBC, which amplified with tea stand ages. The investigation of the relationship between soil pHBC and various parameters highlighted significant influences from soil pH, SOM, cation exchange capacity, TN, available potassium, Olsen-P, exchangeable acids (including H+ and aluminum), available Fe, and available zinc. Consequently, these findings underscore a substantial risk of soil acidification in tea gardens within the monitored region, with SOM and TN content being key driving factors influencing pHBC.

Reversible Entropy-Driven Defect Migration and Insulator-Metal Transition Suppression in VO2 Nanostructures for Phase-Change Electronic Switching.

Oxygen defects are among essential issues and required to be manipulated in correlated electronic oxides with insulator-metal transition (IMT). Besides, surface and interface control are necessary but challenging in field-induced electronic switching towards advanced IMT-triggered transistors and optical modulators. Herein, we demonstrated reversible entropy-driven oxygen defect migrations and reversible IMT suppression in vanadium dioxide (VO2 ) phase-change electronic switching. The initial IMT was suppressed with oxygen defects, which is caused by the entropy change during reversed surface oxygen ionosorption on the VO2 nanostructures. This IMT suppression is reversible and reverts when the adsorbed oxygen extracts electrons from the surface and heals defects again. The reversible IMT suppression observed in the VO2 nanobeam with M2 phase is accompanied by large variations in the IMT temperature. We also achieved irreversible and stable IMT by exploiting an Al2 O3 partition layer prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) to disrupt the entropy-driven defect migration. We expected that such reversible modulations would be helpful for understanding the origin of surface-driven IMT in correlated vanadium oxides, and constructing functional phase-change electronic and optical devices.

A novel SLC8A1/LINC01913 intergenic region-ALK fusion identified by NGS and validated by IHC and FISH in a stage IIB lung adenocarcinoma patient who remains relapse-free during the treatment of crizotinib: a case report.

In resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ALK rearrangements are associated with worse recurrence-free survival (RFS) than other driver genes. In addition, the micropapillary pattern of NSCLC is associated with a poor prognosis. In recent years, crizotinib tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been widely used to treat patients with advanced NSCLC with ALK fusion. Patient survival outcomes have become highly promising, reflecting the necessity of exploring the application of ALK-TKIs in resected, early stage NSCLC with ALK rearrangements. A 60-year-old Chinese man was diagnosed with stage IIB lung adenocarcinoma harboring a novel SLC8A1/LINC01913 intergenic region-ALK fusion identified by NGS and validated by immunohistochemical staining (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Crizotinib (250 mg orally once daily) was administered to the patient following surgery. The patient remained relapse-free after four months and seven months. This report provided a valuable treatment plan for early lung adenocarcinoma patients with high risks to prevent a postoperative recurrence.

The prognostic impact of primary tumor resection in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with synchronous multifocal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND: Whether primary tumor resection benefits patients with synchronous multifocal liver metastases from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors remains controversial. We investigated whether primary tumor resection significantly affects survival in this study. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients with synchronous multifocal liver metastases from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors between 1998 and 2016 was performed. Patient demographics, operation details, adjuvant treatment, and pathological and survival information were collected, and relevant clinical-pathological parameters were assessed in univariate and multivariate survival analyses. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients were included in this study, including 35 who underwent primary tumor resection. The median survival time and 5-year survival rate of this cohort were 50 months and 44.5%, respectively. Median survival time in the resected group was significantly longer at 72 months than that of 32 months in the nonresected group (p = 0.010). Multivariate analysis showed that primary tumor surgery was a significant independent prognostic factor (HR 0.312, 95% CI: 0.128-0.762, p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Primary tumor resection significantly benefits patients with synchronous multifocal liver metastases from pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Effect of copper on nitrogen uptake, transportation, assimilation processes, and related gene expression in Chinese cabbage [Brassica campestris L. ssp. Chinensis (L.)] under various nitrate-to-ammonium ratios.

Improving vegetable yield and optimizing its quality through nutrient management have long been central to plant nutrition and horticultural science. Copper (Cu) is recognized as an essential trace element that promotes plant growth and development. However, the mechanisms by which Cu influences nitrogen (N) metabolism remain largely unknown, with limited studies exploring the interaction between Cu and varying nitrate-to-ammonium (nitrate/ammonium) ratios. In this study, Chinese cabbage was exposed to two Cu concentrations (0 and 0.02 mg L-1) in combination with three nitrate/ammonium ratios (10/90, 50/50, and 90/10) under hydroponic conditions. The results showed that Cu application increased plant biomass, nitrate reductase (NR) and glutamine synthetase (GS) enzyme activities, the expression of NR (NIA) and GS2 (Gln2) genes, and N content in both shoots and roots. Additionally, Cu treatment decreased nitrate and free amino acid contents, as well as the expression of nitrate transporters NRT1.1 and NRT2.1 in roots while increasing these four parameters in shoots. Additionally, these effects were significantly modulated by the nitrate/ammonium ratios. In conclusion, Cu may facilitate nitrate transportation, enhance nitrate reduction, promote ammonium assimilation, and influence the transformation of organic N compounds, highlighting its potential role in improving N metabolism in Chinese cabbage.

Coexistent VO2 (M) and VO2 (B) Polymorphous Thin Films with Multiphase-Driven Insulator-Metal Transition.

Reversible insulator-metal transition (IMT) and structure phase change in vanadium dioxide (VO2) remain vital and challenging with complex polymorphs. It is always essential to understand the polymorphs that coexist in desired VO2 materials and their IMT behaviors. Different electrical properties and lattice alignments in VO2 (M) and VO2 (B) phases have enabled the creation of versatile functional devices. Here, we present polymorphous VO2 thin films with coexistent VO2 (M) and VO2 (B) phases and phase-dependent IMT behaviors. The presence of VO2 (B) phases may induce lattice distortions in VO2 (M). The plane spacing of (011)M in the VO2 (M) phase becomes widened, and the V-V and V-O vibrations shift when more VO2 (B) phase exists in the VO2 (M) matrix. Significantly, the coexisting VO2 (B) phases promote the IMT temperature of the polymorphous VO2 thin films. We expect that such coexistent polymorphs and IMT variations would help us to understand the microstructures and IMT in the desired VO2 materials and contribute to advanced electronic transistors and optoelectronic devices.

Energy-adaptive resistive switching with controllable thresholds in insulator-metal transition.

Resistive switching has provided a significant avenue for electronic neural networks and neuromorphic systems. Inspired by the active regulation of neurotransmitter secretion, realizing electronic elements with self-adaptive characteristics is vital for matching Joule heating or sophisticated thermal environments in energy-efficient integrated circuits. Here we present energy-adaptive resistive switching via a controllable insulator-metal transition. Memory-related switching is designed and implemented by manipulating conductance transitions in vanadium dioxide. The switching power decreases dynamically by about 58% during the heating process. Furthermore, the thresholds can be controlled by adjusting the insulator-metal transition processes in such nanowire-based resistive switching, and then preformed in a wide range of operating temperatures. We believe that such power-adaptive switching is of benefit for intelligent memory devices and neuromorphic electronics with low energy consumption.

Early detection of cognitive impairment in patients with insulinoma.

PURPOSE: Long-standing hypoglycemia can cause cognitive impairment, and whether recurrent severe hypoglycemia impacts cognitive function in patients with insulinoma has not been studied. This study focused on exploring the cognitive function in patients with insulinoma. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted to assess cognitive function in patients with insulinoma by administering the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) questionnaire between January 2016 and July 2017, and patients with cognitive impairment were followed up to undergo the MoCA test 1 year after surgery. The MoCA scores after surgery were compared with the scores before surgery, and the associations between cognitive impairment and relevant factors were further evaluated by multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Eighteen out of thirty-four patients (53%) with insulinoma were screened positive for cognitive impairment as defined by a MoCA score <26. Performance in certain cognitive domains, including visuospatial and executive functions, delayed memory, attention, language, and abstraction, was significantly worse in patients with cognitive impairment. Multivariate analysis indicated that MoCA scores correlated significantly with tumor grade and years of education. Eight patients with cognitive impairment were lost to follow-up. The remaining ten patients with cognitive impairment showed improvements 1 year postoperatively, and seven patients recovered to normal cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive impairment was found in patients with insulinoma and was reversible in some patients 1 year after surgery. More studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms of the existence and reversibility of cognitive impairment in patients with insulinoma.

Analysis of clinical characteristics and treatment of immunoglobulin G4-associated cholangitis: A retrospective cohort study of 39 IAC patients.

Immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-associated cholangitis (IAC) is one of the common organ manifestations of IgG4-related systemic disease (ISD). IAC and autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) may mimic sclerosing cholangitis, cholangiocarcinoma, or pancreatic carcinoma. Diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical, biochemical, radiological, and histological findings.To study the clinical presentation of and treatment strategy for IAC, we reviewed clinical, serologic, and imaging characteristics, as well as treatment response, in 39 patients with IAC. The majority of patients were men (82%). Clinical features on presentation included obstructive jaundice in 26 patients (67%) and abdominal pain in 20 (51%). Positive IgG4 immunostaining was seen in 27 patients. The median serum IgG4 level before treatment was 769.4 mg/dL (range, 309.1-1229.7 mg/dL). After the steroid therapy, the median serum IgG4 level in 23 patients was 247.0 mg/dL (range, 139.0-355.0 mg/dL). Cholangiograms were available in 36 (92%) patients. Stenosis of the lower part of the common bile duct was found in 26 of 39 patients. Stenosis was diffusely distributed in the intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts in 14 of 39 patients. Additionally, strictures of the bile duct were detected in the hilar hepatic lesions in 27 of 39 patients. AIP was the most frequent comorbidity (35/39 in this study) of IAC. Other affected organs included eyes (n = 6), salivary glands (sialadenitis, n = 10), lymph nodes (mediastinal and axillary, n = 3), kidneys (n = 2), and the retroperitoneum (retroperitoneal fibrosis, n = 2).Regarding treatment, 29 patients were treated with steroids, of whom one underwent pancreatoduodenectomy, and one underwent choledochojejunostomy. Eight patients were treated with biliary stents. The remaining 19 patients took prednisolone alone. Eight patients achieved spontaneous resolution. Four patients with suspected pancreatic cancer or cholangiocarcinoma underwent surgery, including 2 patients who also received postoperative steroids. All patients were regularly followed up for 9 to 36 months. Only 2 patients in the steroids treatment group relapsed to manifest obstructive jaundice and high serum IgG4 levels. These 2 patients were treated with steroids and biliary stents, resulting in complete remission.We also review the diagnostic and therapeutic management and discuss recent pathophysiological findings, which might aid in understanding the molecular mechanisms contributing to IAC and other manifestations of IgG4-related diseases (IgG4-RD). Biomarkers that are more accurate are needed to correctly diagnose IAC and prevent misdiagnoses and unnecessary therapeutic interventions.

Interactions between Antibiotics and Graphene-Based Materials in Water: A Comparative Experimental and Theoretical Investigation.

Complex interactions between antibiotics and graphene-based materials determine both the adsorption performance of graphene-based materials and the transport behaviors of antibiotics in water. In this work, such interactions were investigated through adsorption experiments, instrumental analyses and theoretical DFT calculations. Three typical antibiotics (norfloxacin (NOR), sulfadiazine (SDZ) and tetracycline (TC)) and different graphene-based materials (divided into two groups: graphene oxides-based ones (GOs) and reduced GOs (RGOs)) were employed. Optimal adsorption pHs for NOR, SDZ, and TC are 6.2, 4.0, and 4.0, respectively. At corresponding optimal pHs, NOR favored RGOs (adsorption capability: ∼50 mg/g) while SDZ preferred GOs (∼17 mg/g); All adsorbents exhibited similar uptake of TC (∼70 mg/g). Similar amounts of edge carboxyls of both GOs and RGOs wielded electrostatic attraction with NOR and TC, but not with SDZ. According to DFT-calculated most-stable-conformations of antibiotics-adsorbents complexes, the intrinsic distinction between GOs and RGOs was the different amounts of sp(2) and sp(3) hybridization regions: π-π electron donor-acceptor effect of antibiotic-sp(2)/sp(3) and H-bonds of antibiotic-sp(3) coexisted. Binding energy (BE) of the former was larger for NOR; the latter interaction was stronger for SDZ; two species of TC at the optimal pH, i.e., TC(+) and TC(0), possessed larger BE with sp(3) and sp(2) regions, respectively.