Predictive models for lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer: A systematic review and bibliometric analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lymph node metastasis is associated with a poorer prognosis in endometrial cancer. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to synthesize and critically appraise existing predictive models for lymph node metastasis risk stratification in endometrial cancer. DESIGN: This study is a systematic review. DATA SOURCES AND METHODS: We searched the Web of Science for articles reporting models predicting lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer, with a systematic review and bibliometric analysis conducted based upon which. Risk of bias was assessed by the Prediction model Risk Of BiAS assessment Tool (PROBAST). RESULTS: A total of 64 articles were included in the systematic review, published between 2010 and 2023. The most common articles were "development only." Traditional clinicopathological parameters remained the mainstream in models, for example, serum tumor marker, myometrial invasion and tumor grade. Also, models based upon gene-signatures, radiomics and digital histopathological images exhibited an acceptable self-reported performance. The most frequently validated models were the Mayo criteria, which reached a negative predictive value of 97.1%-98.2%. Substantial variability and inconsistency were observed through PROBAST, indicating significant between-study heterogeneity. A further bibliometric analysis revealed a relatively weak link between authors and organizations on models predicting lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer. CONCLUSION: A number of predictive models for lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer have been developed. Although some exhibited promising performance as they demonstrated adequate to good discrimination, few models can currently be recommended for clinical practice due to lack of independent validation, high risk of bias and low consistency in measured predictors. Collaborations between authors, organizations and countries were weak. Model updating, external validation and collaborative research are urgently needed. REGISTRATION: None.

Introduction to predictive models for lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancerLymph node metastasis of endometrial cancer is associated with a poor prognosis. There are currently many predictive models. We summarized and evaluated them in this article.

The CD2v protein of African swine fever virus inhibits macrophage migration and inflammatory cytokines expression by downregulating EGR1 expression through dampening ERK1/2 activity.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a highly contagious and deadly virus that leads to high mortality rates in domestic swine populations. Although the envelope protein CD2v of ASFV has been implicated in immunomodulation, the molecular mechanisms underlying CD2v-mediated immunoregulation remain unclear. In this study, we generated a stable CD2v-expressing porcine macrophage (PAM-CD2v) line and investigated the CD2v-dependent transcriptomic landscape using RNA-seq. GO terms enrichment analysis and gene set enrichment analysis revealed that CD2v predominantly affected the organization and assembly process of the extracellular matrix. Wound healing and Transwell assays showed that CD2v inhibited swine macrophage migration. Further investigation revealed a significant decrease in the expression of transcription factor early growth response 1 (EGR1) through inhibiting the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). Notably, EGR1 knockout in swine macrophages restricted cell migration, whereas EGR1 overexpression in PAM-CD2v restored the ability of macrophage migration, suggesting that CD2v inhibits swine macrophage motility by downregulating EGR1 expression. Furthermore, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation and sequencing for EGR1 and the histone mark H3K27 acetylation (H3K27ac), and we found that EGR1 co-localized with the activated histone modification H3K27ac neighboring the transcriptional start sites. Further analysis indicated that EGR1 and H3K27ac co-occupy the promoter regions of cell locomotion-related genes. Finally, by treating various derivatives of swine macrophages with lipopolysaccharides, we showed that depletion of EGR1 decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines including TNFα, IL1α, IL1ß, IL6, and IL8, which play essential roles in inflammation and host immune response. Collectively, our results provide new insights into the immunomodulatory mechanism of ASFV CD2v.

Advances in research on cell models for skeletal muscle atrophy.

Skeletal muscle, the largest organ in the human body, plays a crucial role in supporting and defending the body and is essential for movement. It also participates in regulating the processes of protein synthesis and degradation. Inhibition of protein synthesis and activation of degradation metabolism can both lead to the development of skeletal muscle atrophy, a pathological condition characterized by a decrease in muscle mass and fiber size. Many physiological and pathological conditions can cause a decline in muscle mass, but the underlying mechanisms of its pathogenesis remain incompletely understood, and the selection of treatment strategies and efficacy evaluations vary. Moreover, the early symptoms of this condition are often not apparent, making it easily overlooked in clinical practice. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and use cell models to understand the etiology and influencing factors of skeletal muscle atrophy. In this review, we summarize the methods used to construct skeletal muscle cell models, including hormone, inflammation, cachexia, genetic engineering, drug, and physicochemical models. We also analyze, compare, and evaluate the various construction and assessment methods.

Expression of EMT-related genes in lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer: a TCGA-based study.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer (EC) with metastasis in pelvic/para-aortic lymph nodes suggests an unsatisfactory prognosis. Nevertheless, there is still rare literature focusing on the role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lymph node metastasis (LNM) in EC. METHODS: Transcriptional data were derived from the TCGA database. Patients with stage IA-IIIC2 EC were included, constituting the LN-positive and LN-negative groups. To evaluate the extent of EMT, an EMT signature composed of 315 genes was adopted. The EMT-related genes (ERGs) were obtained from the dbEMT2 database, and the differentially expressed ERGs (DEERGs) between these two groups were screened. On the basis of DEERGs, pathway analysis was carried out. We eventually adopted the logistic regression model to build an ERG-based gene signature with predictive value for LNM in EC. RESULTS: A total of 498 patients were included, with 75 in the LN-positive group. Median EMT score of tumor tissues from LN-negative group was - 0.369, while that from the LN-positive group was - 0.296 (P < 0.001), which clearly exhibited a more mesenchymal phenotype for LNM cases on the EMT continuum. By comparing expression profiles, 266 genes were identified as DEERGs, in which 184 were upregulated and 82 were downregulated. In pathway analysis, various EMT-related pathways were enriched. DEERGs shared between molecular subtypes were comparatively few. The ROC curve and logistic regression analysis screened 7 genes with the best performance to distinguish between the LN-positive and LN-negative group, i.e., CIRBP, DDR1, F2RL2, HOXA10, PPARGC1A, SEMA3E, and TGFB1. A logistic regression model including the 7-gene-based risk score, age, grade, myometrial invasion, and histological subtype was built, with an AUC of 0.850 and a favorite calibration (P = 0.074). In the validation dataset composed of 83 EC patients, the model exhibited a satisfactory predictive value and was well-calibrated (P = 0.42). CONCLUSION: The EMT status and expression of ERGs varied in LNM and non-LNM EC tissues, involving multiple EMT-related signaling pathways. Aside from that, the distribution of DEERGs differed among molecular subtypes. An ERG-based gene signature including 7 DEERGs exhibited a desirable predictive value for LNM in EC, which required further validation based upon clinical specimens in the future.

[Pollution Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in PM2.5 of Different Air Masses During Heating Season in Tianjin].

In order to explore the pollution characteristics and health risks of heavy metals in PM2.5 in Tianjin, heavy metal samples (Pb, Cd, Cr, As, Zn, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, and V) in PM2.5 were analyzed from November 2020 to March 2021 using the Xact-625 heavy metal online analyzer. The spatial and temporal distribution characteristics were analyzed using the HYSPLIT model, and the health risks of heavy metals were analyzed using the US EPA risk assessment model. The results indicated that the average total concentration of the 10 heavy metal elements was (261.56±241.74) ng·m-3, among which the concentrations of Cr ï¼»converted Cr(Ⅵ)ï¼½ and As were higher than the annual average limit of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (GB 3095-2012). According to the back trajectory results, the medium-distance transmissions from northwest areas (NO.1), the long-distance transmissions from northwest areas (NO.2), the transmissions from southwest areas (NO.3), and the transmissions from northeast areas (NO.4) were the major sources in Tianjin City. The heavy metals of different air masses presented different pollution characteristics and health risks; the concentration of PM2.5, the total concentration of the 10 heavy metal elements, and the total carcinogenic risk of the five heavy metal elements of the NO.3 air mass were the highest, whereas the total non-carcinogenic risk of the 10 heavy metal elements of the NO.2 air mass was higher than that of the other two air mass. The health risk assessment showed that Mn posed non-carcinogenic risks to children, and Cr and As presented carcinogenic risk. Meanwhile, Cd of the NO.3 air masses also presented carcinogenic risk.

Analysis of immunohistochemical characteristics and recurrence after complete remission with fertility preservation treatment in patients with endometrial carcinoma and endometrial atypical hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between immunohistochemical characteristics and recurrence after complete remission (CR) with fertility preservation treatment in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) and endometrial atypical hyperplasia (AH). METHODS: The clinical data and immunohistochemical results of 53 patients with EC and 68 patients with AH admitted to Peking University People's Hospital from January 2010 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether recurrence after complete remission (CR): group 1: recurrence after CR; group 2: no recurrence after CR, for statistical analysis. RESULTS: (1) The expression rate of ER in group 1 was lower than that in group 2, (P < 0.05). The expression rate of Ki-67 in group 1 was significantly higher than that in group 2, (P < 0.01). The expression rates of PR, P16, P53, and PTEN were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05); (2) combination index ER/ Ki-67 row ROC curve analysis, there was a significant difference (P < 0.01), the best cut-off value was 3.55, sensitivity 0.730, specificity 1.000, Youden index 0.730. The 3-year RFS of high rate patients was 100%, and that of low rate patients was 42.3%, P < 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: The expression rate of Ki-67 is of great significance in predicting the recurrence of EC after fertility preservation therapy. The best cut-off value of combination index ER/ Ki-67 (3.55) was better than a single immunohistochemical marker in predicting recurrence of EC after fertility preservation treatment.

Progress in Laser Ablation and Biological Synthesis Processes: "Top-Down" and "Bottom-Up" Approaches for the Green Synthesis of Au/Ag Nanoparticles.

Because of their small size and large specific surface area, nanoparticles (NPs) have special properties that are different from bulk materials. In particular, Au/Ag NPs have been intensively studied for a long time, especially for biomedical applications. Thereafter, they played a significant role in the fields of biology, medical testing, optical imaging, energy and catalysis, MRI contrast agents, tumor diagnosis and treatment, environmental protection, and so on. When synthesizing Au/Ag NPs, the laser ablation and biosynthesis methods are very promising green processes. Therefore, this review focuses on the progress in the laser ablation and biological synthesis processes for Au/Ag NP generation, especially in their fabrication fundamentals and potential applications. First, the fundamentals of the laser ablation method are critically reviewed, including the laser ablation mechanism for Au/Ag NPs and the controlling of their size and shape during fabrication using laser ablation. Second, the fundamentals of the biological method are comprehensively discussed, involving the synthesis principle and the process of controlling the size and shape and preparing Au/Ag NPs using biological methods. Third, the applications in biology, tumor diagnosis and treatment, and other fields are reviewed to demonstrate the potential value of Au/Ag NPs. Finally, a discussion surrounding three aspects (similarity, individuality, and complementarity) of the two green synthesis processes is presented, and the necessary outlook, including the current limitations and challenges, is suggested, which provides a reference for the low-cost and sustainable production of Au/Ag NPs in the future.

Tumor immune microenvironment in endometrial cancer of different molecular subtypes: evidence from a retrospective observational study.

Objective: Tumor immune microenvironmental features may predict survival and guide treatment. This study aimed to comprehensively decipher the immunological features of different molecular subtypes of endometrial cancer. Methods: In this retrospective study, 26 patients with primary endometrial cancer and four with recurrent disease treated in our center from December 2018 to November 2021 were included. Next-generation sequencing was performed on tumor samples. Patients were classified into four subtypes, including POLE mutant, microsatellite instability high (MSI-H), no specific molecular profile (NSMP) and TP53 mutant subtypes. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells were quantified using multiplex immunofluorescence assays. Results: Of the 26 primary endometrial cancer cases, three were POLE mutant, six were MSI-H, eight were NSMP and nine were TP53 mutant. Of the four recurrent cases, two belonged to the NSMP subtype and two belonged to the TP53 mutant subtype. The tumor mutation burden (TMB) levels of POLE mutant and MSI-H cases were significantly higher than that of the other two subtypes (p< 0.001). We combined POLE mutant and MSI-H subtypes into the TMB high (TMB-H) subtype. The TMB-H subtype showed a high degree of infiltration of CD8+ T cells. In the NSMP subtype, the overall degree of intra-tumoral infiltrating immune cells was low. In the TP53 mutant subtype, the densities of both PD-L1+ macrophages (p = 0.047) and PD-1+ T cells (p = 0.034) in tumor parenchyma were the highest among the four subtypes. Conclusion: Endometrial cancer of TMB-H, NSMP and TP53 mutant subtypes displayed phenotypes of normal immune response, absence of immune infiltration, and suppressed immune response, respectively. These features may provide mechanistic explanations for the differences in patients' prognosis and efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade therapies among different endometrial cancer subtypes.

Cavernous hemangioma of the ileum in a young man: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Small intestinal cavernous hemangioma is a rare disease, especially in the ileum. It is difficult to accurately diagnose due to its hidden location and nonspecific clinical symptoms. Here, we reported a case of ileal cavernous hemangioma with chronic hemorrhage in a 20-year-old man and review the literature to gain a better understanding of this disease. CASE SUMMARY: The patient complained of intermittent melena and hematochezia for > 3 mo. The lowest hemoglobin level revealed by laboratory testing was 3.4 g/dL (normal range: 12-16 g/dL). However, the gastroscopy, colonoscopy and peroral double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) showed no signs of bleeding. The transanal DBE detected a lesion at about 340 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. Thus, we performed an exploratory laparoscopy and the lesion was resected. After the operation, the patient had no melena. Finally, the pathological examination identified the neoplasm as an ileal cavernous hemangioma, thereby resulting in gastrointestinal hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: This report might improve the diagnosis and treatment of ileal cavernous hemangioma.

Laparoscopic versus Conventional Open Surgery Approach of Tunica Vaginalis for Palpable Cryptorchidism.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the advantages of the laparoscopic approach of tunica vaginalis in the treatment of palpable cryptorchidism. STUDY DESIGN: Randomised clinical comparative study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Urology Surgery, Baoding Children's Hospital, Baoding, Hebei, China, from July 2019 to June 2020. METHODOLOGY: A total of 80 children admitted with palpable cryptorchidism were selected and randomly divided into two groups i.e. the experimental group and the control group, with 40 cases in each group. The experimental group were treated with a laparoscopic approach of tunica vaginalis, and the control group were treated with conventional open surgery. The perioperative indicators, proportion with testicular external fixation, surgical effect, testicular development (6 months postoperative), and incidence of complications were compared. RESULTS: The postoperative ambulation and discharge time of the experimental group were significantly shorter than the control group (p<0.001). The external fixation rate of the control group was higher than the experimental group (p=0.02). The effective rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group (p=0.03). The re-examination performed, 6 months postoperatively, showed that the testicular volume in the experimental group was significantly higher than in the control group (p=0.03). The incidence of the surgical complications in the experimental group was significantly lower than in the control group (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic approach of tunica vaginalis is effective in the treatment of palpable cryptorchidism and more conducive to testicular development. It has the advantages of less injury, less complications, quick postoperative recovery, more adequate spermatic cord dissociation, and well-preserved testicular blood supply. KEY WORDS: Laparoscopic approach of tunica vaginalis, Palpable cryptorchidism, Treatment.

Microplastics contamination in groundwater of a drinking-water source area, northern China.

Although the contamination of microplastics (MPs) in groundwater has been anticipated, their occurrence, distribution, and composition require further understanding. In this study, the occurrence and distributions of MPs were investigated in shallow groundwater from an important water source district in Tianjin city of northern China. The abundance, the physical morphology, the chemical composition, and the potential correlations of the determined MPs with human activities were thoroughly characterized. MPs were determined from all ten sampling sites with the abundance ranged between 17.0 ± 2.16 to 44.0 ± 1.63 n/L, revealing the ubiquitous existed MPs contamination. Based on the physical categorization, fiber (44.74%) was the most abundant shape, while blue (31.02%) and transparent (26.09%) were the most prevalent colors. The dominant size of MPs was smaller than 200 µm which accounted for 73.10%. A total of seven types of MPs were determined with polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene as the main types, of which, polypropylene showed strong positive correlations with polystyrene, indicating the possible similar sources of them. Besides, the determined MPs in groundwater were greater in areas with the high population density and strong population activity, indicating their high correlation with human activity. The study highlighted the presence of MPs in groundwater of drinking water source in northern China and provided useful information for evaluating the potential ecological effects on water quality safety and human health brought by MPs.

Experimental Study on Thermal-Induced Runaway in High Nickel Ternary Batteries.

Recently, fire and explosion accidents associated with lithium ion battery failure occurred frequently. Safety has become one of the main constraints on the wide application of lithium ion batteries in the field of electric vehicles (EVs). By using a simultaneous thermal analyzer (STA8000) and accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC), we studied the thermal stability of high nickel battery materials and the high temperature thermal runaway of the battery, combining the two experimental results to analyze the battery thermal runaway process. We studied the temperature difference between inside and outside during thermal runaway by arranging two temperature sensors inside and outside the battery. The chemical reactions of the battery at high temperature through the thermal performance of the anode, cathode, and separator are also revealed. In-depth exploration of the occurrence process and the trigger mechanism of thermal runaway of lithium batteries was made. The main findings of the study are as follows: The temperature at which the anode materials begin to decompose is 77.13 °C, caused by decomposition of the solid electrolyte interface and the temperature at which the cathode materials begin to decompose is 227.09 °C. The maximum surface temperature of the battery during thermal runaway is 641.41 °C; and the maximum inside temperature of the battery is 1117.80 °C. The time difference between the maximum temperatures inside and outside the battery is 40 s. The thermal runaway temperature of the battery T c is 228.47 °C, which is mainly contributed by the internal short circuit of the anode and cathode to release Joule heat and the cathode/electrolyte reaction. The maximum temperature of T m is 642.65 °C, which is mainly caused by the reaction between oxygen and electrolyte.

cGAS Restricts PRRSV Replication by Sensing the mtDNA to Increase the cGAMP Activity.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is an RNA virus that causes great economic losses globally to the swine industry. Innate immune RNA receptors mainly sense it during infection. As a DNA sensor, cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) plays an important role in sensing cytosolic DNA and activating innate immunity to induce IFN-I and establish an antiviral cellular state. In contrast, the role of innate immune DNA sensors during PRRSV infection has not been elucidated. In this study, we found that cGAS facilitates the production of IFN-ß during PRRSV infection. Western blot and virus titer assays suggested that cGAS overexpression suppressed the replication of multiple PRRSV strains, while knockout of cGAS increased viral titer and nucleocapsid protein expression. Besides, our results indicated that the mitochondria were damaged during PRRSV infection and leaked mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) into the cytoplasm. The mtDNA in the cytoplasm co-localizes with the cGAS, and the cGAMP activity was increased when the cGAS was overexpressed during PRRSV infection. Furthermore, the cGAMP also possesses an anti-PRRSV effect. These results indicate for the first time that cGAS restricts PRRSV replication by sensing the mtDNA in the cytoplasm to increase cGAMP activity, which not only explains the molecular mechanism by which cGAS inhibits PRRSV replication but also provides research ideas for studying the role of the cGAS-STING signaling pathway in the process of RNA virus infection.

Purple sweet potato anthocyanin extract regulates redox state related to gut microbiota homeostasis in obese mice.

This study explored the advantageous effects of purple sweet potato anthocyanin extract (PSPAE) on redox state in obese mice. The normal chow diet (NCD) group, high-fat/cholesterol diet (HCD) group, and three groups based on HCD and added with low, middle, and high dose of PSPAE (PAL, PAM, and PAH) were raised for 12 weeks. High dose of PSPAE treatment decreased the elevations of the body weight by 24.7%, serum total cholesterol by 48.3%, serum triglyceride by 42.4%, and elevated serum activities of glutathione peroxidase by 53.3%, superoxide dismutase by 57.8%, catalase by 75.4%, decreased serum contents of malondialdehyde by 27.1% and lipopolysaccharides by 40.5%, as well as increased caecal total short-chain fatty acid by 2.05-fold. Additionally, PSPAE depressed toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor α, and preserved nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) gene expression. Similarly, the protein expression of Nrf2 was enhanced, while TLR-4 and p-NF-κB/NF-κB were depressed by PSPAE treatment. Moreover, PSPAE administration promoted the protection of intestinal barrier function and rebuilt gut microbiota homeostasis by blooming g_Akkermansia, g_Bifidobacterium, and g_Lactobacillus. Furthermore, antibiotic interference experiments showed that the gut microbiota was indispensable for preserving the redox state of PSPAE. These results suggested that PSPAE administration could be an opportunity for improving HCD-induced obesity and the redox state related to gut dysbiosis. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Purple sweet potato anthocyanin has diverse pharmacological properties. It is applicable for individuals to consume extracts (as pills or other forms) from raw purple sweet potato if they want to improve obesity or redox state.

Pseudorabies virus UL24 antagonizes OASL-mediated antiviral effect.

Oligoadenylate synthetases-like (OASL) protein exerts various effects on DNA and RNA viruses by inhibiting cGAS-mediated IFN production and by enhancing RIG-I-mediated IFN induction, respectively. In this study, we aimed to examine the role of OASL in pseudorabies virus (PRV) proliferation and investigate the function of the PRV UL24 protein in cellular innate immunity. We found that OASL regulates PRV proliferation by enhancing RIG-I signaling. PRV infection decreased the expression of OASL at both the mRNA and protein levels in PK15 and HeLa cells. OASL expression suppressed the proliferation of PRV in a RIG-I-dependent manner and boosted RIG-I-mediated IFN expression as well as IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) induction. In contrast, knockdown of OASL enhanced PRV proliferation and reduced RIG-I signaling. However, the PRV UL24 protein was found to impair RIG-I signaling, thus inhibiting transcription of IFN and ISGs. In addition, the UL24 protein reduced RIG-I-induced expression of endogenous OASL in an IRF3-dependent manner, thereby antagonizing the OASL antiviral effect. Taken together, our findings characterize the role of OASL in PRV proliferation and provide new insights into the role of UL24 in PRV pathogenesis.

Completely laparoscopic versus open radical nephrectomy and infrahepatic tumor thrombectomy: Comparison of surgical complexity and prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the operation complexity and prognosis of completely laparoscopic versus open radical nephrectomy and infrahepatic tumor thrombectomy. METHODS: We reviewed and analyzed the clinical data of 87 patients with infrahepatic tumor thrombus from January 2015 to April 2019 retrospectively. Completely laparoscopic infrahepatic tumor thrombectomy was completed in 41 cases, and open surgery was completed in 46 cases. RESULTS: All 41 patients successfully completed laparoscopic operation, and there were no cases of death during the operation. The completely laparoscopic group were older, had smaller renal tumor diameter, shorter median operation time, lower median intraoperative hemorrhage volume, and lower median transfusion volume of suspended red blood cells compared with open surgeries. The proportion of low-level tumor thrombus (Mayo I) in the completely laparoscopic group was higher (63.4%), while the proportion of low-level tumor thrombus in the open surgery group was lower (30.4%) (P = 0.002). The postoperative complications incidence of laparoscopic surgery was 19.5%, which was lower than that of open surgery (47.8%) (P = 0.004). The mean cancer-specific survival time of the laparoscopic surgery group was 36.6 ± 2.5 months, while that of the open surgery group was 32.3 ± 2.7 months (P = 0.277). There was no statistical difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Although completely laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and infrahepatic tumor thrombectomy is a challenging operation, it could be feasible and safely performed, especially in the hands of highly-experienced laparoscopic urologists for well selected cases.

Development of a Monoclonal Antibody Against Porcine CD163 SRCR5 Domain Which Partially Blocks Infection of PRRSV.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), which seriously endangers the world pig industry, invades host cells through receptor-mediated endocytosis involving clathrin. CD163 is an essential receptor for PRRSV during its infection of cells. The scavenger receptor cysteine-rich 5 (SRCR5) domain of the CD163 molecule is necessary for PRRSV infection, and interacts with glycoproteins GP2a and GP4 of PRRSV, allowing the virus to infect the host cells. In this study, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against the SRCR5-6 region of porcine CD163 was developed, and the target epitope of the mAb was determined as 497TWGTVCDSDF506, which is directly adjacent to the ligand-binding pocket (LBP) domain (487-495aa) of CD163. Further study indicated that the mAb could partially block PRRSV infection of its target cells, pulmonary alveolar macrophages. The mAb developed in the study may provide a foundation of antiviral therapy for PRRSV.

Simultaneous Removal of NO and SO2 from Flue Gas Using [Bmim]2FeCl4/Sulfolane Binary Mixtures.

NO and SO2 are the major pollutants of coal combustion. As superior absorbents, ionic liquids are environmentally friendly, are reusable, and can clean flue gases, such as CO2, SO2, and NO x . However, NO and SO2 absorption with low concentration in flue gases under normal conditions is rarely studied. In this work, [Bmim]2FeCl4 was synthesized and mixed with sulfolane for NO and SO2 removal from flue gas. The investigated concentrations of NO and SO2 were 1100 and 2500 ppm, respectively, which are close to real fuel gas conditions. Results showed that 30 wt % [Bmim]2FeCl4/sulfolane mixture performed the best absorption behavior. The presence of SO2 could promote NO absorption by [Bmim]2FeCl4/sulfolane mixture. The 30 wt % [Bmim]2FeCl4/sulfolane mixture had removal efficiencies of 93.6 and 76.2% for NO and SO2, respectively. This mixture also showed great reusability for NO and SO2 after six cycles of absorption. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum indicated that SO2 and NO removal by [Bmim]2FeCl4/sulfolane binary mixture was due to the chemical reaction between NO and [Bmim]2FeCl4 and the physical absorption between SO2 and sulfolane.