Individualized treatment decision model for inoperable elderly esophageal squamous cell carcinoma based on multi-modal data fusion.

BACKGROUND: This research aimed to develop a model for individualized treatment decision-making in inoperable elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) using machine learning methods and multi-modal data. METHODS: A total of 189 inoperable elderly ESCC patients aged 65 or older who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) or radiotherapy (RT) were included. Multi-task learning models were created using machine learning techniques to analyze multi-modal data, including pre-treatment CT images, clinical information, and blood test results. Nomograms were constructed to predict the objective response rate (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) for different treatment strategies. Optimal treatment plans were recommended based on the nomograms. Patients were stratified into high-risk and low-risk groups using the nomograms, and survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: The identified risk factors influencing ORR were histologic grade (HG), T stage and three radiomic features including original shape elongation, first-order skewness and original shape flatness, while risk factors influencing PFS included BMI, HG and three radiomic features including high gray-level run emphasis, first-order minimum and first-order skewness. These risk factors were incorporated into the nomograms as independent predictive factors. PFS was substantially different between the low-risk group (total score ≤ 110) and the high-risk group (total score > 110) according to Kaplan-Meier curves (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The developed predictive models for ORR and PFS in inoperable elderly ESCC patients provide valuable insights for predicting treatment efficacy and prognosis. The nomograms enable personalized treatment decision-making and can guide optimal treatment plans for inoperable elderly ESCC patients.

Sex difference and risk factors in burden of urogenital congenital anomalies from 1990 to 2019.

Urogenital congenital anomalies (UCAs) is defined as "any live-birth with a urinary or genital condition" and affects millions of men and women worldwide. However, sex differences and related environmental risk factors in UCAs burden on a global scale have not been assessed. Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we estimated prevalence, incidence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of UCAs from 1990 to 2019 by sex, region, and socio-demographic Index (SDI) in 204 countries and territories. The disease burden of UCAs was also estimated attributable to each risk factor were estimated according to risk exposure. In 2019, UCAs caused 10,200 all-ages deaths (95% UI 7550-13,400). The combined global incidence rate was 8.38 per 1000 (95% UI 5.88-12.0) live births. The ASIR increased slightly, while the ASDR decreased from 1990 to 2019.The UCAs burden varies greatly depending on the development level and geographical location. The UCAs burden was significantly higher in men than in women, and the sex differences showed an enlarging trend. Health risks and issues, including pollution, child and maternal malnutrition, diet habits, unsafe sanitation and water source, were detected to be positively related to UCAs burden. Albeit the age-standardised prevalence, mortality, incidence, and DALYs of UCAs have decreased, they still cause a public health challenge worldwide. The high deaths and DALYs rates in low and low-middle SDI countries highlight the urgent need for improved preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic measures. Global strategies for enhancing water safety, reducing pollution, and healthy diets are crucial steps in reducing the burden of UCAs.

Caveolae-associated protein 3 promotes adipogenic differentiation of porcine preadipocytes by promoting extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation.

Fat deposition is one of the key factors affecting the economic development of pig husbandry. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression characteristics of caveolae-associated protein 3 (CAVIN3) and to elucidate its effect and mechanism on adipogenic differentiation of porcine preadipocytes. Cell transfection, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot, and oil red O staining were used to detect the effect of CAVIN3 on the differentiation of porcine preadipocytes. The results showed that CAVIN3 was expressed in various tissues, with higher expression in adipose tissue, differentially expressed during cell adipogenic differentiation, and mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. Functional studies showed that, after CAVIN3 interference in preadipocytes, the expression of adipogenic factors and the content of lipid droplets were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The results were reversed after CAVIN3 was overexpressed. The mechanism research showed that LY3214996 inhibited the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation and further inhibited lipogenic factors expression. Overexpression of CAVIN3 attenuates the inhibitory effect of LY3214996 on ERK phosphorylation and attenuates its inhibitory effect on adipogenic differentiation. Therefore, this study demonstrated that CAVIN3 promotes the differentiation of porcine preadipocytes by promoting ERK phosphorylation. The present study can lay a theoretical foundation for further studying the molecular mechanism of porcine fat deposition.

Construction of Intelligent Substation-Optimized Networking Communication Network Based on Source-Network-Load Interaction Environment.

Smart grids, which possess flexibility, cleanliness, safety, economy, and friendliness, have drawn a lot of attention from all over the world in an era of rapid social and economic development, power technology change, and energy and environmental constraints. However, there are still issues with the design, installation, and operation of smart substations, such as insufficient LAN integration, difficulty quantifying network performance, and inability to keep track of communication. The basic meaning and key technologies of substation communication standards are used as the research object in this paper, and the basic attributes of substation data flow, such as source, type, and function, are qualitatively analyzed. The mathematical model that is most closely fitted is 2.8% more effective. The research object is the topology of the process bus. Through the comparison of various solutions, including star topology, ring topology, bus topology, and mesh topology, the advantages and disadvantages of each topology networking scheme are revealed along with the particular functional requirements of the substation process layer. Further discussion is given to the crucial topology-related technologies of network congestion and flow control.

Rupture Risk Assessment of Cervical Spinal Manipulations on Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque by a 3D Fluid-Structure Interaction Model.

METHOD: The FSI model, based on MRI data of an atherosclerosis patient, was used to simulate the deformations of the plaque and lumen during the process of two kinds of typical cSMT (the high-speed, low-amplitude spinal manipulation and the cervical rotatory manipulation). The biomechanical parameters were recorded, such as the highest wall shear stress (WSS), the maximum plaque wall stress (PWS), the wall tensile stress (Von mises stress, VWTS), and the strain. RESULT: The max_WSS was 33.77 kPa in the most extensive deformation. The highest WSS region on the plaque surface was also the highest PWS region. The max_PWS in a 12% stretch was 55.11 kPa, which was lower than the rupture threshold. The max_VWTS of the cap in 12% stretch which approached the fracture stress level was 116.75 kPa. Moreover, the vessel's max_VWTS values in 10% and 12% stretch were 554.21 and 855.19 kPa. They were higher than the fracture threshold, which might cause media fracture. Meanwhile, the 7% stretched strain was 0.29, closed to the smallest experimental green strains at rupture. CONCLUSION: The carotid arteries' higher stretch generated the higher stress level of the plaque. Cervical rotatory manipulation might cause plaque at a high risk of rupture in deformation after 12% stretch and more. Lower deformation of the plaque and artery caused by the high-speed, low-amplitude spinal manipulation might be safer.

Clostridium perfringens beta2 toxin induced in vitro oxidative damage and its toxic assessment in porcine small intestinal epithelial cell lines.

Clostridium perfringens beta2 (CPB2), a key virulence factor, is produced by C. perfringens type C that is the main pathogenic microorganism causing diarrhea in piglets. However, little is known concerning the toxic damage effect of CPB2 on intestinal cells of piglets. In present study, CPB2 toxin obtained by genetic recombination technology was evaluated for its cytotoxicity property using the intestinal porcine epithelial (IPEC-J2) cells, which aims to attempt to understand and explain its mechanism of action in porcine small intestinal epithelial cells. IPEC-J2 cells were treated with different concentrations of CPB2 toxin (5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 µg/mL), and MTT assay results showed that the cell viability of CPB2-treated IPEC-J2 cells decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay results revealed that CPB2 significantly increased the LDH release, relative to the control. The expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) gradually increased, while the expression of interleukin 10 (IL-10) gradually decreased in IPEC-J2 cells with increasing concentration of CPB2 (10-30 µg/mL), as analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). Also, CPB2 increased the content of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) of IPEC-J2 cells. Western blot and immunofluorescence results demonstrate that CPB2 decreased the expression of zonula occludens (ZO-1), claudin12 (CLDN12) and occludin (OCLN) in IPEC-J2 cells. In addition, CPB2 increased Bax expression, and inhibited Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression, as measured by Western blot. Considering all of these findings, it was concluded that CPB2 toxin shows significant cytotoxicity, cell growth inhibition and increase in cell permeability in IPEC-J2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, thus leading to abnormal cell apoptosis and functions in porcine small intestinal epithelial cells.

Three-dimensional nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon nanomaterials derived from plant biomass: Cost-effective construction of label-free electrochemical aptasensor for sensitively detecting alpha-fetoprotein.

We synthesized three kinds of nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon nanomaterials (represented by N-mC) through a cost-effective method, that is, pyrolysis of plant biomasses (grass, flower, and peanut shells). We further explored their potential as sensitive bioplatforms for electrochemical label-free aptasensors to facilitate the early detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Chemical structure characterizations revealed that rich functional groups coexisted in as-synthesized N-mC nanomaterials, such as C-C, C-O, C=O, C-N, and COOH. Among the three kinds of N-mC nanomaterials, the one derived from grass (N-mCg) exhibited the lowest carbon defect degree, the highest ID/IG ratio in the Raman spectra, and the largest specific surface area (186.2 m2 g-1). Consequently, N-mCg displayed excellent electrochemical activity and strong affinity toward aptamer strands, further endowing the corresponding aptasensor with sensitive detection ability for AFP. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were used to investigate the whole detection procedure for AFP. The EIS and DPV results showed that the fabricated N-mCg-based aptasensor possessed an extremely low limit of detection of 60.8 and 61.8 fg·mL-1 (s/n = 3), respectively, for detecting AFP within a wide linear range from 0.1 pg mL-1 to 100 ng mL-1. Moreover, the aptasensor displayed acceptable selectivity and applicability, high reproducibility, and excellent stability in serum samples of cancer patients. Therefore, the proposed cost-effective and label-free strategy based on the nitrogen-doped nanoporous carbon derived from plant biomass is a promising approach for the early detection of various tumor markers.

Distribution and health risk assessment of mercury in urban street dust from coal energy dominant Huainan City, China.

High levels of mercury contamination in urban street dust pose a great threat to human health. In this study, representative urban street dust samples in different urban zones were collected from industrial Huainan City, Eastern China. The distribution and human health risk of Hg in urban street dusts were investigated. In comparison with the soil background Hg values of Huainan and China, the average Hg concentration (0.16 ± 0.14 mg kg(-1), n = 50) was significantly elevated, with a variation ranging from 0.02 to 0.56 mg kg(-1). Among the seven different urban zones, the industrial district had the highest levels of Hg, potentially deriving predominantly from the dust emissions of the nearby Pingwei coal-fired power plant. In addition, Hg concentrations in dust samples appear to increase with the decrease of particle size. The result of health risk assessment on Hg in these urban street dusts indicated that there was no significant risk of carcinogenesis for the adults living in Huainan city.

One-step preparation of fluorographene: a highly efficient, low-cost, and large-scale approach of exfoliating fluorographite.

Fluorographene, a cousin of graphene, not only inherits the excellent mechanical properties of graphene but also has great unique application potential in high-performance devices and materials, such as lubricating agents, digital transistors, nanocomposites, and energy-storage devices. However, large-scale preparation of fluorographene remains a great challenge. Herein, an easy-operating, highly scalable, and low-cost approach was reported for the preparation of fluorographene using commercially available fluorographite as the starting material. In this procedure, fluorographite turned into few-layer fluorographene through a rapid exfoliation process with Na2O2 and HSO3Cl as exfoliating agents. The whole preparation process was performed in air and without heating, sonication, and protective gas. The obtained fluorographene was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, (19)F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, and it possesses a hexagonal polycrystalline structure. Fluorographene and fluorographite were employed as cathode materials of the primary lithium battery, and it was found that the specific discharge capacity of the battery using fluorographene was improved remarkably compared to that using fluorographite. Cyclic voltammetry results also showed that specific capacitances of fluorographene were dozens of times higher than that of fluorographite. It is clear that electrochemical properties of fluorographene are significantly improved against fluorographite.