Managing Secondary Phase Lead Iodide in Hybrid Perovskites via Surface Reconstruction for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells with Robust Environmental Stability.

Rationally managing the secondary-phase excess lead iodide (PbI2 ) in hybrid perovskite is of significance for pursuing high performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs), while the challenge remains on its conversion to a homogeneous layer that is robust stable against environmental stimuli. We herein demonstrate an effective strategy of surface reconstruction that converts the excess PbI2 into a gradient lead sulfate-silica bi-layer, which substantially stabilizes the perovskite film and reduces interfacial charge transfer barrier in the PSCs device. The perovskite films with such bi-layer could bear harsh conditions such as soaking in water, light illumination at 70 % relative humidity, and the damp-thermal (85 °C and 30 % humidity) environment. The resulted PSCs deliver a champion efficiency up to 24.09 %, as well as remarkable environmental stability, e.g., retaining 78 % of their initial efficiency after 5500 h of shelf storage, and 82 % after 1000 h of operational stability testing.

Self-adaptive real-time time-dependent density functional theory for x-ray absorptions.

Real-time time-dependent density functional theory (RT-TDDFT) can, in principle, access the whole absorption spectrum of a many-electron system exposed to a narrow pulse. However, this requires an accurate and efficient propagator for the numerical integration of the time-dependent Kohn-Sham equation. While a low-order time propagator is already sufficient for the low-lying valence absorption spectra, it is no longer the case for the x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) of systems composed even only of light elements, for which the use of a high-order propagator is indispensable. It is then crucial to choose a largest possible time step and a shortest possible simulation time so as to minimize the computational cost. To this end, we propose here a robust AutoPST approach to determine automatically (Auto) the propagator (P), step (S), and time (T) for relativistic RT-TDDFT simulations of XAS.

Nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulation for the ultrafast photoisomerization of dMe-OMe-NAIP based on TDDFT on-the-fly potential energy surfaces.

Global switching on-the-fly trajectory surface hopping molecular dynamics simulation was performed on the accurate TD-B3LYP/6-31G* potential energy surfaces for E-to-Z and Z-to-E photoisomerization of dMe-OMe-NAIP up to S1(ππ*) excitation. The present TD(DFT) simulation provides accurate calculation for conical intersections between the first-excited and ground states. Thus, simulated quantum yield and lifetime of 0.23 and 620 fs (0.15 and 600 fs) for E-to-Z (Z-to-E) isomerization are in good (relatively good) agreement with experimental observation of 0.25 and 480 fs (0.24 and 430 fs), respectively. Simulated results reveal that photoisomerization pathways are initially uphill to conical intersection zones on the S1 potential energy surface and then downhill to product zones. Three types of representative conical intersections are found for determining photoisomerization mechanisms: one is the rotation type responsible for reactive isomerization and the other two are close to E and Z configurations, respectively, only for nonreactive isomerization. The present conclusions can be held in general for similar large NAIP systems of photoinduced isomerization based on E and Z configurations.

Functional and Basis Set Dependence for Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory Trajectory Surface Hopping Molecular Dynamics: Cis-Azobenzene Photoisomerization.

Within three functionals (TD-B3LYP, TD-BHandHLYP, and TD-CAM-B3LYP) in combination with four basis sets (3-21g, 6-31g, 6-31g(d), and cc-pvdz), global switching (GS) trajectory surface hopping molecular dynamics has been performed for cis-to-trans azobenzene photoisomerization up to the S1 (nπ*) excitation. Although all the combinations show artificial double-cone structure of conical intersection between ground and first excited states, simulated quantum yields and lifetimes are in good agreement with one another; 0.6 (±5%) and 40.5 fs (±10%) by TD-B3LYP, 0.5 (±10%) and 35.5 fs (±4%) by TD-BHandHLYP, and 0.44 (±9%) and 35.2 fs (±10%) by TD-CAM-B3LYP. By analyzing distributions of excited-state population decays, hopping spots, and typical trajectories with performance of 12 functional/basis set combinations, it has been concluded that functional dependence for given basis set is slightly more sensitive than basis set dependence for given functional. The present GS on-the-fly time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) trajectory surface hopping simulation can provide practical benchmark guidelines for conical intersection driven excited-state molecular dynamics simulation involving in large complex system within ordinary TDDFT framework. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Supercritical CO2 Foaming of Radiation Cross-Linked Isotactic Polypropylene in the Presence of TAIC.

Since the maximum foaming temperature window is only about 4 °C for supercritical CO2 (scCO2) foaming of pristine polypropylene, it is important to raise the melt strength of polypropylene in order to more easily achieve scCO2 foaming. In this work, radiation cross-linked isotactic polypropylene, assisted by the addition of a polyfunctional monomer (triallylisocyanurate, TAIC), was employed in the scCO2 foaming process in order to understand the benefits of radiation cross-linking. Due to significantly enhanced melt strength and the decreased degree of crystallinity caused by cross-linking, the scCO2 foaming behavior of polypropylene was dramatically changed. The cell size distribution, cell diameter, cell density, volume expansion ratio, and foaming rate of radiation-cross-linked polypropylene under different foaming conditions were analyzed and compared. It was found that radiation cross-linking favors the foamability and formation of well-defined cell structures. The optimal absorbed dose with the addition of 2 wt % TAIC was 30 kGy. Additionally, the foaming temperature window was expanded to about 8 °C, making the handling of scCO2 foaming of isotactic polypropylene much easier.

Association of genetic loci for migraine susceptibility in the she people of China.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of the genotype and allele frequencies of the polymorphisms rs4379368, rs10504861, rs10915437, rs12134493 and rs13208321 in She people of China with migraine headache susceptibility. The five alleles were previously identified as being associated with migraine in a Western population, but it was not known if this association would hold in a She population. rs4379368 is in the succinic HMG coenzyme A transferase (C7orf10) gene; rs10504861 is near the matrix metallopeptidase 16 (MMP16) gene; rs10915437 is near the adherens junctions associated protein 1 (AJAP1) gene; rs12134493 is upstream of the tetraspanin 2 (TSPAN2) gene; and rs13208321 is within the four and a half LIM domains protein 5 (FHL5) gene. METHODS: This was a case-controlled study conducted in She people of Fujian province in China. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and direct sequencing were performed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the association of the different genotypes of each SNP with migraine. RESULTS: The rs4379368 T allele was not in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and was more common than the C allele in subjects with migraine (58.7 %; P = 0.049), possibly suggesting a selection bias for T allele in this population. In support of this, the CT and TT genotypes were more frequent in the migraine compared with the control groups (54.0 % and 31.7 % vs. 48.0 % and 28.7 %, respectively; P = 0.019). These genotypes were also more common in females with migraines than females without migraines (53.8 % and 30.9 % vs. 46.7 % and 27.6 %; P = 0.026). Univariate and multivariate analyses found the CC genotype of rs4379368 and AA or AG genotype of rs13208321 were associated with a reduced risk of migraine (P values ≤0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that rs4379368 and rs13208321 are potential genetic markers for migraine in this She population. The findings of this study and others indicate important differences between ethnic populations in regard to genetic markers of migraine susceptibility.

A case report of parotid gland epithelioid hemangioendothelioma.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare low-grade malignant vascular tumor. It mainly occurs in the liver, lungs, bones, and other parts of the body. Reports of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma in the parotid gland are rare in both domestic and international literature. Here, we present a case report of a parotid gland epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, including its complete clinical course and imaging findings, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this unusual disease. Case presentation: The patient, a 75-year-old female, presented with a swelling around the right ear for 2 months and pain for 20 days. Enhanced MRI of the parotid gland revealed a well-defined, round mass with homogeneous signal intensity. The mass showed low signal intensity on T1-weighted imaging, high signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging, nodular low signal intensity within, significant high signal intensity on DWI sequence, low signal intensity on ADC sequence, and heterogeneous enhancement in the arterial phase after intravenous injection of Gd-DTPA. Nodular non-enhancing low signal intensity was observed internally, and slight clearance was seen in the venous phase. The initial diagnosis before surgery was a benign lesion, but after histopathological and immunohistochemical examination, it was confirmed as epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. Intervention: Complete tumor resection was performed. Results: The patient experienced a favorable recovery, with meticulous follow-up conducted for up to 1 year revealing no signs of recurrence or metastasis. Continued patient surveillance is ongoing to substantiate and validate the long-term efficacy of the treatment. Conclusion: Due to the extreme rarity of parotid gland epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, it often leads to a high misdiagnosis rate. The most common misdiagnosis is salivary gland lymphoma, followed by epithelioid hemangiosarcoma. When the lesion is multifocal, fusiform, with internal necrosis, and shows punctate low signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging, significant enhancement in the arterial phase, particularly with more pronounced peripheral enhancement, and persistent enhancement in the venous and delayed phases, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma should be considered. However, the current clinical diagnosis of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma still primarily relies on immunohistochemical methods.

A novel necroptosis-related long noncoding RNA model for predicting clinical features, immune characteristics, and therapeutic response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Necroptosis is an immune-related cell death pathway involved in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we aimed to explore the role of necroptosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and construct a necroptosis-related lncRNA (NRL) model to assess its potential association with clinical characteristics and immune status. Methods: Gene expression profiles and clinical data for ccRCC patients were obtained from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Pearson's correlation, univariate Cox, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analyses were used to develop an NRL model. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to determine the prognostic value of the NRL model. The clinical information was used to assess the diagnostic value of the NRL model. The TME, immune function, immune cell infiltration, and immune checkpoints associated with the NRL model risk score were studied using the ESTIMATE, GSEA, ssGSEA, and CIBERSORT algorithms. The immunophenoscore (IPS) and half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) were used to compare the efficacies of immunotherapy and chemotherapy based on the NRL model. Finally, in vitro assays were performed to confirm the biological roles of NRLs. Results: A total of 18 necroptosis-related genes and 285 NRLs in ccRCC were identified. A four-NRL model was constructed and showed good performance in the diagnosis and prognosis of ccRCC patients. The ESTIMATE scores, tumor mutation burden, and tumor stemness indices were significantly correlated with NRL model risk score. Immune functions such as chemokine receptors and immune receptor activity showed differences between different risk groups. The infiltration of immunosuppressive cells such as Tregs was higher in high-risk patients than in low-risk patients. High-risk patients were more sensitive to immunotherapy and some chemotherapy drugs, such as sunitinib and temsirolimus. Finally, the expression of NRLs included in the model was verified, and knocking down these NRLs in tumor cells affected cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusion: Necroptosis plays an important role in the progression of ccRCC. The NRL model we constructed can be used to predict the clinical characteristics and immune features of ccRCC patients.

Malignant proliferative ependymoma of the neck with lymph node metastasis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Malignant proliferating trichilemmal tumor (MPTT) is an infrequent malignant neoplasm originating from cutaneous appendages, with only a handful of documented cases. This report delineates a unique instance of MPTT situated in the neck, accompanied by lymph node metastasis. A comprehensive exposition of its clinical trajectory and imaging manifestation is presented, aiming to enhance comprehension and management of this atypical ailment. CASE SUMMARY: Patient concerns: A 79-year-old male presented with a longstanding right neck mass persisting for over six decades, exhibiting recent enlargement over the past year. Diagnoses: Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the neck unveiled an elliptical mass on the right neck side, characterized by an ill-defined border and a heterogeneous signal pattern. The mass exhibited subdued signal intensity on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and a heterogeneous high signal on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), interspersed with a lengthy T1 and T2 cystic signal motif. Close anatomical association with the submandibular gland joint was noted, and intravenous gadolinium diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid administration facilitated conspicuous enhancement. Substantial enhancement of the solid segment prompted an initial preoperative diagnosis of malignant nerve sheath tumor. However, post-surgery histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis conclusively confirmed the diagnosis as malignant hyperplastic external hair root sheath tumor. Intervention: Complete excision of the tumor was successfully executed. Outcomes: The patient experienced a favorable postoperative recovery. CONCLUSION: Malignant proliferative trichilemmal tumor external hair root sheath tumor is a cystic-solid lesion, appearing as low signal on T1WI images or high signal on T2WI with enhancement of the solid component. Suspicions of malignancy are heightened when the tumor border is indistinct, tissue planes are breached, or when linear or patchy high signals are observed in the subcutaneous tissue on T1 liver acquisition with volume acceleration enhanced images along with intermediate signal on T2WI and restricted diffusion on diffusion-weighted imaging images. Strong consideration for malignancy should arise if there are signs of compromised adjacent tissue relationships or direct invasion evident on imaging. We have incorporated the above-mentioned content into the entire manuscript.

Laser Derived Electron Transport Layers with Embedded p-n Heterointerfaces Enabling Planar Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency over 25.

Electron transport layers (ETLs) with pronounced electron conducting capability are essential for high performance planar perovskite photovoltaics, with the great challenge being that the most widely used metal oxide ETLs unfortunately have intrinsically low carrier mobility. Herein is demonstrated that by simply addressing the carrier loss at particle boundaries of TiO2 ETLs, through embedding in ETL p-n heterointerfaces, the electron mobility of the ETLs can be boosted by three orders of magnitude. Such embedding is encouragingly favorable for both inhibiting the formation of rutile phase TiO2 in ETL, and initiating the growth of high-quality perovskite films with less defect states. By virtue of these merits, creation of formamidinium lead iodide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with a champion efficiency of 25.05% is achieved, setting a new benchmark for planar PSCs employing TiO2 ETLs. Unencapsulated PSCs deliver much-improved environmental stability, i.e., more than 80% of their initial efficiency after 9000 h of air storage under RH of 40%, and over 90% of their initial efficiency at maximum power point under continuous illumination for 500 h. Further work exploring other p-type nanocrystals for embedding warrants the proposed strategy as a universal alternative for addressing the low-carrier mobility of metal oxide based ETLs.

Optimal treatment strategy and prognostic analysis for hypopharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma patients with T3-T4 or node-positive: A population-based study.

PURPOSE: To explore the optimal treatment strategy and relevant prognostic analysis for hypopharyngeal squamous-cell carcinoma patients (HSCC) with T3-T4 or node-positive. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From 2004 to 2018, data for 2574 patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER) and 66 patients treated at our center from 2013 to 2022 with T3-T4 or N + HSCC were collected. Patients in the SEER cohort were randomly assigned to the training set or validation set at a 7:3 ratio. Variables with statistically significant (P < 0.05) in univariate COX regression analysis or clinical significance were included in the multivariate COX regression model and subsequently used to construct the nomogram. RESULTS: The 3-year OS (52.9%vs44.4%, P < 0.01) and 3-year CSS rate (58.7%vs51.5%, P < 0.01) rates in the surgery combined with postoperative adjuvant therapy (S + ADT) group were superior to the radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy (CRT) group. The multivariate Cox regression analysis of the training group showed that age, race, marital status, primary site, T stage, N stage, and treatment modalities were correlated with OS and CSS. Based on those variables, we constructed nomograms for OS and CSS. Both the internal and external validation showed high prediction accuracy of the nomogram. CONCLUSION: Among patients with T3-T4 or node-positive, S + ADT was associated with superior OS and CSS compared to those treated with primary CRT, while the survival rate in the CRT group was comparable to S + ADT group in T2-T3 disease. The internal and external verification shows that the prognostic model has good discrimination ability and accuracy.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate suppresses 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridine-induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells via the SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease is a high incidence neurodegenerative disease in elderly people, and oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis. Oxygen metabolism in the brain is high, which lacks an antioxidative protection mechanism. Recently, it has been found that polyphenols play an important role in antioxidation. (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is an important component of tea polyphenols and its biological effects, such as strong antioxidation, scavenging of free radicals and anti-apoptosis, can pass through the blood brain barrier. The SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway has not been reported in PC12 cells. Therefore, research of the protective mechanism of EGCG in PC12 cells damaged by -methyl-4-phenyl-pyridine (MMP+) may provide a new insight into protect against and treatment of Parkinson's disease. METHODS: MPP(+)-treated highly differentiated PC12 cells were used as the in vitro cell model. An MTT assay was used to investigate cell viability after EGCG treatment, a dichlorofluorescin diacetate assay was used to measure reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, western blot analysis was used to observe PGC-1α and SIRT1 protein expression, and real-time PCR to observe PGC-1α, SOD1 and GPX1 mRNA expression. RESULTS: PC12 cell viability was significantly reduced after MPP(+) treatment by 11.46% compared with that of the control (P < 0.05). However, cell viability was unchanged by 10 µmol/L EGCG treatment. In co-treatments with EGCG and MPP(+), cell viability was significantly increased by 12.92% (P < 0.05) and MPP(+)-induced ROS production was markedly decreased. PGC-1α mRNA expression was obviously upregulated by 21.51% (P < 0.05), and SOD1 and GPX1 mRNA expression was slightly increased by 12.94% and 15.63% (P > 0.05), respectively, by treatment with EGCG and then MPP(+) for 12 h. The mRNA expression of PGC-1α, SOD1 and GPX1 was increased by 25.17%, 40% and 146% (all P < 0.05), respectively, by treatment with EGCG and then MPP(+) for 24 h. Such effects were not observed with MPP(+) treatment alone. CONCLUSION: The SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway is one of the mechanisms of EGCG suppression of MPP(+)-induced injury of PC12 cells.

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Subglottis: A Rare Case Report.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a very rare mesenchymal tumor that can behave as a locally benign or aggressive lesion. Here, we present an extremely rare case of IMT involving the subglottic of a middle-aged male. Steroid therapy treatment alleviated dyspnea, but the recurrence of dyspnea was reported two months later. Both sides of the subglottic tumor were excised following treatment, and the surgical specimens were subjected to histopathological evaluation and diagnosis for IMT. At 4 years after excision, follow-up laryngoscopy revealed symmetric vocal cords without evidence of any subglottic mass. Subglottic mass is often asymptomatic until it presents with hoarseness or dyspnea, and subglottic IMT is rare. Based on the successful treatment of our case, complete surgical excision is highly recommended for this rare tumor. However, further research is needed to discover a more effective and cost-effective treatment approach.

Nanoindentation Study on the Creep Characteristics and Hardness of Ion-Irradiated Alloys.

The Hastelloy N alloy, Alloy 800H and 316H stainless steel were irradiated by Xe20+ ion irradiation with energy of 4 MeV at room temperature (peak damage ranging from 0.5 to 10 dpa). The micromechanical properties, hardness and creep plasticity, of these three investigated alloys were characterized before and after irradiation using nanoindentation. The results show that the hardness increases, and creep plasticity degrades with increasing ion dose in all the samples. In comparison, Hastelloy N has good irradiation damage resistance, while that of the 800H and 316H alloys is slightly worse. Additionally, the approximate positive relationship between irradiation hardening and creep plasticity degradation means that the property of creep plasticity of irradiated materials can be reflected from the nanohardness measurement for the heavy ion irradiation cases.

Preparation of DHA-Rich Medium- and Long-Chain Triacylglycerols by Lipase-Catalyzed Acidolysis of Microbial Oil from Schizochytrium sp.with Medium-Chain Fatty Acids.

DHA-rich medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) were produced by lipase-catalyzed acidolysis of microbial oil from Schizochytrium sp. with medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). Four commercial lipases, i.e., NS40086, Novozym 435, Lipozyme RM IM, and Lipozyme TL IM were screened based on their activity and fatty acid specificity. The selected conditions for MLCT synthesis were Lipozyme RM IM as catalyst, reaction time 6 h, lipase load 8 wt%, substrate molar ratio (MCFA/microbial oil) 3:1, and temperature 55 °C. Under the selected conditions, the lipase could be reused successively for 17 cycles without significant loss of lipase activity. The obtained product contained 27.53% MCFA, 95.29% at sn-1,3 positions, and 44.70% DHA, 69.77% at sn-2 position. Fifty-nine types of triacylglycerols (TAG) were identified, in which 35 types of TAG contained MCFA, the content accounting for 55.35%. This product enriched with DHA at sn-2 position and MCFA at sn-1,3 positions can improve its digestion and absorption under an infant's digestive system, and thus has potential to be used in infant formula to increase the bioavailability of DHA.

The prognostic value of long non-coding RNA H19 in various cancers: A meta-analysis based on 15 studies with 1584 patients and the Cancer Genome Atlas data.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) H19 is aberrantly expressed in various cancers. However, the prognostic significance of H19 in cancer patients remains to be elucidated. Here, we designed and conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic value of this lncRNA for malignant solid neoplasms. METHODS: Relevant publications were collected from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase databases. The relevant survival data of patients with H19-associated cancers were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project. Statistically significant relationships between H19 expression levels and overall survival were analyzed by hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 15 studies with 1584 patients were ultimately included for this literature meta-analysis. An elevated level of H19 expression was found to be negatively correlated with the overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.36-1.93, P < .001) in various cancers. Abnormal H19 expression was also positively correlated with poor tumor differentiation (P < .0001), more advanced clinical stage (P < .0001), earlier lymph node metastasis (P < .0001), and earlier distant metastasis (P < .05). The relationship between elevated H19 expression and overall survival was further validated by a TCGA dataset consisting of 7462 cancer patients (HR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.03-1.22, P < .05). CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that H19 expression is closely relevant to clinical outcome and suggests that lncRNA H19 could be a crucial prognostic biomarker for certain carcinoma types.

Expression and clinical significance of epidermal growth factor receptor and type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and type 1 insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) receptors play an important role in the growth and apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). They were separately found to be associated with prognosis in patients with NPC. To date, their expression correlation and clinicopathologic significance have never been specifically addressed in NPC. METHODS: Seventy-five patients with NPC and 21 noncancerous nasopharyngeal epithelial samples were accrued between 1998 and 2006 in a single hospital. The expressions of EGF and IGF-1 receptors were detected by immunohistochemical staining in the 75 NPC samples and the 21 noncancerous samples. Furthermore, the messenger RNA and protein expressions were assessed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the Western blot technique, respectively, in NPC cell lines and normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. RESULTS: The 5-year survival rates, assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method, were 71.4% and 66.6% in the EGF and IGF-1 receptor protein-negative groups, respectively, whereas they were only 28.6% and 33.3% in the receptor protein-positive groups. The levels of these two proteins significantly correlated with each other, and the overexpression rates of EGF and IGF-1 receptors were 65.3% and 56% in nasopharyngeal samples, respectively. Furthermore, both protein expressions were significantly higher in NPC patients with cervical lymph node or distant metastasis than in NPC patients without lymph node or distant metastasis. Recurrence more often appears in cases positive for both proteins than in cases negative for both proteins. The expression levels of the receptor messenger RNA and proteins were higher in several NPC cell lines than in normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that both receptor proteins may play an important role in the invasion, metastasis, and recurrence of NPC. Both receptors are valuable markers for assessing the prognosis of NPC. Their expression at such high frequencies provides the basis of combined targeted therapy with specific pharmacologic inhibitors to enhance the effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

[Research on DPOAE of guinea pigs treated with gentamicin].

This study was designed to disclose the specific changes of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), including DP-gram and I/O-gram in guinea pigs treated with GM for 10 and 17 days. Forty guinea pigs were divided into four groups:group I (treated with GM for 10 days), group II (treated with normal saline for 10 days), group III (treated with GM for 17 days), group IV (treated with normal saline for 17 days). DPOAE including DP-gram and DP-I/O was recorded by use of CELESTA 503 Cochlear Emission Analysis and the out hair cell loss was numerated. (1) The amplitude in group I showed significant reduction at frequencies of 4, 6, 8 kHz. There were significant differences, compared to group II (t=2.52, 1.92, 2.10, P<0.05). The amplitude in group III also decreased at frequencies of 3, 4, 6, 8 kHz. There were also significant differences compared to group IV (t=3.27, 2.81, 2.92, 3.13, P<0.01). The amplitude of DP-I/O in group I and group III at different frequencies and stimulus levels showed reduction. (2) At the level L1 <60 dB SPL, the stimulus levels to elicit a 0 dB response in group I and group III were higher than those in corresponding control groups, respectively. (3) The mean of threshold shift was 5.0+/-3.8 dB in group I and 25.0+/-6 dB in group III at 8 kHz frequency. (4) The out hair cell loss was 22.16% in group I and 48.36% in group III, both showed significant difference as compared to controls, respectively (P<0.01). The employment of DPOAE can be a useful tool in monitoring ototoxicity of GM for its sensitivity and specificity in guinea pigs treated with GM. The changes in DPOAE were consistent with those in histology.

Prevalence of migraine in Han Chinese of Fujian province: An epidemiological study.

Migraine is a relatively common disease that is associated with high disability and reduced quality-of-life. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, epidemiological characteristics, and risk factors of migraine in Han Chinese from Fujian Province, China.A cross-sectional epidemiological survey study was conducted to evaluate characteristics of migraine in Han Chinese. Demographic and clinical data were collected through a survey administered in face-to-face interviews by trained investigators, and a physical exam and symptom review were performed. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to assess independent risk factors for migraine.A total of 7860 subjects aged 15 years and older were surveyed, of which 9.1% (n = 717) were diagnosed with migraine. Among these, a higher percentage was female (12.6%) than male (5.3%). Only 114 subjects (15.9%) were diagnosed as having migraine with aura, which was closely associated with family history of migraine. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the odds of migraine were significantly lower in subjects aged ≥50 years compared with those aged <30 years (odds ratio [OR] ranged from 0.40 to 0.64; P ≤.013) and was higher in females compared with males (OR = 2.89, P <.001). The odds of migraine was significantly greater in subjects with a history of alcohol consumption (OR = 1.81, P <.00) and insomnia (OR = 2.77, P <.001).Han Chinese in Fujian province has a relatively high prevalence of migraine, and female gender, <50 years of age, insomnia, and use of alcohol are associated with increased odds of having migraine in this population.