[Patient-derived parotid gland pleomorphic adenoma organoid model and its preliminary histological and functional characterization].

Objective: To establish patient-derived organoid models of pleomorphic adenomas (PA) of the parotid gland and preliminarily characterize their histology, related biomarkers and functions. Methods: Fresh tumor tissue specimens were collected from surgical procedures of Oral and Maxillofacial Department. The harvested tissues were processed and cultured in a head and neck tumor organoid culture system to establish organoid models from parotid gland pleomorphic adenomas. The in vitro growth of PA organoids was recorded by light microscopy. The successfully established organoids were passaged and cryopreserved, and the cryopreserved PA organoids were revived and re-cultured to observe their viability and organoid regeneration ability. Histological characterization, as well as characterization and detection of related markers and functional proteins, were performed on the organoids, comparing them with the patient-derived tissues. Results: The constructed organoid model of pleomorphic adenoma exhibited a dense and compact three-dimensional spherical structure. Hematoxylin and eosin staining indicated morphological similarities between the organoid and its tissue of origin. Immunohistochemistry showed positive cytoplasmic staining for Calponin, cytokeratin 7, and epithelial membrane antigen in both the organoid and the source tumor tissue, suggesting consistent histopathological characteristics between the organoid and its tissue of origin. Periodic acid-Schiff staining of the organoid showed positive staining for glycogen, with positive staining located in the interior and periphery of the organoid, indicating that the organoid possessed secretory functions like the salivary gland. Conclusions: This study successfully constructed organoids of pleomorphic adenoma derived from patient samples. This model faithfully replicates the tissue morphology and biomarkers of the source tissue and exhibits biological functions associated with mucus secretion. It serves as a valuable in vitro model for studying the development and progression of salivary gland tumors.

[Risk factors for recurrence and survival analysis in locally advanced T4a papillary thyroid carcinoma after R0 resection].

Objective: To investigate the treatment outcomes and risk factors of postoperative recurrence in T4a papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: A total of 185 patients with locally advanced T4a PTC treated in Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2006 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 127 females and 58 males, aged between 18 and 80 years, with 74 patients aged over 55 years. According to AJCC thyroid tumor staging, 111 cases were stage I (T4aN0M0 26 cases, T4aN1aM0 35 cases, and T4aN1bM0 50 cases) and 74 cases were stage Ⅲ (T4aN0M0 29 cases, T4aN1aM0 19 cases, and T4aN1bM0 26 cases). Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the overall survival and the recurrence-free rate, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses on the clinical data were performed. Results: Recurrent laryngeal nerve invasion was observed in 150 cases, trachea invasion in 61 cases, esophagus invasion in 30 cases, and laryngeal structure invasion in 10 cases. Postoperative follow-up periods were 24-144 months, with an average of 68.29 months. Of the 185 patients, 18 (9.73%) had recurrences or metastases, including 9 cases (4.86%) died of recurrences or metastases. The 5-year and 10-year overall survival rates were respectively 95.21% and 93.10%. The 5-year and 10-year disease-free survival rates were respectively 89.65% and 86.85%. Univariate analysis showed that age of onset, tumor diameter, preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, esophageal invasion and cervical lymph node metastasis were the risk factors for postoperative recurrence of T4a PTC(all P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (OR=3.27, 95%CI: 1.11-9.61, P=0.032) and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis (OR=4.71, 95%CI: 1.19-18.71, P=0.027) were independent risk factors for T4a PTC recurrence. Survival rate of patients with T4a PTC involving only the recurrent laryngeal nerve or the outer tracheal membrane was significantly better than that of patients with tracheal invasion (P<0.05). Conclusions: T4a PTC patients with R0 resection can still achieve good efficacy. Preoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and lateral cervical lymph node metastasis are independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence in the patients.

The real experience of patients after liver transplantation in intensive care unit.

ABSTRACT: We aimed to explore the real experience of patients after liver transplantation in the intensive care unit (ICU).Objective sampling method was used to select patients transferred to the ICU in 10 hospitals in Zhuhai from May 2018 to August 2020. Patients need liver transplantation due to advanced liver cancer and decompensated cirrhosis. The eligibility criteria of patients mainly included liver transplant patients who were clear-minded and willing to participate in the study and had stayed in ICU. Phenomenological research methods and in-depth interviews were used in this qualitative study.The results showed that the true experience of patients after liver transplantation during ICU stay was summarized into four themes. The strengths of our qualitative research are that we can find the trend from a phenomenon through interviews and other methods to provide a directional foundation for future quantitative research. Its limitations are that it requires a lot of manpower and time, and its objectivity and universality are limited.Hospitalization experience in the ICU may lead to many negative experiences for liver transplant patients. Nurses should fully understand and pay attention to the psychological changes in patients. Nurses should take effective targeted measures to reduce or eliminate patients' fear of ICU stay and promote rehabilitation.

Identification of Tiletamine, Zolazepam and Their Metabolites in Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault by GC-QTOF-MS.

ABSTRACT: Objective To identify tiletamine, zolazepam and their metabolites in samples from drug facilitated sexual assault by gas chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry （GC-QTOF-MS）. Methods Urine samples of victims were collected, and detected by GC-QTOF-MS after liquid-liquid extraction and concentration. The molecular formula of fragments ions was identified by determination of accurate mass numbers, to detect related substances. Results Tiletamine, zolazepam, three metabolites of tiletamine and two metabolites of zolazepam were identified in urine samples from actual cases. Conclusion GC-QTOF-MS provides abundant and accurate information of fragment ions mass numbers, which can be used for qualitative identification of tiletamine, zolazepam and their metabolites in drug facilitated sexual assault.

Discussion on "Aperiodic Copolymers".

In a recent Viewpoint (ACS Macro Lett. 2014, 3, 1020), J.-F. Lutz brought to the community's attention the need for more informative nomenclature, especially with respect to macromolecules with prescribed but not repeating sequences of monomers. Lutz proposes the use of the term "aperiodic" for this situation. In this Viewpoint, we comment on the need for such nomenclature and offer some alternatives for consideration.

Intracoronary infusion of Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells in acute myocardial infarction: double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The use of adult stem cells is limited by the quality and quantity of host stem cells. It has been demonstrated that Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSCs), a primitive stromal population, could integrate into ischemic cardiac tissues and significantly improve heart function. In this randomized, controlled trial, our aim was to assess the safety and efficacy of intracoronary WJMSCs in patients with ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: In a multicenter trial, 116 patients with acute ST-elevation MI were randomly assigned to receive an intracoronary infusion of WJMSCs or placebo into the infarct artery at five to seven days after successful reperfusion therapy. The primary endpoint of safety: the incidence of adverse events (AEs) within 18 months, was monitored and quantified. The endpoint of efficacy: the absolute changes in myocardial viability and perfusion of the infarcted region from baseline to four months, global left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from baseline to 18 months were measured using F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission computed tomography (F-18-FDG-PET) and 99mTc-sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography (99mTc-SPECT), and two-dimensional echocardiography, respectively. RESULTS: During 18 months follow-up, AEs rates and laboratory tests including tumor, immune, and hematologic indexes were not different between the two groups. The absolute increase in the myocardial viability (PET) and perfusion within the infarcted territory (SPECT) was significantly greater in the WJMSC group [6.9 ± 0.6 % (95 %CI, 5.7 to 8.2)] and [7.1 ± 0.8 % (95 %CI, 5.4 to 8.8) than in the placebo group [3.3 ± 0.7 % (95 %CI, 1.8 to 4.7), P <0.0001] and 3.9 ± 0.6(95 %CI, 2.8 to 5.0), P = 0.002] at four months. The absolute increase in the LVEF at 18 months in the WJMSC group was significantly greater than that in the placebo group [7.8 ± 0.9 (6.0 to approximately 9.7) vs. 2.8 ± 1.2 (0.4 to approximately 5.1), P = 0.001]. Concomitantly, the absolute decreases in LV end-systolic volumes and end-diastolic volumes at 18 months in the WJMSC group were significantly greater than those in the placebo group (P = 0.0004, P = 0.004, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Intracoronary infusion of WJMSCs is safe and effective in patients with AMI, providing clinically relevant therapy within a favorable time window. This study encourages additional clinical trials to determine whether WJMSCs may serve as a novel alternative to BMSCs for cardiac stem cell-based therapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials NCT01291329 (02/05/2011).

A Novel Method of Extraction of Blend Component Structure from SANS Measurements of Homopolymer Bimodal Blends.

A new method is presented for the extraction of single-chain form factors and interchain interference functions from a range of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments on bimodal homopolymer blends. The method requires a minimum of three blends, made up of hydrogenated and deuterated components with matched degree of polymerization at two different chain lengths, but with carefully varying deuteration levels. The method is validated through an experimental study on polystyrene homopolymer bimodal blends with [Formula: see text]. By fitting Debye functions to the structure factors, it is shown that there is good agreement between the molar mass of the components obtained from SANS and from chromatography. The extraction method also enables, for the first time, interchain scattering functions to be produced for scattering between chains of different lengths. [Formula: see text].

A critical challenge: dosage-related efficacy and acute complication intracoronary injection of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed improvement in heart function by injecting bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) after AMI. Emerging evidence suggested that both the number and function of BMSCs decline with ageing. We designed a randomized, controlled trial to further investigate the safety and efficacy of this treatment. METHODS: Patients with ST-elevation AMI undergoing successful reperfusion treatment within 12 hours were randomly assigned to receive an intracoronary infusion of BMSCs (n=21) or standard medical treatment (n=22) (the numbers of patients were limited because of the complication of coronary artery obstruction). RESULTS: There is a closely positive correlation of the number and function of BMSCs vs. the cardiac function reflected by LVEF at baseline (r=0.679, P=0.001) and at 12-month follow-up (r=0.477, P=0.039). Six months after cell administration, myocardial viability within the infarct area by 18-FDG SPECT was improved in both groups compared with baseline, but no significant difference in the BMSCs compared with control groups (4.0±0.4% 95%CI 3.1-4.9 vs. 3.2±0.5% 95%CI 2.1-4.3, P=0.237). 99mTc-sestamibi SPECT demonstrated that myocardial perfusion within the infarct area in the BMSCs did not differ from the control group (4.4±0.5% 95%CI 3.2-5.5 vs. 3.9±0.6% 95%CI 2.6-5.2, P=0.594). Similarly, LVEF after 12 and 24 months follow-up did not show any difference between the two groups. In the BMSCs group, one patient suffered a serious complication of coronary artery occlusion during the BMSCs injection procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical benefits of intracoronary injection of autologous BMSCs in acute STEMI patients need further investigation and reevaluation.

Surface modification of polyethylene with multi-end-functional polyethylene additives.

We have prepared and characterized a series of multifluorocarbon end-functional polyethylene additives, which when blended with polyethylene matrices increase surface hydrophobicity and lipophobicity. Water contact angles of >112° were observed on spin-cast blended film surfaces containing less than 1% fluorocarbon in the bulk, compared to ~98° in the absence of any additive. Crystallinity in these films gives rise to surface roughness that is an order of magnitude greater than is typical for amorphous spin-cast films but is too little to give rise to superhydrophobicity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the enrichment of the multifluorocarbon additives at the air surface by up to 80 times the bulk concentration. Ion beam analysis was used to quantify the surface excess of the additives as a function of composition, functionality, and molecular weight of either blend component. In some cases, an excess of the additives was also found at the substrate interface, indicating phase separation into self-stratified layers. The combination of neutron reflectometry and ion beam analysis allowed the surface excess to be quantified above and below the melting point of the blended films. In these films, where the melting temperatures of the additive and matrix components are relatively similar (within 15 °C), the surface excess is almost independent of whether the blended film is semicrystalline or molten, suggesting that the additive undergoes cocrystallization with the matrix when the blended films are allowed to cool below the melting point.

In Silico Molecular Design, Synthesis, Characterization, and Rheology of Dendritically Branched Polymers: Closing the Design Loop.

It has been a long held ambition of both industry and academia to understand the relationship between the often complex molecular architecture of polymer chains and their melt flow properties, with the goal of building robust theoretical models to predict their rheology. The established key to this is the use of well-defined, model polymers, homogeneous in chain length and architecture. We describe here for the first time, the in silico design, synthesis, and characterization of an architecturally complex, branched polymer with the optimal rheological properties for such structure-property correlation studies. Moreover, we demonstrate unequivocally the need for accurate characterization using temperature gradient interaction chromatography (TGIC), which reveals the presence of heterogeneities in the molecular structure that are undetectable by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Experimental rheology exposes the rich pattern of relaxation dynamics associated with branched polymers, but the ultimate test is, of course, did the theoretical (design) model accurately predict the rheological properties of the synthesized model branched polymer? Rarely, if ever before, has such a combination of theory, synthesis, characterization, and analysis resulted in a "yes", expressed without doubt or qualification.

Kinetic control of monomer sequence distribution in living anionic copolymerisation.

Sequence control in synthetic polymers is a subject that is sparsely reported with little research in the field of sequence control in chain growth polymerisation. We report herein preliminary investigations into anionic copolymerisation of diphenylethylene (DPE) and its derivatives with styrene. DPE is a monomer that will only copolymerise and can form alternating copolymers. However, by introducing electron donating or withdrawing substituents onto the phenyl rings of DPE it is possible to prepare new range of (alternating) copolymers and with careful choice of monomer combination and conditions, the kinetically controlled (simultaneous) copolymerisation of three or more monomers results in copolymers with a greater degree of monomer sequence control.

Nonsolvent annealing polymer films with ionic liquids.

Neutron reflectometry has been used to determine the interface structure and swelling of thin polymer films, when annealed in contact with a series of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ionic liquids (ILs). By choosing immiscible polymer/IL combinations, we have established that thin polymer films can be annealed for several hours in contact with ILs at temperatures well above the glass transition temperature and that this nonsolvent annealing environment can be exploited to direct self-assembly in polymer films. The ingress of IL into polymer films was quantified in terms of the swelling up to 10%. The polymer/IL interfacial width generally also increased from 0.9 nm up to ∼3 nm, but there was remarkably little correlation between interfacial width and swelling. For one combination of polymer and IL (deuterated PMMA and Bmim-BF(4)) the interfacial width decreased slightly with increasing temperature, consistent with LCST behavior for this system. All of the ILs tested had a profound influence the distribution of carboxy-end-functionalized deuterated polystyrene, "dPS-COOH", in blended films with polystyrene homopolymers. The ILs promoted dPS-COOH adsorption at the film/IL interface and the simultaneous rapid desorption at the film silicon-oxide interface. The rate of desorption was found to correlate with the swelling behavior of the polymer with respect to the IL anion species: PF(6)(-) < Br(-) < Cl(-) < BF(4)(-), suggesting that the polymer films are plasticized by the IL as it penetrates the film.

pH-controlled polymer surface segregation.

A new approach to promoting and controlling polymer surface functionalization with acidic or basic polar functional groups is demonstrated and evaluated. Blended polymer films were annealed under pH-buffered conditions, and polar end-functional groups were found to promote surface segregation of the functional polymers. Surface segregation of carboxylic acid (COOH)-functionalized polystyrene increases dramatically with increasing pH from 1.9 to 9.4, whereas the opposite behavior is seen for amine (NH2)-functionalized polystyrene. Neutron reflectometry and nuclear reaction analysis were used to obtain surface excess values for the functional polymers. Subsequent SCFT analysis of the composition versus depth profiles indicates that the affinity of each functional group for the polymer surface changes by about 3k(B)T over this pH range.

Aggregation, adsorption, and surface properties of multiply end-functionalized polystyrenes.

The properties of polystyrene blends containing deuteriopolystyrene, multiply end-functionalized with C8F17 fluorocarbon groups, are strikingly analogous to those of surfactants in solution. These materials, denoted FxdPSy, where x is the number of fluorocarbon groups and y is the molecular weight of the dPS chain in kg/mol, were blended with unfunctionalized polystyrene, hPS. Nuclear reaction analysis experiments show that FxdPSy polymers adsorb spontaneously to solution and blend surfaces, resulting in a reduction in surface energy inferred from contact angle analysis. Aggregation of functionalized polymers in the bulk was found to be sensitive to FxdPSy structure and closely related to surface properties. At low concentrations, the functionalized polymers are freely dispersed in the hPS matrix, and in this range, the surface excess concentration grows sharply with increasing bulk concentration. At higher concentrations, surface excess concentrations and contact angles reach a plateau, small-angle neutron scattering data indicate small micellar aggregates of six to seven F2dPS10 polymer chains and much larger aggregates of F4dPS10. Whereas F2dPS10 aggregates are miscible with the hPS matrix, F4dPS10 forms a separate phase of multilamellar vesicles. Using neutron reflectometry (NR), we found that the extent of the adsorbed layer was approximately half the lamellar spacing of the multilamellar vesicles. NR data were fitted using an error function profile to describe the concentration profile of the adsorbed layer, and reasonable agreement was found with concentration profiles predicted by the SCFT model. The thermodynamic sticking energy of the fluorocarbon-functionalized polymer chains to the blend surface increases from 5.3kBT for x = 2 to 6.6kBT for x = 4 but appears to be somewhat dependent upon the blend concentration.

Novel multi end-functionalised polymers. Additives to modify polymer properties at surfaces and interfaces.

Fréchet-type poly(arylether) dendrons with up to eight trifluoromethyl peripheral groups have been used as initiators in the copper mediated living radical polymerisation of d-styrene, the surface adsorption behaviour and resulting properties of these polymers in blends have been investigated by ion beam analysis and contact angle measurements.

Surface adsorption of polar end-functionalised polystyrenes.

Due to their inherently high surface energy, polar end-functionalised polymers do not normally adsorb to the external surfaces of blends. However, adsorption of polar functionalities can be induced rapidly by annealing in a polar environment such as glycerol prior to quenching to a glassy state. Blended films of carboxy end-functionalised deuteriopolystyrene (dPS-COOH) with hydrogenous polystyrene (hPS) were annealed at 150 °C under glycerol. Nuclear reaction analysis was used to quantify the surface excess of dPS-COOH retained at the surface after quenching the films to below the glass transition temperature. Incorporation of multiple COOH groups onto a single chain end greatly increases the affinity of these chains to the interface with glycerol. Here we have shown that even a difunctional material, dPS-2COOH, is much more surface active than either the singly functionalised dPS-COOH or the difunctional ester from which it was prepared. Self-consistent mean field theory yielded thermodynamic 'sticking energy' values per functionality at the polystyrene-glycerol surface of 1.3-1.7 for carboxy groups and 0.3 for ester groups.

Ly49 and CD94/NKG2: developmentally regulated expression and evolution.

Murine natural killer (NK) cells express two families of MHC class I-specific receptors, namely the Ly49 family and CD94/NKG2 heterodimers. Stochastic co-expression of these receptors generates diverse receptor repertoires in adult NK-cell populations, whereas fetal NK cells have much more limited receptor diversity as they mostly express CD94/NKG2A but not Ly49. These receptors are also expressed on CD8-T cells and NK1.1+ T cells and regulate their functions, but their expression pattern on NK cells is significantly different from those on T cells. Thus, expression of Ly49 and CD94/NKG2 is developmentally regulated. NK cells acquire the Ly49 family of receptors in an orderly manner as they differentiate from bone marrow progenitors in vitro. Similarly, acquisition of CD94 and NKG2 by NK cells as they differentiate from embryonic stem cells is also orderly To gain insight into the mechanisms regulating Ly49 expression, potential regulatory regions of several Ly49 genes have been examined. Ly49 genes with different expression patterns have remarkably similar sequences in the putative regulatory regions. Finally, a functional Ly49 gene has been identified in baboon, and primate comparisons suggest that functional extinction of the Ly49 gene in the human lineage seems to have been a relatively recent event.