SOX11 as a prognostic biomarker linked to m6A modification and immune infiltration in renal clear cell carcinoma.

Background: The prognosis for patients with kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) remains unfavorable, and the understanding of SRY-box transcription factor 11 (SOX11) in KIRC is still limited. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of SOX11 in the prognosis of KIRC. Methods: We analyzed SOX11 expression in KIRC and adjacent normal tissues using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Our study aims to establish a correlation between SOX11 expression and clinical pathological features. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were assessed using R software. Furthermore, we conducted Gene Ontology (GO)/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Integration of data from the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and TCGA databases allowed us to assess the association between SOX11 expression and immune infiltration in KIRC. Additionally, we analyzed the association between SOX11 gene expression and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification in KIRC using TCGA and GEO data. Results: Our findings revealed high SOX11 expression in KIRC, which showed a significant correlation with tumor staging and prognosis. GO/KEGG and GSEA analyses indicated that SOX11 was closely associated with sodium ion transport, synaptic vesicle circulation, and oxidative phosphorylation. Analysis of the TIMER and TCGA databases demonstrated correlations of SOX11 expression levels with the presence of CD8+ T lymphocytes, neutrophils, CD4+ T cells, as well as B cells. Moreover, both the TCGA and GEO datasets showed a substantial association between SOX11 and m6A modification-related genes, namely ZC3H13, FTO, METTL14, YTHDC1, IGF2BP1, and IGF2BP2. Conclusions: SOX11 exhibits a correlation with m6A modification and immune infiltration, suggesting its potential as a prognostic biomarker for KIRC.

A new method for scaling inlet flow waveform in hemodynamic analysis of aortic dissection.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations have shown great potentials in cardiovascular disease diagnosis and postoperative assessment. Patient-specific and well-tuned boundary conditions are key to obtaining accurate and reliable hemodynamic results. However, CFD simulations are usually performed under non-patient-specific flow conditions due to the absence of in vivo flow and pressure measurements. This study proposes a new method to overcome this challenge by tuning inlet boundary conditions using data extracted from electrocardiogram (ECG). Five patient-specific geometric models of type B aortic dissection were reconstructed from computed tomography (CT) images. Other available data included stoke volume (SV), ECG, and 4D-flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ECG waveforms were processed to extract patient-specific systole to diastole ratio (SDR). Inlet boundary conditions were defined based on a generic aortic flow waveform tuned using (1) SV only, and (2) with ECG and SV (ECG + SV). 4D-flow MRI derived inlet boundary conditions were also used in patient-specific simulations to provide the gold standard for comparison and validation. Simulations using inlet flow waveform tuned with ECG + SV not only successfully reproduced flow distributions in the descending aorta but also provided accurate prediction of time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) in the primary entry tear (PET) and abdominal regions, as well as maximum pressure difference, ∆Pmax, from the aortic root to the distal false lumen. Compared with simulations with inlet waveform tuned with SV alone, using ECG + SV in the tuning method significantly reduced the error in false lumen ejection fraction at the PET (from 149.1% to 6.2%), reduced errors in TAWSS at the PET (from 54.1% to 5.7%) and in the abdominal region (from 61.3% to 11.1%), and improved ∆Pmax prediction (from 283.1% to 18.8%) However, neither of these inlet waveforms could be used for accurate prediction of TAWSS in the ascending aorta. This study demonstrates the importance of SDR in tailoring inlet flow waveforms for patient-specific hemodynamic simulations. A well-tuned flow waveform is essential for ensuring that the simulation results are patient-specific, thereby enhancing the confidence and fidelity of computational tools in future clinical applications.

A numerical study of the effect of thrombus breakdown on predicted thrombus formation and growth.

Thrombosis is a complex biological process which involves many biochemical reactions and is influenced by blood flow. Various computational models have been developed to simulate natural thrombosis in diseases such as aortic dissection (AD), and device-induced thrombosis in blood-contacting biomedical devices. While most hemodynamics-based models consider the role of low shear stress in the initiation and growth of thrombus, they often ignore the effect of thrombus breakdown induced by elevated shear stress. In this study, a new shear stress-induced thrombus breakdown function is proposed and implemented in our previously published thrombosis model. The performance of the refined model is assessed by quantitative comparison with experimental data on thrombus formation in a backward-facing step geometry, and qualitative comparison with in vivo data obtained from an AD patient. Our results show that incorporating thrombus breakdown improves accuracy in predicted thrombus volume and captures the same pattern of thrombus evolution as measured experimentally and in vivo. In the backward-facing step geometry, thrombus breakdown impedes growth over the step and downstream, allowing a stable thrombus to be reached more quickly. Moreover, the predicted thrombus volume, height and length are in better agreement with the experimental measurements compared to the original model which does not consider thrombus breakdown. In the patient-specific AD, the refined model outperforms the original model in predicting the extent and location of thrombosis. In conclusion, the effect of thrombus breakdown is not negligible and should be included in computational models of thrombosis.

Hemodynamic parameters impact the stability of distal stent graft-induced new entry.

Stent graft-induced new entry tear (SINE) is a serious complication in aortic dissection patients caused by the stent-graft itself after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). The stability of SINE is a key indicator for the need and timing of reinterventions. This study aimed to understand the role of hemodynamics in SINE stability by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis based on patient-specific anatomical information. Four patients treated with TEVAR who developed a distal SINE (dSINE) were included; two patients had a stable dSINE and two patients experienced expansion of the dSINE upon follow-up examinations. CFD simulations were performed on geometries reconstructed from computed tomography scans acquired upon early detection of dSINE in these patients. Computational results showed that stable dSINEs presented larger regions with low time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) and high relative residence time (RRT), and partial thrombosis was observed at subsequent follow-ups. Furthermore, significant systolic antegrade flow was observed in the unstable dSINE which also had a larger retrograde flow fraction (RFF) on the SINE plane. In conclusion, this pilot study suggested that high RRT and low TAWSS may indicate stable dSINE by promoting thrombosis, whereas larger RFF and antegrade flows inside dSINE might be associated with its expansion.

Comprehensive analysis reveals the value of the expression of chromobox family members for bladder urothelial carcinoma prognosis.

Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) accounts for 95% of all cases of bladder cancer worldwide, with a high incidence and poor prognosis. Chromobox (CBX) proteins play a key role in numerous malignant tumors; however, the role of CBX in BLCA remains unknown. Herein, the present study found that, compared with in normal bladder tissues, the expression levels of CBX1, CBX2, CBX3, CBX4 and CBX8 were markedly increased in BLCA tissues, as determined by Tumor Immune Estimation Resource, UALCAN and ONCOMINE analyses, whereas CBX6 and CBX7 were decreased in BLCA tissues. Furthermore, evident hypomethylation in the promoters of CBX1, and CBX2, as well as significant hypermethylation in the promoters of CBX5, CBX6 and CBX7, was detected in BLCA tissues compared with in normal bladder tissues. The expression of CBX1, CBX2 and CBX7 was involved in the prognosis of patients with BLCA. Low CBX7 expression was strongly associated with poorer overall survival in patients with BLCA, whereas high CBX1 and CBX2 expression was associated with poorer progression-free survival. Besides, significant associations were determined between the expression of CBXs and immune cell infiltration, including dendritic cells, neutrophils, macrophages, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and B cells. Overall, the current results may provide a rationale for developing new targets and prognostic markers for BLCA therapy.

Modified anterior approach preserving Retzius space versus standard anterior approach robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: A matched-pair analysis.

Objective: To compare our initial perioperative and postoperative outcomes of the modified anterior approach (MA) with Retzius space preservation robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) with the standard anterior approach (SA) RARP. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 116 patients with RARP completed by the same surgeon between September 2019 and March 2022. They were divided into SA-RARP group (77 cases) and MA-RARP group (39 cases). Propensity score matching was performed using eight preoperative variables, including age, BMI, preoperative PSA, biopsy Gleason score, prostate volume, D'Amico risk classification, SHIM, and clinical T stage. Functional outcome was assessed by urine pad count and SHIM after surgery, and oncological outcome was assessed by statistics of postoperative pathological findings as well as follow-up postoperative PSA. The median follow-up was 13 months and 17 months for MA-RARP and SA-RARP groups respectively. Results: Propensity score matching was performed 1:1, and baseline data were comparable between the two groups after matching. Comparison of postoperative data: MA-RARP group had less mean EBL than SA-RARP group (200 vs 150 ml, p = 0.033). PSM did not differ between groups (p = 1). In terms of urinary control recovery, the MA-RARP group showed significant advantages in urinary control recovery at 24 h, 2 weeks, 1 month and 3 months after catheter removal, respectively (48.6% vs 5.7%, p < 0.001; 80% vs 22.9%, p < 0.001; 94.3% vs 51.4%, p < 0.001; 100% vs 74.3%, p = 0.002). This advantage gradually disappeared 6 months or more after surgery. The median time to recovery of sexual function was shorter in the MA-RARP group (165 vs 255 d, p = 0.001). Conclusion: MA-RARP is safe and reliable, and can achieve better early urinary control function and sexual function recovery while achieving the primary tumor control goal.

Self-Optimizing Effect in Lithium Storage of GeO2 Induced by Heterointerface Regulation.

Herein, a heterostructural hexagonal@tetragonal GeO2 (HT-GeO2 ) composite has been designed based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations and synthesized via an acidic-heating route dealt with rapid cooling, where the inner hexagonal GeO2 (H-GeO2 ) phase is covered by a porous layer of tetragonal GeO2 (T-GeO2 ) owing to HF etching. Interestingly, the HT-GeO2 electrode has a self-optimizing effect in lithium storage induced by heterointerface regulation, where the porous T-GeO2 layer on the surface of HT-GeO2 can act as not only a Li+ /electron conducting layer, but also a buffer layer, while the inner H-GeO2 phase can react preferentially with Li ions owing to lower intercalation energy, which is confirmed by operando XRD measurement contributing to thorough lithiation for HT-GeO2 . Moreover, the heterointerface can enhance the pseudocapacitance effect, which can boost the Li storage and accelerate the discharge-charge process. As a result, a large capacity of 984 mAh g-1 after 500 cycles at 2 A g-1 and a capacity of 430 mAh g-1 at a high current density of 20 A g-1 are delivered. This work provides an easy and efficient way to improve the cycling stability of the GeO2 anode, and the T-GeO2 phase would be a novel anode material in energy storage devices.

In Vitro Anticoagulant Activity and Active Components of Safflower Injection.

Safflower injection is well-known as a traditional Chinese medicine used to improve the blood circulation. In this study, seven safflower injection samples from different companies were evaluated for their in vitro anticoagulant activity by measuring their activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) against human plasma. The screening results suggested that the safflower injections exhibited a significant prolonging influence on APTT (p < 0.05 vs. the control group), but not on prolonging PT (p > 0.05 vs. the control group). The safflower injection was separated into four fractions, and among them, fraction four demonstrated the most anticoagulant activity, with an APTT of 95.4 ± 1.4 s at a concentration of 4.0 µg/µL (p < 0.01 vs. control group). In addition, three active components, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, p-hydroxy-cinnamic acid, and (8Z)-decaene-4,6-diyne-1-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside were isolated from fraction four with Sephadex LH-20 and C18 column chromatography. All three active components showed significant prolonging of APTT (p < 0.05 vs. control group). Among them, p-hydroxy-cinnamic acid exhibited the most activity (p < 0.01 vs. control group). The results indicated that safflower injection strongly affects the intrinsic coagulation system, and we suggest that this might be the mechanism by which the safflower injection activates and promotes blood circulation.

[Biological activity and hydroxy safflor yellow A content of intermediates in preparation of Safflower Injection].

In order to investigate the effect of various production processes on the quality of Safflower Injection, the biological activities of the intermediates were evaluated by measuring activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) induced platelet aggregation in vitro. Intermediates were produced by key processes, such as extraction, concentration, twice alcohol precipitation, water sedimentation and two sterilizations during the production of Safflower Injection. The content of main chemical components in intermediates was determined by HPLC. The results showed that with the advance of the preparation process of Safflower Injection, the inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation rate of each intermediate decreased gradually, and the trend of extending APTT activity decreased first and then increased. Meanwhile, the content of hydroxy safflor yellow A (HSYA) was gradually lowered, the content of p-hydroxy-cinnamic acid was increased, and new chemical component p-hydroxybenzaldehyde was produced. In conclusion, sterilization played a key role in the biological activity and HSYA content of Safflower injection.

Model-Assisted Control of Flow Front in Resin Transfer Molding Based on Real-Time Estimation of Permeability/Porosity Ratio.

Resin transfer molding (RTM) is a popular manufacturing technique that produces fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. In this paper, a model-assisted flow front control system is developed based on real-time estimation of permeability/porosity ratio using the information acquired by a visualization system. In the proposed control system, a radial basis function (RBF) network meta-model is utilized to predict the position of the future flow front by inputting the injection pressure, the current position of flow front, and the estimated ratio. By conducting optimization based on the meta-model, the value of injection pressure to be implemented at each step is obtained. Moreover, a cascade control structure is established to further improve the control performance. Experiments show that the developed system successfully enhances the performance of flow front control in RTM. Especially, the cascade structure makes the control system robust to model mismatch.

[Enhanced electro-catalytic oxidation of dye wastewater with FePMo12 adopted catalyst].

Electrochemical oxidation degradation of azo dyes has become a widely used method in recent years. Iron phosphomolybdate (FePMo12) was synthesized with molybdophosphoric acid and ferric salt. Morphology and microstructure of catalyst were chararerized by IR spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. The heteropolyanion showed a Keggin structure. Electrochemical oxidation of acid red 3R was investigated in the presence of FePMo12 supported on modified 4A molecular sieve (4A) as packing materials in the reactor. The results showed that the optimal technological conditions for decolorization of acid red 3R simulated wastewater were as follows: active component load 3% , electrolytic voltage 22 V, initial pH 4, air-flow 0.08 m3 h- ', electrode span 3.0 cm. Under the opñrrizd conditions, the decolorization efficiency, COD and TOC removal efficiencies reached 75.3% , 65.4% and 46.0% after 90 min, respectively. With the addition of NaCI to the dyes solution during electrolysis, the decolorization efficiency increased, while the effect of Na2SO4 on the degradation was negative. The efficiency of degradation and mineralization of the acid red 3R were estimated based on the absorbance measurements by UV-vis. It shows that the conjugated structure of dye was destroyed primarily.

[Clinical application of advanced percutaneous vertebroplasty in treating of senile osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences between advanced percutaneous vertebroplasty and routine percutaneous vertebroplasty,and evaluate the clinical application of advanced percutaneous vertebroplasty in treating senile osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture. METHODS: From January 2010 to January 2011,28 patients with senile osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture were concealed random allocated to advanced percutaneous vertebroplasty and routine percutaneous vertebroplasty group according to whether using advanced percutaneous pedicle puncture. Of them,there were 5 males and 23 females with an average age of (70.50 +/- 9.33) years old (ranged, 53 to 85). Course of disease was from 2 to 28 days with an average of (7.62 +/- 4.52). The fracture involved 34 vertebral bodies (19 segments of thoracic vertebrae and 15 segments of lumbar vertebra), 3 day's antibiotics were applied to prevent infections. The opreation time, X-ray fluoroscopy times were compared, and pain relief effect were evaluated by VAS (visual analogue scales) score. RESULTS: For operation time, there were significant meaning between routine group (49.00 +/- 7.74) min and advanced group (32.36 +/- 4.81) min (t = 6.828,P = 0.000 < 0.05); X-ray fluoroscopy times in advanced group (4.28 +/- 1.38) times was shorter than routine group (8.78 +/- 2.33) times, and had statistical significance (t = 6.222, P = 0.000 < 0.05); while there were no meaning in VAS scores between routine group (2.85 +/- 0.94) and advanced group (2.57 +/- 1.08) (t = 0.740, P = 0.456 > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with routine group, advanced group can shorten opreration time, reduce radiological hazard, further reduce image monitoring costs and surgical risk, and benefit from the application of advanced percutaneous vertebroplasty in treating senile osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture. Furthmore, it can provide reference to vertebral body biopsy and minimally invasive of pedicle screw fixation.

[Enhanced electro-chemical oxidation of Acid Red 3R solution with phosphotungstic acid supported on gamma-Al2O3].

Supported phosphotungstic acid catalysts on gamma-Al2O3 (HPW/gamma-Al2O3) were prepared by solution impregnation and characterized by FTIR, XRD, TG-DTA and SEM. The heteropolyanion shows a Keggin structure. Electro-chemical oxidation of Acid Red 3R was investigated in the presence of HPW supported on gamma-Al2O3 as packing materials in the reactor. The results show that HPW/gamma-Al2O3 has a good catalytic activity for decolorization of Acid Red 3R. When HPW loading was 4.6%, pH value of Acid Red 3R was 3, the voltage was 25.0 V, air-flow was 0.04 m3 x h(-1), and electrode span was 3.0 cm, the decolorization efficiency of Acid Red 3R can reach 97.6%. The removal rate of color had still about 80% in this electro-chemical oxidation system, after HPW/gamma-Al2O3 was used for 10 times, but active component loss existed. The interim product was analyzed by means of Vis-UV absorption spectrum. It shows that the conjugated structure of dye is destroyed primarily.