Stepwise Toward Pure Blue Organic Light-Emitting Diodes by Synergetically Locking and Shielding Carbonyl/Nitrogen-Based MR-TADF Emitters.

Deep-blue multi-resonance (MR) emitters with stable and narrow full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) are of great importance for widening the color gamut of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, most planar MR emitters are vulnerable to intermolecular interactions from both the host and guest, causing spectral broadening and exciton quenching in thin films. Their emission in the solid state is environmentally sensitive, and the color purity is often inferior to that in solutions. Herein, a molecular design strategy is presented that simultaneously narrows the FWHM and suppresses intermolecular interactions by combining intramolecular locking and peripheral shielding within a carbonyl/nitrogen-based MR core. Intramolecularly locking carbonyl/nitrogen-based bears narrower emission of 2,10-dimethyl-12,12-diphenyl-4H-benzo[9,1]quinolizino[3,4,5,6,7-defg]acridine-4,8(12H)-dione in solution and further with peripheral-shielding groups, deep-blue emitter (12,12-diphenyl-2,10-bis(9-phenyl-9H-fluoren-9-yl)-4H-benzo[9,1]quinolizino[3,4,5,6,7-defg]acridine-4,8(12H)-dione, DPQAO-F) exhibits ultra-pure emission with narrow FWHM (c.a., 24 nm) with minimal variations (∆FWHM ≤ 3 nm) from solution to thin films over a wide doping range. An OLED based on DPQAO-F presents a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQEmax) of 19.9% and color index of (0.134, 0.118). Furthermore, the hyper-device of DPQAO-F exhibits a record-high EQEmax of 32.7% in the deep-blue region, representing the first example of carbonyl/nitrogen-based OLED that can concurrently achieve narrow bandwidth in the deep-blue region and a high electroluminescent efficiency surpassing 30%.

[Percutaneous pedicle screw anchored vertebral augmentation for the treatment of Kümmell disease without neurological symptoms].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical effect of percutaneous pedicle screw anchored vertebral augmentation(PPSAVA) in the treatment of asymptomatic Kümmell disease without neurological symptoms. METHODS: The clinical data of 20 patients with Kümmell disease without neurological symptoms treated with PPSAVA in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were analyzed retrospectively, including 5 males and 15 females, aged 56 to 88 (74.95±9.93) years old. and the course of disease was 7 to 60 days with an average of (21.35±14.46) days. All patients were treated with PPSAVA. The time of operation, the amount of bone cement injected and the leakage of bone cement were recorded. The visual analogue scale(VAS), Oswestry disability index(ODI), vertebral body angle(VBA), anterior edge height and midline height of vertebral body were compared among the before operation, 3 days after operation and during the final follow-up. The loosening and displacement of bone cement were observed during the final follow-up. RESULTS: All the 20 patients completed the operation successfully. The operation time was 30 to 56 min with an average of (41.15±7.65) min, and the amount of bone cement injection was 6.0 to 12.0 ml with an average of (9.30±1.49) ml. Bone cement leakage occurred in 6 cases and there were no obvious clinical symptoms. The follow-up time was 6 to 12 months with an average of (8.43±2.82) months. The VBA, anterior edge height and midline height of of injured vertebral body were significantly improved 3 days after operation and the final follow-up(P<0.05), and the VBA, anterior edge height and midline height of of injured vertebral body were lost in different degrees at the final follow-up (P<0.05). The VAS and ODI at 3 days after operation and at the final follow-up were significantly lower than those at preoperatively(P<0.05), but the VAS score and ODI at the final follow-up were not significantly different from those at 3 d after operation(P>0.05). At the last follow-up, no patients showed loosening or displacement of bone cement. CONCLUSION: PPSAVA is highly effective in treating Kümmell disease without neurological symptoms, improving patients' pain and functional impairment, and reducing the risk of cement loosening and displacement postoperatively.

A modified drag coefficient model for calculating the terminal settling velocity and horizontal diffusion distance of irregular plume particles in deep-sea mining.

Deep-sea mining inevitably produces plumes, which will pose a serious threat to the marine environment with the continuous movement and diffusion of plumes along with ocean currents. The terminal settling velocity (wt) of irregular particles is one of the crucial factors for determining the plumes' diffusion range. It is generally calculated by drag coefficient (CD), while most existing CD models only consider single shape characteristic parameter or have a smaller range of Reynolds number (Re). In this study, a new shape factor (γ) of irregular particles is proposed by considering the thickness (one-dimension), the projected area (two-dimension), and the surface area (three-dimension) of irregular particles as well as their coupling effect to establish a modified CD model for calculating the wt. A modified Gaussian plume model is proposed to predict the horizontal diffusion distance of the plume particles by considering the settling velocity and diffusion effect of irregular particles. Research results show that the wt increases nearly linearly, with a gradually decreased slope and slightly then greatly with the increasing of γ, dp (diameter) and ρp (density), respectively. The modified CD model is verified to be more valid with a wider application range (Re < 3×105) than five existing CD models by the test results. The larger the ρp or dp, the larger the wt and thus the smaller the Sh. This study could provide a theoretical basis for calculating the plume diffusion range to further study the impact of deep-sea mining on the ocean environment.

Multi-metal ions co-regulated vanadium oxide cathode toward long-life aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Interlayer intercalation engineering shows great feasibility to improve the structure stability of the layered oxides. Although high Zn-storage capability has been attained based on the pillar effect of multifarious intercalants, an in-depth understanding the synergistic effect of intercalated multiple metal ions is still in deficiency. Herein, alkali metal ion K+, alkaline earth metal ion Mg2+ and trivalent metal ion Al3+ are introduced into the VO interlayer of V2O5. Due to the different electronegativity and hydrated ion radius of K+, Mg2+ and Al3+, adjusting the relative proportions of these metal ions can achieve an appropriate interlayer spacing, stable layer structure and regular morphology, which facilitates the transport kinetics of Zn2+. Under the synergistic effect of pre-intercalated multi-metal ion, the optimal tri-metal ion intercalated hydrated V2O5 cathode exhibits a high specific capacity of 382.4 mAh g-1 at 0.5 A g-1, and long-term cycling stability with capacity retention of 86 % after 2000 cycles at the high current density of 10 A g-1. Ex-situ and kinetic characterizations reveal the fast charge transfer and reversible Zn2+ intercalation mechanism. The multi-ion engineering strategy provides an effective way to design desirable layered cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

The catalytic triad of rice NARROW LEAF1 involves H234.

NARROW LEAF1 (NAL1) exerts a multifaceted influence on leaf morphology and crop yield. Recent crystal study proposed that histidine 233 (H233) is part of the catalytic triad. Here we report that unlike suggested previously, H234 instead of H233 is a component of the catalytic triad alongside residues D291 and S385 in NAL1. Remarkably, residue 233 unexpectedly plays a pivotal role in regulating NAL1's proteolytic activity. These findings establish a strong foundation for utilizing NAL1 in breeding programs aimed at improving crop yield.

Observation of an acoustic topological Euler insulator with meronic waves.

Topological band theory has conventionally been concerned with the topology of bands around a single gap. Only recently non-Abelian topologies that thrive on involving multiple gaps were studied, unveiling a new horizon in topological physics beyond the conventional paradigm. Here, we report on the first experimental realization of a topological Euler insulator phase with unique meronic characterization in an acoustic metamaterial. We demonstrate that this topological phase has several nontrivial features: First, the system cannot be described by conventional topological band theory, but has a nontrivial Euler class that captures the unconventional geometry of the Bloch bands in the Brillouin zone. Second, we uncover in theory and probe in experiments a meronic configuration of the bulk Bloch states for the first time. Third, using a detailed symmetry analysis, we show that the topological Euler insulator evolves from a non-Abelian topological semimetal phase via. the annihilation of Dirac points in pairs in one of the band gaps. With these nontrivial properties, we establish concretely an unconventional bulk-edge correspondence which is confirmed by directly measuring the edge states via. pump-probe techniques. Our work thus unveils a nontrivial topological Euler insulator phase with a unique meronic pattern and paves the way as a platform for non-Abelian topological phenomena.

Cardiovascular mortality risk in patients with ovarian cancer: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: Ovarian cancer (OC) can occur at different ages and is affected by a variety of factors. In order to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular mortality in patients with ovarian cancer, we included influencing factors including age, histological type, surgical method, chemotherapy, whether distant metastasis, race and developed a nomogram to evaluate the ability to predict occurrence. At present, we have not found any correlation studies on cardiovascular death events in patients with ovarian cancer. This study was designed to provide targeted measures for effective prevention of cardiovascular death in patients with ovarian cancer. METHODS: Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariable Cox proportional model were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of cardiovascular diseases on overall survival (OS) and ovarian cancer-specific survival (OCSS). We compared multiple groups including clinical, demographic, therapeutic characteristics and histological types. Cox risk regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and propensity score matching were employed for analyzing the data. RESULTS: A total of 88,653 ovarian cancer patients were collected, of which 2,282 (2.57%) patients died due to cardiovascular-related diseases. Age, chemotherapy and whether satisfactory cytoreduction surgery is still the most important factors affecting the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients, while different histological types, diagnosis time, and race also have a certain impact on the prognosis. The newly developed nomogram model showed excellent predictive performance, with a C-index of 0.759 (95%CI: 0.757-0.761) for the group. Elderly patients with ovarian cancer are still a high-risk group for cardiovascular death [HR: 21.07 (95%CI: 5.21-85.30), p < 0.001]. The calibration curve showed good agreement from predicted survival probabilities to actual observations. CONCLUSION: This study found that age, histology, surgery, race, chemotherapy, and tumor metastasis are independent prognostic factors for cardiovascular death in patients with ovarian cancer. The nomogram-based model can accurately predict the OS of ovarian cancer patients. It is expected to inform clinical decision-making and help develop targeted treatment strategies for this population.

METTL3 orchestrates glycolysis by stabilizing the c-Myc/WDR5 complex in triple-negative breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The carcinogenic transcription factor c-Myc is the most aggressive oncogene, which drive malignant transformation and dissemination of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Recruitment of many cofactors, especially WDR5, a protein that nucleates H3K4me chromatin modifying complexes, play a pivotal role in regulating c-Myc-dependent gene transcription, a critical process for c-Myc signaling to function in a variety of biological and pathological contexts. For this reason, interrupting the interaction between c-Myc and the transcription cofactor WDR5 may become the most promising new strategy for treating c-Myc driven TNBC. METHODS: Immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry (IP-MS) is used to screen proteins that bind c-Myc/WDR5 interactions. The interaction of METTL3 with c-Myc/WDR5 in breast cancer tissues and TNBC cells was detected by Co-IP and immunofluorescence. Subsequently, we further analyzed the influence of METTL3 expression on c-Myc/WDR5 protein expression and its interaction stability by Western blot and Co-IP. The correlation between METTL3 and c-Myc pathway was analyzed by ChIP-seq sequencing and METTL3 knockdown transcriptome data. The effect of METTL3 expression on c-Myc transcriptional activity was detected by ChIP-qPCR and Dual Luciferase Reporter. At the same time, the overexpression vector METTL3-MUT (m6A) was constructed, which mutated the methyltransferase active site (Aa395-398, DPPW/APPA), and further explored whether the interaction between METTL3 and c-Myc/WDR5 was independent of methyltransferase activity. In addition, we also detected the changes of METTL3 expression on TNBC's sensitivity to small molecule inhibitors such as JQ1 and OICR9429 by CCK8, Transwell and clonal formation assays. Finally, we further verified our conclusions in spontaneous tumor formation mouse MMTV-PyMT and nude mouse orthotopic transplantation tumor models. RESULTS: METTL3 was found to bind mainly to c-Myc/WDR5 protein in the nucleus. It enhances the stability of c-Myc/WDR5 interaction through its methyltransferase independent mechanism, thereby enhancing the transcriptional activity of c-Myc on downstream glucose metabolism genes. Notably, the study also confirmed that METTL3 can directly participate in the transcription of glucose metabolism genes as a transcription factor, and knockdown METTL3 enhances the drug sensitivity of breast cancer cells to small molecule inhibitors JQ1 and OICR9429. The study was further confirmed by spontaneous tumor formation mouse MMTV-PyMT and nude mouse orthotopic transplantation tumor models. CONCLUSION: METTL3 binds to the c-Myc/WDR5 protein complex and promotes glycolysis, which plays a powerful role in promoting TNBC progression. Our findings further broaden our understanding of the role and mechanism of action of METTL3, and may open up new therapeutic avenues for effective treatment of TNBC with high c-Myc expression.

The longevity evaluation of multi-metal stabilization by MgO in Pb/Zn smelter-contaminated soils.

The re-mobilization risks of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) during stabilization deserve to be considered. In this study, artificial simulation evaluation methods based on the environmental stress of freeze-thaw (F-T), acidification and variable pH were conducted to assess the long-term effectiveness of PTEs stabilized by MgO in Pb/Zn smelter contaminated soils. Among common stabilizing materials, MgO was considered as the best remediation material, since PTEs bioavailability reduced by 55.48% for As, 19.58% for Cd, 10.57% for Cu, and 26.33% for Mn, respectively. The stabilization effects of PTEs by MgO were best at the dosage of 5 wt%, but these studied PTEs would re-mobilize after 30 times F-T cycles. Acid and base buffering capacity results indicated that the basicity of contaminated soils with MgO treatment reduced under F-T action, and the leached PTEs concentrations would exceed the safety limits of surface water quality standard in China (GB3838-2002) after acidification of 2325 years. No significant changes were found in the pH-dependent patterns of PTEs before and after F-T cycles. However, after F-T cycles, the leaching concentrations of PTEs increased due to the destruction of soil microstructure and the functionality of hydration products formed by MgO, as indicated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energydispersive Xray spectroscopy (EDS) results. Hence, these findings would provide beneficial references for soil remediation assessments of contaminated soils under multi-environmental stress.

Facile Fabrication of Hollow Nanoporous Carbon Architectures by Controlling MOF Crystalline Inhomogeneity for Ultra-Stable Na-Ion Storage.

Hollow nanoporous carbon architectures (HNCs) present significant utilitarian value for a wide variety of applications. Facile and efficient preparation of HNCs has long been pursued but still remains challenging. Herein, we for the first time demonstrate that single-component metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) crystals, rather than the widely reported hybrid ones which necessitate tedious operations for preparation, could enable the facile and versatile syntheses of functional HNCs. By controlling the growth kinetics, the MOFs crystals (STU-1) are readily engineered into different shapes with designated styles of crystalline inhomogeneity. A subsequent one-step pyrolysis of these MOFs with intraparticle difference can induce a simultaneous self-hollowing and carbonization process, thereby producing various functional HNCs including yolk-shell polyhedrons, hollow microspheres, mesoporous architectures, and superstructures. Superior to the existing methods, this synthetic strategy relies only on the complex nature of single-component MOFs crystals without involving tedious operations like coating, etching, or ligand exchange, making it convenient, efficient, and easy to scale up. An ultra-stable Na-ion battery anode is demonstrated by the HNCs with extraordinary cyclability (93 % capacity retention over 8000 cycles), highlighting a high level of functionality of the HNCs.

Dexamethasone-Loaded Lipid Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Treat Experimental Colitis by Regulating Macrophage Polarization in Inflammatory Sites.

Background: The M1/M2 polarization of intestinal macrophages exerts an essential function in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC), which can be adjusted to alleviate the UC symptoms. Purpose: A kind of pH-sensitive lipid calcium phosphate core-shell nanoparticles (NPs), co-loading with dexamethasone (Dex) and its water-soluble salts, dexamethasone sodium phosphate (Dsp), was constructed to comprehensively regulate macrophages in different states towards the M2 phenotype to promote anti-inflammatory effects. Methods: Dex and Dsp were loaded in the outer lipid shell and inner lipid calcium phosphate (Cap) core of the LdCaPd NPs, respectively. Then, the morphology of NPs and methods for determining drug concentration were investigated, followed by in vitro protein adsorption, stability, and release tests. Cell experiments evaluated the cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and macrophage polarization induction ability of NPs. The in vivo distribution and anti-inflammatory effect of NPs were evaluated through a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced BALB/c mice ulcerative colitis model. Results: The LdCaPd NPs showed a particle size of about 200 nm and achieved considerable loading amounts of Dex and Dsp. The in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that in the acidic UC microenvironment, the cationic lipid shell of LdCaPd underwent protonated dissociation to release Dex first for creating a microenvironment conducive to M2 polarization. Then, the exposed CaP core was further engulfed by M1 macrophages to release Dsp to restrict the pro-inflammatory cytokines production by inhibiting the activation and function of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) through activating the GC receptor and the NF kappa B inhibitor α (I-κBα), respectively, ultimately reversing the M1 polarization to promote the anti-inflammatory therapy. Conclusion: The LdCaPd NPs accomplished the sequential release of Dex and Dsp to the UC site and the inflammatory M1 macrophages at this site, promoting the regulation of macrophage polarization to accelerate the remission of UC symptoms.

NEFA can serve as good biological markers for the diagnosis of depression in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of adolescent depression has markedly risen in recent years, with a high recurrence rate into adulthood. Diagnosis in adolescents is challenging due to subjective factors, highlighting the crucial need for objective diagnostic markers. METHODS: Our study enrolled 204 participants, including healthy controls (n = 88) and first-episode adolescent depression patients (n = 116). Serum samples underwent gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis to assess non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) expression. Machine learning and ROC analysis were employed to identify potential biomarkers, followed by bioinformatics analysis to explore underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: Nearly all differentially expressed NEFA exhibited significant downregulation. Notably, nonanoic acid, cis-10-pentadecenoic acid, cis-10-carboenoic acid, and cis-11-eicosenoic acid demonstrated excellent performance in distinguishing adolescent depression patients. Metabolite-gene interaction analysis revealed these NEFAs interacted with multiple genes. KEGG pathway analysis on these genes suggested that differentially expressed NEFA may impact PPAR and cAMP signaling pathways. LIMITATIONS: Inclusion of diverse populations for evaluation is warranted. Biomarkers identified in this study require samples that are more in line with the experimental design for external validation, and further basic research is necessary to validate the potential depressive mechanisms of NEFA. CONCLUSIONS: The overall reduction in NEFA expression in first-episode adolescent depression patients suggests a potential mediation of depression symptoms through cAMP and PPAR signaling pathways. NEFA levels show promise as a diagnostic tool for identifying first-episode adolescent depression patients.

Effects of meteorological factors on influenza transmissibility by virus type/subtype.

BACKGROUND: Quantitative evidence on the impact of meteorological factors on influenza transmissibility across different virus types/subtypes is scarce, and no previous studies have reported the effect of hourly temperature variability (HTV) on influenza transmissibility. Herein, we explored the associations between meteorological factors and influenza transmissibility according to the influenza type and subtype in Guangzhou, a subtropical city in China. METHODS: We collected influenza surveillance and meteorological data of Guangzhou between October 2010 and December 2019. Influenza transmissibility was measured using the instantaneous effective reproductive number (Rt). A gamma regression with a log link combined with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to assess the associations of daily meteorological factors with Rt by influenza types/subtypes. RESULTS: The exposure-response relationship between ambient temperature and Rt was non-linear, with elevated transmissibility at low and high temperatures. Influenza transmissibility increased as HTV increased when HTV < around 4.5 °C. A non-linear association was observed between absolute humidity and Rt, with increased transmissibility at low absolute humidity and at around 19 g/m3. Relative humidity had a U-shaped association with influenza transmissibility. The associations between meteorological factors and influenza transmissibility varied according to the influenza type and subtype: elevated transmissibility was observed at high ambient temperatures for influenza A(H3N2), but not for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09; transmissibility of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 increased as HTV increased when HTV < around 4.5 °C, but the transmissibility decreased with HTV when HTV < 2.5 °C and 3.0 °C for influenza A(H3N2) and B, respectively; positive association of Rt with absolute humidity was witnessed for influenza A(H3N2) even when absolute humidity was larger than 19 g/m3, which was different from that for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B. CONCLUSIONS: Temperature variability has an impact on influenza transmissibility. Ambient temperature, temperature variability, and humidity influence the transmissibility of different influenza types/subtypes discrepantly. Our findings have important implications for improving preparedness for influenza epidemics, especially under climate change conditions.

Accumulation of circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cell subsets: predicting poor clinical efficacy and prognosis through T cell suppression in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are implicated in the regulation of immune responses closely associated with poor clinical outcomes in cancer. However, the MDSC subtypes in non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) has not been systematically investigated. So we investigated the percentage of MDSC subsets in 78 newly diagnosed NHL patients by flow cytometry. The results showed that all MDSC subsets increased in NHL patients compared to healthy donors. Notably, MDSC, M-MDSC, and CD14+CD66b+MDSC significantly increased in NHL patients compared to those with lymphadenitis. PMN-MDSC, e-MDSC and IPI were independent risk factors for poor clinical efficacy and were involved in constructing the nomogram for predicting clinical efficacy. Progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly shorter in patients with high level of MDSC subsets, and PMN-MDSC emerged as an independent prognostic factor for PFS. PMN-MDSC, e-MDSC and IPI were involved in constructing the nomogram for predicting PFS. Patients with a higher percentage of MDSC, PMN-MDSC, e-MDSC, and CD14+CD66b+MDSC experienced a shorter OS compared to those with lower percentages. In addition, research on mechanisms found that T cell function was suppressed and mediated by the expansion of MDSC via involving Arg-1 and IL-10 in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the increased circulating MDSC subsets predict poor clinical efficacy and prognosis in NHL, potentially involving T cell suppression through MDSC subsets expansion. These findings indicate the potential of MDSC subsets as comprehensive diagnostic, prognostic biomarkers, and therapeutic targets for NHL.

Polyurethane foam dressing with non-adherent membrane improves negative pressure wound therapy in pigs.

OBJECTIVE: Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is considered to be an effective technique to promote the healing of various wounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate different wound dressings combined with NPWT in treating wounds in Wuzhishan pigs. METHOD: Excisions were made in the backs of the pigs and were covered with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) dressing, polyurethane (PU) dressing or PU dressing with non-adherent membrane (PU-non-ad). NPWT was applied to the wound site. In the control group, basic occlusive dressing (gauze) without NPWT was applied. On days 0, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 post-surgery, the wound size was measured during dressing change, and wound healing rate (WHR) was calculated. In addition, blood perfusion within 2cm of the surrounding wound was measured by laser doppler flowmetry. Dressing specimen was collected and microbiology was analysed. Granulation tissues from the central part of the wounds were analysed for histology, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) mRNA expression. RESULTS: The PU-non-ad-NPWT significantly (p<0.01) accelerated wound healing in the pigs. Further pathological analysis revealed that the non-adherent membrane effectively protected granulation tissue formation in PU-NPWT treated wounds. The blood perfusion analysis suggested that the non-adherent membrane improved the blood supply to the wound area. Microbiological analysis showed that non-adherent membrane decreased the bacterial load in the PU-NPWT dressing. VEGF and CD31 mRNA expression was upregulated in the wound tissue from the PU-non-ad-NPWT treated groups. CONCLUSION: In this study, the PU dressing with non-adherent membrane was an ideal dressing in NPWT-assisted wound healing.

The effect of surgical starting time on elective colorectal cancer surgery: A propensity score matching analysis.

The purpose of the current study is to analyze whether surgical starting time affects the short-term outcomes of elective colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery. We retrospectively collected CRC patients who underwent elective surgery from Jan 2008 to Jan 2021 in a single clinical center. The effect of surgical starting time (morning surgery vs afternoon surgery, day surgery vs night surgery) on elective CRC surgery was analyzed using propensity score matching (PSM). A total of 6783 patients were included in the current study. There were 5751 patients in day surgery group and 1032 patients in night surgery group, and there were 2920 patients in morning surgery group and 2831 patients in afternoon surgery group. After 1:1 ratio PSM, there were no significant difference in terms of the baseline information (P > .05). Day surgery group had longer operation time (P = .000) and longer hospital stay (P = .029) than night surgery group after PSM. Morning surgery group had longer operation time than afternoon surgery group before PSM (P = .000) and after PSM (P = .000). Univariate and multivariate analysis of the total of 6783 patients were conducted to find predictors of complications, and found that night surgery was a predictor of major complications (P = .002, OR = 1.763, 95% CI = 1.222-2.543) but not a predictor of overall complications (P = .250, OR = 1.096, 95% CI = 0.938-1.282). Night surgery is a predictor of major complications after elective CRC surgery, therefore, surgeons should be careful when operating at night.

Effect of intraoperative blood loss on postoperative complications and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer: A meta­analysis.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether the amount of intraoperative blood loss (IBL) affects the complications and prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). The PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases were used to search for eligible studies from inception to November 30, 2020. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (Cls) were pooled up. The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between the larger IBL group and the smaller IBL group. The present study was performed with RevMan 5.3 (The Cochrane Collaboration). A total of seven studies involving 1,540 patients with CRC were included in the present study. The smaller IBL group had a higher rate of OS (HR=1.45, 95% CI=1.17 to 1.8, P=0.0007) and a higher rate of DFS (HR=1.76, 95% CI=1.40 to 2.21, P<0.00001). Furthermore, the larger IBL group had a higher rate of postoperative complications than the smaller IBL group (odds ratio=2.06, 95% CI=1.72 to 2.15, P<0.00001). In conclusion, a smaller IBL was associated with better OS and DFS, and a lower risk of postoperative complications compared with a larger IBL in patients with CRC, suggesting that surgeons should pay more attention during perioperative management and surgical operation to reduce IBL.

Colonoscopy plays an important role in detecting colorectal neoplasms in patients with gastric neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) are the fifth and third most common cancer worldwide, respectively. Nowadays, GC is reported to have a potential predictive value for CRC, especially for advanced CRC. AIM: To evaluate the necessity of colonoscopy for gastric neoplasm (GN) patients. METHODS: Four databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Ovid, were used to perform the search strategy on May 2, 2023. The prevalence of colorectal neoplasms (CRN) and baseline characteristics were compared between the neoplasm group and the control group. Continuous variables are expressed as the mean difference and standard deviation. Relationships of categorical variables in the two groups are expressed as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Subgroup analysis according to different kinds of GNs was conducted for more in-depth analysis. The results of this study are represented by forest plots. Publication bias was evaluated by a funnel plot. All data analyses were performed by STATA SE 16.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 3018 patients with GNs and 3905 healthy controls (age and sex matched) were enrolled for analysis. After comparing the prevalence of CRNs between the two groups, CRNs were detected significantly more frequently in GN patients than in controls (OR = 1.69, 95%CI = 1.28 to 2.23, I2 = 85.12%, P = 0.00), especially in patients with GC (OR =1.80, 95%CI = 1.49 to 2.18, I2 = 25.55%, P < 0.1). Moreover, other risk factors including age (OR = 1.08, 95%CI = 1.00 to 1.17, I2 = 90.13%, P = 0.00) and male sex (OR = 2.31, 95%CI = 1.26 to 4.22, I2 = 87.35%, P = 0.00), were related to the prevalence of CRNs. For patients in the GN group, body mass index (BMI, OR = 0.88, 95%CI = 0.80 to 0.98, I2 = 0.00%, P = 0.92) and smoking (OR = 1.03, 95%CI = 1.01 to 1.05, I2 = 0.00%, P = 0.57) were protective and risk factors for CRNs, respectively. CONCLUSION: Patients are recommended to undergo colonoscopy when diagnosed with GNs, especially GC patients with a low BMI and a history of smoking.

Characterization of light-dependent rhythm of courtship vibrational signals in Nilaparvata lugens: essential involvement of cryptochrome genes.

BACKGROUND: Vibrational signal plays a crucial role in courtship communication in many insects. However, it remains unclear whether insect vibrational signals exhibit daily rhythmicity in response to changes in environmental cues. RESULTS: In this study, we observed daily rhythms of both female vibrational signals (FVS) and male vibrational signals (MVS) in the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), one of the most notorious rice pests across Asia. Notably, oscillations of FVS and MVS in paired BPHs were synchronized as part of male-female duetting interactions, displaying significant day-night rhythmicity. Furthermore, we observed light dependency of FVS emissions under different photoperiodic regimes (18 L:6 D and 6 L:18 D) and illumination intensity levels (>300 lx, 50 lx, and 25 lx). Subsequently, the potential role of circadian clock genes cryptochromes (Nlcry1 and Nlcry2) in regulating FVS daily oscillations was examined using gene knockdown via RNA interference. We observed sharp declines and disrupted rhythms in FVS frequencies when either of the Nlcrys was downregulated, with Nlcry2 knockdown showing a more prominent effect. Moreover, we recorded a novel FVS variant (with a dominant frequency of 361.76 ± 4.31 Hz) emitted by dsNlcry1-treated BPH females, which significantly diminished the impact of courtship stimuli on receptive males. CONCLUSION: We observed light-dependent daily rhythms of substrate-borne vibrational signals (SBVS) in BPH and demonstrated essential yet distinct roles of the two Nlcrys. These findings enhanced our understanding of insect SBVS and illustrated the potential of novel precision physical control strategies for disrupting mating behaviors in this rice pest. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.