Preterm Birth Alters the Regional Development and Structural Covariance of Cerebellum at Term-Equivalent Age.

Preterm birth is associated with increased risk for a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disabilities. The cerebellum is implicated in a wide range of cognitive functions extending beyond sensorimotor control and plays an increasingly recognized role in brain development. Morphometric studies based on volume analyses have revealed impaired cerebellar development in preterm infants. However, the structural covariance between the cerebellum and cerebral cortex has not been studied during the neonatal period, and the extent to which structural covariance is affected by preterm birth remains unknown. In this study, using the structural MR images of 52 preterm infants scanned at term-equivalent age and 312 full-term controls from the Developing Human Connectome Project, we compared volumetric growth, local cerebellum shape development and cerebello-cerebral structural covariance between the two groups. We found that although there was no significant difference in the overall volume measurements between preterm and full-term infants, the shape measurements were different. Compared with the control infants, preterm infants had significantly larger thickness in the vermis and lower thickness in the lateral portions of the bilateral cerebral hemispheres. The structural covariance between the cerebellum and frontal and parietal lobes was significantly greater in preterm infants than in full-term controls. The findings in this study suggested that cerebellar development and cerebello-cerebral structural covariance may be affected by premature birth.

An MRI Study of Morphology, Asymmetry, and Sex Differences of Inferior Precentral Sulcus.

Numerous studies utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have observed sex and interhemispheric disparities in sulcal morphology, which could potentially underpin certain functional disparities in the human brain. Most of the existing research examines the precentral sulcus comprehensively, with a rare focus on its subsections. To explore the morphology, asymmetry, and sex disparities within the inferior precentral sulcus (IPCS), we acquired 3.0T magnetic resonance images from 92 right-handed Chinese adolescents. Brainvisa was used to reconstruct the IPCS structure and calculate its mean depth (MD). Based on the morphological patterns of IPCS, it was categorized into five distinct types. Additionally, we analyzed four different types of spatial relationships between IPCS and inferior frontal sulcus (IFS). There was a statistically significant sex disparity in the MD of IPCS, primarily observed in the right hemisphere. Females exhibited significantly greater asymmetry in the MD of IPCS compared to males. No statistically significant sex or hemispheric variations were identified in sulcal patterns. Our findings expand the comprehension of inconsistencies in sulcal structure, while also delivering an anatomical foundation for the study of related regions' function.

Hepatocellular carcinoma combined with sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report.

RATIONALE: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (SHC) is an uncommon variant of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), characterized by HCC features combined with sarcomatoid histology and manifestations. The simultaneous occurrence of HCC and hepatosarcomatoid carcinoma is infrequent. This report presents a distinctive instance of HCC coexisting with hepatic sarcomatoid carcinoma in a 56-year-old male. The case exhibits an unusual clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Through the presentation of this case, we aspire to contribute novel concepts to shape forthcoming strategies encompassing SHC diagnosis and treatment. PATIENT CONCERNS: The 56-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital, due to discovering a hepatic mass lasting for over 2 months. DIAGNOSES: Ultimately, combined hepatocellular and SHC diagnosis was conclusively confirmed through histopathological and imaging examinations. INTERVENTION: In this case, our approach encompassed hepatectomy coupled with ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation for HCC. Intraoperative ultrasound localization was employed for accurate tumor identification, followed by postoperative hepatic artery embolization to facilitate meticulous tumor resection. OUTCOMES: He underwent hepatic arteriography chemoembolization treatment and is currently stable, experiencing regular chemotherapy follow-up visits. LESSONS: The presence of distinct tumor types concurrently can influence treatment choices and prognosis. Given the intricate nature of this condition, crafting an optimal treatment strategy necessitates the incorporation of variables such as the patient age, tumor characteristics, liver function, and other pertinent factors.

TaSRO1 interacts with TaVP1 to modulate seed dormancy and pre-harvest sprouting resistance in wheat.

Dormancy is an adaptive trait which prevents seeds from germinating under unfavorable environmental conditions. Seeds with weak dormancy undergo pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) which decreases grain yield and quality. Understanding the genetic mechanisms that regulate seed dormancy and resistance to PHS is crucial for ensuring global food security. In this study, we illustrated the function and molecular mechanism of TaSRO1 in the regulation of seed dormancy and PHS resistance by suppressing TaVP1. The tasro1 mutants exhibited strong seed dormancy and enhanced resistance to PHS, whereas the mutants of tavp1 displayed weak dormancy. Genetic evidence has shown that TaVP1 is epistatic to TaSRO1. Biochemical evidence has shown that TaSRO1 interacts with TaVP1 and represses the transcriptional activation of the PHS resistance genes TaPHS1 and TaSdr. Furthermore, TaSRO1 undermines the synergistic activation of TaVP1 and TaABI5 in PHS resistance genes. Finally, we highlight the great potential of tasro1 alleles for breeding elite wheat cultivars that are resistant to PHS.

Equivalent Heat Treatments and Mechanical Properties in Cold-Rolled TiNiFe Shape-Memory Alloys.

Heat treatments after cold rolling for TiNiFe shape-memory alloys have been compared. After EBSD analysis and as calculated by the Avrami model and Arrhenius equation, the relationship between the heat-treatment temperature and manufacturing time of TiNiFe alloys is established. Through calculation, it can be found that TiNiFe alloys can obtain similar microstructures under the annealing processes of 823 K for 776 min, 827 K for 37 min, and 923 K for 12.5 min. And the recrystallization fractions are all around 50%. Nevertheless, the tensile properties and recovery stress of the alloys show almost similar values. And based on the feasibility of the annealing process, it is believed that annealing at 873 K for 37 min is the optimal choice to obtain a recrystallization fraction φR = 50%.

Multi-slice computed tomographic analysis and identification of remarkable anatomical types of segmental bronchi in bilateral inferior lobes: based on extensive data.

Background: The progress of interventional respiratory medicine necessitates a comprehensive knowledge of the segmental bronchi because of their complexity in branching patterns. Therefore, based on extensive research data, we aimed to examine the anatomical diversity and sex-related variations of the segmental bronchial branching patterns in the bilateral inferior lobes. Methods: Following the exclusion and inclusion criteria, a total of 10,000 participants who underwent multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) scans from September 2019 to December 2021 at Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University were enrolled in this retrospective study. The computed tomography (CT) data were utilized to generate three-dimensional (3D) and virtual bronchoscopy (VB) simulations of a bronchial tree using the syngo.via post-processing workstation. The distinct bronchial patterns in the bilateral inferior lobes were then found and categorized using the reconstructed images. The proportions of different types of bronchial branches and their sex-related correlations were analyzed by cross-tabulation and chi-square analysis. Results: Our findings primarily identified four types of bronchial branching patterns in the right inferior lobe (RIL), i.e., (B6, B7, B8, B9+10), 71.44%; (B6, B7, B8+9, B10), 16.06%; (B6, B7+8, B9+10), 7.40%; (B6, B7, B8+9+10), 5.10%; and four types in the left inferior lobe (LIL), i.e., (B6, B7+8, B9+10), 82.89%; (B6, B7+8, B9, B10), 13.53%; (B6, B7, B8+9, B10), 2.88%; (B6, B7, B8+9+10), 0.70%. Besides various research methods and outcomes, this study has revealed the types of bronchial branches that were not seen in previous studies. In addition, the proportion of bronchial branches in the LIL did not differ significantly between males and females (P>0.05). However, there was a significant difference in the proportion of bronchial branches in the RIL between sexes (P<0.05). Conclusions: The current study has validated the segmental bronchial variations in the bilateral inferior lobes. The diagnosis of symptomatic patients as well as the performance of interventions like bronchoscopies, endotracheal intubation, and lung resections may be significantly influenced by our findings in the clinical setting.

Aging pattern of the brainstem based on volumetric measurement and optimized surface shape analysis.

The brainstem, a small and crucial structure, is connected to the cerebrum, spinal cord, and cerebellum, playing a vital role in regulating autonomic functions, transmitting motor and sensory information, and modulating cognitive processes, emotions, and consciousness. While previous research has indicated that changes in brainstem anatomy can serve as a biomarker for aging and neurodegenerative diseases, the structural changes that occur in the brainstem during normal aging remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the age- and sex-related differences in the global and local structural measures of the brainstem in 187 healthy adults (ranging in age from 18 to 70 years) using structural magnetic resonance imaging. The findings showed a significant negative age effect on the volume of the two major components of the brainstem: the medulla oblongata and midbrain. The shape analysis revealed that atrophy primarily occurs in specific structures, such as the pyramid, cerebral peduncle, superior and inferior colliculi. Surface area and shape analysis showed a trend of flattening in the aging brainstem. There were no significant differences between the sexes or sex-by-age interactions in brainstem structural measures. These findings provide a systematic description of age associations with brainstem structures in healthy adults and may provide a reference for future research on brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Fe(III)-Shikonin supramolecular nanomedicines as immunogenic cell death stimulants and multifunctional immunoadjuvants for tumor vaccination.

Immunoadjuvants, as an indispensable component of tumor vaccines, can observably enhance the magnitude, breadth, and durability of antitumor immunity. However, current immunoadjuvants suffer from different issues such as weak immunogenicity, inadequate cellular internalization, poor circulation time, and mono-functional bioactivity. Methods: Herein, we construct Fe3+-Shikonin metal-phenolic networks (FeShik) nanomedicines as immunogenic cell death (ICD) stimulants and multifunctional immunoadjuvants for tumor vaccination. The multifunctionality of FeShik nanomedicines is investigated by loading ovalbumin (OVA) as the model antigen to construct OVA@FeShik nanovaccines or 4T1 tumor cell fragment (TF) as homologous antigen to construct TF@FeShik nanovaccines. In vitro examinations including GSH responsive, •OH generation, colloid stability, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity mechanism of ferroptosis and necroptosis, ICD effect, the promotion of DC maturation and antigen cross-presentation were studied. In vivo observations including pharmacokinetics and biodistribution, antitumor effect, abscopal effect, immune memory effect, and biosafety were performed. Results: The presence of FeShik nanomedicines can significantly prolong the blood circulation time of antigens, increasing the bioavailability of antigens. Upon phagocytosis by tumor cells, FeShik nanomedicines can disassemble into Fe2+ and Shikonin in response to tumor microenvironments, leading to ICD of tumor cells via ferroptosis and necroptosis. Consequently, ICD-released autologous tumor cell lysates and pro-inflammatory cytokines not only stimulate DC maturation and antigen cross-presentation, but also promote macrophage repolarization and cytotoxic T lymphocyte infiltration, resulting in the activation of adaptive immune responses toward solid tumors. Conclusion: In a word, our FeShik supramolecular nanomedicines integrate bioactivities of ICD stimulants and immunoadjuvants, such as eradicating tumor cells, activating antitumor immune responses, modulating immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments, and biodegradation after immunotherapy. Encouraged by the diversity of polyphenols and metal ions, our research may provide a valuable paradigm to establish a large library for tumor vaccination.

Improving imputation quality in Samoans through the integration of population-specific sequences into existing reference panels.

Genotype imputation is fundamental to association studies, and yet even gold standard panels like TOPMed are limited in the populations for which they yield good imputation. Specifically, Pacific Islanders are poorly represented in extant panels. To address this, we constructed an imputation reference panel using 1,285 Samoan individuals with whole-genome sequencing, combined with 1000 Genomes (1000G) samples, to create a reference panel that better represents Pacific Islander, specifically Samoan, genetic variation. We compared this panel to 1000G and TOPMed panels based on imputed variants using genotyping array data for 1,834 Samoan participants who were not part of the panels. The 1000G + 1285 Samoan panel yielded up to 2.25-2.76 times more well-imputed (r 2 ≥ 0.80) variants than TOPMed and 1000G. There was improved imputation accuracy across the minor allele frequency (MAF) spectrum, although it was more pronounced for variants with 0.01 ≤ MAF ≤ 0.05. Imputation accuracy (r 2 ) was greater for population-specific variants (high fixation index, F ST ) and those from larger haplotypes (high LD score). The gain in imputation accuracy over TOPMed was largest for small haplotypes (low LD score), reflecting the Samoan panel's ability to capture population-specific variation not well tagged by other panels. We also augmented the 1000G reference panel with varying numbers of Samoan samples and found that panels with 48 or more Samoans included outperformed TOPMed for all variants with MAF ≥ 0.001. This study identifies variants with improved imputation using population-specific reference panels and provides a framework for constructing other population-specific reference panels.

Transforming Passive Employee Engagement Into Active Engagement: Supervisor Development Feedback Valences on Feedback-Seeking Behavior.

Employees' feedback-seeking behavior is an important way to develop and maintain self-awareness and interpersonal acuity, reduce uncertainty, boost creativity and improve innovative behavior and performance. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has become the new normal, supervisor feedback and employees feedback-seeking has an increasingly important impact on team creativity and team innovation performance.In the practice of organizational management, there is frequently a "feedback vacuum" between managers and employees. There is increasing research on feedback-seeking behavior in the field of OBHRM. This paper is the first to evaluate the impact of work meaning and positive attributions on workers' feedback-seeking behavior, and the cross-level effects of supervisor development feedback including variable valence. The paper analyzes supervisor-employee paired data from 158 supervisors and 659 employees using multi-source, multi-temporal data to draw the following conclusions: (1) Positive supervisor development feedback has a significant cross-level positive effect on employee feedback-seeking behavior, whereas negative supervisor development feedback does not affect employee feedback-seeking behavior; (2) Work meaningfulness mediates the cross-level relationship between positive supervisor development feedback and employees' feedback-seeking behaviors, whereas negative supervisor development feedback and employees' feedback-seeking behaviors do not; (3) Positive attributions positively moderate the relationship between positive supervisor development feedback and work meaningfulness; while positively moderating the relationship between negative supervisor development feedback and work meaningfulness; (4) Positive attributions have a moderating effect on supervisor development feedback that influences the indirect relationship to feedback-seeking behavior by work meaningfulness.

How inflammation dictates diabetic peripheral neuropathy: An enlightening review.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) constitutes a debilitating complication associated with diabetes. Although, the past decade has seen rapid developments in understanding the complex etiology of DPN, there are no approved therapies that can halt the development of DPN, or target the damaged nerve. Therefore, clarifying the pathogenesis of DPN and finding effective treatment are the crucial issues for the clinical management of DPN. AIMS: This review is aiming to summary the current knowledge on the pathogenesis of DPN, especially the mechanism and application of inflammatory response. METHODS: We systematically summarized the latest studies on the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies of diabetic neuropathy in PubMed. RESULTS: In this seminal review, the underappreciated role of immune activation in the progression of DPN is scrutinized. Novel insights into the inflammatory regulatory mechanisms of DPN have been unearthed, illuminating potential therapeutic strategies of notable clinical significance. Additionally, a nuanced examination of DPN's complex etiology, including aberrations in glycemic control and insulin signaling pathways, is presented. Crucially, an emphasis has been placed on translating these novel understandings into tangible clinical interventions to ameliorate patient outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This review is distinguished by synthesizing cutting-edge mechanisms linking inflammation to DPN and identifying innovative, inflammation-targeted therapeutic approaches.

A surface modification strategy to prepare hierarchical Beta molecular sieves for glucose dehydration.

In order to balance the contradiction between mesopore introduction and loss of microporosity, a surface modification strategy is proposed by selectively adsorbing organic alkaline molecules on Beta molecular sieves before NaOH etching. Organic alkaline molecules adsorb on framework aluminum sites and the protective function of organic bases is affected by the adsorption configuration and physical barrier effect of organic bases. Organic alkaline molecules serve as a protective agent to increase the bond length of Al-O bonds. Therefore, the as-synthesized hierarchical Beta molecular sieves have more acid sites due to the preservation of aluminum atoms. When employed as catalysts in the dehydration reaction of glucose, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is obtained under the synergistic effect of Brønsted and Lewis acid sites. The unique contribution is to realize the porosity regulation and alleviate the acidity loss of Beta molecular sieves. These results are important to broaden the application fields of aluminum-silicon molecular sieves especially for large molecule-engaged acid catalyzed reactions.

Antibacterial mechanism of areca nut essential oils against Streptococcus mutans by targeting the biofilm and the cell membrane.

Introduction: Dental caries is one of the most common and costly biofilm-dependent oral diseases in the world. Streptococcus mutans is the major cariogenic pathogen of dental caries. S. mutans synthesizes extracellular polysaccharides by autologous glucosyltransferases, which then promotes bacterial adhesion and cariogenic biofilm formation. The S. mutans biofilm is the principal target for caries treatment. This study was designed to explore the antibacterial activity and mechanisms of areca nut essential oil (ANEO) against S. mutans. Methods: The ANEOs were separated by negative pressure hydro-distillation. The Kirby-Bauer method and broth microdilution method were carried out to evaluate the antibacterial activity of different ANEOs. The antibacterial mechanism was revealed by crystal violet staining, XTT reduction, microbial adhesion to hydrocarbon test, extracellular polysaccharide production assay, glucosyltransferase activity assay, lactate dehydrogenase leaking, propidium iodide staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cytotoxicity of ANEOs was determine by MTT assay. Results: The ANEOs separated at different temperatures exhibited different levels of antibacterial activity against S. mutans, and the ANEO separated at 70°C showed the most prominent bacteriostatic activity. Anti-biofilm experiments showed that the ANEOs attenuated the adhesion ability of S. mutans by decreasing the surface hydrophobicity of the bacteria, prevented S. mutans biofilm formation by inhibiting glucosyltransferase activity, reducing extracellular polysaccharide synthesis, and reducing the total biofilm biomass and activity. SEM further demonstrated the destructive effects of the ANEOs on the S. mutans biofilm. Cell membrane-related experiments indicated that the ANEOs destroyed the integrity of the cell membrane, resulting in the leakage of lactic dehydrogenase and nucleic acids. SEM imaging of S. mutans cell showed the disruption of the cellular morphology by the ANEOs. The cytotoxicity assay suggested that ANEO was non-toxic towards normal oral epithelial cells. Discussion: This study displayed that ANEOs exerted antibacterial activity against S. mutans primarily by affecting the biofilm and disrupting the integrity of the cell membrane. ANEOs has the potential to be developed as an antibacterial agent for preventing dental caries. Additionally, a new method for the separation of essential oil components is presented.

Evaluating the Impact of Intracranial Volume Correction Approaches on the Quantification of Intracranial Structures in MRI: A Systematic Analysis.

BACKGROUND: In neuroscience, accurately quantifying individual brain regions in large cohorts is a challenge. Differences in intracranial structures can suggest functional differences, but they also reflect the effects of other factors. However, there is currently no standardized method for the correction of intracranial structure measurements. PURPOSE: To identify the optimal method to counteract the influence of total intracranial volume (TIV) and gender on the measurement of intracranial structures. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION/SUBJECTS: One hundred forty-one healthy adult volunteers (70 male, mean age 21.8 ± 1.7 years). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: T1-weighted 3D gradient-echo sequence at 3.0 T. ASSESSMENT: A radiologist with 5 years of work experience screened the raw images to exclude poor-quality images. Freesurfer then performed automated segmentation to obtain measurements of intracranial structures. Male-only, female-only, and TIV-matched sub-samples were created separately. Comparisons between the original data and these sub-samples were used to assess the effects of gender and TIV. Comparison the consistency between TIV-matched sample and corrected data that corrected by four methods: Proportion method, power-corrected proportion method, covariate regression method, and residual method. STATISTICAL TESTS: Cohen's d for examining group distribution disparities, t-tests for probing mean differences, correlation coefficients to assess the relationships between intracranial substructure measurements and TIV. Multiple comparison corrections were applied to the results. RESULTS: The correlation coefficients between TIV and the volumes of intracranial structures ranged from 0.033 to 0.883, with an average of 0.467. Thirty significant volume differences were found among 36 structures in the original sample, while no differences were observed in the TIV-matched sample. Among the four correction methods, the residual method had highest consistency (similarity 94.4%) with the TIV-matched group. DATA CONCLUSION: The variation in intracranial structure sizes between genders was largely attributable to TIV. The residual method offers a more accurate and effective approach for correcting the effects of TIV on intracranial structures. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.

L-Arginine self-delivery supramolecular nanodrug for NO gas therapy.

NO gas therapy is a supplementary approach for tumor treatment due to the advantages of minimal invasion, little drug resistance, low side effect and amplified efficacy. l-Arginine (L-Arg), a natural NO source with good biocompatibility, can release NO under the stimulation of H2O2 in tumor microenvironment. However, the conventional l-Arg delivery systems via noncovalent loading usually lead to inevitable premature leakage of nano-cargos during blood circulation. In this work, an efficient l-Arg self-delivery supramolecular nanodrug (SDSND) for tumor treatment is demonstrated by combining Mannich reaction and π-π stacking. l-Arg links to (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) with the assistance of formaldehyde through Mannich reaction, and then assembles into nanometer-sized particles via π-π stacking. The guanidine group of l-Arg and the phenolic hydroxyl groups of EGCG are preserved in the SDSNDs, which allows for accomplishing gas therapy by provoking tumor cell apoptosis and combining with EGCG to amplify apoptosis, respectively. In addition, the SDSNDs exhibit high biocompatibility and avoid the premature leakage of l-Arg in blood circulation, providing an alternative l-Arg delivery system for NO gas therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: NO gas therapy has attracted emerging interest in tumor treatment. However, the controlled NO release and the avoidance of premature leakage of NO donors remain challenging. In this work, L-Arginine (L-Arg) self-delivery supramolecular nanodrug for efficient tumor therapy is demonstrated through the Mannich reaction of L-Arg, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and formaldehyde. Stimulated by tumor microenvironment, the guanidine groups of L-Arg allow for accomplishing NO release and thus provoking tumor cell apoptosis. The nanodrug also avoids the premature leakage of L-Arg in blood circulation. Moreover, the preserved phenolic hydroxyl groups of EGCG combine with L-Arg to amplify apoptosis. The nanodrug exhibits high biocompatibility and good therapeutic effect, providing an alternative L-Arg delivery system for NO gas therapy.

Biomimetic dual-nanozymes with catalytic cascade reactions against diabetic wound infection.

Diabetes-related chronic wounds characterized by hyperglycemia and weak alkaline milieu provide numerous advantages for bacteria growth and biofilm formation, setting a myriad of stumbling blocks for wound healing. Therefore, reshaping the spatially and temporally pathological wound microenvironment against bacterial infection is critical to rescue stalled healing progress in diabetes-related chronic wounds. Herein, we demonstrate on the room-temperature construction of a glucose oxidase (GOx)-mimicking and peroxidase (POD)-mimicking dual-nanozymes catalytic cascade system upon the partial reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+ and the deposition of Au nanoparticles, simultaneously. The as-prepared dual-nanozymes catalytic cascade system possesses the capabilities of reshaping the pathological microenvironments of diabetic wound via glucose consumption and acidification, leading to amplified catalytic cascade activities for sterilization. On the one hand, the GOx-mimicking enzymatic activity of the catalytic cascade system can not only deplete glucose and acidize wound milieu to inhibit bacteria growth, but also utilize the weak alkaline milieu of diabetic wound to provide sufficient H2O2 and a favorable pH for subsequent OH generation. On the other hand, the POD-mimicking enzymatic activity of the catalytic cascade system can continuously produce OH for sterilization under the weak acidic milieu in the presence of abundant H2O2. Benefiting from the simply and mild preparation process and the excellent dual-nanozymes catalytic cascade activities under the deliberate evolved milieus of diabetes-related chronic wounds, our catalytic cascade system exhibits the promising healing effect and clinical translation potential against diabetic wound infection.

Identification of anatomical types of segmental bronchi in left superior and lingular lobes using multi-slice CT.

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to evaluate various branching patterns of segmental bronchi in the left superior and lingular lobes and to survey the anatomical diversity and sex-related differences of these branches in a large sample of the study population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 10,000 participants (5428 males, and 4572 females, mean age 50 ± 13.5 years [SD] years; age range: 3-91 years) who underwent multi-slice CT (MSCT) scans between September 2019 and December 2021 were retrospectively included. Using the syngo.via post-processing workstation, the data were applied to generate three-dimensional (3D) and virtual bronchoscopy (VB) simulations of a bronchial tree. The reconstructed images were then interpreted to identify and categorize distinct bronchial patterns in the left superior and lingular lobes. Cross-tabulation analysis and the Pearson Chi-square (χ2) test were used to calculate the constituent ratios of bronchial branch types and determine their significance between male and female groups. RESULTS: Our results revealed mainly four distinct types for the left superior lobe (LSL) bronchial tree, i.e., (B1 + 2, B3, 76.13%); (B1 + 2 + 3, 17.32%); (B1 + 3, B2, 5.74%); (B1a + B3, B1b + B2, 0.81%) and two types for the left lingular lobe (LLL) bronchial tree, i.e., (B4, B5, 91.05%); (B4, B5, B*, 8.95%). There were no significant sex-related differences in the proportion of bronchial branches in LLL (P > 0.05). However, sex-related differences were significant in the proportion of bronchial branches in LSL (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The current study has validated the presence of segmental bronchial variations in the left superior and lingular lobes. These findings may have a crucial effect on the diagnosis of symptomatic patients, as well as in carrying out procedures such as lung resections, endotracheal intubation, and bronchoscopies.

A smartphone-based support system coupled with a bluetooth breathalyzer in the treatment of alcohol dependence: A 12-week randomized controlled trial.

Background: Our prior open trial showed the feasibility of a smartphone-based support system coupled with a Bluetooth breathalyzer (SoberDiary) in assisting recovery for patients with alcohol dependence (AD). In this 24-week follow-up study, we further explored the efficacy of supplementing SoberDiary to treatment as usual (TAU) over 12 weeks of intervention and whether the efficacy persisted in the post-intervention 12 weeks. Methods: 51 patients who met the DSM-IV criteria of AD were randomly assigned to the technological intervention group (TI group, receiving technology intervention of SoberDiary plus TAU, n = 25) or those receiving only TAU (TAU group, n = 26). After 12 weeks of intervention (Phase I), all participants were followed for another post-intervention 12 weeks (Phase II). We collected the drinking variables and psychological assessment data every 4 weeks (i.e., weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24). In addition, the cumulative abstinence days and retention rates were recorded. We used mixed-model analysis to compare the difference in outcomes between groups. Results: In Phase I or Phase II, we did not find differences in drinking variables, alcohol craving, depression, or anxiety severity between the two groups. However, the TI group showed greater self-efficacy for drinking refusal in Phase II than the TAU group. Conclusions: Although our system (SoberDiary) did not demonstrate benefits in drinking or emotional outcomes, we found the system holds promise to enhance self-efficacy on drinking refusal. Whether the benefit in promoting self-efficacy persists longer than 24 weeks requires further investigation.

Enhanced CO2 uptake is marginally offset by altered fluxes of non-CO2 greenhouse gases in global forests and grasslands under N deposition.

Despite the increasing impact of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on terrestrial greenhouse gas (GHG) budget, through driving both the net atmospheric CO2 exchange and the emission or uptake of non-CO2 GHGs (CH4 and N2 O), few studies have assessed the climatic impact of forests and grasslands under N deposition globally based on different bottom-up approaches. Here, we quantify the effects of N deposition on biomass C increment, soil organic C (SOC), CH4 and N2 O fluxes and, ultimately, the net ecosystem GHG balance of forests and grasslands using a global comprehensive dataset. We showed that N addition significantly increased plant C uptake (net primary production) in forests and grasslands, to a larger extent for the aboveground C (aboveground net primary production), whereas it only caused a small or insignificant enhancement of SOC pool in both upland systems. Nitrogen addition had no significant effect on soil heterotrophic respiration (RH ) in both forests and grasslands, while a significant N-induced increase in soil CO2 fluxes (RS , soil respiration) was observed in grasslands. Nitrogen addition significantly stimulated soil N2 O fluxes in forests (76%), to a larger extent in grasslands (87%), but showed a consistent trend to decrease soil uptake of CH4 , suggesting a declined sink capacity of forests and grasslands for atmospheric CH4 under N enrichment. Overall, the net GHG balance estimated by the net ecosystem production-based method (forest, 1.28 Pg CO2 -eq year-1 vs. grassland, 0.58 Pg CO2 -eq year-1 ) was greater than those estimated using the SOC-based method (forest, 0.32 Pg CO2 -eq year-1 vs. grassland, 0.18 Pg CO2 -eq year-1 ) caused by N addition. Our findings revealed that the enhanced soil C sequestration by N addition in global forests and grasslands could be only marginally offset (1.5%-4.8%) by the combined effects of its stimulation of N2 O emissions together with the reduced soil uptake of CH4 .

Multi-slice CT analysis of the length of left main coronary artery: its relation to sex, age, diameter and branching pattern of left main coronary artery, and coronary dominance.

PURPOSE: The objective of this research was to analyze and correlate the length of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) with significant clinical parameters using multi-slice CT (MSCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1500 patients (851 males and 649 females; mean age 57.38 ± 11.03 [SD]; age range: 5-85 years) who underwent MSCT scans from September 2020 to March 2022 were retrospectively included. The data were applied to generate three-dimensional (3D) simulations of a coronary tree using the syngo.via post-processing workstation. The reconstructed images were then interpreted, and the collected data were subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS: The results showed 1206 (80.4%) cases with medium LMCA, 133 (8.9%) with long LMCA, and 161 (10.7%) with short LMCA. The average diameter of LMCA at its midpoint was 4.69 ± 0.74 mm. The most frequent type of division of LMCA was bifurcation in 1076 (71.7%) cases; in 424 (28.3%) cases, the LMCA was divided into three or more branches. The dominance was right in 1339 (89.3%), left in 78 (5.2%), and co-dominant in 83 (5.5%) cases. There was a positive correlation between the length and branching patterns of LMCA, χ2 = 113.993, P = 0.000 (< 0.05). Other variables like age, sex, diameter of LMCA, and coronary dominance did not show any significant correlation. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated a significant association between the length and the branching pattern of LMCA, which may be essential in diagnosing and treating coronary artery patients.