Morphological Regulation of Printed Low-Temperature Conductive Ink.

The unbalanced evaporation of solvents in low-temperature sintered inks for printed electronics leads to a series of problems in the actual printing process, including printed pattern distortion, surface cracking, and the coffee ring effect, which has become a serious obstacle to this technique. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of the influence of the solvent composition, environmental, and sintering conditions on the complicated pattern formation process of reactive silver inks. The results first showed that only inks with a certain wettability of solvents could form well-defined patterns. Then, the solvent composition and ambient humidity can be adjusted to balance the nonequilibrium evaporative flow within the liquid and thus to obtain a flat liquid film. Combined with the rapid UV sintering process, the particle size, porosity, and roughness could be controlled to produce dense and homogeneous silver films. Finally, we successfully printed silver electrodes with a smooth and dense surface (Rqs ∼ 21 nm in 0.8 × 0.8 mm2 area and less than 1% porosity) under an optimized relative humidity (RH) of 50-60% at room temperature with the solvent composition of IPA (isopropanol)/2,3-BD (2,3-butanediol) = 8:2. In addition, we also demonstrated high-performance Pr-IZO (praseodymium-doped indium-zinc oxide) thin film transistors (TFTs) with a mobility (µsat) of 2.14 cm2/V/s and Ion/Ioff ratio of over 107 using source-drain electrodes printed under optimized conditions.

Morin attenuates pyroptosis of nucleus pulposus cells and ameliorates intervertebral disc degeneration via inhibition of the TXNIP/NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1ß signaling pathway.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a major cause of lower back pain (LBP), a condition that causes a heavy economic burden globally. The production of cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1ß and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α, is increased in the degenerating intervertebral disc. Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) participates in NLRP3 inflammasome-dependent pyroptosis in liver. Therefore, we hypothesized that TXNIP maypromote pyroptosis via NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1ß signaling pathway in nucleus pulposus (NP) cell. This study examined the effects of TXNIP on IDD, explored the underlying mechanisms of action and find Morin which is the inhibitor of TXNIP can attenuates pyroptosis of nucleus pulposus cells and ameliorates intervertebral disc degeneration. Our findings indicate that TXNIP promote pyroptosis via NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1ß signaling pathway in NP cell. Morin considerably inhibited the TXNIP/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway in vitro. In vivo. Our data show that TXNIP can aggravates intervertebral disc degeneration and morin may be a useful therapeutic agent for IDD.

A Transcription Factor, OsMADS57, Regulates Long-Distance Nitrate Transport and Root Elongation.

Root nitrate uptake adjusts to the plant's nitrogen demand for growth. Here, we report that OsMADS57, a MADS-box transcription factor, modulates nitrate translocation from rice (Oryza sativa) roots to shoots under low-nitrate conditions. OsMADS57 is abundantly expressed in xylem parenchyma cells of root stele and is induced by nitrate. Compared with wild-type rice plants supplied with 0.2 mM nitrate, osmads57 mutants had 31% less xylem loading of nitrate, while overexpression lines had 2-fold higher levels. Shoot-root 15N content ratios were 40% lower in the mutants and 76% higher in the overexpression lines. Rapid NO3 - root influx experiments showed that mutation of OsMADS57 did not affect root nitrate uptake. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR analysis of OsNRT2 nitrate transporter genes showed that after 5 min in 0.2 mM nitrate, only OsNRT2.3a (a vascular-specific high-affinity nitrate transporter) had reduced (by two-thirds) expression levels. At 60 min of nitrate treatment, lower expression levels were also observed for three additional NRT2 genes (OsNRT2.1/2.2/2.4). Conversely, in the overexpression lines, four NRT2 genes had much higher expression profiles at all time points tested. As previously reported, OsNRT2.3a functions in nitrate translocation, indicating the possible interaction between OsMADS57 and OsNRT2.3a Yeast one-hybrid and transient expression assays demonstrated that OsMADS57 binds to the CArG motif (CATTTTATAG) within the OsNRT2.3a promoter. Moreover, seminal root elongation was inhibited in osmads57 mutants, which may be associated with higher auxin levels in and auxin polar transport to root tips of mutant plants. Taken together, these results suggest that OsMADS57 has a role in regulating nitrate translocation from root to shoot via OsNRT2.3a.

Functional Metal Oxide Ink Systems for Drop-on-Demand Printed Thin-Film Transistors.

Drop-on-demand printing is a noncontact direct patterning and rapid manufacturing printing technology which shows considerable potential in future display manufacturing. Metal oxides are an important kind of functional material in thin-film transistors, which are the core component of active matrix display technology, and thus printing a high-quality metal oxide functional layer is of great importance. In this feature article, we focused on the current progress in one of the foundations of drop-on-demand printing technology-the ink system. We explained the basic principles of a metal oxide ink system for printed electronics and summarized the applications of several kinds of ink systems in thin film transistor printing. Meanwhile, we also summed up problems that printed thin film transistors are facing as well as the corresponding solutions from the aspect of ink systems.

[Reasons for anastomotic leakage following the learning curve by laparoscopic anterior resection of rectal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the reasons of anastomotic leakage following learning curve by laparoscopic anterior resection of rectal cancer.
 Methods: From December, 2011 to March, 2015, the clinical information of 179 patients in our hospital who underwent dixon of rectal cancer were collected. The patients were divided into a laparoscopic learning group, a laparotomy group and a laparoscopic group. The reasons of anastomotic leakage for each group were comparatively analyzed. Repeated cutting of anastomotic stoma was compared between the laparoscopic learning group and the laparoscopic group. The male, age, obesity, nutrition complications and the position of anastomotic stoma were compared among the 3 groups.
 Results: The rate of anastomotic leakage in the laparoscopic learning group was significantly higher than that in the laparotomy group and the laparoscopic group (P<0.05). Repeated cutting was a significant risk factor in the laparoscopic learning group (P<0.05), but not in the laparoscopic group. Except obesity, the four factors were significant risk factors in the laparoscopic learning group (P<0.05). All of the five factors were not the significant risk factors in the laparotomy group and the laparoscopic group (P>0.05).
 Conclusion: The operation technical shortcoming is the major factor in the learning of the laparoscopic anterior resection of rectal cancer. In order to reduce the rate of anastomotic leakage in the learning curve period, the selection of patients following the laparoscopic anterior resection of rectal cancer should avoid the following factors: male, older age, the low position of the tumor and the nutrition complications.

Strigolactones are required for nitric oxide to induce root elongation in response to nitrogen and phosphate deficiencies in rice.

The response of the root system architecture to nutrient deficiencies is critical for sustainable agriculture. Nitric oxide (NO) is considered a key regulator of root growth, although the mechanisms remain unknown. Phenotypic, cellular and genetic analyses were undertaken in rice to explore the role of NO in regulating root growth and strigolactone (SL) signalling under nitrogen-deficient and phosphate-deficient conditions (LN and LP). LN-induced and LP-induced seminal root elongation paralleled NO production in root tips. NO played an important role in a shared pathway of LN-induced and LP-induced root elongation via increased meristem activity. Interestingly, no responses of root elongation were observed in SL d mutants compared with wild-type plants, although similar NO accumulation was induced by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) application. Application of abamine (the SL inhibitor) reduced seminal root length and pCYCB1;1::GUS expression induced by SNP application in wild type; furthermore, comparison with wild type showed lower SL-signalling genes in nia2 mutants under control and LN treatments and similar under SNP application. Western blot analysis revealed that NO, similar to SL, triggered proteasome-mediated degradation of D53 protein levels. Therefore, we presented a novel signalling pathway in which NO-activated seminal root elongation under LN and LP conditions, with the involvement of SLs.

A strigolactone signal is required for adventitious root formation in rice.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Strigolactones (SLs) and their derivatives are plant hormones that have recently been identified as regulating root development. This study examines whether SLs play a role in mediating production of adventious roots (ARs) in rice (Oryza sativa), and also investigates possible interactions between SLs and auxin. METHODS: Wild-type (WT), SL-deficient (d10) and SL-insensitive (d3) rice mutants were used to investigate AR development in an auxin-distribution experiment that considered DR5::GUS activity, [(3)H] indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) transport, and associated expression of auxin transporter genes. The effects of exogenous application of GR24 (a synthetic SL analogue), NAA (α-naphthylacetic acid, exogenous auxin) and NPA (N-1-naphthylphalamic acid, a polar auxin transport inhibitor) on rice AR development in seedlings were investigated. KEY RESULTS: The rice d mutants with impaired SL biosynthesis and signalling exhibited reduced AR production compared with the WT. Application of GR24 increased the number of ARs and average AR number per tiller in d10, but not in d3. These results indicate that rice AR production is positively regulated by SLs. Higher endogenous IAA concentration, stronger expression of DR5::GUS and higher [(3)H] IAA activity were found in the d mutants. Exogenous GR24 application decreased the expression of DR5::GUS, probably indicating that SLs modulate AR formation by inhibiting polar auxin transport. The WT and the d10 and d3 mutants had similar expression of DR5::GUS regardless of exogenous application of NAA or NPA; however, AR number was greater in the WT than in the d mutants. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that AR formation is positively regulated by SLs via the D3 response pathway. The positive effect of NAA application and the opposite effect of NPA application on AR number of WT plants also suggests the importance of auxin for AR formation, but the interaction between auxin and SLs is complex.

[Nose-only cigarette smoke exposure plus airway lipopolysaccharide inhalation induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and associated pulmonary hypertension in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and associated pulmonary hypertension (COPD-PH) induced by nose-only cigarette smoking exposure plus airway lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhalation. METHODS: There were 24 male C57B6 mice divided into a control group and a model group at random. The model group was given LPS by intranasal inhalation on day 1 and day 14 and exposed to the cigarette smoke in a nose-only exposure system, while the control group was given physiological saline and exposed to normal air. The model establishment was evaluated according the following parameters: the lung function and the right heart pressure, the total and differential cell numbers in bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and the pathological changes of lung tissues. RESULTS: The functional residual capacity data of the model group and the control group were (0.402 ± 0.057) and (0.243 ± 0.064) ml respectively (P<0.05). The inspiratory resistance data of the model group and the control group were (1.056 ± 0.121) and (0.789 ± 0.063) cmH(2)O · ml(-1) · s(-1) (1 cmH(2)O=0.098 kPa) respectively (P<0.05). The static lung compliance data of the model group and the control group were (0.084 ± 0 .007) and (0.056 ± 0.004) cmH(2)O/ml respectively (P<0.05). The right ventricular mean pressure of the model group and the control group were (11.3 ± 1.3) and (7.9 ± 1.1) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) respectively (P<0.05), while the right ventricular hypertrophy index of the model group and the control group were (0.267 ± 0.019) and (0.195 ± 0.023) respectively (P<0.05). Moreover, the histological staining showed that goblet cell hyperplasia, lung inflammation and thickening of smooth muscle layers of bronchial and pulmonary small vessels occurred in the model group, which indicated ongoing airway and blood vessel remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: A COPD-PH mouse model was established by nose-only cigarette smoking exposure plus airway LPS inhalation in a short period of time, and this method was more similar to the smoking behavior of human.

Ultra-fast tuning of neural network controllers with application in path tracking of autonomous vehicle.

Neural network (NN) controllers have shown great potential in solving complex control or decision-making tasks. However, most of the NN controllers either rely on the availability of large datasets or require dense interactions with the environment, which hinders their application in real systems. In this paper, we introduce a model-based reinforcement learning (MBRL) algorithm, aimed at realizing ultra-fast tuning of deep NN controller from a small sample set of real-world data. The algorithm uses Gaussian processes (GPs) to model the unknown dynamics of real system and updates controller parameters through stochastic gradient descent. By using particle-based method for long-term predictions, the algorithm can easily incorporate online state estimators and filters into controller learning, which is conductive to learning from systems with partially measurable states and stochastic control delay. We apply the algorithm to calibrate a deep NN controller for the path tracking of a full-size autonomous vehicle (AV). Simulation and field test results show that the deep NN controller can be well calibrated after only one interaction with the environment and can achieve similar tracking performance to optimization-based methods such as nonlinear model prediction control (NMPC) in various test scenarios by combining with a feed-forward pure pursuit (PP) controller.

Effects of freeze-thaw on bank soil mechanical properties and bank stability.

Riverbank instability in the seasonally frozen zone is primarily caused by freeze-thaw erosion. Using the triaxial freeze-thaw test on the bank of Shisifenzi Bend in the Yellow River section of Inner Mongolia, we investigated the changes in the mechanical properties of the soil at different freezing temperatures and freeze-thaw times, and analyzed the bank's stability before and after freezing based on the finite element strength reduction method. The results showed that the elastic modulus, cohesion, internal friction angle and shear strength of the soil tended to decrease with the increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles and the decrease in freezing temperature. After 10 freezing cycles at - 5 â„ƒ, - 10 â„ƒ, - 15 â„ƒ and - 20 â„ƒ, the modulus of elasticity of soil decreased by 40.84 ~ 68.70%, the cohesion decreased by 41.96 ~ 56.66%, the shear strength decreased by 41.92 ~ 57.32%, respectively. Moreover, the stability safety coefficient of bank slope decreased by 18.58% after freeze-thaw, indicating that the freeze-thaw effect will significantly reduce the stability of bank slope, and the bank slope is more likely to be destabilized and damaged after freeze-thaw.

IKZF4/NONO-RAB11FIP3 axis promotes immune evasion in gastric cancer via facilitating PD-L1 endosome recycling.

As an immune checkpoint protein expressed by diverse cancer cells, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) facilitates immune evasion by interacting with programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) on T cells. Despite the clinical benefits observed in various cancer types, strategies targeting PD-1/PD-L1 have demonstrated limited efficacy in gastric cancer (GC). Furthermore, the regulation of PD-L1, especially at post-translational modification levels, remains largely unknown. Therefore, it is crucial to elucidate the mechanisms governing PD-L1 expression to enhance anti-tumor immunity. In this study, we have identified that IKAROS family zinc finger 4 (IKZF4) and Non-POU domain-containing octamer-binding (NONO) synergistically regulate and enhance the expression of RAB11 family-interacting protein 3 (RAB11FIP3) in GC. The IKZF4/NONO-RAB11FIP3 axis facilitates the endosomal recycling of PD-L1, particularly on the cell membrane of GC cells. Moreover, overexpression of RAB11FIP3 mitigates the hypo-expression of PD-L1 protein resulting from IKZF4 or NONO deletion. Functionally, the silencing of RAB11FIP3 or IKZF4 promotes T cell proliferation, and enhances T-cell cytotoxicity towards GC cells in vitro, which further inhibits tumor immune evasion in mice via increasing the infiltration of CD8+ T cells into the tumor microenvironment (TME) to suppress GC progression. Our study suggests that the IKZF4/NONO-RAB11FIP3 axis promotes immune evasion by facilitating PD-L1 endosome recycling, thus presenting a potential therapeutic target for GC treatment.

How the secrets behind photocurrents are revealed in Ag-TiO2 heterostructures-based plasmonic photoelectrochemical systems: A collaborative approach of EC-SERS and photoelectrochemical methods.

Plasmon-mediated chemical reactions (PMCR) have garnered growing interest as a promising concept for photocatalysis. However, in electrochemical systems at solid-liquid interfaces, the photo-induced charge transfer on the surface of metal-semiconductor heterostructures involves complex processes and mechanisms, which are still poorly understood. We explore the plasmon-mediated carrier transfer mechanism and the synergistic effect of light and electric fields on Ag-TiO2 heterostructures, through a combination of electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical methods, with para-aminothiophenol (PATP) serving as a probe molecule. The results show that photocurrent responses are dependent on not only excitation wavelengths and applied potentials, but also the irreversibility of redox. The relationship between photocurrent responses and the chemical transformation between PATP and 4,4'-dimercaptoazobenzene is established, reflecting the photo-induced charge transfer of the heterostructures. The collaboration of spectroscopic and photoelectrochemical methods provide valuable insights into the chemical transformation and kinetic information of adsorbed molecules on the heterostructure during PMCR, offering opportunities for modulating of photocatalytic activities of hot carriers.

Flexible High-Entropy Poly(vinyl alcohol) Dielectric Films Were Prepared at a Low Temperature and Applied to an Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Thin-Film Transistor.

In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to flexible thin-film transistors (TFTs). Therefore, we combined HfMgTiYZrOx high-entropy metal oxide and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) organic material to prepare a flexible dielectric layer. We fabricated metal-insulator-metal (MIM) and TFT devices and carried out flexible tests. The test results show that the mixed dielectric layer attains a leakage current of 3.6 × 10-11 A under the bending radius of 5 mm. In the application of the TFT, the device still has good performance after 10 000 bends with a mobility of 3.1 cm2 V-1 s-1, an Ion/Ioff of 1.4 × 107, a threshold voltage of 3.3 V, and a threshold swing of 0.20 V/decade. In addition, the average transmittance of the hybrid dielectric layer in the visible range is 90.8%. Therefore, high-entropy PVA hybrid films have high transparency, low leakage current, and good bending resistance and have broad application prospects in transparent and flexible devices.

Ixazomib Combined With Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for POEMS Syndrome: A Case Report and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes (POEMS) syndrome is a rare monoclonal plasma cell proliferation disorder. At present, there is no unified treatment for POEMS syndrome. Here, we describe one case with POEMS syndrome with obvious neurological symptoms diagnosed in September 2020. We made a meta--analysis to assess the efficacy of treatment strategies in recent years. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the diagnosis and treatment of this patient, and searched relevant articles in PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases using MedicalSubject Headings (MeSH) (eg, POEMS, Therapy, Drug Therapy, Biological Therapy, Combined Modality Therapy, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation, Immunotherapy, Molecular Targeted Therapy, Chemoradiotherapy, and Salvage Therapy) and free words, and performed the statistical analysis. Results: The patient's efficacy evaluation was complete response (CR) after treatment with ixazomib combined with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Overall, 20 articles consist of 6 clinical trials, 14 retrospective studies, and 936 patients were included in this meta-analysis. There was no significant difference in complete hematologic response (CRH) rate between people who underwent ASCT and those who did not. However, ASCT might have a better survival rate. Conclusions: Ixazomib combined with ASCT therapy may be a safe and effective method for patients with POEMS syndrome.

Rational design of two-dimensional flaky Fe/void/C composites for enhanced microwave absorption properties.

Owing to their unique electromagnetic properties and structure anisotropy, two-dimensional (2D) magnetic metal flakes are attracting special attention for applications as microwave absorption materials. However, the conductive network formed by the connected metal flakes may lead to impedance mismatching and reduced performance. In this study, a facile and rational strategy was developed to fabricate yolk-shell-structured 2D flaky Fe/void/C composites by using α-Fe2O3 hexagonal flakes as the template, followed by the coating of polydopamine (PDA) on the composite surface and calcination under H2/Ar. The volume shrinkage from Fe2O3 to Fe and PDA to carbon led to the formation of several irregular holes in Fe flakes and void space between the Fe cores and carbon cages. The thickness of carbon cages of the composites can be tailored by the simple modulation of the synthetic parameters. As a result of the synergistic effects of multiple chemical components, the shape anisotropy of iron flakes, and unique yolk-shell structures, the optimized sample exhibited excellent microwave absorption properties. With a matching thickness of only 1.6 mm, the strongest reflection loss (RL) was up to -27.80 dB at 14.72 GHz, and the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL < -10 dB) reached 6.40 GHz (11.60-18.00 GHz), which can cover the whole Ku-band. This study provides a novel approach to adjust and balance the permeability and permittivity of 2D magnetic metal flakes, which may promote the practical applications of flaky magnetic metal materials in microwave absorption.

Targeting Gastric Cancer Stem Cells to Enhance Treatment Response.

Gastric cancer (GC) was the fourth deadliest cancer in the world in 2020, and about 770,000 people died from GC that year. The death of patients with GC is mainly caused by the metastasis, recurrence, and chemotherapy resistance of GC cells. The cancer stem cell theory defines cancer stem cells (CSCs) as a key factor in the metastasis, recurrence, and chemotherapy resistance of cancer. It considers targeting gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs) to be an effective method for the treatment of GC. For GCSCs, genes or noncoding RNAs are important regulatory factors. Many experimental studies have found that some drugs can target the stemness of gastric cancer by regulating these genes or noncoding RNAs, which may bring new directions for the clinical treatment of gastric cancer. Therefore, this review mainly discusses related genes or noncoding RNAs in GCSCs and drugs that target its stemness, thereby providing some information for the treatment of GC.

Application of Solution Method to Prepare High Performance Multicomponent Oxide Thin Films.

Capacitors play an increasingly important role in hybrid integrated circuits, while the MIM capacitors with high capacitance density and small thickness can meet the needs of high integration. Generally speaking, the films prepared with a single metal oxide dielectric often achieve a breakthrough in one aspect of performance, but dielectric layers are required to be improved to get better performance in leakage current, capacitance density, and transmittance simultaneously in modern electronic devices. Therefore, we optimized the performance of the dielectric layers by using multiple metal oxides. We combined zirconia, yttria, magnesium oxide, alumina, and hafnium oxide with the solution method to find the best combination of these five metal oxides. The physical properties of the multi-component films were measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM), ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer, and other instruments. The results show that the films prepared by multi-component metal oxides have good transmittance and low roughness. The thicknesses of all films in our experiment are less than 100 nm. Then, metal-insulator-metal (MIM) devices were fabricated. In addition, we characterized the electrical properties of MIM devices. We find that multi-component oxide films can achieve good performances in several aspects. The aluminum-magnesium-yttrium-zirconium-oxide (AMYZOx) group of 0.6 M has the lowest leakage current density, which is 5.03 × 10-8 A/cm2 @ 1.0 MV/cm. The hafnium-magnesium-yttrium-zirconium-oxide (HMYZOx) group of 0.8 M has a maximum capacitance density of 208 nF/cm2. The films with a small thickness and a high capacitance density are very conducive to high integration. Therefore, we believe that multi-component films have potential in the process of dielectric layers and great application prospects in highly integrated electronic devices.

A Strategy toward Realizing Narrow Line with High Electrical Conductivity by Electrohydrodynamic Printing.

Over the past few decades, electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing has proved to be an environmentally friendly, cost-effective and powerful tool in manufacturing electronic devices with a wire width of less than 50 µm. In particular, EHD printing is highly valued for the printing of ultrafine wire-width silver electrodes, which is important in manufacturing large-area, high-resolution micron-scale or even nanoscale structures. In this paper, we compare two methods of surface modification of glass substrate: UV treatment and oxygen plasma treatment. We found that oxygen plasma was better than UV treatment in terms of wettability and uniformity. Secondly, we optimized the annealing temperature parameter, and found that the conductivity of the electrode was the highest at 200 °C due to the smoothing silver electrode and the oxidation-free internal microstructure. Thirdly, we used EHD printing to fabricate silver electrodes on the glass substrate. Due to the decrease of conductivity as a result of the skin effect and the decrease of silver content, we found that driving voltage dropped, line width decreased, and the conductivity of silver line decreased. After the optimization of the EHD printing process, Ag electrode line width and conductivity reached 19.42 ± 0.24 µm and 6.01 × 106 S/m, demonstrating the potential of electro-hydraulic printing in the manufacturing of flexible, wearable, high-density, low-power-consumption electronics.

Impact of body composition and genotype on haemodynamics during surgery for pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma.

BACKGROUND: Maintaining intraoperative haemodynamic stability can reduce cardiovascular complications during surgery for pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL). Risk factors such as tumour size and catecholamine levels are reported to predict haemodynamic responses during surgery for PPGL. We hypothesized that additional factors including body composition and genetic information could further improve prediction. METHODS: Consecutive patients with PPGL confirmed by surgical pathology between June 2010 and June 2019 were retrospectively included. Cross-sectional computed tomography images at the L3 level were used to assess body composition parameters including skeletal muscle area and visceral fat area. Next-generation sequencing was performed using a panel containing susceptibility genes of PPGL. Differences in clinical-genetic characteristics and body composition parameters were analysed and compared in patients with and without intraoperative haemodynamic instability (HDI). RESULTS: We included 221 patients with PPGL (median age 47 [38-56] years, and 52% male). Among them, 49.8% had Cluster 2 mutations (related to kinase signalling pathways), 44.8% had sarcopenia, and 52.9% experienced intraoperative HDI. Compared with patients without HDI, more patients with HDI had Cluster 2 mutations (59.8% vs. 38.5%, P = 0.002) and less had sarcopenia (35.9% vs. 54.8%, P = 0.005). Multivariate analysis showed that urine vanillylmandelic acid ≥ 58 µmol/day (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.840, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.012-3.347, P = 0.046), tumour size ≥ 4 cm (adjusted OR = 2.278, 95% CI = 1.242-4.180, P = 0.008), and Cluster 2 mutations (adjusted OR = 2.199, 95% CI = 1.128-4.285, P = 0.021) were independent risk factors for intraoperative HDI, while sarcopenia (adjusted OR = 0.475, 95% CI = 0.266-0.846, P = 0.012) decreased the risk. CONCLUSIONS: Body composition and genotype were associated with intraoperative haemodynamics in patients with PPGL. Our results indicated that inclusion of body composition and genotype in the overall assessment of patients with PPGL helped to predict HDI during surgery, which could assist in implementing preoperative and intraoperative measures to reduce perioperative complications.

Dose-Dependent Effect of ZnO Quantum Dots for Lettuce Growth.

As the cadmium-free semiconductor quantum dots, ZnO quantum dots (ZnO QDs) have wide potential applications in agriculture. However, the effects of ZnO quantum dots on crop growth and nutritional quality have not been fully studied. In this work, the lettuce was sprayed with different concentrations of ZnO QDs from 50 to 500 mg·L-1 to evaluate their influence on lettuce antioxidant, biomass, and nutritional quality. The results showed that ZnO QDs existed in the lettuce in the form of Zn2+. Lettuce treated with 500 mg·L-1 ZnO QDs would produce a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which adversely affected the absorption of nutrients, soluble protein content, and chlorophyll content, thus reducing plant biomass. When the concentrations range from 50 to 200 mg·L-1, the antioxidant enzyme systems of lettuce were triggered to counteract the damage caused by excessive ROS. Moreover, ZnO QDs at this level promoted Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, and B absorption and accumulation; increased soluble sugar content; and improved the lettuce biomass and nutritional quality.