Summary
It is of great significance to develop and evaluate noninvasive indexes predicting the level of liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate gamma‐glutamyl ...transpeptidase‐to‐platelet ratio (GPR) versus aspartate aminotransferase‐to‐platelet ratio index (APRI) and fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB‐4) in predicting different levels of liver fibrosis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) within the framework of HBeAg‐positive and HBeAg‐negative patients. A total of 1157 HBeAg‐positive and 859 HBeAg‐negative CHB patients were enrolled, among whom the pathological stage ≥S2, ≥S3, ≥S4 were defined as significant fibrosis, extensive fibrosis and cirrhosis, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the performance of GPR, APRI and FIB‐4 in predicting different levels of liver fibrosis. In HBeAg‐positive patients, the area under ROC curves (AUROCs) of GPR in predicting extensive fibrosis and cirrhosis were both significantly larger than those of APRI (P = .0001 and P < .0001). In HBeAg‐negative patients, the AUROCs of GPR in predicting significant fibrosis and cirrhosis were significantly larger than those of FIB‐4 (P = .0006 and P = .0041). The AUROC of GPR in predicting extensive fibrosis was significantly larger than that of APRI and FIB‐4 (P = .0320 and P = .0018). Using a cut‐off of GPR > 0.500 as standard, the sensitivities and specificities of GPR in predicting significant fibrosis in HBeAg‐positive patients were 59.6% and 81.2%, and for cirrhosis 80.9% and 63.8%, respectively; and those of HBeAg‐negative patients were 60.3% and 78.3%, 84.5% and 66.1%, respectively. Regardless of HBeAg‐positive or HBeAg‐negative status, GPR had the best performance in predicting different levels of liver fibrosis.
We report spectroscopic observation of Rydberg polarons in an atomic Bose gas. Polarons are created by excitation of Rydberg atoms as impurities in a strontium Bose-Einstein condensate. They are ...distinguished from previously studied polarons by macroscopic occupation of bound molecular states that arise from scattering of the weakly bound Rydberg electron from ground-state atoms. The absence of a p-wave resonance in the low-energy electron-atom scattering in Sr introduces a universal behavior in the Rydberg spectral line shape and in scaling of the spectral width (narrowing) with the Rydberg principal quantum number, n. Spectral features are described with a functional determinant approach (FDA) that solves an extended Fröhlich Hamiltonian for a mobile impurity in a Bose gas. Excited states of polyatomic Rydberg molecules (trimers, tetrameters, and pentamers) are experimentally resolved and accurately reproduced with a FDA.
This paper reports for the first time superior electric double layer capacitive properties of ordered mesoporous carbon (OMCs) with varying ordered pore symmetries and mesopore structure. Compared to ...commercially used activated carbon electrode, Maxsorb, these OMC carbons have superior capacitive behavior, power output and high-frequency performance in EDLCs due to the unique structure of their mesopore network, which is more favorable for fast ionic transport than the pore networks in disordered microporous carbons. As evidenced by N
2 sorption, cyclic voltammetry and frequency response measurements, OMC carbons with large mesopores, and especially with 2-D pore symmetry, show superior capacitive behaviors (exhibiting a high capacitance of over 180
F/g even at very high sweep rate of 50
mV/s, as compared to much reduced capacitance of 73
F/g for Maxsorb at the same sweep rate). OMC carbons can provide much higher power density while still maintaining good energy density. OMC carbons demonstrate excellent high-frequency performances due to its higher surface area in pores larger than 3
nm. Such ordered mesoporous carbons (OMCs) offer a great potential in EDLC capacitors, particularly for applications where high power output and good high-frequency capacitive performances are required.
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy has achieved exciting efficacy with high clinical complete response (cCR) and pathologic complete response (pCR) rates and durable long-term effects. PD-1 checkpoint ...blockade-based immunotherapy has been highly successful in microsatellite instability high (MSI-H)/mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) colorectal cancer and has been recommended as the first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer by domestic and international guidelines. Several studies have shown that immunotherapy can be a potentially curable treatment for MSI-H rectal cancer and has even shown promise in organ preservation in colon cancer. In this study, we first clarified the feasibility of the watch-and-wait strategy after PD-1 checkpoint blockade treatment by indirect and direct evidence. Then from the assessment tools (including digital rectal examination, endoscopy, radiology, and lymph node assessment), the viable assessment methods of cCR for immunotherapy and related difficulties are proposed. Finally,
The present study, for the first time, provides direct experimental evidence revealing the effect of dislocations of the bainite matrix on the mechanical stability of retained austenite (RA) in a low ...carbon bainitic steel, while keeping all other influencing factors unchanged. A lower strength of bainitic matrix caused by its reduced dislocation density results in more stress partitioning onto RA during plastic deformation, which promotes the transformation of RA to martensite. In addition, the annihilation of dislocations in the bainite matrix relaxes the compressive stress field resulted from the bainitic transformation, facilitating the martensitic transformation during deformation.
(a) The RA fraction evolution with plastic deformation. Measurement results of RA volume fraction are represented by solid dots. (b) The dislocation density evolution in each phase of the bainitic steels with and without tempering. Display omitted
Bacillus widely exists in wet natural environment such as soil, water and air, and is often studied as one of representative microorganisms for microbiologically influenced corrosion(MIC) research. ...In this paper, the growth curve of Bacillus subtilis isolated from marine environment was determined by turbidimetry and its effect on corrosion behavior of 10MnNiCrCu steel was studied by open circuit potential, AC impedance, polarization curve and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The results showed that with the change of the growth curve of Bacillus subtilis(BS), the open circuit potential(E
) shifted positively and then negatively, and the charge transfer resistance shown by AC impedance was much lower than that of the sterile system, increasing first and then decreasing. The polarization curves showed that the corrosion current density in BS medium was obviously higher than that in sterile system. The corrosion morphology observation showed that although a biofilm by BS developed on the steel surface, the localized corrosion of 10MnNiCrCu steel was aggravated due to the acidness of the metabolite itself and the biofilm with access for electrolyte ions.
Oxide intrusions which formed ahead of the crack tip in an advanced nickel-based superalloy after exposure to air at 650°C have been investigated by (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ...equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Three different cases were considered: (i) a fast growing crack; (ii) a stationary crack exposed to a 5h period under load; and (iii) a stationary crack exposed to a 5h period but held at zero mechanical applied load. The intrusions formed during both hold periods were much longer than those present ahead of the (growing) dynamic crack (∼1.5μm) and consisted of layered oxides in the thermodynamic sequence of CoO, NiO, Cr2O3, TiO2 and Al2O3. The last three of these oxides appeared to form protective layers along the flanks and, for the stationary cracks, at the intrusion tip. Calculations of the oxygen partial pressure both across the width and along the length of the oxide intrusions have been undertaken assuming such protective conditions. Significant quantities of oxygen are thus not expected to exist in the alloy ahead of intrusions which are sealed by protective oxide layers.
We have developed a general two-step synthesis of large-scale arrays of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructured Co3O4 directly on various substrates. Throughout a controllable hydrothermal process using ...urea as mineralizer and hereafter with a postcalcination process under air atmosphere, Co3O4 1D nanostructure arrays have been grown firmly on insulating substrates, such as glass slides and ceramics, which is quite convenient for the construction of gas sensor devices without any extra electrode preparation process. Furthermore, this direct-growth approach can be readily extended to conductive substrates (ITO, Ti, Fe−Co−Ni alloy), and meanwhile due to the robust mechanical adhesion and one-dimensional carrier transportation architecture firmly contacted to the metal, the metal substrate-supported Co3O4 arrays could act as a promising electrode material and be straightforwardly integrated into electronic and electrochemical nanodevices.
The aim of this study was to provide information on the semen quality pattern of infertile men and age thresholds for semen parameters in China.
This was a retrospective cross-sectional study ...investigating 71,623 infertile men from the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC Xiangya in Hunan, China, from 2011 to 2017. The Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Kendall test, linear regression model and joinpoint regression were used.
Although erratic changes were observed in the median semen parameters (sperm concentration 40.1-52.1 × 10
/ml, total sperm count 117.8-153.1 × 10
, sperm progressive motility 33.4-38.1%) during the 7 years of observation, no significant decrease in semen quality was found, and 47.88% of infertile men showed normal semen parameters according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. According to the joinpoint regression analysis, sperm progressive motility appeared to decrease earlier than the sperm concentration and total sperm count (at 28, 58, and 42 years of age, respectively).
There is no evidence of a deterioration in semen quality among infertile men in Hunan, China. Semen parameters decreased with increasing age, with turning points noted at different ages. Semen parameters are not absolute evidence for the assessment of male fertility potential. Therefore, we believe that, among semen parameters, the sperm concentration is the best predictor of fertility for ART, followed by motility. Decreased sperm motility may affect natural pregnancy, but it is not necessary for successful IVF.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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