Abstract
The quantum spin Hall effect lays the foundation for the topologically protected manipulation of waves, but is restricted to one-dimensional-lower boundaries of systems and hence limits the ...diversity and integration of topological photonic devices. Recently, the conventional bulk-boundary correspondence of band topology has been extended to higher-order cases that enable explorations of topological states with codimensions larger than one such as hinge and corner states. Here, we demonstrate a higher-order quantum spin Hall effect in a two-dimensional photonic crystal. Owing to the non-trivial higher-order topology and the pseudospin-pseudospin coupling, we observe a directional localization of photons at corners with opposite pseudospin polarizations through pseudospin-momentum-locked edge waves, resembling the quantum spin Hall effect in a higher-order manner. Our work inspires an unprecedented route to transport and trap spinful waves, supporting potential applications in topological photonic devices such as spinful topological lasers and chiral quantum emitters.
The aim of the study was to explore the effect of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation on cognitive and motor functions in poststroke patients. All patients were divided into Group A and Group B ...based on different interventions (Group A: acupuncture + conventional rehabilitation, Group B: conventional rehabilitation alone). Acupuncture was conducted once a day, five times a week for 8 weeks, and rehabilitation (including physical therapy and occupational therapy) was conducted for 2 hr per session, once a day, five times a week for 8 weeks. Mini‐mental State Examination (MMSE) and Fugl‐Meyer Assessment (FMA) were used to assess the motor and cognitive functions at baseline and the end of 8 weeks. After the intervention, FMA and MMSE scores were improved significantly in the two groups (p <.05), compared with the scores prior to intervention. After 8 weeks of intervention, a statistically significant difference in the FMA and MMSE scores was observed between the Group A and the Group B. The results suggested that the combined intervention is more effective than the conventional rehabilitation alone in improving cognitive and motor functions in poststroke patients.
摘要
探讨针灸联合康复训练对脑卒中后认知和运动功能障碍的作用。根据不同干预措施将患者分为两组(A组:针灸+常规康复治疗组, B组:常规康复治疗组)。针灸治疗每周进行5次, 共8周, 常规康复治疗(PT + OT)每次练习2小时, 每周5次, 共8周。在干预前和8周结束时分别使用Fugl‐Meyer评估量表(FMA)和简易精神状态检查(MMSE)量表对脑梗死患者的运动和认知功能进行评估。两组干预后FMA、MMSE评分较干预前均有改善(P<0.05)。干预8周后, A组与B组组间FMA、MMSE评分比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。本研究提示, 针刺配合常规康复训练在改善脑卒中后患者认知和运动功能障碍方面比单纯常规康复训练更有效, 可以最大限度地提高脑卒中后患者的运动和认知功能。
The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) has passed national acceptance and finished one pilot cycle of 'Shared-Risk' observations. It will start formal operation soon. In ...this context, this paper describes testing results of key fundamental parameters for FAST, aiming to provide basic support for observation and data reduction of FAST for scientific researchers. The 19-beam receiver covering 1.05-1.45 GHz was utilized for most of these observations. The fluctuation in electronic gain of the system is better than 1% over 3.5 hours, enabling enough stability for observations. Pointing accuracy, aperture efficiency and system temperature are three key parameters for FAST. The measured standard deviation of pointing accuracy is 7.9″, which satisfies the initial design of FAST. When zenith angle is less than 26.4°, the aperture efficiency and system temperature around 1.4 GHz are ∼0.63 and less than 24 K for central beam, respectively. The sensitivity and stability of the 19-beam backend are confirmed to satisfy expectation by spectral Hi observations toward NGC 672 and polarization observations toward 3C 286. The performance allows FAST to take sensitive observations for various scientific goals, from studies of pulsars to galaxy evolution.
Previous studies have shown that the addition of carboplatin to neoadjuvant chemotherapy improved the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in patients suffering from triple‐negative breast cancer ...(TNBC) and patients who obtained a pCR could achieve prolonged event‐free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). However, no studies have assessed the effects of the combination of docetaxel and carboplatin without anthracycline with taxane‐based and anthracycline‐based regimens. The NeoCART study was designed as a multicenter, randomized controlled, open‐label, phase II trial to assess the efficacy and safety of docetaxel combined with carboplatin in untreated stage II‐III TNBC. All eligible patients were randomly assigned, at a 1:1 ratio, to an experimental docetaxel plus carboplatin (DCb) for six cycles group (DCb group) or an epirubicin plus cyclophosphamide for four cycles followed by docetaxel for four cycles group (EC‐D group). PCR (ypT0/is ypN0) was evaluated as the primary outcome. Between 1 September 2016 and 31 December 2019, 93 patients were randomly assigned and 88 patients were evaluated for the primary endpoint (44 patients in each group). In the primary endpoint analysis, 27 patients in the DCb group (61.4%, 95% CI 47.0‐75.8) and 17 patients in the EC‐D group achieved a pCR (38.6%, 95% CI 24.3‐53.0; odds ratio 2.52, 95% CI 2.4‐43.1; Pnoninferiority = .004). Noninferiority was met, and the DCb regimen was confirmed to be superior to the EC‐D regimen (P = .044, superiority margin of 5%). At the end of the 37‐month median follow‐up period, OS and EFS rates were equivalent in both groups.
What's new?
In triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC), neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on anthracycline and taxane can improve survival, if pathologic complete response (pCR) is achieved. The addition of carboplatin to this neoadjuvant regimen for TNBC potentially improves pCR rate. The randomized trial reported here shows that, compared to a standard taxane‐ and anthracycline‐based regimen without carboplatin, pCR rate is significantly improved by combining docetaxel and carboplatin and leaving out anthracycline. Survival rates were similar between the different regimens. The findings suggest that docetaxel plus carboplatin is a promising alternative approach, particularly in TNBC patients who have a contraindication to treatment with an anthracycline.
Abstract
Quantum key distribution (QKD) enables secure key exchanges between two remote users. The ultimate goal of secure communication is to establish a global quantum network. The existing field ...tests suggest that quantum networks are feasible. To achieve a practical quantum network, we need to overcome several challenges including realizing versatile topologies for large scales, simple network maintenance, extendable configuration and robustness to node failures. To this end, we present a field operation of a quantum metropolitan-area network with 46 nodes and show that all these challenges can be overcome with cutting-edge quantum technologies. In particular, we realize different topological structures and continuously run the network for 31 months, by employing standard equipment for network maintenance with an extendable configuration. We realize QKD pairing and key management with a sophisticated key control centre. In this implementation, the final keys have been used for secure communication such as real-time voice telephone, text messaging and file transmission with one-time pad encryption, which can support 11 pairs of users to make audio calls simultaneously. Combined with intercity quantum backbone and ground–satellite links, our metropolitan implementation paves the way toward a global quantum network.
Electrospun (e-spun) nanofibers for wound dressing have attracted wide attention due to its large specific surface area, large porosity and breathability. Compared with solution electrospinning ...(e-spinning), melt e-spinning is more bio-friendly without toxic solvent participation, which provides the possibility of in situ e-spinning on wounds directly. However, previously reported melt e-spinning devices were usually bulky and cumbersome due to their necessary heating unit, and different components were separated to avoid electrostatic interference.
In this article, we report on a self-powered hand-held melt e-spinning gun which can work without any external power supply (outdoors). The problem of electrostatic interference for this integrated device was solved by using a special high heat transfer insulation unit. The apparatus is easy and safe to operate by a single hand due to its small volume (24 × 6 × 13 cm
) and light weight (about 450 g). Some biodegradable polymers, for example, polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers were successful e-spun onto wounds directly by using this dressing gun.
PCL fibrous membrane has good biocompatibility and can be in situ electrospun to wound surface as a wound dressing by the portable melt e-spinning gun. Besides wound dressing, this hand-held melt e-spinning gun may be used in 3D printing and experimental teaching demonstration aids.
Background
High incidence of asymptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been observed in severe COVID‐19 patients, but the characteristics of symptomatic VTE in general COVID‐19 patients have not ...been described.
Objectives
To comprehensively explore the prevalence and reliable risk prediction for VTE in COVID‐19 patients.
Methods/Results
This retrospective study enrolled all COVID‐19 patients with a subsequent VTE in 16 centers in China from January 1 to March 31, 2020. A total of 2779 patients were confirmed with COVID‐19. In comparison to 23,434 non‐COVID‐19 medical inpatients, the odds ratios (ORs) for developing symptomatic VTE in severe and non‐severe hospitalized COVID‐19 patients were 5.94 (95% confidence interval CI 3.91–10.09) and 2.79 (95% CI 1.43–5.60), respectively. When 104 VTE cases and 208 non‐VTE cases were compared, pulmonary embolism cases had a higher rate for in‐hospital death (OR 6.74, 95% CI 2.18–20.81). VTE developed at a median of 21 days (interquartile range 13.25–31) since onset. Independent factors for VTE were advancing age, cancer, longer interval from symptom onset to admission, lower fibrinogen and higher D‐dimer on admission, and D‐dimer increment (DI) ≥1.5‐fold; of these, DI ≥1.5‐fold had the most significant association (OR 14.18, 95% CI 6.25–32.18, p = 2.23 × 10−10). A novel model consisting of three simple coagulation variables (fibrinogen and D‐dimer levels on admission, and DI ≥1.5‐fold) showed good prediction for symptomatic VTE (area under the curve 0.865, 95% CI 0.822–0.907, sensitivity 0.930, specificity 0.710).
Conclusions
There is an excess risk of VTE in hospitalized COVID‐19 patients. This novel model can aid early identification of patients who are at high risk for VTE.
Genome packaging by nucleosomes is a hallmark of eukaryotes. Histones and the pathways that deposit, remove, and read histone modifications are deeply conserved. Yet, we lack information regarding ...chromatin landscapes in extant representatives of ancestors of the main groups of eukaryotes, and our knowledge of the evolution of chromatin-related processes is limited. We used the bryophyte Marchantia polymorpha, which diverged from vascular plants circa 400 mya, to obtain a whole chromosome genome assembly and explore the chromatin landscape and three-dimensional genome organization in an early diverging land plant lineage. Based on genomic profiles of ten chromatin marks, we conclude that the relationship between active marks and gene expression is conserved across land plants. In contrast, we observed distinctive features of transposons and other repetitive sequences in Marchantia compared with flowering plants. Silenced transposons and repeats did not accumulate around centromeres. Although a large fraction of constitutive heterochromatin was marked by H3K9 methylation as in flowering plants, a significant proportion of transposons were marked by H3K27me3, which is otherwise dedicated to the transcriptional repression of protein-coding genes in flowering plants. Chromatin compartmentalization analyses of Hi-C data revealed that repressed B compartments were densely decorated with H3K27me3 but not H3K9 or DNA methylation as reported in flowering plants. We conclude that, in early plants, H3K27me3 played an essential role in heterochromatin function, suggesting an ancestral role of this mark in transposon silencing.
•A database combining genomic information and chromatin profiles for Marchantia•Correlations between chromatin marks and transcription are conserved in land plants•A significant portion of constitutive heterochromatin is marked by H3K27me3•Insights into the evolution of TAD organization in plants
Montgomery et al. provide a chromosome-scale genome assembly of the early diverging land plant Marchantia polymorpha. Profiling of chromatin marks shows conserved roles of active marks and suggests an ancestral association between H3K27me3 and transposons that is partly retained in Marchantia and replaced by H3K9 methylation in flowering plants.
Emodin has been showed to induce apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells and inhibit tumor growth in our previous studies. This study was designed to investigate whether emodin could inhibit the ...angiogenesis of pancreatic cancer tissues and its mechanism.
In accordance with our previous study, emodin inhibited pancreatic cancer cell growth, induced apoptosis, and enhanced the anti-tumor effect of gemcitabine on pancreatic caner cells in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting the activity of NF-κB. Here, for the first time, we demonstrated that emodin inhibited tumor angiogenesis in vitro and in implanted pancreatic cancer tissues, decreased the expression of angiogenesis-associated factors (NF-κB and its regulated factors VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-9, and eNOS), and reduced eNOS phosphorylation, as evidenced by both immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis of implanted tumors. In addition, we found that emodin had no effect on VEGFR expression in vivo.
Our results suggested that emodin has potential anti-tumor effect on pancreatic cancer via its dual role in the promotion of apoptosis and suppression of angiogenesis, probably through regulating the expression of NF-κB and NF-κB-regulated angiogenesis-associated factors.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
PDF
