Dysbiosis, departure of the gut microbiome from a healthy state, has been suggested to be a powerful biomarker of disease incidence and progression
. Diagnostic applications have been proposed for ...inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis and prognosis
, colorectal cancer prescreening
and therapeutic choices in melanoma
. Noninvasive sampling could facilitate large-scale public health applications, including early diagnosis and risk assessment in metabolic
and cardiovascular diseases
. To understand the generalizability of microbiota-based diagnostic models of metabolic disease, we characterized the gut microbiota of 7,009 individuals from 14 districts within 1 province in China. Among phenotypes, host location showed the strongest associations with microbiota variations. Microbiota-based metabolic disease models developed in one location failed when used elsewhere, suggesting that such models cannot be extrapolated. Interpolated models performed much better, especially in diseases with obvious microbiota-related characteristics. Interpolation efficiency decreased as geographic scale increased, indicating a need to build localized baseline and disease models to predict metabolic risks.
Forkhead box R2 (FOXR2), a new member of the FOX family, is involved in a wide range of biological processes such as embryogenesis, differentiation, transformation and metabolic homeostasis. ...Recently, FOXR2 has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in a variety of cancers and correlated with cancer development. However, the specific role of FOXR2 in thyroid cancer (TC) remains unclear. In this study, we showed that FOXR2 was highly expressed in TC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, down‐regulation of FOXR2 inhibited hypoxia‐induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and migration/invasion of TC cells. We also found that the hedgehog pathway was responsible for the partial mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effect. Taken together, these findings indicated that down‐regulation of FOXR2 inhibits hypoxia‐driven ROS‐induced migration and invasion of TC cells via regulation of the hedgehog pathway. Thus, FOXR2 may hold great potential for TC treatment.
The paper reviews the literature on supply partner decision-making published between 2001 and 2011, a period that has seen a significant increase in work published in this field. The progress made in ...developing new models and methods that can be applied to this task is assessed in the context of the previous literature. Particular attention is given to those methods that are especially relevant for use in agile supply chains. The paper uses a classification framework that enables models intended for similar purposes to be compared and tracked over time. It is also used to identify a number of gaps in the literature. The findings highlight an on-going need to develop methods that are able to meet the combination of qualitative and quantitative objectives that are typically found in partner selection problems in practice.
► Reviews the literature on supply partner decision-making published between 2001 and 2011. ► Uses a classification framework to compare and track decision-making models over time. ► Notes the need for models to meet both qualitative and quantitative objectives in practice.
Using the data on 110 listed high-polluting enterprises in China, this study investigates the impact of environmental information disclosure (EID) on the innovation of high-polluting enterprises. The ...results indicate that EID has a positive and significant impact the innovation of high-polluting enterprises but that political connections weaken the impact of EID on enterprises' innovation. The results of the grouping tests indicate that EID can promote innovation in both state-owned and non-state owned high-polluting enterprises, and political connections have weakened the impact of EID on enterprises' innovation in SOEs. Results of findings in different regions show that EID significantly promotes innovation in those high-polluting enterprises in coastal areas but has no significant impact on the innovation by high-polluting enterprises in inland regions. In the further mechanism testing, this paper finds that EID stimulates innovation by enterprises through increases in business income.
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•EID has a positive impact the innovation of high-polluting enterprises but that political connections weaken the impact.•Political connections weakened the impact of EID on the innovation of state-owned high-polluting enterprises.•EID promotes innovation of high-polluting enterprises in coastal areas but has no impact on those in inland areas.•EID stimulates the innovation in high-polluting enterprises through increases in business income.
Background This study aimed to investigate the incidence and long-term survival outcomes of occult lung cancer between 2004 and 2015. Methods A total of 2958 patients were diagnosed with occult lung ...cancer in the 305,054 patients with lung cancer. The entire cohort was used to calculate the crude incidence rate. Eligible 52,472 patients (T1-xN0M0, including 2353 occult lung cancers) were selected from the entire cohort to perform survival analyses after translating T classification according to the 8th TNM staging system. Cancer-specific survival curves for different T classifications were presented. Results The crude incidence rate of occult lung cancer was 1.00 per 100 patients, and it was reduced between 2004 and 2015 1.4 per 100 persons in 2004; 0.6 per 100 persons in 2015; adjusted risk ratio = 0.437, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.363-0.527. In the survival analysis, there were 2206 death events in the 2353 occult lung cancers. The results of the multivariable analysis revealed that the prognoses with occult lung cancer were similar to patients with stage T3N0M0 (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.054, 95% CI 0.986-1.127, p = 0.121). Adjusted survival curves presented the same results. In addition, adjusted for other confounders, female, age less than or equai to 72 years, surgical treatment, radiotherapy, adenocarcinoma, and non-squamous and non-adenocarcinoma non-small cell carcinoma were independent protective prognostic factors (all p < 0.05). Conclusions Occult lung cancer was uncommon. However, the cancer-specific survival of occult lung cancer was poor, therefore, we should put the assessment of its prognoses on the agenda. Timely surgical treatment and radiotherapy could improve survival outcomes for those patients. Besides, we still need more research to confirm those findings. Keywords: Occult lung cancer, Incidence, Survival, Surveillance, Epidemiology, And end results database
Background
Myocardial T1 and extracellular volume (ECV) fraction values have important roles in the prognostication of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, the traditional ...mean quantification of intensity levels is not sufficient.
Purpose
To evaluate a T1 map‐based radiomic nomogram as a long‐term prognosticator for HFpEF in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.
Study Type
Prospective.
Population
A total of 115 SLE patients and 50 age‐ and gender‐matched controls.
Field Strength/Sequence
A 3.0 T scanner; cine imaging, precontrast and post‐contrast T1 mapping and T2 mapping sequences.
Assessment
A radiomic nomogram was developed based on precontrast T1 mapping. Three independent readers assessed and compared the ECV value and the value of the radiomic nomogram for predicting HFpEF in SLE patients.
Statistical Test
Cox proportional hazard models, Youden index for determining cut‐off values for high HFpEF risk vs. low HFpEF risk classification, Kaplan–Meier analysis, intraclass correlation (ICC), and Uno C statistic test.
Results
During a median follow‐up of 27 (interquartile range, 19–37) months, 31 SLE patients developed HFpEF. Patients with elevated ECV (≥31%) and a higher output (≥42.7) from the radiomic feature “S_33_sum average” of the precontrast T1 map had a significantly higher risk of developing HFpEF than those who had lower ECV (<31%) and an output <42.7. Patients with a higher “S_33_sum average” value on precontrast T1 map had a significantly increased risk for HFpEF (hazard ratio, 1.363, 95% CI, 1.130–1.645), after adjusting for covariates including ECV and LVEF. Finally, “S_33_sum average” from precontrast T1 mapping had modest but significantly incremental prognostic value over the mean ECV value (Uno C statistic comparing models, 0.860 vs. 0.835).
Data Conclusion
The precontrast T1 map‐based radiomic nomogram, as a measure of diffuse myocardial fibrosis was associated with HFpEF and provided modest prognostic value for predicting HFpEF in SLE patients.
Evidence Level
1
Technical Efficacy
Stage 2
Abstract
Dielectric elastomers are widely used as electroactive polymer materials due to their high energy density, high strain, and low loss. However, the practical applications are limited ...sometimes by their low electromechanical strain ability due to relatively low dielectric permittivity for polymers. Herein, multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) filled silicone rubber (SR) composites with a five‐layered structure are prepared with the outer two layers of neat SR while the middle three layers are MWCNT filled SR, in which the former functions as insulating layers while the latter acts as the dielectric permittivity enhancement layers. Further, by differing the MWCNT content within the middle three layers, we find that as the concentration distribution increases from 1:1:1 to 1:2:1 and 1:3:1, both Young's modulus and dielectric permittivity gradually improve while dielectric loss remains extremely low even though the total MWCNT content reaches 1.6 wt%. With the combined effects of dielectric permittivity and modulus, the composite with evenly distributed MWCNT content (1:1:1) shows the highest actuation strain under a given electric field strength. Meanwhile, the electric breakdown strength of the composite 1:1:1 is also the highest, leading ultimately to a maximum actuation strain of 10.87% at the breakdown strength of 14.6 kV/mm.
Myeloid cells are key components of the tumor microenvironment and critical regulators of disease progression. These innate immune cells are usually short-lived and require constant replenishment. ...Emerging evidence indicates that tumors alter the host hematopoietic system and induce the biased differentiation of myeloid cells to tip the balance of the systemic immune activities toward tumor-promoting functions. Altered myelopoiesis is not restricted to the bone marrow and also occurs in extramedullary organs. In this review, we outline the recent advances in the field of cancer-associated myelopoiesis, with a focus on the spleen, the major site of extramedullary hematopoiesis in the cancer setting. We discuss the functional specialization, distinct mechanisms, and clinical relevance of cancer-associated myeloid cell generation from early progenitors in the spleen and its potential as a novel therapeutic target.
This study adopted a quasi-experimental design to examine the effect of a 7-week mindfulness intervention on the psychological coping ability and shooting performance of college-level male basketball ...athletes in Macau.
A total of 43 male college basketball athletes in Macau were selected as the participants. Besides the regular basketball training, the intervention group (
= 23) received a 7-week mindfulness training; the weekly mindfulness intervention session lasted around one hour according to the mindfulness training manual for athletes, while the control group (
= 20) did not receive any mindfulness training. Before and immediately after the 7-week intervention, all players performed the following tests: the "Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire", the "Acceptance and Action Questionnaire", the "Sport Competition Anxiety Test", the "Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale", and three shooting tests. An independent-sample t-test and a paired-sample t-test were used to analyze the between- and within-group differences. Moreover, a repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess the group, time, and group-by-time effects on psychological skills and shooting performances.
The intervention resulted in both significant between-group and within-group differences in mindfulness level, acceptance level, attention level, three-point, and free-throw shooting performances (all
< 0.05, Cohen's d ranging from 0.565 to 1.117).
While further study is necessary, the present study suggests that the 7-week mindfulness training program can significantly improve psychological outcomes and shooting performance in Macau college basketball athletes. Future studies involving competition settings and objective metrics will aid in verifying mindfulness as the prevalent practice among basketball practitioners and athletes.
The paradox of obtaining dielectric elastomers (DEs) with both low modulus and high‐dielectric properties has long been puzzling researchers in this field. To solve this problem, a preliminary ...attempt is made here by solution compounding polyphenol nanoparticles modified multiwalled carbon nanotube (PNs@MWCNT) with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to obtain PDMS based DEs with excellent electromechanical properties. The PNs layer can improve the interfacial interaction between MWCNT and PDMS probably through interfacial hydrogen bonding, thus improving the dispersion of PNs@MWCNT in PDMS. Compared with pure MWCNT filled PDMS nanocomposites, despite the hardening effect brought by the filler network, a softening effect (i.e., decreased cross‐linking) by the finer filler‐dispersion enhances in PNs@MWCNT/PDMS, resulting in lower moduli. Meanwhile, the as‐prepared PNs@MWCNT/PDMS composites exhibit high permittivity, low‐dielectric loss and high‐breakdown strength. Finally, the PNs@MWCNT/PDMS nanocomposites show excellent electromechanical properties with a largest actuated strain of 7.4% at a breakdown strength of 13.1 kV/mm, which is 2.2 times that (3.3%@13.3 kV/mm) of MWCNT/PDMS and 3.9 times that (1.9%@18.8 kV/mm) of neat PDMS.
Interfacial engineering of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based dielectric elastomers is conducted by incorporating polyphenol modified MWCNT (PNs@MWCNT). The prepared PNs@MWCNT/PDMS nanocomposites exhibit excellent electromechanical properties with a largest actuated strain of 7.4% at a breakdown strength of 13.1 kV/mm, which is 2.2 times that (3.3%@13.3 kV/mm) of MWCNT/PDMS and 3.9 times that (1.9%@18.8 kV/mm) of neat PDMS.
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