Microbiome changes in esophageal cancer:implications for pathogenesis and prognosis

Esophageal cancer(EC)is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis.Various factors,including dietary habits,and antacid and antibiotic use,have been shown to influence the esophageal microbiome.Conversely,enrichment and diversity of the esophageal microbiome can also impact its function.Recent studies have revealed prevalent changes in the esophageal microbiome among patients with EC,thus suggesting the potential contribution of the esophageal microbiome to EC development.Additionally,distinct microbiome compositions have been observed in patients with different responses to radiotherapy and chemotherapy,indicating the role of the esophageal microbiome in modulating treatment outcomes.In this review,we have examined previous studies on the esophageal microbiome in healthy individuals and patients with EC or other esophageal diseases,with a focus on identifying microbial communities associated with EC pathogenesis and prognosis.Understanding the role of the microbiome in EC may aid in early detection and optimized treatment strategies,ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients.

Defects‑Rich Heterostructures Trigger Strong Polarization Coupling in Sulfides/Carbon Composites with Robust Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

Defects-rich heterointerfaces integrated with adjustable crystalline phases and atom vacancies,as well as veiled dielectric-responsive character,are instrumental in electromagnetic dissipation.Conventional methods,however,constrain their delicate constructions.Herein,an innovative alternative is proposed:carrageenan-assistant cations-regulated(CACR)strategy,which induces a series of sulfides nanoparticles rooted in situ on the surface of carbon matrix.This unique configuration originates from strategic vacancy formation energy of sulfides and strong sulfides-carbon support interaction,benefiting the delicate construction of defects-rich heterostructures in M_(x)S_(y)/carbon composites(M-CAs).Impressively,these generated sulfur vacancies are firstly found to strengthen electron accumulation/consumption ability at heterointerfaces and,simultaneously,induct local asymmetry of electronic structure to evoke large dipole moment,ultimately leading to polarization coupling,i.e.,defect-type interfacial polarization.Such“Janus effect”(Janus effect means versatility,as in the Greek two-headed Janus)of interfacial sulfur vacancies is intuitively confirmed by both theoretical and experimental investigations for the first time.Consequently,the sulfur vacancies-rich heterostructured Co/Ni-CAs displays broad absorption bandwidth of 6.76 GHz at only 1.8 mm,compared to sulfur vacancies-free CAs without any dielectric response.Harnessing defects-rich heterostructures,this one-pot CACR strategy may steer the design and development of advanced nanomaterials,boosting functionality across diverse application domains beyond electromagnetic response.

Stability of high-salinity-enhanced foam:Surface behavior and thin-film drainage

Cocamidopropyl hydroxyl sulfobetaine(CHSB)is one of the most promising foaming agents for high-salinity reservoirs because the salt in place facilitates its foam stability,even with salinity as high as 2×10^(5)mg/L.However,the synergistic effects between CHSB and salt have not been fully understood.This study utilized bulk foam tests and thin-film interferometry to comprehensively investigate the macroscopic and microscopic decay processes of CHSB foams with NaCl concentrations ranging from 2.3×10^(4)to 2.1×10^(5)mg/L.We focused on the dilatational viscoelasticity and dynamic thin-film thickness to elucidate the high-salinity-enhanced foam stability.The increase in dilatational viscoelasticity and supramolecular oscillating structural force(Π_(OS))with salinity dominated the superior stability of CHSB foam.With increasing salinity,more CHSB molecules accumulated on the surface with a lower diffusion rate,leading to high dilatational moduli and surface elasticity,thus decelerating coarsening and coalescence.Meanwhile,the number density of micelles in the thin film increased with salinity,resulting in increasedΠOS.Consequently,the energy barrier for stepwise thinning intensified,and the thin-film drainage slowed.This work conduces to understand the mechanisms behind the pronounced stability of betaine foam and can promote the widespread application of foam in harsh reservoirs.

Gas channeling control with an in-situ smart surfactant gel during water-alternating-CO_(2) enhanced oil recovery

Undesirable gas channeling always occurs along the high-permeability layers in heterogeneous oil reservoirs during water-alternating-CO_(2)(WAG)flooding,and conventional polymer gels used for blocking the“channeling”paths usually suffer from either low injectivity or poor gelation control.Herein,we for the first time developed an in-situ high-pressure CO_(2)-triggered gel system based on a smart surfactant,N-erucamidopropyl-N,N-dimethylamine(UC22AMPM),which was introduced into the aqueous slugs to control gas channeling inWAG processes.The water-like,low-viscosity UC22AMPM brine solution can be thickened by high-pressure CO_(2) owing to the formation of wormlike micelles(WLMs),as well as their growth and shear-induced structure buildup under shear flow.The thickening power can be further potentiated by the generation of denser WLMs resulting from either surfactant concentration augmentation or a certain range of heating,and can be impaired via pressurization above the critical pressure of CO_(2) because of its soaring solvent power.Core flooding tests using heterogeneous cores demonstrated that gas channeling was alleviated by plugging of high-capacity channels due to the in-situ gelation of UC22AMPM slugs upon their reaction with the pre-or post-injected CO_(2) slugs under shear flow,thereupon driving chase fluids into unrecovered low-permeability areas and producing an 8.0% higher oil recovery factor than the conventional WAG mode.This smart surfactant enabled high injectivity and satisfactory gelation control,attributable to low initial viscosity and the combined properties of one component and CO_(2)-triggered gelation,respectively.This work could provide a guide towards designing gels for reducing CO_(2) spillover and reinforcing the CO_(2) sequestration effect during CO_(2) enhanced oil recovery processes.

Investigation of feasibility of alkali-cosolvent flooding in heavy oil reservoirs

Cold production is a challenge in the case of heavy oil because of its high viscosity and poor fluidity in reservoir conditions.Alkali-cosolvent-polymer flooding is a type of microemulsion flooding with low costs and possible potential for heavy oil reservoirs.However,the addition of polymer may cause problems with injection in the case of highly viscous oil.Hence,in this study the feasibility of alkali-cosolvent(AC)flooding in heavy oil reservoirs was investigated via several groups of experiments.The interfacial tension between various AC formulations and heavy crude oil was measured to select appropriate formulations.Phase behavior tests were performed to determine the most appropriate formulation and conditions for the generation of a microemulsion.Sandpack flooding experiments were carried out to investigate the displacement efficiency of the selected Ac formulation.The results showed that the interfacial tension between an AC formulation and heavy oil could be reduced to below 1o-3 mN/m but differed greatly between different types of cosolvent.A butanol random polyether series displayed good performance in reducing the water-oil interfacial tension,which made it possible to form a Type Il microemulsion in reservoir conditions.According to the results of the phase behavior tests,the optimal salinity for different formulations with four cosolvent concentrations(0.5 wt%,1 wt%,2 wt%,and 3 wt%)was 4000,8000,14000,and 20000 ppm,respectively.The results of rheological measurements showed that Type Ill microemulsion had a viscosity that was ten times that of water.The results of sandpack flooding experiments showed that,in comparison with waterflooding,the injection of a certain Ac formulation slug could reduce the injection pressure.The pressure gradient during waterflooding and AC flooding was around 870 and 30-57 kPa/m,respectively.With the addition of an AC slug,the displacement efficiency was 30%-50%higher than in the case of waterflooding.

Valve repair after infective endocarditis secondary to perforation caused by Streptococcus gordonii:A case report

BACKGROUND We report a case of infective endocarditis(IE)in a patient with congenital heart valve lesions accompanied by IE,which was diagnosed based on blood culture analysis that revealed the presence of a gram-negative bacterium,Streptococcus gordonii.CASE SUMMARY The patient had a history of precordial valve disease diagnosed by cardiac ultrasound,as well as a 4-mo history of fever.He was subjected to comprehensive anti-infection and anti-heart failure treatment in the internal medicine department.Further examination revealed sudden dislodgement from and perforation through the aortic valve by the superfluous organisms,as well as occurrence of bacterial emboli dislodgement,which caused bacteremia and infectious shock.He recovered and was discharged from the hospital after surgical and postoperative anti-infection treatments.CONCLUSION We review the treatment process and highlight inspirations and reflections from this case;suggest possible future changes in treatment modalities.

Pyopneumothorax caused by Parvimonas micra and Prevotella oralis:a case report

Parvimonas is a group of Grampositive bacteria that are common anaerobic cocci in the oral cavity and the gastrointestinal tract and one of the pathogens of periodontitis,,^([1])and Prevotella is a group of Gramnegative anaerobic bacteria that are found mainly in the oral cavity and intestinal tract and are mainly involved in periodontal infections.

New hybrid FDTD algorithm for electromagnetic problem analysis

Since the time step of the traditional finite-difference time-domain(FDTD) method is limited by the small grid size, it is inefficient when dealing with the electromagnetic problems of multi-scale structures.Therefore, the explicit and unconditionally stable FDTD(US-FDTD) approach has been developed to break through the limitation of Courant–Friedrich–Levy(CFL) condition.However, the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the system matrix must be calculated before the time iteration in the explicit US-FDTD.Moreover, the eigenvalue decomposition is also time consuming, especially for complex electromagnetic problems in practical application.In addition, compared with the traditional FDTD method, the explicit US-FDTD method is more difficult to introduce the absorbing boundary and plane wave.To solve the drawbacks of the traditional FDTD and the explicit US-FDTD, a new hybrid FDTD algorithm is proposed in this paper.This combines the explicit US-FDTD with the traditional FDTD, which not only overcomes the limitation of CFL condition but also reduces the system matrix dimension, and introduces the plane wave and the perfectly matched layer(PML) absorption boundary conveniently.With the hybrid algorithm, the calculation of the eigenvalues is only required in the fine mesh region and adjacent coarse mesh region.Therefore, the calculation efficiency is greatly enhanced.Furthermore, the plane wave and the absorption boundary introduction of the traditional FDTD method can be directly utilized.Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness, accuracy, stability, and convenience of this hybrid algorithm.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Efficacy of Banxia Xiexin Decoction for Treatment of Bile Reflux Gastritis

[Objectives]The purpose was to study the clinical efficacy and safety of Banxia Xiexin decoction in treating bile reflux gastritis(BRG).[Methods]Randomized controlled trial was adopted to conduct scientific and standardized assessment on the risk of bias in the included articles.With overall effect and epigastric pain relief as indices,meta-analysis was performed,and sensitivity and safety analysis was conducted on the included literature.[Results]A total of 13 articles were included,involving a total of 1478 patients.The results of meta-analysis show that the efficacy of Banxia Xiexin decoction alone and Banxia Xiexin decoction-Western medicine combination is better than that of Western medicine alone.[Conclusions]Banxia Xiexin decoction is safe and effective in treating bile reflux gastritis.However,as the 13 articles included are all low in quality and there is a certain degree of publication bias,the objectivity of the results is affected to some extent.

Microstructure and properties of Cu−2Cr−1Nb alloy fabricated by spark plasma sintering

Cu−2Cr−1Nb alloy was fabricated by spark plasma sintering(SPS)using close coupled argon-atomized alloy powder as the raw material.The optimal SPS parameters obtained using the L9(3^(4))orthogonal test were 950℃,50 MPa and 15 min,and the relative density of the as-sintered alloy was 99.8%.The rapid densification of SPS effectively inhibited the growth of the Cr_(2)Nb phase,and the atomized powder microstructure was maintained in the grains of the alloy matrix.Uniformly distributed multi-scale Cr_(2)Nb phases with grain sizes of 0.10−0.40μm and 20−100 nm and fine grains of alloy matrix with an average size of 3.79μm were obtained.After heat treatment at 500℃ for 2 h,the room temperature tensile strength,electrical conductivity,and thermal conductivity of the sintered Cu−2Cr−1Nb alloy were 332 MPa,86.7%(IACS),and 323.1 W/(m·K),respectively,and the high temperature tensile strength(700℃)was 76 MPa.

First results from a 760-GW linear transformer driver module for Z-pinch research

In this paper,the results of tests on a 0.76-TW linear transformer driver(LTD)module for Z-pinch research are presented for the first time.Ten LTD cavities,each generating a 1-MA/90-kV pulse on a matched load,were connected in series with a magnetically insulated voltage adder to drive the e-beam diode.Three inner stalks with different radii were tested,and the results indicate that the output parameters of the ten cavities are sensitive to the cathode radii.As an intermediate step,a high-current pulse with 832 kV/912 kA/130 ns was obtained on the e-beam diode.To date,this is the maximum power generated directly by a fast LTD with mega-ampere current output.

Viscosity profile prediction of a heavy crude oil during lifting in two deep artesian wells

It has been known that the productivity of artesian wells is strongly dependent on the rheological properties of crude oils. This work targets two deep artesian wells(>5000 m) that are producing heavy crude oil. The impacts of well conditions including temperature, pressure and shear rate, on the crude oil rheology were comprehensively investigated and correlated using several empirical rheological models. The experimental data indicate that this heavy oil is very sensitive to temperature as result of microstructure change caused by hydrogen bonding. The rheological behavior of the heavy oil is also significantly impacted by the imposed pressure, i.e., the viscosity flow activation energy(Eμ) gently increases with the increasing pressure. The viscosity–shear rate data are well fitted to the power law model at low temperature. However, due to the transition of fluid feature at high temperature(Newtonian fluid), the measured viscosity was found to slightly deviate from the fitting data. Combining the evaluated correlations, the viscosity profile of the heavy crude oil in these two deep artesian wells as a function of well depth was predicted using the oilfield producing data.

Intercellular mitochondrial transfer as a means of revitalizing injured glomerular endothelial cells

BACKGROUND Recent studies have demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)can rescue injured target cells via mitochondrial transfer.However,it has not been fully understood how bone marrow-derived MSCs repair glomeruli in diabetic kidney disease(DKD).AIM To explore the mitochondrial transfer involved in the rescue of injured glomerular endothelial cells(GECs)by MSCs,both in vitro and in vivo.METHODS In vitro experiments were performed to investigate the effect of co-culture with MSCs on high glucose-induced GECs.The transfer of mitochondria was visualized using fluorescent microscopy.GECs were freshly sorted and ultimately tested for apoptosis,viability,mRNA expression by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction,protein expression by western blot,and mitochondrial function.Moreover,streptozotocin-induced DKD rats were infused with MSCs,and renal function and oxidative stress were detected with an automatic biochemical analyzer and related-detection kits after 2 wk.Kidney histology was analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin,periodic acid-Schiff,and immunohistochemical staining.RESULTS Fluorescence imaging confirmed that MSCs transferred mitochondria to injured GECs when cocultured in vitro.We found that the apoptosis,proliferation,and mitochondrial function of injured GECs were improved following co-culture.Additionally,MSCs decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines[interleukin(IL)-6,IL-1β,and tumor necrosis factor-α]and pro-apoptotic factors(caspase 3 and Bax).Mitochondrial transfer also enhanced the expression of superoxide dismutase 2,B cell lymphoma-2,glutathione peroxidase(GPx)3,and mitofusin 2 and inhibited reactive oxygen species(ROS)and dynamin-related protein 1 expression.Furthermore,MSCs significantly ameliorated functional parameters(blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine)and decreased the production of malondialdehyde,advanced glycation end products,and ROS,whereas they increased the levels of GPx and superoxide dismutase in vivo.In addition,significant reductions in the glomerular basement membrane and renal interstitial fibrosis were observed following MSC treatment.CONCLUSION MSCs can rejuvenate damaged GECs via mitochondrial transfer.Additionally,the improvement of renal function and pathological changes in DKD by MSCs may be related to the mechanism of mitochondrial transfer.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Tanshinone Capsule in the Treatment of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

[Objectives]To study the efficacy and safety of tanshinone capsule in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).[Methods]A randomized controlled trial or semi-randomized controlled trial of tanshinone capsule in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome was included.Two researchers screened the retrieved literature,extracted the data,assessed the risk of bias of the included literature,and then carried out meta-analysis.[Results]A total of 5 articles were included,involving 350 patients.The results of meta-analysis showed that compared with the control group,tanshinone capsule could reduce total cholesterol[MD=-0.73,95%CI(-0.86,-0.60),P<0.00001],triglyceride[MD=-0.40,95%CI(-0.57,-0.23),P<0.00001],low density lipoprotein cholesterol[MD=-0.47,95%CI(-0.73,-0.53),P<0.00001],follicle stimulating hormone[MD=-0.63,95%CI(-0.73,-0.53),P<0.00001],increase high density lipoprotein cholesterol[MD=0.28,95%CI(0.20,0.35),P<0.00001],the effective rate(P=0.06)and luteinizing hormone(P=0.07)in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome.[Conclusions]Tanshinone capsule could effectively improve the level of lipid metabolism and follicle stimulating hormone in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Preparation and Performance of Salt Tolerance and Thermal Stability Cellulose Nanofibril Hydrogels and Their Application in Drilling Engineering

The poor salt tolerance,thermal stability,and environmental performance of petrochemicals can severely limit their applications in drilling engineering.In this study,cellulose nanofibril(CNF)hydrogels with improved salt tolerance and thermal stability were prepared,and their filtration performance was evaluated.The hydrogels were prepared through the simultaneous grafting of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid(AMPS)and butyl acrylate(BA)onto the CNF surface through ceric ammoniumnitrate-induced radical polymerization.The modified and original CNF samples were characterized using Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR)and rheological measurements.The FT-IR analysis results showed that both AMPS and BA were grafted onto the CNF backbone,affirming the successful preparation of the grafted CNFs.The rheological analysis results showed that the modified CNF hydrogels exhibited significantly improved salt tolerance,thermal stability,and“salt-thickening”effect.Moreover,the results of the fluid loss test showed that the modified CNF hydrogels exhibited a much better fluid loss control than the original CNF hydrogels.In addition,after adding 2%modified CNF hydrogels as a filtrate reducer in the drilling fluids prepared with a 6%combined salt solution,the filtrate loss was significantly reduced even after aging for 72 h at 160℃.

Application of Cellulose and Cellulose Nanofibers in Oil Exploration

In this article, the application of cellulose and cellulose nanofibers in oil exploration was discussed, and the research status of using cellulose and cellulose nanofibers as oil displacement agents, oil-well cementing additives, and foam stabilizers were summarized.

Effects of Quercetin on Blood Pressure in Animals:A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

[Objectives] To make a systematic evaluation of the efficacy and safety of quercetin on animal blood pressure.[Methods] The CNKI,Wan Fang,VIP,CBM,Pubmed,and Cochrane Library databases were searched for the literature about the effects of quercetin on blood pressure in the period from the creation of databases to April 2018.Two researchers separately screened literature and extracted data.Meta-analysis was carried out with the aid of Rev Men 5.3 software.[Results]A total of 10 articles were included,involving 288 animals.All animals were rodents.Meta-analysis results showed that there was a statistically significant difference in Systolic Blood Pressure(SBP) between the quercetin group and the control group.MD =-21.43,95% CI(-28.99,-13.86),P < 0.000 01;subgroup analysis,hypertensive animal group,MD =-29.52,95% CI(-36.05,-22.98),P < 0.000 01;the ability of quercetin group in lowering blood pressure was better than that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant;in the normal blood pressure group,MD =-0.49,95% CI(-3.74,2.77),P = 0.77,the quercetin group was basically the same as the control group,the difference was not statistically significant.[Conclusions] Compared with the blank control group,quercetin can effectively reduce the blood pressure of hypertensive animals,but it has little effect on the blood pressure of normal animals.Besides,further study is needed on the safety of quercetin.

Systematic Evaluation and Meta-analysis of Modified Baitouweng Decoction in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

[Objectives]To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Modified Baitouweng Decoction in the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC).[Methods]A randomized controlled trial of Modified Baitouweng Decoction in the treatment of ulcerative colitis was conducted,and the biased risk was evaluated in the included literature using a standardized method.A meta-analysis of the total effective rate and recurrence rate of the included literature was carried out.Sensitivity and safety analysis was carried out on the included literature.[Results]A total of 19 articles were included,involving a total of 1613 patients.The results of meta-analysis showed that the treatment of Modified Baitouweng Decoction alone or in combination with the western medicine is better than the treatment with the western medicine alone.[Conclusions]Modified Baitouweng Decoction is safe and effective in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.However,since the 19 articles included in this study are not high in quality,they have certain influence on the objectivity of the results.

A Novel Next-Generation Sequencing Approach without Donor-Derived Material for Acute Rejection and Infection Monitoring in Solid Organ Transplantation

Background: Donor-derived cell free DNA (ddcf DNA) has been reported as a universal noninvasive biomarker for rejection monitoring in heart, kidney, liver, and lung transplantation. Current approaches based on next-generation sequencing for quantification of ddcf DNA, although promising, may be restricted by the requirement for donor material, as donor samples may not be available. Methods: We proposed a novel next-generation sequencing approach without donor-derived material and compared the non-donor-derived approach and the donor-derived approach using simulation testing and 69 clinical specimens. We also evaluated the performance for acute rejection and infection monitoring in lung transplantation. Results: The non-donor-derived approach reached similar efficacy as the donor-derived approach with a significant linear correlation of R2 = 0.98. Subsequent validation in clinical specimens demonstrated significant difference between the acute rejection group (4.83% ± 2.11%, mean ± SD) and the non-rejection group (1.61% ± 0.63%, mean ± SD) (P ’s t test). With the cut-off value of 2.999, our approach had 90.48% sensitivity (95% CI, 69.62% - 98.83%), 100% specificity (95% CI, 91.59% - 100%), and AUC 0.9266 (95% CI, 0.8277 - 1.026). The test also had the ability to simultaneously detect infectious agents, especially cytomegalovirus, as compared with the clinical test. Conclusion: The proposed approach without donor-derived material could potentially be used to monitor acute rejection and infection in lung transplantation and may be applied to other types of solid organ transplantation.

Lignosulfonate and Its Derivatives for Oil-well Drilling:A Concise Review

Lignosulfonate,a byproduct of the pulp and paper industry,has been used in the oil-well drilling industry for a significant amount of time.Lignosulfonate and its derivatives serve different roles in the oil-well drilling industry because of their unique structures and properties.This review summarizes lignosulfonate and its derivatives,including lignosulfonate complexed with metal ions,lignosulfonate graft copolymers,lignosulfonatetannin complexes,and other lignosulfonate-containing composites,in terms of their preparation,properties,and potential applications in oil-well drilling industry.It provides readers with a quick review of existing studies in this area and some inspirations for future studies pertaining to the utilization of lignosulfonate-based materials in the oil-well drilling industry.