Exploration of the Impact Mechanism of Government Credibility Based on Variable Screening Method

Government credibility is an important asset of contemporary national governance, an important criterion for evaluating government legitimacy, and a key factor in measuring the effectiveness of government governance. In recent years, researchers’ research on government credibility has mostly focused on exploring theories and mechanisms, with little empirical research on this topic. This article intends to apply variable selection models in the field of social statistics to the issue of government credibility, in order to achieve empirical research on government credibility and explore its core influencing factors from a statistical perspective. Specifically, this article intends to use four regression-analysis-based methods and three random-forest-based methods to study the influencing factors of government credibility in various provinces in China, and compare the performance of these seven variable selection methods in different dimensions. The research results show that there are certain differences in simplicity, accuracy, and variable importance ranking among different variable selection methods, which present different importance in the study of government credibility issues. This study provides a methodological reference for variable selection models in the field of social science research, and also offers a multidimensional comparative perspective for analyzing the influencing factors of government credibility.

The role of innate immunity in diabetic nephropathy and their therapeutic consequences

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is an enduring condition that leads to inflammation and affects a substantial number of individuals with diabetes worldwide. A gradual reduction in glomerular filtration and emergence of proteins in the urine are typical aspects of DN, ultimately resulting in renal failure. Mounting evidence suggests that immunological and inflammatory factors are crucial for the development of DN. Therefore, the activation of innate immunity by resident renal and immune cells is critical for initiating and perpetuating inflammation. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are an important group of receptors that identify patterns and activate immune responses and inflammation. Meanwhile, inflammatory responses in the liver, pancreatic islets, and kidneys involve inflammasomes and chemokines that generate pro-inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, the activation of the complement cascade can be triggered by glycated proteins. This review highlights recent findings elucidating how the innate immune system contributes to tissue fibrosis and organ dysfunction, ultimately leading to renal failure. This review also discusses innovative approaches that can be utilized to modulate the innate immune responses in DN for therapeutic purposes.

Efficacy and safety of Usights UC100 illuminated microcatheter in microcatheter-assisted trabeculotomy

AIM:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Usights UC100 illuminated microcatheter in microcatheter-assisted trabeculotomy(MAT).METHODS:Totally 10 eyes of 10 patients with primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)who underwent MAT facilitated by Usights UC100(5 eyes)or iTrack(5 eyes)were reviewed.The success of this surgery was defined as intraocular pressure(IOP)<22 mm Hg with>30%reduction,without oral glaucoma medications,or additional glaucoma surgery.RESULTS:The mean pre-operative IOP was 25.38±10.22 mm Hg in the Usights UC100 group and 19.98±3.87 mm Hg in the iTrack group.MAT was achieved in all eyes in both groups.The success rates for the Usights UC100 group and iTrack groups were in all and 4 eyes,respectively.Both microcatheters produced a statistically significant reduction in IOP,and eyes using Usights UC100 achieved a lower IOP than the iTrack group at 3mo followup(12.58±1.52 and 14.84±1.89 mm Hg,respectively),but no statistical significance was there.No severe side effects were observed in either group.CONCLUSION:MAT using Usights UC100 or iTrack both achieve significant pressure reduction in cases of POAG,and Usights UC100 is as safe as iTrack.

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in highly myopic eyes with implantable collamer lens

AIM:To investigate the clinical characteristics,treatment methods and outcomes of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment(RRD)in highly myopic eyes with implantable collamer lens(ICL).METHODS:High myopia patients who received treatment for nontraumatic RRD after ICL implantation surgery at the Retinal Department of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from Jan 2018 to Dec 2022 were reviewed.Comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations including visual acuity measurement and digital fundus photography were performed in each patient.RESULTS:A total of nine RRD eyes from nine patients who received V4c-ICL implantation were included.The mean time from ICL implantation surgery to the diagnosis of RRD was 32.44±22.56mo(range,1-60mo).At the initial visit for RRD,giant retinal tear(GRT),horseshoe tear,simple round hole,and horseshoe tear combined with round hole were detected in 3,3,2,and 1 eye(s),respectively,with maculaoff in eyes.Eight patients received surgical treatment,and one patient was treated by retinal laser photocoagulation alone.The ICL was preserved in 7 eyes.At the last followup,the mean best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)improved significantly from 1.76±1.06 logMAR at presentation to 0.81±1.01 logMAR(P=0.035),and no case of recurrent retinal detachment was found.CONCLUSION:The morphological presentation of retinal breaks is diverse in this study.The ICL can be preserved in most cases during the course of retinal detachment repair surgery in our data,companied with acceptable visual and anatomical outcomes.

Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors prescriptions in Chinese hospitalized chronic kidney disease patients

BACKGROUND Many guidelines have recommended renin-angiotensin system inhibitors(RASI)as the first-line treatment for patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD).We studied RASI prescription trends from 2010 to 2019,and analyzed the characteristics associated with RASI prescription in Chinese hospitalized CKD patients.AIM To study the prescription of renin angiotensin system inhibitors in hospitalized patients with CKD in China.METHODS It was retrospectively,cross-sectional reviewed RASI prescriptions in hospitalized CKD patients in China from 2010 to 2019.RASI prescribing trends were analyzed from 2010 to 2019,and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify characteristics associated with RASI prescription.RESULTS A total of 35090 CKD patients were included,with 10043(28.6%)RASI prescriptions.Among these patients,18919(53.9%)met the criteria for RASI treatments based on the 2012 kidney disease:Improving global outcomes guidelines.Of these,7246(38.3%)patients received RASI prescriptions.RASI prescriptions showed an initial rapid increase from 2011 to 2012,reached its peak around 2015 and 2016,and then exhibited a subsequent slight decreasing trend.Both bivariate and multivariate analyses showed that several characteristics,including the male gender,age less than 60-year-old,nephrology department admission,lower CKD stage,history of hypertension or diabetes,proteinuria,glomerulonephritis as the CKD etiology,and non-acute kidney injury were associated with RASI prescriptions.CONCLUSION The frequency of RASI prescriptions showed an initial increase but a slight decreasing trend in more recent years.CKD patients with certain characteristics such as elderly age,advanced disease stage,surgery department admission,or acute kidney injury were less likely to receive RASI prescriptions.In the application of RASI in hospitalized CKD patients is insufficient.The actual clinical practice needs to be improved.The development of related research is helpful to guide the correct choice of clinical treatment strategy.

Bibliometric analysis of research relating to refractive cataract surgery over a 20-year period:from 2003 to 2022

AIM:To investigate the research trend on refractive cataract surgery,compare the contributions of different countries,institutions,journals,and authors in the past 20y,and explore its potential research hotspots.METHODS:All publications were extracted relating to refractive cataract surgery from 2003 to 2022 from Web of Science.Document types were limited to original articles and reviews,and the language was limited to English.Quantitatively and qualitatively of the publications were analyzed through Microsoft Excel and GraphPad Prism.VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used for bibliometric and visualized analysis.RESULTS:A total of 2090 publications were enrolled.The United States contributed the most publications(434,20.8%),followed by China(345,16.5%)and England(163,7.80%).Publications from the United States were cited more frequently(9552 citations)with the highest H-index of 48.China ranked second in the total number of publications,the papers were not cited that frequently(3237 citations),and the H-index ranked sixth(H-index=29).Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery published the most papers(333,15.9%),and the University of London had the highest number of publications(75,3.59%).Dick HB from Germany published the most papers.Corneal astigmatism-related research,cataract surgery methodrelated research,postoperative visual-quality relate to research,and postoperative complications-relate research are the hotspots in this field.The most significant limitation was that the database was updated frequently and the latest publications were not included.CONCLUSION:The bibliometric analysis shows a brief summarization of the contribution of the authors,institutions,countries,and journals.Corneal astigmatism,cataract surgery method,postoperative visual-quality and postoperative complications related researches have become the emerging hotspots,which can give a direction in the future researches.

Trends in operating room-based glaucoma procedures at a single eye center from 2016–2020

AIM:To evaluate trends in glaucoma procedures at the Peking University Eye Center in 2016–2020.METHODS:A retrospective search of all glaucoma procedures performed at our institution were performed.Data were analyzed by calculating the absolute numbers and relative weightage of each procedure per year.RESULTS:The average age of glaucoma patients undergoing surgical procedures was 62.33±17.87y,and 55%were women.From 2016 to 2019,the number of surgical procedures performed in glaucoma patients showed an overall upward trend from 749 to 1460,although it decreased slightly in 2020(n=1393),probably due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The number of trabeculectomies did not change significantly in 2016(n=161)to 2018(n=164)but decreased in 2019(n=139)to 2020(n=121),indicating a reduction in its relative weightage among glaucoma procedures(from 21.50%to 8.69%).The number of glaucoma drainage device implantations and minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries both increased(50and 58 respectively in 2019),except in 2020.The number of transscleral cyclophotocoagulation procedures was relatively stable,increasing until 2017(n=218)and then decreasing.Cataract surgeries with or without glaucoma procedures accounted for a large number of the total surgeries,increasing from 247(32.97%)in 2016 to 967(69.42%),among which cataract extraction combined with goniosynechialysis was the most frequent.CONCLUSION:The overall increase in the number of operating room-based surgical procedures is significant.Trabeculectomy is one of the most commonly performed procedures,despite the relative decline in its weightage.Other procedures,including use of glaucoma drainage devices and mini shunts and minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries,are gaining greater acceptance.Notably,lensrelated surgery plays an important role in glaucoma management.

Transverse mesocolic hernia with intestinal obstruction as a rare cause of acute abdomen in adults:A case report

BACKGROUND Internal hernia is a rare cause of acute abdomen and intestinal obstruction in adults.Internal abdominal hernias include paraduodenal,perigastric,foramen of Winslow,intersigmoid,and post-anastomotic hernias and can be congenital or acquired.Internal hernias occur in 1%-2%of patients,and transmesocolic hernias are extremely rare.This report presents a patient with a transverse mesocolic hernia with a preoperative diagnosis of small intestinal obstruction.CASE SUMMARY A 45-year-old Chinese woman was admitted to the hospital with middle and upper abdominal pain for 2 d,abdominal distension,and vomiting.After abdominal computed tomography,she was diagnosed with an internal abdominal hernia complicated by small intestinal obstruction and underwent emergency laparoscopic surgery.The patient recovered well and was discharged 6 d postoperatively.CONCLUSION Transmesocolic hernias must be considered in adult patients with signs and symptoms of intestinal obstruction,even without a history of abdominal trauma or surgery.

弹性体对微发泡聚丙烯复合材料发泡行为的影响

以化学发泡为主线,在聚丙烯(PP)基体中添加弹性体三元乙丙橡胶(EPDM)制备微发泡聚丙烯复合材料。利用旋转流变仪、差示扫描量热法和扫描电镜等手段,系统地研究EPDM对微发泡PP材料发泡行为的影响。结果表明,EPDM的加入提高了PP材料的熔体强度,对PP材料发泡质量有明显改善;同时使PP复合材料的降温结晶峰向高温移动,能有效抑制泡孔的变形及并泡等恶化现象。当EPDM的质量分数为20%时,泡孔形态较为理想,其泡孔直径和泡孔密度分别为14.43μm,2.49×10^(7)cm^(-3)。与未加EPDM的微发泡PP复合材料比较,EPDM的加入能够拓宽发泡PP复合材料的发泡温度窗口,发泡温度范围为180~195℃。

ABS高胶粉对发泡聚乳酸复合材料发泡质量及性能的影响

以化学发泡为主线,制备了发泡聚乳酸(PLA)复合材料,通过差示扫描量热分析、扫描电镜、动态力学热分析、热重分析等,研究了ABS高胶粉(ABSHR)对发泡PLA复合材料发泡质量、力学性能的影响规律。结果表明,随着ABSHR含量的增加,发泡PLA/ABSHR复合材料的结晶性能增强、熔体强度提高,发泡PLA复合材料的发泡质量明显改善;添加20%ABSHR的发泡PLA复合材料,其冲击强度达到14.31kJ/m^2,比未添加ABSHR的发泡PLA复合材料提高了221.6%;ABSHR的加入显著提高了发泡体系的热稳定性,拓宽了聚乳酸的应用范围。

Mass transfer model,preparation and applications of zeolite membranes for pervaporation dehydration:A review

Pervaporation(including vapor permeation) is a kind of new membrane separation technology, possessing the advantages of high efficiency, energy saving and convenient operation. It has promising application in the separation and purification of organic solvents. Dehydration is an important step in the production and recovery of organic solvents. Zeolite membranes have attracted wide attention for pervaporation dehydration due to their high separation performance and good thermal/chemical stability. So far, zeolite membranes have been preliminarily industrialized for dehydration of organic solvents. This paper reviews the recent development of zeolite membranes for pervaporation dehydration, including mass transfer models, preparation and applications of zeolite membranes. The review also discusses the current industrial applications of zeolite membranes and their future development in pervaporation.

Chondroitinase ABC plus bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells for repair of spinal cord injury

As chondroitinase ABC can improve the hostile microenvironment and cell transplantation is proven to be effective after spinal cord injury, we hypothesized that their combination would be a more effective treatment option. At 5 days after T8 spinal cord crush injury, rats were injected with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell suspension or chondroitinase ABC 1 mm from the edge of spinal cord damage zone. Chondroitinase ABC was first injected, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell suspension was injected on the next day in the combination group. At 14 days, the mean Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan score of the rats in the combination group was higher than other groups. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the necrotic area was significantly reduced in the combination group compared with other groups. Glial fibrillary acidic protein-chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan double staining showed that the damage zone of astrocytic scars was significantly reduced without the cavity in the combination group. Glial fibrillary acidic protein/growth associated protein-43 double immunostaining revealed that positive fibers traversed the damage zone in the combination group. These results suggest that the combination of chondroitinase ABC and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation contributes to the repair of spinal cord injury.

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1 regulates neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of schizophrenia-like mice

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor hypofunction is the basis of pathophysiology in schizophrenia. Blocking the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor impairs learning and memory abilities and induces pathological changes in the brain. Previous studies have paid little attention to the role of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1 (NR1) in neurogenesis in the hippocampus of schizophrenia. A mouse model of schizophrenia was established by intraperitoneal injection of 0.6 mg/kg MK-801, once a day, for 14 days. In N-methyl-D-aspartate-treated mice, N-methyl-D-aspartate was administered by intracerebroventricular injection in schizophrenia mice on day 15. The number of NR1-, Ki67- or BrdU-immunoreactive cells in the dentate gyrus was measured by immunofluorescence staining. Our data showed the number of NR1-immunoreactive cells increased along with the decreasing numbers of BrdU- and Ki67-immunoreactive cells in the schizophrenia groups compared with the control group. N-methyl-D-aspartate could reverse the above changes. These results indicated that NR1 can regulate neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus of schizophrenia mice, supporting NR1 as a promising therapeutic target in the treatment of schizophrenia. This study was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of the Ningxia Medical University, China (approval No. 2014-014) on March 6, 2014.

Two-year outcomes of ab interno trabeculectomy with the Trabectome for Chinese primary open angle glaucoma： a retrospective multicenter study

AIM： To evaluate the 2-year efficacy and safety of ab interno trabeculectomy with the Trabectome in Chinese primary open angle glaucoma （POAG） patients. METHODS： This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational study and included POAG patients with or without visually-significant cataracts. The Chinese patients were enrolled from three glaucoma centers and a group of comparable Japanese POAG patients was analyzed from our international Trabectome database. The patients received Trabectome or a combined surgery with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. The primary outcome was intraocular pressure （IOP） reduction. Secondary outcomes included reduction of glaucoma medications, surgical complications, and success at 2y. Success was defined as： 1） IOP≤21 mm Hg and at least 20% IOP reduction from baseline after 3mo at any two consecutive visits; 2） no additional glaucoma surgery required. RESULTS： A total of 42 Chinese POAG patients from three glaucoma centers were enrolled. Twelve patients underwent Trabectome surgery combined with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation while the remainder underwent Trabectome surgery alone. Thirteen patients had a history of failed glaucoma surgery and were considered as complicated cases. In China data, the mean preoperative IOP was 21.4±1.23 mm Hg. The Trabectome lowered IOP to 17.9±1.8 mm Hg at 2y （P=0.05）. The number of glaucoma medications also decreased significantly from a baseline of 2.0±0.9 to 1.1±0.8 at 2y post-surgery （P=0.04）. The overall 2-year success rate was 78%, with patients undergoing combined surgery having a higher success rate compared with those undergoing Trabectome surgery alone （100% vs 76%）. In Japan data, the mean preoperative IOP was 20.8±7.7 mm Hg. The Trabectome lowered IOP to 12.20±2.0 mm Hg at 2y. The number of glaucoma medications also decreased significantly from a baseline of 2.1±0.9 to 3.4±0.6 at 2y post-surgery. In all patients, no major complications were seen. CONCLUSION： Surgery with the Trabectome appears to be an efficient and safe procedure in Chinese POAG patients in the long-term.

Determination of Total Flavonoids in Leaves of Paliurus ramosissimus and Orthogonal Experiment Optimization Process

[Objectives] To screen the optimal extraction conditions of flavonoids from leaves of Paliurus ramosissimus( Lour.) Poir.,measure the content of flavonoids in leaves of P. ramosissimus. using the Microplate Reader,and provide experimental basis for the development of medicinal resources of P. ramosissimus. [Methods] The ultrasonic extraction method was adopted and orthogonal design was carried out to study the effects of ethanol concentration( A),ultrasonic time( B),the solid-to-liquid ratio( C) on the extraction of flavonoids from leaves of P. ramosissimus. The Microplate Reader was used to measure the content of flavonoids in leaves of P. ramosissimus. in different extraction conditions,P. ramosissimus. and the optimal extraction conditions were used to measure the content of flavonoids from leaves of P. ramosissimus.[Results]Effects of the ultrasonic extraction method on the extraction rate of flavonoids from leaves of P. ramosissimus: extraction times >ethanol concentration > Ultrasound time > solid-liquid ratio. The screened optimal extraction process was: ethanol concentration of 65%,the solid-to-liquid ratio of 1∶ 25,ultrasonic time of 2 h and extraction times Under this condition,the extraction rate of total flavonoids in leaves of P. ramosissimus. was 2. 56%. [Conclusions] This method is simple and feasibility,reliable,and suitable for rapid measurement with large samples.

Vestigial like family member 3 is a novel prognostic biomarker for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Vestigial like family member 3(VGLL3)is associated with the prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer and soft tissue sarcoma,but its role in gastric cancer(GC)is unclear.AIM To explore the expression pattern and clinical significance of VGLL3 in GC.METHODS Integrative analysis was performed on the GC transcriptome profiles and survival information deposited in the ONCOMINE,GEPIA,and ONCOLNC databases.The expression levels of VGLL3 mRNA and protein were analyzed in the freshly resected tumor and normal gastric tissues from GC patients by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot,respectively.In addition,the in situ expression of VGLL3 in the GC tissues was determined by immunohistochemistry(IHC),and the patients were accordingly classified into the high and low expression groups.The correlation of VGLL3 expression status with patient prognosis was then determined by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses.RESULTS Analysis of the ONCOMINE and GEPIA databases showed that VGLL3 was significantly up-regulated in GC tissues(P=0.003),and associated with the tumor TNM stage(P=0.0163).The high VGLL3 expression group had a significantly worse prognosis compared to the low expression group,as per both GEPIA(P=0.0057)and ONCOLNC(P=0.01).The bioinformatics results were validated by the significantly higher VGLL3 mRNA and protein levels in the GC tissues compared to the adjacent normal tissues(P<0.001)in a cohort of 30 GC patients.Furthermore,high in situ expression of VGLL3 protein was associated with more advanced N and TNM stages and HER2 mutation(P<0.05)in a cohort of 172 patients.Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the high VGLL3 expression group had a worse prognosis compared to the low expression group(P=0.019).Multivariate analysis showed that VGLL3 expression status was an independent risk factor for prognosis.In addition,the prognostic risk model nomogram showed that VGLL3 was the most important indicator,with an area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve(AUC)of 0.613 for 3-year survival and 0.706 for 5-year survival.Finally,the protein interaction network analysis revealed that VGLL3 is likely involved in the Hippo signaling pathway.CONCLUSION VGLL3 is overexpressed in GC tissues and associated with a poor prognosis,indicating its potential as a novel prognosis biomarker and therapeutic target for GC.

Efficacy and safety of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty for primary open angle glaucoma

AIM: To evaluate the efficiency and safety of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty(MLT) for primary open angle glaucoma(POAG) patients. METHODS: Retrospective study. POAG patients undergoing MLT in Peking University Third Hospital from June 2016 to November 2017. Seventy-two eyes of 72 POAG patients were enrolled. Only one eye of each patient was treated by MLT. The intraocular pressure(IOP) before MLT and at 1 d, 1, 4, 12 and 24 wk and glaucoma medication before and after treatment were compared.RESULTS: The IOP was 20.6±5.9 mm Hg before MLT and 20.8±6.8 mm Hg at 2 h after MTL. The IOP at 1 d, 1, 4, 12 and 24 wk was 17.9±4.4, 18.0±4.3, 17.5±3.4, 17.0±2.7, and 16.5±2.9 mm Hg, respectively. The IOP before and after MLT demonstrated a statistically significant difference by ANOVA analyses(F=5.797, P<0.001). Least significant difference t-tests showed there was no statistically significant difference between pre-MLT IOP within 2 h after MLT(P=0.207). The statistically significant difference was confirmed between the pre-MLT IOP at 1 d, 1, 4, 12 and 24 wk after MLT(P=0.006, 0.009, 0.001, <0.001, <0.001, respectively). The number of glaucoma medications before MLT was 1.7±1.4 and 1.5±1.4 24 wk after MLT with a significantly statistical difference(t=2.219, P=0.031)CONCLUSION: MLT is effective and safe for POAG patients. No patient experienced IOP spikes after MLT. The IOP 6 mo after treatment decreased significantly with less glaucoma medication.

Elevated urine formaldehyde in elderly patients with primary open angle glaucoma

AIM：To investigate the risk factor of primary open angle glaucoma（POAG）,which is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.An abnormally high level of endogenous formaldehyde（FA） has recently been found correlated with cell death and neurodegenerative disease,raising the possibility of a putative correlation of abnormal endogenous FA with POAG.· METHODS：Thirty-four elderly patients with POAG and sixteen healthy controls were enrolled.Glaucomatous visual defects were present at both the functional（visual field） and structural[retinal nerve fiber layer（RNFL）thickness]levels.Morning urine samples were obtained and were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） to detect the endogenous FA level in a double blind manner.· RESULTS：Patients with POAG（P 〈0.05） had significantly higher urine FA levels.The urine FA level of patients with severe visual field defects[mean deviation（MD）≥12 dB]was significantly（P〈0.001） greater than that of patients with mild to moderate defects（MD〈12 dB）.By optical coherence tomography（OCT）,the superior and inferior RNFL thickness of POAG group was significantly（P〈0.001） thinner than in controls.Furthermore,the superior and inferior thinning of the RNFL was correlated with the elevation of urine FA concentration.CONCLUSION：Endogenous FA level is positively correlated with the neuronal defects of POAG.

Improvement of deformation capacity of gas-atomized hypereutectic Al-Si alloy powder by annealing treatment

Gas-atomized pure metal or alloy powders are widely used as raw material in the preparation of high performance materials by powder metallurgy route（compaction and sintering）. However, cold compactibility of gas-atomized Al-Si alloy powder is inhibited due to the high strength as a result of the refined Si phases and the supersaturated Al matrix. The effect of annealing on improving the compactibility of Al-Si alloy powder was studied. The densification was investigated by the HECKEL compaction equation in terms of deformation capacity. Moreover, the microstructures and bending fracture surfaces of the green compacts were examined to clarify the densification behavior. The results show that a maximum relative density of 96.1% is obtained when the powder is annealed at 400 °C. The deformation capacity is significantly improved by annealing treatment due to the softening of Al matrix, precipitation of supersaturated Si phases, dissolution of needle-like eutectic phase, and spheroidization of Si phases.

Pseudothrombus deposition accompanied with minimal change nephrotic syndrome and chronic kidney disease in a patient with Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia: A case report

BACKGROUND Waldenstr?m’s macroglobulinemia(WM) is a rare lymphoid neoplasia, which can have renal complications. These rarely occur, and most common renal manifestations are mild proteinuria and microscopic hematuria. Herein we describe a case of WM that presented with pseudothrombi depositing in capillaries associated with minimal change nephrotic syndrome and chronic kidney disease(CKD).CASE SUMMARY A 52-year-old man presented with features suggesting nephrotic syndrome.Extensive workups were done, and there were elevated serum levels of interleukin-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF), capillary pseudothrombus accumulation associated with minimal change nephrotic syndrome, CKD, and WM. Treatment was directed at the patient’s WM with bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone whereby serum immunoglobulin M(IgM) decreased. The damage of IgM on the kidney was corrected; thus, the patient’s proteinuria and serum creatinine had improved. The patient is still under clinical follow-up.CONCLUSION It is essential for clinicians to promptly pay more attention to patients presenting with features of nephrotic syndrome and do extensive workups to come up with a proper therapy strategy.