Nomogram prediction of vessels encapsulating tumor clusters in small hepatocellular carcinoma≤3 cm based on enhanced magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND Vessels encapsulating tumor clusters(VETC)represent a recently discovered vascular pattern associated with novel metastasis mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,it seems that no one have focused on predicting VETC status in small HCC(sHCC).This study aimed to develop a new nomogram for predicting VETC positivity using preoperative clinical data and image features in sHCC(≤3 cm)patients.AIM To construct a nomogram that combines preoperative clinical parameters and image features to predict patterns of VETC and evaluate the prognosis of sHCC patients.METHODS A total of 309 patients with sHCC,who underwent segmental resection and had their VETC status confirmed,were included in the study.These patients were recruited from three different hospitals:Hospital 1 contributed 177 patients for the training set,Hospital 2 provided 78 patients for the test set,and Hospital 3 provided 54 patients for the validation set.Independent predictors of VETC were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic analyses.These independent predictors were then used to construct a VETC prediction model for sHCC.The model’s performance was evaluated using the area under the curve(AUC),calibration curve,and clinical decision curve.Additionally,Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to confirm whether the predicted VETC status by the model is associated with early recurrence,just as it is with the actual VETC status and early recurrence.RESULTS Alpha-fetoprotein_lg10,carbohydrate antigen 199,irregular shape,non-smooth margin,and arterial peritumoral enhancement were identified as independent predictors of VETC.The model incorporating these predictors demonstrated strong predictive performance.The AUC was 0.811 for the training set,0.800 for the test set,and 0.791 for the validation set.The calibration curve indicated that the predicted probability was consistent with the actual VETC status in all three sets.Furthermore,the decision curve analysis demonstrated the clinical benefits of our model for patients with sHCC.Finally,early recurrence was more likely to occur in the VETC-positive group compared to the VETC-negative group,regardless of whether considering the actual or predicted VETC status.CONCLUSION Our novel prediction model demonstrates strong performance in predicting VETC positivity in sHCC(≤3 cm)patients,and it holds potential for predicting early recurrence.This model equips clinicians with valuable information to make informed clinical treatment decisions.

Numerical investigation of the shockwave overpressure fields of multi-sources FAE explosions

Shockwaves from fuel-air explosive(FAE)cloud explosions may cause significant casualties.The ground overpressure field is usually used to evaluate the damage range of explosion shockwaves.In this paper,a finite element model of multi-sources FAE explosion is established to simulate the process of multiple shockwaves propagation and interaction.The model is verified with the experimental data of a fourfoldsource FAE explosion,with the total fuel mass of 340 kg.Simulation results show that the overpressure fields of multi-sources FAE explosions are different from that of the single-source.In the case of multisources,the overpressure fields are influenced significantly by source scattering distance and source number.Subsequently,damage ranges of overpressure under three different levels are calculated.Within a suitable source scattering distance,the damage range of multi-sources situation is greater than that of the single-source,under the same amount of total fuel mass.This research provides a basis for personnel shockwave protection from multi-sources FAE explosion.

Crystal melting processes of propylene carbonate and 1,3-propanediol investigated by the reed-vibration mechanical spectroscopy for liquids

The melting of crystals is one of the most common and general phase transition phenomena.However, the mechanism of crystal melting is not well understood, and more experimental measurements and explorations are still needed.The mechanical spectra of propylene carbonate and 1,3-propanediol during the crystal melting processes are measured by the reed vibration mechanical spectroscopy for liquids(RMS-L) for the first time.The experimental results show that as the temperature increases, the real part of the complex Young modulus first decreases slowly, and then quickly drops to zero;meanwhile, its imaginary part increases slowly at first, then goes up and drops quickly to zero, showing a peak of internal friction.Preliminary analyses indicate that both the real and imaginary parts can present some characteristics of the melting process, such as the transition from the disconnected liquid regions to the connected liquid regions, that from the connected crystal regions to the disconnected crystal regions, and so on.In addition, the results show that the melting rate per unit volume of crystalline phase versus temperature satisfies the Arrhenius relation at the initial stage of melting, and deviates from this relation as the temperature increases to a certain value.Therefore, the RMS-L will provide an effective supplement for the further study of melting.

Measurement scheme to detect α relaxation time of glass-forming liquid

A measurement scheme for detecting theαrelaxation time(τ)of glass-forming liquid is proposed,which is based on the measured ionic conductivity of the liquid doped with probing ions by low-and middle-frequency dielectric spectroscopy and according to the Nernst-Einstein,Stokes-Einstein,and Maxwell equations.The obtainedτvalues of glycerol and propylene carbonate by the scheme are consistent with those obtained by traditional dielectric spectroscopy,which confirms its reliability and accuracy.Moreover,theτof 1,2-propanediol in a larger temperature range is compared with existing data.

Modelling Debye Dielectric Relaxation in Monohydroxy Alcohols

The Debye relaxation of dielectric spectroscopy exists extensively in monohydroxy alcohols.We model the relaxation based on the infinite-pseudospin-chain Ising model and the Glauber dynamics,and the corresponding complex permittivity is obtained.The model results are in good agreement with the experimental data of 3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol,2-ethyl-1-hexanol and 5-methyl-2-hexanol in a wide temperature range.Moreover,in the model parameters,the sum of the mean-field interaction energy and two times the orientation is nearly twice the hydrogen bond energy,which further states the rationality of this model.

Rice roots avoid asymmetric heavy metal and salinity stress via an RBOH-ROS-auxin signaling cascade

Root developmental plasticity is crucial for plants to adapt to a changing soil environment,where nutrients and abiotic stress factors are distributed heterogeneously.How plant roots sense and avoid heterogeneous abiotic stress in soil remains unclear.Here,we show that,in response to asymmetric stress of heavy metals(cadmium,copper,or lead)and salt,rice roots rapidly proliferate lateral roots(LRs)in the stress-free area,thereby remodeling root architecture to avoid localized stress.Imaging and quantitative analyses of reactive oxygen species(ROS)showed that asymmetric stress induces a ROS burst in the tips of the exposed roots and simultaneously triggers rapid systemic ROS signaling to the unexposed roots.Addition of a ROS scavenger to either the stressed or stress-free area abolished systemic ROS signaling and LR proliferation induced by asymmetric stress.Asymmetric stress also enhanced cytosolic calcium(Ca^(2+))signaling;blocking Ca^(2+)signaling inhibited systemic ROS propagation and LR branching in the stress-free area.We identified two plasma-membrane-localized respiratory burst oxidase homologs,OsRBOHA and OsRBOHI,as key players in systemic ROS signaling under asymmetric stress.Expression of OsRBOHA and OsRBOHI in roots was upregulated by Cd stress,and knockout of either gene reduced systemic ROS signaling and LR proliferation under asymmetric stress.Furthermore,we demonstrated that auxin signaling and cell wall remodeling act downstream of the systemic ROS signaling to promote LR development.Collectively,our study reveals an RBOH-ROS-auxin signaling cascade that enables rice roots to avoid localized stress of heavy metals and salt and provides new insight into root system plasticity in heterogenous soil.