Microstructure and mechanical properties of Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.22C investment castings by current solution treatment

This study examined the impact of current solution treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.22C alloy investment castings.The findings reveal that the current solution treatment significantly promotes the dissolution of carbides at a lower temperature.The optimal conditions for solution treatment are determined as a solution temperature of 1,125°C and a holding time of 5.0 min.Under these parameters,the size and volume fraction of precipitated phases in the investment castings are measured as6.2μm and 1.1vol.%.The yield strength,ultimate tensile strength,and total elongation of the Co-28Cr-6Mo-0.22C investment castings are 535 MPa,760 MPa,and 12.6%,respectively.These values exceed those obtained with the conventional solution treatment at 1,200°C for 4.0 h.The findings suggest a phase transformation of M_(23)C_(6)→σ+C following the current solution treatment at 1,125°C for 5.0 min.In comparison,the traditional solution treatment at 1,200°C for 4.0 h leads to the formation of M_(23)C_(6)and M_(6)C carbides.It is noteworthy that the non-thermal effect of the current during the solution treatment modifies the free energy of both the matrix and precipitation phase.This modification lowers the phase transition temperature of the M_(23)C_(6)→σ+C reaction,thereby facilitating the dissolution of carbides.As a result,the current solution treatment approach achieves carbide dissolution at a lower temperature and within a significantly shorter time when compared to the traditional solution treatment methods.

Combining prognostic value of serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and tumor size reduction ratio in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)is a common cancer with increasing morbidity and mortality due to changes of social environment.AIM To evaluate the significance of serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA19-9)and tumor size changes pre-and post-neoadjuvant therapy(NAT).METHODS This retrospective study was conducted at the Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment,Chongqing University Cancer Hospital.This study specifically assessed CA19-9 levels and tumor size before and after NAT.RESULTS A total of 156 patients who completed NAT and subsequently underwent tumor resection were included in this study.The average age was 65.4±10.6 years and 72(46.2%)patients were female.Before survival analysis,we defined the post-NAT serum CA19-9 level/pre-NAT serum CA19-9 level as the CA19-9 ratio(CR).The patients were divided into three groups:CR<0.5,CR>0.5 and<1 and CR>1.With regard to tumor size measured by both computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging,we defined the post-NAT tumor size/pre-NAT tumor size as the tumor size ratio(TR).The patients were then divided into three groups:TR<0.5,TR>0.5 and<1 and TR>1.Based on these groups divided according to CR and TR,we performed both overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS)analyses.Log-rank tests showed that both OS and DFS were significantly different among the groups according to CR and TR(P<0.05).CR and TR after NAT were associated with increased odds of achieving a complete or near-complete pathologic response.Moreover,CR(hazard ratio:1.721,95%CI:1.373-3.762;P=0.006),and TR(hazard ratio:1.435,95%CI:1.275-4.363;P=0.014)were identified as independent factors associated with OS.CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that post-NAT serum CA19-9 level/pre-NAT serum CA19-9 level and post-NAT tumor size/pre-NAT tumor size were independent factors associated with OS in patients with PDAC who received NAT and subsequent surgical resection.

Neural mechanism of acupuncture-modulated gastric motility

AIM: To investigate the acupuncture-modulated gastric motility and its underlying neural mechanism.METHODS: Intragastric pressure and/or waves of gastric contraction in rats were recorded by intrapyloric balloon and changes of gastric motility induced by acupuncture stimulation were compared with the background activity before any stimulation. Gastro-vagal or splanchnic-sympathetic nerves were recorded or cut respectively for investigating the involvement of autonomic nerve pathways. Spinalization experiment was also performed.RESULTS: Acupuncture-stimulation by exciting Aδ and/or C afferent fibers, could only modulate gastric motility. Acupuncture-stimulation on fore- and hind-limbs evoked a moderate gastric motility followed by increased vagus discharges with unchanged sympathetic activity, while the same stimulus to the acupoints in abdomen resulted in reversed effects on gastric motility and autonomic nervous activities. The inhibitory gastric response was completely abolished by splanchnic denervation, but the facilitative gastric response to stimulation of acupoints in limbs was not influenced, which was opposite to the effect when vagotomy was performed. The similar depressive effects were produced by the stimulation at the acupoints homo-segmental to the gastric innervation in the animals with or without spinalization. However, the facilitation induced by the stimulation at the acupoints hetero-segmental to the gastric innervation was not observed in the spinalized animals.CONCLUSION: Facilitative effects of stimulating hetero-segmental acupoints are involved in the intact preparation of vagal nerves and spinal cord, while the inhibitory response induced by stimulating homo-segmental acupoints is involved in the intact preparation of sympathetic nerves. Only the acupuncture-stimulation with intensity over the threshold of Aδ and/or C afferent fibers can markedly modulate gastrointestinal motility.

Effective regularity in modulation on gastric motility induced by different acupoint stimulation

AIM： To investigate whether manual acupuncture at representative acupoints in different parts of the body can modulate responses of gastric motility in rats and regular effects in different acupoint stimulation. METHODS： The gastric motor activity of rats was recorded by the intrapyloric balloon. The changes of gastric motility induced by the stimulation were compared with the background activity in intragastric pressure and/or waves of gastric contraction recorded before any stimulation. Morphological study was also conducted by observing the Evans dye extravasation in the skin after mustard oil injection into the intragastric mucous membrane to certify cutaneous innervations of blue dots related to gastric segmental innervations. RESULTS： In all six rats that received mustard oil injections into intragastric mucosa, small blue dots appeared in the skin over the whole abdomen, but mainly in peri-midline upper- and middle- abdomen and middle-back, a few in thigh and groin. It may speculate that cutaneous innervations of blue dots have the same distribution as gastric segmental innervations. Acustimulation in acupoints of head-neck, four limbs, upper chest-dorsum and Iower-dorsum induced markedly augmentation of gastric motility （acupoints on headneck such as St-2： n = 16, 105.19 ± 1.36 vs 112.25 ± 2.02 and St-3： n = 14, 101.5 ± 1.75 vs 109.36 ± 1.8; acupoints on limbs such as Sp-6： n = 19, 100.74 ± 1.54 vs 110.26 ± 3.88; St-32： n = 17, 103.59 ± 1.64 vs 108.24 ± 2.41; St-36： n = 16, 104.81 ± 1.72 vs 110.81 ± 2.74 and U-11： n = 17, 106.47 ± 2.61 vs 114.77 ± 3.77, P 〈 0.05-0.001）. Vigorous inhibitory regulations of gastric motility induced by acu-stimulation applied in acupoints on whole abdomen and middle-dorsum were significantly different as compared with the controls before acu-stimulation （abdomen acupoints such as Cv-12： n = 11, 109.36 ± 2.09 vs 101 ± 2.21; Cv-6： n = 18, 104.39 ± 1.42 vs 91.83 ± 3.22 and St-21： n = 12, 107 ± 2.97 vs 98.58 ± 2.81; acupoints on middledorsum such as BI-17： n = 19, 100.63 ± 1.4 vs 92.21 ± 2.07 and BI-21： n = 19, 103.84 ± 1.48 vs 97.58 ± 2.16, P 〈 0.05-0.001）. CONCLUSION： Regular regulatory effects of facilitation and inhibition on gastric motility appear to be somatotopically organized in the acupoints of whole body, and the effective regularity of site-special acupoints on gastric motility is involved in segmental innervations between stomach and acupoints.

白藜芦醇对青光眼大鼠视神经损伤的保护作用及其机制

目的:分析白藜芦醇对青光眼大鼠视神经的保护作用及对磷脂酰肌醇3激酶(PI3K)/蛋白激酶B(Akt)信号通路及其相关因子的影响。方法:SPF级SD大鼠以烧灼巩膜表面静脉法制作右眼青光眼模型,建模成功后以不同剂量(10、20、40mg/kg腹腔注射)白藜芦醇干预,末次给药后2h检测各组大鼠眼压,进行视网膜铺片观察视网膜神经节细胞(RGC)存活情况,采用实时荧光定量PCR及Western blot法检测视网膜PI3K、Akt、碱性成纤维细胞生长因子(bFGF)、脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)mRNA及蛋白表达情况。结果:模型组眼压(30.25±4.25mmHg)高于低剂量组(26.30±4.05mmHg)、中剂量组(22.31±3.68mmHg)和高剂量组(18.32±3.21mmHg),模型组RGC标识率(48.25%±4.50%)低于低剂量组(56.32%±5.05%)、中剂量组(66.03%±6.68%)和高剂量组(78.56%±7.82%)(均P<0.05),且低、中、高剂量组眼压呈剂量依赖性下降,RGC标识率呈剂量依赖性升高。模型组p-PI3K/PI3K、p-Akt/Akt蛋白比值及bFGF、BDNF mRNA和蛋白相对表达量低于低剂量组、中剂量组和高剂量组(均P<0.05),且低剂量组、中剂量组、高剂量组呈剂量依赖性升高。结论:白藜芦醇能抑制青光眼大鼠RGC的凋亡,减轻视神经损伤,其机制可能与上调PI3K/Akt信号通路中相关蛋白的磷酸化及视神经保护作用因子基因与蛋白的表达有关。

Incidence trend of nasopharyngeal carcinoma from 1987 to 2011 in Sihui County,Guangdong Province,South China:an age-period-cohort analysis

Introduction:In the past several decades,declining incidences of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) have been observed in Chinese populations in Hong Kong,Taiwan,Los Angeles,and Singapore.A previous study indicated that the incidence of NPC in Sihui County,South China remained stable until 2002,but whether age,diagnosis period,and birth cohort affect the incidence of NPC remains unknown.Methods:Age-standardized rates(ASRs) of NPC incidence based on the world standard population were examined in both males and females in Sihui County from 1987 to 2011.Joinpoint regression analysis was conducted to quantify the changes in incidence trends.A Poisson regression age-period-cohort model was used to assess the effects of age,diagnosis period,and birth cohort on the risk of NPC.Results:The ASRs of NPC incidence during the study period were 30.29/100,000 for males and 13.09/100,000 for females.The incidence of NPC remained stable at a non-significant average annual percent change of 0.2%for males and-1.6%for females throughout the entire period.A significantly increased estimated annual percent change of 6.8%(95%confidence interval,0.1%-14.0%) was observed from 2003 to 2009 for males.The relative risk of NPC increased with advancing age up to 50-59 and decreased at ages >60 years.The period effect curves on NPC were nearly flat for males and females.The birth cohort effect curve for males showed an increase from the1922 cohort to the 1957 cohort and a decrease thereafter.In females,there was an undulating increase in the relative risk from the 1922 cohort to the 1972 cohort.Conclusions:The incidence trends for NPC remained generally stable in Sihui from 1987 to 2011,with an increase from 2003 to 2009.The relative risks of NPC increased in younger females.

Trends in the survival of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma between 1976 and 2005 in Sihui, China: a population-based study

Both the incidence a nd mortality of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC) have decreased in Hong Kong and Taiwan but not in China's Mainland. The goal of this study was to analyze trends in NPC patient survival between 1976 and 2005 in Sihui, an area of China's Mainland with a population at high risk for NPC. A total of 1,761 patients diagnosed with NPC between 1976 and 2005 according to the records of Sihui Cancer Registry were followed to the end of 2006. We determined their observed and relative survival rates and used Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to predict prognosis. Our results showed that the 5-year and 10-year observed survival rates of NPC patients in Sihui were 50.5% and 36.9% , respectively, and the median survival time was 5.1 years. The 5-year observed survival rate of NPC patients diagnosed after 2000 was 69.8%, significantly higher than that of patients diagnosed between 1976 and 1985 (42.5% ; P<0.001, relative risk=0.28). Similarly, the 5-year relative survival rate was 84.8% between 2000 and 2005 but 51.8% between 1976 and 1985. Besides date of diagnosis, other prognostic factors included patient sex and age and NPC clinical stage and histologic type. The relative risks of death from NPC were 0.76 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65-0.90] for female comparing to male and 1.28 (95% CI: 1.00-1.64) for WHO type I comparing to WHO types II and III. For the eldest age group and the latest clinical stage group, the relative risks were 2.22 (95% CI: 1.73-2.84) and 3.41 (95% CI: 2.34-4.49), respectively. Our results indicate that the survival of NPC patients in Sihui has significantly increased in recent years and this increase is not influenced by patient's sex, age, histologic type, and clinical stage. A reduction in mortality rate is expected in coming years.

Molecular Characteristics,Functions,and Related Pathogenicity of MERS-CoV Proteins

Middle East respiratory syndrome(MERS)is a viral respiratory disease caused by a de novo coronavirus—MERS-CoV—that is associated with high mortality.However,the mechanism by which MERS-CoV infects humans remains unclear.To date,there is no effective vaccine or antibody for human immunity and treatment,other than the safety and tolerability of the fully human polyclonal Immunoglobulin G(IgG)antibody(SAB-301)as a putative therapeutic agent specific for MERS.Although rapid diagnostic and public health measures are currently being implemented,new cases of MERS-CoV infection are still being reported.Therefore,various effective measures should be taken to prevent the serious impact of similar epidemics in the future.Further investigation of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of the virus,as well as the development of effective therapeutic and prophylactic anti-MERS-CoV infections,is necessary.For this purpose,detailed information on MERS-CoV proteins is needed.In this review,we describe the major structural and nonstructural proteins of MERS-CoV and summarize different potential strategies for limiting the outbreak of MERS-CoV.The combination of computational biology and virology can accelerate the advanced design and development of effective peptide therapeutics against MERS-CoV.In summary,this review provides important information about the progress of the elimination of MERS,from prevention to treatment.

Secular trend analysis of lung cancer incidence in Sihui city,China between 1987 and 2011

Background:With industrial and economic development in recent decades in South China,cancer incidence may have changed due to the changing lifestyle and environment.However,the trends of lung cancer and the roles of smoking and other environmental risk factors in the development of lung cancer in rural areas of South China remain unclear.The purpose of this study was to explore the lung cancer incidence trends and the possible causes of these trends.Methods:Joinpoint regression analysis and the age-period-cohort(APC) model were used to analyze the lung cancer incidence trends in Sihui,Guangdong province,China between 1987 and 2011,and explore the possible causes of these trends.Results:A total of 2,397 lung cancer patients were involved in this study.A 3-fold increase in the incidence of lung cancer in both sexes was observed over the 25-year period.Joinpoint regression analysis showed that while the incidence continued to increase steadily in females during the entire period,a sharp acceleration was observed in males starting in 2005.The full APC model was selected to describe age,period,and birth cohort effects on lung cancer incidence trends in Sihui.The age cohorts in both sexes showed a continuously significant increase in the relative risk(RR)of lung cancer,with a peak in the eldest age group(80-84 years).The RR of lung cancer showed a fluctuating curve in both sexes.The birth cohorts identified an increased trend in both males and females;however,males had a plateau in the youngest cohorts who were born during 1955-1969.Conclusions:Increasing trends of the incidence of lung cancer in Sihui were dominated by the effects of age and birth cohorts.Social aging,smoking,and environmental changes may play important roles in such trends.

Preparation of Polyclonal Antibody against Human MxA Protein and Its Specificity to Diversified Myxovirus Resistant Protein A

Objective To study the human myxovirus resistant protein A （MxA）, a specifically induced peptide by interferon I, and to use its level as a diagnostic criterion for viral infections. Methods Anti-MxA antisera from immunized mice were prepared with the expressed MxA protein of pET32a-MxA in E. coli BL-21（DE3）. To confirm the antiserum activity and specificity, the expression product of BL21, wild type MxA pEGFP-CI-wMxA and site-directed mutant MxA pEGFP-Cl-mMxA（N589S） stably transfected 3T3 cells and induced A549 cells were detected by Western blot with the antisera using non-MxA transfected or non-IFN-[3 induced cells, intact A549, NIH 3T3 cells transfected with pEGFP-CI and pET32a （＋）-transformed BL-21 as controls. Results The antisera had specific positive immunoreactivity to the NIH3T3 cells transformed with pEGFP-CI-wMxA and pEGFP-CI-mMxA, INF-β induced A549 cells and BL21 proteins expressed with pET32a （＋）-MxA. The hybridization signals from IFN-β induced A549 cells depended on the IFN-β inducing concentrations. Meanwhile, immunohistochemical assay showed that NIH 3T3 cells with pEGFP-C 1-wMxA and pEGFP-C 1-mMxA had 〉 98% of positive cells at 1：50 dilution of the serum and A549 cells induced by 20 ng/mL IFN-[3 for 48 h showed 95% positive cells. pEGFP-Cl-transfected NIH 3T3 cells were all negative. Conclusion Anti-sera are highly specific to diversified MxAs. The antibody is detectable by Western blot, immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence assay.

Three-dimensional hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbon from water hyacinth as selenium host for high-performance lithium-selenium batteries

Hierarchically porous nitrogen-doped carbon(HPNC) with interconnected micro-,meso-,and macropores was generated from KOH and urea etching as a carbon scaffold to infuse Se.In this structure,micropores confine Se as single-chain molecules,preventing the generation of higher-order polyselenides,the mesopores provide effective pathways for electrolyte diffusion and ion transport and offer sufficient void space to accommodate the volume change of Se upon lithiation/delithiation,and the doped nitrogen improves the electrical conductivity of HPNC and increases the utilization of Se.When applied as a scaffold for Se in a lithium-selenium battery,the Se/HPNC cathode with a large Se content of 67.6 wt% maintains a high discharge capacity of 410 mAh·g^(-1) at the 500 th cycle at1.0 C,and it demonstrates a discharge capacity as high as371 mAh·g^(-1) even at a high current density of 5.0 C.Moreover,when the current density returns to 0.2 C,the discharge capacity recovers to 527 mAh·g^(-1) with a capacity retention rate of 90.5% for the first 0.2 C,indicating the excellent structural stability of HPNC.HPNC has significant potential for application in energy storage systems.

Serum fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) levels are associated with atherogenic dyslipidemia in patients with type 2 diabetes

To the Editor:Type 2 diabetes(T2D)is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia caused by multiple etiologies.[1]Long-term hyperglycemia causes microvascular and macrovascular damage and lipid metabolism disorders in T2D patients,which can lead to atherosclerosis.[1]About two-thirds of patients with T2D die of cardiovascular complications,mainly atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.[2]The overall prevalence of macrovascular complications in T2D is approximately 32%.[3]There are no clinical indicators that can accurately predict the cardiovascular complications of T2D.The early detection of biomarkers for atherogenic dyslipidemia in patients with T2D can realize the early identification of diabetic macrovascular disease,which is of great significance for early intervention,improvement of clinical prognosis,and reduction of disability mortality and economic burden.Fibroblast growth factor 19(FGF19)is a hormone secreted by the distal small intestine which regulates lipid and glucose metabolism.However,it is unclear whether FGF19 functions in the progression of T2D to atherogenic dyslipidemia.In humans,some studies have investigated the relationship between circulating FGF19 and the presence of coronary artery disease(CAD),and have also proved the association between FGF19 and the development of major cardiovascular adverse events in stable CAD.[4,5]Our previous studies also showed that FGF19 could predict the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis in men with T2D.[6]In this study,we aimed to investigate the relationship between FGF19 and the risk of atherogenic dyslipidemia in patients with T2D and to explore whether FGF19 can be a biomarker for early diagnosis of atherogenic dyslipidemia in patients with T2D.

Prostaglandin E2 promotes hematopoietic development from human embryonic stem cells

Recent studies have suggested that prostaglan-din(PG)E2(PGE2)and the prostaglandin pathway are essential for hematopoietic stem cell growth and develop-ment.However,similar studies on hematopoietic commit-ment from human embryonic stem cells(hESCs)are still limited.Here we report that the addition of PGE2 promotes hematopoietic differentiation of hESCs.The induced cells from hESCs/OP9 co-culture and in the presence of PGE2 were characterized by reverse transcription-PCR(RT-PCR),flow cytometry,colony-forming assays and Wright-Giemsa staining.Our results demonstrated that PGE2 exposure could alter the gene expression pattern and morphology of co-cultured hESCs and resulted in a robust hematopoietic differentiation with higher frequencies of CD34+and CD45+cells.Furthermore,the Smad signaling pathway may be involved in PGE2 and OP9 induced hematopoietic differentiation of hESCs.This research may improve our knowledge of stem cell regulation and hopefully lead to better stem cell-based therapeutic options.