Approach to cardiac masses: Thinking inside and outside the box

In this editorial we comment on the article by Huffaker et al,published in the current issue of the World Journal of Clinical Cases.Cardiac masses encompass a broad range of lesions,potentially involving any cardiac structure,and they can be either neoplastic or non-neoplastic.Primitive cardiac tumors are rare,while metastases and pseudotumors are relatively common.Cardiac masses frequently pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.Multimodality imaging is fundamental for differential diagnosis,treatment,and surgical planning.In particular cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR)is currently the gold standard for noninvasive tissue characterization.CMR allows evaluation of the relationship between the tumor and adjacent structures,detection of the degree of infiltration or expansion of the mass,and prediction of the possible malignancy of a mass with a high accuracy.Different flow charts of diagnostic work-up have been proposed,based on clinical,laboratory and imaging findings,with the aim of helping physicians approach the problem in a pragmatic way(“thinking inside the box”).However,the clinical complexity of cancer patients,in particular those with rare syndromes,requires a multidisciplinary approach and an open mind to go beyond flow charts and diagnostic algorithms,in other words the ability to“think outside the box”.

Stepped-up development of accelerator mass spectrometry method for the detection of ^(60)Fe with the HI-13 tandem accelerator

The Moon provides a unique environment for investigating nearby astrophysical events such as supernovae.Lunar samples retain valuable information from these events,via detectable long-lived“fingerprint”radionuclides such as^(60)Fe.In this work,we stepped up the development of an accelerator mass spectrometry(AMS)method for detecting^(60)Fe using the HI-13tandem accelerator at the China Institute of Atomic Energy(CIAE).Since interferences could not be sufficiently removed solely with the existing magnetic systems of the tandem accelerator and the following Q3D magnetic spectrograph,a Wien filter with a maximum voltage of±60 kV and a maximum magnetic field of 0.3 T was installed after the accelerator magnetic systems to lower the detection background for the low abundance nuclide^(60)Fe.A 1μm thick Si_(3)N_(4) foil was installed in front of the Q3D as an energy degrader.For particle detection,a multi-anode gas ionization chamber was mounted at the center of the focal plane of the spectrograph.Finally,an^(60)Fe sample with an abundance of 1.125×10^(-10)was used to test the new AMS system.These results indicate that^(60)Fe can be clearly distinguished from the isobar^(60)Ni.The sensitivity was assessed to be better than 4.3×10^(-14)based on blank sample measurements lasting 5.8 h,and the sensitivity could,in principle,be expected to be approximately 2.5×10^(-15)when the data were accumulated for 100 h,which is feasible for future lunar sample measurements because the main contaminants were sufficiently separated.

Complete kinetic model for esterification reaction of lauric acid with glycerol to synthesize glycerol monolaurate

Glycerol monolaurate(GML)is a widely used industrial chemical with excellent emulsification and antibacterial effect.The direct esterification of glycerol with lauric acid is the main method to synthesize GML.In this work,the kinetic process of direct esterification was systematically studied using p-toluenesulfonic acid as catalyst.A complete kinetic model of consecutive esterification reaction has been established,and the kinetic equation of acid catalysis was deduced.The isomerization reactions of GML and glycerol dilaurate were investigated.It was found that the reaction was an equilibrium reaction and the reaction rate was faster than the esterification reaction.The kinetic equations of the consecutive esterification reaction were obtained by experiments as k_(1)=(276+92261Xcat)exp(-37720/RT)and k_(2)=(80+4413Xcat)exp(-32240/RT).The kinetic results are beneficial to the optimization of operating conditions and reactor design in GML production process.

Litter production and leaf nutrient concentration and remobilization in response to climate seasonality in the central Amazon

Litterfall is the largest source of nutrients to for-est soils of tropical rainforests.However,variability in lit-terfall production,nutrient remobilization,and changes in leaf nutrient concentration with climate seasonality remain largely unknown for the central Amazon.This study meas-ured litterfall production,leaf nutrient remobilization,and leaf area index on a forest plateau in the central Amazon.Litterfall was measured at monthly intervals during 2014,while nitrogen,phosphorus,potassium,calcium and mag-nesium concentrations of leaf litter and canopy leaves were measured in the dry and rainy seasons,and remobilization rates determined.Leaf area index was also recorded in the dry and rainy seasons.Monthly litterfall varied from 33.2(in the rainy season)to 87.6 g m^(-2) in the dry season,while leaf area index increased slightly in the rainy season.Climatic seasonality had no effect on concentrations of nitrogen,calcium,and magnesium,whereas phosphorous and potassium responded to rainfall seasonality oppositely.While phosphorous increased,potassium decreased during the dry season.Over seasons,nitrogen,potassium,and phosphorous decreased in leaf litter;calcium increased in leaf litter,while magnesium remained unaffected with leaf aging.Regardless,the five nutrients had similar remobilization rates over the year.The absence of climate seasonality on nutrient remobilization suggests that the current length of the dry season does not alter nutrient remobilization rates but this may change as dry periods become more prolonged in the future due to climate change.

Evaluating the Effects of Graviton Redshift upon Spiral Galaxy Rotation Curves, Surface Brightness Magnitudes and Gravitational Lensing

The effects of the gravitational redshift of gravitons upon spiral galaxy rotation energy are compared to the standard mass to light analyses in obtaining rotation curves. The derivation of the total baryonic matter compares well with the standard theory and the rotation velocity is matched to a high precision. The stellar mass distributions obtained from the fit with graviton energy loss are used to derive the surface brightness magnitudes for the galaxies, which agree well with the observed measurements. In a new field of investigation, the graviton theory is applied to the observations of gravitational lenses. The results of these applications of the theory suggest that it can augment the standard methods and may eliminate the need for dark matter.

A LOW-REGULARITY FOURIER INTEGRATOR FOR THE DAVEY-STEWARTSON II SYSTEM WITH ALMOST MASS CONSERVATION

In this work,we propose a low-regularity Fourier integrator with almost mass conservation to solve the Davey-StewartsonⅡsystem(hyperbolic-elliptic case).Arbitrary order mass convergence could be achieved by the suitable addition of correction terms,while keeping the first order accuracy in H~γ×H^(γ+1)for initial data in H^(γ+1)×H^(γ+1)withγ>1.The main theorem is that,up to some fixed time T,there exist constantsτ_(0)and C depending only on T and‖u‖_(L^(∞)((0,T);H^(γ+1)))such that,for any 0<τ≤τ_(0),we have that‖u(t_(n),·)-u^(n)‖H_γ≤C_(τ),‖v(t_(n),·)-v^(n)‖_(Hγ+1)≤C_(τ),where u^(n)and v^(n)denote the numerical solutions at t_(n)=nτ.Moreover,the mass of the numerical solution M(u^(n))satisfies that|M(u^(n))-M(u_0)|≤Cτ~5.

Solid pancreatic masses:What’s hidden beneath?Insights into rare pancreatic lesions

The diagnostic approach to solid pancreatic masses has significantly evolved from the era when a focal pancreatic mass was almost synonymous to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma,to a wide spectrum of pancreatic lesions,some of which have good prognosis.With the advent of advanced diagnostic tools,particularly refined imaging and tissue acquisition techniques,a broader spectrum of differential diagnoses has been recognized,encompassing conditions ranging from neuroendocrine tumors or inflammatory masses,to rare entities like metastatic clear cell sarcoma or solitary fibrous tumors.We herein discuss case reports of some rare pancreatic lesions,which were diagnosed by combining clinical and imaging features and endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue sampling and confirmed on surgical specimens.Further reports on these rare pancreatic tumors will contribute to a better understanding of their pathogenesis and effective management.

Numerical analysis on the factors affecting post-peak characteristics of coal under uniaxial compression

The post-peak characteristics of coal serve as a direct reflection of its failure process and are essential parameters for evaluating brittleness and bursting liability.Understanding the significant factors that influence post-peak characteristics can offer valuable insights for the prevention of coal bursts.In this study,the Synthetic Rock Mass method is employed to establish a numerical model,and the factors affecting coal post-peak characteristics are analyzed from four perspectives:coal matrix mechanical parameters,structural weak surface properties,height-to-width ratio,and loading rate.The research identifies four significant influencing factors:deformation modulus,density of discrete fracture networks,height-to-width ratio,and loading rate.The response and sensitivity of post-peak characteristics to single-factor and multi-factor interactions are assessed.The result suggested that feasible prevention and control measures for coal bursts can be formulated through four approaches:weakening the mechanical properties of coal pillars,increasing the number of structural weak surfaces in coal pillars,reducing the width of coal pillars,and optimizing mining and excavation speed.The efficacy of measures aimed at weakening the mechanical properties of coal is successfully demonstrated through a case study on coal burst prevention using large-diameter borehole drilling.

Failure evaluation and control factor analysis of slope block instability along traffic corridor in Southeastern Tibet

The instability of slope blocks occurred frequently along traffic corridor in Southeastern Tibet(TCST),which was primarily controlled by the rock mass structures.A rapid method evaluating the control effects of rock mass structures was proposed through field statistics of the slopes and rock mass structures along TCST,which combined the stereographic projection method,modified M-JCS model,and limit equilibrium theory.The instabilities of slope blocks along TCST were then evaluated rapidly,and the different control factors of instability were analyzed.Results showed that the probabilities of toppling(5.31%),planar(16.15%),and wedge(35.37%)failure of slope blocks along TCST increased sequentially.These instability modes were respectively controlled by the anti-dip joint,the joint parallel to slope surface with a dip angle smaller than the slope angle(singlejoint),and two groups of joints inclined out of the slope(double-joints).Regarding the control effects on slope block instability,the stabilization ability of doublejoints(72.7%),anti-dip joint(67.4%),and single-joint(57.6%)decreased sequentially,resulting in different probabilities of slope block instability.Additionally,nearby regional faults significantly influenced the joints,leading to spatial heterogeneity and segmental clustering in the stabilization ability provided by joints to the slope blocks.Consequently,the stability of slope blocks gradually weakened as they approached the fault zones.This paper can provide guidance and assistance for investigating the development characteristics of rock mass structures and the stability of slope blocks.

Controllable preparation of graphene glass fiber fabric towards mass production and its application in self-adaptive thermal management

Direct synthesis of graphene on nonmetallic substrates via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has become a frontier research realm targeting transfer-free applications of CVD graphene.However,the stable mass production of graphene with a favorable growth rate and quality remains a grand challenge.Herein,graphene glass fiber fabric (GGFF) was successfully developed through the controllable growth of graphene on non-catalytic glass fiber fabric,employing a synergistic binary-precursor CVD strategy to alleviate the dilemma between growth rate and quality.The binary precursors consisted of acetylene and acetone,where acetylene with high decomposition efficiency fed rapid graphene growth while oxygencontaining acetone was adopted for improving the layer uniformity and quality.Notably,the bifurcating introducing-confluent premixing (BI-CP) system was self-built for the controllable introduction of gas and liquid precursors,enabling the stable production of GGFF.GGFF features solar absorption and infrared emission properties,based on which the self-adaptive dual-mode thermal management film was developed.This film can automatically switch between heating and cooling modes by spontaneously perceiving the temperature,achieving excellent thermal management performances with heating and cooling power of~501.2 and~108.6 W m-2,respectively.These findings unlock a new strategy for the large-scale batch production of graphene materials and inspire advanced possibilities for further applications.

Product family modeling technology for customized cosmetic packaging design based on basic-element theory

Background:As the market demands change,SMEs(small and medium-sized enterprises)have long faced many design issues,including high costs,lengthy cycles,and insufficient innovation.These issues are especially noticeable in the domain of cosmetic packaging design.Objective:To explore innovative product family modeling methods and configuration design processes to improve the efficiency of enterprise cosmetic packaging design and develop the design for mass customization.Methods:To accomplish this objective,the basic-element theory has been introduced and applied to the design and development system of the product family.Results:By examining the mapping relationships between the demand domain,functional domain,technology domain,and structure domain,four interrelated models have been developed,including the demand model,functional model,technology model,and structure model.Together,these models form the mechanism and methodology of product family modeling,specifically for cosmetic packaging design.Through an analysis of a case study on men’s cosmetic packaging design,the feasibility of the proposed product family modeling technology has been demonstrated in terms of customized cosmetic packaging design,and the design efficiency has been enhanced.Conclusion:The product family modeling technology employs a formalized element as a module configuration design language,permeating throughout the entire development cycle of cosmetic packaging design,thus facilitating a structured and modularized configuration design process for the product family system.The application of the basic-element principle in product family modeling technology contributes to the enrichment of the research field surrounding cosmetic packaging product family configuration design,while also providing valuable methods and references for enterprises aiming to elevate the efficiency of cosmetic packaging design for the mass customization product model.

Aggressive fibromatosis of the sigmoid colon:A case report

BACKGROUND Aggressive fibromatosis(AF),also known as desmoid tumor or desmoid-type fibromatosis,is a rare soft tissue neoplasm that can occur in almost any part of the body.Although it is a benign disease,AF is aggressive and infiltrative and has a high recurrence rate after surgery.Common sites for intra-abdominal AF are the small bowel mesentery,retroperitoneum,and pelvis.AF in the colon is extremely rare.CASE SUMMARY Here,we report the first case of sigmoid colon AF,which was accidentally discovered in a 27-year-old woman during laparoscopic myomectomy.Computed tomography confirmed a slightly enhanced mass in the sigmoid colon.Subsequent colonoscopy did not reveal a mass in the colonic lumen,but a suspected external compress was found in the sigmoid colon.Surgical disease involving a gastrointestinal stromal tumor was suspected.The patient underwent laparoscopic exploration,and sigmoidectomy with a negative margin was performed to excise the mass.Postoperative immunohistochemistry revealed that the mass was an AF.The patient recovered well and was recurrence-free at the 30-month follow-up without adjuvant therapy.CONCLUSION AF should be considered in the differential diagnosis of subepithelial colon masses.Radical resection alone can achieve good outcomes.

A Proposal on the Novel Method to Estimate Optimal Sleep Duration Based on Self-Reported Survey Data

Background: Many adolescents have a sleep debt. Individuals sleeping for their optimal sleep duration are expected to experience no sleepiness. Then, it is important to recognize one’s optimal sleep duration to reduce sleep debt. However, there is no simple method to determine this value. Since body mass index and sleep duration exhibit a U-shaped association, it is expected that a person taking optimal sleep duration would show no marked deviation from the mean body mass index value for the population evaluated. By using self-reported sleepiness and standardized body mass index, this study aimed to estimate individual optimal sleep duration. Methods: Data from 2540 grade 5 - 11 students were used. Students who declared no sleepiness during class and also had a gender- and grade-standardized body mass index of ±1.5 were termed ideal students. The average sleep durations of ideal students were compared with those of non-ideal students. The differences of sleep duration between ideal and no-ideal students were added to habitual sleep duration of each non-ideal student to obtain assumed optimal sleep duration. A multiple regression line to predict assumed optimal sleep duration was calculated using the least squares method. Results: The mean sleep duration of 666 ideal students exceeded the lower limit of daily sleep duration proposed as “may be appropriate” for children aged 6 - 17 years by National Sleep Foundation of the USA, being longer than those of non-ideal students. Significant regression formula for assumed optimal sleep duration was obtained (adjusted R2 = 0.996, p Conclusions: No contradiction was identified in the sleep duration obtained from ideal students as with optimal sleep duration. Although further studies to confirm the current estimation are needed, a simple formula to estimate individual optimal sleep duration through easily obtainable parameters was proposed.

Atomically Adjustable Rhodium Catalyst Synthesis with Outstanding Mass Activity via Surface-Li mi ted Cation Exchange

Rh has been widely studied as a catalyst for the promising hydrazine oxidation reaction that can replace oxygen evolution reactions for boosting hydrogen production from hydrazine-containing wastewater.Despite Rh being expensive,only a few studies have examined its electrocatalytic mass activity.Herein,surface-limited cation exchange and electrochemical activation processes are designed to remarkably enhance the mass activity of Rh.Rh atoms were readily replaced at the Ni sites on the surface of NiOOH electrodes by cation exchange,and the resulting RhOOH compounds were activated by the electrochemical reduction process.The cation exchange-derived Rh catalysts exhibited particle sizes not exceeding 2 nm without agglomeration,indicating a decrease in the number of inactive inner Rh atoms.Consequently,an improved mass activity of 30 A mg_(Rh)^(-1)was achieved at 0.4 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode.Furthermore,the two-electrode system employing the same CE-derived Rh electrodes achieved overall hydrazine splitting over 36 h at a stable low voltage.The proposed surface-limited CE process is an effective method for reducing inactive atoms of expensive noble metal catalysts.

Ancylostoma ceylanicum and other zoonotic canine hookworms:neglected public and animal health risks in the Asia-Pacific region

Zoonotic hookworm infections remain a significant public health problem,causing nearly 500 milion cases globally and approximately four million disability-adjusted life years lost annually.More than one-fth of these cases are attrib-uted to Ancylostoma ceylanicum,an emerging zoonotic health issue in the Asia-Pacific region.This review presents key research gaps regarding the epidemiology,diagnosis,control,prevention and elimination of A.ceylanicum and other canine zoonotic hookworms as neglected health threats.A.ceylanicum is the second most prevalent human hook-worm in the region;it is the most common hookworm among dogs and cats-reservoirs of zoonotic infections.Previous population genetic and phylogenetic analyses revealed that A.ceylanicum has three possible transmis-sion dynamics:zoonotic,animal-only,and human-only pathways.The actual burden of zoonotic ancylostomiasis in most endemic countries remains unknown due to the use of parasitological techniques(e.g.,Kato-Katz thick smear and floatation techniques)that have reduced diagnostic performance and do not allow accurate species identifica-tion in helminth surveys.The emergence of benzimidazole resistance in soil-transmitted helminths(STHs),includ-ing hookworms,is a concern due to the protracted implementation of mass drug administration(MDA).Resistance is conferred by single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)that occur in theβ-tubulin isotype 1 gene.These mutations have been reported in drug-resistant A.caninum but have not been found in A.ceylanicum in the field.A.ceylanicum remains understudied in the Asia-Pacific region.The zoonotic nature of the parasite warrants investigation of its occur-rence in human and animal reservoir hosts to understand the dynamics of zoonotic transmission in different endemic foci.The detection of benzimidazole resistance-associated SNPs in zoonotic hookworms from Asia-Pacific countries has yet to be thoroughly explored.Considering the high level of hookworm endemicity in the region,the circulation of resistant isolates between humans and animals potentially presents a significant One Health threat that can under-mine current MDA and proposed animal deworming-based control efforts.

Load-bearing characteristics and energy evolution of fractured rock masses after granite and sandstone grouting

Experiments on grouting-reinforced rock mass specimens with different particle sizes and features were carried out in this study to examine the effects of grouting reinforcement on the load-bearing characteristics of fractured rock mass.The strength and deformation features of grouting-reinforced rock mass were analyzed under different loading manners;the energy evolution mechanism of grouting-reinforced rock mass specimens with different particle sizes and features was investigated;the energy dissipation ratio and post-peak stress decreasing rate were employed to evaluate the bearing stability of grouting-reinforced rock mass.The results show that the strength and ductility of granite-reinforced rock mass(GRM)under biaxial loading are higher than that of sandstone-reinforced rock mass(SRM)under uniaxial loading.Besides,the energy evolution characteristics of grouting-reinforced rock mass under uniaxial and biaxial loading mainly could be divided into early,middle,and late stages.In the early stage,total,elastic,and dissipation energies were quite small with flatter curves;in the middle stage,elastic energy increased rapidly,whereas dissipation energy increased slowly;in the late stage,dissipation energy increased sharply.The energy dissipation ratio was used to represent the pre-peak plastic deformation.Under uniaxial loading,this ratio increased as the particle size increased and the pre-peak plastic deformation of grouting-reinforced rock mass became larger;under biaxial loading,it dropped as the particle size increased,and the pre-peak plastic deformation of grouting-reinforced rock mass became smaller.The post-peak stress decline rate A_(v) was used to assess the post-peak bearing performance of grouting-reinforced rock mass.Under uniaxial loading,parameter A_(v) exhibited reduction as the particle size kept increasing,and the ability of post-peak of grouting-reinforced rock mass to allow deformation development was greater,and the bearing capacity was greater;under biaxial loading,A_(v) increased with the particle size,and the ability of post-peak of grouting-reinforced rock mass to allow deformation development was low and the bearing capacity was reduced.The findings are considered instrumental in improving the stability of the roadway-surrounding rock by granite and sandstone grouting.

Effects of baffle position in serpentine flow channel on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells

This study used a three-dimensional numerical model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with five types of channels:a smooth channel(Case 1);eight rectangular baffles were arranged in the upstream(Case 2),midstream(Case 3),downstream(Case 4),and the entire cathode flow channel(Case 5)to study the effects of baffle position on mass transport,power density,net power,etc.Moreover,the effects of back pressure and humidity on the voltage were investigated.Results showed that compared to smooth channels,the oxygen and water transport facilitation at the diffusion layer-channel interface were added 11.53%-20.60%and 7.81%-9.80%at 1.68 A·cm^(-2)by adding baffles.The closer the baffles were to upstream,the higher the total oxygen flux,but the lower the flux uniformity the worse the water removal.The oxygen flux of upstream baffles was 8.14%higher than that of downstream baffles,but oxygen flux uniformity decreased by 18.96%at 1.68 A·cm^(-2).The order of water removal and voltage improvement was Case 4>Case 5>Case 3>Case 2>Case 1.Net power of Case 4 was 9.87%higher than that of the smooth channel.To the Case 4,when the cell worked under low back pressure or high humidity,the voltage increments were higher.The potential increment for the back pressure of 0 atm was 0.9%higher than that of 2 atm(1 atm=101.325 kPa).The potential increment for the humidity of 100%was 7.89%higher than that of 50%.

Cellular angiofibroma arising from the rectocutaneous fistula in an adult: A case report

BACKGROUND Rectocutaneous fistulae are common.The infection originates within the anal glands and subsequently extends into adjacent regions,ultimately resulting in fistula development.Cellular angiofibroma(CAF),also known as an angiomy ofibroblastoma-like tumor,is a rare benign soft tissue neoplasm predominantly observed in the scrotum,perineum,and inguinal area in males and in the vulva in females.We describe the first documented case CAF that developed within a rectocutaneous fistula and manifested as a perineal mass.CASE SUMMARY In the outpatient setting,a 52-year-old male patient presented with a 2-year history of a growing perineal mass,accompanied by throbbing pain and minor scrotal abrasion.Physical examination revealed a soft,well-defined,non-tender mass at the left buttock that extended towards the perineum,without a visible opening.The initial assessment identified a soft tissue tumor,and the laboratory data were within normal ranges.Abdominal and pelvic computed tomography(CT)revealed swelling of the abscess cavity that was linked to a rectal cutaneous fistula,with a track-like lesion measuring 6 cm×0.7 cm in the left perineal region and attached to the left rectum.Rectoscope examination found no significant inner orifices.A left medial gluteal incision revealed a thick-walled mass,which was excised along with the extending tract,and curettage was performed.Histopathological examination confirmed CAF diagnosis.The patient achieved total resolution during follow-up assessments and did not require additional hospitalization.CONCLUSION CT imaging supports perineal lesion diagnosis and management.Perineal angiofibromas,even with a cutaneous fistula,can be excised transperineally.

Unified Description of the Three Stable Particles in Self-Action Allows Determination of Their Relative Masses

The Dirac equation γμ(δμ-eAμ)Ψ=mc2Ψ describes the bound states of the electron under the action of external potentials, Aμ. We assumed that the fundamental form of the Dirac equation γμ(δμ-Sμ)Ψ=0 should describe the stable particles (the electron, the proton and the dark-matter-particle (dmp)) bound to themselves under the action of their own potentials Sμ. The new equation reveals that self energy is consequence of self action, it also reveals that the spin angular momentum is consequence of the dynamic structure of the stable particles. The quantitative results are the determination of their relative masses as well as the determination of the electromagnetic coupling constant.

Calculatons of the Electron Radius

Equating the Rest Mass Energy of a free electron to its Rest Charge Energy we prove that the electron cannot be a dimensionless point particle because if it were dimensionless, it would contain an infinite amount of Rest Charge Energy at the location of its charge since r = 0 gives , which is clearly not possible. Since the electron has no internal structure, equating its Rest Mass Energy to its Rest Charge Energy, we calculate the electron to be a sphere of radius 4.68 × 10-16 meters. We calculate the Electric Field at the surface of the electron due to its charge and the Repulsive Force two electrons in proximity exert on each other.