Stage IV malignant transformation of mature cystic teratoma palliatively treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy:A case report

BACKGROUND Malignant transformation(MT)of mature cystic teratoma(MCT)has a poor prognosis,especially in advanced cases.Concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT)has an inhibitory effect on MT.CASE SUMMARY Herein,we present a case in which CCRT had a reduction effect preoperatively.A 73-year-old woman with pyelonephritis was referred to our hospital.Computed tomography revealed right hydronephrosis and a 6-cm pelvic mass.Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy(EUS-FNB)revealed squamous cell carci-noma.The patient was diagnosed with MT of MCT.Due to her poor general con-dition and renal malfunction,we selected CCRT,expecting fewer adverse effects.After CCRT,her performance status improved,and the tumor size was reduced;surgery was performed.Five months postoperatively,the patient developed dis-semination and lymph node metastases.Palliative chemotherapy was ineffective.She died 18 months after treatment initiation.CONCLUSION EUS-FNB was useful in the diagnosis of MT of MCT;CCRT suppressed the disea-se and improved quality of life.

Establishment of a transformation system in close relatives of wheat under the assistance of TaWOX5

Species closely related to wheat are important genetic resources for agricultural production,functional genomics studies and wheat improvement.In this study,a wheat gene related to regeneration,TaWOX5,was applied to establish the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation systems of Triticum monococcum,hexaploid triticale,and rye(Secale cereale L.)using their immature embryos.Transgenic plants were efficiently generated.During the transformation process,the Agrobacterium infection efficiency was assessed by histochemical staining forβ-glucuronidase(GUS).Finally,the transgenic nature of regenerated plants was verified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-based genotyping for the presence of the GUS and bialaphos resistance(bar)genes,histochemical staining for GUS protein,and the QuickStix strip assay for bar protein.The transformation efficiency of T.monococcum genotype PI428182 was 94.4%;the efficiencies of four hexaploid triticale genotypes Lin456,ZS3297,ZS1257,and ZS3224 were 52.1,41.2,19.4,and 16.0%,respectively;and the transformation efficiency of rye cultivar Lanzhou Heimai was 7.8%.Fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)and genomic in situ hybridization(GISH)analyses indicated that the GUS transgenes were integrated into the distal or near centromere(proximal)regions of the chromosomes in transgenic T.monococcum and hexaploid triticale plants.In the transgenic hexaploid triticale plants,the foreign DNA fragment was randomly integrated into the AABB and RR genomes.Furthermore,the transgene was almost stably inherited in the next generation by Mendel’s law.The findings in this study will promote the genetic improvement of the three plant species for grain or forage production and the improvement of cereal species including wheat for functional genomics studies.

Digital Transformation:The Impact of e-CNY on Securities Institutions and Financial Systems in China

In recent years,the rapid advancement of emerging technologies such as big data,blockchain,and artificial intelligence has accelerated the transformation of currencies,shifting from materialization towards digitization and electronization.The e-CNY stands out as a prime example of China’s pioneering digital financial innovation globally.Governed by the central bank,it embodies the national agenda.As the e-CNY’s application field and reach expand,its relationship with the financial market grows increasingly intimate.As a significant participant in China’s financial landscape and a proactive responder to national policies,the securities industry is profoundly influenced by the e-CNY across various domains.Therefore,this paper undertakes a theoretical analysis of the e-CNY’s implementation within securities institutions,concluding that it will usher in a new paradigm for the entire financial system.

The potential mechanism and clinical application value of remote ischemic conditioning in stroke

Some studies have confirmed the neuroprotective effect of remote ischemic conditioning against stroke. Although numerous animal researches have shown that the neuroprotective effect of remote ischemic conditioning may be related to neuroinflammation, cellular immunity, apoptosis, and autophagy, the exact underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. This review summarizes the current status of different types of remote ischemic conditioning methods in animal and clinical studies and analyzes their commonalities and differences in neuroprotective mechanisms and signaling pathways. Remote ischemic conditioning has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach for improving stroke-induced brain injury owing to its simplicity, non-invasiveness, safety, and patient tolerability. Different forms of remote ischemic conditioning exhibit distinct intervention patterns, timing, and application range. Mechanistically, remote ischemic conditioning can exert neuroprotective effects by activating the Notch1/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway, improving cerebral perfusion, suppressing neuroinflammation, inhibiting cell apoptosis, activating autophagy, and promoting neural regeneration. While remote ischemic conditioning has shown potential in improving stroke outcomes, its full clinical translation has not yet been achieved.

Establishment of the Agrobacterium-mediated Genetic Transformation System of Ginkgo biloba and the Construction of the Expression Vector of Gb-DXR

[Objective] The research aimed to provide reference for increasing the genetic transformation efficiency of Ginkgo biloba mediated by Agrobacterium.[Method] Taking the mature embryos of Ginkgo biloba seeds as explants,after 48 hours＇ pre-cultivation on MS medium in the absence of phytohormone,GUS gene was transmitted into embryos of Ginkgo biloba mediated by three kinds of Agrobacterium.Transient expression of GUS gene activity was observed through histochemical staining,and the influencing factors of the expression of GUS gene were analyzed.And the expression vector of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase in the biosynthesis approach of biobalide precursor of Ginkgo biloba was constructed.[Result] A more suitable genetic transformation scheme was obtained as follows：taking embryos of Ginkgo biloba as explants,using EHA105 Agrobacterium with pCAMBIA1304＋ for infection,co-culture for 3 days and GUS staining.The results showed that transient expression rate of GUS after transformation was higher.[Conclusion] The research provide a more effective method for further study on the transgene of Ginkgo biloba.

Quantitative analysis of microstructure evolution,stress partitioning and thermodynamics in the dynamic transformation of Fe-14Ni alloy

Dynamic transformation(DT)of austenite(γ)to ferrite(α)in the hot deformation of various carbon steels was widely investigated.However,the nature of DT remains unclear due to the lack of quantitative analysis of stress partitioning between two phases and the uncertainty of local distribution of substitu-tional elements at the interface in multi-component carbon steels used in the previous studies.Therefore,in the present study,a binary Fe-Ni alloy withα+γduplex microstructure in equilibrium was prepared and isothermally compressed inα+γtwo-phase region to achieve a quantitative analysis of microstruc-ture evolution,stress partitioning,and thermodynamics during DT.γtoαDT during isothermal compres-sion andαtoγreverse transformation on isothermal annealing under unloaded condition after deforma-tion were accompanied by Ni partitioning.The lattice strains during thermomechanical processing were obtained via in-situ neutron diffraction measurement,based on which the stress partitioning behavior betweenγandαwas discussed by using the generalized Hooke’s law.A thermodynamic framework for the isothermal deformation in solids was established based on the basic laws of thermodynamics,and it was shown that the total Helmholtz free energy change in the deformable material during the isothermal process should be smaller than the work done to the deformable material.Under the present thermody-namic framework,the microstructure evolution in the isothermal compression of Fe-14Ni alloy was well explained by considering the changes in chemical free energy,plastic and elastic energies,and the work done to the material.In addition,the stabilization of the softαphase in Fe-14Ni alloy by deformation was rationalized since theγtoαtransformation decreased the total Helmholtz free energy by decreasing the elastic and dislocation energies.

Intrahepatic portal venous systems in adult patients with cavernous transformation of portal vein: Imaging features and a new classification

Background: Cavernous transformation of the portal vein(CTPV) due to portal vein obstruction is a rare vascular anomaly defined as the formation of multiple collateral vessels in the hepatic hilum. This study aimed to investigate the imaging features of intrahepatic portal vein in adult patients with CTPV and establish the relationship between the manifestations of intrahepatic portal vein and the progression of CTPV. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 14 CTPV patients in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital. All patients underwent both direct portal venography(DPV) and computed tomography angiography(CTA) to reveal the manifestations of the portal venous system. The vessels measured included the left portal vein(LPV), right portal vein(RPV), main portal vein(MPV) and the portal vein bifurcation(PVB). Results: Nine males and 5 females, with a median age of 40.5 years, were included in the study. No significant difference was found in the diameters of the LPV or RPV measured by DPV and CTA. The visualization in terms of LPV, RPV and PVB measured by DPV was higher than that by CTA. There was a significant association between LPV/RPV and PVB/MPV in term of visibility revealed with DPV( P = 0.01), while this association was not observed with CTA. According to the imaging features of the portal vein measured by DPV, CTPV was classified into three categories to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions: DPV was more accurate than CTA for revealing the course of the intrahepatic portal vein in patients with CTPV. The classification of CTPV, that originated from the imaging features of the portal vein revealed by DPV, may provide a new perspective for the diagnosis and treatment of CTPV.

The nitrogen transformation behavior based on the pyrolysis products of wheat straw

In order to provide basic design parameters for the industrial pyrolysis process,the transformation behavior of nitrogen was investigated using wheat straw as raw material.The distributions of nitrogen in pyrolysis char,oil,and gas were obtained and the nitrogenous components in the products were analyzed systematically by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(Py-GC/MS)and thermogravimetric-Fourier transform infrared spectrometry(TG-FTIR).The nitrogen distribution ranges of the pyrolysis char,oil,and gas were 37.34%–54.82%,32.87%–40.94%and 10.20%–28.83%,respectively.More nitrogen was retained in char at lower pyrolysis temperature and the nitrogen distribution of oil was from rise to decline with increasing temperature.The most abundant N-containing compounds in three-phase products were pyrrole-N,amines,and HCN,respectively.In addition,the transformation mechanism of nitrogen from wheat straw to pyrolysis products was concluded.

Influence mechanism of government subsidy on the green transformation of coal company in China

The optimization of government subsidies to enhance the efficiency of coal companies’green transformation constitutes a critical component in the pursuit of global sustainability.We investigate the influence mechanism of government subsidies on the green transformation using data from the listed coal companies in China from 2007 to 2022.According to our findings and hypothesis testing,previous government subsidies did not have a significant direct impact on coal companies’green transformation.Nevertheless,government subsidies can help coal companies transition to greener practices by promoting innovative green initiatives.Furthermore,we confirmed an indirect route:that government subsidies enable the adoption of low-carbon initiatives,which in turn could facilitate the transition of coal companies towards green practices.In addition,we discovered that the coal company’s digitization will improve this indirect route.Thus,we propose increasing the effectiveness of government subsidies in facilitating coal companies’transition to green practices by focusing on technological advancements and enhancing company digitalization.

Critical approaches in the catalytic transformation of sugar isomerization and epimerization after Fischer-History,challenges,and prospects

The transformation of aldose to ketose or common sugars into rare saccharides,including rare ketoses and aldoses,is of great value and interest to the food industry and for saccharidic biomass utilization,medicine,and the synthesis of drugs.Nowadays,high-fructose corn syrup(HFCS)is industrially produced in more than 10 million tons annually using immobilized glucose isomerase.Some low-calorie saccharides such as tagatose and psicose,which are becoming popular sweeteners,have also been produced on a pilot scale in order to replace sucrose and HFCS.However,current catalysts and catalytic processes are still difficult to utilize in biomass conversion and also have strong substrate dependence in producing high-value,rare sugars.Considering the specific reaction properties of saccharides and catalysts,since the pioneering discovery by Fischer,various catalysts and catalytic systems have been discovered or developed in attempts to extend the reaction pathways,improve the reaction efficiency,and to potentially produce commercial products.In this review,we trace the history of sugar isomerization/epimerization reactions and summarize the important breakthroughs for each reaction as well as the difficulties that remain unresolved to date.

Molecular investigation into the transformation of recalcitrant dissolved organic sulfur in refinery sour water during stripping process

Refinery sour water primarily originates from the tops of towers in various units and coker condensate,and cannot be discharged directly to a wastewater treatment plant due to high levels of chemical oxygen demand(COD)and organic sulfur contents.Even after the recovery of H_(2)S from the sour water by the stripping process,the effluent still contains a high concentration of dissolved organic sulfur(DOS),which can have a huge bad influence.While chemical composition of dissolved organic matter(DOM)in refinery wastewater has been extensively studied,the investigation of recalcitrant DOS from sour waters remains unclear.In the present study,chemical composition of sour water DOMs(especially DOS)was investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy(excitation-emission matrix,EEM)and mass spectrometry,including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS)and high-resolution Orbitrap MS.The GC-MS and EEM results showed that volatile and low-aromaticity compounds were effectively removed during the stripping process,while compounds with high hydrophilicity and humification degree were found to be more recalcitrant.The Orbitrap MS results showed that weak-polar oxygenated sulfur compounds were easier to be removed than oxygenated compounds.However,the effluent still contained significant amounts of sulfur-containing compounds with multiple sulfur atoms,particularly in the form of highly unsaturated and aromatic compounds.The Orbitrap MS/MS results of CHOS-containing compounds from the effluent indicate that the sulfur atoms may exist as sulfonates,disulfide bonds,thioethers.Understanding the composition and structure of sour water DOS is crucial for the development of effective treatment processes that can target polysulfide compounds and minimize their impact on the environment.

Precise regulation of the phase transformation for pyrolusite during the reduction roasting process

The mechanism involved in the phase transformation process of pyrolusite (MnO_(2)) during roasting in a reducing atmosphere was systematically elucidated in this study,with the aim of effectively using low-grade complex manganese ore resources.According to single-factor experiment results,the roasted product with a divalent manganese (Mn^(2+)) distribution rate of 95.30% was obtained at a roasting time of 25 min,a roasting temperature of 700℃,a CO concentration of 20at%,and a total gas volume of 500 mL·min^(-1),in which the manganese was mainly in the form of manganosite (MnO).Scanning electron microscopy and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller theory demonstrated the microstructural evolution of the roasted product and the gradual reduction in the pyrolusite ore from the surface to the core Thermodynamic calculations,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,and X-ray diffractometry analyses determined that the phase transformation of pyrolusite followed the order of MnO_(2)→Mn_(2)O_(3)→Mn_(3)O_(4)→MnO phase by phase,and the reduction of manganese oxides in each valence state proceeded simultaneously.

Description of martensitic transformation kinetics in Fe-C-X(X = Ni,Cr,Mn,Si) system by a modified model

Controlling the content of athermal martensite and retained austenite is important to improving the mechanical properties of high-strength steels,but a mechanism for the accurate description of martensitic transformation during the cooling process must be addressed.At present,frequently used semi-empirical kinetics models suffer from huge errors at the beginning of transformation,and most of them fail to exhibit the sigmoidal shape characteristic of transformation curves.To describe the martensitic transformation process accurately,based on the Magee model,we introduced the changes in the nucleation activation energy of martensite with temperature,which led to the varying nucleation rates of this model during martensitic transformation.According to the calculation results,the relative error of the modified model for the martensitic transformation kinetics curves of Fe-C-X(X = Ni,Cr,Mn,Si) alloys reached 9.5% compared with those measured via the thermal expansion method.The relative error was approximately reduced by two-thirds compared with that of the Magee model.The incorporation of nucleation activation energy into the kinetics model contributes to the improvement of its precision.

The impact of industrial transformation on green economic efficiency:New evidence based on energy use

Developing a green economy is key to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. This paper uses the SBM-GML index, which includes non-desired outputs, to measure the trend of regional green economic efficiency changes and analyze the impact mechanism and realization path of industrial transformation on green economic efficiency. The research results show that advanced industrial structure has a positive influence on green economic efficiency nationwide, while energy utilization structure and energy utilization efficiency have positive partial intermediary effects in the influence path;industrial structure rationalization is also significantly positively related to green economic efficiency nationwide, and the mediating effect of energy utilization is positive. The impact of industrial transformation on green economic efficiency has regional heterogeneity, and the mediating effect of energy use also differs. Among them, the impact effect in the eastern region is basically consistent with the national sample, but is negative in the central and western regions. This paper proposes countermeasures in terms of adjusting the industrial structure, improving energy efficiency, and perfecting industrial and energy policies, which can provide theoretical and practical references for promoting the transformation and upgrading of regional industrial structure, optimizing energy utilization, and advancing the efficiency of the national and regional green economy.

Are gender inclusiveness and rural transformation interlinked?The case of Bangladesh

Gender inclusiveness is important in the rural transformation process of Bangladesh as rural women play key roles in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.Gender inclusiveness also leads to gender equity.We empirically evaluate relationships between rural transformation and gender inclusiveness in Bangladesh.We consider three rural transformation indicators:high-value commodities’share in agricultural output values,non-farm employment’s share in rural labor employment,and non-agricultural GDP’s share in total GDP.Indicators capturing gender inclusiveness include the per capita rural income of males and females,ratio of investments into gender programs,female access to education,access to healthcare,employment participation,land ownership,and asset ownership.We test the effect of the difference in per capita rural income of males and females and the ratio of their incomes and check for the robustness of the gender variables across different model specifications.Analyzing 128 district-level observations from 32 districts of Bangladesh across four time periods(2000,2005,2010 and 2016),we use both ordinary least squares and fixed effects panel regression models.We find that female land and asset ownership and access to education and healthcare are robust determinants of various stages of rural transformation.Thus,our results suggest that improving women’s ownership of land and assets and investing in women’s education and healthcare will likely contribute to a more inclusive rural transformation.

In situ observation of the phase transformation kinetics of bismuth during shock release

A time-resolved x-ray diffraction technique is employed to monitor the structural transformation of laser-shocked bismuth.Results reveal a retarded transformation from the shock-induced Bi-Ⅴphase to a metastable Bi-Ⅳphase during the shock release,instead of the thermodynamically stable Bi-Ⅲphase.The emergence of the metastable Bi-Ⅳphase is understood by the competitive interplay between two transformation pathways towards the Bi-Ⅳand Bi-Ⅲ,respectively.The former is more rapid than the latter because the Bi-Ⅴto B-Ⅳtransformation is driven by interaction between the closest atoms while the Bi-Ⅴto B-Ⅲtransformation requires interaction between the second-closest atoms.The nucleation time for the Bi-Ⅴto Bi-Ⅳtransformation is determined to be 5.1±0.9 ns according to a classical nucleation model.This observation demonstrates the importance of the formation of the transient metastable phases,which can change the phase transformation pathway in a dynamic process.

Development of a rapid and efficient system for CR genes identification based on hairy root transformation in Brassicaceae

Many economically important crops and vegetables belonging to the cruciferous family are heavily endangered by clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae infection.Breeding of clubroot resistant cultivars based on mapping and cloning of resistant genes is commonly regarded as the most cost-effective and efficient way to fight against this disease.The traditional way of R gene functional validation requires stable transformation that is both time-and labor-consuming.In this study,a rapid and efficient hairy-root transgenic protocol mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes was developed.The transformation positive rate was over 80%in Brassica napus showed by GUS reporter gene and this transformation only took 1/6 of the time compared with stable transformation.The system was applicable to different B.napus varieties and other cruciferous crops including Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea.In particular,two known CR genes,CRA3.7.1 and CRA8.2.4 were used respectively,as example to show that the system works well for CR gene study combined with subsequent P.brassicae infection in B.napus.Most importantly,it works both in over-expression that led to disease resistance,as well as in RNAi which led to disease susceptible phenotype.Therefore,this system can be used in batch-wise identification of CR genes,and also offered the possibility of manipulating key genes within the P.brassicae genome that could improve our knowledge on host-pathogen interaction.

Characteristics of transfer zones under the influence of preexisting faults and regional stress transformation:Wenchang A subsag,Zhujiang River Mouth Basin,northern South China Sea

A transfer zone in rift basins preserves important information on regional tectonic evolution and plays significant roles in hydrocarbon accumulation.Based on the systematic analysis of 3D seismic data and hydrocarbon accumulation conditions,the geometry,kinematics,and reservoir control of a large synthetic overlapping transfer zone in the south of the Wenchang A subsag in the Zhujiang(Pearl)River Mouth basin were investigated.Results indicate that the development and evolution of the transfer zone was controlled by the interaction between pre-existing faults and regional stress transformation.The intense rifting of the main faults of the transfer zone controlled the development of source rocks and faultcontrolled slope break paleogeomorphology.The strike-slip overprint since the Oligocene is conducive to the formation of a large-scale fault-anticline trap,and the secondary faults in the transfer zone contribute to the hydrocarbon transportation.The conjugate intersection area of the NE-and NW-trending faults offers more opportunity for hydrocarbon migration and accumulation.

An integrable generalization of the Fokas–Lenells equation:Darboux transformation, reduction and explicit soliton solutions

Under investigation is an integrable generalization of the Fokas–Lenells equation, which can be derived from the negative power flow of a 2 × 2 matrix spectral problem with three potentials. Based on the gauge transformation of the matrix spectral problem, one kind of Darboux transformation with multi-parameters for the three-component coupled Fokas–Lenells system is constructed. As a reduction, the N-fold Darboux transformation for the generalized Fokas–Lenells equation is obtained, from which the N-soliton solution in a compact Vandermonde-like determinant form is given. Particularly,the explicit one-and two-soliton solutions are presented and their dynamical behaviors are shown graphically.

Building a Smart Management System for the Field Training Course at the Faculty of Specific Education-Mansoura University

Field training is the backbone of the teacher-preparation process.Its importance stems from the goals that colleges of education aim to achieve,which include bridging the gap between theory and practice and aligning with contemporary educational trends during teacher training.Currently,trainee students attendance in field training is recordedmanually through signatures on attendance sheets.However,thismethod is prone to impersonation,time wastage,and misplacement.Additionally,traditional methods of evaluating trainee students are often susceptible to human errors during the evaluation and scoring processes.Field training also lacks modern technology that the supervisor can use in case of his absence from school to monitor the trainee students’implementation of the required activities and tasks.These shortcomings do not meet the needs of the digital era that universities are currently experiencing.As a result,this paper presents a smart management system for field training based on Internet of Things(IoT)and mobile technology.It includes three subsystems:attendance,monitoring,and evaluation.The attendance subsystem uses an R307 fingerprint sensor to record trainee students’attendance.The Arduino Nano microcontroller transmits attendance data to the proposed Android application via an ESP-12F Wi-Fi module,which then forwards it to the Firebase database for storage.The monitoring subsystem utilizes Global Positioning System(GPS)technology to continually track trainee students’locations,ensuring they remain at the school during training.It also enables remote communication between trainee students and supervisors via audio,video,or text by integrating video call and chat technologies.The evaluation subsystem is based on three items:an online exam,attendance,and implementation of required activities and tasks.Experimental results have demonstrated the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed management system in recording attendance,as well as in monitoring and evaluating trainee students during field traiing.