Microtubules play a central role in cytoskeletal changes during neuronal development and maintenance.Microtubule dynamics is essential to polarity and shape transitions underlying neural cell division,differentiation,...Microtubules play a central role in cytoskeletal changes during neuronal development and maintenance.Microtubule dynamics is essential to polarity and shape transitions underlying neural cell division,differentiation,motility,and maturation.Kinesin superfamily protein 2A is a member of human kinesin 13 gene family of proteins that depolymerize and destabilize microtubules.In dividing cells,kinesin superfamily protein 2A is involved in mitotic progression,spindle assembly,and chromosome segregation.In postmitotic neurons,it is required for axon/dendrite specification and extension,neuronal migration,connectivity,and survival.Humans with kinesin superfamily protein 2A mutations suffer from a variety of malformations of cortical development,epilepsy,autism spectrum disorder,and neurodegeneration.In this review,we discuss how kinesin superfamily protein 2A regulates neuronal development and function,and how its deregulation causes neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders.展开更多
Objectives:Over the last decade,neonatal repair has been advocated for many congenital heart diseases.However,specific subgroups of complex congenital heart disease still require temporary palliation for which both su...Objectives:Over the last decade,neonatal repair has been advocated for many congenital heart diseases.However,specific subgroups of complex congenital heart disease still require temporary palliation for which both surgical and endovascular techniques are currently available.We reviewed our institutional experience with shunt palliation with an emphasis on risk factors for early mortality.Methods:This is a single-center retrospective study on 175 patients undergoing surgery for central shunt or modified Blalock-Taussig shunt.All data were extracted from a prospectively collected computerized database.We identified risk factors for early mortality by uni-and multi-variable analysis.All data were censored at the time of death or shunt take-down operation.Results:Mean age and weight at surgery were 24 days(IQR[7–95])and 3.4 kg(IQR[2.9–4.8]),respectively,with 96 neonates(55%).Most patients had a biventricular heart disease(115 patients,66%),and 51 patients(29.1%)had univentricular heart disease.Thoracotomy was performed in 129 patients(74%).Cardiopulmonary bypass was used in 23 patients(13%).The median intensive care and overall length of stay were 4 days(IQR[2–9])and 18 days(IQR[13–29]),respectively.In-hospital mortality was 8.6%(15/175).By multivariable regression analysis,prematurity(HR 5.6[2.1–14.7]),CPB use(HR 6.7[2.2–18.6]),unplanned<30-day reoperation(HR 3.5[1.2–10])or catheterization(HR 4.5[1.2–16.9])were all significant predictors of early mortality.Conclusions:Procedural-related mortality remains high(8.6%)in surgical shunt palliation.For patients with prematurity,low weight at birth,or if the use of cardiopulmonary bypass is contemplated,alternative endovascular techniques of palliation should be considered together with longitudinal follow-up studies.展开更多
Objective:Despite increasing enthusiasm for neonatal repair,patients with ductal-dependent circulation(pulmonary/systemic)or restrictive pulmonary blood flow still require initial palliation.Ductal stenting has emerge...Objective:Despite increasing enthusiasm for neonatal repair,patients with ductal-dependent circulation(pulmonary/systemic)or restrictive pulmonary blood flow still require initial palliation.Ductal stenting has emerged as an endovascular approach whereas modified-Blalock-Taussig and central shunt remain surgical references.In this study,we analyzed the relationship between pulmonary artery growth,sites of shunt connection,or antegrade pulmonary blood flow in surgically placed shunts.The need for secondary catheter-based interventions or pulmonary arterioplasty was also investigated.Methods:A retrospective single-center study analyzing 175 patients undergoing surgery for a central or modified-Blalock-Taussig shunt.Outcome growth variables were right pulmonary artery/left pulmonary artery diameters/Z scores,the indexed sum area(right pulmonary artery+left pulmonary artery),and the pulmonary symmetry index.Three imaging modalities were used:angiography,computed tomography,and echocardiography.Results:At baseline,pulmonary arteries were larger in patients with antegrade pulmonary blood flow(Nakata index 137 vs.114,p=0.047)as well as in patients receiving a modified-Blalock-Taussig shunt(Nakata index 138 vs.84,p<0.001).At the time of shunt takedown,both the right pulmonary artery and left pulmonary artery had normalized their diameter.The Nakata index increased from 134 to 233 mm^(2)/m^(2)(p<0.001).The pulmonary artery index remained stable(0.86)over time.During the inter-stage period,shunt-related pulmonary artery stenosis and juxta-ductal stenosis were diagnosed in 16(10%)and 17 patients(11%),respectively.Conclusions:Surgical shunt palliation allows normal pulmonary artery growth.Pulmonary artery stenosis was either shunt-related(10%)or secondary to juxta-ductal stenosis(11%).Close echographic follow-up allows early diagnosis and treatment of juxta-ductal stenosis.展开更多
A gliding electric arc(glidarc)discharge generates a low-temperature plasma at atmospheric pressure.When the discharge occurs in humid air as the feed gas,the chemistry of a glidarc plasma consists of in situ formatio...A gliding electric arc(glidarc)discharge generates a low-temperature plasma at atmospheric pressure.When the discharge occurs in humid air as the feed gas,the chemistry of a glidarc plasma consists of in situ formation of HO°and NO°as the primary chemical species.Tungsten trioxide(WO_(3))nanoparticles were successfully prepared by exposure of a liquid precursor to glidarc plasma.The WO_(3)samples were calcined at three different temperatures(300℃,500℃and 800℃),resulting in different pure polymorphs:γ-WO_(3)(at 300℃),β-WO_(3)(at 500℃)andα-WO_(3)(at 800℃)according to x-ray diffraction analysis.The identification of WO_(3)compounds was also confirmed by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis.Increase in the calcination temperature of WO_(3)induced a decrease in its specific surface area according to Brunauer–Emmett–Teller nitrogen physisorption analysis.The UV-visible results showed that the absorption bands of plasma-WO_(3)samples were more intense than those of WO_(3)samples obtained by a precipitation route,a classical method used for comparison.Consequently,this parameter can improve the photocatalytic properties of WO_(3)under visible light.The photodegradation(in sunlight conditions)of gentian violet,chosen as a model pollutant,confirmed the photocatalytic properties of plasma-WO_(3)samples.This novel synthesis method has great potential to improve the efficiency of advanced tungsten trioxide-based functional material preparation,as well as in pollution-reducing and energy-saving tungsten extractive metallurgy.展开更多
Background:Most outcome studies in congenital cardiac surgery for“low weight”neonates include patients undergoing surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB).The primary objective of our study was to identify risk f...Background:Most outcome studies in congenital cardiac surgery for“low weight”neonates include patients undergoing surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB).The primary objective of our study was to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality in neonates weighing less than 3 Kg and undergoing surgery with CPB.In addition,we compared the effect of early surgery with CPB(before 37W-gestational age(GA))for congenital heart disease to delayed surgery until a corrected GA of 37 weeks in an attempt to promote weight gain.Methods:Retrospective single-center study including all patients operated between 1997 and 2017.Uni-and multivariable analysis were used to analyze outcome.Results:143 patients were included.The median weight was 2.7 Kg and 49(34.3%)weighted<2.5 Kg.80%of the patients were Risk stratification STAT categories≥3.114 patients(80%)were operated without delay(usual timing,median age 9 days),whereas 29 patients(20%)entered a delayed strategy(median age 30 days).In-hospital mortality was 21.7%.By multivariate analysis,dysmaturity,preoperative positive ventilation,post-operative ECMO requirement or resuscitation,and any residual lesion were predictors of in-hospital death.In-hospital mortality in the usual timing group and the delayed group were 21.1%and 24.1%,respectively(p=0.71).In-hospital mortality for neonates operated prior to 37W-GA(n=10)was 27.3%.Conclusions:Predictors of in-hospital mortality in neonates less 3 Kg requiring CPB surgery did not differ from those unveiled in other contemporary studies.Our data demonstrates that a strategy of delaying surgery in selected patients resulted in similar clinical outcome.展开更多
BACKGROUND Irritable bowel syndrome and bladder pain syndrome often overlap and are both characterized by visceral hypersensitivity.Since pelvic organs share common sensory pathways,it is likely that those syndromes i...BACKGROUND Irritable bowel syndrome and bladder pain syndrome often overlap and are both characterized by visceral hypersensitivity.Since pelvic organs share common sensory pathways,it is likely that those syndromes involve a cross-sensitization of the bladder and the colon.The precise pathophysiology remains poorly understood.AIM To develop a model of chronic bladder-colon cross-sensitization and to investigate the mechanisms involved.METHODS Chronic cross-organ visceral sensitization was obtained in C57BL/6 mice using ultrasound-guided intravesical injections of acetic acid under brief isoflurane anesthesia.Colorectal sensitivity was assessed in conscious mice by measuring intracolonic pressure during isobaric colorectal distensions.Myeloperoxidase,used as a marker of colorectal inflammation,was measured in the colon,and colorectal permeability was measured using chambers.c-Fos protein expression,used as a marker of neuronal activation,was assessed in the spinal cord(L6-S1 level)using immunohistochemistry.Green fluorescent protein on the fractalkine receptor-positive mice were used to identify and count microglia cells in the L6-S1 dorsal horn of the spinal cord.The expression of NK1 receptors and MAPK-p38 were quantified in the spinal cord using western blot.RESULTS Visceral hypersensitivity to colorectal distension was observed after the intravesical injection of acetic acid vs saline(P<0.0001).This effect started 1 h post-injection and lasted up to 7 d postinjection.No increased permeability or inflammation was shown in the bladder or colon 7 d postinjection.Visceral hypersensitivity was associated with the increased expression of c-Fos protein in the spinal cord(P<0.0001).In green fluorescent protein on the fractalkine receptor-positive mice,intravesical acetic acid injection resulted in an increased number of microglia cells in the L6-S1 dorsal horn of the spinal cord(P<0.0001).NK1 receptor and MAPK-p38 levels were increased in the spinal cord up to 7 d after injection(P=0.007 and 0.023 respectively).Colorectal sensitization was prevented by intrathecal or intracerebroventricular injections of minocycline,a microglia inhibitor,by intracerebroventricular injection of CP-99994 dihydrochloride,a NK1 antagonist,and by intracerebroventricular injection of SB203580,a MAPK-p38 inhibitor.CONCLUSION We describe a new model of cross-organ visceral sensitization between the bladder and the colon in mice.Intravesical injections of acetic acid induced a long-lasting colorectal hypersensitivity to distension,mediated by neuroglial interactions,MAPK-p38 phosphorylation and the NK1 receptor.展开更多
Background:Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction(EHPVO)results in severe portal hypertension(PHT)leading to severely compromised quality of life.Often,pharmacological and endoscopic management is unable to solve this p...Background:Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction(EHPVO)results in severe portal hypertension(PHT)leading to severely compromised quality of life.Often,pharmacological and endoscopic management is unable to solve this problem.Restoring hepatic portal flow using meso-Rex bypass(MRB)may solve it.This procedure,uncommon in adult patients,is considered the treatment of choice for EHPVO in children.Methods:From 1997 to 2018,8 male and 6 female adults,with a median age of 51 years(range 22-66)underwent MRB procedure for EHPVO at the University Hospitals Saint-Luc in Brussels,Belgium.Symp-toms of PHT were life altering in all but one patient and consisted of repetitive gastro-intestinal bleedings,sepsis due to portal biliopathy,and/or severe abdominal discomfort.The surgical technique consisted in interposition of a free venous graft or of a prosthetic graft between the superior mesenteric vein and the Rex recess of the left portal vein.Results:Median operative time was 500 min(range 300-730).Median follow-up duration was 22 months(range 2-169).One patient died due to hemorrhagic shock following percutaneous transluminal interven-tion for early graft thrombosis.Major morbidity,defined as Clavien-Dindo score≥III,was 35.7%(5/14).Shunt patency at last follow-up was 64.3%(9/14):85.7%(6/7)of pure venous grafts and only 42.9%(3/7)of prosthetic graft.Symptom relief was achieved in 85.7%(12/14)who became asymptomatic after MRB.Conclusions:Adult EHPVO represents a difficult clinical condition that leads to severely compromised quality of life and possible life-threatening complications.In such patients,MRB represents the only and last resort to restore physiological portal vein flow.Although successful in a majority of patients,this procedure is associated with major morbidity and mortality and should be done in tertiary centers expe-rienced with vascular liver surgery to get the best results.展开更多
Background Many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Screening,Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment(SBIRT)in addressing substance use problem.However,owing to the shortage of counsellors,it has not b...Background Many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Screening,Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment(SBIRT)in addressing substance use problem.However,owing to the shortage of counsellors,it has not been widely used in China.With the development of smart medicine,we developed a web-based electronic SBIRT(E-SBIRT)program and explored the effectiveness of E-SBIRT in reducing substance use in China.Methods A randomised controlled trial will be conducted in primary healthcare institutions.Four primary healthcare institutions will be selected and randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group(each institution will recruit 60 participants,and in total,240 participants will be recruited).The control group will get a pamphlet of drug abuse prevention,and the intervention group will get the E-SBIRT intervention and the pamphlet.Both groups will receive baseline and follow-up assessment at 1 and 3 months after the intervention.The primary outcome is the change in scores on the Alcohol,Smoking and Substance Use Involvement Screening Test,and the secondary outcomes include changes in motivation,depression,anxiety,positive/negative emotion,self-esteem,addiction knowledge and addiction severity index.Conclusions If the‘E-SBIRT’program is found to be effective,it will be an accessible,affordable and widely implementable intervention to help participants at moderate risk of substance use to reduce their consumption.The potential benefit is to provide early intervention to high-risk patients in time and reduce the harmful consequences to individuals and society.展开更多
Agricultural monitoring is essential for adequate management of food production and distribution.Crop land and crop type classification,using remote sensing time series,form an important tool to capture the agricultur...Agricultural monitoring is essential for adequate management of food production and distribution.Crop land and crop type classification,using remote sensing time series,form an important tool to capture the agricultural production information.The recently launched Sentinel-2 satellites provide unprecedented monitoring capacities in terms of spatial resolution,swath width,and revisit frequency.The Sentinel-2 for Agriculture(Sen2-Agri)system has been developed to fully exploit those capacities,by providing four relevant earth observation products for agricultural monitoring.Under the Dragon 4 Program,the crop mapping with various satellite images and a specific focus on the Yellow River irrigated agricultural area in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China was carried out with the Sentinel-2 for Agriculture system(Sent2Agri).9 types of crops were classified and the crop type map in 2017 was produced based on 35 scenes Sentinel 2A/B images.The overall accuracy computed from the error confusion matrix is 88%,which includes the cropped and uncropped types.After the removal of the uncropped area,the overall accuracy for a cropped decrease to 73%.In order to further improve the crop classification accuracy,the training dataset should be further improved and tuned.展开更多
Liver transplantation(LT)is currently the only curative treatment option for selected patients with end stage liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma.Improving waiting list-mortality,post-transplant morbidity and mo...Liver transplantation(LT)is currently the only curative treatment option for selected patients with end stage liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma.Improving waiting list-mortality,post-transplant morbidity and mortality and refining the selection of the patients remain our current central objectives.In this field,different concepts dealing with nutrition and the muscle such as sarcopenia,malnutrition,frailty or myosteatosis have emerged as possible game changers.For more than a decade,many prospective studies have demonstrated that sarcopenia and frailty are major predictive factors of mortality in the waiting list but also after LT.Malnutrition is also a well-known risk factor for morbidity and mortality.Muscle composition is a newer concept giving insight on muscle quality which has also been shown to be linked to poorer outcomes.Each of these terms has a precise definition as well as pathophysiological mechanisms.The bidirectional liver-muscle axis makes sense in this situation.Defining the best,easy to use in clinical practice tools to assess muscle quality,quantity,and function in this specific population and developing quality prospective studies to identify interventional strategies that could improve these parameters as well as evaluate the effect on mortality are among the important challenges of today.展开更多
Much empiricism is involved in design of rock-socketed piles in rock masses.In light of this,an analytical solution based on the cavity expansion theory is proposed for calculating the ultimate bearing capacity at the...Much empiricism is involved in design of rock-socketed piles in rock masses.In light of this,an analytical solution based on the cavity expansion theory is proposed for calculating the ultimate bearing capacity at the tip of a pile embedded in rock masses obeying the Hoek-Brown failure criterion.The ultimate end bearing capacity is evaluated by assuming that the pressure exerted at the boundaries of a pressure bulb immediately beneath the pile tip is equal to the limit pressure required to expand a spherical cavity.In addition,a relationship is derived to predict the pile load-settlement response.To demonstrate the applicability of the presented solution,the results of this study were compared to those of 91 field tests from technical literature.Despite the limitations,it is found that the end bearing resistance computed by the present work is in good agreement with the field test results.展开更多
Since the first right hepatectomy performed by Jean-Louis Lortat-Jacob on October 16,1951 and the first liver transplantation by Thomas Earl Starzl on March 1,1963,hepatobiliary surgery and liver transplantation had a...Since the first right hepatectomy performed by Jean-Louis Lortat-Jacob on October 16,1951 and the first liver transplantation by Thomas Earl Starzl on March 1,1963,hepatobiliary surgery and liver transplantation had a spectacular development[1,2].After the hesitating beginning in the 1950’s and 1960’s,their evolution really took off in the 1980’,reaching high-speed velocity in the 21st century.展开更多
To the Editor:Over the years,the shortage of suitable donor organs has challenged the transplant community in performing life-saving liver transplantation(LT).Recent reports from European and American liver transplant...To the Editor:Over the years,the shortage of suitable donor organs has challenged the transplant community in performing life-saving liver transplantation(LT).Recent reports from European and American liver transplant registries show persistently high waitlist mortality rates ranging between 10%and 18%[1,2].展开更多
Describing the orientation state of the particles is often critical in fibre suspension applications.Macroscopic descriptors,the so-called second-order orientation tensor(or moment)leading the way,are often preferred ...Describing the orientation state of the particles is often critical in fibre suspension applications.Macroscopic descriptors,the so-called second-order orientation tensor(or moment)leading the way,are often preferred due to their low computational cost.Closure problems however arise when evolution equations for the moments are derived from the orientation distribution functions and the impact of the chosen closure is often unpredictable.In this work,our aim is to provide macroscopic simulations of orientation that are cheap,accurate and closure-free.To this end,we propose an innovative data-based approach to the upscaling of orientation kinematics in the context of fibre suspensions.Since the physics at the microscopic scale can be modelled reasonably enough,the idea is to conduct accurate offline direct numerical simulations at that scale and to extract the corresponding macroscopic descriptors in order to build a database of scenarios.During the online stage,the macroscopic descriptors can then be updated quickly by combining adequately the items from the database instead of relying on an imprecise macroscopic model.This methodology is presented in the well-known case of dilute fibre suspensions(where it can be compared against closure-based macroscopic models)and in the case of suspensions of confined or electrically-charged fibres,for which state-of-the-art closures proved to be inadequate or simply do not exist.展开更多
Objective: To report two cases of orthotopic transplantation of fresh ovarian tissue. Setting: Academic hospital. Patient(s): Two patients with severe endometriosis, who underwent left oophorectomy for recurrent endom...Objective: To report two cases of orthotopic transplantation of fresh ovarian tissue. Setting: Academic hospital. Patient(s): Two patients with severe endometriosis, who underwent left oophorectomy for recurrent endometriosis. Intervention(s): Ovarian cortex was reimplanted in the heterolateral orthotopic site. Result(s): Biopsies of the grafted tissue were taken 3 months after reimplantation. Viable primordial follicles were found. The presence of a neovascular capillary network was demonstrated. Conclusion(s): Reimplantation of fresh ovarian cortex allows the survival of primordial follicles and may represent an alternative method for the preservation of ovarian cortex when oophorectomy is mandatory.展开更多
While common in biological systems,building blocks with low symmetry and flexibility pose numerous problems for synthetic self-assembly,such as the formation of isomers of assemblies that are difficult to distinguish ...While common in biological systems,building blocks with low symmetry and flexibility pose numerous problems for synthetic self-assembly,such as the formation of isomers of assemblies that are difficult to distinguish and purify.In this work,three aromatic amide-based ligands(L1–L3)with a central 1,8-diazatriptycene core were designed and used for selfassembly with Pd^(2+).While hundreds of stereoisomers based on the conformational flexibility around the amides and the unsymmetrical nonplanar structure of the core are possible upon coordination with the metal,the constraints designed into the ligands direct the self-assembly toward only a single Pd_(2)L_(4)cage(L1)or Pd_(4)L_(8)double-walled metallomacrocycle(L2)structure,even in mixtures of the ligands.This structural approach and the modularity of the ligand synthesis affords ready access to deep cavitands with endohedral functionalization(L3).These results highlight the potential of this new design strategy and open the door to selectively functionalized cavity-based architectures for numerous applications.展开更多
Mg(BH_(4))_(2) with several polymorphs,known as a high capacity(14.9 wt.%)hydrogen storage material,has become more intriguing due to the recently found new functions of gas physisorption and ionic conduc-tivity.Here ...Mg(BH_(4))_(2) with several polymorphs,known as a high capacity(14.9 wt.%)hydrogen storage material,has become more intriguing due to the recently found new functions of gas physisorption and ionic conduc-tivity.Here we review the state-of-the-art on the energy related functions of Mg(BH_(4))_(2).Mg(BH_(4))_(2) tends to form the stable intermediate[B_(12)H_(12)]^(2−) when the dehydrogenation temperature is above 400℃,the strong B-B bonding of which makes the rehydrogenation condition very harsh.In contrast,lower borane intermediate[B_(3)H_(8)]2−facilitates the rehydrogenation even at a mild condition of 100℃,suggesting the possibility of reversible hydrogen storage in Mg(BH_(4))_(2).The porous polymorphγ-Mg(BH_(4))_(2) shows attrac-tive gas adsorption properties in view of its unique hydridic surface and pore shape,and potentially can be applied in hydrogen adsorption and Kr/Xe selectivity.A new diffraction-based adsorption methodology was developed to characterize adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics ofγ-Mg(BH_(4))_(2),providing a novel idea for the characterization of crystalline porous materials.Moreover,the potential of Mg(BH_(4))_(2) as an electrolyte is discussed in the last part.Mg(BH_(4))_(2)·THF/DME acts as a liquid electrolyte in Mg-batteries,while anion substituted or neutral molecule derivatives of Mg(BH_(4))_(2) can act as solid-state electrolyte.展开更多
Superionics are fascinating materials displaying both solid- and liquid-like characteristics: as solids, they respond elastically to shearstress;as liquids, they display fast-ion diffusion at normal conditions. In add...Superionics are fascinating materials displaying both solid- and liquid-like characteristics: as solids, they respond elastically to shearstress;as liquids, they display fast-ion diffusion at normal conditions. In addition to such scientific interest, superionics aretechnologically relevant for energy, electronics, and sensing applications. Characterizing and understanding their elastic propertiesis, e.g., urgently needed to address their feasibility as solid-state electrolytes in all-solid-state batteries. However, static approachesto elasticity assume well-defined reference positions around which atoms vibrate, in contrast with the quasi-liquid motion of themobile ions in fast ionic conductors. Here, we derive the elastic tensors of superionics from ensemble fluctuations in the isobaric-isothermal ensemble, exploiting extensive Car-Parrinello simulations. We apply this approach to paradigmatic Li-ion conductors,and complement with a block analysis to compute statistical errors. Static approaches sampled over the trajectories oftenoverestimate the response, highlighting the importance of a dynamical treatment in determining elastic tensors in superionics.展开更多
基金Fund for Scientific Research(FNRS)PDR T0236.20FNRS-Exellence of Science 30913351FNRS CDR J.0175.23(to FT)。
文摘Microtubules play a central role in cytoskeletal changes during neuronal development and maintenance.Microtubule dynamics is essential to polarity and shape transitions underlying neural cell division,differentiation,motility,and maturation.Kinesin superfamily protein 2A is a member of human kinesin 13 gene family of proteins that depolymerize and destabilize microtubules.In dividing cells,kinesin superfamily protein 2A is involved in mitotic progression,spindle assembly,and chromosome segregation.In postmitotic neurons,it is required for axon/dendrite specification and extension,neuronal migration,connectivity,and survival.Humans with kinesin superfamily protein 2A mutations suffer from a variety of malformations of cortical development,epilepsy,autism spectrum disorder,and neurodegeneration.In this review,we discuss how kinesin superfamily protein 2A regulates neuronal development and function,and how its deregulation causes neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders.
文摘Objectives:Over the last decade,neonatal repair has been advocated for many congenital heart diseases.However,specific subgroups of complex congenital heart disease still require temporary palliation for which both surgical and endovascular techniques are currently available.We reviewed our institutional experience with shunt palliation with an emphasis on risk factors for early mortality.Methods:This is a single-center retrospective study on 175 patients undergoing surgery for central shunt or modified Blalock-Taussig shunt.All data were extracted from a prospectively collected computerized database.We identified risk factors for early mortality by uni-and multi-variable analysis.All data were censored at the time of death or shunt take-down operation.Results:Mean age and weight at surgery were 24 days(IQR[7–95])and 3.4 kg(IQR[2.9–4.8]),respectively,with 96 neonates(55%).Most patients had a biventricular heart disease(115 patients,66%),and 51 patients(29.1%)had univentricular heart disease.Thoracotomy was performed in 129 patients(74%).Cardiopulmonary bypass was used in 23 patients(13%).The median intensive care and overall length of stay were 4 days(IQR[2–9])and 18 days(IQR[13–29]),respectively.In-hospital mortality was 8.6%(15/175).By multivariable regression analysis,prematurity(HR 5.6[2.1–14.7]),CPB use(HR 6.7[2.2–18.6]),unplanned<30-day reoperation(HR 3.5[1.2–10])or catheterization(HR 4.5[1.2–16.9])were all significant predictors of early mortality.Conclusions:Procedural-related mortality remains high(8.6%)in surgical shunt palliation.For patients with prematurity,low weight at birth,or if the use of cardiopulmonary bypass is contemplated,alternative endovascular techniques of palliation should be considered together with longitudinal follow-up studies.
文摘Objective:Despite increasing enthusiasm for neonatal repair,patients with ductal-dependent circulation(pulmonary/systemic)or restrictive pulmonary blood flow still require initial palliation.Ductal stenting has emerged as an endovascular approach whereas modified-Blalock-Taussig and central shunt remain surgical references.In this study,we analyzed the relationship between pulmonary artery growth,sites of shunt connection,or antegrade pulmonary blood flow in surgically placed shunts.The need for secondary catheter-based interventions or pulmonary arterioplasty was also investigated.Methods:A retrospective single-center study analyzing 175 patients undergoing surgery for a central or modified-Blalock-Taussig shunt.Outcome growth variables were right pulmonary artery/left pulmonary artery diameters/Z scores,the indexed sum area(right pulmonary artery+left pulmonary artery),and the pulmonary symmetry index.Three imaging modalities were used:angiography,computed tomography,and echocardiography.Results:At baseline,pulmonary arteries were larger in patients with antegrade pulmonary blood flow(Nakata index 137 vs.114,p=0.047)as well as in patients receiving a modified-Blalock-Taussig shunt(Nakata index 138 vs.84,p<0.001).At the time of shunt takedown,both the right pulmonary artery and left pulmonary artery had normalized their diameter.The Nakata index increased from 134 to 233 mm^(2)/m^(2)(p<0.001).The pulmonary artery index remained stable(0.86)over time.During the inter-stage period,shunt-related pulmonary artery stenosis and juxta-ductal stenosis were diagnosed in 16(10%)and 17 patients(11%),respectively.Conclusions:Surgical shunt palliation allows normal pulmonary artery growth.Pulmonary artery stenosis was either shunt-related(10%)or secondary to juxta-ductal stenosis(11%).Close echographic follow-up allows early diagnosis and treatment of juxta-ductal stenosis.
文摘A gliding electric arc(glidarc)discharge generates a low-temperature plasma at atmospheric pressure.When the discharge occurs in humid air as the feed gas,the chemistry of a glidarc plasma consists of in situ formation of HO°and NO°as the primary chemical species.Tungsten trioxide(WO_(3))nanoparticles were successfully prepared by exposure of a liquid precursor to glidarc plasma.The WO_(3)samples were calcined at three different temperatures(300℃,500℃and 800℃),resulting in different pure polymorphs:γ-WO_(3)(at 300℃),β-WO_(3)(at 500℃)andα-WO_(3)(at 800℃)according to x-ray diffraction analysis.The identification of WO_(3)compounds was also confirmed by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis.Increase in the calcination temperature of WO_(3)induced a decrease in its specific surface area according to Brunauer–Emmett–Teller nitrogen physisorption analysis.The UV-visible results showed that the absorption bands of plasma-WO_(3)samples were more intense than those of WO_(3)samples obtained by a precipitation route,a classical method used for comparison.Consequently,this parameter can improve the photocatalytic properties of WO_(3)under visible light.The photodegradation(in sunlight conditions)of gentian violet,chosen as a model pollutant,confirmed the photocatalytic properties of plasma-WO_(3)samples.This novel synthesis method has great potential to improve the efficiency of advanced tungsten trioxide-based functional material preparation,as well as in pollution-reducing and energy-saving tungsten extractive metallurgy.
文摘Background:Most outcome studies in congenital cardiac surgery for“low weight”neonates include patients undergoing surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB).The primary objective of our study was to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality in neonates weighing less than 3 Kg and undergoing surgery with CPB.In addition,we compared the effect of early surgery with CPB(before 37W-gestational age(GA))for congenital heart disease to delayed surgery until a corrected GA of 37 weeks in an attempt to promote weight gain.Methods:Retrospective single-center study including all patients operated between 1997 and 2017.Uni-and multivariable analysis were used to analyze outcome.Results:143 patients were included.The median weight was 2.7 Kg and 49(34.3%)weighted<2.5 Kg.80%of the patients were Risk stratification STAT categories≥3.114 patients(80%)were operated without delay(usual timing,median age 9 days),whereas 29 patients(20%)entered a delayed strategy(median age 30 days).In-hospital mortality was 21.7%.By multivariate analysis,dysmaturity,preoperative positive ventilation,post-operative ECMO requirement or resuscitation,and any residual lesion were predictors of in-hospital death.In-hospital mortality in the usual timing group and the delayed group were 21.1%and 24.1%,respectively(p=0.71).In-hospital mortality for neonates operated prior to 37W-GA(n=10)was 27.3%.Conclusions:Predictors of in-hospital mortality in neonates less 3 Kg requiring CPB surgery did not differ from those unveiled in other contemporary studies.Our data demonstrates that a strategy of delaying surgery in selected patients resulted in similar clinical outcome.
文摘BACKGROUND Irritable bowel syndrome and bladder pain syndrome often overlap and are both characterized by visceral hypersensitivity.Since pelvic organs share common sensory pathways,it is likely that those syndromes involve a cross-sensitization of the bladder and the colon.The precise pathophysiology remains poorly understood.AIM To develop a model of chronic bladder-colon cross-sensitization and to investigate the mechanisms involved.METHODS Chronic cross-organ visceral sensitization was obtained in C57BL/6 mice using ultrasound-guided intravesical injections of acetic acid under brief isoflurane anesthesia.Colorectal sensitivity was assessed in conscious mice by measuring intracolonic pressure during isobaric colorectal distensions.Myeloperoxidase,used as a marker of colorectal inflammation,was measured in the colon,and colorectal permeability was measured using chambers.c-Fos protein expression,used as a marker of neuronal activation,was assessed in the spinal cord(L6-S1 level)using immunohistochemistry.Green fluorescent protein on the fractalkine receptor-positive mice were used to identify and count microglia cells in the L6-S1 dorsal horn of the spinal cord.The expression of NK1 receptors and MAPK-p38 were quantified in the spinal cord using western blot.RESULTS Visceral hypersensitivity to colorectal distension was observed after the intravesical injection of acetic acid vs saline(P<0.0001).This effect started 1 h post-injection and lasted up to 7 d postinjection.No increased permeability or inflammation was shown in the bladder or colon 7 d postinjection.Visceral hypersensitivity was associated with the increased expression of c-Fos protein in the spinal cord(P<0.0001).In green fluorescent protein on the fractalkine receptor-positive mice,intravesical acetic acid injection resulted in an increased number of microglia cells in the L6-S1 dorsal horn of the spinal cord(P<0.0001).NK1 receptor and MAPK-p38 levels were increased in the spinal cord up to 7 d after injection(P=0.007 and 0.023 respectively).Colorectal sensitization was prevented by intrathecal or intracerebroventricular injections of minocycline,a microglia inhibitor,by intracerebroventricular injection of CP-99994 dihydrochloride,a NK1 antagonist,and by intracerebroventricular injection of SB203580,a MAPK-p38 inhibitor.CONCLUSION We describe a new model of cross-organ visceral sensitization between the bladder and the colon in mice.Intravesical injections of acetic acid induced a long-lasting colorectal hypersensitivity to distension,mediated by neuroglial interactions,MAPK-p38 phosphorylation and the NK1 receptor.
基金approved by the Ethics Committee of the University Hospitals Saint-Luc in Brussels,Belgium(CEHF 2020/22JUL/374).
文摘Background:Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction(EHPVO)results in severe portal hypertension(PHT)leading to severely compromised quality of life.Often,pharmacological and endoscopic management is unable to solve this problem.Restoring hepatic portal flow using meso-Rex bypass(MRB)may solve it.This procedure,uncommon in adult patients,is considered the treatment of choice for EHPVO in children.Methods:From 1997 to 2018,8 male and 6 female adults,with a median age of 51 years(range 22-66)underwent MRB procedure for EHPVO at the University Hospitals Saint-Luc in Brussels,Belgium.Symp-toms of PHT were life altering in all but one patient and consisted of repetitive gastro-intestinal bleedings,sepsis due to portal biliopathy,and/or severe abdominal discomfort.The surgical technique consisted in interposition of a free venous graft or of a prosthetic graft between the superior mesenteric vein and the Rex recess of the left portal vein.Results:Median operative time was 500 min(range 300-730).Median follow-up duration was 22 months(range 2-169).One patient died due to hemorrhagic shock following percutaneous transluminal interven-tion for early graft thrombosis.Major morbidity,defined as Clavien-Dindo score≥III,was 35.7%(5/14).Shunt patency at last follow-up was 64.3%(9/14):85.7%(6/7)of pure venous grafts and only 42.9%(3/7)of prosthetic graft.Symptom relief was achieved in 85.7%(12/14)who became asymptomatic after MRB.Conclusions:Adult EHPVO represents a difficult clinical condition that leads to severely compromised quality of life and possible life-threatening complications.In such patients,MRB represents the only and last resort to restore physiological portal vein flow.Although successful in a majority of patients,this procedure is associated with major morbidity and mortality and should be done in tertiary centers expe-rienced with vascular liver surgery to get the best results.
基金This work was supported by the Shanghai Mental Health Center(SMHC)Clinical Research Center Project(CRC2017YB04).
文摘Background Many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Screening,Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment(SBIRT)in addressing substance use problem.However,owing to the shortage of counsellors,it has not been widely used in China.With the development of smart medicine,we developed a web-based electronic SBIRT(E-SBIRT)program and explored the effectiveness of E-SBIRT in reducing substance use in China.Methods A randomised controlled trial will be conducted in primary healthcare institutions.Four primary healthcare institutions will be selected and randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group(each institution will recruit 60 participants,and in total,240 participants will be recruited).The control group will get a pamphlet of drug abuse prevention,and the intervention group will get the E-SBIRT intervention and the pamphlet.Both groups will receive baseline and follow-up assessment at 1 and 3 months after the intervention.The primary outcome is the change in scores on the Alcohol,Smoking and Substance Use Involvement Screening Test,and the secondary outcomes include changes in motivation,depression,anxiety,positive/negative emotion,self-esteem,addiction knowledge and addiction severity index.Conclusions If the‘E-SBIRT’program is found to be effective,it will be an accessible,affordable and widely implementable intervention to help participants at moderate risk of substance use to reduce their consumption.The potential benefit is to provide early intervention to high-risk patients in time and reduce the harmful consequences to individuals and society.
基金Natural Science Foundation project(No.41271429)FP7 Project(SIGMA)ESA Project(Dragon 4 and S2A)。
文摘Agricultural monitoring is essential for adequate management of food production and distribution.Crop land and crop type classification,using remote sensing time series,form an important tool to capture the agricultural production information.The recently launched Sentinel-2 satellites provide unprecedented monitoring capacities in terms of spatial resolution,swath width,and revisit frequency.The Sentinel-2 for Agriculture(Sen2-Agri)system has been developed to fully exploit those capacities,by providing four relevant earth observation products for agricultural monitoring.Under the Dragon 4 Program,the crop mapping with various satellite images and a specific focus on the Yellow River irrigated agricultural area in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China was carried out with the Sentinel-2 for Agriculture system(Sent2Agri).9 types of crops were classified and the crop type map in 2017 was produced based on 35 scenes Sentinel 2A/B images.The overall accuracy computed from the error confusion matrix is 88%,which includes the cropped and uncropped types.After the removal of the uncropped area,the overall accuracy for a cropped decrease to 73%.In order to further improve the crop classification accuracy,the training dataset should be further improved and tuned.
文摘Liver transplantation(LT)is currently the only curative treatment option for selected patients with end stage liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma.Improving waiting list-mortality,post-transplant morbidity and mortality and refining the selection of the patients remain our current central objectives.In this field,different concepts dealing with nutrition and the muscle such as sarcopenia,malnutrition,frailty or myosteatosis have emerged as possible game changers.For more than a decade,many prospective studies have demonstrated that sarcopenia and frailty are major predictive factors of mortality in the waiting list but also after LT.Malnutrition is also a well-known risk factor for morbidity and mortality.Muscle composition is a newer concept giving insight on muscle quality which has also been shown to be linked to poorer outcomes.Each of these terms has a precise definition as well as pathophysiological mechanisms.The bidirectional liver-muscle axis makes sense in this situation.Defining the best,easy to use in clinical practice tools to assess muscle quality,quantity,and function in this specific population and developing quality prospective studies to identify interventional strategies that could improve these parameters as well as evaluate the effect on mortality are among the important challenges of today.
文摘Much empiricism is involved in design of rock-socketed piles in rock masses.In light of this,an analytical solution based on the cavity expansion theory is proposed for calculating the ultimate bearing capacity at the tip of a pile embedded in rock masses obeying the Hoek-Brown failure criterion.The ultimate end bearing capacity is evaluated by assuming that the pressure exerted at the boundaries of a pressure bulb immediately beneath the pile tip is equal to the limit pressure required to expand a spherical cavity.In addition,a relationship is derived to predict the pile load-settlement response.To demonstrate the applicability of the presented solution,the results of this study were compared to those of 91 field tests from technical literature.Despite the limitations,it is found that the end bearing resistance computed by the present work is in good agreement with the field test results.
文摘Since the first right hepatectomy performed by Jean-Louis Lortat-Jacob on October 16,1951 and the first liver transplantation by Thomas Earl Starzl on March 1,1963,hepatobiliary surgery and liver transplantation had a spectacular development[1,2].After the hesitating beginning in the 1950’s and 1960’s,their evolution really took off in the 1980’,reaching high-speed velocity in the 21st century.
基金supported by a grant from the University of MassachusettsAmerican Association for the Study of Liver Diseases(AASLD)+3 种基金American Society of Transplant Surgeons(ASTS)awarded and supported by the International Travel Scholar Award(2018)by the International Liver Transplantation Society(ILTS)to develop this projectsupported by a travel grant from the European Society of Transplantation(ESOT)a grant from Jo Kolk Studiefonds。
文摘To the Editor:Over the years,the shortage of suitable donor organs has challenged the transplant community in performing life-saving liver transplantation(LT).Recent reports from European and American liver transplant registries show persistently high waitlist mortality rates ranging between 10%and 18%[1,2].
文摘Describing the orientation state of the particles is often critical in fibre suspension applications.Macroscopic descriptors,the so-called second-order orientation tensor(or moment)leading the way,are often preferred due to their low computational cost.Closure problems however arise when evolution equations for the moments are derived from the orientation distribution functions and the impact of the chosen closure is often unpredictable.In this work,our aim is to provide macroscopic simulations of orientation that are cheap,accurate and closure-free.To this end,we propose an innovative data-based approach to the upscaling of orientation kinematics in the context of fibre suspensions.Since the physics at the microscopic scale can be modelled reasonably enough,the idea is to conduct accurate offline direct numerical simulations at that scale and to extract the corresponding macroscopic descriptors in order to build a database of scenarios.During the online stage,the macroscopic descriptors can then be updated quickly by combining adequately the items from the database instead of relying on an imprecise macroscopic model.This methodology is presented in the well-known case of dilute fibre suspensions(where it can be compared against closure-based macroscopic models)and in the case of suspensions of confined or electrically-charged fibres,for which state-of-the-art closures proved to be inadequate or simply do not exist.
文摘Objective: To report two cases of orthotopic transplantation of fresh ovarian tissue. Setting: Academic hospital. Patient(s): Two patients with severe endometriosis, who underwent left oophorectomy for recurrent endometriosis. Intervention(s): Ovarian cortex was reimplanted in the heterolateral orthotopic site. Result(s): Biopsies of the grafted tissue were taken 3 months after reimplantation. Viable primordial follicles were found. The presence of a neovascular capillary network was demonstrated. Conclusion(s): Reimplantation of fresh ovarian cortex allows the survival of primordial follicles and may represent an alternative method for the preservation of ovarian cortex when oophorectomy is mandatory.
基金supported in part through the Concerted Research Action(ARC16/21-074)and the China Scholarship Council(pre-doctoral fellowships for C.-L.L.).
文摘While common in biological systems,building blocks with low symmetry and flexibility pose numerous problems for synthetic self-assembly,such as the formation of isomers of assemblies that are difficult to distinguish and purify.In this work,three aromatic amide-based ligands(L1–L3)with a central 1,8-diazatriptycene core were designed and used for selfassembly with Pd^(2+).While hundreds of stereoisomers based on the conformational flexibility around the amides and the unsymmetrical nonplanar structure of the core are possible upon coordination with the metal,the constraints designed into the ligands direct the self-assembly toward only a single Pd_(2)L_(4)cage(L1)or Pd_(4)L_(8)double-walled metallomacrocycle(L2)structure,even in mixtures of the ligands.This structural approach and the modularity of the ligand synthesis affords ready access to deep cavitands with endohedral functionalization(L3).These results highlight the potential of this new design strategy and open the door to selectively functionalized cavity-based architectures for numerous applications.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Projects(Nos.52171205,21975168 and 52101249)the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation for Ex-cellent Youth Scholars(No.2108085Y16)+4 种基金the Youth Science and Technology Fund Project of China Machinery Industry Group Co.,Ltd.(No.QNJJ-ZD-2022-01)the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province(No.2108085QE191)This work was also sup-ported by the Independent Research Fund Denmark for Technology and Production(No.9041-00226B)by FNRS(PDR T.0169.13,EQP U.N038.13,J.0164.17,CdR J.0073.20)the CommunautéFrançaise de Belgique under Grant ARC 18/23-093.
文摘Mg(BH_(4))_(2) with several polymorphs,known as a high capacity(14.9 wt.%)hydrogen storage material,has become more intriguing due to the recently found new functions of gas physisorption and ionic conduc-tivity.Here we review the state-of-the-art on the energy related functions of Mg(BH_(4))_(2).Mg(BH_(4))_(2) tends to form the stable intermediate[B_(12)H_(12)]^(2−) when the dehydrogenation temperature is above 400℃,the strong B-B bonding of which makes the rehydrogenation condition very harsh.In contrast,lower borane intermediate[B_(3)H_(8)]2−facilitates the rehydrogenation even at a mild condition of 100℃,suggesting the possibility of reversible hydrogen storage in Mg(BH_(4))_(2).The porous polymorphγ-Mg(BH_(4))_(2) shows attrac-tive gas adsorption properties in view of its unique hydridic surface and pore shape,and potentially can be applied in hydrogen adsorption and Kr/Xe selectivity.A new diffraction-based adsorption methodology was developed to characterize adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics ofγ-Mg(BH_(4))_(2),providing a novel idea for the characterization of crystalline porous materials.Moreover,the potential of Mg(BH_(4))_(2) as an electrolyte is discussed in the last part.Mg(BH_(4))_(2)·THF/DME acts as a liquid electrolyte in Mg-batteries,while anion substituted or neutral molecule derivatives of Mg(BH_(4))_(2) can act as solid-state electrolyte.
基金This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation(SNSF)and its National Centre of Competence in Research MARVEL on“Computational Design and Discovery of Novel Materials”(grant number 182892,G.M.,N.M.).We acknowledge computational support from the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre CSCS(projects s1073,s836,and mr28).Fruitful discussions with Claire Villevieille,Aris Marcolongo,and Leonid Kahle are gratefully acknowledged.
文摘Superionics are fascinating materials displaying both solid- and liquid-like characteristics: as solids, they respond elastically to shearstress;as liquids, they display fast-ion diffusion at normal conditions. In addition to such scientific interest, superionics aretechnologically relevant for energy, electronics, and sensing applications. Characterizing and understanding their elastic propertiesis, e.g., urgently needed to address their feasibility as solid-state electrolytes in all-solid-state batteries. However, static approachesto elasticity assume well-defined reference positions around which atoms vibrate, in contrast with the quasi-liquid motion of themobile ions in fast ionic conductors. Here, we derive the elastic tensors of superionics from ensemble fluctuations in the isobaric-isothermal ensemble, exploiting extensive Car-Parrinello simulations. We apply this approach to paradigmatic Li-ion conductors,and complement with a block analysis to compute statistical errors. Static approaches sampled over the trajectories oftenoverestimate the response, highlighting the importance of a dynamical treatment in determining elastic tensors in superionics.