Malignant melanoma of the penis and urethra: one case report

We present a case of a patient with malignant melanoma of the glans penis and urethra, which was found in a 53-year-old man with nonhealing ulcerative penile lesion and bilateral, clinically palpable inguinal lymphadenopathies at diagnosis. A diagnostic biopsy showed the characteristics of a melanoma. We treated the patient with total penectomy and bilateral inguinal lymph node dissection. After surgery, chemotherapy with bleomycin, vincristine and cisplatin and immunotherapy with thymosin injection were started. No recurrence or metastasis occurred during the 3 years after the operation. Melanoma of the penis is very rare, and early diagnosis is important because the patient prognosis is very poor

Recent mechanisms of surface ecological changes driven by climate change and human activities in Lake Biwa, Japan

Lake Biwa, Japan represents a crucial example of the complex climatic and anthropogenic drivers influencing lake ecological transformations, vital to informing Sustainable Development Goals globally. This study utilizes 2002–2022 Landsat, MODIS and in situ Lake Biwa monitoring data to analyze surface layer spatiotemporal dynamics across interrelated vegetation, water quality and meteorological indicators—encompassing Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), chlorophyll-a (Chl) and water temperature (W-TEM). Upward NDVI raster trends were found over 20 years alongside prevalent N, P and Chl declines—although some increases did occur spatially in P and Chl—while W-TEM mostly rose lakewide. Southwest–northeast gradients typified distributions. Further attribution analyses revealed W-TEM as the primary N, P and Chl driver, while agricultural expansion and urbanization mediated crucial N and P changes. Moreover, wind speed (WS), Crop, W-TEM, minimum temperature (TMMN), Chl and N constituted top NDVI raster influence factors respectively. These novel integrated models quantifying Lake Biwa ecological responses to multifaceted environmental change provide new perspectives to inform sustainable management of Lake Biwa itself and critical freshwater resources worldwide

Therapeutic potential of HMGB1-targeting agents in sepsis

Sepsis refers to a systemic inflammatory response syndrome resulting from a microbial infection. The inflammatory response is partly mediated by innate immune cells (such as macrophages, monocytes and neutrophils), which not only ingest and eliminate invading pathogens but also initiate an inflammatory response upon recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). The prevailing theories of sepsis as a dysregulated inflammatory response, as manifested by excessive release of inflammatory mediators such as tumour necrosis factor and high-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), are supported by extensive studies employing animal models of sepsis. Here we review emerging evidence that support extracellular HMGB1 as a late mediator of experimental sepsis, and discuss the therapeutic potential of several HMGB1-targeting agents (including neutralising antibodies and steroid-like tanshinones) in experimental sepsis

Synthesis of Newly Discovered Carbon Nanoframes: A Self‐Assembly Strategy Based on DTAB @ NaCl

Abstract Carbon nanomaterials have attracted much attention in the field of science and technology for their excellent properties; however, developing a simple, environmentally friendly, and versatile synthesis strategy for the preparation of carbon nanomaterials with novel structures remains a great challenge. Herein, a surfactant @ salt (dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide DTAB @ NaCl) self‐assembly strategy for the synthesis of carbon nanomaterials with novel structures, i.e., carbon nanoframes is reported. The synthesis differs from the traditional template method in that it is characterized by the introduction of surfactants for separation and protection, and the salt can be recycled. In addition, the carbon frame size in this system can be adjusted on demand by simply adjusting the concentration of surfactant, thus realizing that the carbon nanoframe size is adjustable in the range of 232.58–322.51 nm. Impressively, the carbon nanoframe has purple, blue, and green PL emission behavior. It is anticipated that this research will provide new insights into the development of novel carbon nanomaterials

Free Vibration Of Functionally Graded Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composite Annular Sector Plate With General Boundary Supports

In this paper, an efficient and unified approach for free vibration analysis of the moderately thick functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite annular sector plate with general boundary supports is presented by using the Ritz method and the first-order shear deformation theory. For the distribution of the carbon nanotubes in thickness direction, it may be uniform or functionally graded. Properties of the composite media are based on a refined rule of the mixture approach which contains the efficiency parameters. A modified Fourier series is chosen as the basic function of the admissible function to eliminate all the relevant discontinuities of the displacements and their derivatives at the edges. To establish the general boundary supports of the annular sector plate, the artificial spring boundary technique is implemented at all edges. The desired solutions are obtained through the Ritz-variational energy method. Some numerical examples are considered to check the accuracy, convergence and reliability of the present method. In addition, the parameter studies of the functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite annular sector plate are carried out as well

Analysis on the Thermal Balance and Operational Parameters for the District Heating System with Peak Load Boilers in Heating Substations

This study proposes to use gas-fired boilers as peak shaving heat sources in heating substations due to their capability to increase the reliability, flexibility and heat capacity without the need to change the district heating network (DHN). However, the design and operational requirements with different connection modes for this kind of DH system are still not clear. This paper presents a systematic study on this kind of DH system, analyzes the connection modes of series and parallel connections between the gas-fired boilers and the heat exchangers. For each connection mode, we figured out the thermal balances and obtained the design and operational parameters including the supply temperatures of the heat exchangers, gas-fired boilers and their variations under different network temperature levels and the base load ratios (beta). Under the series connection mode, the design supply temperature of the heat exchangers has no relation with the design peak shaving flow ratio (omega '); it decreases linearly along with smaller beta, and the decreasing slope is higher with bigger temperature difference (Delta t) of the DHN. However, the design supply temperatures of gas-fired boilers increase linearly when beta and/or omega ' are smaller, and the increasing speed is proportional to Delta t. For the parallel connection mode, the design supply temperatures of the heat exchangers and gas-fired boilers are all affected by beta, omega ' and Delta t. The former decreases when beta and/or omega ' are smaller, while the latter increases at the same time. Finally, the design peak shaving flow ratio omega ' are determined for the peak boilers with series and parallel connection modes. The study provides a theoretical basis for the design and operation of the DH system with peak heating boilers in substations in order to reach a lower investment and higher efficiency.Peer reviewe

DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND COMMISSIONING OF THE 100KW RF AMPLIFIER FOR CYCIAE-100

As a major part of the BRIF project, CYCIAE-100, the<br />100MeV high intensity cyclotron being constructed at<br />CIAE, will provide 200&mu;A-500&mu;A proton beam ranging<br />from 75MeV to 100MeV for RIB production. Two<br />identical 100kW RF amplifiers will be used to drive two<br />cavities independently to accelerate H- beam up to 100<br />MeV. The detail technical specification has been<br />investigated, fixed, and initial design has been finished by<br />CIAE. Then, the construction design and manufacture is<br />done by China Academy of Aero and Space. The on site<br />test is successful by mutual efforts. The final<br />commissioning is under way with a full scale prototype<br />cavity at CIAE. A general description of the CYCIAE-100<br />RF system design will be given, as well as the review of<br />100kW amplifier design. In the commissioning of the<br />amplifier with dummy load, different high order<br />resonances are found when operated at different<br />frequencies between 42MHz to 46MHz. An equivalent<br />circuit model is carried out to hunt down the problems.<br />The model and related analysis will be reported together<br />with the process and results of high power test with the<br />cavity load through about 35-meter 6-1/8&rdquo; rigid coaxial<br />line.IMP;Chinese Academy of Science

Supplemental Material - Prevalence, Associated Factors and Adverse Outcomes of Demoralization in Cancer Patients: A Decade of Systematic Review

Supplemental Material for Prevalence, Associated Factors and Adverse Outcomes of Demoralization in Cancer Patients: A Decade of Systematic Review by Yuejuan Wang, Haichao Sun, Qiaoying Ji, Qiwei Wu, Jinrong Wei, and Pingting Zhu in American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®</p

Carbon Nanotube-Hydrogel Composites Facilitate Neuronal Differentiation While Maintaining Homeostasis of Network Activity

It is often assumed that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) stimulate neuronal differentiation by transferring electrical signals and enhancing neuronal excitability. Given this, CNT-hydrogel composites are regarded as potential materials able to combine high electrical conductivity with biocompatibility, and therefore promote nerve regeneration. However, whether CNT-hydrogel composites actually influence neuronal differentiation and maturation, and how they do so remain elusive. In this study, CNT-hydrogel composites are prepared by in situ polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) around a preformed CNT meshwork. It is demonstrated that the composites facilitate long-term survival and differentiation of pheochromocytoma 12 cells. Adult neural stem cells cultured on the composites show an increased neuron-to-astrocyte ratio and higher synaptic connectivity. Moreover, primary hippocampal neurons cultured on composites maintain morphological synaptic features as well as their neuronal network activity evaluated by spontaneous calcium oscillations, which are comparable to neurons cultured under control conditions. These results indicate that the composites are promising materials that could indeed facilitate neuronal differentiation while maintaining neuronal homeostasis