Head and Neck Cancer Risk Calculator (HaNC-RC) - v.2. Adjustments and addition of symptoms and social history factors.

Objectives: Head and neck cancer (HNC) diagnosis through the 2-week wait, urgent suspicion of cancer (USOC) pathway has failed to increase early cancer detection rates in the UK. A head and neck cancer risk calculator (HaNC-RC) has previously been designed to aid referral of high-risk patients to USOC clinics (predictive power: 77%). Our aim was to refine the HaNC-RC to increase its prediction potential. Design: Following sample size calculation, prospective data collection and statistical analysis of referral criteria and outcomes. Setting: Large tertiary care cancer centre in Scotland. Participants: 3531 new patients seen in routine, urgent and USOC head and neck (HaN) clinics. Main outcome measures: Data collected were as follows: demographics, social history, presenting symptoms and signs and HNC diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis were performed to identify significant predictors of HNC. Internal validation was performed using 1000 sample bootstrapping to estimate model diagnostics included the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity. Results: The updated version of the risk calculator (HaNC-RC v.2) includes age, gender, unintentional weight loss, smoking, alcohol, positive and negative symptoms and signs of HNC. It has achieved an AUC of 88.6% with two recommended triage referral cut-offs to USOC (cut-off: 7.1%; sensitivity: 85%, specificity: 78.3%) or urgent clinics (cut-off: 2.2%; sensitivity: 97.1%; specificity of 52.9%). This could redistribute cancer detection through USOC clinics from the current 60.9%–85.2%, without affecting total numbers seen in each clinical setting. Conclusions: The use of the HaNC-RC v.2 has a significant potential in both identifying patients at high risk of HNC early thought USOC clinics but also improving health service delivery practices by reducing the number of inappropriately urgent referrals

A Business Model Incorporating Harmonic Control as a Value-added Service for Utility-owned Electricity Retailers

With the deepening of electricity market reform in China, the competition in the electricity retail market becomes increasingly intense. Electricity retailers (ERs) need to explore new business models to enhance their competitiveness in the retail market. Meanwhile, with the improvement of industrial production and people's living standards, more and more nonlinear electrical equipment have been put into use, leading to severe harmonic pollution problems. Harmonic pollution causes loss of electricity, resulting in the economic loss of customers, especially for large industrial customers. In the above contexts, this paper proposes a novel business model that incorporates harmonic control as a value-added service into electricity retail contracts for utility-owned ERs. Both utility-owned ERs and customers can benefit from the designed business model. For customers, it helps them to improve the power quality while saving the electricity cost. For ERs, it helps them to cultivate the customer loyalty and improve the customer satisfaction. A case study is performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed business model

GxcM-Fbp17/RacC-WASP signaling regulates polarized cortex assembly in migrating cells via Arp2/3

The actin-rich cortex plays a fundamental role in many cellular processes. Its architecture and molecular composition vary across cell types and physiological states. The full complement of actin assembly factors driving cortex formation and how their activities are spatiotemporally regulated remain to be fully elucidated. Using Dictyostelium as a model for polarized and rapidly migrating cells, we show that GxcM, a RhoGEF localized specifically in the rear of migrating cells, functions together with F-BAR protein Fbp17, a small GTPase RacC, and the actin nucleation-promoting factor WASP to coordinately promote Arp2/3 complex-mediated cortical actin assembly. Overactivation of this signaling cascade leads to excessive actin polymerization in the rear cortex, whereas its disruption causes defects in cortical integrity and function. Therefore, apart from its well-defined role in the formation of the protrusions at the cell front, the Arp2/3 complex-based actin carries out a previously unappreciated function in building the rear cortical subcompartment in rapidly migrating cells

Baicalin Improves Survival in a Murine Model of Polymicrobial Sepsis via Suppressing Inflammatory Response and Lymphocyte Apoptosis

BACKGROUND: An imbalance between overwhelming inflammation and lymphocyte apoptosis is the main cause of high mortality in patients with sepsis. Baicalin, the main active ingredient of the Scutellaria root, exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and even antibacterial properties in inflammatory and infectious diseases. However, the therapeutic effect of baicalin on polymicrobial sepsis remains unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Polymicrobial sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in C57BL/6 mice. Mice were infused with baicalin intraperitoneally at 1 h, 6 h and 12 h after CLP. Survival rates were assessed over the subsequent 8 days. Bacterial burdens in blood and peritoneal cavity were calculated to assess the bacterial clearance. Neutrophil count in peritoneal lavage fluid was also calculated. Injuries to the lung and liver were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Levels of cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and IL-17, in blood and peritoneum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Adaptive immune function was assessed by apoptosis of lymphocytes in the thymus and counts of different cell types in the spleen. Baicalin significantly enhanced bacterial clearance and improved survival of septic mice. The number of neutrophils in peritoneal lavage fluid was reduced by baicalin. Less neutrophil infiltration of the lung and liver in baicalin-treated mice was associated with attenuated injuries to these organs. Baicalin significantly reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokines but increased the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine in blood and peritoneum. Apoptosis of CD3(+) T cell was inhibited in the thymus. The numbers of CD4(+), CD8(+) T lymphocytes and dendritic cells (DCs) were higher, while the number of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells was lower in the baicalin group compared with the CLP group. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Baicalin improves survival of mice with polymicrobial sepsis, and this may be attributed to its antibacterial property as well as its anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects

Enhanced methane production by granular activated carbon: A review

International audienceBiomethane production by anaerobic digestion is an efficient technology to treat organic waste and produce clean energy. A growing number of studies has attempted to use carbon-based materials to enhance methane production performance. Granular activated carbon (GAC) is commonly used due to its low price and high efficiency. Moreover, the high conductivity of GAC favors direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) coupled with CO2 reduction to accelerate electromethanogenesis. GAC has also other properties such as porosity, which may influence microbial methanogenesis. . Here we review the effects of GAC on anaerobic carbon mineralization, with focus on conductivity, adhesion, adsorption, pH buffering, and redox mediation. The findings are also applicable to natural ecosystems such as soils and sediments. We also discuss modification of GAC by nanomaterials to enhance anaerobic performance. We suggest practical GAC applications in anaerobic digestion and energy conservation

An Approach to Improve the Misalignment and Wireless Power Transfer into Biomedical Implants Using Meandered Wearable Loop Antenna

An approach to improve wireless power transfer (WPT) to implantable medical devices using loop antennas is presented. The antenna exhibits strong magnetic field and dense flux line distribution along two orthogonal axes by insetting the port inside the antenna area. This design shows excellent performance against misalignment in the y-direction and higher WPT as compared with a traditional square loop antenna. Two antennas were optimized based on this approach, one wearable and the other implantable. Both antennas work at both the ISM (Industrial, Scientific, and Medical) band of 433 MHz for WPT and the MedRadio (Medical Device Radiocommunications Service) band of 401–406 MHz for communications. To test the WPT for implantable medical devices, a miniaturized rectifier with a size of 10 mm × 5 mm was designed to integrate with the antenna to form an implantable rectenna. The power delivered to a load of 4.7 kΩ can be up to 1150 μW when 230 mW power is transmitted which is still under the safety limit. This design can be used to directly power a pacemaker, a nerve stimulation device, or a glucose measurement system which requires 70 μW, 100 μW, and 48 μW DC power, respectively.</jats:p

Promotion of methane production by magnetite via increasing acetogenesis revealed by metagenome-assembled genomes

Metal oxides are wildly studied to enhance anaerobic digestion and the methanogenic process, which is generally interpreted by increased direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). Yet microbial mechanisms involved are under debate. Herein, methane production dynamics were analyzed, and acceleration on biogas accumulation was presented. Complementing previous findings, Fe3O4 nanoparticles stimulated bacterial fermentation rather than methanogenesis or syntropy between electro-microorganism and methanogen. More importantly, metagenome-assembled genomes proved that Fe3O4 nanoparticles increased acetogenesis by Parabacteroides chartae, which provided abundant substrates for acetoclastic methanogenesis. Interestingly, the weakly conductive V3O7 center dot H2O nanowires increased potential hydrogen-producing bacteria, Brevundimonas, and electromicroorganisms, Clostridium and Rhodoferax, which is convenient for conducting DIET. Collectively, conductivity may not be a critical factor in mediating DIET and distinct strategies of metal oxides on methane production propose more possibilities, such as fermentation process

Three-component reaction of azulene, aryl glyoxal and 1,3-dicarbonyl compound for the synthesis of various azulene derivatives

A three-component reaction of an azulene, an aryl glyoxal and a 1,3-dicarbonyl compound has been elaborated to access a series of azulene derivatives. Some of these azulene-containing adducts were further subjected to post-MCR transformations to assemble azulene–heterocycle conjugates

Rapid removal of chloramphenicol via the synergy of Geobacter and metal oxide nanoparticles

The wide use of chloramphenicol and its residues in the environments are an increasing threat to human beings. Electroactive microorganisms were proven with the ability of biodegradation of chloramphenicol, but the removal rate and efficiency need to be improved. In this study, a model electricigens, Geobacter metallireducens, was supplied with and Fe3O4 and MnO2 nanoparticles. Five times higher chloramphenicol removal rate (0.71 d(-1)) and two times higher chloramphenicol removal efficiency (100%) was achieved. Fe3O4 and MnO2 nano particles highly increased the current density and NADH-quinone oxidoreductase expression. Fe3O4 nano particles enhanced the expression of alcohol dehydrogenase and c-type cytochrome, while MnO2 nanoparticles increased the transcription of pyruvate dehydrogenase and Type IV pili assembly genes. Chloramphenicol was reduced to a type of dichlorination reducing product named CPD3 which is a benzene ring containing compound. Collectively, Fe3O4 and MnO2 nanoparticles increased the chloramphenicol removal capacity in MFCs by enhancing electron transfer efficiency. This study provides new enhancing strategies for the bioremediation of chloramphenicol in the environments