Postoperative serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen and carcinoembryonic antigen predict overall survival in surgical patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BackgroundTumor markers are routinely used in clinical practice. However, for resectable patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), they are applied infrequently as their prognostic significance is incompletely understood.MethodsThis historical cohort study included 2769 patients with resected ESCC from 2011 to 2018 in a high-risk area in northern China. Their clinical data were extracted from the Electronic Medical Record. Survival analysis of eight common tumor markers was performed with multivariable Cox proportional hazards regressions.ResultsWith a median follow-up of 39.5 months, 901 deaths occurred. Among the eight target markers, elevated postoperative serum SCC (Squamous cell carcinoma antigen) and CEA (Carcinoembryonic antigen) predicted poor overall survival (SCC HRadjusted: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.70-4.17; CEA HRadjusted: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.14-4.86). In contrast, preoperative levels were not significantly associated with survival. Stratified analysis also demonstrated poorer survival in seropositive groups of postoperative SCC and CEA within each TNM stage. The above associations were generally robust using different quantiles of concentrations above the upper limit of the clinical normal range as alternative cutoffs. Regarding temporal trends of serum levels, SCC and CEA were similar. Their concentrations fell rapidly after surgery and thereafter remained relatively stable.ConclusionPostoperative serum SCC and CEA levels predict the overall survival of ESCC surgical patients. More importance should be attached to the use of these markers in clinical applications

A mu CT-based investigation of the influence of tissue modulus variation, anisotropy and inhomogeneity on ultrasound propagation in trabecular bone

Ultrasound propagation is widely used in the diagnosis of osteoporosis by providing information on bone mechanical quality. When it loses calcium, the tissue properties will first decrease. However, limited research about the influence of tissue properties on ultrasound propagation have been done due to the cumbersome experiment. The goal of this study was to explore the relationships between tissue modulus (Es) and speed of sound (SOS) through numerical simulations, and to study the influence of Es on the acoustical behavior in characterizing the local structural anisotropy and inhomogeneity. In this work, three-dimensional finite element (FE) simulations were performed on a cubic high-resolution (15μm) bovine trabecular bone sample (4×4×4mm(3), BV/TV=0.18) mapped from micro-computed tomography. Ultrasound excitations of 50kHz, 500kHz and 2MHz were applied in three orthogonal axes and the first arriving signal (FAS) was collected to quantify wave velocity. In this study, a strong power law relationship between Es and SOS was measured with estimated exponential index β=2.08-3.44 for proximal-distal (PD), anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML), respectively (all R(2)>0.95). For various Es, a positive dispersion of sound speed with respect to sound frequency was observed and the velocity dispersion magnitude (VDM) was measured. Also, with Es=15GPa in three orientations, the SOS in PD axis is 2009±120m/s, faster than that of AP (1762±106m/s) and ML (1798±132m/s) (f=2MHz) directions. Besides, the standard deviation of SOS increases with the sound frequency and the Es in all directions except for that at 50kHz. For the mechanical properties, the apparent modulus with certain Es was highest in the longitudinal direction compared with the transverse directions. It indicates that the tissue modulus combining with anisotropy and inhomogeneity has great influence on ultrasound propagation. Simulation results agree well with theoretical and experimental results.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: A μCT-based investigation of the influence of tissue modulus variation, anisotropy and inhomogeneity on ultrasound propagation in trabecular bone journaltitle: Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2016.02.034 content_type: article copyright: © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.status: publishe

Fight for carbon neutrality with state-of-the-art negative carbon emission technologies

After the Industrial Revolution, the ever-increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration has resulted in significant problems for human beings. Nearly all countries in the world are actively taking measures to fight for carbon neutrality. In recent years, negative carbon emission technologies have attracted much attention due to their ability to reduce or recycle excess CO2 in the atmosphere. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art negative carbon emission technologies, from the artificial enhancement of natural carbon sink technology to the physical, chemical, or biological methods for carbon capture, as well as CO2 utilization and conversion. Finally, we expound on the challenges and outlook for improving negative carbon emission technology to accelerate the pace of achieving carbon neutrality

Insights into the Kinetics, Theoretical Model and Mechanism of Free Radical Synergistic Degradation of Micropollutants in UV/Peroxydisulfate Process

The degradation of acyclovir (ACY) and atenolol (ATL) in the UV/peroxydisulfate (UV/PDS) process has been systematically considered, focusing on the degradation kinetics, theoretical models, and reaction pathways via applying a microfluidic UV reaction system. The removal efficiencies of ACY and ATL were >94.8%, and the apparent degradation rate constants (kobs) were 0.0931 and 0.1938 min−1 at pH 6.0 in the UV/PDS system. The sulfate radical (SO4•−) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) were identified as the major reactive radicals. The pH-dependent reaction rate constants of ACY and ATL with •OH and SO4•− were measured via the competing kinetics. Meanwhile, the contributions of •OH and SO4•− for ACY and ATL degradation were calculated by the radical steady-state hypothesis, and the results revealed that SO4•− occupied a decisive position (>84.5%) for the elimination of ACY and ATL. The contribution of •OH became more significant with the increasing pH, while SO4•− was still dominant. Moreover, ACY and ATL degradation performance were systematically evaluated via the experiments and Kintecus model under different operational parameters (Cl−, Br−, HCO3−, NOM, etc.) in the UV/PDS process. Furthermore, the plausible reaction pathways of ACY and ATL were elucidated based on the Fukui function theory and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) analysis. The UV/PDS process has been demonstrated to be an efficient and potential application for micropollutants mitigation

Geochemical characteristics and sedimentary environment of source rocks in the Qiangtang Basin: New discoveries from the upper Triassic Xiaochaka formation in the Woruoshan Mountain

Clarifying the sedimentary environment and main controlling factors of source rocks is significant for the oil and gas exploration in the Qiangtang Basin. Based on the detailed observation results, this study analyzed the organic geochemical characteristics and trace metals of source rocks in the Upper Triassic Xiaochaka Formation in the Woruoshan Mountain and investigated the depositional conditions and their implications for the formation of source rocks. The source rocks of the Xiaochaka Formation mainly consist of dark mudstones with low-medium abundance of organic matter. They have type II2-III kerogen and middle thermal maturity. This strata had a warm and humid climate during its deposition. Affected by the sea-level fluctuation, the depositional water columns of this strata evolved from freshwater to brackish water and then freshwater from bottom to top. The Xiaochaka Formation deposited in the oxic water columns overall with high paleoproductivity. The formation of the Xiaochaka source rocks in the Woruoshan mainly is the “productivity model” controlled by paleoclimate and freshwater flux. The warm and humid paleoclimate and freshwater transport contributed to the high paleoproductivity of water columns and counteracted the unfavorable preservation conditions. As a result, type Ⅱ2-Ⅲ source rocks were finally formed

Lithofacies palaeogeography of Middle Permian in the Sichuan Basin and its petroleum geological significance

Exploration discoveries have been made in the Middle Permian of the Sichuan Basin, indicating great exploration potential. However, the Middle Permian has obvious tectonic-sedimentary variation, resulting in complexity of hydrocarbon accumulation mechanism. The reconstruction of sequence lithofacies paleogeography is of great significance to understand the tectonic-sedimentary evolution, sedimentary formation and hydrocarbon exploration. In this paper, the lithofacies palaeogeography during the Middle Permian Qixia-Maokou period in the Sichuan Basin was reconstructed with the third order sequence as the minimum longitudinal mapping unit based on oil and gas exploration results as well as typical drilling and outcropping data. Five third-order sequences for the Middle Permian in the Sichuan Basin were supposed in this study including: SQq1 (from the Liangshan Formation to the section B of the first member of the Qixia Formation), SQq2 (from the section A of the first member to the second member of the Qixia Formation), SQm1 (from the first member to the section C of the second member of the Maokou Formation), SQm2 (from the section B to the section A of the second member of the Maokou Formation), and SQm3 (from the third to the fourth member of Maokou Formation). During the deposition of SQq1 and SQm1, transgression and filling were dominant, and spot and banded beach bodies in some palaeo-highlands of the basin were discovered. During the deposition of SQq2, SQm2 and SQm3, continuous regression and geomorphic differentiation were dominant, the carbonate platforms depositional system with edge were developed in the margin parts of the basin, and large scale multi-stage and multi-zone beach bodies could be formed in the platform. SQq2 was the main shoal-forming stage in the Middle Permian. The relatively long regressive process [JP+1]and local block uplift promoted the formation of large scale multi-stage and multi-zone shoals in the platform margin of the western Sichuan Basin and the southern part of the central Sichuan Basin. During SQm3 period, the sedimentary differentiation in the northern Sichuan Basin was obviously intensified, and it was transformed into an alternate uplift and sag pattern with platform margin, slope and shelf. The platform margin and intra-platform shoal of the HST during the deposition of SQq2 and SQm3 provided material basis for dolomitization, dissolution and other later constructive diagenetic transformation. Therefore, the delineation of slope break zone geomorphology and the prediction of platform margin and intra-platform shoal should be regarded as the focus of further exploration

Enriching Reaction Intermediates in Multishell Structured Copper Catalysts for Boosted Propanol Electrosynthesis from Carbon Monoxide

Fine-tuned catalysts that alter the diffusion kinetics of reaction intermediates is of great importance for achieving high-performance multicarbon (C2+) product generation in carbon monoxide (CO) reduction. Herein, we conduct a structural design based on Cu2O nanoparticles and present an effective strategy for enhancing propanol electrosynthesis from CO. The electrochemical characterization, operando Raman monitoring, and finite-element method simulations reveal that the multishell structured catalyst can realize the enrichment of C1 and C2 intermediates by nanoconfinement space, leading to the possibility of further coupling. Consequently, the multishell copper catalyst realizes a high Faraday efficiency of 22.22 ± 0.38% toward propanol at the current density of 50 mA cm–2

What Changed on the Folliculogenesis in the Process of Mouse Ovarian Aging?

There are about 1-2 million follicles presented in the ovary at birth, while only around 1000 primordial follicles are left at menopause. The ovarian function also decreases in parallel with aging. Folliculogenesis is vital for ovarian function, no matter the synthesis of female hormones or ovulation, yet the mechanisms for its changing with increasing age are not fully understood. Early follicle growth up to the large preantral stage is independent of gonadotropins in rodents and relies on intraovarian factors. To further understand the age-related molecular changes in the process of folliculogenesis, we performed microarray gene expression profile analysis using total RNA extracted from young (9 weeks old) and old (32 weeks old) mouse ovarian secondary follicles. The results of our current microarray study revealed that there were 371 (≥2-fold, q-value ≤0.05) genes differentially expressed in which 174 genes were upregulated and 197 genes were downregulated in old mouse ovarian secondary follicles compared to young mouse ovarian secondary follicles. The gene ontology and KEGG pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes uncovered critical biological functions such as immune system process, aging, transcription, DNA replication, DNA repair, protein stabilization, and apoptotic process were affected in the process of aging. The considerable changes in gene expression profile may have an adverse influence on follicle quality and folliculogenesis. Our study provided information on the processes that may contribute to age-related decline in ovarian function