ABSTRACT Purpose: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. We aimed to identify baseline predictors of visual prognosis after intravitreal conbercept injection for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 58 patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration who were treated with intravitreal injections of conbercept 0.5 mg in routine clinical practice. Basic information such as age, sex, intraocular pressure, and disease course was collected. Best-corrected visual acuity, mean retinal sensitivity, and optical coherence tomography findings were recorded at baseline and 6 months after treatment. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of best-corrected visual acuity at 6 months after treatment. Results: After the 6-month treatment, the mean best-corrected visual acuity improved from 1.10 ± 0.42 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) to 0.41 ± 0.18 logMAR, the mean retinal sensitivity increased from 5.13 ± 0.86 dB to 7.32 ± 1.21 dB, the mean central retinal thickness decreased from 440.38 ± 61.05 μm to 260.01 ± 24.86 μm, and the total number of hyperreflective dots and the number of hyperreflective dots in each retina layer were significantly reduced as compared with those before treatment (all p<0.05). Twenty-two patients showed improved vision, and 36 had unimproved vision. Multivariate analyses revealed that the number of subretinal hyperreflective dots, the state of external limiting membrane, baseline best-corrected visual acuity, and age were independent predictors of best-corrected visual acuity (all p<0.05). Conclusion: Poor recovery of patients after intravitreal conbercept injection may be related to the number of subretinal hyperreflective dots, the state of external limiting membrane, baseline best-corrected visual acuity, and age, which may be used as predictors of short-term visual outcomes and should be fully evaluated before operation.

RESUMO Objetivo: A degeneração macular neovascular relacionada à idade é a principal causa de perda de visão em idosos. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar os preditores iniciais que afetam o prognóstico visual após a injeção intravítrea de combercepte para degeneração macular neovascular relacionada à idade. Métodos: Esta é uma revisão retrospectiva de 58 pacientes com degeneração macular neovascular relacionada à idade que foram tratados com injeções intravítreas de 0,5 mg de combercepte na prática clínica de rotina. Foram coletadas informações básicas, tais como idade, sexo, pressão intraocular e evolução da doença. A melhor acuidade visual corrigida, as sensibilidades retinianas médias e varreduras de tomografia de coerência óptica foram registradas no início do estudo e 6 meses após o tratamento. Foi efetuada uma análise de regressão logística para determinar os preditores independentes da melhor acuidade visual corrigida 6 meses após o tratamento. Resultados: Após 6 meses de tratamento, a média da acuidade visual melhor corrigida melhorou de 1,10 ± 0,42 para 0,41 ± 0,18 logMAR; as sensibilidades retinianas médias aumentaram de 5,13 ± 0,86 para 7,32 ± 1,21 dB; a espessura retiniana central média diminuiu de 440,38 ± 61,05 para 260,01 ± 24,86 μm; e os pontos hiper-reflexivos, tanto em números totais quanto em cada camada de retina, foram significativamente reduzidos em comparação com os valores de antes do tratamento (todos com p<0,05). Houve 22 pacientes com visão melhorada e 36 pacientes com visão não melhorada. As análises multivariadas mostraram que o número de pontos hiper-reflexivos sub-retinianos, o estado da membrana limitante externa, a melhor acuidade visual corrigida inicial e a idade foram preditores independentes para a melhor acuidade visual corrigida (todos com p<0,05). Conclusão: A má recuperação de pacientes após a injeção de combercepte intravítreo pode estar relacionada ao número de pontos hiper-reflexivos sub-retinianos, ao estado da membrana limitante externa, à acuidade visual corrigida inicial e à idade, parâmetros que podem ser usados como preditores de resultados visuais de curto prazo e devem ser totalmente avaliados antes da cirurgia.

RESUMEN Para evaluar la calidad de yacimiento en areniscas compactas es importante determinar las características de las gargantas de poros, entre ellas las clases de espacio presentes y la distribución de los tamaños de poros. En este trabajo se comparan e integran los resultados de varios métodos de prueba, entre ellos el microscopio electrónico de barrido (SEM), porosimetría de presión controlada (PCP), y porosimetría de velocidad controlada (RCP), para caracterizar la distribución de los tamaños de poros y los efectos de la diagénesis en las areniscas compactas de la cuenca Ordos, en China. Los resultados muestran que los espacios de yacimiento en areniscas compactas se pueden clasificar de acuerdo con tres tipos de origen (compactación, disolución y arcilloso) y que los tamaños y formas del espacio de poros difiere de acuerdo con el origen. De acuerdo con la información obtenida por la porosimetría con inyección de mercurio y la sobreestimación de los radios de poros por la porosimetría de presión controlada, se puede determinar el rango completo de la distribución del tamaño de poros en areniscas compactas al combinar la información del método PCP con la información corregida del método RCP. El radio de la garganta de poro en areniscas compactas varía de 36 nm a 200 µm; la curva de distribución se caracteriza por tres picos. El pico de la derecha permanece similar a lo largo de todas las muestras y corresponde a los poros intergranulares residuales y a los poros de disolución. El pico central y el de la izquierda muestran la variación entre las muestras debido a la heterogeneidad y la complejidad de los cuerpos de garganta a nano-escala. El promedio del contenido poroso a micro-escala es de 33.49 %, y las gargantas a nano-escala ascienden al 66.54 %. Esto significa que los espacios de gargantas a nano-escala dominan el espacio del yacimiento en areniscas compactas. La compactación, disolución, cementacion de carbonato y cementación arcillosa tienen varios efectos en las gargantas de poros. La compactación y la cementación de carbonato decrecen el contenido del cuerpo del poro. El puente arcilloso de poros reduce el contenido del espacio de las gargantas. Mientras que la cementación arcillosa de revestimiento de poros preserva el espacio entre los poros.

ABSTRACT Determining the characteristics of pore-throat structures, including the space types present and the pore size distribution, is important for the evaluation of reservoir quality in tight sandstones. In this study, the results of various testing methods, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), pressure-controlled porosimetry (PCP) and rate-controlled porosimetry (RCP), were compared and integrated to characterize the pore size distribution and the effects of diagenesis upon it in tight sandstones from the Ordos Basin, China. The results showed that reservoir spaces in tight sandstones can be classified into those with three types of origins (compaction, dissolution, and clay-related) and that the sizes and shapes of pore space differ depending on origin. Considering the data obtained by mercury injection porosimetry and the overestimation of pore radii by pressure-controlled porosimetry, the full-range pore size distribution of tight sandstones can be determined by combining data from PCP with corrected RCP data. The pore-throat radii in tight sandstone vary from 36 nm to 200 µm, and the distribution curve is characterized by three peaks. The right peak remains similar across the sample set and corresponds to residual intergranular pores and dissolution pores. The middle and left peaks show variation between samples due to the heterogeneity and complexity of nano-scale throat bodies. The average micro-scale pore content is 33.49%, and nano-scale throats make up 66.54%. The nano-scale throat spaces thus dominate the reservoir space of the tight sandstones. Compaction, dissolution, carbonate cementation and clay cementation have various effects on pore-throats. Compaction and carbonate cementation decrease the pore body content, pore-bridging clay cementation decreases the throat space content, and Simultaneously, pore-lining clay cementation preserves pore space.

Thyroid cancer is a common malignant tumor. Long non-coding RNA colon cancer-associated transcript 1 (lncRNA CCAT1) is highly expressed in many cancers; however, the molecular mechanism of CCAT1 in thyroid cancer remains unclear. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the effect of CCAT1 on human thyroid cancer cell line FTC-133. FTC-133 cells were transfected with CCAT1 expressing vector, CCAT1 shRNA, miR-143 mimic, and miR-143 inhibitor, respectively. After different treatments, cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were measured. Moreover, the regulatory relationship of CCAT1 and miR-143, as well as miR-143 and VEGF were tested using dual-luciferase reporter assay. The relative expressions of CCAT1, miR-143, and VEGF were tested by qRT-PCR. The expressions of apoptosis-related factors and corresponding proteins in PI3K/AKT and MAPK pathways were analyzed using western blot analysis. The results suggested that CCAT1 was up-regulated in the FTC-133 cells. CCAT1 suppression decreased FTC-133 cell viability, proliferation, migration, invasion, and miR-143 expression, while it increased apoptosis and VEGF expression. CCAT1 might act as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-143. Moreover, CCAT1 activated PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways through inhibition of miR-143. This study demonstrated that CCAT1 exhibited pro-proliferative and pro-metastasis functions on FTC-133 cells and activated PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling pathways via down-regulation of miR-143. These findings will provide a possible target for clinical treatment of thyroid cancer.

To study the influence of residual stress on the corrosion behavior of welded structures, methods such as residual stress measurement, microstructure observation, and corrosion morphology observation were used. The energy transformation model and corrosion-resistance constant model were utilized to reveal the mechanism of residual stress on the welded structures’ corrosion behavior. The results show that the fusion line was the region that is most heavily affected by corrosion and sustains more serious corrosion damage than other areas, resulting in the welded structure becoming a high-incidence area for corrosion cracking and failure. Residual tensile stress could reduce the activation energy and surface atomic density, and therefore decrease the corrosion resistance of the welded structures. The residual compressive stress decreased the activation energy needed by metal atoms to convert into metal ions in welded structures, and simultaneously increased the surface atomic density. The corrosion resistance of the welded structures ultimately increased owing to the combined influence of changes in activation energy and surface atomic density.

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate whether anaerobic metabolites could induce volatile compounds and improve aroma of dried jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Miller). Jujube fruits were incubated in a polyvinyl chloride bag containing 5% CO2 and 95% N2 for up to 168 h at 25 °C and 3 samples were randomly removed every 6 h and oven dried to a moisture content of ≅ 20%. The volatile compounds of control and 5% CO2-pretreated Chinese jujube fruits were extracted by simultaneous distillation extraction and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). The acetaldehyde and ethanol contents were determined by gas chromatography (GC). The results indicated that a large accumulation of acetaldehyde and ethanol caused changes in aroma composition of dried jujube products and 5% CO2 pretreatment led to an increase in the levels of some compounds, particularly esters, acetaldehydes, and ethanol, whereas the amount of acids were decreased significantly. Principal component analysis showed that integrative scores of 5% CO2 pretreatment at 120 h were the highest, and aroma quality was better than that of the control. Relatively low concentrations of anaerobic respiration metabolites are good for jujube fruit aroma composition.