ABSTRACT To explore the downwash airflow characteristics of a multi-rotor UAV and its effect on droplet movement and deposition, a comparative experiment between static-state and hovering-state spraying was carried out with a DJI MG-1P eight-rotor plant protection UAV. The results showed that the overall strength of the downwash airflow decreased further below the UAV. The direction of the airflow directly under the UAV was almost vertically downward and first increased and then decreased in speed. Closer to the ground, the airflow was directed outward with angles in the vertical direction of 71.3° and 81.5°. In general, the downwash airflow velocity and direction on both sides of the UAV were nearly symmetrically distributed. Compared with the static-state spraying, the high-speed downwash airflow in the hovering-state spraying significantly increased droplet velocity and size. The downwash airflow increased the amount of spray deposition in the different measurement layers but reduced the uniformity of the deposition. For the section (L-B-F-J-M) perpendicular to the flight direction, the near ground deposition was the best for the hovering-state spraying, with an average deposition of 5.85 μL/cm2 and an RSD of 36.87%. This study can be a reference for the optimization of the downwash airflow and the improvement of the spray application uniformity of multi-rotor UAVs.

Abstract Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with autoimmune diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Current findings regarding plasma/serum homocysteine (HCY) levels in AS patients are inconsistent. This study aims to systematically evaluate the association between circulating HCY levels and AS. Methods: Online electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, ScienceDirect, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang data) were used to retrieve all relevant articles published up to May 7, 2020. The pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated using the random-effect model, Stata16 software. Results: Nine articles containing 778 AS patients and 522 controls were included in this meta-analysis. No significant differences in HCY levels were found between AS and control groups (pooled SMD = 0.46, 95% CI = − 0.30 to 1.23, P = 0.23). However, subgroup analysis suggested that HCY levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the AS group treated with methotrexate (MTX) compared with the control group. In contrast, HCY levels were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the AS group receiving anti-TNF-α treatment compared with the control group. No significant differences were detected between HCY levels and disease activity scores (Bath AS disease activity index, BASDAI), and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T genotype. Conclusion: This meta-analysis indicates that HCY levels are similar between AS and controls, and do not correlate with disease activity. However, different medical treatments cause fluctuations of circulating HCY levels in AS patients. Further and larger-scale studies are needed to confirm these findings. Trial registration: This study was registered at international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO), registration number: CRD42020184426.

ABSTRACT Objective This study aims to investigate the association of filamin A with the function and morphology of prostate cancer (PCa) cells, and explore the role of filamin A in the development of PCa, in order to analyze its significance in the evolvement of PCa. Materials and Methods A stably transfected cell line, in which filamin A expression was suppressed by RNA interference, was first established. Then, the effects of the suppression of filamin A gene expression on the biological characteristics of human PCa LNCaP cells were observed through cell morphology, in vitro cell growth curve, soft agar cloning assay, and scratch test. Results A cell line model with a low expression of filamin A was successfully constructed on the basis of LNCaP cells. The morphology of cells transfected with plasmid pSilencer-filamin A was the following: Cells were loosely arranged, had less connection with each other, had fewer tentacles, and presented a fibrous look. The growth rate of LNCap cells was faster than cells transfected with plasmid pSilencer-filamin A (P <0.05). The clones of LNCap cells in the soft agar cloning assay was significantly fewer than that of cells stably transfected with plasmid pSilencer-filamin A (P <0.05). Cells stably transfected with plasmid pSilencer-filamin A presented with a stronger healing and migration ability compared to LNCap cells (healing rate was 32.2% and 12.1%, respectively; P <0.05). Conclusion The expression of the filamin A gene inhibited the malignant development of LNCap cells. Therefore, the filamin A gene may be a tumor suppressor gene.

Anthocyanins are the natural plant pigments responsible for most of the red, blue and purple colors of flowers and fruit. One method of stabilization of the color of anthocyanins in nature is intramolecular copigmentation, in which a copigment molecule covalently attached to one of the sugar residues complexes with the anthocyanin cation chromophore. In the present work, two quantum chemical methodologies, time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) and second.order algebraic diagrammatic construction (ADC(2)), were employed to predict the absorption spectra in vacuum and conductor-like screening model (COSMO) water of a natural anthocyanin containing an ester of coumaric acid (copigment) bound to the sugar residue of a cyanidin chromophore. ADC(2) in water adequately reproduces the experimental spectra with and without intramolecular copigmentation, pointing to this theoretical technique as a promising approach for predicting the spectroscopic properties of natural (and nature-inspired) dyes and pigments.

Ophioglossum thermale Kom. was fermented with several fungi. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPCs and TFCs) and antioxidant activities of fermented and non-fermented O. thermale (FOT and NFOT) were investigated. The results showed that Talaromyces purpurogenus M18-11 fermented O. thermale possessed significantly improved TPC and TFC and exhibited significantly stronger 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 75.7 ± 2.1 μg mL-1) and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) (IC50 = 20.52 ± 1.68 μg mL-1) free-radical scavenging activities, ferric reducing antioxidant power (0.585 ± 0.045 mmol g-1), and reducing power (half maximal effective concentration (EC50) = 30.52 ± 1.91 μg mL-1) than original material. The determination of the contents of representative flavonoids and their glucosides revealed that the improvements are attributed to the hydrolysis of homoisoflavonoid and flavonoid glucosides, glycometabolism, as well as fungal metabolites. This paper is the first to report the fermentation of O. thermale with pure strains and T. purpurogenus is an effective strain to process O. thermale for improving the antioxidant activity.

ABSTRACT Objectives: To evaluate the prognosis of non-metastatic T3a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with partial nephrectomy (PN). Patients and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 125 patients with non-metastatic T3a RCC. Patients undergoing PN and radical nephrectomy (RN) were strictly matched by clinic-pathologic characteristics. Log-rank test and Cox regression model were used for univariate and multivariate analysis. Results: 18 pair patients were matched and the median follow-up was 35.5 (10-86) months. PN patients had a higher postoperative eGFR than RN patients (P=0.034). Cancer-specific survival (CSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) did not differ between two groups (P=0.305 and P=0.524). On multivariate analysis, CSS decreased with positive surgical margin and anemia (both P <0.01) and RFS decreased with Furhman grade, positive surgical margin, and anemia (all P<0.01). Conclusions: For patients with non-metastatic pT3a RCC, PN may be a possible option for similar oncology outcomes and better renal function.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To determine the effect of diagnostic ureteroscopy on intravesical recurrence in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 664 patients who were treated with RNU for UTUC from June 2000 to December 2011, excluding those who had concomitant/prior bladder tumors. Of the 664 patients, 81 underwent diagnostic ureteroscopy (URS). We analyzed the impact of diagnostic ureteroscopy on intravesical recurrence (IVR) using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the independent risk factors. Results: The median follow-up time was 48 months (interquartile range (IQR): 31-77 months). Patients who underwent ureteroscopy were more likely to have a small (p<0.01), early-staged (p=0.019), multifocality (p=0.035) and ureteral tumor (p<0.001). IVR occurred in 223 patients during follow-up within a median of 17 months (IQR: 7-33). Patients without preoperative ureteroscopy have a statistically significant better 2-year (79.3%±0.02 versus 71.4%±0.02, p<0.001) and 5-year intravesical recurrence-free survival rates (64.9%±0.05 versus 44.3%±0.06, p<0.001) than patients who underwent ureteroscopy. In multivariate analysis, the diagnostic ureteroscopy (p=0.006), multiple tumors (p=0.001), tumor size <3cm (p=0.008), low-grade (p=0.022) and pN0 stage tumor (p=0.045) were independent predictors of IVR. Conclusions: Diagnostic ureteroscopy is independently associated with intravesical recurrence after radical nephroureterectomy.

AbstractPurple sweet potato (PSP) can provide products with attractive color besides nutritious benefits in food processing. So, the compositions and color stability of an aqueous anthocyanin-based PSP extract were investigated in order to promote its wide use in food industry. PSP anthocyanins were extracted with water, and nine individual anthocyanins (48.72 ug mL–1 in total, 24.36 mg/100 g fresh PSP in yield) were found by HPLC analysis. The PSP extract also contained 17.11 mg mL–1 of protein, 0.44 mg mL–1 of dietary fiber, 2.82 mg mL–1 of reducing sugars, 4.02 ug mL–1 of Se, 54.21 ug mL–1 of Ca and 60.83 ug mL–1 of Mg. Changes in color and stability of the PSP extract, as affected by pH, heat, light and extraction process, were further evaluated. Results indicated that PSP anthocyanins had good stability at pH 2.0-6.0, while the color of PSP extract kept stable during 30 days of storage at 20 °C in dark. Both UV and fluorescent exposure weakened the color stability of PSP extract and UV showed a more drastic effect in comparison. A steaming pretreatment of fresh PSP is beneficial to the color stability.

OBJECTIVES:The transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate system treats irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation from transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-I to transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-III. However, this system has demonstrated problems associated with screw loosening, atlantoaxial fixation and concealed or manifest neurovascular injuries. This study sought to design a set of individualized templates to improve the accuracy of anterior C2 screw placement in the transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-IV procedure.METHODS:A set of individualized templates was designed according to thin-slice computed tomography data obtained from 10 human cadavers. The templates contained cubic modules and drill guides to facilitate transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate positioning and anterior C2 screw placement. We performed 2 stages of cadaveric experiments with 2 cadavers in stage one and 8 in stage two. Finally, guided C2 screw placement was evaluated by reading postoperative computed tomography images and comparing the planned and inserted screw trajectories.RESULTS:There were two cortical breaching screws in stage one and three in stage two, but only the cortical breaching screws in stage one were ranked critical. In stage two, the planned entry points and the transverse angles of the anterior C2 screws could be simulated, whereas the declination angles could not be simulated due to intraoperative blockage of the drill bit and screwdriver by the upper teeth.CONCLUSIONS:It was feasible to use individualized templates to guide transoral C2 screw placement. Thus, these drill templates combined with transoral atlantoaxial reduction plate-IV, may improve the accuracy of transoral C2 screw placement and reduce related neurovascular complications.