Greater Size Research Articles

A robust deep learning approach for identification of RNA 5-methyluridine sites

RNA 5-methyluridine (m5U) sites play a significant role in understanding RNA modifications, which influence numerous biological processes such as gene expression and cellular functioning. Consequently, the identification of m5U sites can play a vital role in the integrity, structure, and function of RNA molecules. Therefore, this study introduces GRUpred-m5U, a novel deep learning-based framework based on a gated recurrent unit in mature RNA and full transcript RNA datasets. We used three descriptor groups: nucleic acid composition, pseudo nucleic acid composition, and physicochemical properties, which include five feature extraction methods ENAC, Kmer, DPCP, DPCP type 2, and PseDNC. Initially, we aggregated all the feature extraction methods and created a new merged set. Three hybrid models were developed employing deep-learning methods and evaluated through 10-fold cross-validation with seven evaluation metrics. After a comprehensive evaluation, the GRUpred-m5U model outperformed the other applied models, obtaining 98.41% and 96.70% accuracy on the two datasets, respectively. To our knowledge, the proposed model outperformed all the existing state-of-the-art technology. The proposed supervised machine learning model was evaluated using unsupervised machine learning techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA), and it was observed that the proposed method provided a valid performance for identifying m5U. Considering its multi-layered construction, the GRUpred-m5U model has tremendous potential for future applications in the biological industry. The model, which consisted of neurons processing complicated input, excelled at pattern recognition and produced reliable results. Despite its greater size, the model obtained accurate results, essential in detecting m5U.

Sarcoid Nodule or Lung Cancer? A High-Resolution Computed Tomography-Based Retrospective Study of Pulmonary Nodules in Patients with Sarcoidosis.

Background: The objective of this retrospective study was to compare the characteristics of sarcoid nodules and neoplastic nodules using high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in sarcoidosis patients. Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study. From 2010 to 2023, among 685 patients affected by pulmonary sarcoidosis, 23 patients developed pulmonary nodules of a suspicious malignant nature. The HRCT characteristics of biopsy-proven malignant (Group A) vs. inflammatory (Group B) nodules were analyzed and compared. Results: A significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of age (p = 0.012). With regard to HRCT features, statistical distinctions were observed in the appearance of the nodule, more frequently spiculated in the case of lung cancer (p < 0.01), in the diameter of the nodule (Group A: 23.5 mm; Group B: 12.18 mm, p < 0.02), in the median nodule density (Group A: 60.0 HU, Group B: -126.7 HU, p < 0.01), and in the number of pulmonary nodules, as a single parenchymal nodule was more frequently observed in the neoplastic patient group (p = 0.043). In Group A, the 18-PET-CT demonstrated hilar/mediastinal lymphadenopathy in 100% of cases; histology following surgery did not report any cases of malignant lymph node involvement. Conclusions: An accurate clinical evaluation and HRCT investigation are crucial for diagnosing lung cancer in patients with sarcoidosis in order to determine who requires surgical resection. The spiculated morphology of the nodule, greater size, the number of pulmonary nodules, and density using HRCT appear to correlate with the malignant nature of the lesion.

Adipocytes Size of the Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and Coronary Atherosclerosis: Relationship With Parameters of Blood Lipid Transport Function, Carbohydrate Metabolism and Inflammatory Markers

Aim. To assess the potential relationship between morphometric characteristics of adipocytes in epicardial and subcutaneous adipose tissue (EAT, SAT) and the lipid transport function of the blood, glucose e metabolism, and inflammatory biomarkers in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) after coronary artery bypass grafting.Material and methods. The study included 47 patients (33 men and 14 women) aged 53-72 years with chronic IHD. The study material was EAT and SAT adipocytes obtained from intraoperative explants. The size of EAT and SAT adipocytes and the proportion of EAT and SAT adipocytes with ≥100 μm and ≤50 μm sizes were determined. Carbohydrate metabolism parameters, blood lipid transport function, and inflammatory biomarkers were assessed. Surrogate indices of insulin resistance (IR) were calculated.Results. The mean size of EAT adipocytes, in contrast to SAT adipocytes, correlated (p&lt;0.05) with serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (rs=0.43), triglycerides (TG) (rs=0.36), interleukin (IL)-1β (rs=0.29), basal C-peptide (rs=0.40) and TyG index (rs=0.32). Male gender and blood concentrations of basal C-peptide and TG in combination were identified as statistically significant determinants of an increase in the mean size of EAT adipocytes. The threshold values of TG and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (nHDL-C) associated with an increase in the mean size of EAT adipocytes ≥87.61 μm were 1.4 and 2.63 mM, respectively. Patients with TG concentrations ≥1.4 mM had a greater size and proportion of hypertrophied EAT adipocytes, IR indices, and higher blood concentrations of basal glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, TNF-α, and IL-1β. TG concentrations of 1.2-1.4 mM, compared with concentrations &lt;1.2 mM, were associated with a greater mean size of EAT adipocytes and higher serum IL-10 concentrations. Patients with non-HDL-C ≥2.63 mM, compared with its lower concentrations, had more pronounced hypertrophy of EAT adipocytes.Conclusion. Disorders in the morphometric characteristics of EAT adipocytes, in contrast to SAT adipocytes, are associated with increased blood concentrations of TG, non-HDL-C, inflammatory markers, and increased IR indices. It was shown for the first time that a combination of three factors, male gender, blood concentrations of basal C-peptide, and TG, independently of other indicators describe the variability of the mean size of EAT adipocytes. Increases in TG from 1.2 to 1.4 mM are associated with a larger size of EAT adipocytes and cytokine imbalance. Our data confirm the validity of identifying optimal blood concentrations of TG and non-HDL-C in patients with IHD and coronary atherosclerosis.

Short but meaningful: visitors’ experiences underlying time spent looking at artworks and labels

ABSTRACT For more than a century, the timing and tracking (T&T) approach has been widely used in museums. Museum professionals tend to find the average time visitors spend in front of artworks ‘too short’. This implies to consider mediation devices as a hindrance that could distract even more visitors’ attention from artworks. However, when visiting an exhibition, what happens when a visitor looks at an artwork which is systematically accompanied by a label of almost equal or even greater size? In 2019, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille (France) opened the temporary exhibition Le rêve d'être artiste (The Dream of Being an Artist) where each artwork was accompanied by a large label seeking to encourage and guide visitors during their visit by asking questions, telling anecdotes, or providing information to be found in the artwork. The museum wanted to know whether the labels were read, and in what proportions; what effects reading the labels would have on the visitor’s relationship to the artworks; and whether the time spent reading and focusing on an artwork changes over the course of the exhibition. To answer these questions, a study initiated a dialogue between T&T observations, and visitors’ physical, cognitive, and emotional activity reported by visitors themselves through a stimulated recall interview. This article highlights visitors’ relationship to the artwork via labels such as guiding, reducing ambiguity, answering questions, explaining the exhibition’s approach, and triggering interest in artworks a visitor might otherwise have missed. Eventually, the authors argue the pitfalls of trying to infer the visitor experience from solely observing viewing patterns and measuring time spent looking at an artwork. Therefore, the study breaks with the tradition of T&T alone in museums and calls for qualitative indicators of experience.

Establishment of Tissue Culture and Regeneration System in Hippophae gyantsensis Lian

Hippophae gyantsensis Lian is a pioneering tree species in Chinese forestry ecological engineering, known for its robust stress tolerance, water retention capacity, and soil improvement qualities. However, the lack of rapid nursery technology has been a significant impediment to the development of the H. gyantsensis industry. In the present study, we have successfully established a tissue culture regeneration system for H. gyantsensis. The most effective methods for seed disinfection, ensuring sterility in seedlings, were found to be 75% alcohol disinfection for 40 s and 10% sodium hypochlorite disinfection for 10 min. The best media tested for callus induction in cotyledons and hypocotyls of sterile seedlings were 1/3 MS + 0.5 mg/L KT + 0.75 mg/L NAA and 1/3 MS + 0.3 mg/L 6-BA + 1.5 mg/L IBA, respectively. As the explants, cotyledons yielded larger calli with a greater size and differentiation ability than hypocotyls. For the induction of indeterminate shoots and proliferation, the most suitable media were 1/3 MS + 0.5 mg/L IAA + 0.75 mg/L 6-BA and 1/3 MS + 1.0 mg/L 6-BA + 0.05 mg/L IBA + 0.1 mg/L KT, respectively. Lastly, the best worked rooting formulation was 1/4 MS + 0.3 mg/L IBA. This study marks a significant milestone in the establishment of a systematic tissue culture regeneration system for H. gyantsensis, which will facilitate the industrial rapid propagation of high-quality seedlings and provide the foundation for improvement through genetic transformation.

Singapore’s Temasek Model and State Asset Management in China

Since the late 1970s, Singapore has been an important policy reference for China. Some Chinese policymakers viewed Temasek, its government holding company, as a model for state asset management. They studied Singapore’s approach, but ultimately chose a different institutional design when establishing the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) in 2003. China’s engagement with Temasek subsequently concentrated on corporate governance, specifically boards of directors in state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Yet despite the Temasek model’s appeal, its influence in China was limited by the far greater size and indebtedness of the state sector; the weaker role of firm performance in asset and capital allocation; SOEs’ numerous social and welfare functions; lack of willingness to augment firm autonomy; and divergent interpretations of the Temasek model and its reference value. “Policy collage” by Chinese policymakers explains the existence of formal similarities between China and advanced capitalist economies without fundamental convergence in function.

Assessing the influence of aneurysm dimensions on hemodynamic patterns and wall deformation dynamics for predicting rupture risk

Cerebral aneurysms are among the most dangerous cardiovascular diseases which display no symptoms prior to reaching critical conditions. As cerebral aneurysms are deadly diseases with a very small treatment window after reaching the critical stage, numerical investigations of this phenomenon are commonly used to assess the risk of rupture. In this study, the fluid-structure interaction (FSI) method is used to analyze the effects of aneurysm size on hemodynamic factors predicting rupture in three aneurysms of different geometries, at the same location, and using the same boundary conditions. In the present study, the aneurysms experience TAWSS at values under 2 Pa in incremented areas as the aneurysmal sizes increase, this is while the relatively larger distribution of high TAWSS (as high as 20 Pa) regions are perceived in smaller aneurysms. Furthermore, the maximum OSI stands at below 0.05 in the smaller cases while the larger case experiences a maximum OSI as high as 0.2, which is considered a predictive parameter for rupture. The vortex core lines experience discontinuities with increased aneurysmal size, which is in agreement with the development of flow complexities with size. The hemodynamics factors such as the time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), and vortex core line investigated in this study, suggest that greater size can be considered a major risk factor for rupture. In addition to that, we have found that the displacement trend of the aneurysm changes as size increases; developing more in the dome rather than the aneurysmal sac. This change in trend might also present a potential to be used as a predictive parameter.

Particle size and co-presence of PFOA alter the transport of microplastics in saturated natural sediment

ABSTRACT The transport of microplastics (MPs) with two different sizes in the absence and presence of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in sediment were systematically investigated in this study. Smaller size of MPs exhibited great transport mobility, while larger size of MPs significantly retained in sediment via electrostatic repulsion and straining mechanisms. MPs transport was insignificantly affected by influent pH values (4.7 and 6.0), likely due to the great buffer capacity of sediment. Effect of PFOA on MPs transport in sediment varied with MPs size and influent pH conditions. PFOA induced more negatively charged MPs surface and greater MPs transport at influent pH of 4.7, and this accelerating effect was more significant for MPs with greater size. In contrast, PFOA have little effect on the transport of both sized MPs at influent pH of 6.0. This work improved our understanding of MPs transport with the co-presence of PFOA in sediment environment.

Relationships between Sustainable Operations and the Resilience of SMEs

In the 21st century, the primary concerns within our society and economic framework revolve around securing a sustainable future and ensuring our future prospects. The crises witnessed in recent years have both introduced new challenges and revived existing difficulties. The crucial question emerges: can societies and economies demonstrate the resilience necessary to avert impending dangers during such circumstances? This consideration holds particular significance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the global economy. SMEs play a vital role in national economies, and their importance is even more pronounced within our national societies. Addressing threats and challenges in the SME sector proves to be more challenging due to their compact size, which lacks the protective shield against various environmental impacts enjoyed by larger enterprises with their greater size and capabilities. On the other hand, due to their smaller size, SMEs may be able to overcome these obstacles more successfully than large enterprises by using the appropriate tools and investing in opportunities. The aim of this article is to investigate to what extent environmental protection investments and other sustainability-related developments increase the resilience of SMEs. In connection with the above mentioned, it was investigated how the combination of marketing communication and sustainability goals, and how appropriate communication of sustainability, contributes to increasing the resilience of Hungarian SMEs. The analysis is based on a grouping of 266 small and medium-sized enterprises using the variables created based on the literature review and expert interviews.

Epigenetic Age Acceleration and Chronological Age: Associations With Cognitive Performance in Daily Life.

DNA methylation-derived epigenetic clocks offer the opportunity to examine aspects of age acceleration (ie, the difference between an individual's biological age and chronological age), which vary among individuals and may better account for age-related changes in cognitive function than chronological age. Leveraging existing ambulatory cognitive assessments in daily life from a genetically diverse sample of 142 adults in midlife, we examined associations between 5 measures of epigenetic age acceleration and performance on tasks of processing speed and working memory. Covarying for chronological age, we used multilevel models to examine associations of epigenetic age acceleration (Horvath 1, Horvath 2, Hannum, PhenoAge, and GrimAge clocks) with both average level and variability of cognitive performance. Positive age acceleration (ie, epigenetic age greater than chronological age) was associated with poorer mean processing speed (Horvath 1 and 2) and working memory (GrimAge). Higher chronological age was also associated with poorer mean processing speed and working memory performance. Further, positive age acceleration was generally associated with greater intraindividual variability in working memory and processing speed tasks, whereas being chronologically older was associated with less intraindividual variability. Although further work is needed, our results indicate age acceleration effects have comparable or greater size as those for chronological age differences, suggesting that epigenetic age acceleration may account for additional risk and interindividual variation in cognitive performance above chronological age.

Fluctuations of Galapagos mid-water and benthic reef fish populations during the 2015–16 ENSO

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events have impacted the marine environment of the Galapagos, causing massive die-offs of corals and megafauna, and benthic habitat shifts. With ENSO events predicted to intensify under climate change scenarios it is important for managers to have an evidence-based understanding of how these events may affect fish assemblages in the Galapagos. We assess the abundance and size fluctuations of benthic and mid-water shore fishes during the 2015–16 “Godzilla” ENSO using data from baited remote underwater stereo-video surveys collected on four occasions over 2015–16. We found significant differences in the assemblage structure between the pre-El Niño, El Niño onset, El Niño receding, and La Niña onset sampling periods. Mackerels (i.e. Trachurus murphyi and Decapterus spp.) had a ∼480% greater relative biomass, 229% greater relative abundance, and 20.6% greater size during La Niña onset compared to El Niño. With the onset of La Niña we observed a severalfold increase in the abundance of mid-water species including large Carangids, medium-size Scombrids, elasmobranchs (i.e. Sphyrna lewini, Carcharhinus galapagensis) and several other bentho-pelagic taxa. We also found evidence of seasonal abundance fluctuations across years, independent of seasonal effects, in Scarids, Haemulids, Labrids, Chaetodontids, and Carangids. Although the 2015–16 ENSO appears to have had a lesser impact on the Tropical Eastern Pacific than past El Niño events, it was linked to changes in the abundance of several species of key ecological and economic importance. This information furthers our understanding of the influence of large-scale climatic events on fish populations and improves our ability to predict how these populations may change under future climate scenarios.

Influence of bed material on biomass gasification in fluidized beds via a TFM-DEM hybrid model

In the biomass gasification process, mixing and segregation behaviors of fuel particles and bed materials greatly influence the performance. In this work, the Two-Fluid Model-Discrete Element Method (TFM-DEM) hybrid model is employed to evaluate the impact of bed material on biomass gasification in a fluidized bed reactor, where fuel particles and bed material particles are described by the Lagrangian method and Eulerian method respectively. The biomass particle size distribution is taken into consideration. The kinetic theory of rough sphere (KTRS) is employed to consider the rotation impact of bed materials. Flow behaviors of binary mixture and gas composition distribution are analyzed. The results reveal that the bed materials with greater size can hinder the particle mixing behaviors and make the biomass particles concentrate on the bed surface so as to increase the non-uniformity of temperature distribution in the bed. A good fluidization with smaller bed material particles is beneficial to hydrogen production.

Numerical study on the Re effects on the tip flow structures of transonic fan under inlet distortion

Compared to conventional Pylon-mounted engines, a 5-15% reduction in aircraft fuel consumption is possible with the use of Boundary Layer Ingestion (BLI) propulsion system. However, this type of propulsion system uses a fan that has to operate under continuous inlet distortion and over a wide range of altitude within the flight envelope, which forces researchers to consider the Re effects on the BLI distorted fan stall. For typical spike-type stall, tip leakage flow (TLF) contributes crucially to its generation. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the Re effects on the tip unsteady flow structures under the circumferential distorted inflow near the stall point. In this study, a full-annulus 3D steady/unsteady CFD calculation has been employed to calculate the performance of the NASA 67 transonic fan stage with a 60-deg circumferential distortion at different Re. The results show that the Re effects change the location of peak amplitude of blade tip unsteady flow, without altering the frequency properties. For the further study of the Re effects on the tip unsteady flow, time series analyses of detailed flow structure features and tip leakage vortex (TLV) evolution are performed. At low Re, the angle between the TLF and the axis increases from 77 to 81 deg by comparing the shock structure at 0.99 span, and the secondary flow is enhanced with a marked tendency of blade leading edge spillage. The results indicate that TLV has greater size and strength for low Re condition, and the TLV is more pronounced in the distortion sector than it in the clean sector. Further analysis reveals that the change of shock structure affects the periodic variation in rotor differential pressure on the both surfaces, enhancing the circumferential momentum of TLF near the leading edge, which is the major contributor for changing the vortex structure and causing the stall advance in low Re condition.

Evidence for energy reallocation, not oxygen limitation, driving the deceleration in growth of adult fish.

The lifetime growth of almost all fishes follows a biphasic relationship - juvenile growth is rapid and adult growth subsequently decelerates. For a trend that is so ubiquitous, there is no general agreement as to the underlying mechanisms causing adult growth to decelerate. Ongoing theories argue that adult growth slows because either the gills fail to supply the body with surplus oxygen needed for continued somatic gain (i.e. oxygen limited), or sexual maturation induces a switch in energy allocation towards reproduction and away from growth (i.e. energy limited). Here, we empirically tested these notions by tracking the individual growth trajectories of ∼100 female Galaxias maculatus, ranging in size, during their first 3 months of adulthood. At a summer temperature of 20°C, we provided subsets of fish with additional energy (fed once versus twice a day), supplementary oxygen (normoxia versus hyperoxia), or a combination of the two, to assess whether we could change the trajectory of adult growth. We found that growth improved marginally with additional energy, yet remained unaffected by supplementary oxygen, thereby providing evidence for a role for energy reallocation in the deceleration of adult growth. Interestingly, additional dietary energy had a disproportionately larger effect on the growth of fish that matured at a greater size, revealing size-dependent variance in energy acquisition and/or allocation budgets at summer temperatures. Overall, these findings contribute towards understanding the mechanisms driving widespread declines in the body size of fish with climate warming.

Comparing the Size at Onset of Sexual Maturity of Edible Crab (Cancer pagurus, Cancridae) in Berwickshire and Northumberland

The literature suggests regional variations in the size at which sexual maturity is reached for commercially important edible crab (Cancer pagurus), worth GBP 74.3 million annually, which could have implications for regional fisheries management. Berwickshire and Northumberland are geographically divided by the Scotland and England border and remain within the Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC (Special Area of Conservation). Each are managed by differing fisheries authorities and Minimum Conservation Reference Sizes (MCRS). Morphometric measurements were recorded for each C. pagurus individual to categorise morphometric maturity using segmented regression, with gonadal maturity categorised using visual gonad characteristics and general linear model regressions to compare onset in sexual maturity. Results showed regional variations for gonadal maturity with males reaching sexual onset at a carapace width size of 108.5 mm in Berwickshire and 109.9 mm in Northumberland; females at a size of 126.8 mm in Berwickshire and 120.8 mm in Northumberland. This was also true for morphometric maturity based on chelae height, that males (141.1 mm) and females (134.7 mm) from Berwickshire were morphometrically mature at greater sizes than males (130.1 mm) and females (120.8 mm) from Northumberland. This study shows that the respective MCRS in both regions are appropriate for the C. pagurus populations, but implications for fisheries management could be present.

Advancing age increases the size and severity of spontaneous atheromas in mouse models of atherosclerosis

Using multiple mouse models, we explored the impact of aging on the size and severity of atherosclerotic lesions. In young, middle-aged and old apolipoprotein E knockout mice (ApoE−/−) fed an atherogenic diet (AD) for 3–8 weeks, plaque/atheroma formation in the descending aorta and aortic root, and atheroma development in the carotid in response to partial carotid ligation (PCL) were assessed. Total and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides were higher in old compared to both other age groups, regardless of AD duration. Aortic plaque burden increased with AD duration in all ages. The size and plaque morphology grade of aortic root atheromas was higher with age; however, there was no effect of age on the size or severity of carotid atheromas after PCL. We additionally induced hyperlipidemia in young and old C57BL/6 mice by adeno-associated virus mediated upregulation of LDL receptor regulator, Pcsk9, and 5 weeks of AD. Despite lower cholesterol in old compared to young Pcsk9 mice, there was a greater size and severity of aortic root atheromas in old mice. However, like the ApoE−/− mice, there was no effect of age on size or severity of PCL-induced carotid artery atheromas in Pcsk9 mice. Together, these results suggest that aging increases the size and severity of spontaneous aortic atheromas.

Physico-Chemical Analysis of Vermicompost Mixtures

The study evaluated the physical and chemical characteristics of vermicompost mixtures to optimize nutrient extraction. Three compost mixtures (chicken plus horse (CH+H), chicken plus cattle (CH+C), and cattle plus horse (C+H)) were selected for quality evaluation at three extraction times: 24, 48, and 72 h. The results showed differences (p &lt; 0.05) in nutrient concentration of compost teas in different compost mixtures. The interaction between treatments and extraction time showed a significant effect (p &lt; 0.05) on nutrients except in P, K, Ca, and EC. The nutrients were higher at 48 h after extraction. The pH was observed to increase slightly with extraction time. C+H had more percentage of moisture content (44.79%) than other mixtures. This mixture was the most preferred by worms, i.e., it had the greater size and number of worms. The results suggested that the presence of oxygen in extraction and high temperatures affects ammonium availability in compost tea as they trigger nitrifying bacteria. Due to the decrease in some nutrients’ concentration (NO3, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Cu) at 72 h, it was concluded that 48 h is the best time to extract nutrients from compost mixtures to produce good quality compost using aerobic extraction method.

Risk Factors for Recurrence of Stage I Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutated Lung Adenocarcinoma

BackgroundWe aimed to clarify the risk factors for postoperative recurrence in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated stage I lung adenocarcinoma, using EGFR wild-type adenocarcinoma as a comparator, to select optimal candidates for adjuvant therapy with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). MethodsData of patients with pathologic stage I EGFR-mutated (n = 713) and wild-type (n = 673) adenocarcinoma who did not receive adjuvant therapy were retrospectively analyzed. The cumulative incidence of recurrence (CIR) was estimated using Gray’s method, and multivariable Fine-Gray competing risk models identified independent risk factors associated with recurrence. ResultsThe CIR did not differ significantly between patients with EGFR-mutated and wild-type adenocarcinoma (P = .32). Multivariable analysis revealed that greater size (cm) of invasive tumor (hazard ratio 1.539; 95% CI, 1.077-2.201), lymphovascular invasion (hazard ratio 5.180; 95% CI, 2.208-12.15), pleural invasion (hazard ratio 3.388; 95% CI, 1.524-7.533), and high-grade histologic subtype (hazard ratio 4.295; 95% CI, 1.539-11.99) were independent risk factors for recurrence in patients with EGFR-mutated adenocarcinoma. The 5-year CIR was significantly higher among patients with these factors (tumor size greater than 2 cm, 15.9%; lymphovascular invasion, 26.9%; pleural invasion, 39.3%; and high-grade subtype, 44.4%) than among patients without them (4.4%, 2.2%, 3.9%, and 5%, respectively; P < .001). For patients with EGFR wild-type adenocarcinoma, independent risk factors for recurrence were invasive tumor size, lymphovascular invasion, and pleural invasion, but not histologic subtypes. ConclusionsEven for patients with EGFR-mutated stage I lung adenocarcinoma, recurrence risk is stratified. Adjuvant therapy may be considered if they have high-risk factors for recurrence.

Achieving tetracycline removal enhancement with granules in marine matrices: Performance, adaptation, and mechanism studies

Using the aerobic granular sludge (AGS) to improve tetracycline (TET) removal in the treatment of mariculture wastewater was investigated in the present study. The AGS rapidly adapted to and was sustained in seawater matrices with a robust granule strength (k = 0.0014) and a more stable sludge yield than the activated sludge (AS) (0.14 vs 0.11 g-VSS/g-CODrem). The compact structure provided the AGS with an anoxic environment, which favored the growth of N (37.3 %) and P removal bacteria (30.4 %) and the expression of functional genes (nos, nor, and nar), resulting in more than 62 % TN and TP removals, respectively. Similar abundances of aromatic compound-degrading bacteria (∼34 %) in both reactors (AGS and AS) led to comparable TET biodegradation efficiencies (∼0.045 mg/g-VSS). The greater size and surface area of the AGS expanded the boundary layer diffusion region, leading to 16 % increases in the granule’s TET adsorption capacity.

Morphologic variations in the craniofacial structures in Japanese adults and their relationship with sex differences

The morphology of the human face varies broadly, with genetic and environmental factors determining these variations. Examining variations in the 3-dimensional (3D) craniomandibular morphology and identifying related factors (eg, sex differences) are important in orthodontic clinics. This study observed shape variations in the 3D facial morphology of Japanese adults showing skeletal Class 1 malocclusion and examined the association of sexual dimorphism with shape variations. Sixty cone-beam computed tomography images of Japanese adults (30 males and 30 females) with skeletal Class I malocclusion were employed. In each cone-beam computed tomography image, wire mesh fitting was conducted as previously described. A principal component (PC) analysis after Procrustes registration and the PC clustering method was conducted to observe the shape variations. A PC regression analysis was conducted to determine the sexual morphologic characteristics. Nine PCs depicting 62% of the morphology were determined. Four typical phenotypes were found, mainly related to mandibular protrusion (PC1) and the vertical divergence of the face (PC2). PCs related to sex determination were PC3 (robustness of the mandibular angle in males), PC5 (greater size and shape of the coronoid and mastoid processes in males), and PC7 (greater maxillary width in males), accounting for 16% of total variations. The major shape variations in skeletal Class 1 subjects were related to nonsexual dimorphic characteristics (ie, mandibular protrusion and facial divergence). Sexual dimorphic characteristics were evaluated in detail and accounted for 16% of total morphologic variations.