Explore the vast range of titles available.

Hydraulic rolling reshaper is an advanced reshaping tool to solve the problem of casing deformation, which has been widely used in recent years. When it is used for well repair operation, the reshaping force provided by ground devices is generally determined by experience. However, too large reshaping force may destroy the deformed casing, and too small reshaping force may also prolong the construction period and affect the repairing effect. In this paper, based on Hertz contact theory and elastic-plastic theory, combined with the process parameters of shaping, and considering the structural characteristics of the deformed casing and reshaper, we propose a mathematical model for calculating the reshaping force required for repairing deformed casing by hydraulic rolling reshaper. Meanwhile, the finite element model and numerical method of hydraulic rolling reshaper repairing deformed casing are established by using the finite element method, and the reliability of the mathematical model is verified by several examples. On this basis, the control variable method is used to investigate the influence of each parameter on the reshaping force, and the influence degree of each parameter is explored by orthogonal simulation test and Pearson correlation analysis. The research results not only provide an important theoretical basis for the prediction of reshaping force in on-site construction, but also provide a reference for the subsequent improvement of the shaping process.

Purpose Budesonide improves the prognosis of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, few reports have examined whether its use for nasal irrigation, compared to normal saline, improves the prognosis of patients after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). We compared the effects of nasal irrigation with budesonide and normal saline in CRS patients after ESS. Methods Sixty CRS patients who had undergone ESS were randomly divided into an experimental group (30 patients), which used budesonide nasal irrigation, and a control group (30 patients), which used normal saline nasal irrigation. All patients received regular follow-up evaluations and were assessed via questionnaires, including the Lund–Kennedy endoscopic score (LKES), the symptom visual analog scale (VAS), the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22), the Short-Form 36-Item Questionnaire (SF-36), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and a side effects scale. Results Scores of polyposis, mucosal edema, secretions and total score of LKES; VAS scores of nasal blockage, hyposmia and rhinorrhea; and SNOT-22 results in both groups were significantly improved 3 months after ESS. Scores of polyposis, mucosal edema, secretions and scarring and total score of LKES in experimental group were significantly better than in control group 3 months after ESS. No significant differences were observed in SF-36, SAS or SDS before or 3 months after ESS within or between the two groups. The side effects of the two groups were not significantly different. Conclusions Nasal irrigation improved the prognosis of CRS patients after ESS. Budesonide nasal irrigation had a better effect than normal saline nasal irrigation.

In recent years, multimodal agent AI (MAA) has emerged as a pivotal area of research, holding promise for transforming human-machine interaction. Agent AI systems, capable of perceiving and responding to inputs from multiple modalities (e.g., language, vision, audio), have demonstrated remarkable progress in understanding complex environments and executing intricate tasks. This survey comprehensively reviews the state-of-the-art developments in MAA and examines its fundamental concepts, key techniques, and applications across diverse domains. We first introduce the basics of agent AI and its multimodal interaction capabilities. We then delve into the core technologies that enable agents to perform task planning, decision-making, and multi-sensory fusion. Furthermore, we focus on exploring various applications of MAA in robotics, healthcare, gaming, and beyond. Additionally, we mainly focus on analyzing the challenges and limitations of current systems and propose promising research directions for future improvements, including human-AI collaboration, online learning method improvement. By reviewing existing work and highlighting open questions, this survey aims to provide a comprehensive roadmap for researchers and practitioners in the field of MAA.

Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the main cause of female infertility worldwide, however the aetiology of PCOS remains elusive. In our previous microarray analysis of granulosa cells (GCs), Lysine Acetyltransferase 2B (KAT2B) was significantly highly expressed in GCs of PCOS patients. While KAT2B has been documented to participate in various biological processes, its specific role and mechanism in the pathogenesis of PCOS remain largely unknown. Methods We collected GCs from PCOS patients to quantify the expression levels of KAT2B and analyzed the correlation between KAT2B expression and clinical characteristics. In vitro, we used KAT2B-specific siRNA to suppress KAT2B expression in GCs and employed lentivirus to achieve KAT2B overexpression. In vivo, we established a rat model with ovary-specific overexpression of KAT2B through ovarian in situ injection of lentivirus. Furthermore, transcriptomic sequencing was conducted to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Untargeted metabolomics analysis provided additional insights into systemic circulatory changes in the two rat models. Results KAT2B is abnormally overexpressed in GCs of PCOS patients, and its expression level is positively correlated with serum luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone levels, antral follicle count (AFC), and LH/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) ratio, while negatively correlated with serum progesterone levels and age. In vivo experiments demonstrated that rats with ovary-specific overexpression of KAT2B exhibited PCOS-like features. Transcriptomic sequencing of cell and rat ovarian samples indicated that the PPAR signaling pathway might be a key downstream pathway of KAT2B. Further in vitro experiments demonstrated that KAT2B regulates the transcription of PPARα by modulating H3K27ac, thereby impacting aromatase expression and estradiol synthesis. Metabolomic analysis indicated altered systemic pyruvate metabolism in rats with ovary-specific overexpression of KAT2B. Conclusions Our study revealed that the high expression of KAT2B in GCs might play a critical role in the development of PCOS by regulating estradiol synthesis, thereby offering a novel perspective for future investigations into the endocrine mechanisms underlying PCOS.

Background Laparoscopic hepatectomy is increasingly being used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, few studies have examined the treatment of recurrent HCC in patients who received a prior hepatectomy. The present prospective study compared the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic surgery with conventional open surgery in HCC patients with postoperative tumor recurrence. Methods We conducted a prospective study of 64 patients, all of whom had undergone open surgery once before, who were diagnosed with recurrent HCC between June 2014 and November 2014. The laparoscopic group (n = 31) underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy, and the control group (n = 33) underwent conventional open surgery. Operation time, intraoperative blood loss, surgical margins, postoperative pain scores, postoperative time until the patient could walk, anal exsufflation time, length of hospital stay, and inpatient costs were compared between the two groups. The patients were followed up for 1 year after surgery, and relapse‐free survival was compared between the two groups. Results All surgeries were successfully completed. No conversion to open surgery occurred in the laparoscopic group, and no serious postoperative complications occurred in either group. No significant difference in inpatient costs was found between the laparoscopic group and the control group (P = 0.079), but significant differences between the two groups were observed for operation time (116.7 ± 37.5 vs. 148.2 ± 46.7 min, P = 0.031), intraoperative blood loss (117.5 ± 35.5 vs. 265.9 ± 70.3 mL, P = 0.012), postoperative time until the patient could walk (1.6 ± 0.6 vs. 2.2 ± 0.8 days, P < 0.05), anal exsufflation time (2.1 ± 0.3 vs. 2.8 ± 0.7 days, P = 0.041), visual analogue scale pain score (P < 0.05), postoperative hepatic function (P < 0.05), and length of hospital stay (4.5 ± 1.3 vs. 6.0 ± 1.2 days, P = 0.014). During the 1‐year postoperative follow‐up period, 6 patients in each group had recurrent HCC on the side of the initial operation, but no significant difference between groups was observed in the recurrence rate or relapse‐free survival. In the laparoscopic group, operation time, postoperative time until the patient could walk, anal exsufflation time, and inpatient costs were not different (P > 0.05) between the patients with contralateral HCC recurrence (n = 18) and those with ipsilateral HCC recurrence (n = 13). However, intraoperative blood loss was significantly less (97.7 ± 14.0 vs. 186.3 ± 125.6 mL, P = 0.012) and the hospital stay was significantly shorter (4.2 ± 0.7 vs. 6.1 ± 1.7 days, P = 0.021) for the patients with contralateral recurrence than for those with ipsilateral recurrence. Conclusions For the patients who previously underwent conventional open surgical resection of HCC, complete laparoscopic resection was safe and effective for recurrent HCC and resulted in a shorter operation time, less intraoperative blood loss, and a faster postoperative recovery than conventional open surgery. Laparoscopic resection was especially advantageous for the patients with contralateral HCC recurrence.

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy of concurrent robotic inguinal hernia repair (RIHR) performed during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), as well as to evaluate its safety and feasibility. By April 2024, we have performed comprehensive searches across multiple major databases globally, such as Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science. Data analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 (RevMan 5.4). Our study has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024592239). A total of eight cohort studies were included in the analysis. Pooled data demonstrated that concurrent robotic inguinal hernia repair (RIHR) during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) required significantly longer operative time compared to controls (MD 30.80 min, 95% CI 2.36–59.25, p  = 0.03; I 2  = 100%). Its total complication rate is higher (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.15–2.27, p  = 0.005, I 2  = 0%). Its minor complication rate is higher (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.02–2.87, p  = 0.04, I 2  = 14%). No statistically significant differences were observed in major complications, estimated blood loss, or length of hospital stay. The concurrent performance of robot-assisted inguinal hernia repair (RIHR) during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is generally feasible and safe. However, the included studies demonstrated variable methodological quality with significant heterogeneity. Further high-quality studies are warranted to validate these findings.

Gene-knockout pigs have important applications in agriculture and medicine. Compared with CRISPR/Cas9, Adenine base editor (ABE) convert single A·T pairs to G·C pairs in the genome without generating DNA double-strand breaks, and this method has higher accuracy and biosafety in pig genetic modification. However, the application of ABE in pig gene knockout is limited by protospacer-adjacent motif sequences and the base-editing window. Alternative mRNA splicing is an important mechanism underlying the formation of proteins with diverse functions in eukaryotes. Spliceosome recognizes the conservative sequences of splice donors and acceptors in a precursor mRNA. Mutations in these conservative sequences induce exon skipping, leading to proteins with novel functions or to gene inactivation due to frameshift mutations. In this study, adenine base-editing-mediated exon skipping was used to expand the application of ABE in the generation of gene knockout pigs. We first constructed a modified “all-in-one” ABE vector suitable for porcine somatic cell transfection that contained an ABE for single-base editing and an sgRNA expression cassette. The “all-in-one” ABE vector induced efficient sgRNA-dependent A-to-G conversions in porcine cells during single base-editing of multiple endogenous gene loci. Subsequently, an ABE system was designed for single adenine editing of the conservative splice acceptor site (AG sequence at the 3′ end of the intron 5) and splice donor site (GT sequence at the 5′ end of the intron 6) in the porcine gene GHR; this method achieved highly efficient A-to-G conversion at the cellular level. Then, porcine single-cell colonies carrying a biallelic A-to-G conversion in the splice acceptor site in the intron 5 of GHR were generated. RT-PCR indicated exon 6 skipped at the mRNA level. Western blotting revealed GHR protein loss, and gene sequencing showed no sgRNA-dependent off-target effects. These results demonstrate accurate adenine base-editing-mediated exon skipping and gene knockout in porcine cells. This is the first proof-of-concept study of adenine base-editing-mediated exon skipping for gene regulation in pigs, and this work provides a new strategy for accurate and safe genetic modification of pigs for agricultural and medical applications.

Background Endometrial carcinoma is one of the most common gynecological malignancies in women. The diagnosis of the disease at early or premalignant stages is crucial for the patient's prognosis. To date, diagnosis and follow-up of endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia require invasive procedures. Therefore, there is considerable demand for the identification of biomarkers to allow non-invasive detection of these conditions. Methods In this study, we performed a quantitative proteomics analysis on serum samples from simple endometrial hyperplasia, complex endometrial hyperplasia, atypical endometrial hyperplasia, and endometrial carcinoma patients, as well as healthy women. Serum samples were first depleted of high-abundance proteins, labeled with isobaric tags (iTRAQ™), and then analyzed via two-dimensional liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Protein identification and quantitation information were acquired by comparing the mass spectrometry data against the International Protein Index Database using ProteinPilot software. Bioinformatics annotation of identified proteins was performed by searching against the PANTHER database. Results In total, 74 proteins were identified and quantified in serum samples from endometrial lesion patients and healthy women. Using a 1.6-fold change as the benchmark, 12 proteins showed significantly altered expression levels in at least one disease group compared with healthy women. Among them, 7 proteins were found, for the first time, to be differentially expressed in atypical endometrial hyperplasia. These proteins are orosomucoid 1, haptoglobin, SERPINC 1, alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, apolipoprotein A-IV, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H4, and histidine-rich glycoprotein. Conclusions The differentially expressed proteins we discovered in this study may serve as biomarkers in the diagnosis and follow-up of endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma.

To enable rational multi-epitope vaccine and diagnostic antigen design, it is imperative to delineate complete IgG-epitome of the protein. Here, we describe results of IgG-epitome decoding of three proteins from high-risk (HR-) oncogenic human papillomavirus type 58 (HPV58). To reveal their entire epitomes, employing peptide biosynthetic approach, 30 precise linear B-cell epitopes (BCEs) were mapped on E6, E7 and L1 proteins using rabbits antisera to the respective recombinant proteins. Using sequence alignment based on BCE minimal motif, the specificity and conservativeness of each mapped BCE were delineated mainly among known HR-HPVs, including finding 3 broadly antibody cross-reactive BCEs of L1 that each covers almost all HR-HPVs. Western blots revealed that 13 of the 18 BCEs within L1-epitome were recognized by murine antisera to HPV58 virus-like particles, suggesting that these are antibody accessible BCEs. Also, a highly conserved epitope (YGD/XTL) of E6 was found to exist only in known common HR-HPVs, which could be used as the first peptide reference marker for judging HR-HPVs. Altogether, this study provides systemic and exhaustive information on linear BCEs of HR-HPV58 that will facilitate development of novel multi-epitope diagnostic reagents/chips for testing viral antibodies and ‘universal’ preventive HPV peptide vaccine based on L1 conserved BCEs.