Aggregation-Enabled Electrochemistry in Confined Nanopore Capable of Complementary Faradaic and Non-Faradaic Detection.

Electrochemistry that empowers innovative nanoscopic analysis has long been pursued. Here, the concept of aggregation-enabled electrochemistry (AEE) in a confined nanopore is proposed and devised by reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive aggregation of CdS quantum dots (QDs) within a functional nanopipette. Complementary Faradaic and non-Faradaic operations of the CdS QDs aggregate could be conducted to simultaneously induce the signal-on of the photocurrents and the signal-off of the ionic signals. Such a rationale permits the cross-checking of the mutually corroborated signals and thus delivers more reliable results for single-cell ROS analysis. Combined with the rich biomatter-light interplay, the concept of AEE can be extended to other stimuli-responsive aggregations for electrochemical innovations.

Enhancing photosynthetic phosphorus-use efficiency through coordination of leaf phosphorus fractions, allocation and anatomy during soybean domestication.

Soybean domestication has significantly changed key agronomic traits, yet its impact on leaf photosynthetic phosphorus-use efficiency (PPUE) and its underlying traits remain poorly known. Further information on this would be important to increase soybean P-use efficiency. To address this gap, 48 soybean accessions (16 wild relatives, 16 landraces and 16 cultivars) were used to compare leaf anatomical traits, foliar chemical P fractions, P allocation and PPUE under two P levels. The results showed that the cultivars had higher area-based and mass-based photosynthesis rates, PPUE, metabolite P concentration, and its percentage of leaf total P, as well as a greater percentage of lipid P, nucleic acid P and residual P. Conversely, wild relatives tended to have higher leaf P concentration, palisade:spongy thickness ratio, and concentrations of inorganic P, nucleic acid P, lipid P and residual P. PPUE was negatively correlated with leaf inorganic P concentration and its percentage relative to leaf total P, while it was positively correlated with the concentration and percentage of metabolite P. We concluded that soybean domestication increased PPUE, as a result of both increased photosynthesis rate and decreased leaf P concentration; domestication reduced the palisade:spongy thickness ratio coupled with increased allocation of P to P-containing metabolites, thereby contributing to faster photosynthesis and higher PPUE. This study shed light on the significance of leaf P allocation and anatomical traits affecting PPUE during soybean domestication, offering a mechanistic understanding to further enhance soybean P-use efficiency.

Synthesis of α-Bromo Arylethyl Sulfonyl Fluorides and ß-Arylethenesulfonyl Fluorides via Copper-Catalyzed Meerwein Arylation.

A practical copper-catalyzed process for the synthesis of the ß-arylethenesulfonyl fluorides is described. A series of α-bromo arylethyl sulfonyl fluorides was prepared via Meerwein reaction from arenediazonium tetrafluoroborates and ethenesulfonyl fluoride (ESF) under mild conditions. The following ß-arylethenesulfonyl fluorides were further obtained through a ß-elimination reaction. This protocol features excellent regio- and stereoselectivity and broad substrate scope.

A systematic review on reporting quality of economic evaluations for negotiated glucose-lowering drugs in China national reimbursement drug list.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the reporting quality of existing economic evaluations for negotiated glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) included in China National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2013 (CHEERS 2013). METHODS: We performed a systematic literature research through 7 databases to identify published economic evaluations for GLDs included in the China NRDL up to March 2021. Reporting quality of identified studies was assessed by two independent reviewers based on the CHEERS checklist. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test were performed to examine the association between reporting quality and characteristics of the identified studies. RESULTS: We have identified 24 studies, which evaluated six GLDs types. The average score rate of the included studies was 77.41% (SD:13.23%, Range 47.62%-91.67%). Among all the required reporting items, characterizing heterogeneity (score rate = 4.17%) was the least satisfied item. Among six parts of CHEERS, results part scored least at 0.55 (score rate = 54.79%) because of the incompleteness of characterizing uncertainty. Results from the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test showed that model choice, journal type, type of economic evaluations, and study perspective were associated with the reporting quality of the studies. CONCLUSIONS: There remains room to improve the reporting quality of economic evaluations for GLDs in NRDL. Checklists such as CHEERS should be widely used to improve the reporting quality of economic researches in China.

Delay the progression of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: Fraxin targets ferroptosis via the Nrf2/GPX4 pathway.

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) commonly accelerates bone loss, increasing the risk of fractures and osteonecrosis more significantly than traditional menopausal osteoporosis. The extracellular environment influenced by glucocorticoids heightens fracture and osteonecrosis risks. Fraxin (Fra), a key component of the traditional Chinese herbal remedy Cortex Fraxini, is known for its wide-ranging pharmacological effects, but its impact on GIOP remains unexplored. This investigation aims to delineate the effects and underlying mechanisms of Fra in combating dexamethasone (Dex)-induced ferroptosis and GIOP. We established a mouse model of GIOP via intraperitoneal injections of Dex and cultured osteoblasts with Dex treatment for in vitro analysis. We evaluated the impact of Fra on Dex-treated osteoblasts through assays such as C11-BODIPY and FerroOrange staining, mitochondrial functionality tests, and protein expression analyses via Western blot and immunofluorescence. The influence of Fra on bone microarchitecture of GIOP in mice was assessed using microcomputerized tomography, hematoxylin and eosin staining, double-labeling with Calcein-Alizarin Red S, and immunohistochemistry at imaging and histological levels. Based on our data, Fra prevented Dex-induced ferroptosis and bone loss. In vitro, glutathione levels increased and malondialdehyde, lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species decreased. Fra treatment also increases nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and COL1A1 expression and promotes bone formation. To delve deeper into the mechanism, the findings revealed that Fra triggered the activation of Nrf2/GPX4 signaling. Moreover, the use of siRNA-Nrf2 blocked the beneficial effect of Fra in osteoblasts cultivated with Dex. Fra effectively combats GIOP by activating the Nrf2/GPX4 signaling pathway to inhibit ferroptosis.

Locking Patterned Carbon Nanotube Cages by Nanofibrous Mats to Construct Cucurbituril[n]-Based Ultrapermselective Dye/Salt Separation Membranes.

Surface patterning is a promising strategy to overcome the trade-off effect of separation membranes. Herein, a bottom-up patterning strategy of locking micron-sized carbon nanotube cages (CNCs) onto a nanofibrous substrate is developed. The strongly enhanced capillary force triggered by the abundant narrow channels in CNCs endows the precisely patterned substrate with excellent wettability and antigravity water transport. Both are crucial for the preloading of cucurbit[n]uril (CB6)-embeded amine solution to form an ultrathin (∼20 nm) polyamide selective layer clinging to CNCs-patterned substrate. The CNCs-patterning and CB6 modification result in a 40.2% increased transmission area, a reduced thickness, and a lowered cross-linking degree of selective layer, leading to a high water permeability of 124.9 L·m-2 h-1 bar-1 and a rejection of 99.9% for Janus Green B (511.07 Da), an order of magnitude higher than that of commercial membranes. The new patterning strategy provides technical and theoretical guidance for designing next-generation dye/salt separation membranes.

[The effect of exercise on platelet-activating factor metabolism in the livers of rats fed high-fat diet].

This paper aimed to investigate the effects of exercise on hepatic platelet-activating factor (PAF) metabolism in rats fed a high-fat diet. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into control group (C), high-fat diet group (H), exercise group (EC), and high-fat diet+exercise group (EH). Serum lipids, glucose, insulin and markers of hepatic injury after a 16-week dietary and/or exercise intervention (60 min/day, 6 times/week) were measured by biochemical analysis; liver lipidomic profiles were analyzed by liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS). Gene and protein expression of enzymes related to PAF metabolism were determined by qPCR and Western blot respectively. The results showed that high-fat diet feeding significantly increased the levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and liver injury markers including purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in rats, which were decreased by exercise. Furthermore, high-fat diet feeding significantly increased the hepatic PAF content, which was also attenuated by exercise. In addition, although high-fat diet treatment resulted in an increase in the expression of both PAF synthetase (PAF-CPT and PLA2) and hydrolase (Lp-PLA2 and PAF-AH(II)), induction of PAF synthetase was much greater than that of PAF hydrolase. While exercise increased the expression of Lp-PLA2 and PAF-AH(II) and decreased the expression of PAF-CPT and PLA2, key PAF synthesizing enzymes. In conclusion, high-fat diet-induced increase in hepatic PAF content is mainly due to the increase of its pathological synthesis at the translational level. Exercise reduces hepatic PAF content in high-fat fed rats by increasing PAF hydrolysis and decreasing its synthesis.

Lowering glycemic levels via gastrointestinal tract factors: the roles of dietary fiber, polyphenols, and their combination.

Dietary fiber (DF) and polyphenols (DP) are typical blood sugar-lowering components, and both play distinct yet interconnected roles in exerting their blood sugar-lowering effects. We comprehensively summarized the single and combined effects of DF and DP on blood glucose homeostasis through regulating the relevant factors in the upper gastrointestinal tract (UGT) and lower gastrointestinal tract (LGT). In the UGT, DF slowed down glucose metabolism by enhancing digesta viscosity and hindering enzyme-substrate interaction. DP primarily targeted enzymes and substrates. When combined, DP enhanced the adsorption capacity of DF for glucose. DF weakened DP's inhibitory effect on enzymes. Both DF and DP disrupted glucose intestinal uptake via physical or genomic modulation, but the co-consumption of DF and DP demonstrated a lower inhibitory effect on glucose uptake than DP alone. In the LGT, DF and DP showed synergistic or antagonistic effects on gut microbiota. Remarkably, whole foods exhibited potent prebiotic effects due to their compound-rich matrix, potentially enhancing glucose homeostasis and expanding dietary options for glucose regulation research.

Performance improvement of three-body radiative diodes driven by graphene surface plasmon polaritons.

As an analogue to an electrical diode, a radiative thermal diode allows radiation to transfer more efficiently in one direction than in the opposite direction by operating in a contactless mode. In this study, we demonstrated that within the framework of three-body photon thermal tunneling, the rectification performance of a three-body radiative diode can be greatly improved by bringing graphene into the system. The system is composed of three parallel slabs, with the hot and cold terminals of the diode coated with graphene films and the intermediate body made of vanadium dioxide (VO2). The rectification factor of the proposed radiative thermal diode reaches 300% with a 350 nm separation distance between the hot and cold terminals of the diode. With the help of graphene, the rectification performance of the radiative thermal diode can be improved by over 11 times. By analyzing the spectral heat flux and energy transmission coefficients, it was found that the improved performance is primarily attributed to the surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) of graphene. They excite the modes of insulating VO2 in the forward-biased scenario by forming strongly coupled modes between graphene and VO2 and thus dramatically enhance the heat flux. However, for the reverse-biased scenario, the VO2 is at its metallic state, and thus, graphene SPPs cannot work by three-body photon thermal tunneling. Furthermore, the improvement was also investigated for different chemical potentials of graphene and geometric parameters of the three-body system. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using thermal-photon-based logical circuits, creating radiation-based communication technology and implementing thermal management approaches at the nanoscale.

Effect of music listening on perioperative anxiety, acute pain and pain catastrophizing in women undergoing elective cesarean delivery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety may adversely impact mother and her newborn. Music listening is a safe and efficacious treatment that may to reduce perioperative anxiety. The effect on acute pain and pain catastrophizing scores remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether perioperative music listening reduces anxiety, acute pain, and pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) scores following elective cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. METHODS: After randomization into music listening and control groups, baseline patient characteristics, visual analog scale-anxiety (VAS-A) scores, pain scores, PCS total and sub-scores, and music preferences were collected preoperatively. Before surgery, parturients in the experimental group listened to music of their own choice for 30 min. Music listening was continued during administration of spinal anesthesia and cesarean delivery, and for 30 min following surgery. Postoperative VAS-A score, acute pain score, PCS scores, music preferences, satisfaction score, and feedback were recorded. RESULTS: We analyzed 108 parturients (music: n = 53; control: n = 55). Music listening was associated with reduced postoperative VAS-A (mean difference (MD) -1.43, 95%CI -0.63 to -2.22), PCS total score (MD -6.39, 95%CI -2.11 to -10.66), PCS sub-scores on rumination (MD -1.68, 95%CI -0.12 to -3.25), magnification (MD -1.53, 95%CI -0.45 to -2.62), and helplessness (MD -3.17, 95%CI -1.29 to -5.06) sub-scores. There was no significant difference in postoperative acute pain scores. The majority (> 95%) of parturients reported "excellent" and "good" satisfaction with music listening, and most provided positive feedback. CONCLUSION: Perioperative music listening was associated with reduced postoperative anxiety and lower pain catastrophizing. Based on the good patient satisfaction and positive feedback received, the use of music listening in the obstetric setting is recommended. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03415620 on 30/01/2018.

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy with portal or superior mesenteric vein resection and reconstruction for pancreatic cancer: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) with portal or superior mesenteric vein resection and reconstruction has been applied in pancreatic cancer patients with tumor infiltration or adherence. However, it is controversial whether laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) with major vascular resection and reconstruction is feasible. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of LPD with major vascular resection compared with OPD with major vascular resection. METHODS: We reviewed data for all pancreatic cancer patients undergoing LPD or OPD with vascular resection at Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, between February 2018 and May 2022. We compared the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative clinicopathological data of the two groups to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of LPD with major vascular resection. RESULTS: A total of 63 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) with portal or superior mesenteric vein resection and reconstruction, including 25 LPDs and 38 OPDs. The LPD group had less intraoperative blood loss (200 vs. 400 mL, P < 0.001), lower proportion of intraoperative blood transfusion (16.0% vs. 39.5%, P = 0.047), longer operation time (390 vs. 334 min, P = 0.004) and shorter postoperative hospital stay (11 vs. 14 days, P = 0.005). There was no perioperative death in all patients. There was no significant difference in the incidence of total postoperative complications, grade B/C postoperative pancreatic fistula, delayed gastric emptying and abdominal infection between the two groups. No postpancreatectomy hemorrhage nor bile leakage occurred during perioperative period. There was no significant difference in R0 resection rate and number of lymph nodes harvested between the two groups. Patency of reconstructed vessels in the two groups were 96.0% and 92.1%, respectively (P = 0.927). CONCLUSIONS: LPD with portal or superior mesenteric vein resection and reconstruction was safe, feasible and oncologically acceptable for selected patients with pancreatic cancer, and it can achieve similar or even better perioperative results compared to open approach.

Lingular division of the left lung: Only superior and inferior bronchi?

The lingular segment bronchi usually bifurcate into superior lingular (B4 ) and inferior lingular (B5 ) segmental bronchi. We report 32 horizontally bifurcated lingular segment bronchi cases, analyzing the bronchovascular variations and the perioperative outcomes. All patients with pulmonary lesions underwent three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography between January 2019 and January 2022. The bronchovascular patterns were analyzed for each patient. A consecutive 5280 patients were included, and 32 cases of this malformation were identified. The incidence of the lateral (B4 ) and medial (B5 ) lingular segmental bronchi is 0.6%. The A4 and A5 arise separately in 21 (65.6%) patients. In 9 (28.1%) patients, the A4 a arises from the common trunk of A4 + 5 . In 2 (6.3%) patients, the A4 arises from the interlobe artery, while A5 is a mediastinal lingular artery. The common trunk of V4 a + b is found in 19 (59.4%) patients. The V5 is the least changeable of the segmental bronchi veins. Among the 32 patients, five patients had an LS4 segmentectomy. The surgical details of the five patients are summarized. The laterally and medially bifurcated lingular bronchus pattern is a rare anomaly. It implies that the lingular bronchus is not only superiorly and inferiorly bifurcated.

Exploring site-specific N application rate to reduce N footprint and increase crop production for green manure-rice rotation system in southern China.

Milk vetch (Astragalus sinicus L.) is leguminous green manure (GM) which produces organic nitrogen (N) for subsequent crops and is widely planted and utilized to simultaneously reduce the use of synthetic N fertilizer and its environmental costs in rice systems. Determination of an optimal N application rate specific to the GM-rice system is challenging because of the large temporal and spatial variations in soil, climate, and field management conditions. To solve this problem, we developed a framework to explore the site-specific N application rate for the low-N footprint rice production system in southern China based on multi-site field experiments, farmer field survey, and process-based model (WHCNS_Rice, soil water heat carbon nitrogen simulator for rice). The results showed that a process-based model can explain >83.3% (p < 0.01) of the variation in rice yield, aboveground biomass, crop N uptake, and soil mineral N. Based on the scenario analysis of the tested WHCNS_Rice model, the simple regression equation was developed to implement site-specific N application rates that considered variations in GM biomass, soil, and climatic conditions. Simulation evaluation on nine provinces in southern China showed that the site-specific N application rate reduced regional synthetic N fertilizer input by 29.6 ± 17.8% and 65.3 ± 23.0% for single and early rice, respectively; decreased their total N footprints (NFs) by 23.4% and 49.3%, respectively; and without reduction in rice yield, compared with traditional farming N practices. The reduction in total NF was attributed to the reduced emissions from ammonia volatilization by 35.2%, N leaching by 28.4%, and N runoff by 32.7%. In this study, we suggested a low NF rice production system that can be obtained by combining GM with site-specific N application rate in southern China.

Effects of dietary berberine on growth performance, lipid metabolism, antioxidant capacity and lipometabolism-related genes expression of AMPK signaling pathway in juvenile black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) fed high-fat diets.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-fat diet (HFD) supplemented with berberine on growth, lipid metabolism, antioxidant capacity and lipometabolism-related genes expression of AMPK signaling pathway in juvenile black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus). Five hundred and forty healthy fish (4.04 ± 0.01 g) were randomly distributed into six groups, and fed six experimental diets: normal-fat diet (NFD, 5% fat), HFD (15% fat), and four HFDs supplemented with graded levels of berberine, respectively. The results showed that, compared with fish fed NFD, HFD had no effects on the growth of fish except for reducing survival rate, whereas HFD caused extensive lipid accumulation, oxidative stress injury and hepatic abnormalities. However, compared with the HFD group, fish fed HFD containing an appropriate berberine (98.26 or 196.21 mg/kg) improved the growth performance, increased hepatic lipid metabolism and antioxidant enzymes activities, and up-regulated the mRNA expression levels of ampk subunits and lipolysis genes such as pparα, cpt-1, acox, atgl and hsl (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, HFD supplemented with an appropriate berberine reduced crude lipid contents in liver and whole-body, decreased serum lipid contents, and ALT and AST activities, and down-regulated the mRNA expression levels of lipogenesis genes such as srebp-1, acc1, gpat, fas and pparγ, and lipid transporter genes such as fatp, fabp and fat/cd36 (P < 0.05). Thus, HFD supplemented with an appropriate berberine could improve growth of black carp, promote lipid metabolism and enhance antioxidant capacity. The lipid-lowering mechanism of berberine might be mediated by activating AMPK pathway, up-regulating lipolysis genes expression, and down-regulating lipogenesis and transport genes expression.

The Role of Noncoding RNA Antisense Transcript of the B-Cell Translocation Gene 3 Regulation of BTG3 in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Tumor Progression.

Background: Antisense transcript of the B-cell translocation gene 3 (ASBEL) is a highly conserved antisense non-coding RNA (ncRNA) and participates in a variety of biological processes. However, the ASBEL expression status in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and its correlation with BTG3 expression and tumor cell progression were not completely clear. Objective: We conducted cell experiments and animal experiments to confirm that ASBEL plays a crucial role in the tumorigenesis of PDAC by targeting BTG3. Methods: ASBEL regulation in PDAC tumorigenesis was evaluated using Western blotting, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, and cell transfection. We also evaluated the expression of ASBEL and BTG3 in tumor tissues and cells using Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Finally, we explored the role of ASBEL in tumor development by silencing or overexpressing ASBEL gene in AsPC-1 or CFPAC-1 cells, respectively, and evaluated the antitumor activity in vivo using an ASBEL antagonist. Results: Our study revealed the expression of ASBEL in all pancreatic cell lines. The expression level of ASBEL in tumor tissues was found to be higher than that of paracarcinomatous tissues. ASBEL suppresses expression of BTG3, enhances proliferation and suppresses apoptosis, and promotes migration and invasion in pancreatic cancer cell. Antagonist regulates the expression of ASBEL in AsPC-1, and suppresses tumor growth in xenograft mouse model. Conclusions: Our results indicate that ASBEL may play a tumor-promoting factor in PDAC by targeting BTG3 and could be as an important biomarker for PDAC treatment. (Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 2023; 84:XXX-XXX).

Melatonin inhibits osteoclastogenesis via RANKL/OPG suppression mediated by Rev-Erbα in osteoblasts.

Diabetic osteoporosis is secondary osteoporosis and a serious complication of diabetes with a high incidence rate and poor prognosis. The specific mechanism of diabetic osteoporosis is unclear, and prevention and treatment options are limited. Recently, melatonin has been found to prevent and treat diabetic osteoporosis. Herein, we investigated the mechanism whereby melatonin inhibits osteoclastogenesis and identified a new target for osteoporosis treatment. We established an in vitro osteoblast-osteoclast co-culture system as a diabetic osteoporosis model. Osteoclastogenesis was determined using tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining and cathepsin K expression. Real-time PCR was used to ascertain expression of microRNA mir-882, targeting Rev-Erbα. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression of Rev-Erbα, receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG), and ELISA was utilized to analyse the secreted form of RANKL. High glucose promoted osteoclastogenesis and elevated the RANKL/OPG ratio in osteoblasts, while melatonin reversed these effects. High glucose inhibited Rev-Erbα expression, while melatonin promoted its expression. Conversely, high glucose promoted mir-882 expression, while melatonin inhibited it. We infer that melatonin inhibits RANKL expression in osteoblasts via the mir-882/Rev-Erbα axis, thus inhibiting osteoclastogenesis. Our findings provide insights into diabetic osteoporosis and identify a new therapeutic target for osteoporosis.

Thoracoscopic Anatomical Enucleation of GGO.

BACKGROUND: Enucleation was commonly used in the surgery of the eye or prostate. The implication in the treatment of GGO is never reported. METHODS: In this multimedia article, we described a thoracoscopic enucleation of GGO between S7 and S8 in the right lower lobe. According to the pre-operative 3D-CTBA, few bronchovascular structures were passing through the border of RS7 and RS8-a primarily pulmonary parenchyma region. Therefore, an enucleation of GGO is feasible with a low risk of injuring adjacent structures. The main utility incision and observing port were inserted in the fourth and seventh intercostal space in the anterior axillary line. Two assistant incisions were made in the seventh intercostal space in the mid-axillary line and the ninth intercostal space in the posterior axillary line. The GGO is invisible and unpalpable, so it cannot be located intraoperatively. The surgery was initiated by dividing the lung parenchyma alongside the anatomic landmark of A7 on the left. On the right, the common trunk of A8-10 was dissected until A8 was identified. The last anatomic landmark is V8b, which lies posteriorly. The lung parenchyma was dissected by electrocautery hook along with the A7, A8, and V8b to the diaphragmatic surface. Using an electrocautery hook during dissection is preferable, whose terminal is sharper and more flexible. The ultrasonic scalpel is not recommended. A glove is utilized for the specimen retrieval to avoid implantation metastasis. RESULTS: The operative time was 0.5 h with an estimated blood loss of 10 ml. With no chest tube, the patient was discharged on postoperative day 1. The final pathological finding was minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (pTmiN0M0). DISCUSSION: Considering the natural history and excellent prognosis of GGO, the safe margin is the primary concern for GGO resection.1,2 We use the anatomic landmark to secure a safe margin in enucleation. Besides, dissection of the anatomic intersegmental plane by electrocautery (but not by stapling) reduces unfavorable recurrent local failure at the margin and allows full expansion of the preserved adjacent segments to result in maximal pulmonary function.3.

Health technology assessment of medical devices: current landscape, challenges, and a way forward.

BACKGROUND: Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has been widely recognized as informing healthcare decision-making, and interest in HTA of medical devices has been steadily increasing. How does the assessment of medical devices differ from that of drug therapies, and what innovations can be adopted to overcome the inherent challenges in medical device HTA? METHOD: HTA Accelerator Database was used to describe the landscape of HTA reports for medical devices from HTA bodies, and a literature search was conducted to understand the growth trend of relevant HTA publications in four case studies. Another literature review was conducted for a narrative synthesis of the characteristic differences and challenges of HTA in medical devices. We further conducted a focused Internet search of guidelines and a narrative review of methodologies specific to the HTA of medical devices. MAIN BODY: The evidence of HTA reports and journal publications on medical devices around the world has been growing. The challenges in assessing medical devices include scarcity of well-designed randomized controlled trials, inconsistent real-world evidence data sources and methods, device-user interaction, short product lifecycles, inexplicit target population, and a lack of direct medical outcomes. Practical solutions in terms of methodological advancement of HTA for medical devices were also discussed in some HTA guidelines and literature. CONCLUSION: To better conduct HTA on medical devices, we recommend considering multi-source evidence such as real-world evidence; standardizing HTA processes, methodologies, and criteria; and integrating HTA into decision-making.

Influence of the temperature-dependent dielectric constant on the photoacoustic effect of gold nanospheres.

Photoacoustic imaging techniques with gold nanoparticles as contrast agents have received a great deal of attention. The photoacoustic response of gold nanoparticles strongly depends on the far-field optical properties, which essentially depend on the dielectric constant of the material. The dielectric constant of gold not only varies with wavelength but is also affected by temperature. However, the effect of the temperature dependence of the dielectric constant on gold nanoparticles' photoacoustic response has not been fully investigated. In this work, the Drude-Lorentz model and Mie theory are used to calculate the dielectric constant and absorption efficiency of gold nanospheres in aqueous solution, respectively. Then, the finite element method is used to simulate the heat transfer process of gold nanospheres and surrounding water. Finally, the one-dimensional velocity-stress equation is solved by the finite-difference time-domain method to obtain the photoacoustic response of gold nanospheres. The results show that under the irradiation of a high-fluence nanosecond pulse laser, ignoring the temperature dependence of the dielectric constant will lead to large errors in the photothermal response and the nonlinear photoacoustic signals (it can even exceed 20% and 30%). The relative error of the photothermal and photoacoustic response caused by ignoring the temperature-dependent dielectric constant is determined from both the temperature dependence of absorption efficiency and the maximum temperature increase of gold nanospheres. This work provides a new perspective for the photothermal and photoacoustic effects of gold nanospheres, which is meaningful for the development of high-resolution photoacoustic detectors and nano/microscale temperature measurement techniques.

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in patients with Parkinson's disease with and without constipation: a prospective study.

PURPOSE: The etiology of constipation in Parkinson's disease is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore changes in regional neural activity and functional connections associated with constipation in a large cohort of individuals with Parkinson's disease. METHODS: We prospectively recruited 106 patients with Parkinson's disease with constipation and 73 patients with Parkinson's disease without constipation. We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging for the first time to measure differences in regional neural activity and functional connections between the two patient groups. RESULTS: Patients with constipation showed significantly higher amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation than patients without constipation in the right dorsal pons extending into the cerebellum and in the right insula. The two types of patients also showed substantial differences in functional connections linking the superior temporal gyrus, particularly the right superior temporal gyrus, with multiple brain regions. CONCLUSION: Regional neural activity and functional connectivity in the brain differ substantially between patients with Parkinson's disease with or without constipation. These findings provide a foundation for understanding the pathophysiology of constipation in Parkinson's disease and for identifying therapeutic targets.