Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder Based on Individualized Brain Functional and Structural Connectivity.

BACKGROUND: Traditional neuroimaging studies have primarily emphasized analysis at the group level, often neglecting the specificity at the individual level. Recently, there has been a growing interest in individual differences in brain connectivity. Investigating individual-specific connectivity is important for understanding the mechanisms of major depressive disorder (MDD) and the variations among individuals. PURPOSE: To integrate individualized functional connectivity and structural connectivity with machine learning techniques to distinguish people with MDD and healthy controls (HCs). STUDY TYPE: Prospective. SUBJECTS: A total of 182 patients with MDD and 157 HCs and a verification cohort including 54 patients and 46 HCs. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0 T/T1-weighted imaging, resting-state functional MRI with echo-planar sequence, and diffusion tensor imaging with single-shot spin echo. ASSESSMENT: Functional and structural brain networks from rs-fMRI and DTI data were constructed, respectively. Based on these networks, individualized functional connectivity (IFC) and individualized structural connectivity (ISC) were extracted using common orthogonal basis extraction (COBE). Subsequently, multimodal canonical correlation analysis combined with joint independent component analysis (mCCA + jICA) was conducted to fusion analysis to identify the joint and unique independent components (ICs) across multiple modes. These ICs were utilized to generate features, and a support vector machine (SVM) model was implemented for the classification of MDD. STATISTICAL TESTS: The differences in individualized connectivity between patients and controls were compared using two-sample t test, with a significance threshold set at P < 0.05. The established model was tested and evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: The classification performance of the constructed individualized connectivity feature model after multisequence fusion increased from 72.2% to 90.3%. Furthermore, the prediction model showed significant predictive power for assessing the severity of depression in patients with MDD (r = 0.544). DATA CONCLUSION: The integration of IFC and ISC through multisequence fusion enhances our capacity to identify MDD, highlighting the advantages of the individualized approach and underscoring its significance in MDD research. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Temporal dynamic alterations of regional homogeneity in major depressive disorder: a study integrating machine learning.

Previous studies have found alterations in the local regional homogeneity of brain activity in individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder. However, many studies have failed to consider that even during resting states, brain activity is dynamic and time-varying. The lack of investigation into the dynamic regional homogeneity has hindered the discovery of biomarkers for depression. This study aimed to assess the utility of the dynamic regional homogeneity by a machine learning model (support vector machine). Sixty-five individuals with dynamic regional homogeneity and 57 healthy controls participated in resting-state functional magnetic resonance rescanning and scale estimating. The dynamic regional homogeneity and receiver operating characteristic curve methods were used for analysis of the imaging data. Relative to healthy controls, major depressive disorder patients displayed increased dynamic regional homogeneity values in the left precuneus and right postcentral gyrus. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic curve results of the dynamic regional homogeneity values in the left precuneus and right postcentral gyrus could distinguish major depressive disorder patients from healthy controls; furthermore, changes in the dynamic regional homogeneity were correlated with depression severity.

Delta Radiomics Based on MRI for Predicting Axillary Lymph Node Pathologic Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients.

PURPOSE: To develop and test a radiomics nomogram based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinicopathological factors for predicting the axillary pathologic complete response (apCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer patients with axillary lymph node (ALN) metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 319 patients who underwent MRI examination and received NAC treatment were enrolled from two centers, and the presence of ALN metastasis was confirmed by biopsy pathology before NAC. The radiomics features were extracted from regions of interest of ALNs before (pre-radiomics) and after (post-radiomics) NAC. The difference of features before and after NAC, named delta radiomics, was calculated. The variance threshold, selectKbest and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm were used to select radiomics features. Radscore was calculated by a linear combination of selected features, weighted by their respective coefficients. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to select the clinicopathological factors and radscores, and a radiomics nomogram was built by multivariable logistic regression analysis. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated by the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), decision curve analysis (DCA) and calibration curves. Furthermore, to explore the biological basis of radiomics nomogram, 16 patients with RNA-sequence data were included for genetic analysis. RESULTS: The radiomics nomogram was constructed by two radscores (post- and delta- radscores) and one clinicopathological factor (progesterone hormone, PR), and showed powerful predictive performance in both internal and external test sets, with AUCs of 0.894 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.877-0.959) and 0.903 (95% CI, 0.801-0.986), respectively. The calibration curves and DCA showed favorable consistency and clinical utility. With the assistance of nomogram, the rate of unnecessary ALND would be reduced from 60.42% to 21.88%, and the rate of final benefit rate would be increased from 39.58% to 70.83%. Moreover, genetic analysis revealed that high apCR prediction scores were associated with the upregulation of immune-mediated genes and pathways. CONCLUSION: The radiomics nomogram showed great performance in predicting apCR after NAC for breast cancer patients, which could help clinicians to identify patients with apCR and avoid unnecessary axillary lymph node dissection.

Synthesis of Mesoporous Catechin Nanoparticles as Biocompatible Drug-Free Antibacterial Mesoformulation.

While polyphenolic substances stand as excellent antibacterial agents, their antimicrobial properties rely on the auxiliary support of micro-/nanostructures. Despite offering a novel avenue for enhancing polymer performance, controllable fabrication of mesoporous polymeric nanomaterials encounters significant challenges due to intricate intermolecular forces. In this article, mesoporous catechin nanoparticles have been successfully fabricated using a balanced multivariate interaction approach. The harmonization of the water-ethanol ratio and ionic strength effectively balances the forces of hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking, facilitating the controlled assembly of mesostructures. The mesoporous catechin nanoparticles exhibit a uniform spherical structure (∼100 nm), open mesopores with a diameter of ∼15 nm, and a high surface area of ∼106 m2 g-1. While exhibiting a good biocompatibility and negative surface charge, the mesoporous catechins possess outstanding antibacterial ability and function as an antibiotic mesoformulation without the necessity of loading any drugs. This mesoformulation inhibits 50% in vitro Staphylococcus aureus growth with a low concentration of ∼10 µg mL-1 and achieves complete inhibition at ∼25 µg mL-1. In a mouse wound model, accelerated wound healing and complete closure within 6-8 days are achieved. Proteomics of bacteria reveals that the excellent antibacterial property is attributed to the synergetic effect of mesoformulation's mesostructure and the catechin molecule intervening in bacterial metabolism. Overall, this work may pave a novel way for the future exploration of polymer nanomaterials and antibiotic formulations.

Lanthanum-based dendritic mesoporous nanoplatform for tumor microenvironment activating synergistic anti-glioma efficacy.

Lanthanum (La)-based nanotherapeutics are therapeutically advantageous due to cytoplasmic oxygen species (ROS) levels for mediating intrinsic and extrinsic tumor cell apoptosis. While they have not been extensively explored for their potential to suppress malignancies in vivo. Correspondingly, we have formulated a unique lanthanum nanocarrier with high specific surface area, dendritic-divergent mesopores, importantly, exposing more active lanthanum sites. After surface PEGlytion and ICG loading in mesoporous channels, this fantastic nanoplatform can efficaciously enrich in malignant glioblastoma regions. Meaningfully, it can be sensitively dissociated for La ions release under weak acid (pH = 6.5) tumor microenvironment. Upon 808 nm light irradiation, high light-heat conversion efficiency is further proved, then this satisfied thermal in the tumor site progressively enhances ROS production by La ions. Owing to the synergistic oxidative therapy and photothermal therapy of our dendritic La nanoplatform, glioblastoma is efficaciously and synergistically prevented both in vitro and in vivo. All outcomes highlight the therapeutic potency of La based nanoplatform with radial mesopores to treat malignant cancer in vivo and encourage future translational exploration.

A thermo-sensitive hydrogel with prominent hemostatic effect prevents tumor recurrence via anti-anoikis-resistance.

Tumor cells can survive when detached from the extracellular matrix (ECM) or lose cell-cell connections, a phenomenon known as anoikis-resistance (AR). AR is closely associated with tumor cell metastasis and recurrence, enabling tumor cells to disseminate, migrate, and invade after detachment. To address this issue, a novel intervention method combining intraoperative hemostasis with multifunctional nanozyme driven-enhanced chemodynamic therapy (ECDT) has been proposed, which holds the potential to weaken the AR capability of tumor cells and suppress tumor recurrence. Here, a nanocomposite containing a dendritic mesoporous nanoframework with Cu2+ was developed using an anion-assisted approach after surface PEG grafting and glucose oxidase (GOx) anchoring (DMSN-Cu@GOx/PEG). DMSN-Cu@GOx/PEG was further encapsulated in a thermal-sensitive hydrogel (H@DMSN-Cu@GOx/PEG). DMSN-Cu@GOx/PEG utilizes its high peroxidase (POD) activity to elevate intracellular ROS levels, thereby weakening the AR capability of bladder cancer cells. Additionally, through its excellent catalase (CAT) activity, DMSN-Cu@GOx/PEG converts the high level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) catalyzed by intracellular GOx into oxygen (O2), effectively alleviating tumor hypoxia, downregulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression, inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) processes, and ultimately suppressing the migration and invasion of bladder cancer cells. Interestingly, in vivo results showed that the thermosensitive hydrogel H@DMSN-Cu@GOx/PEG could rapidly gel at body temperature, forming a gel film on wounds to eliminate residual tumor tissue after tumor resection surgery. Importantly, H@DMSN-Cu@GOx/PEG exhibited excellent hemostatic capabilities, effectively enhancing tissue coagulation during post-tumor resection surgery and mitigating the risk of cancer cell dissemination and recurrence due to surgical bleeding. Such hydrogels undoubtedly possess strong surgical application. Our developed novel nanosystem and hydrogel can inhibit the AR capability of tumor cells and prevent recurrence post-surgery. This study represents the first report of using dendritic mesoporous silica-based nanoreactors for inhibiting the AR capability of bladder cancer cells and suppressing tumor recurrence post-surgery, providing a new avenue for developing strategies to impede tumor recurrence after surgery.

Peripheral Ganglion Cell Complex Thickness and Retinal Microvasculature in Myopia Using Wide-Field Swept-Source OCT.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of axial elongation on ganglion cell complex thickness (GCCT) and retinal capillary density (CD) using wide-field swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted involving 506 eyes. Fovea-centered scans were obtained to assess the subregional GCCT and capillary density across the whole retina, the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), and deep capillary plexus (DCP) among three groups: normal control, high myopia (HM) eyes with axial length < 28 mm, and HM eyes with axial length > 28 mm. Regional variations (central vs. peripheral, quadrants difference [superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal]) were analyzed. Results: In HM eyes with axial length > 28 mm, GCCT and retinal CD exhibit a general decline in most regions (P < 0.05). In HM eyes with axial length < 28 mm, significant reductions were observed specifically in peripheral regions, as in the GCCT beyond the 3 × 3 mm2 area and CD in the 9-12 mm whole retina, 9-12 mm superior SCP, and 6-12 mm DCP (P < 0.05). Maximum GCCT and retinal CD reduction with axial elongation was observed in subregions beyond 6 × 6  mm2. Conclusions: GCCT beyond the 3 × 3 mm2 area and peripheral retinal CD beyond the 6 × 6  mm2 area were more susceptible to axial elongation and are thereby deserving of particular attention. Translational Relevance: It is necessary to evaluate different regions during the clinical assessment of the effect of myopia on the fundus and pay close attention to the peripheral retina.

Progression Patterns and Risk Factors of Axial Elongation in Young Adults With Nonpathologic High Myopia: Three-Year Large Longitudinal Cohort Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: To investigate the progression patterns and risk factors of axial elongation in young adults with nonpathologic high myopia. DESIGN: Prospective, clinical observational cohort study with 2- to 4-year follow-up. METHODS: A total of 1043 eyes of 563 participants (3515 medical records) aged 18 to 50 years with nonpathologic high myopia (axial length [AL] ≥ 26 mm; myopic maculopathy < diffuse chorioretinal atrophy; without posterior staphyloma) were included from 1546 participants (6318 medical records). Annual axial elongation was calculated via linear mixed-effect models. The associated risk factors of axial elongation were determined by ordinal logistic regression analysis, with generalized estimate equations for eliminating an interocular correlation bias. RESULTS: Based on 5359 times of AL measurements, the annual axial elongation of participants (mean [SD] age 31.39 [9.22] years) was 0.03 mm/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03-0.04; P < .001) during a 30.23 (6.06) months' follow-up. Severe (>0.1 mm/year), moderate (0.05-0.09 mm/year), mild (0-0.049 mm/year), and nil (≤0 mm/year) elongation was observed in 122 (11.7%), 211 (20.2%), 417 (40.0%), and 293 (28.1%) eyes. The following risk factors were significantly associated with axial elongation: baseline AL ≥ 28 mm (odds ratio [OR], 4.23; 95% CI, 2.95-6.06; P < .001); age < 40 years (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.18-2.28; P = .003); axial asymmetry (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.26-3.29; P = .003), and women (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.13-2.2.05; P = .006). Using antiglaucoma medications was a protective factor (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.27-0.79; P = .005), which slowed 75% of axial elongation from 0.04 (0.06) to 0.01 (0.06) mm/y (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Axial elongation continued in young adults with nonpathologic myopia. Risk factors included longer baseline AL and axial asymmetry, younger age, and woman. Topical use of antiglaucoma medications may be useful to reduce ongoing axial elongation.

Mesoporous Oxidized Mn-Ca Nanoparticles as Potential Antimicrobial Agents for Wound Healing.

Managing chronic non-healing wounds presents a significant clinical challenge due to their frequent bacterial infections. Mesoporous silica-based materials possess robust wound-healing capabilities attributed to their renowned antimicrobial properties. The current study details the advancement of mesoporous silicon-loaded MnO and CaO molecules (HMn-Ca) against bacterial infections and chronic non-healing wounds. HMn-Ca was synthesized by reducing manganese chloride and calcium chloride by urotropine solution with mesoporous silicon as the template, thereby transforming the manganese and calcium ions on the framework of mesoporous silicon. The developed HMn-Ca was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible), and visible spectrophotometry, followed by the determination of Zeta potential. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined by using the 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) oxidation reaction. The wound healing effectiveness of the synthesized HMn-Ca is evaluated in a bacterial-infected mouse model. The loading of MnO and CaO inside mesoporous silicon enhanced the generation of ROS and the capacity of bacterial capture, subsequently decomposing the bacterial membrane, leading to the puncturing of the bacterial membrane, followed by cellular demise. As a result, treatment with HMn-Ca could improve the healing of the bacterial-infected wound, illustrating a straightforward yet potent method for engineering nanozymes tailored for antibacterial therapy.

Construction of glaucoma model and comparing eyeball enlargement with myopia in Guinea pig.

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a guinea pig model for glaucoma, comparing resultant eyeball enlargement with an existing myopia model. Thirty guinea pigs underwent intracameral injection of magnetic microspheres to induce chronic ocular hypertension (COH). Intraocular pressure (IOP) was systematically monitored, revealing a successful induction of COH in 73.33% of the guinea pigs. The mean IOP increased from a baseline of 18.04 ± 1.33 mmHg, reaching a peak at week 3 (36.31 ± 6.13 mmHg) and remaining elevated for at least 7 weeks. All data are presented as mean ± standard deviation of the mean. Subsequently, detailed assessments were conducted to validate the established glaucoma model. Immunofluorescent staining demonstrated a significant decrease in the density of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) in the glaucoma group. Optic disc excavation and notable thinning of the lamina cribrosa (LC) were observed. The quantity of optic nerve ax·ons in glaucoma group gradually decreased from baseline (44553 ± 3608/mm2) to week 4 (28687 ± 2071/mm2) and week 8 (17977 ± 3697/mm2). Moreover, regarding the global enlargement of eyeballs, both the transverse and longitudinal axis in glaucomatous eyes were found to be significantly larger than that in myopic eyes, particularly in the anterior chamber depth (1.758 ± 0.113 mm vs. 1.151 ± 0.046 mm). These findings indicate distinct patterns of structural changes associated with glaucoma and myopia in the guinea pig model. This guinea pig model holds promise for future research aimed at exploring biomechanical mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, and advancing our understanding of the relationship between glaucoma and myopia.

Effect of intraocular pressure reduction on progressive high myopia (PHM study): study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: In adult patients with high myopia (HM), progressive axial elongation poses a significant risk for the development of subsequent ocular complications that may lead to visual impairment. Effective strategies to reduce or prevent further axial elongation in highly myopic adult patients have not been available so far. Recent studies suggested that medically lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) may reduce axial elongation. OBJECTIVE: This clinical randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to evaluate the efficacy of medical IOP reduction in adult patients with progressive HM (PHM). TRIAL DESIGN: Single-centre, open-label, prospective RCT. METHODS: This RCT will recruit 152 participants with PHM at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (ZOC). Randomised in a ratio of 1:1, participants will receive IOP-lowering eyedrops (intervention group) or will be followed without treatment (control group) for 12 months. Follow-up visits will be conducted at 1, 6 and 12 months after baseline. Only one eye per eligible participant will be included for analysis. The primary outcome is the change in axial length (AL) within the study period of 12 months. Secondary outcomes include the incidence and progression of visual field (VF) defects, changes in optic disc morphology and incidence and progression of myopic maculopathy. Difference in AL changes between the two groups will be analysed using linear regression analysis. For the secondary outcomes, a multifactor Poisson regression within a generalised linear model will be used to estimate the relative risk of progression in VF defects and myopic maculopathy, and the rate of thinning in retinal nerve fibre layer and ganglion cell-inner plexiform will be assessed through Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Full ethics approval for this trial has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of ZOC, Sun Yat-sen University, China (ID: 2023KYPJ110). Results of this trial will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05850936.

Soil microorganisms play an important role in the detrimental impact of biodegradable microplastics on plants.

Biodegradable plastics were developed to mitigate environmental pollution caused by conventional plastics. Research indicates that biodegradable microplastics still have effects on plants and microorganisms as their non-biodegradable counterparts, yet the effects on vegetable crops are not well-documented. Additionally, the function of soil microorganisms affected by biodegradable microplastics on the fate of microplastics remains unverified. In this study, Brassica chinensis was cultivated in soil previously incubated for one year with low-density polyethylene (LDPE-MPs) and poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) microplastics (PBAT-MPs) at 0.05 % and 2 % concentrations. High concentrations of PBAT-MPs significantly reduced the biomass to 5.83 % of the control. The abundance of Methyloversatilis, IS-44, and UTCFX1 in the rhizosphere bacterial community increased significantly in the presence of PBAT-MPs. Moreover, these microplastics significantly enhanced soil enzyme activity. Incubation tests were performed with three PBAT plastic sheets to assess the function of the altered bacterial community in the soil of control (Control-soil) and soil treated with high concentrations of PBAT-MPs (PBAT-MPs-soil). Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Transfer Microscopy (SEM/ATM) results confirmed enhanced PBAT degradation in the PBAT-MPs-soil. PICRUST2 analysis revealed that pathways related to substance degradation were upregulated in the PBAT-MPs-soil. Furthermore, a higher percentage of strains with PBAT-MPs-degrading ability was found in PBAT-MPs-soil. Our results confirm that PBAT-MPs significantly inhibit the growth of vegetable crops and that soil bacterial communities affected by PBAT-MPs are instrumental in degrading them.

Cell spray printing combined with Lycium barbarum glycopeptide promotes repair of corneal epithelial injury.

The corneal epithelium, located as the outermost layer of the cornea, is inherently susceptible to injuries that may lead to corneal opacities and compromise visual acuity. Rapid restoration of corneal epithelial injury is crucial for maintaining the transparency and integrity of the cornea. Cell spray treatment emerges as an innovative and effective approach in the field of regenerative medicine. In our study, a cell spray printing platform was established, and the optimal printing parameters were determined to be a printing air pressure of 5 PSI (34.47 kPa) and a liquid flow rate of 30 ml/h. Under these conditions, the viability and phenotype of spray-printed corneal epithelial cells were preserved. Moreover, Lycium barbarum glycopeptide (LBGP), a glycoprotein purified from wolfberry, enhanced proliferation while simultaneously inhibiting apoptosis of the spray-printed corneal epithelial cells. We found that the combination of cell spray printing and LBGP facilitated the rapid construction of multilayered cell sheets on flat and curved collagen membranes in vitro. Furthermore, the combined cell spray printing and LBGP accelerated the recovery of the rat corneal epithelium in the mechanical injury model. Our findings offer a therapeutic avenue for addressing corneal epithelial injuries and regeneration.

CRISPR-Cas9-mediated deletion of carbonic anhydrase 2 in the ciliary body to treat glaucoma.

The carbonic anhydrase 2 (Car2) gene encodes the primary isoenzyme responsible for aqueous humor (AH) production and plays a major role in the regulation of intraocular pressure (IOP). The CRISPR-Cas9 system, based on the ShH10 adenovirus-associated virus, can efficiently disrupt the Car2 gene in the ciliary body. With a single intravitreal injection, Car2 knockout can significantly and sustainably reduce IOP in both normal mice and glaucoma models by inhibiting AH production. Furthermore, it effectively delays and even halts glaucomatous damage induced by prolonged high IOP in a chronic ocular hypertension model, surpassing the efficacy of clinically available carbonic anhydrase inhibitors such as brinzolamide. The clinical application of CRISPR-Cas9 based disruption of Car2 is an attractive therapeutic strategy that could bring additional benefits to patients with glaucoma.

Evidence and sources of placebo effects in transcranial direct current stimulation during a single session of visuospatial working memory practice.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can be used to non-invasively augment cognitive training. However, the benefits of tDCS may be due in part to placebo effects, which have not been well-characterized. The purpose of this study was to determine whether tDCS can have a measurable placebo effect on cognitive training and to identify potential sources of this effect. Eighty-three right-handed adults were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control (no exposure to tDCS), sham tDCS, or active tDCS. The sham and active tDCS groups were double-blinded. Each group performed 20 min of an adapted Corsi Block Tapping Task (CBTT), a visuospatial working memory task. Anodal or sham tDCS was applied during CBTT training in a right parietal-left supraorbital montage. After training, active and sham tDCS groups were surveyed on expectations about tDCS efficacy. Linear mixed effects models showed that the tDCS groups (active and sham combined) improved more on the CBTT with training than the control group, suggesting a placebo effect of tDCS. Participants' tDCS expectations were significantly related to the placebo effect, as was the belief of receiving active stimulation. This placebo effect shows that the benefits of tDCS on cognitive training can occur even in absence of active stimulation. Future tDCS studies should consider how treatment expectations may be a source of the placebo effect in tDCS research, and identify ways to potentially leverage them to maximize treatment benefit.

Osteosarcoma-targeted Cu and Ce based oxide nanoplatform for NIR II fluorescence/magnetic resonance dual-mode imaging and ros cascade amplification along with immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: As the lethal bone tumor, osteosarcoma often frequently occurs in children and adolescents with locally destructive and high metastasis. Distinctive kinds of nanoplatform with high therapeutical effect and precise diagnosis for osteosarcoma are urgently required. Multimodal optical imaging and programmed treatment, including synergistic photothermal-chemodynamic therapy (PTT-CDT) elicits immunogenetic cell death (ICD) is a promising strategy that possesses high bio-imaging sensitivity for accurate osteosarcoma delineating as well as appreciable therapeutic efficacy with ignorable side-effects. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, mesoporous Cu and Ce based oxide nanoplatform with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) anchoring is designed and successfully constructed. After loading with indocyanine green, this nanoplatform can be utilized for precisely targeting and efficaciously ablating against osteosarcoma via PTT boosted CDT and the closely following ICD stimulation both in vitro and in vivo. Besides, it provides off-peak fluorescence bio-imaging in the second window of near-infrared region (NIR II, 1000-1700 nm) and Magnetic resonance signal, serves as the dual-mode contrast agents for osteosarcoma tissue discrimination. CONCLUSION: Tumor targeted Cu&Ce based mesoporous nanoplatform permits efficient osteosarcoma suppression and dual-mode bio-imaging that opens new possibility for effectively diagnosing and inhibiting the clinical malignant osteosarcoma.

Dish spliced concentrator with both uniform and focused performance through a variable focal length.

We present a dish spliced concentrator (DSC) featuring hexagonal spherical sub-mirrors of uniform size. The DSC offers advantages over traditional parabolic dish concentrators, including a compact layout, cost-effectiveness, higher concentration ratio, and improved light uniformity. Its versatility allows for both uniform and focused light concentration by adjusting parameters like the focal length of the DSC, making it suitable for concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) and concentrating solar thermal (CST) applications. We design the DSC using three-dimensional (3D) vector rotation theory, implementing ray tracing and transmission characteristic analysis based on three-dimensional vector reflection theory. We establish a simulation model to evaluate the impact of geometric parameters on the DSC's optical performance.

Altered dynamic and static brain activity and functional connectivity in COVID-19 patients: a preliminary study.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on brain functional activity through resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). fMRI scans were conducted on a cohort of 42 confirmed COVID-19-positive patients and 46 healthy controls (HCs) to assess brain functional activity. A combination of dynamic and static amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (dALFF/sALFF) and dynamic and static functional connectivity (dFC/sFC) was used for evaluation. Abnormal brain regions identified were then used as feature inputs in the model to evaluate support vector machine (SVM) capability in recognizing COVID-19 patients. Moreover, the random forest (RF) model was employed to verify the stability of SVM diagnoses for COVID-19 patients. Compared to HCs, COVID-19 patients exhibited a decrease in sALFF in the right lingual gyrus and the left medial occipital gyrus and an increase in dALFF in the right straight gyrus. Moreover, there was a decline in sFC between both lingual gyri and the right superior occipital gyrus and a reduction in dFC with the precentral gyrus. The dynamic and static combined ALFF and FC could distinguish between COVID-19 patients and the HCs with an accuracy of 0.885, a specificity of 0.818, a sensitivity of 0.933 and an area under the curve of 0.909. The combination of dynamic and static ALFF and FC can provide information for detecting brain functional abnormalities in COVID-19 patients.

Conditional Survival of Patients with Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer After Surgery: A National Real-World Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) after surgery usually is estimated at diagnosis, but how the prognosis actually evolves over time for patients who survived for a predefined time is unknown. METHODS: Data on patients with a diagnosis of LS-SCLC after surgery between 2004 and 2015 were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The 5-year conditional cancer-specific survival (CCSS) and conditional overall survival (COS) were calculated. RESULTS: This study analyzed 997 patients (555 women, 55.7%) with a median age, of 67 years (interquartile range [IQR], 60-73 years). The 5-year CCSS and COS increased from 44.7% and 38.3%, respectively, at diagnosis to 83.7% and 67.9% at 5 years after diagnosis. Although there were large differences with different stages (stages I, II, and III) at diagnosis (respectively 59.5%, 28.4%; 28.1% for CCSS and 50.6%, 24.8%, and 23.6% for COS), the gap decreased with time, and the rates were similar after 5 years (respectively 85.0%, 80.3%, and 79.4% for CCSS; 65.6%, 56.9%, and 61.3% for COS). The 5-year conditional survival for the patients who received lobectomy was better than for those who received sublobectomy or pneumonectomy. Multivariable analyses showed that only age and resection type were independent predictors for CCSS and COS, respectively, throughout the period. CONCLUSION: Conditional survival estimates for LS-SCLC generally increased over time, with the most significant improvement in patients with advanced stage of disease. Resection type and old age represented extremely important determinants of prognosis after a lengthy event-free follow-up period.

In Situ Formation of Hydrogel Wound Dressing Based on Carboxymethyl Chitin/Tannic Acid for Promoting Skin Wound Healing.

Triggering the healing process of drug-resistant bacteria-infected wounds has attracted great attention due to global morbidity that may induce gangrene, amputation, and even death. Here, a chitin derivative, carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC), tannic acid (TA), and Cu2+ were used for hydrogel engineering. Using sodium bicarbonate as the neutralizer and reductant, hydrogen bonds between CMC and TA and in situ Cu(OH)2 generation via ion coordination force between Cu2+ and TA facilitated the synthesis of CMC/TA/Cu hydrogel. Cu2+ and TA release, cytotoxicity, in vitro cell migration, angiogenesis, and antidrug-resistant bacteria were measured. Besides, wound closure was evaluated in vivo using the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-infected excisional dermal wound mouse model. Negligible toxicity was observed both in vitro and in vivo. Dermal cell migration and angiogenesis were significantly enhanced. In vivo, the CMC/TA/Cu hydrogel induced effective re-epithelialization, collagen deposition, inflammatory alleviation, and MRSA inhibition during wound repair in mice. All these results confirmed that the CMC/TA/Cu hydrogel is a promising novel dressing for chronic wound healing in clinic.