Encapsulating CoNi nanoparticles into nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube arrays as bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

The high theoretical specific energy and environmental friendliness of zinc-air batteries (ZABs) have garnered significant attention. However, the practical application of ZABs requires overcoming the sluggish kinetics associated with oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, 3D self-supported nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) arrays encapsulated by CoNi nanoparticles on carbon fiber cloth (CoNi@N-CNTs/CFC) are synthesized as bifunctional catalysts for OER and ORR. The 3D interconnected N-CNTs arrays not only improve the electrical conductivity, the permeation and gas escape capabilities of the electrode, but also enhance the corrosion resistance of CoNi metals. DFT calculations reveal that the co-existence of Co and Ni synergistically reduces the energy barrier for OOH conversion to OH, thereby optimizing the Gibbs free energy of the catalysts. Additionally, analysis of the change in energy barrier during the rate-determining step suggests that the primary catalytic active center is Ni site for OER. As a result, CoNi@N-CNTs/CFC exhibits superior catalytic activity with an overpotential of 240 mV at 10 mA cm-2 toward OER, and the onset potential of 0.92 V for ORR. Moreover, utilization of CoNi@N-CNTs/CFC in liquid and solid-state ZABs exhibited exceptional stability, manifesting a consistent cycling operation lasting for 100 and 15 h, respectively.

Human papillomavirus vaccination intention and its associated factors among female medical college students in Hubei, China: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The uptake rate of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in China is low, including among college students. In addition, medical students are the target population for the HPV vaccine, but they have poor uptake of the HPV vaccine. This study aimed to investigate factors related to HPV vaccination intention among female medical college students in Hubei Province. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 988 female medical college students from six colleges in Hubei Province with a multistage sampling method. The data were collected by web-based online software. Multiple logistic regression was applied to explore the factors associated with the intention of HPV vaccination. RESULTS: The majority of students (85.5%) reported a high level of intention to receive HPV vaccine, about 82.3% have a willingness to pay (WTP) for HPV vaccine, and 51.5% reported that family members had never received the HPV vaccine. The students who had higher scores of knowledge of HPV, HPV infection prevention awareness, the protection motivation theory (PMT)-related factors including perceived severity, perceived response efficacy, perceived self-efficacy, and WTP for the HPV vaccine had higher intention to receive HPV vaccine. CONCLUSION: HPV vaccination intention was high in medical students. Also, it was influenced by knowledge of HPV, PMT-related factors, and WTP for HPV vaccine. Thus, consideration of these factors is important to design the HPV vaccination campaign that can increase the intention to receive HPV vaccine, which in turn may increase the HPV vaccination.

Enhancing fairness in AI-enabled medical systems with the attribute neutral framework.

Questions of unfairness and inequity pose critical challenges to the successful deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare settings. In AI models, unequal performance across protected groups may be partially attributable to the learning of spurious or otherwise undesirable correlations between sensitive attributes and disease-related information. Here, we introduce the Attribute Neutral Framework, designed to disentangle biased attributes from disease-relevant information and subsequently neutralize them to improve representation across diverse subgroups. Within the framework, we develop the Attribute Neutralizer (AttrNzr) to generate neutralized data, for which protected attributes can no longer be easily predicted by humans or by machine learning classifiers. We then utilize these data to train the disease diagnosis model (DDM). Comparative analysis with other unfairness mitigation algorithms demonstrates that AttrNzr outperforms in reducing the unfairness of the DDM while maintaining DDM's overall disease diagnosis performance. Furthermore, AttrNzr supports the simultaneous neutralization of multiple attributes and demonstrates utility even when applied solely during the training phase, without being used in the test phase. Moreover, instead of introducing additional constraints to the DDM, the AttrNzr directly addresses a root cause of unfairness, providing a model-independent solution. Our results with AttrNzr highlight the potential of data-centered and model-independent solutions for fairness challenges in AI-enabled medical systems.

Immune repertoire profiling in myasthenia gravis.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the most frequent immune-mediated neurological disorder, characterized by fluctuating muscle weakness. Specific recognition of self-antigens by T-cell receptors (TCRs) and B-cell receptors (BCRs), coupled with T-B cell interactions, activates B cells to produce autoantibodies, which are critical for the initiation and perpetuation of MG. The immune repertoire comprises all functionally diverse T and B cells at a specific time point in an individual, reflecting the essence of immune selectivity. By sequencing the nucleotide sequences of TCRs and BCRs, it is possible to track individual T- and B-cell clones. This review delves into the generation of autoreactive TCRs and BCRs in MG and comprehensively examines the applications of immune repertoire sequencing in understanding disease pathogenesis, developing diagnostic and prognostic markers and informing targeted therapies. We also discuss the current limitations and future potential of this approach.

Chemical profiling and comparative analysis of different parts of Asarum heterotropoides using SPME-GC-QTOF-MS and LC- Orbitrap -MS.

Asari radix et rhizoma is the sole plant from the Aristolochiaceae family officially sanctioned for medicinal in China, primarily employed for treating colds and headaches, and is widely utilized in clinical practice. Initially, the entire plant was specified for medicinal use, but since 2005, the authorized part has been restricted to the roots and rhizomes. The chemical constituents are directly linked to its efficacy and safety, yet a comparative analysis of the chemical profiles between the overground and underground parts has not been reported. This paper represents the first comparative study of the chemical constituents in the two parts, achieved through the synergistic application of solid phase micro extraction coupled with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) and liquid chromatography Orbitrap MS (LC-Orbitrap-MS). Using SPME-GC-MS, 51 constituents were identified from both parts, with 89 % being shared components, indicating a close similarity in their volatile compositions. Through LC-Orbitrap-MS, 308 constituents were identified, sharing 76 % commonality, revealing a more pronounced disparity in non-volatile components. Plant metabolomics screening pinpointed 8 volatile and 14 non-volatile components capable of distinguishing the two parts, with the latter being more stable and thus better suited as markers for differentiation. This research furnishes a scientific rationale for selecting distinct parts of Asari radix et rhizoma and for implementing monitoring strategies in clinical application.

LH-stimulated periodic lincRNA HEOE regulates follicular dynamics and influences estrous cycle and fertility via miR-16-ZMAT3 and PGF2α in pigs.

Disruption of the estrous cycle affects fertility and reproductive health. Follicular dynamics are key to the regularity of the estrous cycle. We identified a novel lincRNA, HEOE, showing significant upregulation in the ovaries during the estrus phase across various pig breeds. Functional analysis revealed that HEOE is responsive to luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulation, modulating transcriptional suppression and alternative splicing in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs). This leads to increased GC apoptosis and inhibition of proliferation. Mechanistically, HEOE inhibits miR-16 maturation in the nucleus, and sequesters miR-16 in the cytoplasm, thereby collectively reducing miR-16's inhibition on ZMAT3, enhancing the expression of ZMAT3, a key factor in the p53 pathway and alternative splicing, thereby regulating follicular development. This effect was validated in both mice and pig follicles. Persistent overexpression or suppression of HEOE throughout the estrous cycle impairs cycle regularity and reduces litter size. These outcomes are associated with HEOE reduced follicular PGF2α levels and modulation of the cAMP signaling pathway. Our data, combined with public databases, indicate that the high expression of HEOE during the estrus phase is crucial for maintaining the estrous cycle. HEOE is a potential therapeutic target for regulating fertility and ensuring estrous cycle regularity in pigs.

Foraging tunnel disturbances created by small subterranean herbivores enhance soil organic carbon stability but reduce carbon sequestration in different alpine grassland types.

Foraging tunnel disturbances by small subterranean herbivores can alter soil properties and nutrient dynamics in grasslands, potentially altering soil organic carbon (SOC). Examining the impact of foraging tunnel disturbances on mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) is crucial for understanding SOC changes and its stability. However, the effects of these disturbances on POC and MAOC are not well documented. This study uses the plateau zokor (Eospalax baileyi) as a focal subterranean herbivore to investigate the effects of foraging tunnel disturbances on POC and MAOC in alpine steppes, alpine meadows, and alpine meadow steppes. Ninety paired quadrats were used for soil and plant sampling across three alpine grassland types. Results show that foraging tunnel disturbances consistently reduced POC concentrations across all grassland types, with reductions of 44.01 % in alpine steppes, 20.86 % in alpine meadows, and 29.58 % in alpine meadow steppes. MAOC concentrations decreased by 16.49 % in alpine steppes, while no significant changes in MAOC were observed in alpine meadows and alpine meadow steppes. The reduction in the POC to MAOC ratio indicates increased SOC stability. However, despite this increased stability, the change may lead to a decrease in overall carbon sequestration potential, as the total SOC in the soil declines. The main factors influencing POC and MAOC were soil moisture, belowground biomass, and microbial biomass carbon, with their influences varying by grassland type. The findings demonstrate that foraging tunnel disturbances by plateau zokors can lead to substantial modifications in SOC composition, influencing both its stability and sequestration potential. The disturbances necessitate tailored management strategies to mitigate their impacts, considering the unique characteristics of each grassland type to preserve carbon sequestration potential. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the ecological role of small subterranean herbivores in the carbon cycle of alpine grassland ecosystems.

CuS enabled efficient Fenton-like oxidation of phenylarsonic acid and inorganic arsenic immobilization.

Herein, copper sulfide (CuS) was introduced to the Fenton-like (Fe(III)/H2O2) system for the efficient removal of phenylarsonic acid (PAA). Results of reactive oxygen and Fe/Cu species showed that CuS preferentially reacted with Fe(III) and H2O2 to generate Cu(I) and superoxide anion (•O2-). These reductive species could efficiently promote the Fe(III)/Fe(II) and Cu(II)/Cu(I) cycles, and are beneficial to the sequential Fenton reaction to generate •OH. The organoic/inorganic arsenic species detected in the CuS/Fe(III)/H2O2 system confirmed that PAA was oxidized by •OH to hydroxylated organoarsenic and phenolic intermediates, which were further mineralized to oxalate and formic acid. Meanwhile, the inorganic As(III)/As(V) released during PAA degradation were efficiently immobilized by CuS. The PAA removal efficiency remained as high as 92.9 % after 5 cycles of the CuS-mediated Fenton-like process. These results demonstrate an innovative method for the treatment of organoarsenic-contaminated water, and provide new insights into the enhanced Fenton-like process utilizing sulfide minerals.

The Biofilm Removal and Bactericidal Effect of an 810-nm High-Power Laser on an Orthodontic Bracket Surface: An In Vitro Study.

Objective: The present study aimed to analyze the biofilm removal and bactericidal effect of laser treatment alone and laser combined with ultrasonic scaling on orthodontic brackets. It also assessed whether the use of a laser can improve the efficiency of biofilm removal and bactericidal effect compared with traditional ultrasonic instrumentation. Background Data: Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) can lead to white spots and dental caries. Orthodontic brackets make teeth cleaning more difficult, and biofilms or bacteria on the surface of brackets worsen the oral environment, which may cause some oral diseases. Laser can be used for biofilm removal and killing bacteria on the surface of an object through thermal, photochemical, and pressure effects, which is widely used in the treatment of oral diseases. Methods: A total of 600 mandibular incisor brackets were collected for this study. Among these, 320 unused brackets were used for the S. mutans crystal violet assay (n = 160) and for S. mutans live/dead bacterial staining (n = 160). Another 280 brackets, obtained from patients who had undergone therapy for over two years, were used for the mature multispecies biofilms removal assay (n = 120) and multispecies bacterial live/dead bacterial staining (n = 160). Ultrasonic scaling, laser, and laser combined with ultrasonic scaling were applied to the labial surface of brackets covered by S. mutans biofilm or mature multispecies biofilms. Specifically, we used the following three methods: ultrasonic scaling for 10 sec without laser; 810-nm laser (Doctor Smile, Italy, LA5D0 001.1) with 0.3-mm spot size at total 21.2 kJ/cm2 for 10 sec; and 810-nm laser at total 10.6 kJ/cm2 for 5 sec, followed by ultrasonic scaling for 5 sec. The 810-nm diode laser removed biofilms with a power of 1.5 W and a power density of 2.12 kW/cm2. The S. mutans biofilm was examined using crystal violet assay, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for mature multispecies biofilms to evaluate the effect of the three methods on biofilm removal. Live/dead bacterial staining was used to examine the bactericidal effect on remaining biofilms by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Results: For S. mutans biofilm, the optical density (OD) value and live/dead bacterial ratio in the laser and the laser combined with ultrasonic scaling groups were significantly lower than those in the ultrasonic scaling group (p < 0.05); moreover, the OD value and the live/dead bacterial ratio in laser treatment combined with ultrasonic scaling and laser treatment alone showed no significant difference (p > 0.05). For mature multispecies biofilms, the percentage of biofilm coverage after treatment was higher in the laser group than in the ultrasonic scaling group (p < 0.05) and lower in the laser combined with ultrasonic scaling group than in the ultrasonic scaling group (p < 0.05), and live/dead bacterial staining showed that laser treatment alone killed the most bacteria, followed by laser treatment combined with ultrasonic scaling, while ultrasonic scaling alone seldom killed bacteria. Conclusions: Laser treatment alone has a better bactericidal effect and can also remove more S. mutans biofilm than ultrasonic scaling alone, but it fails to remove more mature multispecies biofilms. Laser treatment combined with ultrasonic scaling can remove more S. mutans biofilm and mature multispecies biofilms than ultrasonic scaling alone and also has a better bactericidal effect than ultrasonic scaling alone on a bracket surface.

Gelatinase MMP Expression Is Correlated with Muscle Fiber Growth in Maiwa Yak Gluteus Maximus.

Yak (Bos grunniens) is the only large mammal species in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The most of the studies in yak remain confined for the main contributor of meat, which requires a good understanding of muscle growth. Matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 are widely expressed in mammal tissues they mainly degrade collagen in the extracellular matrix for muscle development. However, the influence of MMPs on yak muscle remains unclear. Hence, we assessed the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and related factors with ages in Maiwa yak for study the correlation between MMPs expression and yak muscle growth. The mRNA expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-14, and collagen III increased with age, except collagen I by quantitative real-time PCR. Moreover, muscle fiber diameter increased with age, whereas the density decreased, which showed that fiber grew thicker with age using hematoxylin-eosin staining. Interestingly, MMP and collagen expression significantly decreased with age using western blotting. Pearson correlation method showed that both mRNA and protein expression of MMP-14 and collagen were strongly correlated with muscle fiber growth, but MMP-2 protein and MMP-9 mRNA expression were moderately correlated with muscle fiber growth. Overall, the expression of MMPs and collagen significantly changed with age, which means that MMPs and their function related genes could correlate with Maiwa yak muscle fiber growth.

Validation of an HPLC-CAD method for measuring the lipid content of novel LNP-encapsulated COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are frequently employed as mRNA vaccine delivery vehicles. LNPs are made up of four types of lipids: cationic lipid, PEG-lipid conjugate, zwitterionic helper phospholipid, and cholesterol. LNP distribution efficiency is significantly impacted by lipid composition, which also controls LNP stability and bilayer fluidity. The various lipids used in the formulation system have distinct properties and contents. To aid in the development of new drugs and vaccines, we developed and validated an HPLC-CAD method for identifying and determining the amounts of four lipids in Yuxi Watson Biotechnology Co., Ltd.'s LNP-encapsulated COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (OmicronXBB.1.5).

Hydrothermal carbonization of woody waste: Changes in the physicochemical properties and the structural evolution mechanisms of hydrochar during this process.

The Chinese medicine residue (CMR) is composed of wet woody waste, including licorice and ephedra, so using hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) to recover renewable energy from the CMR is a suitable treatment method. An in-depth analysis of the physicochemical properties and structural evolution mechanism of hydrochars is helpful in fundamentally promoting the energy utilization of traditional Chinese medicine waste residue. Therefore, this study analyzed the physicochemical properties and morphological structure of hydrochar produced under varying HTC conditions using multiple testing methods. The evolution of the hydrochar's structural characteristics can be categorized into three stages: component decomposition, structural rearrangement, and carbonization. During the component decomposition and carbonization stages, numerous nanoscale micropores form within the hydrochar. These micropores' specific surface area and pore volume can reach up to 113.420 m2/g and 0.01913 cm3/g, respectively. The highest fractal dimension values for D1 and D2 are 2.6354 and 2.5565, while the maximum values for the microcrystalline stacking height (Lc) and the average number of crystalline layers (Nave) are 0.3354 and 1.9968, respectively. Consequently, the hydrochar produced during these stages exhibits a rougher pore surface and a more complex structure, making it more suitable for adsorbing heavy metals from soil and sequestering CO2. During the structural rearrangement stage, the hydrochar exhibits higher contents of fixed carbon (FC), MgO, P2O5, and a higher C/N atomic ratio, with maximum values of 38.51%, 0.99%, 1.12%, and 28.49, respectively. Thus, the hydrochar produced during this stage is more suitable for soil remediation and nutrient recovery.

A Case of a Patient With MYH2-Associated Myopathy Presenting With a Chief Complaint of Hand Tremor.

Background: Postural tremor is an uncommon and often overlooked phenotype in skeletal myopathy, which may lead to diagnostic delays. Case report: A 21-year-old man presented with adolescent onset postural hand tremor as the initial symptom, followed by mild limb muscle weakness. Neurological examination showed restricted ocular motility without diplopia and myopathic facial appearance. A muscle biopsy showed a decrease in type 2A fibers. Whole-exome sequencing identified two novel compound heterozygous variants in MYH2 gene (NM_017534.6): c.505+2T>C and c.3565 del C. The diagnosis was further validated via bioinformatics analysis and confirmed through familial co-segregation by Sanger sequencing. Discussion: This report expands the mutational and phenotypic spectrum of MYH2-associated myopathy. We suggest that in the differential diagnosis of tremor, besides common neurogenic causes, myogenic etiology should also be considered. Highlights: Hand tremor in this case expands the phenotype of MYH2-associated myopathy, enhancing our understanding of tremor origins. It underscores the importance of nuanced clinical assessment and genetic screening in complex tremor disorders.

Stromal softness confines pancreatic cancer growth through lysosomal-cathepsin mediated YAP1 degradation.

The progression and malignancy of many tumors are associated with increased tissue stiffness. Conversely, the oncogenically transformed cells can be confined in soft stroma. Yet, the underlying mechanisms by which soft matrix confines tumorigenesis and metastasis remain elusive. Here, we show that pancreatic cancer cells are suppressed in the soft extracellular matrix, which is associated with YAP1 degradation through autophagic-lysosomal pathway rather than Hippo signal mediated proteasome pathway. In the soft stroma, PTEN is upregulated and activated, which consequently promotes lysosomal biogenesis, leading to the activation of cysteine-cathepsins for YAP1 degradation. In vitro, purified cathepsin L can directly digest YAP1 under acidic conditions. Lysosomal stress, either caused by chloroquine or overexpression of cystatin A/B, results in YAP1 accumulation and malignant transformation. Likewise, liver fibrosis induced stiffness can promote malignant potential in mice. Clinical data show that down-regulation of lysosomal biogenesis is associated with pancreatic fibrosis and stiffness, YAP1 accumulation, and poor prognosis in PDAC patients. Together, our findings suggest that soft stroma triggers lysosomal flux-mediated YAP1 degradation and induces cancer cell dormancy.

Extracting the Geometric Phase from the Ensemble of Trajectories.

Traditionally, methods designed to investigate the effects of the geometric phase in reaction dynamics, such as including a vector potential in the nuclear Hamiltonian, necessitate the explicit manipulation of geometric phase-related terms in the adiabatic representation. In contrast, the diabatic representation provides an alternative approach that implicitly addresses the geometric phase and nonadiabatic issues. In this study, we present a method to directly extract the phase information on the geometric phase from the ensemble of interdependent trajectories utilizing the diabatic representation. This approach presents a direct means of quantitatively examining the geometric phase effects in dynamics and has the potential to yield observables suitable for experimental measurement.

Probing the aggregation behavior of collagen molecules regulated by dibenzaldehyde-terminated-PEG with varying molecular weights in solution.

Rigid and fragile nature of collagen-based materials cross-linked with biocompatible aldehyde-functionalized polysaccharides remains a challenge. Drawing inspiration from the pangolins' protective barrier, we introduce a novel cross-linker with a flexible chain to impart a "rigid-flexible coupled structure" to the collagen-based matrix. Successful integration of dibenzaldehyde-terminated-PEG (DF-PEG) into collagen molecules was confirmed by XRD and FTIR analyses. CD measurements demonstrated that the intact triple-helical structure was preserved in all samples. Distinct effects of DF-PEG with varying molecular weights on the aggregation behavior of collagen molecules were evaluated using multiple quantitative analysis techniques. Specifically, when the molecular weight of DF-PEG was below 20,000, multipoint hydrogen bonds and Schiff-base linkages were produced as the molecular weight of DF-PEG increased, which synergistically enhanced the aggregation behavior of collagen molecules. While the aggregation behavior of collagen molecules was slightly diminished upon the molecular weight of DF-PEG reached 20,000. This reduction can be attributed to the limited accessibility of the molecular reactive sites in the extended DF-PEG chains. Finally, a computational test of the binding interactions between collagen molecules and DF-PEG was conducted to validate the experimental results. Our biomimetic design strategy offers a new approach for the preparation of collagen-based materials with exceptional physicochemical properties.

p75NTR mediated chronic restraint stress-induced depression-like behaviors in mice via hippocampal mTOR pathway.

AIMS: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is an enduring and severe mood disorder. Previous studies have indicated that p75NTR is involved in neuronal survival and death. However, the specific mechanism of p75NTR in depression remains unknown. The present study aimed to explore the role and mechanism of p75NTR in depression, and try to provide a new target for the treatment of MDD. MAIN METHODS: The p75NTR knockout and overexpression mice were used to establish a mouse model of depression induced by chronic restraint stress (CRS), and the behavioral effects and potential mechanisms associated with p75NTR knockout/overexpression on CRS-induced depressive mice were investigated by animal behavior, histopathology, immunofluorescence and western blot, respectively. KEY FINDINGS: The results demonstrate that p75NTR knockout/overexpression can ameliorate the depressive-like behaviors observed in CRS-induced depressive mice. Furthermore, p75NTR knockout/overexpression safeguards the tissue morphology of the hippocampus, inhibits the mTOR signaling pathway to restore autophagy, and modulates apoptosis-related proteins (Bcl-2 and Bax) to reestablish normal levels of autophagy and apoptosis in hippocampal neurons of depressed mice. Importantly, p75NTR knockout/overexpression can improve synaptic plasticity through protecting the dendritic structure and dendritic spines of hippocampal neurons, and upregulating the expression of hippocampal synaptic-related proteins (PSD95 and SYN1). SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest that p75NTR knockout/overexpression can alleviate CRS-induced depression-like behaviors by reinstating autophagy and suppressing apoptosis in hippocampal neurons, and enhancing hippocampal synaptic plasticity via mTOR pathway. These insights may provide potential targets for clinical treatment of depression.

[Effect and Influencing Factors of Peripheral Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cells Collection from Unrelated Donors].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells (PBSC) collection from unrelated donors and its influencing factors. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the mobilization and collection of PBSC from 113 unrelated donors at Yueyang Central Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023. RESULTS: 113 donors were successfully mobilized. The average count of PBSC mononuclear cells (MNC) and CD34+ cells were (12.40±7.41)×108/kg and (10.64±8.07)×106/kg, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that the PBSC CD34+ cells ratio of male donors was significantly higher than that in female donors (P =0.015). The peripheral blood (PB) white blood cell (WBC) count before collection was positively correlated with the PBSC nucleated cells count (r =0.388), and the donor's body weight, the PB CD34+ cell ratio before collection were positively correlated with the PBSC CD34+ cell ratio (r =0.259, r =0.780). The daily dose of rhG-CSF was negatively correlated with the PBSC CD34+ cell ratio (r =-0.285). Both rhG-CSF agents achieved successful mobilization. Multivariate analysis showed that PB WBC count before collection was a factor affecting the count of PBSC nucleated cells (P <0.001), while the PB CD34+cell ratio before collection was a factor affecting the PBSC CD34+ cell ratio (P <0.001). CONCLUSION: The mobilization and collection of PBSC from unrelated donors are good, and the PB WBC count and CD34+ cell ratio before collection are reliable indicators for predicting the collection effect.

Radiomic Machine Learning in Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer: Prediction of Ki-67 Expression Level Based on Radiomics of DCE-MRI.

PURPOSE: Our study aimed to investigate the potential of radiomics with DCE-MRI for predicting Ki-67 expression in invasive ductal breast cancer. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective study including 223 patients diagnosed with invasive ductal breast cancer. Radiomics features were extracted from DCE-MRI using 3D-Slicer software. Two Ki-67 expression cutoff values (20% and 29%) were examined. Patients were divided into training (70%) and test (30%) sets. The Elastic Net method selected relevant features, and five machine-learning models were established. Radiomics models were created from intratumoral, peritumoral, and combined regions. Performance was assessed using ROC curves, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. RESULT: For a Ki-67 cutoff value of 20%, the combined model exhibited the highest performance, with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.838 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.774-0.897) for the training set and 0.863 (95% CI: 0.764-0.949) for the test set. The AUC values for the tumor model were 0.816 (95% CI: 0.745-0.880) and 0.830 (95% CI: 0.724-0.916), and for the peritumor model were 0.790 (95% CI: 0.711-0.857) and 0.808 (95% CI: 0.682-0.910). When the Ki-67 cutoff value was set at 29%, the combined model also demonstrated superior predictive ability in both training set (AUC: 0.796; 95% CI: 0.724-0.862) and the test set (AUC: 0.823; 95% CI: 0.723-0.911). The AUC values for the tumor model were 0.785 (95% CI: 0.708-0.861) and 0.784 (95% CI: 0.663-0.882), and for the peritumor model were 0.773 (95% CI: 0.690-0.844) and 0.729 (95% CI: 0.603-0.847). CONCLUSION: Radiomics with DCE-MRI can predict Ki-67 expression in invasive ductal breast cancer. Integrating radiomics features from intratumoral and peritumoral regions yields a dependable prognostic model, facilitating pre-surgical detection and treatment decisions. This holds potential for commercial diagnostic tools.