Unraveling Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Stanford Type B Aortic Dissection Patients through Machine Learning Clustering Analysis of Cardiovascular CT Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Aortic dissection remains a life-threatening condition necessitating accurate diagnosis and timely intervention. This study aimed to unravel phenotypic heterogeneity in Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD) patients through machine learning clustering analysis of cardiovascular CT imaging. METHODS: Electronic medical records were collected to extract demographic and clinical features of TBAD patients. Exclusion criteria ensured homogeneity and clinical relevance of the TBAD cohort. Controls were selected based on age, comorbidity status, and imaging availability. Aortic morphological parameters were extracted from CT angiography (CTA) and subjected to k-means clustering analysis to identify distinct phenotypes. RESULTS: Clustering analysis revealed three phenotypes of TBAD patients with significant correlations to population characteristics and dissection rates. This pioneering study utilized CT-based three-dimensional reconstruction to classify high-risk individuals, demonstrating the potential of machine learning in enhancing diagnostic accuracy and personalized treatment strategies. Recent advancements in machine learning have garnered attention in cardiovascular imaging, particularly in aortic dissection research. These studies leverage various imaging modalities to extract valuable features and information from cardiovascular images, paving the way for more personalized interventions. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides insights into the phenotypic heterogeneity of TBAD patients using machine learning clustering analysis of cardiovascular CT imaging. The identified phenotypes exhibit correlations with population characteristics and dissection rates, highlighting the potential of machine learning in risk stratification and personalized management of aortic dissection. Further research in this field holds promise for improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes in aortic dissection patients.

Application of 3D Printing Insole by Hemodynamics in Older Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia: Protocol for a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Introduction: Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a severe condition characterized by inadequate blood flow to the lower extremities, often leading to tissue damage and amputation. CLI is characterized by microcirculatory dysfunction, muscle tissue necrosis, and inflammation. Patients may suffer from the traumatic pain and the increase of plantar pressure, and foot care for patients with CLI has become the "last mile" to improve their life quality. Traditional shoe insoles often lack individual customization, failing to address the unique anatomical needs and hemodynamic characteristics of patients. The study aims to investigate the effects of this innovative intervention on improving the clinical outcomes, and quality of life in CLI patients. Methods and Analysis: This Critical Limb Ischemia Hemodynamic Insole Study is a randomized controlled study performed to explore the effect of a 3D printing insole on foot care of CLI patients. This study recruitment began on November 1, 2021. Patients with CLI confirmed by clinical symptoms and imaging were recruited as the research objects. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which will receive 3D-printed insoles customized based on their hemodynamics, or the control group, which will receive traditionally manufactured insoles. Both groups were followed up for up to 24 months after surgery, including claudication distance, claudication time, pain score, rehospitalization, etc. Trial Registration Number: ChiCTR2100051857.

Establishing and Validating a Morphological Prediction Model Based on CTA to Evaluate the Incidence of Type-B Dissection.

Background: Many patients with Type B aortic dissection (TBAD) may not show noticeable symptoms until they become intervention and help prevent critically ill, which can result in fatal outcomes. Thus, it is crucial to screen people at high risk of TBAD and initiate the necessary preventive and therapeutic measures before irreversible harm occurs. By developing a prediction model for aortic arch morphology, it is possible to accurately identify those at high risk and take prompt action to prevent the adverse consequences of TBAD. This approach can facilitate timely the development of serious illnesses. Method: The predictive model was established in a primary population consisting of 173 patients diagnosed with acute Stanford TBAD, with data collected from January 2017 and December 2018, as well as 534 patients with healthy aortas, with data collected from April 2018 and December 2018. Explicitly, the data were randomly separated into the derivation set and validation set in a 7:3 ratio. Geometric and anatomical features were extracted from a three-dimensional multiplanar reconstruction of the aortic arch. The LASSO regression model was utilized to minimize the data dimension and choose relevant features. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and backward stepwise selection were employed for predictive model generation, combining demographic and clinical features as well as geometric and anatomical features. The predictive model's performance was evaluated by examining its calibration, discrimination, and clinical benefit. Finally, we also conducted internal verification. Results: After applying LASSO logistic regression and backward stepwise selection, 12 features were entered into the prediction model. Age, aortic arch angle, total thoracic aorta distance, ascending aorta tortuosity, aortic arch tortuosity, distal descending aorta tortuosity, and type III arch were protective factors, while male sex, hypertension, aortic arch height, and aortic arch distance were risk factors. The model exhibited satisfactory discrimination (AUC, 0.917 [95% CI, 0.890-0.945]) and good calibration in the derivation set. Applying the predictive model to the validation set also provided satisfactory discrimination (AUC, 0.909 [95% CI, 0.864-0.953]) and good calibration. The TBAD nomogram for clinical use was established. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a multivariable logistic regression model can be used to predict TBAD patients.

TetR-Type Regulator Lp_2642 Positively Regulates Plantaricin EF Production Based on Genome-Wide Transcriptome Sequencing of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 163.

Whole-genome and transcriptome sequences of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 163 are provided. There was one circular chromosome and four circular plasmids, with sizes of 3,131,367; 56,674; 49,140; 43,628; and 36,387 bp, respectively, in L. plantarum 163. The regulator Lp_2642 was selected from the genome data, the overexpression of which increased the transcriptional levels of related genes in plantaricin EF biosynthesis and enhanced plantaricin EF production. Its production was 17.30 mg/L in 163 (Lp_2642), which was 1.29-fold higher than that of the original strain. The regulation mechanism demonstrated that Lp_2642 can bind to three sites of plnA promoter, which enhances its transcription and expression, thereby increasing plantaricin EF production. Amino acids Asn-100, Asn-64, and Thr-69 may play a key role in the binding of Lp_2642. These results provide a novel strategy for mass production of plantaricin EF, which facilitates its large-scale production and application in the agriculture and food industries as a preservative.

A Novel Class IIb Bacteriocin-Plantaricin EmF Effectively Inhibits Listeria monocytogenes and Extends the Shelf Life of Beef in Combination with Chitosan.

Plantaricin EmF separated and identified from L. plantarum 163 was a novel class IIb bacteriocin. The molecular masses of plantaricin Em and F were 1638 and 3702 Da, respectively, with amino acid sequences FNRGGYNFGKSVRH and VFHAYSARGVRNNYKSAVGPADWVISAVRGFIHG, respectively. Plantaricin EmF not only exhibited broad-pH adaptability and thermostability but also showed high efficiency and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. Its mode of action on L. monocytogenes damaged cell membrane integrity, resulting in the leakage of cytoplasm, changes in cell structure and morphology, and ultimately cell death. Additionally, plantaricin EmF inactivated L. monocytogenes in beef, effectively improving the quality indices of beef, thereby extending its shelf life, especially in combination with chitosan. Plantaricin EmF + 1.0% chitosan extended the shelf life of beef to 15 d, demonstrating its potential application value to replace chemical preservatives to control food-borne pathogenic microorganisms and extend the shelf life of meat and meat products in agriculture and the food industry.

Study on the Formation Characteristics of CO2 Hydrate and the Rheological Properties of Slurry in a Flow System Containing Surfactants.

Adding low dosage hydrate inhibitors to the hydrate systems makes the generated hydrate particles more uniformly dispersed in the liquid phase, which can significantly reduce the hydrate accumulation and blockage in oil and gas pipelines. The effect of surfactant hydrophile-lipophilic balance (HLB) values on hydrate flow characteristics was studied with a flow loop. The experimental results showed that there was a critical HLB value. When the HLB value was 4.3-9.2, it had an inhibitory effect on the hydrate induction time, and when the HLB value was greater than 10.2, it had a promoting effect. The hydrate volume fraction increased gradually with the increase in the HLB value, while the slurry apparent viscosity decreased with the increase in the HLB value. It was also found that different types of surfactants all showed the effects of anti-agglomerant and dispersion, which can obviously improve the flow of the hydrate slurry. Finally, the analyzed results showed that the hydrate slurry exhibited shear-thinning behaviors that can be identified as a pseudoplastic fluid based on the Herschel-Bulkley rheological model, and the functional relationship between the rheological index and the solid phase hydrate volume fraction was obtained using the fitting method. This study can provide a reference for the preparation of high-efficiency hydrate anti-agglomerants.

Improved Estimation of Bio-Oil Yield Based on Pyrolysis Conditions and Biomass Compositions Using GA- and PSO-ANFIS Models.

This paper incorporates the adaptive neurofuzzy inference system (ANFIS) technique to model the yield of bio-oil. The estimation of this parameter was performed according to pyrolysis conditions and biomass compositions of feedstock. For this purpose, this paper innovates two optimization methods including a genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). Primary data were gathered from previous studies and included 244 data of biodiesel oils. The findings showed a coefficient determination (R 2) of 0.937 and RMSE of 2.1053 for the GA-ANFIS model, and a coefficient determination (R 2) of 0.968 and RMSE of 1.4443 for PSO-ANFIS. This study indicates the capability of the PSO-ANFIS algorithm in the estimation of the bio-oil yield. According to the performed analysis, this model shows a higher ability than the previously presented models in predicting the target values and can be a suitable alternative to time-consuming and difficult experimental tests.

Maltose effective improving production and regulatory biosynthesis of plantaricin EF in Lactobacillus plantarum 163.

Plantaricin EF, a kind of natural antibacterial substance, has shown inhibitory effect on most pathogen and spoilage microorganisms, which possessed great potential in food preservation. However, the lower production of plantaricin EF has limited its large-scale production and application. In this study, the effect of maltose on plantaricin EF production and its regulation mechanism in Lactobacillus plantarum 163 were investigated. Maltose significantly improved the biomass and plantaricin EF production, which increased by 3.35 and 3.99 times comparing to the control without maltose, respectively. The maximum production of plantaricin E and F in fed-batch fermentation were 10.55 mg/L and 22.94 mg/L, respectively. Besides, qPCR results showed that maltose remarkably improved transcription of plnA, plnB, plnD, plnE, plnF, plnG1 and plnH, and heighten transcription of lamR, lamK, hpk6 and rrp6. These results provided an effective method to enhance plantaricin EF production and revealed a possible regulatory mechanism from transcriptome results that hpk6, rrp6, lamK and lamR were relative to plantaricin EF production. Genes, hpk6 and rrp6, promote transcription of plnG1, whereas lamK and lamR enhance transcription of plnA, plnB and plnD, which increased plantaricin EF production. KEYPOINTS: • Maltose was proved to be effective in promoting the biosynthesis of plantaricin EF. • Maltose promoted the transcription of biosynthesis and secretion genes of plantaricin EF. • Up-regulation of genes lamR, lamK, hpk6 and rrp6 heightened the plantaricin EF production.

Study on the kinetic characteristics of gas hydrate in the dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate system.

Surfactants promote the production of hydrates, which provide a possibility for the industrialization of hydrate technology. In this paper, methane and CO2 hydrate formation experiments were carried out, respectively, with surfactant-dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DSS) using a visual experimental apparatus at a constant pressure. This study explored the influence of the surfactant dosage, experimental pressure, and subcooling temperature on the dynamic characteristics of hydrate formation. The results indicated that a small amount of surfactant had a significant promotion effect on the formation of hydrate, i.e., 600 mg L-1 DSS shortened the induction time of methane hydrate by 60 times and that of CO2 hydrate by 2.4 times, while it increased the formation rate by 3.4 times. Due to the weak acidity of the CO2 solution, the effect of DSS on CO2 hydrate formation was significantly reduced. The DSS concentration had a limited effect on changing the rate of the gas storage capacity of the two hydrates. Compared with other surfactants reported in the literature, DSS showed a better promotion effect on hydrate formation. This study reveals the mechanisms of interfacial tension reduction and the promotion of hydrate growth adhering to the wall using a surfactant with a double-chain structure, which further enriched the hydrate-promoting mechanism, and provides experimental data and a theoretical research basis for the study of kinetic characteristics of hydrates in surfactant systems.

Novel hydroxypyridinone derivatives containing an oxime ether moiety: Synthesis, inhibition on mushroom tyrosinase and application in anti-browning of fresh-cut apples.

A range of hydroxypyridinone derivatives were synthesized starting from kojic acid. Among them, 10 and 11 were found to possess the strongest inhibitory effect on monophenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase, having IC50 values of 2.04 and 1.60µM, respectively. The IC50 values of 10 and 11 for the inhibition of diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase were determined as 13.89 and 7.99µM, respectively. Investigation of the inhibitory mechanism of these two compounds indicated that the inhibition was reversible and of a competitive-uncompetitive mixed type. The KI and KIS values of 10 were determined to be 24.84 and 32.54µM, respectively, and the corresponding values for 11 being 18.07 and 21.34µM, respectively. The effect of 11 on the browning process of fresh-cut apples was evaluated by measuring the color change and browning index. The results indicated that 11 had a significant effect on controlling the browning of fresh-cut apple slices.

Photonic crystal bandedge membrane lasers on silicon.

We report here the design and experimental demonstration of optically pumped photonic crystal bandedge membrane lasers on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and on bulk silicon (Si) substrates, based on heterogeneously integrated InGaAsP multi-quantum-well membrane layers transfer printed onto patterned photonic crystal cavities. Single-mode lasing under room-temperature operation was observed at 1542 nm, with excellent side mode suppression ratio greater than 31.5 dB, for the laser built on SOI substrate. For the laser built on bulk Si substrate, single-mode lasing was also achieved at 1452 nm with much lower thermal resistance, as compared to that of the laser built on SOI substrates. Such improved thermal characteristics are favorable for lasers operating potentially at higher temperatures and higher power.

High quality factor photonic crystal filter at k ≈0 and its application for refractive index sensing.

We report here the refractive index (RI) sensing using the singly degenerate high quality factor (Q) modes in photonic crystal slabs (PCS) with the free-space coupled incident beam close to normal incidence. Q values of 3.2x104 and 1.8x104 were achieved for the fabricated PCS in air and aqueous solution, respectively. A spectral sensitivity (S) of 94.5 nm/RIU and a detection limit (DL) of 3x10-5 RIU were achieved with our device. Such a high-Q cavity for the singly degenerate mode close to normal incidence is very promising to achieve a lower DL for RI sensing.

Design of a portable imager for near-infrared visualization of cutaneous wounds.

A portable imager developed for real-time imaging of cutaneous wounds in research settings is described. The imager consists of a high-resolution near-infrared CCD camera capable of detecting both bioluminescence and fluorescence illuminated by an LED ring with a rotatable filter wheel. All external components are integrated into a compact camera attachment. The device is demonstrated to have competitive performance with a commercial animal imaging enclosure box setup in beam uniformity and sensitivity. Specifically, the device was used to visualize the bioluminescence associated with increased reactive oxygen species activity during the wound healing process in a cutaneous wound inflammation model. In addition, this device was employed to observe the fluorescence associated with the activity of matrix metalloproteinases in a mouse lipopolysaccharide-induced infection model. Our results support the use of the portable imager design as a noninvasive and real-time imaging tool to assess the extent of wound inflammation and infection.

Carboxymethylated degraded polysaccharides from Enteromorpha prolifera: Preparation and in vitro antioxidant activity.

In order to improve the bioactivities of the polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera (PE), crude PE (Mw 1400kDa) was degraded to low molecular weight polysaccharide (44kDa) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide/ascorbic acid, followed by carboxymethylation. The reaction conditions for carboxymethylation of degraded polysaccharide (DPE) were optimized by Response Surface Methodology. The carboxymethyled degraded polysaccharide (CDPE) obtained under optimized conditions, with a degree of carboxymethylation of 0.849, was characterized by FT-IR and (13)C NMR. The molecular weight of CDPE was measured to be 53.7kDa. CDPE was evaluated for its antioxidant activity by determining the ability to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals, and by determining the ferric reducing power. The antioxidant activity of CDPE was found to be greatly improved in comparison with degraded polysaccharide (DPE) and crude polysaccharide from Enteromorpha prolifera (PE).

Design and synthesis of novel hydroxypyridinone derivatives as potential tyrosinase inhibitors.

Two groups of novel hydroxypyridinone derivatives 6(a-e) and 12(a-c), were designed as potential tyrosinase inhibitors, and synthesized using kojic acid as a starting material. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity of these two groups was demonstrated to be potent, especially compounds 6e and 12a, whose IC50 values for monophenolase activity were 1.95µM and 2.79µM, respectively. Both of these values are lower than that of kojic acid (IC50=12.50µM). Compounds 6e and 12a were investigated for the inhibitory effect on diphenolase activity. The results showed that the inhibitory mechanism of these two compounds was reversible and that the inhibitory type was a competitive-uncompetitive mixed-type. The values of IC50 of 6e and 12a on the diphenolase activity of tyrosinase were determined to be 8.97µM and 26.20µM, respectively. The inhibitory constants (KI and KIS) of 6e were determined as 17.17µM and 22.09µM, respectively; and the KI and KIS values of 12a were 34.41µM and 79.02µM, respectively. Compound 6e showed a greater ability to reduce copper and a stronger copper chelating ability than kojic acid.

GSE1 negative regulation by miR-489-5p promotes breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion.

Gse1 coiled-coil protein (GSE1), also known as KIAA0182, is a proline rich protein. However, the function of GSE1 is largely unknown. In this study, we reported that GSE1 is overexpression in breast cancer and silencing of GSE1 significantly suppressed breast cancer cells proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, GSE1 was identified as a direct target of miR-489-5p, which is significantly reduced in breast cancer tissues. In addition, forced expression of miR-489-5p suppressed breast cancer cells proliferation, migration and invasion. Moreover, depletion of GSE1 by siRNAs significantly abrogated the enhanced proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells consequent to miR-489-5p depletion. Taken together, these findings suggest that GSE1 may function as a novel oncogene in breast cancer and it can be regulated by miR-489-5p.

Printed Large-Area Single-Mode Photonic Crystal Bandedge Surface-Emitting Lasers on Silicon.

We report here an optically pumped hybrid III-V/Si photoic crystal surface emitting laser (PCSEL), consisting of a heterogeneously integrated III-V InGaAsP quantum well heterostructure gain medium, printed on a patterned defect-free Si photonic crystal (PC) bandedge cavity. Single mode lasing was achieved for a large area laser, with a side-mode suppression ratio of 28 dB, for lasing operation temperature ~ 200 K. Two types of lasers were demonstrated operating at different temperatures. Detailed modal analysis reveals the lasing mode matches with the estimated lasing gain threshold conditions. Our demonstration promises a hybrid laser sources on Si towards three-dimensional (3D) integrated Si photonics for on-chip wavelength-division multiplex (3D WDM) systems for a wide range of volume photonic/electronic applications in computing, communication, sensing, imaging, etc.

Double-layer Fano resonance photonic crystal filters.

We report ultra-compact surface-normal high-Q optical filters based on single- and double-layer stacked Fano resonance photonic crystal slabs on both Si and quartz substrates. A single layer photonic crystal filter was designed and a Q factor of 1,737 was obtained with 23 dB extinction ratio. With stacked double-layer photonic crystal configuration, the optical filter Q can increase to over 10,000,000 in design. Double-layer filters with quality factor of 9,734 and extinction ratio of 8 dB were experimentally demonstrated, for a filter design with target Q of 22,000.

Polarization independent broadband reflectors based on cross-stacked gratings.

We report here a broadband reflector based on a two cross-stacked grating structure. This type of broadband reflector is polarization-independent, with ~100% reflectance over a designed spectral range of 1.4 to 1.6 µm. The reflection phase differences between TE and TM polarizations remain almost a constant value of 1.2π over the same high reflection spectral range. The reflector performance tolerance was also investigated by varying the grating structure parameters. Two types of Fabry-Perot cavities can be configured based on two cross-stacked grating structures, for both polarization independent and polarization dependent resonance cavity mode control. All these characteristics associated with the cross-stacked grating reflectors enable a new type of resonant cavity or wave plate design for a large range of photonic applications.

An aqueous solution-based doping strategy for large-scale synthesis of Sb-doped ZnO nanowires.

An aqueous solution-based doping strategy was developed for controlled doping impurity atoms into a ZnO nanowire (NW) lattice. Through this approach, antimony-doped ZnO NWs were successfully synthesized in an aqueous solution containing zinc nitrate and hexamethylenetetramine with antimony acetate as the dopant source. By introducing glycolate ions into the solution, a soluble antimony precursor (antimony glycolate) was formed and a good NW morphology with a controlled antimony doping concentration was successfully achieved. A doping concentration study suggested an antimony glycolate absorption doping mechanism. By fabricating and characterizing NW-based field effect transistors (FETs), stable p-type conductivity was observed. A field effect mobility of 1.2 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and a carrier concentration of 6 × 10(17) cm(-3) were achieved. Electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) characterization on doped and undoped ZnO NWs further illustrated the shift of the metal-semiconductor barrier due to Sb doping. This work provided an effective large-scale synthesis strategy for doping ZnO NWs in aqueous solution.