Bimetallic metal-organic framework aerogels supported by aramid nanofibers for efficient CO2 capture.

The excessive CO2 emission has gained global attentions due to its potential effects on climate change, plant nutrition deterioration, and human health and safety. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) featured with high specific surface area, adjustable pore size, and tailorable morphology have been widely applied for CO2 capture. However, some drawbacks of poor mechanical stability and uneven distribution of mesopores limit their further applications. Herein, we demonstrate a one-step synthesis of bimetallic center framework (OSSBCF) and pore reconstruction (PRC) strategy to prepare the hierarchical porous Zn/Co-ZIF@ANF aerogels. This unique design achieves the construction of efficient gas transfer channels and creates massive micropores with abundant Lewis basic adsorption sites. Benefiting from theses merits, the bimetallic Zn/Co-ZIF@ANF aerogels demonstrate high MOFs loading mass of 47.51 wt%, high specific surface area of 686.39 m2g-1, and large porosity of 99.31 %. Moreover, the bimetallic Zn/Co-ZIF@ANF aerogels exhibit an enhanced CO2 adsorption capacity of 5.99 mmol/g and CO2/N2 adsorption selectivity of 35 at 25 °C and 1 bar. The CO2 capacity of bimetallic Zn/Co-ZIF@ANF aerogels keep up to 95.19 % after ten cycles of CO2 adsorption, indicating the excellent long-term recycle stability. Therefore, this study provides a promising strategy to engineer hierarchical porous bimetallic MOF aerogels toward practical CO2 capture.

One-step reverse transcriptase-free miRNA detection system and its application for detection of gastrointestinal cancers.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in gene regulation and their dysregulation is implicated in various diseases, including cancer. Current methods for miRNA analysis often involve complex procedures and high costs, limiting their clinical utility. Therefore, there is a critical need for the development of simpler and more cost-effective miRNA detection techniques to enable early disease diagnosis. In this study, we introduce a novel one-enzyme for miRNA one-step detection method using Taq DNA polymerase, termed OSMOS-qPCR. We optimized the PCR buffer, PCR program, Taq DNA Polymerase concentrations and reverse PCR primer concentrations, resulted in a wide linear range from 100 fM to 0.001 fM (R2 > 0.98 for each miRNA), the detection limit for OSMOS-qPCR was 0.0025 fM. Furthermore, OSMOS-qPCR demonstrates excellent specificity to differentiation of less than 0.1 % nonspecific signal. Finally, we demonstrated the robust amplification efficiency, enabling the detection of trace amounts of cell-free miRNA in serum samples, and the excellent discrimination ability between gastrointestinal cancers and control subjects (AUC value = 1.0) if combined two miRNAs. The development of OSMOS-qPCR offering a simpler, cost-effective, and efficient detection method, has the potential to be non-invasive strategy for early detection of gastrointestinal cancers.

DNA methylation markers in esophageal cancer.

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) is a prevalent malignancy characterized by a low 5-year survival rate, primarily attributed to delayed diagnosis and limited therapeutic options. Currently, early detection of EC heavily relies on endoscopy and pathological examination, which pose challenges due to their invasiveness and high costs, leading to low patient compliance. The detection of DNA methylation offers a non-endoscopic, cost-effective, and secure approach that holds promising prospects for early EC detection. Methods: To identify improved methylation markers for early EC detection, we conducted a comprehensive review of relevant literature, summarized the performance of DNA methylation markers based on different input samples and analytical methods in EC early detection and screening. Findings: This review reveals that blood cell free DNA methylation-based method is an effective non-invasive method for early detection of EC, although there is still a need to improve its sensitivity and specificity. Another highly sensitive and specific non-endoscopic approach for early detection of EC is the esophageal exfoliated cells based-DNA methylation analysis. However, while there are substantial studies in esophageal adenocarcinoma, further more validation is required in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusion: In conclusion, DNA methylation detection holds significant potential as an early detection and screening technology for EC.

[Feasibility of non-invasive prenatal testing for the detection of fetal chromosomal copy number variants].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for detecting fetal chromosomal copy number variants (CNV). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out on NIPT positive samples in Suzhou Municipal Hospital from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2021. The effect of NIPT on fetal CNV detection was assessed by comparison with the results of karyotype analysis and/or chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA). RESULTS: Among the 525 NIPT positive samples, 146 were CNV cases, of which 84 were further verified by karyotyping and/or CMA, 29 (34.5%) were true positive. Among them, 12 cases were pathogenic variants, 2 cases were likely pathogenic variants and 15 cases were variants of uncertain significance. CONCLUSION: NIPT could detect CNV with high accuracy, and to combine CNV detection and chromosomal aneuploidy detection has great significance to improve the prenatal and postnatal care.

Study on the correlation of supplementation with L-citrulline on the gastrointestinal flora and semen antifreeze performance of ram.

Introduction: Cryopreservation of semen can give full play to the reproductive advantages of male animals. However, in actual production, due to the poor frost resistance of sheep semen and the low conception rate, the promotion of sheep frozen semen is greatly hindered. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the frost resistance of semen to improve the quality of frozen semen. At present, most studies on improving the quality of frozen semen are based on the improvement of semen dilutions, and few studies on improving the freezing resistance of ram semen by feeding functional amino acids. Methods: Therefore, 24 Turpan black rams were divided into high antifreeze group (HF) and a low antifreeze group (LF) Each of these groups was further randomly divided into control and experimental subgroups. The control subgroup was fed a basal diet, while the experimental subgroup received an additional 12 g/d of L-Cit supplementation based on the control group for a duration of 90 days. Results: The results showed that Following L-Cit supplementation, the experimental group demonstrated significantly elevated sperm density and VSL (Velocity of straight line), T-AOC, GSH-Px, and NO levels in fresh semen compared to the control group (P < 0.01). After thawing, the experimental group exhibited significantly higher levels of T-AOC, GSH-Px, and NO compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Additionally, the HFT group, after thawing frozen semen, displayed significantly higher HK1 protein expression compared to the control group. The number of spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and sperm cells in the HFT group was significantly higher than that in the HFC group. Moreover, 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that Candidatus_Saccharimonas, Staphylococcus, Weissella, succinivbrionaceae_UcG_002, and Quinella were significantly enriched in the rumen of the HFT group, while Ureaplasma was significantly enriched in the HFC group. In the duodenum, Clostridiales_bacterium_Firm_14, Butyrivibrio, and Prevotellaceae_NK3831_group were significantly enriched in the HFT group, whereas Desulfovibrio and Quinella were significantly enriched in the HFC group. Discussion: Under the conditions employed in this study, L-Cit supplementation was found to enhance the intestinal flora composition in rams, thereby improving semen quality, enhancing the antifreeze performance of semen, and promoting the development of testicular spermatogenic cells.

Expression of regional brain amyloid-ß deposition with [18F]Flutemetamol in Centiloid scale -a multi-site study.

PURPOSE: The Centiloid project helps calibrate the quantitative amyloid-ß (Aß) load into a unified Centiloid (CL) scale that allows data comparison across multi-site. How the smaller regional amyloid converted into CL has not been attempted. We first aimed to express regional Aß deposition in CL using [18F]Flutemetamol and evaluate regional Aß deposition in CL with that in standardized uptake value ratio (SUVr). Second, we aimed to determine the presence or absence of focal Aß deposition by measuring regional CL in equivocal cases showing negative global CL. METHODS: Following the Centiloid project pipeline, Level-1 replication, Level-2 calibration, and quality control were completed to generate corresponding Centiloid conversion equations to convert SUVr into Centiloid at regional levels. In equivocal cases, the regional CL was compared with visual inspection to evaluate regional Aß positivity. RESULTS: 14 out of 16 regional conversions from [18F]Flutemetamol SUVr to Centiloid successfully passed the quality control, showing good reliability and relative variance, especially precuneus/posterior cingulate and prefrontal regions with good stability for Centiloid scaling. The absence of focal Aß deposition could be detected by measuring regional CL, showing a high agreement rate with visual inspection. The regional Aß positivity in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex was most prevalent in equivocal cases. CONCLUSION: The expression of regional brain Aß deposition in CL with [18F]Flutemetamol has been attempted in this study. Equivocal cases had focal Aß deposition that can be detected by measuring regional CL.

Realizing dendrite-free lithium deposition with three-dimensional soft-rigid nanofiber interlayers.

Lithium (Li) metal is regarded as the most desirable anode candidates for high-energy-density batteries by virtue of its lowest redox potential and ultrahigh theoretical specific capacity. However, uncontrollable Li dendritic growth, infinite volume variation and unstable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) ineluctably plague its commercialization process. Herein, the three-dimensional (3D) nanofiber functional layers with synergistic soft-rigid feature, consisting of tin oxide (SnO2)-anchored polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers, are directly electrospun on copper current collector. This strategy can effectively regulate uniform Li deposition and strengthen SEI stability through the dual effect of physical accommodation and chemical ionic intervention. On the one hand, the nanofiber interlayers with excellent electrolyte affinity and well-distributed Li+ transport pathways can promote uniform Li+ flux distribution and large-size Li deposition. On the other hand, the rigid SnO2 contributes to reducing Li nucleation overpotential and stabilizing SEI layer assisted by its spontaneous reaction with Li. As a result, the smooth and dense Li deposition is achieved by such soft-rigid nanofiber interlayers, thereby extending the cycling life and improving the safety application of Li metal batteries. This work offers a new route for efficient protection of Li metal anodes and brings a new inspiration for developing high-energy-density Li metal batteries.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous high-frequency irreversible electroporation in porcine livers using four electrode needles: A feasibility and safety study.

BACKGROUND: Malignant liver tumors seriously endanger human health. Among different therapeutic approaches, high-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) is a recently emerging tumor ablation technique. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous H-FIRE using four electrode needles in porcine livers. METHODS: Twelve experimental pigs underwent percutaneous H-FIRE ablation using a compound steep-pulse therapeutic device. Liver tissues adjacent to the gallbladder, blood vessels, and bile ducts were selected as the ablation targets. Pigs were randomly divided into three groups: (1) immediately after ablation (N = 4), (2) 2 days after ablation (N = 4), and (3) 7 days after ablation (N = 4). Blood routine, liver and kidney function, and myocardial enzyme levels were measured before and after ablation. Ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and hematoxylin-eosin staining were performed to evaluate the ablation performance. RESULTS: Ultrasound-guided percutaneous H-FIRE ablations using four electrode needles were successfully performed in all 12 experimental pigs. The general conditions of the pigs, including postoperative activities and feeding behaviors, were normal, with no significant changes compared with the preoperative conditions. The imaging features of ultrasound, CEUS, and MRI demonstrated no significant changes in the gallbladder walls, bile ducts, or blood vessels close to the ablation areas. Laboratory tests showed that liver function indices and myocardial enzymes increased temporarily after H-FIRE ablation, but decreased to normal levels at 7 days after ablation. Histopathological examinations of porcine liver specimens showed that this technique could effectively ablate the target areas without damaging the surrounding or internal vascular systems and gallbladder. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the feasibility and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous H-FIRE ablation in porcine livers in vivo, and proposed a four-needle method to optimize its clinical application.

Effect of oxide interactions on chromium speciation transformation during simulated municipal solid waste incineration.

Chromium released during municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) is toxic and carcinogenic. The removal of chromium from simulated MSWI flue gas by four sorbents (CaO, bamboo charcoal (BC), powdered activated carbon (PAC), and Al2O3) and the effects of four oxides (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, and CaO) on chromium speciation transformation were investigated. The results showed that the removal rates of total Cr by the four sorbents were Al2O3 < CaO < PAC < BC, while the removal rates of Cr(VI) by the four sorbents were Al2O3 < PAC < BC < CaO. CaO had a strong oxidizing effect on Cr(III), while BC and PAC had a better-reducing effect on Cr(VI). SiO2 was better for the reduction of Na2CrO4 and K2CrO4 above 1000°C due to its strong acidity, and the addition of CaO significantly inhibited the reduction of Cr(VI). MgCrO4 decomposed above 700°C to form MgCr2O4, and the reaction between MgCrO4 and oxides also existed in the form of a more stable trivalent spinel. Furthermore, when investigating the effect of oxides on the oxidation of Cr(III) in CrCl3, it was discovered that CaO promoted the conversion of Cr(III) to Cr(VI), while the presence of chlorine caused chromium to exist in the form of Cr(V), and increasing the content of CaO and extending the heating time facilitated the oxidation of Cr(III). In addition, silicate, aluminate, and ferrite were generated after the addition of SiO2, Al2O3, and Fe2O3, which reduced the alkalinity of CaO and had an important role in inhibiting the oxidation of Cr(III). The acidic oxides can not only promote the reduction of Cr(VI) but also have an inhibitory effect on the oxidation of Cr(III) ascribed to alkali metals/alkaline earth metals, and the proportion of acidic oxides can be increased moderately to reduce the generation of harmful substances in the hazardous solid waste heat treatment.

Concurrent JCPyV-DNAemia Is Correlated With Poor Graft Outcome in Kidney Transplant Recipients with Polyomavirus-associated Nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: Co-infection of JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) and BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is uncommon in kidney transplant recipients, and the prognosis is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of concurrent JCPyV-DNAemia on graft outcomes in BKPyV-infected kidney transplant recipients with polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PyVAN). METHODS: A total of 140 kidney transplant recipients with BKPyV replication and PyVAN, 122 without concurrent JCPyV-DNAemia and 18 with JCPyV-DNAemia were included in the analysis. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to identify prognostic factors for graft survival. A nomogram for predicting graft survival was created and evaluated. RESULTS: The median tubulitis score in the JCPyV-DNAemia-positive group was higher than in JCPyV-DNAemia-negative group (P = 0.048). At last follow-up, the graft loss rate in the JCPyV-DNAemia-positive group was higher than in the JCPyV-DNAemia-negative group (50% versus 25.4%; P = 0.031). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the graft survival rate in the JCPyV-DNAemia-positive group was lower than in the JCPyV-DNAemia-negative group (P = 0.003). Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that concurrent JCPyV-DNAemia was an independent risk factor for graft survival (hazard ratio = 4.808; 95% confidence interval: 2.096-11.03; P < 0.001). The nomogram displayed favorable discrimination (C-index = 0.839), concordance, and clinical applicability in predicting graft survival. CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent JCPyV-DNAemia is associated with a worse graft outcome in BKPyV-infected kidney transplant recipients with PyVAN.

Development of a clinical nomogram for prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in advanced gastric cancer (GC) is still a controversial issue. AIM: To find factors associated with chemosensitivity to NAC treatment and to provide the optimal therapeutic strategies for GC patients receiving NAC. METHODS: The clinical information was collected from 230 GC patients who received NAC treatment at the Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine Affiliated Haikou Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression analysis was used to find the possible predictors. A nomogram model was employed to predict the response to NAC. RESULTS: In total 230 patients were finally included in this study, including 154 males (67.0%) and 76 females (33.0%). The mean age was (59.37 ± 10.60) years, ranging from 24 years to 80 years. According to the tumor regression grade standard, there were 95 cases in the obvious response group (grade 0 or grade 1) and 135 cases in the poor response group (grade 2 or grade 3). The obvious response rate was 41.3%. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis showed that four risk factors significantly related to the efficacy of NAC were tumor location (P < 0.001), histological differentiation (P = 0.001), clinical T stage (P = 0.008), and carbohydrate antigen 724 (P = 0.008). The C-index for the prediction nomogram was 0.806. The calibration curve revealed that the predicted value exhibited good agreement with the actual value. Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram had a good value in clinical application. CONCLUSION: A nomogram combining tumor location, histological differentiation, clinical T stage, and carbohydrate antigen 724 showed satisfactory predictive power to the response of NAC and can be used by gastrointestinal surgeons to determine the optimal treatment strategies for advanced GC patients.

DNA hypomethylation patterns and their impact on the tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Recent research underscores the pivotal role of immune checkpoints as biomarkers in colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy, highlighting the dynamics of resistance and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. The impact of epigenetic alterations in CRC, particularly in relation to immune therapy resistance, is not fully understood. METHODS: We integrated a comprehensive dataset encompassing TCGA-COAD, TCGA-READ, and multiple GEO series (GSE14333, GSE37892, GSE41258), along with key epigenetic datasets (TCGA-COAD, TCGA-READ, GSE77718). Hierarchical clustering, based on Euclidean distance and Ward's method, was applied to 330 primary tumor samples to identify distinct clusters. The immune microenvironment was assessed using MCPcounter. Machine learning algorithms were employed to predict DNA methylation patterns and their functional enrichment, in addition to transcriptome expression analysis. Genomic mutation profiles and treatment response assessments were also conducted. RESULTS: Our analysis delineated a specific tumor cluster with CpG Island (CGI) methylation, termed the Demethylated Phenotype (DMP). DMP was associated with metabolic pathways such as oxidative phosphorylation, implicating increased ATP production efficiency in mitochondria, which contributes to tumor aggressiveness. Furthermore, DMP showed activation of the Myc target pathway, known for tumor immune suppression, and exhibited downregulation in key immune-related pathways, suggesting a tumor microenvironment characterized by diminished immunity and increased fibroblast infiltration. Six potential therapeutic agents-lapatinib, RDEA119, WH.4.023, MG.132, PD.0325901, and AZ628-were identified as effective for the DMP subtype. CONCLUSION: This study unveils a novel epigenetic phenotype in CRC linked to resistance against immune checkpoint inhibitors, presenting a significant step toward personalized medicine by suggesting epigenetic classifications as a means to identify ideal candidates for immunotherapy in CRC. Our findings also highlight potential therapeutic agents for the DMP subtype, offering new avenues for tailored CRC treatment strategies.

Effect of robotic versus open pancreaticoduodenectomy on postoperative length of hospital stay and complications for pancreatic head or periampullary tumours: a multicentre, open-label randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The flexibility of the robotic system in resection and reconstruction provides potential benefits in pancreaticoduodenectomy. Increasingly, robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) has been reported with favourable outcomes, but high-level evidence is still scarce. We aimed to compare the short-term postoperative outcomes of RPD with those of open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD), and hypothesised that postoperative length of hospital stay would be shorter after RPD than after OPD. METHODS: This multicentre, open-label randomised controlled trial was conducted at three high-volume hospitals in China. Patients were considered for participation in this trial if they were aged 18-75 years, had a resectable benign, premalignant, or malignant tumour in the pancreatic head or periampullary region; and were suitable for both RPD and OPD. Patients with distant metastases were excluded. Block randomisation was done with random block sizes of four, stratified by centre. Allocation was concealed via individual, sequentially numbered, opaque sealed envelopes. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to the RPD group or the OPD group in a 1:1 ratio by a masked research assistant. Surgeons and patients were not masked to trial group, but data collectors, postoperative outcome assessors, and data analysts were. All patients underwent RPD or OPD according to previously reported techniques. Participating surgeons had surpassed the learning curves of at least 40 RPD and 60 OPD procedures. The primary outcome was postoperative length of hospital stay, which was analysed in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) population. This trial is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200056809) and is complete. FINDINGS: Between March 5 and Dec 20, 2022, 292 patients were screened for eligibility, of whom 164 were enrolled and randomly assigned to the RPD group (n=82) or the OPD group (n=82). 161 patients who underwent surgical resection were included in the mITT analysis (81 in the RPD group and 80 in the OPD group). 94 (58%) participants were male and 67 (42%) were female. Postoperative length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the RPD group than in the OPD group (median 11·0 days [IQR 9·0 to 19·5] vs 13·5 days [11·5 to 18·0]; median difference -2·0 [95% CI -4·0 to 0·0]; p=0·029). During a follow-up period of 90 days, six (7%) of 81 patients in the RPD group and five (6%) of 80 patients in the OPD group required readmission. Reasons for readmission were intra-abdominal haemorrhage (one in each group), vomiting (two in the RPD group and one in the OPD group), electrolyte disturbance (one in each group), and fever (two in each group). There were two (1%) in-hospital deaths within 90 days of surgery, one in each group. The postoperative 90-day mortality rate (difference -0·02% [-5·6 to 5·5]; p=1·00) and the incidence of severe complications (ie, Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3; difference -1·5% [-14·5 to 11·4]; p=0·82) were similar between the two groups. INTERPRETATION: For surgeons who had passed the learning curve, RPD was safe and feasible with the advantage of shorter postoperative length of hospital stay than OPD. Future research should focus on the medium-term and long-term outcomes between RPD and OPD. FUNDING: None.

The signature of cancer methylation markers in maternal plasma: Factors influencing the development and application of cancer liquid biopsy assay.

BACKGROUND: DNA methylation is highly correlated with cancer and embryo development, and plasma-based methylation markers have been widely used for cancer early detection. However, whether the commonly used cancer methylation markers cause "false positives" in the plasma of pregnant women has not been comprehensively evaluated. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study from February 2021 to March 2023, which included 138 pregnant women and 44 control women. Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was isolated and bisulfite-converted, and then the methylation levels of eight methylated markers related to gastrointestinal cancer (SEPT9, SDC2, C9orf50, KCNQ5, CLIP4, TFPI2, ELMO1 and ZNF582) and three markers related to lung cancer (SHOX2, RASSF1A and PTGER4) were analyzed. RESULTS: When comparing the plasma of pregnant women to that of control women, SEPT9, CLIP4, ZNF582, SHOX2, RASSF1A and PTGER showed significantly higher levels of methylation (p < 0.05). These positive signals originate from the placenta/fetus rather than the mother. We found no discernible difference in DNA methylation levels between fetal cfDNA fractions of < 10 % and ≥ 10 % in pregnant women (p > 0.05), while CLIP4 and PTGER4 showed high methylation levels in the assisted fertilization group compared to the natural fertilization group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that cancer and fetus/placenta exhibit similar DNA methylation patterns, and some gastrointestinal cancer and lung cancer-related methylation markers also show positives in maternal plasma. This is an important consideration in the design and application of plasma-based cancer liquid biopsy assays.

Dielectric Design of High Dielectric Constant Poly(Urea-Urethane) Elastomer for Low-Voltage High-Mobility Intrinsically Stretchable All-Solution-Processed Organic Transistors.

Stretchable organic transistors for skin-like biomedical applications require low-voltage operation to accommodate limited power supply and safe concerns. However, most of the currently reported stretchable organic transistors operate at relatively high voltages. Decreasing their operational voltage while keeping the high mobility still remains a key challenge. Here, the study presents a new dielectric design to achieve high-dielectric constant poly(urea-urethane) (PUU) elastomer, by incorporating a flexible small-molecular diamine crosslinking agent 4-aminophenyl disulfide (APDS) into the main chain of (poly (propylene glycol), tolylene 2,4-diiso-cyanate terminated) (PPG-TDI). Compared with commercial elastomers, the PUU elastomer as dielectric of the stretchable organic transistors shows the outstanding advantages including lower surface roughness (0.33 nm), higher adhesion (45.18 nN), higher dielectric constant (13.5), as well as higher stretchability (896%). The PUU dielectric enables the intrinsically stretchable, all-solution-processed organic transistor to operate at a low operational voltage down to -10 V, while preserving a substantial mobility of 1.39 cm2  V-1  s-1 . Impressively, the transistor also demonstrates excellent electrical stability under repeated switching of 10 000 cycles, and remarkable mechanical robustness when stretched up to 100%. The work opens up a new molecular engineering strategy to successfully realize low-voltage high-mobility stretchable all-solution-processed organic transistors.

Mito-TEMPO Improves the Meiosis Resumption and Mitochondrial Function of Vitrified Sheep Oocytes via the Recovery of Respiratory Chain Activity.

Vitrification is a crucial method for preserving animal germ cells. Considering the increased oxidative stress and organelle damage incurred, it is still necessary to make the process more efficient for oocytes. As the energy source of oocytes, mitochondria are the most abundant organelle in oocytes and play a crucial role in their maturation. Here, we found that Mito-TEMPO, a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, could efficaciously improve the oxidative stress injury of vitrified oocytes by recovering mitochondrial function via the mitochondrial respiratory chain. It was observed that Mito-TEMPO not only improves oocyte viability and meiosis but also maintains spindle structure. A subsequent study indicated that Mito-TEMPO effectively rescued mitochondrial dysfunction and attenuated vitrification-induced oxidative stress. Further investigation revealed that Mito-TEMPO regulates vitrified oocytes' intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and ATP content and provides strong antioxidant properties. Additionally, an analysis of the transcriptome at the single-cell level revealed that the respiratory chain mediates the beneficial effect of Mito-TEMPO on vitrified oocytes. Overall, our findings indicate that supplementing oocytes with Mito-TEMPO is an effective method to shield them from the damage caused by vitrification. In addition, the beneficial effects of Mito-TEMPO on vitrified sheep oocytes could inspire further investigations of the principles underlying oocyte cryobiology in other animals.

An ultrasensitive and multiplexed miRNA one-step real time RT-qPCR detection system and its application in esophageal cancer serum.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly recognized as promising biomarkers for early disease diagnosis and prognosis. Therefore, the need for rapid, robust methods for multiplex miRNA detection in biological research and clinical diagnosis is crucial. This study introduces a novel multiplex miRNA detection method, SMOS-qPCR (Sensitive and Multiplexed One-Step RT-qPCR). The method integrates multiplexed reverse transcription and TaqMan-based qPCR into a single tube, employing a one-step operation on a real-time PCR system. We investigated the effect of 3' end phosphorylation of the Linker, Linker concentration and probe concentration on the SMOS-qPCR, resulted in a wide linear range from 1 fM to 0.1 zM (R2 ≥ 0.99 for each miRNA), surpassing the capabilities of stem-loop RT-qPCR and SYBR Green One-step RT-qPCR. The method showed excellent performance in distinguishing mature miRNA from miRNA precursor, and successfully detected four miRNAs in a single tube without cross-interference. Its high specificity enables precise differentiation of less than 1% nonspecific signal. Finally, we demonstrated the effectiveness of the SMOS-qPCR system in detecting circulating miRNAs in serum samples, distinguishing between esophageal cancers and health individuals with high AUC values (>0.940). In conclusion, the proposed SMOS-qPCR system offers a straightforward and promising approach for miRNA profiling in future clinical applications.

Hidden Valley Polarization, Piezoelectricity, and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interactions of Janus Vanadium Dichalcogenides.

Due to the lack of inversion symmetry and the discovery of room-temperature ferromagnetism, two-dimensional semiconducting vanadium-based van der Waals transition-metal dichalcogenides (V-TMDs) are drawing attention for their possible application in spintronics and valleytronics. Here, we show the functional properties enriched by the broken inversion, out-of-plane mirror, and time-reversal symmetries of Janus H-VXY TMDs (X, Y = S, Se, Te). By first-principles calculations, we reveal the intrinsic xy easy-plane magnetism of the Janus vanadium-based TMD monolayers and systematically study their hidden valley polarization and giant magneto band structure. Their strong nearest-neighbor exchange strengths lead to near-room-temperature magnetic phase transitions. The Janus H-VXY system also exhibits piezoelectricity with nonzero e31 and e21. Interestingly, it is found that the right-handed Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction has nonzero in-plane components in our Janus system, with fluctuating magnitudes determined by competence between relaxed bond-angle and atomic index of ligands.

Outcomes of Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Pancreatoduodenectomy Following Learning Curves of Surgeons: A Multicenter Study on 2255 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare robotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD) with laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) in operative and oncologic outcomes. BACKGROUND: Previous studies comparing RPD with LPD have only been carried out in small, single-center studies with variable quality. METHODS: Consecutive patients from nine centers in China who underwent RPD or LPD between 2015 and 2022 were included. A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize bias. RESULTS: Of the 2,255 patients, 1158 underwent RPD and 1097 underwent LPD. Following PSM, 1006 patients were enrolled in each group. The RPD group had significantly shorter operative time (270.0 vs. 305.0 minutes, P<0.001), lower intraoperative blood transfusion rate (5.9% vs. 12.0%, P<0.001), lower conversion rate (3.8% vs. 6.7%, P=0.004), and higher vascular reconstruction rate (7.9% vs. 5.6%, P=0.040) than the LPD group. There were no significant differences in estimated blood loss, postoperative length of stay, perioperative complications, and 90-day mortality. Patients who underwent vascular reconstruction had similar outcomes between the two groups, although they had significantly lower estimated blood loss (300.0 vs. 360.0 mL; P=0.021) in the RPD group. Subgroup analysis on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) found no significant differences between the two groups in median recurrence-free survival (14.3 vs. 15.3 mo, P=0.573) and overall survival (24.1 vs. 23.7 mo, P=0.710). CONCLUSIONS: In experienced hands, both RPD and LPD are safe and feasible procedures with similar surgical outcomes. RPD had the perioperative advantage over LPD especially in vascular reconstruction. For PDAC patients, RPD resulted in similar oncological and survival outcomes as LPD.