Silk-protein-based gradient hydrogels with multimode reprogrammable shape changes for biointegrated devices.

Biocompatible and morphable hydrogels capable of multimode reprogrammable, and adaptive shape changes are potentially useful for diverse biomedical applications. However, existing morphable systems often rely on complicated structural designs involving cumbersome and energy-intensive fabrication processes. Here, we report a simple electric-field-activated protein network migration strategy to reversibly program silk-protein hydrogels with controllable and reprogrammable complex shape transformations. The application of a low electric field enables the convergence of net negatively charged protein cross-linking networks toward the anode (isoelectric point plane) due to the pH gradient generated in the process, facilitating the formation of a gradient network structure and systems suitable for three-dimensional shape change. These tunable protein networks can be reprogrammed or permanently fixed by control of the polymorphic transitions. We show that these morphing hydrogels are capable of conformally interfacing with biological tissues by programming the shape changes and a bimorph structure consisting of aligned carbon nanotube multilayers and the silk hydrogels was assembled to illustrate utility as an implantable bioelectronic device for localized low-voltage electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve in a rabbit.

High Q-Factor Single-Mode Lasing in Inorganic Perovskite Microcavities with Microfocusing Field Confinement.

The realization of high-Q single-mode lasing on the microscale is significant for the advancement of on-chip integrated light sources. It remains a challenging trade-off between Q-factor enhancement and light-field localization to raise the lasing emission rate. Here, we fabricated a zero-dimensional perovskite microcavity integrated with a nondamage pressed microlens to three-dimensionally tailor the intracavity light field and demonstrated linearly and nonlinearly (two-photon) pumped lasing by this microfocusing configuration. Notably, the microlensing microcavity experimentally achieves a high Q-factor (16700), high polarization (99.6%), and high Purcell factor (11.40) single-mode lasing under high-repetition pulse pumping. Three-dimensional light-field confinement formed by the microlens and plate microcavity simultaneously reduces the mode volume (∼3.66 µm3) and suppresses diffraction and transverse walk-off loss, which induces discretization on energy-momentum dispersions and spatial electromagnetic-field distributions. The Q factor and Purcell factor of our lasing come out on top among most of the reported perovskite microcavities, paving a promising avenue toward further studying electrically driven on-chip microlasers.

Enhancing head and neck tumor management with artificial intelligence: Integration and perspectives.

Head and neck tumors (HNTs) constitute a multifaceted ensemble of pathologies that primarily involve regions such as the oral cavity, pharynx, and nasal cavity. The intricate anatomical structure of these regions poses considerable challenges to efficacious treatment strategies. Despite the availability of myriad treatment modalities, the overall therapeutic efficacy for HNTs continues to remain subdued. In recent years, the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare practices has garnered noteworthy attention. AI modalities, inclusive of machine learning (ML), neural networks (NNs), and deep learning (DL), when amalgamated into the holistic management of HNTs, promise to augment the precision, safety, and efficacy of treatment regimens. The integration of AI within HNT management is intricately intertwined with domains such as medical imaging, bioinformatics, and medical robotics. This article intends to scrutinize the cutting-edge advancements and prospective applications of AI in the realm of HNTs, elucidating AI's indispensable role in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, prognostication, research, and inter-sectoral integration. The overarching objective is to stimulate scholarly discourse and invigorate insights among medical practitioners and researchers to propel further exploration, thereby facilitating superior therapeutic alternatives for patients.

Preservation of recipient plasma sphingosine-1-phosphate levels reduces transfusion-related acute lung injury.

Cold-stored (CS) platelets are once again being reintroduced for clinical use. Transfused CS platelets offer benefits over room temperature-stored (RTS) platelets such as increased hemostatic effects and prolongation of shelf-life. Despite these advantages little is known about their association with transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI). TRALI is associated with prolonged storage of RTS platelets and has a mortality of >15%. Determining the safety of CS platelets is important considering their proposed use in TRALI-vulnerable populations with inflammation such as surgical patients or patients with trauma. Donor platelet-derived ceramide causes TRALI, whereas donor platelet sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is barrier protective. Females have higher plasma levels of S1P than males. Cold temperatures increase S1P levels in cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that female (donors or recipients) and/or CS platelets would decrease TRALI. To test this, we compared how male and female donor and recipient allogeneic platelet transfusions of CS (4°C) versus RTS (23°C) platelets stored for 5 days influence murine TRALI. Transfusion of CS platelets significantly reduced recipient lung tissue wet-to-dry ratios, bronchoalveolar lavage total protein, lung tissue myeloperoxidase enzyme activity, histological lung injury scores, and increased plasma sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) levels compared with RTS platelet transfusions. Female as opposed to male recipients had less TRALI and higher plasma S1P levels. Female donor mouse platelets had higher S1P levels than males. Mouse and human CS platelets had increased S1P levels compared with RTS platelets. Higher recipient plasma S1P levels appear protective considering females, and males receiving platelets from females or male CS platelets had less TRALI.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) though relatively rare represents a severe lung injury. The sphingolipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) regulates the severity of platelet-mediated TRALI. Female platelet transfusion recipient plasmas or stored platelets from female donors have higher S1P levels than males, which reduces TRALI. Cold storage of murine platelets preserves platelet-S1P, which reduces TRALI in platelet-transfused recipients.

PE/PPE mutations in the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in China revealed by whole genome sequencing.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the impact of PE/PPE gene mutations on the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) in China. METHODS: We collected the whole genome sequencing (WGS) data of 3202 M. tuberculosis isolates in China from 2007 to 2018 and investigated the clustering of strains from different lineages. To evaluate the potential role of PE/PPE gene mutations in the dissemination of the pathogen, we employed homoplastic analysis to detect homoplastic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within these gene regions. Subsequently, logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the statistical association. RESULTS: Based on nationwide M. tuberculosis WGS data, it has been observed that the majority of the M. tuberculosis burden in China is caused by lineage 2 strains, followed by lineage 4. Lineage 2 exhibited a higher number of transmission clusters, totaling 446 clusters, of which 77 were cross-regional clusters. Conversely, there were only 52 transmission clusters in lineage 4, of which 9 were cross-regional clusters. In the analysis of lineage 2 isolates, regression results showed that 4 specific gene mutations, PE4 (position 190,394; c.46G > A), PE_PGRS10 (839,194; c.744 A > G), PE16 (1,607,005; c.620T > G) and PE_PGRS44 (2,921,883; c.333 C > A), were significantly associated with the transmission of M. tuberculosis. Mutations of PE_PGRS10 (839,334; c.884 A > G), PE_PGRS11 (847,613; c.1455G > C), PE_PGRS47 (3,054,724; c.811 A > G) and PPE66 (4,189,930; c.303G > C) exhibited significant associations with the cross-regional clusters. A total of 13 mutation positions showed a positive correlation with clustering size, indicating a positive association. For lineage 4 strains, no mutations were found to enhance transmission, but 2 mutation sites were identified as risk factors for cross-regional clusters. These included PE_PGRS4 (338,100; c.974 A > G) and PPE13 (976,897; c.1307 A > C). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that some PE/PPE gene mutations can increase the risk of M. tuberculosis transmission, which might provide a basis for controlling the spread of tuberculosis.

R-loops act as regulatory switches modulating transcription of COLD-responsive genes in rice.

COLD is a major naturally occurring stress that usually causes complex symptoms and severe yield loss in crops. R-loops function in various cellular processes, including development and stress responses, in plants. However, how R-loops function in COLD responses is largely unknown in COLD susceptible crops like rice (Oryza sativa L.). We conducted DRIP-Seq along with other omics data (RNA-Seq, DNase-Seq and ChIP-Seq) in rice with or without COLD treatment. COLD treatment caused R-loop reprogramming across the genome. COLD-biased R-loops had higher GC content and novel motifs for the binding of distinct transcription factors (TFs). Moreover, R-loops can directly/indirectly modulate the transcription of a subset of COLD-responsive genes, which can be mediated by R-loop overlapping TF-centered or cis-regulatory element-related regulatory networks and lncRNAs, accounting for c. 60% of COLD-induced expression of differential genes in rice, which is different from the findings in Arabidopsis. We validated two R-loop loci with contrasting (negative/positive) roles in the regulation of two individual COLD-responsive gene expression, as potential targets for enhanced COLD resistance. Our study provides detailed evidence showing functions of R-loop reprogramming during COLD responses and provides some potential R-loop loci for genetic and epigenetic manipulation toward breeding of rice varieties with enhanced COLD tolerance.

Genomic variations combined with epigenetic modifications rewire open chromatin in rice.

Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) fine-tune gene transcription in eukaryotes. CREs with sequence variations play vital roles in driving plant or crop domestication. However, how global sequence and structural variations (SVs) are responsible for multilevel changes between indica and japonica rice (Oryza sativa) is still not fully elucidated. To address this, we conducted multiomic studies using MNase hypersensitivity sequencing (MH-seq) in combination with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq), and bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) between the japonica rice variety Nipponbare (NIP) and indica rice variety 93-11. We found that differential MNase hypersensitive sites (MHSs) exhibited some distinct intrinsic genomic sequence features between NIP and 93-11. Notably, through MHS-genome-wide association studies (GWAS) integration, we found that key sequence variations may be associated with differences of agronomic traits between NIP and 93-11, which is partly achieved by MHSs harboring CREs. In addition, SV-derived differential MHSs caused by transposable element (TE) insertion, especially by noncommon TEs among rice varieties, were associated with genes with distinct functions, indicating that TE-driven gene neo- or subfunctionalization is mediated by changes of chromatin openness. This study thus provides insights into how sequence and genomic SVs control agronomic traits of NIP and 93-11; it also provides genome-editing targets for molecular breeding aiming at improving favorable agronomic properties.

In vivo biological safety investigation of Yb-CALGO femtosecond laser dental surgery.

While lasers have found their successful applications in various clinical specialties, in clinical dental practice, traditional mechanical drills are still predominantly utilized. Although erbium-doped lasers have been demonstrated for dental therapy, their clinical performance is still not satisfactory due to the long pulse width, low peak power, and small repetition rate. To attain a smaller thermal diffusion thus better biological safety and surgical precision, as well as more rapid ablation, the advancement of femtosecond laser techniques has opened another route of dental surgery; however, no biological safety investigation has been reported. Here, we present a systematic study of dental ablation by a Yb:CaAlGdO4 regenerative amplifier with a central wavelength of 1040 nm and pulse width of 160 fs. The in vivo experiment of dental surgery investigating the inflammatory response has been reported, for the first time to the best of our knowledge. It is demonstrated that dental surgery by Yb:CaAlGdO4 femtosecond laser ablation has better biological safety compared to the turbine drilling, thanks to its non-contact and ultrafast heat dissipation nature.

Mtnr1b deletion disrupts placental angiogenesis through the VEGF signaling pathway leading to fetal growth restriction.

The placenta, as a "transit station" between mother and fetus, has functions delivering nutrients, excreting metabolic wastes and secreting hormones. A healthy placenta is essential for fetal growth and development while the melatonergic system seems to play a critical physiological role in this organ since melatonin, its synthetic enzymes and receptors are present in the placenta. In current study, Mtnr1a and Mtnr1b knockout mice were constructed to explore the potential roles of melatonergic system played on the placental function and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). The result showed that Mtnr1a knockout had little effect on placental function while Mtnr1b knockout reduced placental efficiency and increased IUGR. Considering the extremely high incidence of IURG in sows, the pregnant sows were treated with melatonin. This treatment reduced the incidence of IUGR. All the evidence suggests that the intact melatonergic system in placenta is required for its function. Mechanistical studies uncovered that Mtnr1b knockout increased placental oxidative stress and apoptosis but reduced the angiogenesis. The RNA sequencing combined with histochemistry study identified the reduced angiogenesis and placental vascular density in Mtnr1b knockout mice. These alterations were mediated by the disrupted STAT3/VEGFR2/PI3K/AKT pathway, i.e., Mtnr1b knockout reduced the phosphorylation of STAT3 which is the promotor of VEGFR2. The downregulated VEGFR2 and its downstream elements of PI3K and AKT expressions, then, jeopardizes the angiogenesis and placental development.

Molecular epidemiology and resistance mechanisms of tigecycline-non-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from a tertiary care hospital in Chongqing, China.

We studied 34 isolates of Tigecycline-Non-Susceptible A. baumannii (TNAB) obtained from clinical specimens at a large tertiary care hospital in Chongqing, China. These 34 strains belonged to 8 different clones including ST195 (35.3%) and ST208 (17.7%). EBURST analysis found that these 8 ST types belonged to the Clonal Complex 92. Tigecycline resistance-associated genes adeR, adeS, adeL, adeN, rrf, rpsJ, and trm were detected in most strains. The expression level of the resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND) efflux pumps in TNAB strains was higher than the reference strain ATCC19606. 58.8% of strains had a decrease in the tigecycline minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) after the addition of carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP). The TNAB strains in our hospital have a high degree of affinity and antibiotic resistance. Regular surveillance should be conducted to prevent outbreaks of TNAB epidemics.

The effect of exercise training intervention for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm on cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory variables: an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of exercise training intervention in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). METHODS: Eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that recruited 588 AAA patients were extracted using 4 databases (PubMed, Embase, Wanfang Data, and Cochrane Library). Physiological and biochemistry parameters that included in this study are high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), respiratory peak oxygen uptake rate (VO2peak), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), anaerobic threshold (AT), the diameter of AAA, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Standard mean difference (SMD) was used to assess the between group effect. RESULTS: This meta-analysis was synthesized with findings from RCTs and found that hs-CRP (SMD, - 0.56 mg/dL; 95% CI: - 0.90 to 0.22; P = 0.001), VO2peak (SMD, 0.4 mL/kg/min; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.60; P < 0.001), TG (SMD, - 0.39 mg/dL; 95% CI: - 0.02 to 0.77; P = 0.04), and AT (SMD, 0.75 mL/kg/min; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.96; P < 0.001) were significantly improved in the exercise groups, while the size of AAA (SMD, - 0.15; 95% CI: - 0.36 to 0.06; P = 0.15), TC (SMD, 0.16 mg/dL; 95% CI: - 0.10 to 0.42; P = 0.23), HDL/LDL ratio (SMD, - 0.06; 95% CI: - 0.32 to 0.20; P = 0.64), HDL (SMD, - 0.09; 95% CI: - 0.39 to 0.20; P = 0.54), LDL (SMD, 0.08; 95% CI: - 0.21 to 0.38; P = 0.59), and MMP-9 (SMD, - 0.23 mg/dL; 95% CI: - 0.53 to 0.06; P = 0.12) did not differ in the exercise groups compared with the controls. CONCLUSION: Exercise intervention improved some of the CVD risk factors but not all, hs-CRP, VO2peak and AT were significantly improved after exercise intervention, while, changes of MMP-9, the size of AAA, and the overall lipids profile were not. Exercise intervention provides an additional solution for improving cardiorespiratory capacity and health status among AAA patients, and might lead to a delay of AAA progression.

Exploration of rich-club reorganization in facial synkinesis: insights from structural and functional brain network analysis.

Facial palsy therapies based on cortical plasticity are in development, but facial synkinesis progress is limited. Studying neural plasticity characteristics, especially network organization and its constitutive elements (nodes/edges), is the key to overcome the bottleneck. We studied 55 participants (33 facial synkinesis patients, 22 healthy controls) with clinical assessments, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We analyzed rich-club organization and metrics of structural brain networks (rich-club coefficients, strength, degree, density, and efficiency). Functional brain network metrics, including functional connectivity and its coupling with the structural network, were also computed. Patients displayed reduced strength and density of rich-club nodes and edges, as well as decreased global efficiency. All nodes exhibited decreased nodal efficiency in patients. Patients had significantly increased functional connectivity and decreased structural-functional coupling strength in rich-club nodes, rich-club edges, and feeder edges. Our study indicates that facial synkinesis patients have weakened structural connections but enhanced functional transmission from rich-club nodes. The loss of connections and efficiency in structural network may trigger compensatory increases in functional connectivity of rich-club nodes. Two potential biomarkers, rich-club edge density and structural-functional coupling strength, may serve as indicators of disease outcome. These findings provide valuable insights into synkinesis mechanisms and offer potential targets for cortical intervention.

Polystyrene nanoplastics with different functional groups and charges have different impacts on type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Increasing attention is being paid to the environmental and health impacts of nanoplastics (NPs) pollution. Exposure to nanoplastics (NPs) with different charges and functional groups may have different adverse effects after ingestion by organisms, yet the potential ramifications on mammalian blood glucose levels, and the risk of diabetes remain unexplored. RESULTS: Mice were exposed to PS-NPs/COOH/NH2 at a dose of 5 mg/kg/day for nine weeks, either alone or in a T2DM model. The findings demonstrated that exposure to PS-NPs modified by different functional groups caused a notable rise in fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance in a mouse model of T2DM. Exposure to PS-NPs-NH2 alone can also lead the above effects to a certain degree. PS-NPs exposure could induce glycogen accumulation and hepatocellular edema, as well as injury to the pancreas. Comparing the effect of different functional groups or charges on T2DM, the PS-NPs-NH2 group exhibited the most significant FBG elevation, glycogen accumulation, and insulin resistance. The phosphorylation of AKT and FoxO1 was found to be inhibited by PS-NPs exposure. Treatment with SC79, the selective AKT activator was shown to effectively rescue this process and attenuate T2DM like lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to PS-NPs with different functional groups (charges) induced T2DM-like lesions. Amino-modified PS-NPs cause more serious T2DM-like lesions than pristine PS-NPs or carboxyl functionalized PS-NPs. The underlying mechanisms involved the inhibition of P-AKT/P-FoxO1. This study highlights the potential risk of NPs pollution on T2DM, and provides a new perspective for evaluating the impact of plastics aging.

Untargeted Metabolomic Analyses and Antilipidemic Effects of Citrus Physiological Premature Fruit Drop.

Increasingly globally prevalent obesity and related metabolic disorders have underscored the demand for safe and natural therapeutic approaches, given the limitations of weight loss drugs and surgeries. This study compared the phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of five different varieties of citrus physiological premature fruit drop (CPFD). Untargeted metabolomics was employed to identify variations in metabolites among different CPFDs, and their antilipidemic effects in vitro were assessed. The results showed that Citrus aurantium L. 'Daidai' physiological premature fruit drop (DDPD) and Citrus aurantium 'Changshan-huyou' physiological premature fruit drop (HYPD) exhibited higher levels of phytochemicals and stronger antioxidant activity. There were 97 differential metabolites identified in DDPD and HYPD, including phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, organic acids, terpenes, and lipids. Additionally, DDPD and HYPD demonstrated potential antilipidemic effects against oleic acid (OA)-induced steatosis in HepG2 hepatocytes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In conclusion, our findings reveal the outstanding antioxidant activity and antilipidemic effects of CPFD, indicating its potential use as a natural antioxidant and health supplement and promoting the high-value utilization of this resource.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor attenuates cholestatic liver injury by regulating bile acid metabolism.

Cholestatic liver disease is defined as the bile acids (BAs) accumulation in the liver caused by impaired synthesis, and secretion, together with excretion of BAs due to a variety of factors, which, if left untreated, can result in hepatic fibrosis, cholestatic cholangitis, cholestatic cirrhosis, eventually, end-stage liver disease. Currently, modulation of BA metabolism is still a prospective therapeutic strategy for treating the cholestatic diseases. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor with far-reaching effects on the chronic liver disease. However, its role and mechanism in cholestatic liver damage is still unknown. Therefore, in this work, we explored the impact of AHR on the cholestatic liver injury using AHR overexpression mediated by adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors. We found that AHR is differentially expressed in different stages of cholestatic liver disease, showing either down-regulation or an increase in protective effects. Overexpression of AHR increased body weight, decreased serum total bilirubin (TBil) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), reduced porphyrin accumulation in liver tissue, and regulated the bile acid pool in the cholestatic mouse model induced by DDC diet. Overall, our data indicate that AHR attenuated cholestatic liver injury. AHR function indicates that it may have an action in the clinical management of cholestasis.

Association of Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Behavior Patterns With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among Older Adults: The MIND-China Study.

INTRODUCTION: The relationships between sedentary behavior patterns and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in older adults are not well investigated. METHODS: This population-based study included 1,899 rural-dwelling adults (aged 60 years or older). We assessed sedentary parameters with ActiGraph and defined NAFLD using ultrasonography. RESULTS: Long total and prolonged sedentary time were associated with increased likelihoods of NAFLD, whereas engaging more breaks per sedentary hour and reallocating sedentary time to light-intensity physical activity were associated with reduced likelihoods of NAFLD (P linear <0.05). DISCUSSION: Shorter sedentary time, engaging more frequent breaks in sedentary behavior, and replacing sedentary time with physical activity are associated with reduced likelihoods of NAFLD in older adults.

Design of High-Capacity MoS3 Decorated Nitrogen Doped Carbon Coated Cu2 S Electrode Structures with Dual Heterogenous Interfaces for Outstanding Sodium-Ion Storage.

The hierarchical Cu2 S@NC@MoS3 heterostructures have been firstly constructed by the high-capacity MoS3 and high-conductive N-doped carbon to co-decorate the Cu2 S hollow nanospheres. During the heterostructure, the middle N-doped carbon layer as the linker facilitates the uniform deposition of MoS3 and enhances the structural stability and electronic conductivity. The popular hollow/porous structures largely restrain the big volume changes of active materials. Due to the cooperative effect of three components, the new Cu2 S@NC@MoS3 heterostructures with dual heterogenous interfaces and small voltage hysteresis for sodium ion storage display a high charge capacity (545 mAh g-1 for 200 cycles at 0.5 A g-1 ), excellent rate capability (424 mAh g-1 at 15 A g-1 ) and ultra-long cyclic life (491 mAh g-1 for 2000 cycles at 3 A g-1 ). Except for the performance test, the reaction mechanism, kinetics analysis, and theoretical calculation have been performed to explain the reason of excellent electrochemical performance of Cu2 S@NC@MoS3 . The rich active sites and rapid Na+ diffusion kinetics of this ternary heterostructure is beneficial to the high efficient sodium storage. The assembled full cell matched with Na3 V2 (PO4 )3 @rGO cathode likewise displays remarkable electrochemical properties. The outstanding sodium storage performances of Cu2 S@NC@MoS3 heterostructures indicate the potential applications in energy storage fields.

Evaluation and Prognostication of Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI and CT in Patients With Macrotrabecular-Massive Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Macrotrabecular-massive hepatocellular carcinoma (MTM-HCC) is highly aggressive. Comparing the diagnosis ability of CT and gadoxetate disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA) MRI for MTM-HCC are lacking. PURPOSE: To compare the performance of Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI and CT for differentiating MTM-HCC from non-MTM-HCC, and determine the prognostic indicator. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. SUBJECTS: Post-surgery HCC patients, divided into the training (N = 272) and external validation (N = 44) cohorts. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0 T, T1-weighted imaging, in-opp phase, and T1-weighted volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination/liver acquisition with volume acceleration; enhanced CT. ASSESSMENT: Three radiologists evaluated clinical characteristics (sex, age, liver disease, liver function, blood routine, alpha-fetoprotein [AFP] and prothrombin time international normalization ratio [PT-INR]) and imaging features (tumor length, intratumor fat, hemorrhage, arterial phase peritumoral enhancement, intratumor necrosis or ischemia, capsule, and peritumoral hepatobiliary phase [HBP] hypointensity). Compared the performance of CT and MRI for diagnosing MTM-HCC. Follow-up occurred every 3-6 months, and nomogram demonstrated the probability of MTM-HCC. STATISTICAL TESTS: Fisher test, t-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test, area under the curve (AUC), 95% confidence interval (CI), multivariable logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier curve, and Cox proportional hazards. Significance level: P < 0.05. RESULTS: Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI (AUC: 0.793; 95% CI, 0.740-0.839) outperformed CT (AUC: 0.747; 95% CI, 0.691-0.797) in the training cohort. The nomogram, incorporating AFP, PT-INR, and MRI features (non-intratumor fat, incomplete capsule, intratumor necrosis or ischemia, and peritumoral HBP hypointensity) demonstrated powerful performance for diagnosing MTM-HCC with an AUC of 0.826 (95% CI, 0.631-1.000) in the external validation cohort. Median follow-up was 347 days (interquartile range [IQR], 606 days) for the training cohort and 222 days (IQR, 441 days) for external validation cohort. Intratumor necrosis or ischemia was an independent indicator for poor prognosis. DATA CONCLUSION: Gd-EOB-DTPA MRI might assist in preoperative diagnosis of MTM-HCC, and intratumor necrosis or ischemia was associated with poor prognosis. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Synthesis and Surface Attachment of Molecular Re(I) Complexes Supported by Functionalized Bipyridyl Ligands.

Eleven 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) ligands functionalized with attachment groups for covalent immobilization on silicon surfaces were prepared. Five of the ligands feature silatrane functional groups for attachment to metal oxide coatings on the silicon surfaces, while six contain either alkene or alkyne functional groups for attachment to hydrogen-terminated silicon surfaces. The bpy ligands were coordinated to Re(CO)5Cl to form complexes of the type Re(bpy)(CO)3Cl, which are related to known catalysts for CO2 reduction. Six of the new complexes were characterized using X-ray crystallography. As proof of principle, four molecular Re complexes were immobilized on either a thin layer of TiO2 on silicon or hydrogen-terminated silicon. The surface-immobilized complexes were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) in the dark and for one representative example in the light. The CO stretching frequencies of the attached complexes were similar to those of the pure molecular complexes, but the CVs were less analogous. For two of the complexes, comparison of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction performance showed lower CO Faradaic efficiencies for the immobilized complexes than the same complex in solution under similar conditions. In particular, a complex containing a silatrane linked to bpy with an amide linker showed poor catalytic performance and control experiments suggest that amide linkers in conjugation with a redox-active ligand are not stable under highly reducing conditions and alkyl linkers are more stable. A conclusion of this work is that understanding the behavior of molecular Re catalysts attached to semiconducting silicon is more complicated than related complexes, which have previously been immobilized on metallic electrodes.

Redispersion Behavior of 2D MoS2 Nanosheets: Unique Dependence on the Intervention Timing of Natural Organic Matter.

The aggregation-redispersion behavior of nanomaterials determines their transport, transformation, and toxicity, which could be largely influenced by the ubiquitous natural organic matter (NOM). Nonetheless, the interaction mechanisms of two-dimensional (2D) MoS2 and NOM and the subsequent influences on the redispersion behavior are not well understood. Herein, we investigated the redispersion of single-layer MoS2 (SL-MoS2) nanosheets as influenced by Suwannee River NOM (SRNOM). It was found that SRNOM played a decisive role on the redispersion of MoS2 2D nanosheets that varied distinctly from the 3D nanoparticles. Compared to the poor redispersion of MoS2 aggregates in the absence or post-addition of SRNOM to the aggregates, co-occurrence of SRNOM in the dispersion could largely enhance the redispersion and mobility of MoS2 by intercalating into the nanosheets. Upon adsorption to SL-MoS2, SRNOM enhanced the hydration force and weakened the van der Waals forces between nanosheets, leading to the redispersion of the aggregates. The SRNOM fractions with higher molecular mass imparted better dispersity due to the preferable sorption of the large molecules onto SL-MoS2 surfaces. This comprehensive study advances current understanding on the transport and fate of nanomaterials in the water system and provides fresh insights into the interaction mechanisms between NOM and 2D nanomaterials.