MR elastography-based slip interface imaging (SII) for functional assessment of myofascial interfaces: A feasibility study.

PURPOSE: Abnormal adherence at functional myofascial interfaces is hypothesized as an important phenomenon in myofascial pain syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of MR elastography (MRE)-based slip interface imaging (SII) to visualize and assess myofascial mobility in healthy volunteers. METHODS: SII was used to assess local shear strain at functional myofascial interfaces in the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and thighs. In the FDP, MRE was performed at 90 Hz vibration to each index, middle, ring, and little finger. Two thigh MRE scans were performed at 40 Hz with knees flexed and extended. The normalized octahedral shear strain (NOSS) maps were calculated to visualize myofascial slip interfaces. The entropy of the probability distribution of the gradient NOSS was computed for the two knee positions at the intermuscular interface between vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius, around rectus femoris, and between vastus intermedius and vastus medialis. RESULTS: NOSS map depicted distinct functional slip interfaces in the FDP for each finger. Compared to knee flexion, clearer slip interfaces and larger gradient NOSS entropy at the vastus lateralis-vastus intermedius interface were observed during knee extension, where the quadriceps are not passively stretched. This suggests the optimal position for using SII to visualize myofascial slip interface in skeletal muscles is when muscles are not subjected to any additional force. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that MRE-based SII can visualize and assess myofascial interface mobility in extremities. The results provide a foundation for investigating the hypothesis that myofascial pain syndrome is characterized by changes in the mobility of myofascial interfaces.

Method of reaching a resolution-controllable micro-angle measurement by using a Michelson interferometer.

A novel, to the best of our knowledge, method is proposed in this study to permit the controllable resolution of a micro-angle measurement by using a Michelson interferometer. The resolution of the proposed system can be adjusted by changing the distances between a pair of parallel mirrors. Through experiments, it was observed that as the distance was changed from 0 to 6 mm, the corresponding resolution was significantly altered from 22.88 to 14.02 µrad. Compared with other small angle measurement methods, the proposed method can realize the conversion of multiple measurement resolutions more easily and conveniently.

Competing Dehalogenation versus Borylation of Aryl Iodides and Bromides under Transition-Metal-Free Basic Conditions.

In this work, selectivity-controllable base-promoted transition-metal-free borylation and dehalogenation of aryl halides are described. Under the conditions of borylation, the dehalogenation which emerges as a competitive side reaction has been well-controlled by carefully controlling the borylation conditions. On the other hand, the dehalogenation using benzaldehyde as a hydrogen source has also been accomplished. The applications of direct radical borylation and dehalogenation of aryl halides demonstrate their synthetic practicability in pharmaceutical-oriented organic synthesis. Based on the experimental evidences, the tBuOK/1,10-Phen-triggered radical nature of both competitive reactions has been revealed.

Enhancement of sodium taurocholate to the absorption of cefquinome.

The objective of the research was to detect the enhancement effect of sodium taurocholate on the absorption of cefquinome both in Caco-2 cells and rats. The absorption efficiency of cefquinome was determined by high performance liquid chromatography and calculated with apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) after Caco-2 cell monolayers treated odium taurocholate(2 mmol/L) and cefquinome. The results showed that the absorption of cefquinome in Caco-2 cell monolayers was significantly increased with the sodium taurocholate (2mmol/L). Similar results were also detected in the rats orally administrated with 1 mL PBS of cefquinome (20mg/mL) containing different concentration of sodium taurocholate (5 mmol/L, 10mmol/L and 20mmol/L) respectively. Compared with control group, sodium taurocholate at 10 and 20 mmol/L increased the absorption of cefquinome in rats from 0.26±0.04µg/mL to 0.57±0.03µg/mL, 0.78 ±0.07µg/mL respectively. These results indicated that sodium taurocholate could increase the intestinal permeability in a concentration-dependent mode, which will be useful for clinical treatment.

Validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of CYP4T expression in crucian carp.

Reference genes are commonly used for normalization of target gene expression during RT-qPCR analysis. However, no housekeeping genes or reference genes have been identified to be stable across different tissue types or under different experimental conditions. To identify the most suitable reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis of target gene expression in the hepatopancreas of crucian carp (Carassius auratus) under various conditions (sex, age, water temperature, and drug treatments), seven reference genes, including beta actin (ACTB), beta-2 microglobulin (B2M), embryonic elongation factor-1 alpha (EEF1A), glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), alpha tubulin (TUBA), ribosomal protein l8 (RPL8) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), were evaluated in this study. The stability and ranking of gene expression were analyzed using three different statistical programs: GeNorm, Normfinder and Bestkeeper. The expression errors associated with selection of the genes were assessed by the relative quantity of CYP4T. The results indicated that all the seven genes exhibited variability under the experimental conditions of this research, and the combination of ACTB/TUBA/EEF1A or of ACTB/EEF1A was the best candidate that raised the accuracy of quantitative analysis of gene expression. The findings highlighted the importance of validation of housekeeping genes for research on gene expression under different conditions of experiment and species.

Diagenetic Genesis and Evolution of Coal-Bearing Tight Sandstone Reservoir in the Yangxia Formation, Northern Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin.

Coal seams of the Yangxia Formation are widespread in the northern part of the Kuqa Depression in the Tarim Basin. During the thermal evolution of the coal seams, the generated fluids of different periods and natures have a significant impact on tight sandstone reservoirs. To further investigate the diagenetic characteristics and reservoir genesis of the tight sandstones due to the influence of coal seams, an in-depth exploration of the causes of dissolution and cementation in the reservoirs was conducted through thin-section casting, cathode luminescence, scanning electron microscopy, carbon-oxygen isotopic analyses, and X-ray diffraction of whole rock and authigenic clay minerals, along with burial evolution history and fluid evolution history. It is suggested that two phases of acidic fluids are mainly produced during the thermal evolution process of coal seams, including an early humic acid and a late organic carboxylic acid. The early phase humic acid plays a purifying role in reservoirs with coarse particles, rigidity-rich particles, and good permeability conditions. It selectively dissolves sedimentary calcareous mud and calcite, and the dissolution products are completely migrated. At the same time, it inhibits early carbonate cementation. The late organic carboxylic acid will dissolve potassium feldspar and some volcanic rock debris, and the dissolution products are difficult to migrate under the sealing conditions caused by lithological differences, which often take the cementation form of siliceous overgrowth and kaolinite or illite. In addition to the cementation resulting from the dissolution products of acidic fluids produced by the coal seams, the CO2-rich fluids generated by the coal seam thermal evolution will combine with ions such as Ca2+ from different sources, resulting in two phases of carbonate cementation. Based on the above research, this study summarizes a set of diagenetic evolution models for coal-bearing reservoirs.

Association Between Anatomic and Clinical Indicators of Injury Severity After Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study Using Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

This study sought to identify whether an anatomical indicator of injury severity as measured by multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), is predictive of a clinical measure of injury severity after moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Nine individuals who were admitted to acute inpatient rehabilitation after moderate-to-severe TBI completed a comprehensive MRI protocol prior to discharge from rehabilitation, which included conventional MRI with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Of those, five of nine also underwent brain MRE to measure the brain parenchyma stiffness. Clinical severity of injury was measured by the length of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA). MRI-assessed non-hemorrhage contusion score and hemorrhage score, DTI-measured white matter fractional anisotropy, and MRE-measured lesion stiffness were all assessed. A higher hemorrhagic score was significantly associated with a longer length of PTA (p = 0.026). Participants with a longer PTA tended to have a higher non-hemorrhage contusion score and softer contusion lesions than the contralateral control side, although the small sample size did not allow for assessment of a significant association. To our knowledge, this is the first report applying MRI/MRE imaging protocol to quantitate altered brain anatomy after moderate-severe TBI and its association with PTA, a known clinical predictor of post-acute outcome. Future larger studies could lead to the development of prediction models that integrate clinical data with anatomical (MRI), structural (DTI), and mechanical (MRE) changes caused by TBI, to inform prognosis and care planning.

Effects of the novel sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter 2b inhibitor DZ1462 on hyperphosphatemia in chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Serum phosphate levels remain insufficiently controlled in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, and novel therapeutic strategies are needed. Blocking intestinal phosphate absorption mediated by sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter type 2b (NPT2b) holds promise as one such strategy. METHODS: The in vitro cellular potency of DZ1462 was evaluated using a radioactive Pi uptake assay on stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell clones transfected with human NPT2b (hNPT2b) or rat NPT2b (rNPT2b). The ability of DZ1462 to inhibit phosphate absorption was studied in vivo in an acute model after oral bolus challenge with 33PO4 and in an adenine-induced chronic hyperphosphatemia rat model. PK and minitox was also evaluated. RESULTS: The cellular assays with the hNPT2b-CHO and rNPT2b-CHO clones showed that DZ1462 significantly and potently inhibited phosphate uptake. In vivo, in a chronic Pi-fed rat model, DZ1462 effectively inhibited intestinal Pi uptake. In a hyperphosphatemia rat model, DZ1462 significantly inhibited Pi uptake, and DZ1462 in combination with sevelamer had a synergistic effect. The pharmacokinetics (PK) study confirmed that DZ1462 is a gastrointestinal (GI)-restricted compound that can remain in the intestine for a sufficient duration. In addition, DZ1462 also reduced cardiovascular events and ameliorated osteoporosis in a CKD animal model. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that a GI-restricted NPT2b inhibitor DZ1462 potently inhibits NPT2b in vitro and blocks intestinal phosphate uptake in multiple animal models with potential to reduce various cardiovascular events in CKD models. Therefore, DZ1462 may be useful to treat renal disease patients who have shown an unsatisfactory response to phosphate binders.

Improved quantification of tumor adhesion in meningiomas using MR elastography-based slip interface imaging.

Meningiomas, the most prevalent primary benign intracranial tumors, often exhibit complicated levels of adhesion to adjacent normal tissues, significantly influencing resection and causing postoperative complications. Surgery remains the primary therapeutic approach, and when combined with adjuvant radiotherapy, it effectively controls residual tumors and reduces tumor recurrence when complete removal may cause a neurologic deficit. Previous studies have indicated that slip interface imaging (SII) techniques based on MR elastography (MRE) have promise as a method for sensitively determining the presence of tumor-brain adhesion. In this study, we developed and tested an improved algorithm for assessing tumor-brain adhesion, based on recognition of patterns in MRE-derived normalized octahedral shear strain (NOSS) images. The primary goal was to quantify the tumor interfaces at higher risk for adhesion, offering a precise and objective method to assess meningioma adhesions in 52 meningioma patients. We also investigated the predictive value of MRE-assessed tumor adhesion in meningioma recurrence. Our findings highlight the effectiveness of the improved SII technique in distinguishing the adhesion degrees, particularly complete adhesion. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in adhesion percentages between complete and partial adherent tumors (p = 0.005), and complete and non-adherent tumors (p<0.001). The improved technique demonstrated superior discriminatory ability in identifying tumor adhesion patterns compared to the previously described algorithm, with an AUC of 0.86 vs. 0.72 for distinguishing complete adhesion from others (p = 0.037), and an AUC of 0.72 vs. 0.67 for non-adherent and others. Aggressive tumors exhibiting atypical features showed significantly higher adhesion percentages in recurrence group compared to non-recurrence group (p = 0.042). This study validates the efficacy of the improved SII technique in quantifying meningioma adhesions and demonstrates its potential to affect clinical decision-making. The reliability of the technique, coupled with potential to help predict meningioma recurrence, particularly in aggressive tumor subsets, highlights its promise in guiding treatment strategies.

Using halofuginone-silver thermosensitive nanohydrogels with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties for healing wounds infected with Staphylococcus aureus.

Contamination by pathogens, such as bacteria, can irritate a wound and prevent its healing, which may affect the physical fitness of the infected person. As such, the development of more novel nano-biomaterials able to cope with the inflammatory reaction to bacterial infection during the wound healing process to accelerate wound healing is required. Herein, a halofuginone­silver nano thermosensitive hydrogel (HTPM&AgNPs-gel) was prepared via a physical swelling method. HTPM&AgNPs-gel was characterized based on thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, morphology, injectability, and rheological mechanics that reflected its exemplary nature. Moreover, HTPM&AgNPs-gel was further tested for its ability to facilitate healing of skin fibroblasts and exert antibacterial activity. Finally, HTPM&AgNPs-gel was tested for its capacity to accelerate general wound healing and treat bacterially induced wound damage. HTPM&AgNPs-gel appeared spherical under a transmission electron microscope and showed a grid structure under a scanning electron microscope. Additionally, HTPM&AgNPs-gel demonstrated excellent properties, including injectability, temperature-dependent swelling behavior, low loss at high temperatures, and appropriate rheological properties. Further, HTPM&AgNPs-gel was found to effectively promote healing of skin fibroblasts and inhibit the proliferation of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. An evaluation of the wound healing efficacy demonstrated that HTPM&AgNPs-gel had a more pronounced ability to facilitate wound repair and antibacterial effects than HTPM-gel or AgNPs-gel alone, and exhibited ideal biocompatibility. Notably, HTPM&AgNPs-gel also inhibited inflammatory responses in the healing process. HTPM&AgNPs-gel exhibited antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and scar repair features, which remarkably promoted wound healing. These findings indicated that HTPM&AgNPs-gel holds great clinical potential as a promising and valuable wound healing treatment.

Inhibitory effect of 4,4'-dihydroxy-α-truxillic acid derivatives on NO production in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and exploration of structure-activity relationships.

The inhibitory activity of 4,4'-dihydroxy-α-truxillic acid and its derivatives (5-1a-5-35a) on nitric oxide (NO) release was evaluated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Compounds 5-3a, 5-4a, 5-5a, 5-10a, 5-24a, 5-26a and 5-30a exhibited significant inhibitory effects on NO production, with IC50 values of 19.8, 21.1, 16.4, 17.5, 20.8, 22.6 and 17.6 µM, respectively. Their cytotoxicities were also estimated using a CCK-8 assay. Among them, compound 5-10a showed no cytotoxic effect on cells up to a concentration of 50 µM. The structure-activity relationships of the compounds are also discussed.

Magnetic Resonance Elastography-Based Technique to Assess the Biomechanics of the Skull-Brain Interface: Repeatability and Age-Sex Characteristics.

Increasing concerns have been raised about the long-term negative effects of subconcussive repeated head impact (RHI). To elucidate RHI injury mechanisms, many efforts have studied how head impacts affect the skull-brain biomechanics and have found that mechanical interactions at the skull-brain interface dampen and isolate brain motions by decoupling the brain from the skull. Despite intense interest, in vivo quantification of the functional state of the skull-brain interface remains difficult. This study developed a magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) based technique to non-invasively assess skull-brain mechanical interactions (i.e., motion transmission and isolation function) under dynamic loading. The full MRE displacement data were separated into rigid body motion and wave motion. The rigid body motion was used to calculate the brain-to-skull rotational motion transmission ratio (Rtr) to quantify skull-brain motion transmissibility, and the wave motion was used to calculate the cortical normalized octahedral shear strain (NOSS) (calculated based on a partial derivative computing neural network) to evaluate the isolation capability of the skull-brain interface. Forty-seven healthy volunteers were recruited to investigate the effects of age/sex on Rtr and cortical NOSS, and 17 of 47 volunteers received multiple scans to test the repeatability of the proposed techniques under different strain conditions. The results showed that both Rtr and NOSS were robust to MRE driver variations and had good repeatability, with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values between 0.68 and 0.97 (fair to excellent). No age or sex dependence were observed with Rtr, whereas a significant positive correlation between age and NOSS was found in the cerebrum, frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes (all p < 0.05), but not in the occipital lobe (p = 0.99). The greatest change in NOSS with age was found in the frontal lobe, one of the most frequent locations of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Except for the temporal lobe (p = 0.0087), there was no significant difference in NOSS between men and women. This work provides motivation for utilizing MRE as a non-invasive tool for quantifying the biomechanics of the skull-brain interface. It evaluated the age and sex dependence and may lead to a better understanding of the protective role and mechanisms of the skull-brain interface in RHI and TBI, as well as improve the accuracy of computational models in simulating the skull-brain interface.

Deep neural networks for magnetic resonance elastography acceleration in thermal-ablation monitoring.

PURPOSE: To develop a deep neural network for accelerating magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) acquisition, to validate the ability to generate reliable MRE results with the down-sampled k-space data, and to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method in monitoring the stiffness changes during thermal ablation in a phantom study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MRE scans were performed with 60 Hz excitation on porcine ex-vivo liver gel phantoms in a 0.36T MRI scanner to generate the training dataset. The acquisition protocol was based on a spin-echo MRE pulse sequence with tailored motion-sensitive gradients to reduce echo time (TE). A U-Net based deep neural network was developed and trained to interpolate the missing data from down-sampled k-space. We calculated the errors of 80 sets magnitude/phase images reconstructed from the zero-filled, compressive sensing (CS) and deep learning (DL) method for comparison. The peak signal-to-noise rate (PSNR) and structural similarity index (SSIM) of the magnitude/phase images were also calculated for comparison. The stiffness changes were recorded before, during, and after ablation. The mean stiffness values over the region of interest (ROI) were compared between the elastograms reconstructed from the fully sampled k-space and interpolated k-space after thermal ablation. RESULTS: The mean absolute error (MAE), PSNR, and SSIM of the proposed DL approach were significantly better than the results from the zero-filled method (p < 0.0001) and CS (p < 0.0001). The stiffness changes before and after thermal ablation assessed by the proposed approach (before: 7.7±1.1 kPa, after: 11.9±4.0 kPa, 4.2-kPa increase) gave close agreement with the values calculated from the fully sampled data (before: 8.0±1.0 kPa, after: 12.6±4.2 kPa, 4.6-kPa increase). In contrast, the stiffness changes computed from the zero-filled method (before: 4.9±1.4 kPa, after: 5.6±2.8 kPa, 0.7-kPa increase) were substantially underestimated. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the capability of the proposed DL method for rapid MRE acquisition and provided a promising solution for monitoring the MRI-guided thermal ablation.

[Involvement of stress-induced hippocampal synaptic potentiation in the novelty acquisition].

To study the influence of behavioral stress on hippocampal spatial learning and memory, we used the freely moving rats that had undergone chronic implantation of a recording electrode in the hippocampus CA1 region and a bipolar stimulating electrode in the ipsilateral Schaffer collateral-commissural pathway. The field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSPs) were recorded in the absence of exogenous induction of high-frequency stimulation (HFS) or low-frequency stimulation (LFS) and reflected the effect of stress on the hippocampal spatial learning. And we also investigated the change of hippocampal synaptic plasticity when rats were re-exposed to the same environment at 24 h after novelty acquisition. We found that exploration of a novel environment induced the hippocampal synaptic depression in the rats with stress-adaption, whereas exposure to the novel environment induced the hippocampal synaptic potentiation in the behavioral stress rats. Furthermore, re-exposure to the same environment no longer elicited the hippocampal synaptic potentiation or depression at 24 h after the first novel acquisition in the behavioral stress rats. These results demonstrate that behavioral stress induces the hippocampal synaptic potentiation under novelty acquisition and further damages the hippocampal spatial learning and memory. However, the stress can be adapted by re-exposure to the novelty and thus does not further damage the hippocampal spatial learning and memory.

[A cross-sectional study on the current status of female infertility in three counties of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the distribution and factors associated with female infertility in 3 areas in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region so as to provide rationales for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility. METHODS: A total of 1895 women of reproductive age were enrolled with a cluster random stratified sampling method. A questionnaire survey and pelvic examinations were conducted. The collected data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The prevalence of infertility in these three areas ranged from 7.5% (76/1014) to 26.2% (144/550) with an average of 15.2% (279/1835). The prevalence of infertility was the highest in Shan shan and it was related with its unique geographical environment and life style. The lower levels of education and income, the higher prevalence of infertility. The occurrence of infertility was also correlated with their residence, premarital sex, body mass index and some concurrent diseases. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to carry out further studies on healthful life styles and those factors associated with the morbidity of infertility. The prevalence of infertility may be reduced and local reproductive health improved by avoiding or reducing the adolescent premarital sex and unmarried abortion.

[Netrin-1 protein expression in gastric cancer and its correlation with clinicopathologic features and prognosis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between netrin-1 protein, clinicopathologic features and prognosis in gastric cancer patients. METHODS: Tissue micro-array and immunohistochemistry were used to detect expression of netrin-1 protein and Ki67. And clinicopathological relevance of netrin-1 protein and Ki67 in gastric cancer were analyzed. Survival rates was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the possibility of netrin-1 expression as an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer. RESULTS: The positive-expression rate of netrin-1 protein, paracancerous netrin-1 protein and Ki67 in tumor tissue from 67 patients with gastric cancer were 49%, 42% and 60%, respectively. netrin-1 protein expression might be related to depth of invasion, lymth node metastasis and distant metastasis (P<0.05). But no correlation was observed in sex, tumor diameter and tumor grade (P>0.05). There was correlation between different degrees of netrin-1 expression and distant metastases (P<0.05). No correlation was found in the expression of Ki67 and clinicopathological features. The correlation between the expression of netrin-1 and Ki67 was observed (r=0.359, P<0.05). Using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the log-rank test, the correlation of netrin-1 expression, different degrees of netrin-1 expression and survival (P<0.05) were also observed. But netrin-1 expression was not significantly correlated with the prognosis of gastric cancer (RR = 1.335, 95% CI: 0.612-2.914). CONCLUSION: netrin-1 protein may be related with tumorigenesis and tumor progression by affecting proliferation. The detection for netrin-1 may be helpful to evaluate the clinicopathological parameters and survival time. However, it is not an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer.

Iron-Catalyzed α,ß-Dehydrogenation of Carbonyl Compounds.

An iron-catalyzed α,ß-dehydrogenation of carbonyl compounds was developed. A broad spectrum of carbonyls or analogues, such as aldehyde, ketone, lactone, lactam, amine, and alcohol, could be converted to their α,ß-unsaturated counterparts in a simple one-step reaction with high yields.

High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy and noninvasive ventilation for preventing extubation failure during weaning from mechanical ventilation assessed by lung ultrasound score: A single-center randomized study.

BACKGROUND: We sought to demonstrate the superiority of a targeted therapy strategy involving high-flow nasal cannula oxygen (HFNCO2) therapy and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) using lung ultrasound score (LUS) in comparison with standard care among patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who undergo successful weaning to decrease the incidence of extubation failure at both 48 hours and seven days. METHODS: During the study period, 98 patients were enrolled in the study, including 49 in the control group and 49 in the treatment group. Patients in the control group and patients with an LUS score <14 points (at low risk of extubation failure) in the treatment group were extubated and received standard preventive care without NIV or HFNCO2. Patients with an LUS score ≥14 points (at high risk of extubation failure) in the treatment group were extubated with a second review of the therapeutic optimization to identify and address any persisting risk factors for postextubation respiratory distress; patients received HFNCO2 therapy combined with sessions of preventive NIV (4-8 hours per day for 4-8 sessions total) for the first 48 hours after extubation. RESULTS: In the control group, 13 patients had the LUS scores ≥14 points, while 36 patients had scores <14 points. In the treatment group, 16 patients had the LUS scores ≥14 points, while 33 patients had scores <14 points. Among patients with the LUS score ≥14 points, the extubation failure rate within 48 hours was 30.8% in the control group and 12.5% in the treatment group, constituting a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). Conversely, among patients with an LUS score <14 points, 13.9% in the control group and 9.1% in the treatment group experienced extubation failure (P=0.61). The length of ICU stay (9.4±3.1 days vs. 7.2±2.4 days) was significantly different and the re-intubation rate (at 48 hours: 18.4% vs. 10.2%; seven days: 22.4% vs. 12.2%) significantly varied between the two groups (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the 28-day mortality rate (6.1% vs. 8.2%) between the control and treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among high-risk adults being weaned from mechanical ventilation and assessed by LUS, the NIV+HFNCO2 protocol does not lessen the mortality rate but reduce the length of ICU stay, the rate of extubation failure at both 48 hours and seven days.

Ultrathin Amorphous/Crystalline Heterophase Rh and Rh Alloy Nanosheets as Tandem Catalysts for Direct Indole Synthesis.

Heterogeneous noble-metal-based catalysis plays an essential role in the production of fine chemicals. Rh-based catalysts are one of the most active candidates for indole synthesis. However, it is still highly desired to develop heterogeneous Rh-based catalysts with high activity and selectivity. In this work, a general, facile wet-chemical method is reported to synthesize ultrathin amorphous/crystalline heterophase Rh and Rh-based bimetallic alloy nanosheets (NSs), including RhCu, RhZn, and RhRu. Impressively, the amorphous/crystalline heterophase Rh NSs exhibit enhanced catalytic activity toward the direct synthesis of indole compared to the crystalline counterpart. Importantly, the obtained amorphous/crystalline heterophase RhCu alloy NSs can further enhance the selectivity to indole of >99.9% and the conversion is 100%. This work demonstrates the importance of phase engineering and metal alloying in the rational design and synthesis of tandem heterogeneous catalysts toward fine chemical synthesis.

Enhanced complex local frequency elastography method for tumor viscoelastic shear modulus reconstruction.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Mayo Clinic provides a magnetic resonance (MR) elastography software named MRE Wave, which uses the conventional local frequency elastography (LFE) method. However, MRE Wave is unable to supply complex viscoelasticity maps for elastography. We sought to improve the local frequency estimation algorithm used in LFE, which we refer to as the Enhanced Complex Local Frequency Elastography (EC-LFE) algorithm. METHODS: The proposed algorithm uses wave equations under the hypotheses of being linear, isotropic, and locally homogeneous. Two 2D simulation models were used to investigate the accuracy and sensitivity of the EC-LFE algorithm for detecting small tumors. The corresponding statistical parameters were the relative root mean square (RMS) error and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). EC-LFE was investigated with two different parameter sets, one with an optimally chosen parameter ξ (EC-LFE Adj, for short) and the other with ξ = 0 (EC-LFE0). We compared the MRE Wave and the EC-LFE using series signal-to-noise (SNR) wave data. RESULTS: The elasticity RMS error of the MRE Wave software was about 1%, and that of the EC-LFE0 and EC-LFE Adj were about 0.2%. The elasticity standard deviation of the MRE Wave software was about 3% of the mean value, and those of the EC-LFE0 and EC-LFE Adj were about 1% of the mean value. The elasticity CNR value of EC-LFE0 reached 1.93 times that of the MRE Wave in the region of small tumors (less than 10-point sampling). The viscosity RMS errors of the EC-LFE0 could be less than 5%. CONCLUSION: Compared to conventional methods, the EC-LFE was more accurate and sensitive for small tumor detection and exhibited higher noise immunity. The improved algorithm output more parameters and outperformed than the MRE Wave, thereby rendering them more suitable for clinical applications.