Non-uniform line-of-sight measurements of nitric oxide using mid-infrared Faraday rotation spectroscopy.

Traditional absorption spectroscopy relies on detecting intensity variations along the line-of-sight to gauge average concentration and temperature. While methods like profile fitting and temperature binning offer insights into the non-uniformity of the path, they fall short of accurately capturing the precise spatial distribution with a single line-of-sight measurement. We propose a novel measurement scheme for non-uniformly distributed concentration of nitric oxide (NO) along the line-of-sight utilizing a single laser and path, by incorporating Faraday rotation spectroscopy with magnetic fields changing over time and space. We validate the proposed scheme by measuring a path of two regions in series with different NO concentrations, and comparing the measurement results with direct absorption spectroscopy of each respective region. In this work, the tuning range of the interband cascade laser used is from 1899.42 to 1900.97 cm-1, encompassing two sets of spectral lines corresponding to the 2Π1/2 and 2Π3/2 transitions of NO's R(6.5). The average relative uncertainty in the concentration measurement for each region is estimated to be within 1.5%, with the concentration for individual absorption cells ranging from 0.2% to 0.8%.

Geometric and Electronic Structure Modulation to Optimize the Charge Transfer of TiO2 for Ultrasensitive and Stable SERS Sensing.

Exploring the relationship between semiconductor structure and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity was essential for the development of ultrasensitive SERS substrates. Herein, we report an ytterbium atomic doping strategy to render TiO2 (Yb-TiO2) highly SERS sensitive superior to pure TiO2, with a detection limit as low as 1 × 10-9 M for 4-mercaptobenzoic acid. First-principles density functional theory calculations reveal that ytterbium doping leads to high electrostatic properties, allowing for significant charge transfer from molecules to semiconductors. Theoretical and experimental results indicate that Yb-TiO2 has a smaller band gap and higher density of states, which effectively enhance charge transfer between molecules and substrates, resulting in significant SERS activity. More importantly, Yb-TiO2 was particularly stable in air and acid solution and can be used for trace molecule detection in extreme environments. We demonstrate a promising approach to construct ultrasensitive SERS by optimizing the electronic structure induced by geometric structures.

Leveraging an all-fixed transfer framework to predict the interpretable formation energy of MXenes with hybrid terminals.

MXenes have attracted substantial attention for their various applications in energy storage, sensors, and catalysts. Experimental exploration of MXenes with hybrid terminal surfaces offers a unique means of property tailoring that is crucial for expanding the performance space of MXenes, wherein the formation energy of an MXene with mixed surface terminals plays a key role in determining its relative stability and practical applications. However, the challenge of identifying energetically stable MXenes with multifunctional surfaces persists, primarily due to the absence of precise surface modification during experiments and the vast structural space for DFT calculations. Herein, we use an all-fixed transfer (AFT) framework combined with first-principles calculations to predict the formation energies of MXenes terminated by binary elements from groups VIA and VIIA. The trained model exhibits a high average R2 of 0.99, maintaining transferability and accuracy in predicting larger supercells from smaller-sized MXenes and datasets despite the structural imbalance between the training and prediction sets. The underlying interpretation of the high accuracy is revealed through the capture of main attributes and comparison of node features. Additionally, it is important to mention that the factors influencing the average formation energy include the types of element pairs, the ratio of terminal groups, and the distribution of terminations on two surfaces, with the first one being dominant. Finally, we successfully streamline the diverse structural cardinality of a large hybrid terminated MXene space of over 700 million, thereby facilitating the rapid screening of the top 5 stable MXene classes with binary terminal elements (FO, FCl, FBr, FS, and FSe). Besides, in the scenarios of lithium storage, the TL-predicted MXene can enhance its relative stability by increasing the fluorine ratio where the capacity can be optimized by different surface group combinations. All results indicate that the AFT framework has the advantages of screening functional MXenes with a huge structure space from smaller and imbalanced data sets.

Middle cranial fossa non-cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas: 20 years of experience.

Non-cavernous sinus (CS) dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) involving the sphenoid bone are rare entities that are easily confused with one another due to the complex structure and high variability of the venous system around the middle cranial fossa. We present a large retrospective study on middle cranial fossa non-CS DAVFs and review the literature on DAVF treatment in this location as well as relative anatomy. 15 patients had DAVFs involving the lesser sphenoid wing and 11 patients had DAVFs involving the greater sphenoid wing. Six patients presented with intracranial hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage (23.1%, 6/26). The most common symptoms were eye symptoms (38.5%, 10/26). Nineteen patients were treated with trans-arterial embolization (TAE) using liquid embolic agents and two patients were treated with transvenous embolization (TVE) using Onyx or in combination with coils. Surgical disconnection of the drainage veins was performed in five patients, with three cases experiencing unsuccessful TAE. Anatomic cure was achieved in 92.3% of the patients (24/26). Twelve patients had DSA and clinical follow-up from 3 to 27 months. There was one recurrence (8.3%) of the fistula in the patient two months after the initial complete occlusion. The majority of patients can be cured endovascularly. Laterocavernous sinus DAVFs may not be embolized by transvenous approach via the cavernous sinus because there is often no connection between them in most patients. A small percentage of patients may require surgical ligation to be cured.

Dural arteriovenous fistulas in the falx cerebri: case series and literature review.

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) within the falx cerebri are infrequently documented and may be linked with the falcine sinus/venous plexus. The falcine sinus/venous plexus, often regarded as a normal venous structure, can exhibit pathological characteristics, differing from the persistent fetal falcine sinus. A retrospective analysis was conducted at a single center to identify all cases of DAVFs within the falx cerebri spanning from 2002 to 2022. Demographic data, fistula features, treatment modalities, clinical outcomes, and fistula closure were collected and analyzed. Additionally, relevant literature on DAVFs in this location was reviewed. Ten cases were identified at our center, supplemented by 13 cases reported in the literature. In our cohort, patients had an average age of 49.4 ± 8.1 years, with a male predominance of 90%. Trans-arterial embolization (TAE) alone achieved immediate complete occlusion in eight cases, while conservative treatment was pursued in two cases. No treatment-related complications or fistula recurrences were observed. In the literature, seven patients underwent direct surgery, three underwent TAE, and one underwent both direct surgery and radiosurgery for complete fistula closure. No instances of fistula recurrence or treatment complications were reported. Dural arteriovenous fistulas within the falx cerebri are rare, with limited literature available. They typically present as aggressive lesions. Treatment options include direct surgery or TAE. However, due to a lack of long-term DSA follow-up, the cure and recurrence rates are unknown for endovasdcular therapy. Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the involvement of the falcine sinus/venous plexus in falx cerebri DAVFs.

Isolated sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas: a single-center experience in 44 patients.

BACKGROUND: Isolated sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) constitute a rare and distinctive subtype of DAVF, typically found in small case numbers or case reports. The optimal treatment for this DAVF type remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to further detail the treatment outcomes of isolated sinus DAVFs in a sizable cohort from a single center. METHODS: A retrospective study was undertaken on a consecutive series of patients with isolated sinus DAVFs treated at a single institution from 2002 to 2022. The article delineates the clinical presentation, angiographic features, treatment strategy, clinical and angiographic outcomes, and complications. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 31 males and 13 females, with an average age of 52.0 ± 15.5 years (range, 16-83). The success rate for trans-arterial embolization (TAE) was 97.3% (36/37). Transvenous embolization (TVE) with the reopening technique was successful in 3 of 4 patients (75.0%). Two open burr-hole TVE cases (66.7%, 2/3) and one surgery (100%) resulted in immediate complete closure of the fistula. Immediate complete occlusion was achieved in 93.2% (41/44) of cases. There was one major complication (2.3%, 1/44) and two fistulas recurred (9.5%, 2/21). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of isolated sinus DAVFs can be effectively treated with TAE using Onyx. TVE and surgery serve as alternative techniques when arterial access is deemed inappropriate or when complete occlusion cannot be attained with TAE. Complete embolization of isolated sinus DAVFs by TAE can typically be achieved without delay.

Regulating Ion-Dipole Interactions in Weakly Solvating Electrolyte towards Ultra-Low Temperature Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are recognized as promising energy storage devices. However, they suffer from rapid capacity decay at ultra-low temperatures due to high Na+ desolvation energy barrier and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Herein, a weakly solvating electrolyte (WSE) with decreased ion-dipole interactions is designed for stable sodium storage in hard carbon (HC) anode at ultra-low temperatures. 2-methyltetrahydrofuran with low solvating power is incorporated into tetrahydrofuran to regulate the interactions between Na+ and solvents. The reduced Na+-dipole interactions facilitate more anionic coordination in the first solvation sheath, which consistently maintains anion-enhanced solvation structures from room to low temperatures to promote inorganic-rich SEI formation. These enable WSE with a low freezing point of -83.3 °C and faster Na+ desolvation kinetics. The HC anode thus affords reversible capacities of 243.2 and 205.4 mAh g-1 at 50 mA g-1 at -40 and -60 °C, respectively, and the full cell of HC||Na3V2(PO4)3 yields an extended lifespan over 250 cycles with high capacity retention of ~100 % at -40 °C. This work sheds new lights on the ion-dipole regulation for ultra-low temperature SIBs.

Transaldolase inhibits CD36 expression by modulating glutathione-p38 signaling, exerting protective effects against macrophage foam cell formation.

In atherosclerosis, macrophage-derived foam cell formation is considered to be a hallmark of the pathological process; this occurs via the uptake of modified lipoproteins. In the present study, we aim to determine the role of transaldolase in foam cell formation and atherogenesis and reveal the mechanisms underlying its role. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) isolated from mice successfully form foam cells after treatment with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (80 µg/mL). Elevated transaldolase levels in the foam cell model are assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. Transaldolase overexpression and knockdown in BMDMs are achieved via plasmid transfection and small interfering RNA technology, respectively. We find that transaldolase overexpression effectively attenuates, whereas transaldolase knockdown accelerates, macrophage-derived foam cell formation through the inhibition or activation of cholesterol uptake mediated by the scavenger receptor cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) in a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling-dependent manner. Transaldolase-mediated glutathione (GSH) homeostasis is identified as the upstream regulator of p38 MAPK-mediated CD36-dependent cholesterol uptake in BMDMs. Transaldolase upregulates GSH production, thereby suppressing p38 activity and reducing the CD36 level, ultimately preventing foam cell formation and atherosclerosis. Thus, our findings indicate that the transaldolase-GSH-p38-CD36 axis may represent a promising therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.

Potential biomarkers of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula: C4BPA and C1QA.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A major challenge in spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (SDAVF) is timely diagnosis, but no specific predictive biomarkers are known. METHODS: In the discovery cohort (case, n = 8 vs. control, n = 8), we used cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and paired plasma samples to identify differentially expressed proteins by label-free quantitative proteomics. Further bioinformatics enrichment analyses were performed to screen target proteins. Finally, it was validated by ELISA in two of the new cohorts (case, n = 17 vs. control, n = 9), and univariate analysis, simple linear regression, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to evaluate the diagnostic potential. RESULTS: In the discovery cohort, the most overexpressed proteins were APOB and C4BPA in CSF samples of patients. The GO/KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the upregulated proteins were mainly involved in the acute inflammatory response and complement activation. Hub-gene analysis revealed that APP might be the key protein in the molecular interaction network. In the validation cohort, C4BPA and C1QA were significantly overexpressed in the CSF of patients, averaging 3046.9 ng/ml and 2167.2 ng/ml, respectively. Simple linear regression demonstrated that levels of C1QA and C4 were positively correlated with total protein in CSF (R2 = 0.8021, p = 0.0005; R2 = 0.7447, p = 0.0013). The areas under the ROC curves of C4BPA and C1QA were 0.86 and 1.00, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first to identify C4BPA and C1QA as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of SDAVF and revealed that complement pathway activation might be one of the molecular mechanisms for venous hypertension myelopathy.

RSM1, an Arabidopsis MYB protein, interacts with HY5/HYH to modulate seed germination and seedling development in response to abscisic acid and salinity.

MYB transcription factors are involved in many biological processes, including metabolism, development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. RADIALIS-LIKE SANT/MYB 1 (RSM1) belongs to a MYB-related subfamily, and previous transcriptome analysis suggests that RSM1 may play roles in plant development, stress responses and plant hormone signaling. However, the molecular mechanisms of RSM1 action in response to abiotic stresses remain obscure. We show that down-regulation or up-regulation of RSM1 expression alters the sensitivity of seed germination and cotyledon greening to abscisic acid (ABA), NaCl and mannitol in Arabidopsis. The expression of RSM1 is dynamically regulated by ABA and NaCl. Transcription factors ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) and HY5 HOMOLOG (HYH) regulate RSM1 expression via binding to the RSM1 promoter. Genetic analyses reveal that RSM1 mediates multiple functions of HY5 in responses of seed germination, post-germination development to ABA and abiotic stresses, and seedling tolerance to salinity. Pull-down and BiFC assays show that RSM1 interacts with HY5/HYH in vitro and in vivo. RSM1 and HY5/HYH may function as a regulatory module in responses to ABA and abiotic stresses. RSM1 binds to the promoter of ABA INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5), thereby regulating its expression, while RSM1 interaction also stimulates HY5 binding to the ABI5 promoter. However, no evidence was found in the dual-luciferase transient expression assay to support that RSM enhances the activation of ABI5 expression by HY. In summary, HY5/HYH and RSM1 may converge on the ABI5 promoter and independently or somehow dependently regulate ABI5 expression and ABI5-downstream ABA and abiotic stress-responsive genes, thereby improving the adaption of plants to the environment.

Differential Privacy Preserving in Big Data Analytics for Connected Health.

In Body Area Networks (BANs), big data collected by wearable sensors usually contain sensitive information, which is compulsory to be appropriately protected. Previous methods neglected privacy protection issue, leading to privacy exposure. In this paper, a differential privacy protection scheme for big data in body sensor network is developed. Compared with previous methods, this scheme will provide privacy protection with higher availability and reliability. We introduce the concept of dynamic noise thresholds, which makes our scheme more suitable to process big data. Experimental results demonstrate that, even when the attacker has full background knowledge, the proposed scheme can still provide enough interference to big sensitive data so as to preserve the privacy.

An isolated Sinus Intracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistula with Unusual Drainage Pattern.

Isolated sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) involve a dural sinus with occlusion on both sides of the diseased sinus segment. Because of venous drainage refluxing from the isolated sinus into the cortical veins, all isolated sinus DAVFs are Borden type III or Cognard type Ⅲ/Ⅳ. Venous drainage typically involves temporo-occipital cortical veins or the superior petrosal sinus and tributaries of the petrosal vein. However, drainage veins involving the perimedullary venous system are extremely rare. Here, we present a case of Cognard type V isolated sinus DAVF successfully treated with balloon catheter and Onyx.

Temperature and Thermal Diffusivity Diagnostics in Laminar Methane Flames Using Infrared Four-Wave Mixing Techniques.

Four-wave mixing techniques, such as coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS), laser-induced grating spectroscopy (LIGS), and degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM), have been widely used in combustion diagnostics due to their advantages of high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), coherent signal, and spatial resolution. In this work, a nano-second pulsed laser is utilized to generate mid-infrared (near 3 µm) pump beams, exciting the rovibrational transitions of nascent water in flames. Combined LIGS and DFWM measurements are demonstrated in premixed laminar CH4/O2/N2 flames with equivalence ratios from 0.6 to 1.5, to achieve precise thermometry in a wide range of flame conditions. The flame temperatures were also measured by thermocouple as a reference, and the results from LIGS and DFWM align well with the trends shown in the thermocouple measurements. In fuel-lean flames, where the mass-to-specific-heat ratio variation is minimal, LIGS provides temperature data with a precision better than 16 K (0.8%). In fuel-rich flames, where the increased H2 concentration in the flame introduces uncertainty in gas constants thus affecting the accuracy of LIGS thermometry, DFWM is instead employed for temperature measurement since it is less sensitive to the gas composition within the measured volume. The high-precision LIGS temperatures in lean flames serve as temperature reference during the DFWM calibration of the degree of saturation, and a precision better than 90 K (4.5%) is achieved for DFWM thermometry. In addition to temperature, a theoretical model is employed to fit LIGS signal time waveforms, extracting the local speed of sound and thermal diffusivity with precisions better than 0.5% and 1.3%, respectively. These high-precision measurements contribute additional data for flame research and simulation calculations. This way, the combined use of DFWM and LIGS proves the potential for accurate thermometry and diagnostics of other thermodynamic parameters across a wide range of flame conditions.

Paediatric intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas: clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Compared with dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) in adult, paediatric DAVFs are notable for distinct clinical manifestations, low cure rate and poor prognosis. However, due to the limitations of small sample sizes, the long-term prognosis and follow-up data have not been described. METHODS: Clinical data from 43 consecutive paediatric DAVFs were documented and analysed between 2002 and 2022 at the author's institution. They were divided into infantile (Lasjaunias classification) and non-infantile (adult type and dural sinus malformation (DSM)) type DAVFs based on prognosis differences. RESULTS: Their mean age at first symptoms was 8.4±6.0 years. 29 boys and 14 girls presented between at birth and 18 years of age. 5 of 10 patients ≤1 year of age presented with asymptomatic cardiomegaly compared with 5/33 patients >1 year of age (p=0.022). 42 (88.4%) patients received endovascular treatment alone, while 9.3% underwent radiosurgery, burr hole embolisation or surgery. 28 (65.1%) patients experienced DAVF obliteration by the end of treatment. Among them, 26 cases underwent embolisation alone, one case had embolisation in conjunction with surgery, and one case underwent burr hole embolisation. The overall complication rate among patients was 9.3%, all resulting from endovascular treatment. According to the Lasjaunias Classification, there were 18 cases of adult type, 17 cases of infantile type and 8 cases of DSM. Compared with non-infantile-type DAVFs, infantile-type DAVFs showed more times of treatment, lower cure rate and worse prognosis (p<0.001, 0.003 and 0.021, respectively). The average follow-up duration was 41.4±36.2 months (3-228 months). 8 (22.9%) patients died. CONCLUSIONS: Most adult-type DAVFs and DSMs can now be effectively treated with embolisation, resulting in good outcomes and prognosis. However, there are still challenges in treating infantile-type DAVFs, and the prognosis is frequently poor.

Monoterpenoid indole alkaloids from Melodinus axillaris W.T.Wang exhibit anti-inflammatory activities by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathways.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Melodinus axillaris W.T.Wang has been widely used as an important medicine in China. In the folk of China, its whole plant has been used for fractures, rheumatic heart disease, testitis, hernia, abdominal pain, and dyspepsia, etc. Despite its extensive use, there is a shortage of literature investigating the specific bioactive compounds and underlying mechanisms responsible for their anti-inflammatory effects. This knowledge gap serves as the primary impetus for conducting this study, which aims to shed light on the previously unexplored therapeutic potential of M. axillaris. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to investigate the material basis and potential mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity of M. axillaris. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Compounds were isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of M. axillaris using a systematic phytochemical method. The structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, ECD calculation, and DP4+ analysis. The anti-inflammatory activities of ethanol extract and compounds from M. axillaris were tested by an inflammation model of LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells in vitro. Western blot analysis was employed to evaluate the expressions of COX-2, iNOS, and NF-κB signaling pathways, aiming to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: Eleven undescribed monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), axillines A-K (1-11), along with thirteen known analogs were isolated from M. axillaris. Compound 1 was the first representative of vincadine alkaloid with unprecedented 6/5/9/6/6 skeletons. Compounds 1-11 and ethanol extract showed significant anti-inflammatory effects in vitro. Among them, compound 2 had the best activity of inhibiting NO release (IC50 = 3.7 ± 0.9 µM). Additionally, subsequent Western blot analysis revealed that 2 could significantly inhibit the up-regulation of NF-κB signaling pathways, iNOS, and COX-2 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, thereby demonstrating its anti-inflammatory activity. CONCLUSION: This study provides support for the traditional use of M. axillaris in terms of its anti-inflammatory properties and highlights the potential of MIAs as promising candidates for further development as anti-inflammatory drugs.

Challenges and Modification Strategies on High-voltage Layered Oxide Cathode for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted great attention due to their advantages on resource abundance, cost and safety. Layered oxide cathodes (LOCs) of SIBs possess high theoretical capacity, facile synthesis and low cost, and are promising candidates for large scale energy storage application. Increasing operating voltage is an effective strategy to achieve higher specific capacity and also high energy density of SIBs. However, at high operating voltages, LOCs will undergo a series of phase transitions in bulk phase, leading to huge change of volume and layer spacings accompanied by severe lattice stress and cracking formation. Degeneration of surface also occurs between LOCs and electrolytes, resulting in sustained growth of cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) and release of O2 and CO2. These induce structural destruction and electrochemical performance degradation in high voltage regions. Recently, many strategies have been proposed to improve electrochemical performance of LOCs under high voltages, including bulk element doping, structural design, surface coating and gradient doping. This review describes pivotal challenges and occurrence mechanisms at high voltages, and summarizes strategies to improve stability of bulk and surface. Viewpoints will be provided to promote development of high energy density SIBs.

A vertical-flow constructed wetland-microalgal membrane photobioreactor integrated system for treating high-pollution-load marine aquaculture wastewater: A lab-scale study.

Individual biological water treatment techniques often prove ineffective in removing accumulated high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in the late stages of biofloc aquaculture. To address this issue, we integrated a previously developed autotrophic denitrification and nitrification integrated constructed wetland (ADNI-CW) with a microalgal membrane photobioreactor (MPBR). Under high nitrogen and phosphorus pollution loads in the influent, the standalone ADNI-CW system achieved removal rates of only 24.17 % ± 2.82 % for total nitrogen (TN) and 25.30 % ± 2.59 % for total phosphorus (TP). The optimal conditions for TN and TP degradation and microalgal biomass production in the Chlorella MPBR, determined using response surface methodology, were an inoculum OD680 of 0.394, light intensity of 161.583 µmol/m2/s, and photoperiod of 16.302 h light:7.698 h dark. Under the optimal operating conditions, the integrated ADNI-CW-MPBR system achieved remarkable TN and TP removal rates of 92.63 % ± 2.8 % and 77.46 % ± 8.41 %, respectively, and a substantial microalgal biomass yield of 54.58 ± 6.8 mg/L/day. This accomplishment signifies the successful achievement of efficient nitrogen and phosphorus removal from high-pollution-load marine aquaculture wastewater along with the acquisition of valuable microalgal biomass. A preliminary investigation of the microbial community composition and algal-bacterial interactions in different operational stages of the MPBR system revealed that unclassified_d__Bacteria, Chlorophyta, and Planctomycetes were predominant phyla. The collaborative relationships between bacteria and Chlorella surpassed competition, ensuring highly efficient nitrogen and phosphorus removal in the MPBR system. This study laid the foundation for the green and sustainable development of the aquaculture industry.

Intraorbital Arteriovenous Fistulas: Case Series and Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intraorbital arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are an extremely rare subtype of intracranial fistula with ophthalmic symptoms similar to cavernous sinus dural AVFs or carotid cavernous fistulas but worse visual outcomes. Here, we present a case series and thorough systematic review on intraorbital AVFs to demonstrate treatment modalities and address this rare type of AVF. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study at a single center, in which we identified all cases of intraorbital AVFs that occurred between 2002 and 2022. We collected and analyzed data on demographics, fistula characteristics, treatment methods, clinical outcomes, and fistula closure. In addition, we conducted a systematic review of intraorbital AVFs. RESULTS: Seven cases in our center and 41 cases of intraorbital AVFs reported in the 35 articles were identified. At our center, transarterial embolization (TAE) (42.9%) alone resulted in immediate complete occlusion in 3 cases. Transvenous embolization (14.3%) resulted in one case of immediate complete occlusion. In 2 cases, surgery (28.6%) resulted in immediate complete occlusion. In one case, conservative treatment (14.3%) was used, and the fistula was eventually spontaneously occluded. Immediate complete occlusion rate was 85.7%. One blindness occurred (14.3%). In the literature reported, 3 cases (60%) of retinal artery occlusion were reported when performing TAE via the ophthalmic artery. Two fistulas recurred as reported. In 33 (80.5%) patients, the fistula was finally completely occluded. CONCLUSION: TAE via the ophthalmic artery carries a high risk of blindness and a low cure rate. Transvenous techniques such as conventional transvenous routes, surgical exposure, or direct puncture of the drainage vein have been used as the first line of treatment for intraorbital AVFs.

Quantitative modeling of perovskite-based direct X-ray flat panel detectors.

Direct X-ray detectors based on semiconductors have drawn great attention from researchers in the pursuing of higher imaging quality. However, many previous works focused on the optimization of detection performances but seldomly watch them in an overall view and analyze how they will influence the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) value. Here, we propose a numerical model which shows the quantitative relationship between DQE and the properties of X-ray detectors and electric circuits. Our results point out that pursuing high sensitivity only is meaningless. To reduce the medical X-ray dose by 80%, the requirement for X-ray sensitivity is only at a magnitude of 103 µCGy-1⋅cm-2. To achieve the DQE = 0.7 at X-ray sensitivity air from 1248 to 8171 µCGy-1air⋅cm-2, the requirements on dark current density ranges from 10 to 100 nA⋅cm-2 and the fluctuation of current density should fall in 0.21 to 1.37 nA⋅cm-2.