Causal relationship between circulating cytokines and follicular lymphoma: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Follicular lymphoma (FL), derived from germinal centre (GC) B cells, is a kind of systemic neoplasm. Even though FL is indolent, it remains an incurable haematology Neoplasm. Accumulating evidence has suggested that the circulating cytokine is associated with the development of FL, yet the causal relationship between FL and circulating cytokines remains undetermined. Therefore, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to confirm the causal link between FL and levels of circulating cytokines with the use of summary data on circulating cytokines and FL. All these data from genome-wide association study were derived from the Genome-wide pQTL mapping which contains 14,824 individuals. FL data were acquired exclusively from FinnGen, where 218,792 individuals (522 cases vs. 218,270 controls) were involved. Various statistical methods, including the inverse variance weighted method (IVW), weighted median (WME), simple model, weighted model (WM) and MR-Egger, were used to evaluate the potential causal connection between circulating cytokines and FL. Sensitivity analysis, which involves the examination of the heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and leave-one-out method, was also performed to ensure more trustworthy results. A bidirectional MR test was performed to evaluate the direction of causal association between circulating cytokines and FL. Combining all the steps of MR analysis, we revealed four causal cytokines: C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CXCL5), interleukin-15 receptor A (IL15RA), interleukin-20 (IL20), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). The risk of FL may be inversely linked to CXCL5 (OR=0.73, CI: 0.545-0.979, P=0.036), IL-15RA (OR=0.669, CI: 0.451-0.993, P=0.046), and IL-20 (OR=0.565, CI: 0.325-0.981, P=0.043) but positively linked to NT-3 (OR=1.872, CI: 1.063-3.297, P=0.03). In addition, in our study, no causal effect of FL on cytokines was demonstrated and no significant heterogeneity and pleiotropy were found. Our research revealed the causal relationship between cytokines and FL, along with both the anti-protective effect of CXCL5, IL-15RA, and IL-20 and the protective effect of neurotrophin-3 on FL. These findings aim to provide new clues regarding the pathogenesis of FL and to extend the potential of circulating cytokines to therapeutic interventions.

Research in revealing the effects on Cuscuta chinensis to diarrhea type irritable bowel syndrome based on network pharmacology and molecular docking potential mechanism.

To explore the potential mechanism in Cuscuta sinensis on diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome using network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques. First, the active components and related targets of Cuscuta were found setting oral utilization >30% and drug-like properties greater than or equal to 0.18 as filter information from TCMSP database. The targets of diarrheal irritable bowel syndrome were compiled by searching DrugBank, GeneCards, OMIM, PharmGkb, and TTD databases. The intersections of drugs and targets related to the disease were taken for gene ontology enrichment and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analyses, to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms and pathway information of Cuscuta sinensis for the treatment of diarrheal irritable bowel syndrome. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed by using the STRING database and visualized with Cytoscape_v3.10.0 software to find the protein-protein interaction network core At last, molecular docking was performed to validate the combination of active compounds with the core target. The target information of Cuscuta and diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome was compiled, which can be resulted in 11 active compounds such as quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, ß-sitosterol, and another 17 core targets such as TP53, IL6, AKT1, IL1B, TNF, EGFR, etc, whose Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes was enriched in the pathways of lipids and atherosclerosis, chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, etc. Docking demonstrated that the core targets and the active compounds were able to be better combined. Cuscuta chinensis may exert preventive effects on diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome by reducing intestinal inflammation, protecting intestinal mucosa, and playing an important role in antioxidant response through multi-targets and multi-pathways.

Impact of hydrogen sulfide on anammox and nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation coupled technologies.

The coupling between anammox and nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) has been considered a sustainable technology for nitrogen removal from sidestream wastewater and can be implemented in both membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) and granular bioreactor. However, the potential influence of the accompanying hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the anaerobic digestion (AD)-related methane-containing mixture on anammox/n-DAMO remains unknown. To fill this gap, this work first constructed a model incorporating the C/N/S-related bioprocesses and evaluated/calibrated/validated the model using experimental data. The model was then used to explore the impact of H2S on the MBfR and granular bioreactor designed to perform anammox/n-DAMO at practical levels (i.e., 0∼5% (v/v) and 0∼40 g/S m3, respectively). The simulation results indicated that H2S in inflow gas did not significantly affect the total nitrogen (TN) removal of the MBfR under all operational conditions studied in this work, thus lifting the concern about applying AD-produced biogas to power up anammox/n-DAMO in the MBfR. However, the presence of H2S in the influent would either compromise the treatment performance of the granular bioreactor at a relatively high influent NH4+-N/NO2--N ratio (e.g., >1.0) or lead to increased energy demand associated with TN removal at a relatively low influent NH4+-N/NO2--N ratio (e.g., <0.7). Such a negative effect of the influent H2S could not be attenuated by regulating the hydraulic residence time and should therefore be avoided when applying the granular bioreactor to perform anammox/n-DAMO in practice.

The application of large language models in medicine: A scoping review.

This study systematically reviewed the application of large language models (LLMs) in medicine, analyzing 550 selected studies from a vast literature search. LLMs like ChatGPT transformed healthcare by enhancing diagnostics, medical writing, education, and project management. They assisted in drafting medical documents, creating training simulations, and streamlining research processes. Despite their growing utility in assisted diagnosis and improving doctor-patient communication, challenges persisted, including limitations in contextual understanding and the risk of over-reliance. The surge in LLM-related research indicated a focus on medical writing, diagnostics, and patient communication, but highlighted the need for careful integration, considering validation, ethical concerns, and the balance with traditional medical practice. Future research directions suggested a focus on multimodal LLMs, deeper algorithmic understanding, and ensuring responsible, effective use in healthcare.

Discovery and Characterization of Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate-Dependent Cycloleucine Synthases.

Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes are the most versatile biocatalysts for synthesizing nonproteinogenic amino acids. α,α-Disubstituted quaternary amino acids, such as 1-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid (cycloleucine), are useful building blocks for pharmaceuticals. In this study, starting with the biosynthesis of fusarilin A, we discovered a family of PLP-dependent enzymes that can facilitate tandem carbon-carbon forming steps to catalyze an overall [3 + 2]-annulation. In the first step, the cycloleucine synthases use SAM as the latent electrophile and an in situ-generated enamine as the nucleophile for γ-substitution. Whereas previously characterized γ-replacement enzymes protonate the resulting α-carbon and release the acyclic amino acid, cycloleucine synthases can catalyze an additional, intramolecular aldol or Mannich reaction with the nucleophilic α-carbon to form the substituted cyclopentane. Overall, the net [3 + 2]-annulation reaction can lead to 2-hydroxy or 2-aminocycloleucine products. These studies further expand the biocatalytic scope of PLP-dependent enzymes.

circ_PPAPDC1A promotes Osimertinib resistance by sponging the miR-30a-3p/ IGF1R pathway in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence has demonstrated that abnormal expression and regulation of circular RNA (circRNAs) are involved in the occurrence and development of a variety of tumors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of circ_PPAPDC1A in Osimertinib resistance in NSCLC. METHODS: Human circRNAs microarray analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed (DE) circRNAs in Osimertinib-acquired resistance tissues of NSCLC. The effect of circ_PPAPDC1A on cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis was assessed in both in vitro and in vivo. Dual-luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR, Western-blot, and rescue assay were employed to confirm the interaction between circ_PPAPDC1A/miR-30a-3p/IGF1R axis. RESULTS: The results revealed that circ_PPAPDC1A was significantly upregulated in Osimertinib acquired resistance tissues of NSCLC. circ_PPAPDC1A reduced the sensitivity of PC9 and HCC827 cells to Osimertinib and promoted cell proliferation, invasion, migration, while inhibiting apoptosis in Osimertinib-resistant PC9/OR and HCC829/OR cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Silencing circ_PPAPDC1A partially reversed Osimertinib resistance. Additionally, circ_PPAPDC1A acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by targeting miR-30a-3p, and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Receptor (IGF1R) was identified as a functional gene for miR-30a-3p in NSCLC. Furthermore, the results confirmed that circ_PPAPDC1A/miR-30a-3p/IGF1R axis plays a role in activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in NSCLC with Osimertinib resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, for the first time we identified that circ_PPAPDC1A was significantly upregulated and exerts an oncogenic role in NSCLC with Osimertinib resistance by sponging miR-30a-3p to active IGF1R/PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. circ_PPAPDC1A may serve as a novel diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for NSCLC patients with Osimertinib resistance.

The antitumor action of endocannabinoids in the tumor microenvironment of glioblastoma.

Approximately 80% of all malignant brain tumors are gliomas, which are primary brain tumors. The most prevalent subtype of glioma, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is also the most deadly. Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, and conventional pharmacotherapy are currently available therapeutic options for GBM; unfortunately, these approaches only prolong the patient's life by 5 years at most. Despite numerous intensive therapeutic options, GBM is considered incurable. Accumulating preclinical data indicate that overt antitumoral effects can be induced by pharmacologically activating endocannabinoid receptors on glioma cells by modifying important intracellular signaling cascades. The complex mechanism underlying the endocannabinoid receptor-evoked antitumoral activity in experimental models of glioma may inhibit the ability of cancer cells to invade, proliferate, and exhibit stem cell-like characteristics, along with altering other aspects of the complex tumor microenvironment. The exact biological function of the endocannabinoid system in the development and spread of gliomas, however, is remains unclear and appears to rely heavily on context. Previous studies have revealed that endocannabinoid receptors are present in the tumor microenvironment, suggesting that these receptors could be novel targets for the treatment of GBM. Additionally, endocannabinoids have demonstrated anticancer effects through signaling pathways linked to the classic features of cancer. Thus, the pharmacology of endocannabinoids in the glioblastoma microenvironment is the main topic of this review, which may promote the development of future GBM therapies.

Synthesis of Rhenium-Doped Copper Twin Boundary for High-Turnover-Frequency Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction.

The precise design and synthesis of active sites to improve catalyst's performance has emerged as a promising tactic for electrochemistry. However, it is challenging to combine different types of active sites and manipulate them simultaneously at atomic resolution. Here, we present a strategy to synthesize Re atom-doped Cu twin boundaries (TBs), through pulsed electrodeposition and boundary segregation. The Re-doped Cu TBs demonstrate a highly efficient nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) performance. Re-doped Cu TBs showed a turnover frequency of ∼5889 s-1, ∼800 times higher than the pure Cu TB active centers (∼7 s-1). In addition to the "acceptance-donation" activation of N2 molecules, theoretical calculations also reveal that the Re-Re dimer on TB can boost the NRR and impede the hydrogen evolution reaction synchronously, rendering Re-doped Cu TB catalysts with high NRR activity and selectivity.

Huaier Polysaccharide Alleviates Dextran Sulphate Sodium Salt-Induced Colitis by Inhibiting Inflammation and Oxidative Stress, Maintaining the Intestinal Barrier, and Modulating Gut Microbiota.

The incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is increasing annually, and UC has a serious impact on patients' lives. Polysaccharides have gained attention as potential drug candidates for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) in recent years. Huaier (Trametes robiniophila Murr) is a fungus that has been used clinically for more than 1000 years, and its bioactive polysaccharide components have been reported to possess immunomodulatory effects, antitumour potential, and renoprotective effects. In this study, we aimed to examine the protective effects and mechanisms of Huaier polysaccharide (HP) against UC. Based on the H2O2-induced oxidative stress model in HT-29 cells and the dextran sulphate sodium salt (DSS)-induced UC model, we demonstrated that Huaier polysaccharides significantly alleviated DSS-induced colitis (weight loss, elevated disease activity index (DAI) scores, and colonic shortening). In addition, HP inhibited oxidative stress and inflammation and alleviated DSS-induced intestinal barrier damage. It also significantly promoted the expression of the mucin Muc2. Furthermore, HP reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria Escherichia-Shigella and promoted the abundance of beneficial bacteria Muribaculaceae_unclassified, Anaerotruncus, and Ruminococcaceae_unclassified to regulate the intestinal flora disturbance caused by DSS. Nontargeted metabolomics revealed that HP intervention would modulate metabolism by promoting levels of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). These results demonstrated that HP had the ability to mitigate DSS-induced UC by suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation, maintaining the intestinal barrier, and modulating the intestinal flora. These findings will expand our knowledge of how HP functions and offer a theoretical foundation for using HP as a potential prebiotic to prevent UC.

Neuroticism personality, social contact, and dementia risk: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Personality traits, especially neuroticism, can influence susceptibility to dementia. Social contact mitigates stress and risk of dementia, the extent to which social contact can mitigate excess risk associated with neuroticism remains unclear. We aim to investigate whether active social contact is associated with lower neuroticism-associated excess risk of dementia. METHODS: This prospective cohort study examined 393,939 UK Biobank participants (mean [SD] age: 56.4 [8.1] years; 53.7 % female) assessed from 2006 to 2010 and followed up until December 2022. Neuroticism was measured using the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Social contact levels were assessed based on household size, contact with family or friends, and group participation. Dementia was determined using linked electronic health records. RESULTS: High neuroticism was associated with increased all-cause dementia risk and cause-specific dementia. Among high neuroticism participants, excess risk of all-cause dementia showed a stepwise decrease with increasing social contact (low: hazard ratios (HR) = 1.27, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.15-1.40; intermediate: HR = 1.20, 95 % CI = 1.12-1.28; high: HR = 1.07, 95 % CI = 1.00-1.15). High social contact similarly decreased excess risk of cause-specific dementia, comparable to those with low neuroticism. LIMITATIONS: Neuroticism and social contact information relied on self-report questionnaires at baseline, with a potential temporal relationship between these factors. CONCLUSION: Active social contact is associated with a stepwise reduction in excess dementia risk and potentially eliminate excess risk of dementia with high neuroticism individuals, supporting social contact as a preventive strategy to attenuate excess risks of dementia from neuroticism personality trait.

Synthesis of ZSM-5 Zeolite Nanosheets with Tunable Silanol Nest Contents across an Ultra-wide pH Range and Their Catalytic Validation.

Zeolite synthesis under acidic conditions has always presented a challenge. In this study, we successfully prepared series of ZSM-5 zeolite nanosheets (Z-5-SCA-X) over a broad pH range (4 to 13) without the need for additional supplements. This achievement was realized through aggregation crystallization of ZSM-5 zeolite subcrystal (Z-5-SC) with highly short-range ordering and ultrasmall size extracted from the synthetic system of ZSM-5 zeolite. Furthermore, the crystallization behavior of Z-5-SC was investigated, revealing its non-classical crystallization process under mildly alkaline and acidic conditions (pH<10), and the combination of classical and non-classical processes under strongly alkaline conditions (pH≥10). What's particularly intriguing is that, the silanol nest content in the resultant Z-5-SCA-X samples appears to be dependent on the pH values during the Z-5-SC crystallization process rather than its crystallinity. Finally, the results of the furfuryl alcohol etherification reaction demonstrate that reducing the concentration of silanol nests significantly enhances the catalytic performance of the Z-5-SCA-X zeolite. The ability to synthesize zeolite in neutral and acidic environments without the additional mineralizing agents not only broadens the current view of traditional zeolite synthesis but also provides a new approach to control the silanol nest content of zeolite catalysts.

Regulating Functional Groups Enhances the Performance of Flexible Microporous MXene/Bacterial Cellulose Electrodes in Supercapacitors.

Ultrathin MXene-based films exhibit superior conductivity and high capacitance, showing promise as electrodes for flexible supercapacitors. This work describes a simple method to enhance the performance of MXene-based supercapacitors by expanding and stabilizing the interlayer space between MXene flakes while controlling the functional groups to improve the conductivity. Ti3C2Tx MXene flakes are treated with bacterial cellulose (BC) and NaOH to form a composite MXene/BC (A-M/BC) electrode with a microporous interlayer and high surface area (62.47 m2 g-1). Annealing the films at low temperature partially carbonizes BC, increasing the overall electrical conductivity of the films. Improvement in conductivity is also attributed to the reduction of -F, -Cl, and -OH functional groups, leaving -Na and -O functional groups on the surface. As a result, the A-M/BC electrode demonstrates a capacitance of 594 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 in 3 M H2SO4, which represents a ∼2× increase over similarly processed films without BC (309 F g-1) or pure MXene (298 F g-1). The corresponding device has an energy density of 9.63 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 250 W kg-1. BC is inexpensive and enhances the overall performance of MXene-based film electrodes in electronic devices. This method underscores the importance of functional group regulation in enhancing MXene-based materials for energy storage.

Clonal hematopoiesis in patients with HIV and cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related deaths for people living with HIV (PWH) are increasing due to longer life expectancies and disparately poor cancer-related outcomes. We hypothesize that advanced biological aging contributes to cancer-related morbidity and mortality for PWH and cancer. We sought to determine the impact of clonal hematopoiesis (CH) on cancer disparities in PWH. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study to compare the prevalence and clinical outcomes of CH in PWH and people without HIV (PWoH) and cancer. Included in the study were PWH and similar PWoH based on tumor site, age, tumor sequence, and cancer treatment status. Biological aging was also measured using epigenetic methylation clocks. RESULTS: In 136 patients with cancer, PWH had twice the prevalence of CH compared to similar PWoH (23% vs 11%, p=0.07). After adjusting for patient characteristics, PWH were four-times more likely to have CH than PWoH (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.3-13.9, p=0.02). The effect of CH on survival was most pronounced in PWH, who had a 5-year survival rate of 38% if they had CH (vs 59% if no CH), compared to PWoH who had a 5-year survival rate of 75% if they had CH (vs 83% if no CH). CONCLUSION: This study provides the first evidence that PWH may have a higher prevalence of CH than PWoH with the same cancers. CH may be an independent biological aging risk factor contributing to inferior survival for PWH and cancer.

Clinical efficacy of femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification in diabetic cataract patients.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic patients with cataracts encounter specific difficulties during cataract surgery due to alterations in microcirculation, blood supply, metabolism, and the microenvironment. Traditional phacoemulsification may not fully tackle these issues, especially in instances with substantial preoperative astigmatism. The utilization of femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification, in conjunction with Toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, offers a potentially more efficient strategy. This research seeks to evaluate the efficacy and possible complications of this approach in diabetic cataract patients. AIM: To investigate the clinical efficacy and complications of femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification combined with Toric IOL implantation in diabetic cataract patients, comparing it with traditional phacoemulsification methods. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 120 patients with diabetes cataract from May 2019 to May 2021. The patients were divided into two groups: the control group underwent traditional phacoemulsification and Toric IOL implantation, while the treatment group received Len Sx femtosecond laser-assisted treatment. Outcome measures included naked eye vision, astigmatism, high-level ocular phase difference detection, clinical efficacy, and complication. RESULTS: There were no significant preoperative differences in astigmatism or naked eyesight between the two groups. However, postoperative improvements were observed in both groups, with the treatment group showing greater enhancements in naked eye vision and astigmatism six months after the procedure. High-level corneal phase difference tests also indicated significant differences in favor of the treatment group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification combined with Toric IOL implantation appears to be more effective in enhancing postoperative vision in diabetic cataract patients compared to traditional methods offering valuable insights for clinical practice.

Effect of anterior femoral cortical notch grade on postoperative function and complications during TKA surgery: A multicenter, retrospective study.

Purpose: To explore the effect of AFN on knee function and complications in patients after TKA. Methods: We evaluated 150 patients undergoing unilateral TKA, specifically including 102 patients with varying degrees of AFN after selection. They were divided into four groups based on AFN grade. About 48 patients did not produce AFN, 63 patients were grade I, 29 patients were grade II, and 10 patients were grade III. All patients were followed up for 24 months, and knee function, pain, complications, and other indicators were compared between the four groups. Correlation analysis and regression analysis were used to study the relationship between AFN and other indicators. Results: Two cases of periprosthetic fractures (PPF) occurred in our study, with an incidence of 1.35%, which did not show a significant association with AFN. The changes in knee social score (ΔKSS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (ΔWOMAC), and postoperative anterior knee pain visual analog scale (VAS) score were higher in patients with AFN than in those without. Particularly, grades II and III AFN demonstrated superior efficacy. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that AFN grade is positively correlated with both ΔKSS and ΔWOMAC (r = 0.44, P < 0.001), and AFN grade had a negative correlation with the anterior knee pain VAS (r = -0.250, P < 0.05). In linear regression analysis, AFN grade was positively correlated with both ΔKSS (ß = 5.974, 95% CI: 3.968-7.981, P < 0.001) and ΔWOMAC (ß = 6.356, 95% CI: 4.223-8.490, P < 0.001). Besides that, there was a negative correlation between AFN grade and anterior knee pain (ß = 5.974, 95% CI: 3.968-7.981, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with grade II and III AFN who underwent TKA exhibited better knee function and lower levels of anterior knee pain post-surgery.

Evaluating Urine Cytology Slide Digitization Efficiency: A Comparative Study Using an Artificial Intelligence-Based Heuristic Scanning Simulation and Multiple-Z-Plane Scanning.

INTRODUCTION: Digitizing cytology slides presents challenges because of their three-dimensional features and uneven cell distribution. While multi-Z-plane scan is a prevalent solution, its adoption in clinical digital cytopathology is hindered by prolonged scanning times, increased image file sizes, and the requirement for cytopathologists to review multiple Z-plane images. METHODS: This study presents heuristic scan as a novel solution, using an artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach specifically designed for cytology slide scanning as an alternative to the multi-Z-plane scan. Both the 21 Z-plane scan and the heuristic scan simulation methods were used on 52 urine cytology slides from three distinct cytopreparations (Cytospin, ThinPrep, and BD CytoRich™ (SurePath)), generating whole-slide images (WSIs) via the Leica Aperio AT2 digital scanner. The AI algorithm inferred the WSI from 21 Z-planes to quantitate the total number of suspicious for high-grade urothelial carcinoma or more severe cells (SHGUC+) cells. The heuristic scan simulation calculated the total numbers of SHGUC+ cells from the 21 Z-plane scan data. Performance metrics including SHGUC+ cell coverage rates (calculated by dividing the number of SHGUC+ cells identified in multiple Z-planes or heuristic scan simulation by the total SHGUC+ cells in the 21 Z-planes for each WSI), scanning time, and file size were analyzed to compare the performance of each scanning method. The heuristic scan's metrics were linearly estimated from the 21 Z-plane scan data. Additionally, AI-aided interpretations of WSIs with scant SHGUC+ cells followed The Paris System guidelines and were compared with original diagnoses. RESULTS: The heuristic scan achieved median SHGUC+ cell coverage rates similar to 5 Z-plane scans across three cytopreparations (0.78-0.91 vs. 0.75-0.88, P=0.451-0.578). Notably, it substantially reduced both scanning time (137.2-635.0 seconds vs. 332.6-1278.8 seconds, P<0.05) and image file size (0.51-2.10 GB vs. 1.16-3.10 GB, P<0.05). Importantly, the heuristic scan yielded higher rates of accurate AI-aided interpretations compared to the single Z-plane scan (62.5% vs. 37.5%). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the heuristic scan offers a cost-effective alternative to the conventional multi-Z-plane scan in digital cytopathology. It achieves comparable SHGUC+ cell capture rates while reducing both scanning time and image file size, promising to aid digital urine cytology interpretations with a higher accuracy rate compared to the conventional single (optimal) plane scan. Further studies are needed to assess the integration of this new technology into compatible digital scanners for practical cytology slide scanning.