Early gastric cancer detection and lesion segmentation based on deep learning and gastroscopic images.

Gastric cancer is a highly prevalent disease that poses a serious threat to public health. In clinical practice, gastroscopy is frequently used by medical practitioners to screen for gastric cancer. However, the symptoms of gastric cancer at different stages of advancement vary significantly, particularly in the case of early gastric cancer (EGC). The manifestations of EGC are often indistinct, leading to a detection rate of less than 10%. In recent years, researchers have focused on leveraging deep learning algorithms to assist medical professionals in detecting EGC and thereby improve detection rates. To enhance the ability of deep learning to detect EGC and segment lesions in gastroscopic images, an Improved Mask R-CNN (IMR-CNN) model was proposed. This model incorporates a "Bi-directional feature extraction and fusion module" and a "Purification module for feature channel and space" based on the Mask R-CNN (MR-CNN). Our study includes a dataset of 1120 images of EGC for training and validation of the models. The experimental results indicate that the IMR-CNN model outperforms the original MR-CNN model, with Precision, Recall, Accuracy, Specificity and F1-Score values of 92.9%, 95.3%, 93.9%, 92.5% and 94.1%, respectively. Therefore, our proposed IMR-CNN model has superior detection and lesion segmentation capabilities and can effectively aid doctors in diagnosing EGC from gastroscopic images.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell screening based on the electroporation-SERS spectroscopy.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor in head and neck. Early diagnosis can effectively improve the survival rate of patients. Nasopharyngeal exfoliative cytology, as a convenient and noninvasive auxiliary diagnostic method, is suitable for the population screening of NPC, but its diagnostic sensitivity is low. In this study, an electroporation-based SERS technique was proposed to detect and screen the clinical nasopharyngeal exfoliated cell samples. Firstly, nasopharyngeal swabs was used to collected the nasopharyngeal exfoliated cell samples from NPC patients (n = 54) and healthy volunteers (n = 60). Then, gold nanoparticles, as the Raman scattering enhancing substrates, were rapidly introduced into cells by electroporation technique for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection. Finally, SERS spectra combined with principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were employed to diagnose and distinguish NPC cell samples. Raman peak assignments combined with spectral differences reflected the biochemical changes associated with NPC, including nucleic acid, amino acid and carbohydrates. Based on the PCA-LDA approach, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 98.15 %, 96.67 % and 97.37 %, respectively, were achieved for screening NPC. This study offers valuable assistance for noninvasive NPC auxiliary diagnosis, and has grate potential in expanding the application of the SERS technique in clinical cell sample testing.

Investigation on the near-field cutoff effect in a subwavelength plasma shell with near-zero permittivity.

Although the plasma-induced receiving and radiating near-field cutoff phenomena in the subwavelength regime are found of crucial importance in electromagnetic (EM) signal transmissions and plasma property studies, their mechanisms to a large extent remain unclear and undistinguished. In this paper, in the perspective of field and energy transfer, it is demonstrated that the cutoff in the near-field regime is completely different from that in the geometric optical regime. Results show that, for the receiving mode, epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) plasmas can be treated as a nearly ideal EM fluid, and thus, EM waves are restricted into the plasma channel. For the radiating mode, on the other hand, it is the destructive interference between the electric dipole fields of the antenna and the ENZ plasma that results in vanishing far-field radiation. As an important supplement to the existing cutoff theories, our results not only offer clearer physical insights into the near-field cutoff effect but also provide a helpful reference for cutoff-related practical applications in various frequency bands.

Biomechanical analysis of internal fixation system stability for tibial plateau fractures.

Background: Complex bone plateau fractures have been treated with bilateral plate fixation, but previous research has overemphasized evaluating the effects of internal fixation design, plate position, and screw orientation on fracture fixation stability, neglecting the internal fixation system's biomechanical properties in postoperative rehabilitation exercises. This study aimed to investigate the mechanical properties of tibial plateau fractures after internal fixation, explore the biomechanical mechanism of the interaction between internal fixation and bone, and make suggestions for early postoperative rehabilitation and postoperative weight-bearing rehabilitation. Methods: By establishing the postoperative tibia model, the standing, walking and running conditions were simulated under three axial loads of 500 N, 1000 N, and 1500 N. Accordingly, finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to analyze the model stiffness, displacement of fractured bone fragments, titanium alloy plate, screw stress distribution, and fatigue properties of the tibia and the internal fixation system under various conditions. Results: The stiffness of the model increased significantly after internal fixation. The anteromedial plate was the most stressed, followed by the posteromedial plate. The screws at the distal end of the lateral plate, the screws at the anteromedial plate platform and the screws at the distal end of the posteromedial plate are under greater stress, but at a safe stress level. The relative displacement of the two medial condylar fracture fragments varied from 0.002-0.072 mm. Fatigue damage does not occur in the internal fixation system. Fatigue injuries develop in the tibia when subjected to cyclic loading, especially when running. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the internal fixation system tolerates some of the body's typical actions and may sustain all or part of the weight early in the postoperative period. In other words, early rehabilitative exercise is recommended, but avoid strenuous exercise such as running.

Study on the activity of Huo-Xue-Hua-Yu decoction and its drug groups in improving fracture healing using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy based on gold nanoparticles.

The Huo-Xue-Hua-Yu decoction (HXHYD) prescription, which possesses good clinical properties for healing fractures, is made up of 12 types of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). According to the drug efficacy of TCM, HXHYD consists of four drug-group prescriptions. This study focused on the type of active mechanism in these drug groups and the type of interaction between them in HXHYD. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy was employed to study the effect of the incorporation of calcium hydroxyapatite (CHA), protein and lipid groups on the repair of complete tibial fractures in rats treated with HXHYD and its drug-group prescriptions and without treatment to reveal the efficacy rule of the drug groups in the prescription. The rats were divided into seven groups, each of which was subdivided into three subgroups (evaluated on days 15, 21 and 30 after surgery). The six treatment groups were treated HXHYD, four drug-group prescriptions and Gu-Zhe-Cuo-Shang capsule therapy (treated control). SERS readings were taken at the fractured sites. The results showed that the medical ingredients in HXHYD were not the simple addition of four drug-group prescriptions and the efficacy of HXHYD was stronger than every other drug group prescription because it contained the highest content of CHA and highest carbonate-to-phosphate and phosphate-to-phenylalanine ratios among the treatment groups at all time points in comparison with the fractured control group (no treatment). Thus, the SERS technique has great potential to provide a novel method for effectively and accurately studying the efficacy rule of drug groups in one prescription with the aim to optimize prescriptions.

Design of Personalized Cervical Fixation Orthosis Based on 3D Printing Technology.

The movement of the cervical spine should be restricted throughout the rehabilitation phase after it has been injured. Cervical orthosis is commonly utilized in clinical settings to guarantee cervical spine stability. However, to date, the investigations are limited to patient-specific cervical fixation orthoses. This study provides a new idea for making personalized orthoses. The CT data of the patient's cervical spine were collected, then mimics were used for reconstructing the skin of the cervical spine, the Geomagic Studio was used for surface fitting, the Inspire Studio was used for structural topology optimization, redundant structures were removed, the resulting orthotics were postprocessed, and finally, it was printed with a 3D printer. No signs of pain or discomfort were observed during the wearing. The cervical spine range of motion in flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation is all less than 8° after using the device. Low cost, quick manufacturing time, high precision, attractive appearance, lightweight structure, waterproof design, and practical customized orthotics for patients are all advantages of 3D printing technology in the field of orthopedics. Many possible benefits of using 3D printing to build new orthotics include unique design, stiffness, weight optimization, and improved biomechanical performance, comfort, and fit. Personalized orthotics may be designed and manufactured utilizing 3D printing technology.

Inhibition of miRNA-100 facilitates bone regeneration defects of mesenchymal stem cells in osteoporotic mice through the protein kinase B pathway.

Osteoporotic patients suffer from bone microstructure damage and are prone to fracture and bone defect. Due to the damage of bone healing ability, the bone repair of osteoporotic patients is usually slow. Here we aimed to explore the function and potential molecular mechanism of miR-100 in osteogenic differentiation ability of bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs). Ovariectomy was performed on mice to induce osteoporosis. BMSCs were extracted from normal and ovariectomized (OVX) mice to examine the effect of microRNA (miR)-100 on BMSC osteogenic differentiation. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and safranin O-fast green staining assays were performed on femur tissues to reveal pathological changes. The osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs were determined by Alkaline Phosphatase and Alizarin red staining assays. The results showed that miR-100 expression was significantly upregulated in bone tissues and BMSCs from osteoporotic mice. MiR-100 knockdown partially improved osteogenic function of OVX mice-derived BMSCs. Next, mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (MTOR) was identified as the target downstream miR-100. MiR-100 deficiency can activate the protein kinase B (AKT)/mTOR pathway. MiR-100 controlled the osteogenic function of BMSCs by the AKT/mTOR pathway. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that inhibition of miR-100 facilitates bone regeneration defects of BMSCs in osteoporotic mice through AKT pathway, indicating that miR-100 might be an effective target for the treatment of osteoporotic mandibular injury and bone defect diseases.

Influence of pyrolysis temperature on the physicochemical properties of biochars obtained from herbaceous and woody plants.

This work aimed to investigate the effect of pyrolysis temperature on the yield and properties of biochars synthesized from herbaceous and woody plants. Four typical materials, including two herbaceous plants (rice straw, corn straw) and two woody plants (camellia oleifera shells, garden waste), were used in the experiments under five operating temperatures (from 300 °C to 700 °C, with an interval of 100 °C). The results showed biochar derived from herbaceous plants had a significantly higher pH (from 7.68 to 11.29 for RS), electrical conductivity (EC, from 6.5 Ms cm-1 to 13.2 mS cm-1 for RS), cation exchange conductivity (CEC, from 27.81 cmol kg-1 to 21.69 cmol kg-1 for RS), and ash content (from 21.79% to 32.71% for RS) than the biochar from woody plants, but the volatile matter (VM, from 42.23% to 11.77% for OT) and specific surface area (BET, from 2.88 m2 g-1 to 301.67 m2 g-1 for OT) in the woody plant-derived biochar were higher. Except for CEC and VM, all the previously referred physicochemical characteristics in the as-prepared biochars increased with the increasing pyrolysis temperature, the H/C and O/C values of herbaceous and woody plant-derived biochar were lower than 0.9 and 0.3, respectively, confirming their potential as the material for carbon sequestration. The results revealed that biochar made from herbaceous plants was more suitable for acidic soil amendments. In contrast, woody plant-derived biochar were recommended to remove heavy metals in environmental remediation and water treatment.

Single cell detection using intracellularly-grown-Au-nanoparticle based surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy for nasopharyngeal cell line classification.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of applying intracellularly-grown-Au-nanoparticle (IGAuNP)-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology to classify two types of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) cell lines (CNE2 and CNE1). The IGAuNP technology provides excellent delivery efficiency of Au NPs to the cytoplasm and nucleus, thus leading to an extraordinary enhancement of the Raman signals of cells. Compared with normal Raman scattering (NRS) spectra of cells, IGAuNP-based SERS spectra not only have a high signal-to-noise ratio, but also can detect more characteristic Raman peaks, which can be used to explore more differences when comparing the biochemical components of different nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines. Based on the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and support vector machine (SVM) analysis of SERS spectral data, an exciting result with a diagnostic sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 100%, and accuracy of 100%, could be achieved to differentiate CNE2 and CNE1 cells, which is better than the result obtained by NRS spectroscopy. This exploratory study indicated that the SERS technology based on IGAuNPs in conjunction with multivariate statistical analysis methods has great potential in the identification of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines.

Controlling Deoxygenation Pathways in Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis of Biomass and Its Components by Using Metal-Oxide Nanocomposites.

Selectively breaking the C-O bonds within biomass during catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) is desired, but extremely challenging. Herein, we develop a series of metal-oxide nanocomposites composed of W, Mo, Zr, Ti, or Al. It is demonstrated that the nanocomposites of WO3-TiO2-Al2O3 exhibit the highest deoxygenation ability during CFP of lignin, which can compete with the commercial HZSM-5 catalyst. The nanocomposites can selectively cleave the C-O bonds within lignin-derived phenols to form aromatics by direct demethoxylation and subsequent dehydration. Moreover, the nanocomposites can also achieve the selective breaking of the C-O bonds within xylan and cellulose to form furans by dehydration. The Brønsted and Lewis acid sites on the nanocomposites can be responsible for the deoxygenation of lignin and polysaccharides, respectively. This study provides new insights for the rational design of multifunctional catalysts that are capable of simultaneously breaking the C-O bonds within lignin and polysaccharides.

Highly abrasion resistant thermally fused olivine as in-situ catalysts for tar reduction in a circulating fluidized bed biomass gasifier.

Olivine synthesized by wetness impregnation (WI) and thermal fusion (TF) methods were investigated as in-situ catalysts to reduce the tar content during air-blown biomass gasification in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB). The results showed that the tar content decreases with the increase of reaction temperature. Raw-olivine reduced tar content by 40.6% compared to non-active bed material (silica sand) experiments; after calcination, the catalytic activities of olivine catalysts were further improved due to the migration of Fe from olivine grain to the surface. 1100-WI-olivine could reduce the tar content by up to 81.5% compared with that of raw-olivine because of the existence of Fe2O3, NiO and NiO-MgO. For 1400-TF-olivine, due to the formation of NiFe2O4, the tar content decreased to 0.77 g/Nm3, an 82.9% reduction compared to raw-olivine. Moreover, the TF-olivine had a stronger anti-attrition performance and was more suitable for using in a circulating fluidized bed.

Comparison of the effect of wet and dry torrefaction on chemical structure and pyrolysis behavior of corncobs.

Wet and dry torrefaction of corncobs was conducted in high-pressure reactor and tube-type reactor, respectively. Effect of wet and dry torrefaction on chemical structure and pyrolysis behavior of corncobs was compared. The results showed that hemicellulose could be effectively removed from corncobs by torrefaction. However, dry torrefaction caused severe degradation of cellulose and the cross-linking and charring of corncobs. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that crystallinity degree of corncobs was evidently enhanced during wet torrefaction, but reduced during dry torrefaction as raising treatment temperature. In thermogravimetric analysis, wet torrefied corncobs produced less carbonaceous residues than raw corncobs, while dry torrefied corncobs gave much more residues owing to increased content of acid insoluble lignin. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy analysis indicated that wet torrefaction significantly promoted levoglucosan yield owing to the removal of alkali metals. Therefore, wet torrefaction can be considered as a more effective pretreatment method for fast pyrolysis of biomass.

FK506-loaded chitosan conduit promotes the regeneration of injured sciatic nerves in the rat through the upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and TrkB.

FK506 has been shown to exert neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects, but its long-term application for nerve regeneration is limited. This study evaluated the potential application of a novel FK506-loaded chitosan conduit for peripheral nerve repair, and explored the underlying mechanism. A sciatic nerve injury model was created in male Wistar rats, which were then randomly divided into three treatment groups (n=40, each): chitosan-only, chitosan+FK506 injection, and FK506-loaded chitosan. We found significant recovery of normal morphology of sciatic nerves and higher density of myelinated nerve fibers in rats treated with FK506-loaded chitosan. Similarly, the total number of myelinated nerve fibers, myelin sheath thickness, and axon diameters were significantly higher in this group compared with the others, and the compound muscle action potentials and motor nerve conduction velocity values of sciatic nerves were significantly higher. BDNF and TrkB levels in motor neurons were highest in rats treated with FK506-loaded chitosan. In conclusion, FK506-loaded chitosan promoted peripheral nerve repair and regeneration in a rat model of sciatic nerve injury. These effects are correlated with increased BDNF and TrkB expression in motor neurons.

[Low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil for late-onset hypogonadism accompanied with ED].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil on late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) accompanied with ED. METHODS: Ninety cases of LOH accompanied with ED who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a control group and a combination therapy group, the former treated with tadalafil and the latter with low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil. The LOH symptoms, IIEF-5 scores, sexual encounter profile (SEP) scores, prostate volumes, and the levels of total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT) and prostatic specific antigen (PSA) were recorded and compared between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: The IIEF-5 and SEP scores and the TT and FT levels were 20.6 +/- 3.8, 4.02 +/- 1.08, (15.4 +/- 3.4) nmol/L and (0.391 +/- 0.062) nmol/L, respectively, in the combination therapy group after treatment, significantly higher both than 15.7 +/- 3.9, 1.49 +/- 0.82, (10.1 +/- 1.2) nmol/L and (0.200 +/- 0.045) nmol/L before treatment (P < 0.01) and than 8.6 +/- 3.6, 3.50 +/- 1.21, (10.2 +/- 1.2) nmol/L and (0.210 +/- 0.051) nmol/L in the control group after treatment (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil has a definite clinical effect and no obvious adverse reactions in the treatment of LOH accompanied with ED.

[Low-dose daily de-escalatory administration of tadalafil for psychological erectile dysfunction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of low-dose daily de-escalatory administration of tadalafil on psychological erectile dysfunction (ED). METHODS: We randomized 84 psychological ED patients into an observation and a control group of equal number to receive low-dose daily de-escalatory administration and on-demand medication of tadalafil, respectively, both for 2 months. We compared the scores on IIEF-5 and erection hardness (EHS) between the two groups before and after the treatment. RESULTS: The treatment and follow-up were accomplished for 79 cases, with 5 withdrawals in the control group. The IIEF-5 and EHS scores were remarkably improved in both the observation and control groups after treatment. The rate of therapeutic effectiveness was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control (95.2% vs 86.5%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low-dose daily de-escalatory administration of tadalafil is highly effective and even better than on-demand medication of tadalafil for psychological ED.

[Combination of compound Xuanju capsule and tamoxifen citrate for idiopathic oligozoospermia].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effects of Compound Xuanju Capsule combined with tamoxifen citrate on the seminal parameters of men with idiopathic oligozoospermia. METHODS: We equally assigned 120 men with idiopathic oligozoospermia to receive Compound Xuanju Capsule plus tamoxifen citrate (experiment group) or tamoxifen citrate alone (control group). After 3 months of medication, we compared the concentration and total number of sperm with the baseline, and analyzed the influence of the duration of natural infertility on the therapeutic effect. RESULTS: Both the concentration and total number of sperm were significantly increased in both the experiment and the control groups after 3 months of medication as compared with the baseline (P < 0.05), and the increases were even more significant in the former than in the latter group (P < 0.05). The therapeutic efficacy was remarkably better in the patients with natural infertility < or = years than in those > 3 years (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compound Xuanju Capsule combined with tamoxifen citrate produces satisfactory results in the treatment of idiopathic oligozoospermia, and therefore can be used as a first-line therapy for this disease.

(1SR,2RS,3SR,5SR,6RS)-6-[(Z)-1-Acet-oxy-2-phenyl-ethen-yl]-3-eth-oxy-2-phenyl-bicyclo-[3.1.0]hexan-1-yl acetate.

The mol-ecule of the title compound, C(26)H(28)O(5), is chiral with five stereogenic centres; however, the centrosymmetric triclinic group gives a racemic crystal. The fused ring system adopta boat conformation in which the cyclo-propane ring plane is roughly perpendicular to the styryl group plane, forming a dihedral angle of 74.78 (19)°. The dihedral angle between the two benzene rings is 77.24 (6)°.

Immunophilin FK506 loaded in chitosan guide promotes peripheral nerve regeneration.

Immunophilin ligand FK506 has been treated as adjunct therapy for nerve repair due to its potent neurotrophic and neuroprotective actions. It was hypothesized that FK506 releasing from biodegradable chitosan guide provided better nerve regenerative response than the guide with no FK506. The drug was entrapped in the semi-permeable wall of chitosan guide with the drug-loading of 647 microg/g. Rat sciatic nerve defect model treated with FK506-releasing chitosan guide showed more mature appearance of myelinated fibers 8 weeks after surgery; furthermore, the motor functional reinnervation occurred, the amplitude and velocity of compound muscle action potentials reached 60% and 73% with respect to the normal. Thus, FK506-releasing chitosan guide should be acted as a long-lasting delivery device of immunosuppressive and neuroregenerative agent for peripheral nerve repair.

[Jinleng undershorts palliates varicocele].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Jinleng undershorts on the elevated scrotal temperature induced by varicocele as well as on other clinical symptoms of the disease. METHODS: Fifty-one varicocele patients received the treatment of wearing Jinleng undershorts for 30 min twice a day for a course of 90 days. Comparisons were made between the scrotal temperatures and other clinical symptoms of varicocele before and after the treatment. RESULTS: After 90 days of treatment with Jinleng undershorts, the left scrotal temperature of the varicocele patients was significantly reduced from (32.16 +/- 0.79) degrees C to (31.53 +/- 0.77) degrees C (P < 0.01), and the right scrotal temperature decreased from (31.91 +/- 0.73) degrees C to (31.81 +/- 0.63) degrees C (P > 0.05). Compared with pretreatment, significant improvement was found in such symptoms as wetness, fever and swelling of the scrotum, backache, headache, dizziness, fatigue and anxiety (P < 0.05), as well as in testicular pain (P < 0.01) and IIEF-5 score, which was increased from 15.89 +/- 6.13 to 20.04 +/- 3.87 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Jinleng undershorts can be used for the treatment of mild and moderate varicocele.