Outcomes of pregnancy in Wilson's disease: a population-based study from multiple centres of the Han population in China.

Objectives: Wilson's disease is an autosomal recessive disorder related to copper metabolism which mostly patients occurs in adolescents, fertility has become a problem that WD needs to face. Methods: A 21 years retrospective follow up study was conducted and a total of 220 female patients were included to identify patients with outcomes of pregnancy. Results: Untreated female patients with WD had a spontaneous abortion rate of 44%. During the study period, 146 female patients with WD from multicenter, 75 patients (51.4%) had successful outcomes of pregnancy. Notably, urinary copper levels below 616 µg/24 h were strongly associated with successful pregnancy. The nomogram built on these variables were age, urinary copper, haemoglobin and Child-Pugh classification, internally validated and showed good performance. Conclusion: The spontaneous abortion rate was 44% in untreated females with WD and developed a four-variable risk prediction model to accurately predict the likelihood of a successful pregnancy.

High-Efficiency Solar Transformation of Sugars via a Heterogenous Gallium(III) Catalyst.

Extremely limited research exploring the photocatalytic potential of main group metals, such as aluminum, gallium, and tin, has been undertaken due to their weak light harvesting properties. This study reports the efficient transformation of sugars to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) with high yield employing an original heterogeneous photocatalyst comprising a gallium(III) complex immobilized on an alumina support. Under visible light irradiation, the reaction rate of HMF formation is ~143 times higher than the equivalent thermal reaction performed in the absence of light. The turnover number (TON) of the heterogeneous gallium(III) photocatalyst was as high as 1500, which was ca. two orders of magnitude higher than the TON of the homogeneous gallium(III) system. It is proposed that photoirradiation significantly enhances the Lewis acidity of the catalyst by forming a semi-coordination state between gallium(III) and N-donor ligands, enabling the increased interaction of reactant sugar molecules with gallium(III) active sites. Consistent with this, the photoresponsive coordination of the gallium(III) complex and the abstraction of the hydroxy group by the metal under irradiation with visible light is observed by NMR spectroscopy for the first time. These findings demonstrate that efficient photocatalysts derived from the main group elements can facilitate biomass conversion using visible light.

Cu@CuOx/WO3 with photo-regulated singlet oxygen and oxygen adatoms generation for selective photocatalytic aromatic amines to imines.

Photocatalysts can absorb light and activate molecular O2 under mild conditions, but the generation of unsuitable reactive oxygen species often limits their use in synthesizing fine chemicals. To address this issue, we disperse 1 wt% copper on tungsten trioxide (WO3) support to create an efficient catalyst for selective oxidative coupling of aromatic amines to imines under sunlight irradiation at room temperature. Copper consists of a metallic copper core and an oxide shell. Experimental and density functional theory calculations have confirmed that Cu2O is the primary activation site. Under λ < 475 nm, the light excites electrons of the valence bands in Cu2O and WO3, which activate O2 to superoxide radical •O2-. Then rapidly transforms into oxygen adatoms (•O) and oxygen anion radicals (•O-) species on the surface of Cu2O. Simultaneously, it is captured by holes in the WO3 valence band to generate singlet oxygen (1O2). •O bind to 1O2 promoting the coupling reaction of amines. When λ > 475 nm, intense light absorption due to the localized surface plasmon resonance excites numerous electrons in Cu to promote the oxidative coupling with the adsorbed O2. This study presents a promising approach towards the design of high-performance photocatalysts for solar energy conversion and environmentally-friendly oxidative organic synthesis.

Sexual dysfunction in Wilson disease: Prevalence and influencing factors.

Wilson disease is a rare neurogenetic disorder that receives significant attention due to its manifestations, such as jaundice, cirrhosis, tremor, dystonia, and others. However, the impact of Wilson disease on sexual function has been overlooked. In this study, we aimed to investigate current status of sexual dysfunction in Wilson disease. In this study, we investigated the sexual function status and possible influencing factors of 245 Wilson disease patients by questionnaire. Our study identified sexual dysfunction as a prevalent issue in Wilson disease patients, with an overall prevalence of 49.0 %, of which 33.9 % in males and 63.7 % in females, both higher than the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in the normal Chinese population. Compared with non-sexual dysfunction patients, sexual dysfunction was more common in the older age group, females, less educated, rural residence, no occupation, lower income, taking sedatives/antipsychotics, and high SIS scores (P < 0.05). Our binary logistic regression analysis revealed that older age (OR: 1.103, 95 %CI: 1.058-1.151, P < 0.001), being female (OR: 5.900,95 %CI: 2.966-11.736, P < 0.001), and the use of antipsychotics or sedatives (OR: 3.277,95 %CI: 1.065-10.077, P < 0.05) were all positively linked with an increased risk of sexual dysfunction. Despite the well-known symptoms of Wilson disease, sexual dysfunction is also a frequent issue in Wilson disease patients, necessitating further attention.

Microfluidic integrated D-shaped optical fiber SERS probe with high sensitivity and ability of multi-molecule detection.

In order to enhance the sensitivity, integration, and practical application capability of Raman detection systems, we propose a multi-channel microfluidic integrated D-shaped optical fiber SERS (Surface-enhanced Raman scattering) probe structure. Firstly, a microfluidic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) channel was fabricated using a self-designed multi-channel microfluidic template. Secondly, a uniform layer of silver nanoparticles was deposited on the D-shaped optical fiber using the liquid-liquid interface method. Finally, the D-shaped optical fiber was plasma-bonded to the multi-channel microfluidic channel and a cover glass, resulting in a microfluidic integrated D-shaped optical fiber SERS probe. The prepared sample exhibited excellent detection performance for R6G (rhodamine 6 G) with a detection limit as low as 10-11 mol/L and an enhancement factor of 1.14 × 109. Moreover, the multi-channel configuration enables simultaneous detection of multiple molecules, demonstrating excellent multi-channel multiplexing capability.

Joint polarization detection and degradation mechanisms for underwater image enhancement.

Light absorption and scattering exist in the underwater environment, which can lead to blurring, reduced brightness, and color distortion in underwater images. Polarized images have the advantages of eliminating underwater scattering interference, enhancing contrast, and detecting material information of the object in underwater detection. In this paper, from the perspective of polarization imaging, different concentrations (0.15 g/ml, 0.30 g/ml, and 0.50 g/ml), different wave bands (red, green, and blue), different materials (copper, wood, high-density PVC, aluminum, cloth, foam, cloth sheet, low-density PVC, rubber, and porcelain tile), and different depths (10 cm, 20 cm, 30 cm, and 40 cm) are set up in a chamber for the experimental environment. By combining the degradation mechanism of underwater images and the analysis of polarization detection results, it is proved that the degree of polarization images have greater advantages than degree of linear polarization images, degree of circular polarization images, S1, S2, and S3 images, and visible images underwater. Finally, a fusion algorithm of underwater visible images and polarization images based on compressed sensing is proposed to enhance underwater degraded images. To improve the quality of fused images, we introduce orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) in the high-frequency part to improve image sparsity and consistency detection in the low-frequency part to improve the image mutation phenomenon. The fusion results show that the peak SNR values of the fusion result maps using OMP in this paper are improved by 32.19% and 22.14% on average over those using backpropagation and subspace pursuit methods. With different materials and concentrations, the underwater image enhancement algorithm proposed in this paper improves information entropy, average gradient, and standard deviation by 7.76%, 18.12%, and 40.8%, respectively, on average over previous algorithms. The image NIQE value shows that the image quality obtained by this paper's algorithm is improved by about 69.26% over the original S0 image.

Case report: A Chinese patient with spinocerebellar ataxia finally confirmed as Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome with P102L mutation.

Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS) is a rare genetic prion disease caused by a mutation in the prion protein (PRNP) gene. It is typically characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia and slowly progressive dementia. We present a case study of the GSS from China in which a 45-year-old male with a progressive gait and balance disorder developed cerebellar ataxia onset but was misdiagnosed as spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) for 2 years. The patient's clinical, electrophysiological, and radiological data were retrospectively analyzed. Examination revealed ataxia, dysarthria, muscle weakness, areflexia in lower limbs, including a pyramidal sign, whereas cognitive decline was insignificant. His late mother had a similar unsteady gait. An electroencephalogram (EEG) showed normal findings, and 14-3-3 protein was negative. A brain MRI was performed for global brain atrophy and ventricular enlargement. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) (18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose, FDG) images showed mild to moderate decreased glucose metabolism in the left superior parietal lobe and left middle temporal lobe. According to genetic testing, his younger brother also had the P102L variant in the PRNP gene. This single case adds to the clinical and genetic phenotypes of GSS.

A weighted cranial diffusion-weighted imaging scale for Wilson's disease.

Objectives: Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be a crucial tool for the assessment for neurological symptoms in patients with Wilson's disease (WD). Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) hyperintensity reflects the acute brain injuries, which mainly occur in specific brain regions. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a weighted cranial DWI scale for patients with WD, with special focus on specific brain regions. Materials and methods: In total, 123 patients with WD were enrolled, 118 of whom underwent 1.5 T-MRI on admission. The imaging score was calculated as described previously and depended on the following sequences: one point was acquired when abnormal intensity occurred in the T1, T2, and fluid-attenuation inversion recovery sequences, and two points were acquired when DWI hyperintensity were found. Consensus weighting was conducted based on the symptoms and response to treatment. Results: Intra-rater agreement were good (r = 0.855 [0.798-0.897], p < 0.0001). DWI hyperintensity in the putamen was a high-risk factor for deterioration during de-copper therapy (OR = 8.656, p < 0.05). The high-risk factors for readmission for intravenous de-copper therapies were DWI hyperintensity in the midbrain (OR = 3.818, p < 0.05) and the corpus callosum (OR = 2.654, p < 0.05). Both scoring systems had positive correlation with UWDRS scale (original semi-quantitative scoring system, r = 0.35, p < 0.001; consensus semi-quantitative scoring system, r = 0.351, p < 0.001.). Compared to the original scoring system, the consensus scoring system had higher correlations with the occurrence of deterioration (OR = 1.052, 95%CI [1.003, 1.0103], p < 0.05) and readmission for intravenous de-copper therapy (OR = 1.043, 95%CI [1.001, 1.086], p < 0.05). Conclusion: The predictive performance of the consensus semi-quantitative scoring system for cranial MRI was improved to guide medication, healthcare management, and prognosis prediction in patients with WD. For every point increase in the neuroimaging score, the risk of exacerbations during treatment increased by 5.2%, and the risk of readmission to the hospital within 6 months increased by 4.3%.

Bioinformatics analysis identifies potential ferroptosis key genes in the pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Background: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a serious complication in Diabetes Mellitus (DM) patients and the underlying mechanism is yet unclear. Ferroptosis has been recently intensively researched as a key process in the pathogenesis of diabetes but there yet has been no related bioinformatics-based studies in the context of DPN. Methods: We used data mining and data analysis techniques to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and immune cell content in patients with DPN, DM patients and healthy participants (dataset GSE95849). These DEGs were then intersected with the ferroptosis dataset (FerrDb) to obtain ferroptosis DEGs and the associated key molecules and miRNAs interactions were predicted. Results: A total of 33 ferroptosis DEGs were obtained. Functional pathway enrichment analysis revealed 127 significantly related biological processes, 10 cellular components, 3 molecular functions and 30 KEGG signal pathways. The biological processes that were significantly enriched were in response to extracellular stimulus and oxidative stress. Key modules constructed by the protein-protein interaction network analysis led to the confirmation of the following genes of interest: DCAF7, GABARAPL1, ACSL4, SESN2 and RB1. Further miRNA interaction prediction revealed the possible involvement of miRNAs such as miR108b-8p, miR34a-5p, mir15b-5p, miR-5838-5p, miR-192-5p, miR-222-3p and miR-23c. Immune-environment content of samples between DM and DPN patients revealed significant difference in the levels of endothelial cells and fibroblasts, which further speculates their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of DPN. Conclusion: Our findings could provide insight for investigations about the role of ferroptosis in the development of DPN.

Plasmonic volcano-like fiber-optic probe for Raman enhancement.

Light-matter interaction is a fascinating topic extensively studied from classical theory, based on Maxwell's equations, to quantum optics. In this study, we introduce a novel, to the best of our knowledge, silver volcano-like fiber-optic probe (sensor 1) for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). We employ the emerging quasi-normal mode (QNM) method to rigorously calculate the Purcell factor for lossy open system responses, characterized by complex frequencies. This calculation quantifies the modification of the radiation rate from the excited state e to ground state g. Furthermore, we use and extend a quantum mechanical description of the Raman process, based on the Lindblad master equation, to calculate the SERS spectrum for the plasmonic structure. A common and well-established SERS probe, modified by a monolayer silver nanoparticle array, serves as a reference sensor (sensor 2) for quantitatively predicting the SERS performance of sensor 1 using quantum formalism. The predictions show excellent consistency with experimental results. In addition, we employ the FDTD (finite-difference time-domain) solver for a rough estimate of the all-fiber Raman response of both sensors, revealing a reasonable range of SERS performance differences compared to experimental results. This research suggests potential applications in real-time, remote detection of biological species and in vivo diagnostics. Simultaneously, the developed FDTD and quantum optics models pave the way for analyzing the response of emitters near arbitrarily shaped plasmonic structures.

Open nanocavity-assisted Ag@PDMS as a soft SERS substrate with ultra-sensitivity and high uniformity.

To achieve high sensitivity and uniformity simultaneously in a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate, this paper presents the preparation of a flexible and transparent three-dimensional (3D) ordered hemispherical array polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film. This is achieved by self-assembling a single-layer polystyrene (PS) microsphere array on a silicon substrate. The liquid-liquid interface method is then used to transfer Ag nanoparticles onto the PDMS film, which includes open nanocavity arrays created by etching the PS microsphere array. An open nanocavity assistant soft SERS sample, "Ag@PDMS," is then prepared. For electromagnetic simulation of our sample, we utilized Comsol software. It has been experimentally confirmed that the Ag@PDMS substrate with silver particles of 50 nm in size is capable of achieving the largest localized electromagnetic hot spots in space. The optimal sample, Ag@PDMS, exhibits ultra-high sensitivity towards Rhodamine 6 G (R6G) probe molecules, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 10-15 mol/L, and an enhancement factor (EF) of ∼1012. Additionally, the substrate exhibits a highly uniform signal intensity for probe molecules, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of approximately 6.86%. Moreover, it is capable of detecting multiple molecules and can perform real detection on non-flat surfaces.

Dauer larva-derived extracellular vesicles extend the life of Caenorhabditis elegans.

There is growing evidence that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a functional role in tissue repair and anti-aging by transferring the contents of donor cells to recipient cells. We hypothesized that Dauer (C. elegans), known as "ageless" nematodes, can also secrete extracellular vesicles and influence the lifespan of C. elegans. Here, we isolated EVs of dauer larvae (dauer EVs). Dauer EVs were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Western blot analysis. Wild-type C. elegans were fed in the presence or absence of dauer EVs and tested for a range of phenotypes, including longevity, mobility and reproductive capacity. Results showed that dauer EVs increased the average lifespan of nematodes by 15.74%, improved mobility, slowed age-related pigmentation as well as body length, and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and lipids, while not impairing nematode reproductive capacity. These findings suggest that dauer EVs can extend the lifespan of C. elegans as well as the healthy lifespan by reducing ROS accumulation, with potential anti-aging capacity.

Dual (pH- and ROS-) Responsive Antibacterial MXene-Based Nanocarrier for Drug Delivery.

In this study, a novel MXene (Ti3C2Tx)-based nanocarrier was developed for drug delivery. MXene nanosheets were functionalized with 3, 3'-diselanediyldipropionic acid (DSeDPA), followed by grafting doxorubicin (DOX) as a model drug to the surface of functionalized MXene nanosheets (MXene-Se-DOX). The nanosheets were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and zeta potential techniques. The drug-loading capacity (17.95%) and encapsulation efficiency (41.66%) were determined using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The lateral size and thickness of the MXene nanosheets measured using AFM were 200 nm and 1.5 nm, respectively. The drug release behavior of the MXene-Se-DOX nanosheets was evaluated under different medium conditions, and the nanosheets demonstrated outstanding dual (reactive oxygen species (ROS)- and pH-) responsive properties. Furthermore, the MXene-Se-DOX nanosheets exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive B. subtilis.

A Novel Diamine Containing Ester and Diphenylethane Groups for Colorless Polyimide with a Low Dielectric Constant and Low Water Absorption.

In this study, a novel diamine monomer containing ester and phenyl moieties, 1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diyl bis(4-aminobenzoate) (1,2-DPEDBA), was synthesized through a three-step reaction. Using this diamine, a novel polyimide (PI) film was prepared with 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6-FDA) as a counter dianhydride through a typical two-step chemical imidization. For comparison, poly(pyromellitic dianhydride-co-4,4'-oxydianiline) (PMDA-ODA PI) was also synthesized via thermal imidization. The resulting 6-FDA-DPEDBA PI film was not only soluble in common polar solvents with high boiling points, such as N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), but also soluble in common low-boiling-point polar solvents, such as chloroform (CHCl3) and dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), at room temperature. The resulting novel PI showed a 5% weight loss temperature (T5d) at 360 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The resulting PI film was colorless and transparent with a transmittance of 87.1% in the visible light region ranging from 400 to 760 nm. The water absorption of the novel PI film was of 1.78%. The PI film also possessed a good moisture barrier and hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the resulting PI film displayed a low dielectric constant of 2.17 at 106 Hz at room temperature. In conclusion, the novel PI film exhibited much better optical transparency, lower moisture absorption, and a lower dielectric constant as well as better solubility than the PMDA-ODA PI film, which is insoluble in any solvent, although its thermal stability is not better than that of PMDA-ODA PI.

Hardware optical correlation method for dynamic detection of micrometer gaps with sub-nanometer resolution.

Surface plasmon lithography breaks through the diffraction limit with surface plasmon effect and achieves high-resolution imaging below sub-wavelengths. The dynamic detection and control of the working distance between the mask and the substrate is particularly important for the quality of the lithography samples. In this paper, the mask-substrate gap sensing mechanism is analyzed, and a mask-substrate gap absolute distance measurement model is established based on the principle of white light interference. We design a Fizeau interferometer demodulation system based on a hardware optical correlation method, and focus on analyzing the influence of the sub-nanometer surface profile of the optical wedge on the resolution. Finally, we propose a data processing method for extracting the dynamic gap value by SSA (singular spectrum analysis). The experimental results show that the system shows high performance with a gap detection range of 3.0∼6.0 µm, the stability of ±0.12 nm, and the resolution of better than 0.30 nm.

Crown-Ether-Modified SBA-15 for the Adsorption of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) from Water.

Recently, the release of some metal ions to the environment has been observed to cause serious damages to human health and the environment. Herein, a chromium(VI)- and zinc(II)-selective adsorbent (CB18crown6/SBA-15) was successfully fabricated through the covalent attachment of 4'-carboxybenzo-18-crown-6 (CB18crown6) as a ligand on mesoporous silica support (SBA-15). The CB18crown6/SBA-15 adsorbent was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). To evaluate its ability to selectively capture Cr(VI) and Zn(II), adsorption experiments were conducted. The influences of pH, initial concentration of metal ions, and coexisting metal ions on the adsorption process were examined. The CB18crown6/SBA-15 selectively adsorbed Cr(VI) at pH 2 and Zn(II) at pH 5, respectively, from the mixed aqueous solutions of chromium, zinc, lithium, cadmium, cobalt, strontium, and cesium ions. The data for the adsorption of Cr(VI) onto the CB18crown6/SBA-15 were well explained by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. In addition, the recycling and reuse of CB18crown6/SBA-15 was successfully achieved, and 71 and 76% reuse efficiency of Cr(VI) and Zn(II), respectively, was obtained after five cycles. This study suggests that the use of the CB18crown6/SBA-15 can be a feasible approach for the selective remediation of Cr(VI) and Zn(II) contamination.

Raman enhancement mechanism and experiments of cavity-enhanced AgNP decorated tapered fiber sensor.

A Raman sensor based on a cavity-enhanced Ag nanoparticle (AgNP) decorated tapered fiber is proposed. Its Raman enhancements are mainly caused by the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of AgNPs decorated on the tapered optical fiber surface and the further reflective laser excitation induced by the capillary-based reflective cavity. We theoretically investigate the backward Stokes power conversion efficiency and cavity enhancement factor of the sensor. The calculated relationship between the cavity enhancement factor ξ and distance L from the tip to reflective rod is also discussed. Subsequently, the proving experiments were carried out for a tapered fiber surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) probe and cavity-enhanced metal decorated tapered fiber Raman sensors. The analytical enhancement factor is 5.51×104 for the tapered fiber SERS probe. Moreover, the predicted curves of the theoretical model are close to the experimental values. This Letter provides a possible way to rigorously quantify the complete coupling efficiency for tapered fiber SERS probes, as well as cavity enhancement factors of cavity-enhanced Raman sensors.

A clinical scoring system for predicting tumor recurrence after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for 3 cm or less hepatocellular carcinoma.

Preoperative prediction of tumor recurrence after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is helpful for clinical decision-making before treatment. A total of 162 patients with HCC of 3 cm or less who were completely ablated by percutaneous RFA were divided into a derivation cohort (n = 108) and a validation cohort (n = 54). Based on X-Tiles software, Kaplan-Meier curve analysis and COX multivariate analysis to obtain valuable predictive indicators, a clinical scoring system for predicting tumor recurrence was established. In the verall cohort, derivation cohort and validation cohort, we found circulating tumor cells (CTC) > 2/3.2 mL, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) > 20 ng/mL, and des-γ-carboxyprothrombin (DCP) > 40 mAU/mL, maximum tumor diameter > 20 mm, and the number of multiple tumors (≥ 2) are independent risk factors affecting tumor recurrence. Each independent risk factor was assigned a score of 1 to construct a predictive clinical scoring system, and X-Tiles software was used to divide the clinical score into a low-risk group (0 score-1 score), a medium-risk group (2 scores-3 scores), and a high-risk group (4 scores-5 scores). The cumulative tumor recurrence rates of patients in the low-risk group, middle-risk group, and high-risk group in 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years were 19.4%/27.5%/30.9%, 37.0%/63.2%/79.9% and 68.2%/100%/100%, respectively (Low-risk group vs medium-risk group: P < 0.001; medium-risk group vs high-risk group: P < 0.001). This clinical scoring system can predict the prognosis of patients with HCC of 3 cm or smaller undergoing percutaneous RFA, which has certain application value for making preoperative clinical decisions.

AgNIs/Al2O3/Ag as SERS substrates using a self-encapsulation technology.

Using a self-encapsulation technology, we prepared a metal film-coupled nanoisland system (FCN), that is, Ag and Al2O3 film-coupled Ag nanoislands (AgNIs/Al2O3/Ag) composite SERS (surface-enhanced Raman scattering) substrate, through the anti-wetting of Ag film on the surface of Al film. The thickness of the Al2O3 film can be controlled within the range of 4 nm to 22 nm by tuning the annealing temperature. Three important properties were investigated. Firstly, the structure shows an excellent near-field and far-field enhancement using COMSOL Multiphysics simulation. Secondly, the experimental SERS analytical enhancement factor (AEF) of the AgNIs/Al2O3/Ag substrate can reach 3.9 × 108, two orders of magnitude larger than that of bare AgNIs. Thirdly, after exposed in air for 90 days, it can keep 55% enhancement capability, while the bare AgNIs can keep 16%.

Preoperative evaluation and prediction of clinical scores for hepatocellular carcinoma microvascular invasion: a single-center retrospective analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Microvascular invasion (MVI) of is generally considered to be an important prognostic factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after operation, An accurate prediction of MVI before operation is helpful for clinical decision-making before operation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 227 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma patients after hepatectomy has been confirmed the pathological result whether there was MVI, and has been determined the independent risk factors of MVI. Based on these independent risk factors, we constructed a clinical scoring risk model for predicting MVI. RESULTS: Among the 227 patients with HCC, 74 (34.6%) were MVI positive. Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression model, we found that alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)≥158 ng/mL(odds ratio[OR] = 4.152,95% confidence interval [95%CI]:1.602∼10.760,p = 0.003), Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP)≥178mAU/mL(OR = 9.730,95%CI:3.392∼27.910,p < 0.001), circulating tumor cells (CTCs)≥3/3.2 ml(OR = 7.747,95%CI:3.019∼19.881,P < 0.001), maximum tumor diameter≥59 mm(OR = 3.467,95%CI:1.368∼8.669,p = 0.008) and tumor margin unsmoothness(OR = 0.235,95%CI:0.096∼0.573,p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for MVI, they predicted that the area under the curve of MVI was 0.752, 0.777, 0.857, 0.743 and 0.333, respectively. Based on these five independent risk factors, we constructed a clinical scoring risk model for predicting MVI. The model predicts that the area under the curve of MVI is 0.922, and its prevalence rate from 0 to 5 are 3.1%(1/32), 5.3%(4/76), 12.2%(5/41), 66.7%(20/30), 87.9%(29/33), 100%(15/15), respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Based on AFP, DCP, CTC, maximum tumor diameter and tumor margin unsmoothness, we constructed a model to predict the risk of MVI clinical score, so as to make a more accurate individualized treatment plan before operation, which has important clinical significance and application prospect to improve the curative effect of HCC.