Silicon carbide single crystals for high-temperature supercapacitors.

Designing advanced electrode materials that can be reliably cycled at high temperatures and used for assembling advanced energy storage devices remain a major challenge. As a representative of novel wide bandgap semiconductors, silicon carbide (SiC) single crystals have broad prospects in high-temperature energy storage due to their excellent characteristics such as low thermal expansion coefficient, high temperature radiation resistance and stable chemical properties. In this work, an N-type SiC single-crystal material with a high-density porous structure was successfully designed and prepared by using an improved electrochemical anodic oxidation strategy. Besides, the N-type SiC single crystals were used in electrochemical energy storage as an integrated electrode material, exhibiting superior electrochemical performance. In addition, the high-temperature supercapacitor device assembled with ionic liquids has a wide operating temperature range and maintains a capacity of 88.24% after 5000 cycles at 150 °C. The reasons for its high energy storage performance are discussed through electrochemical tests and first-principles calculation methods. This study proves that the application of SiC single crystals in supercapacitor devices has great potential in the field of high-temperature energy storage, providing a reference for the further development of novel semiconductors in the field of energy storage and optoelectronic devices.

More potential uses of specific perforator flaps in the calf - A cadaveric study on the subdermal vascular structure of the lower leg.

BACKGROUND: The perforator flap has garnered significant interest since its inception due to its advantage of not needing a vascular network at the deep fascial level. Perforator flaps are commonly utilized in different flap transplant surgeries, and the thigh flap is presently the most widely used perforator flap. Is it possible for the calf to replace the thigh as a more suitable site for harvesting materials? Currently, there is a lack of relevant anatomical research. This study aims to address this question from an anatomical and imaging perspective. METHODS: This study used cadavers to observe the branches and courses of perforators on the calf and the distribution of skin branches using microdissection techniques, digital X-ray photography, and micro-computed tomography techniques. RESULTS: The perforators had three main branches: the vertical cutaneous branch, the oblique cutaneous branch, and the superficial fascial branch. The superficial fascial branch traveled in the superficial fascia and connected with the nearby perforators. The vertical and oblique cutaneous branches entered the subdermal layer and connected with each other to create the subdermal vascular network. CONCLUSIONS: We observed an intact calf cutaneous branch chain between the cutaneous nerve and the perforator of the infrapopliteal main artery at the superficial vein site. Utilizing this anatomical structure, the calfskin branch has the potential to serve as a substitute for thigh skin flap transplantation and may be applied to perforator flap transplantation in more locations.

Evaluating the consistency in different methods for measuring left atrium diameters.

BACKGROUND: The morphological information of the pulmonary vein (PV) and left atrium (LA) is of immense clinical importance for effective atrial fibrillation ablation. The aim of this study is to examine the consistency in different LA diameter measurement techniques. METHODS: Retrospective imaging data from 87 patients diagnosed with PV computed tomography angiography were included. The patients consisted of 50 males and 37 females, with an average age of (60.74 ± 8.70) years. Two physicians independently measured the anteroposterior diameter, long diameter, and transverse diameter of the LA using six different methods. Additionally, we recorded the post-processing time of the images. Physician 1 conducted measurements twice with a one-month interval between the measurements to assess intra-rater reliability. Using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), the consistency of each LA diameter measurement by the two physicians was evaluated. We compared the differences in the LA diameter and the time consumed for measurements using different methods. This was done by employing the rank sum test of a randomized block design (Friedman M test) and the q test for pairwise comparisons among multiple relevant samples. RESULTS: (1) The consistency of the measured LA diameter by the two physicians was strong or very strong. (2) There were statistical differences in the anteroposterior diameter, long diameter, and transverse diameter of LA assessed using different methods (χ2 = 222.28, 32.74, 293.83, P < 0.001). (3) Different methods for measuring the diameters of LA required different amounts of time (χ2 = 333.10, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of left atrium (LA) diameter measurements conducted by different physicians were found to be reliable. However, the LA diameters obtained through various techniques exhibited variations. It was observed that measuring LA long diameters using only the VR (volume rendering) picture was the most clinically applicable method.

An Exploratory Pilot Study on the Application of Radiofrequency Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Guided by Computed Tomography-Based 3D Printing Technology.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is the treatment of choice for atrial fibrillation (AF). Additionally, the utilization of 3D printing for cardiac models offers an in-depth insight into cardiac anatomy and cardiovascular diseases. The study aims to evaluate the clinical utility and outcomes of RFA following in vitro visualization of the left atrium (LA) and pulmonary vein (PV) structures via 3D printing (3DP). Between November 2017 and April 2021, patients who underwent RFA at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University were consecutively enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups: the 3DP group and the control group, in a 1:1 ratio. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was employed to capture the morphology and diameter of the LA and PV, which facilitated the construction of a 3D entity model. Additionally, surgical procedures were simulated using the 3D model. Parameters such as the duration of the procedure, complications, and rates of RFA recurrence were meticulously documented. Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test or Mann-Whitney U test to evaluate the differences between the groups, with a P-value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. In this study, a total of 122 patients were included, with 53 allocated to the 3DP group and 69 to the control group. The analysis of the morphological measurements of the LA and PV taken from the workstation or direct entity measurement showed no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, patients in the 3DP group experienced significantly shorter RFA times (97.03 ± 28.39 compared to 120.51 ± 44.76 min, t = 3.05, P = 0.003), reduced duration of radiation exposure (2.55 [interquartile range 2.01, 3.24] versus 3.20 [2.28, 3.91] min, Z = 3.23, P < 0.001), and shorter modeling times (7.68 ± 1.03 compared to 8.89 ± 1.45 min, t = 5.38, P < 0.001). 3DP technology has the potential to enhance standard RFA practices by reducing the time required for intraoperative interventions and exposure to radiation.

Strictosamide alleviates acute lung injury via regulating T helper 17 cells, regulatory T cells, and gut microbiota.

BACKGROUND: Nauclea officinalis (Pierre ex Pit.) Merr. & Chun (Rubiaceae) is widely used to treat respiratory diseases in China. Strictosamide is its main active component and has significant anti-inflammatory activity. However, the effects and molecular mechanisms of strictosamide in the treatment of acute lung injury (ALI) remain largely unknown. PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the regulatory effects of strictosamide on T helper 17 cells (Th17 cells)/Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) and gut microbiota in ALI-affected mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ALI model was induced using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) intraperitoneal injection. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, the number of inflammatory cells in broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the Wet/Dry (W/D) ratio, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were utilized as evaluation indices for the therapeutic efficacy of strictosamide on ALI. Flow cytometry (FCM), enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA), quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and western blotting were used to determine the regulation of strictosamide on the Th17/Treg cells and the STAT3/STAT5 signaling pathway. The analysis of gut microbiota was conducted using 16S rDNA sequencing. The verification of the relationship between the gut microbiome and immune function was conducted using Spearman analysis. RESULTS: Strictosamide attenuated inflammation on ALI induced by LPS, which reduced the levels of Th17-related factors interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-17 and increased Treg-related factors IL-10 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß. In the spleens and whole blood, strictosamide reduced the proportion of Th17 cells and increased the proportion of Treg cells. Furthermore, strictosamide increased Forkhead/winged helix transcription factor 3 (Foxp3) and p-STAT5 protein expression while inhibiting Retinoid-related orphan nuclear receptors-γt (RORγt) and p-STAT3 expression. Moreover, strictosamide reshaped the diversity and structure of the gut microbiota, and influence the associations between immune parameters and gut microbiota in ALI mice. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the results of the current investigation showed that strictosamide has a therapeutic impact on LPS-induced ALI. The mechanism of action of this effect may be associated with the modulation of Th17 and Treg cells differentiation via the SATA signaling pathway, as well as the impact of the gut microbiota.

Biomechanical Analysis of Adjacent Segments after Spinal Fusion Surgery Using a Geometrically Parametric Patient-Specific Finite Element Model.

This study aimed to perform a mechanical analysis of adjacent segments after spinal fusion surgery using a geometrically parametric patient-specific finite element model to elucidate the mechanism of adjacent segment degeneration (ASD), thereby providing theoretical evidence for early disease prevention. Fourteen parameters based on patient-specific spinal geometry were extracted from a patient's preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan, and the relative positions of each spinal segment were determined using the image match method. A preoperative patient-specific model of the spine was established through the above method. The postoperative model after L4-L5 posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) surgery was constructed using the same method except that the lamina and intervertebral disc were removed, and a cage, 4 pedicle screws, and 2 connecting rods were inserted. Range of motion (ROM) and stress changes were determined by comparing the values of each anatomical structure between the preoperative and postoperative models. The overall ROM of the lumbar spine decreased after fusion, while the ROM, stress in the facet joints, and stress in the intervertebral disc of adjacent segments all increased. An analysis of the stress distribution in the annulus fibrosus, nucleus pulposus, and facet joints also showed that not only was the maximum stress in these tissues elevated, but the areas of moderate-to-high stress were also expanded. During torsion, the stress in the facet joints and annulus fibrosus of the proximal adjacent segment (L3-L4) increased to a larger extent than that in the distal adjacent segment (L5-S1). While fusion surgery causes an overall restriction of motion in the lumbar spine, it also causes more load sharing by the adjacent segments to compensate for the fused segment, thus increasing the risk of ASD. The proximal adjacent segment is more prone to degeneration than the distal adjacent segment after spinal fusion due to the significant increase in stress.

Investigation of corneal epithelial thickness and irregularity by optical coherence tomography after transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Corneal epithelial healing after refractive surgery is a clinically significant issue, especially for surface ablation procedures, and this can be monitored using optical coherence tomography (OCT). BACKGROUND: The aim of this work is to investigate the corneal epithelial thickness and irregularity by OCT after transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (t-PRK) and analyse its correlation with visual and refractive outcomes. METHODS: Patients aged ≥18 years with myopia, with or without astigmatism, who underwent t-PRK between May 2020 and August 2021 were included. All participants were subjected to complete ophthalmic examinations and OCT pachymetry at every follow-up visit. Patients were followed up at 1 week and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 67 patients (126 eyes) were enrolled in this study. One month postoperatively, spherical equivalent refraction and visual acuity achieved preliminary stability. However, central corneal epithelial thickness (CCET) and standard deviation of the corneal epithelial thickness (SDcet) took 3-6 months to progressive recovery. Patients with higher baseline spherical equivalent refraction were associated with slower epithelial recovery. At every follow-up time point, a significant superior-inferior difference in the minimum corneal epithelial thickness area was observed. Higher stromal haze was correlated with higher spherical equivalent refraction (both baseline and residual) but had no relation with visual outcomes. There was a significant correlation between higher CCET with a better uncorrected distance visual acuity and lower corneal epithelial thickness irregularity. CONCLUSIONS: CCET and SDcet measured by OCT seem to be a good auxiliary indicator for reflecting the status of corneal wound recovery after t-PRK surgery. However, a well-designed randomised control study is needed to confirm the study results.

Decoding tumor stage by peritumoral and intratumoral radiomics in resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the potential application of radiomics in predicting Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stage in patients with resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: This retrospective study included 122 consecutive patients (mean age, 57 years; 27 women). Corresponding tumor of interest was identified on axial arterial-phase CT images with manual annotation. Radiomics features were extracted from intra- and peritumoral regions. Features were pruned to train LASSO regression model with 93 patients to construct a radiomics signature, whose performance was validated in a test set of 29 patients. Prognostic value of radiomics-predicted TNM stage was estimated by survival analysis in the entire cohort. RESULTS: The radiomics signature incorporating one intratumoral and four peritumoral features was significantly associated with TNM stage. This signature discriminated tumor stage with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.823 in the training set, with similar performance in the test set (AUC 0.813). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was significantly different between different radiomics-predicted TNM stage groups (Low-risk vs high-risk, log-rank P = 0.004). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that radiomics-predicted TNM stage was an independent preoperative factor for RFS. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed radiomics signature combing intratumoral and peritumoral features was predictive of TNM stage and associated with prognostication in ESCC.

Protective Effects of Danmu Extract Syrup on Acute Lung Injury Induced by Lipopolysaccharide in Mice through Endothelial Barrier Repair.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Danmu Extract Syrup (DMS) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice and explore the mechanism. METHODS: Seventy-two male Balb/C mice were randomly divided into 6 groups according to a random number table (n=12), including control (normal saline), LPS (5 mg/kg), LPS+DMS 2.5 mL/kg, LPS+DMS 5 mL/kg, LPS+DMS 10 mL/kg, and LPS+Dexamethasone (DXM, 5 mg/kg) groups. After pretreatment with DMS and DXM, the ALI mice model was induced by LPS, and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected to determine protein concentration, cell counts and inflammatory cytokines. The lung tissues of mice were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, and the wet/dry weight ratio (W/D) of lung tissue was calculated. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1 ß in BALF of mice were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of Claudin-5, vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), phospho-protein kinase B (p-Akt) and Akt were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: DMS pre-treatment significantly ameliorated lung histopathological changes. Compared with the LPS group, the W/D ratio and protein contents in BALF were obviously reduced after DMS pretreatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The number of cells in BALF and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity decreased significantly after DMS pretreatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01). DMS pre-treatment decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1 ß (P<0.01). Meanwhile, DMS activated the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathway and reversed the expressions of Claudin-5, VE-cadherin and VEGF (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: DMS attenuated LPS-induced ALI in mice through repairing endothelial barrier. It might be a potential therapeutic drug for LPS-induced lung injury.

Multimodal Imaging Features and Prognosis of Metaplastic Breast Carcinoma.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is an infrequent malignancy with an unfavorable prognosis, and there is a paucity of research on the multimodal imaging features of MBC. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the multimodal imaging features, clinicopathological characteristics, and prognosis of MBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 36 patients with histologically confirmed MBC from 2012 to 2021 were included in the study. We analyzed the pre-treatment multimodal imaging features, including mammography, ultrasonography (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as clinicopathology and prognosis of MBC. Follow-up data included local recurrence, distant metastasis, and overall survival (OS) rate. RESULTS: MBC patients had a median age of 51 years at diagnosis. The most common histologic subtype was squamous cell carcinoma, with 86.1% of MBC being histological grade 3 and triple negative. The most common mammographic findings were irregular shape, non-calcification, and high density. The predominant US findings included irregular shape, parallel orientation, posterior acoustic enhancement, and hypoecho. On MRI, most masses exhibited irregular shape, spiculate margin, heterogeneous enhancement, Type II time intensity curve, and diffusion restriction on diffusion weighted images determined by apparent diffusion coefficient. According to breast imaging reporting and data system, mammography suggested malignancy in 50% of cases, US indicated a moderate to high suspicion of malignancy in 77.8% of cases, MRI revealed malignancy in all cases. At a median follow-up time of 48 months (range, 8-122 months) for 35 MBC patients, the local recurrence, distant metastasis, and OS rates were 11.4%, 28.6%, and 67.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The benign features of MBC on mammography and US may cause misinterpretation. However, the inclusion of malignant features observed on MRI can improve diagnostic accuracy.

Antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of rhein against white spot syndrome virus infection in red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii).

IMPORTANCE: Aquaculture is essential for ensuring global food security by providing a significant source of animal protein. However, the spread of the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) has resulted in considerable economic losses in crustacean industries. In this study, we evaluated the antiviral activity of rhein, the primary bioactive component of Rheum palmatum L., against WSSV infection, and many pathological aspects of WSSV were also described for the first time. Our mechanistic studies indicated that rhein effectively arrested the replication of WSSV in crayfish by modulating innate immunity to inhibit viral gene transcription. Furthermore, we observed that rhein attenuated WSSV-induced oxidative and inflammatory stresses by regulating the expression of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory-related genes while enhancing innate immunity by reducing total protein levels and increasing phosphatase activity. Our findings suggest that rhein holds great promise as a potent antiviral agent for the prevention and treatment of WSSV in aquaculture.

Prevalence of meibomian gland dysfunction at a tertiary centre in Taiwan.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease are closely related conditions that often coexist and can contribute to the development of each other. Understanding the similarities and differences between these diseases can assist clinicians in implementing effective treatments for both conditions in a clinical setting. BACKGROUND: Dry eye disease is a multifactorial disease of the tears and ocular surface. This study aimed to evaluate the demographic characteristics of patients with meibomian gland dysfunction in Taiwan, investigate the association between meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye parameters, and estimate the prevalence of meibomian gland dysfunction among patients with dry eye symptoms at a tertiary referral centre. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled patients aged ≥20 years who complained of dry eye symptoms and visited a tertiary centre between September 2019 and March 2020. The patients completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index and Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness questionnaires before undergoing ocular examination. The lipid layer thickness and meiboscale scores were recorded. In addition, the study measured tear film break-up time, examined corneal staining, and evaluated the number of meibomian glands yielding liquid secretions using a slit lamp. RESULTS: The study evaluated 202 eyes of 202 patients with a mean age of 58.05 ± 13.34 years. The prevalence of meibomian gland dysfunction was 93%. Mean meiboscale score and age were negatively associated, and tear film break-up time was positively associated with the mean number of meibomian glands yielding liquid secretions. Hyperlipidaemia and smoking were the main risk factors for Meibomian gland dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of meibomian gland dysfunction among patients with dry eye symptoms was extremely high at the tertiary centre, highlighting the strong relationship between Meibomian gland dysfunction and dry eye disease. Clinicians should consider meibomian gland dysfunction as a possible cause of dry eye.

Symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with steroid efficacy and clinical outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Anxiety and depression symptoms are very common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to explore the impact of anxiety and depression on the efficacy of medications, as well as IBD-related poor outcomes. Method: This was a prospective longitudinal observational study. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess anxiety and depression symptoms. Logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between anxiety/depression and the response to different medications. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression model were applied to analyze the relationship between anxiety/depression and IBD-related poor outcomes, which were defined as urgent IBD-related hospitalization, IBD-related surgery, or death. Results: A total of 325 IBD patients were enrolled, 118 of whom were treated with corticosteroids, 88 with azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine (AZA/6-MP), and 147 with anti-TNF agents. Anxiety/depression symptoms were found to be significantly related to steroid resistance, but independent of AZA/6-MP and anti-TNF agents nonresponse. There was a significant association between anxiety/depression symptoms and IBD-related poor outcomes. Coexisting with anxiety/depression symptoms was an independent influencing factor of steroid resistance and IBD-related poor outcomes. Conclusion: IBD patients with anxiety/depression symptoms were at a higher risk of developing steroid resistance and IBD-related poor outcomes. Future studies are needed to explore whether interventions for anxiety and depression will improve their response to medications and change their prognosis.

Anesthesia management in a pediatric patient with complicatedly difficult airway: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Reports on perioperative anesthesia management in pediatric patients with difficult airways are scarce. In addition to relatively more difficulties in the technique of endotracheal intubation, the time for manipulation is restricted compared to adults. Securing the airways safely and avoiding the occurrence of hypoxemia in these patients are of significance. CASE SUMMARY: A 9-year-old boy with spastic cerebral palsy, severe malnutrition, thoracic scoliosis, thoracic and airway malformation, laryngomalacia, pneumonia, and epilepsy faced the risk of anesthesia during palliative surgery. After a thorough preoperative evaluation, a detailed scheme for anesthesia and a series of intubation tools were prepared by a team of anesthesiologists. Awake fiberoptic intubation is the widely accepted strategy for patients with anticipated difficult airways. Given the age and medical condition of the patient, we kept him sedated with spontaneous breathing during endotracheal intubation. The endotracheal intubation was completed on the second attempt after the failure of the first effort. Fortunately, the surgery was successful without postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Dealing with difficult airways in the pediatric population, proper sedation allows time to intubate without interrupting spontaneous breathing. The appropriate endotracheal intubation method based on the patient's unique characteristics is the key factor in successful management of these rare cases.

Changes in dynamic and static brain fluctuation distinguish minimal hepatic encephalopathy and cirrhosis patients and predict the severity of liver damage.

Purpose: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is characterized by mild neuropsychological and neurophysiological alterations that are not detectable by routine clinical examination. Abnormal brain activity (in terms of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) has been observed in MHE patients. However, little is known concerning temporal dynamics of intrinsic brain activity. The present study aimed to investigate the abnormal dynamics of brain activity (dynamic ALFF; dALFF) and static measures [static ALFF; (sALFF)] in MHE patients and to strive for a reliable imaging neuromarkers for distinguishing MHE patients from cirrhosis patients. In addition, the present study also investigated whether intrinsic brain activity predicted the severity of liver damage. Methods: Thirty-four cirrhosis patients with MHE, 28 cirrhosis patients without MHE, and 33 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). dALFF was estimated by combining the ALFF method with the sliding-window method, in which temporal variability was quantized over the whole-scan timepoints and then compared among the three groups. Additionally, dALFF, sALFF and both two features were utilized as classification features in a support vector machine (SVM) to distinguish MHE patients from cirrhosis patients. The severity of liver damage was reflected by the Child-Pugh score. dALFF, sALFF and both two features were used to predict Child-Pugh scores in MHE patients using a general linear model. Results: Compared with HCs, MHE patients showed significantly increased dALFF in the left inferior occipital gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, and right insula; increased dALFF was also observed in the right posterior lobe of the cerebellum (CPL) and right thalamus. Compared with HCs, noMHE patients exhibited decreased dALFF in the right precuneus. In contrast, compared with noMHE patients, MHE patients showed increased dALFF in the right precuneus, right superior frontal gyrus, and right superior occipital gyrus. Furthermore, the increased dALFF values in the left precuneus were positively associated with poor digit-symbol test (DST) scores (r = 0.356, p = 0.038); however, dALFF in the right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) was negatively associated with the number connection test-A (NCT-A) scores (r = -0.784, p = 0.000). A significant positive correlation was found between dALFF in the left inferior occipital gyrus (IOG) and high blood ammonia levels (r = 0.424, p = 0.012). Notably, dALFF values yielded a higher classification accuracy than sALFF values in distinguishing MHE patients from cirrhosis patients. Importantly, the dALFF values predicted the Child-Pugh score (r = 0.140, p = 0.030), whereas sALFF values did not in the current dataset. Combining two features had high accuracy in classification in distinguishing MHE patients from cirrhotic patients and yielded prediction in the severity of liver damage. Conclusion: These findings suggest that combining dALFF and sALFF features is a useful neuromarkers for distinguishing MHE patients from cirrhosis patients and highlights the important role of dALFF feature in predicting the severity of liver damage in MHE.

Effect of antidepressants on psychological comorbidities, disease activity, and quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are often accompanied by a more significant burden of depression or anxiety, and approximately one-third are prescribed antidepressants. However, previous studies on the efficacy of antidepressants in IBD have shown inconsistent results. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of antidepressants on depression, anxiety, disease activity, and quality of life (QoL) in IBD patients. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: We searched MEDLINE via Ovid, EMBASE via Ovid, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Chinese CBM Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, and Wanfang Database from inception to 13th July 2022 without language restrictions. Results: In all, 13 studies containing 884 individuals were included. Compared with the control group, antidepressants were superior in reducing depression scores [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.791; 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.009 to -0.572; p < 0.001], anxiety scores (SMD = -0.877; 95% CI: -1.203 to -0.552; p < 0.001), and disease activity scores (SMD = -0.323; 95% CI: -0.500 to -0.145; p < 0.001). Antidepressants had a positive effect in reaching clinical remission [risk ratio (RR) = 1.383; 95% CI: 1.176-1.626; p < 0.001]. Higher physical QoL (SMD = 0.578; 95% CI: 0.025-1.130; p = 0.040), social QoL (SMD = 0.626; 95% CI: 0.073-1.180; p = 0.027), and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SMD = 1.111; 95% CI: 0.710-1.512; p < 0.001) were found in the experimental group. No significant differences were observed in clinical response (RR = 1.014; 95% CI: 0.847-1.214; p = 0.881), psychological QoL (SMD = 0.399; 95% CI: -0.147 to 0.944; p = 0.152), and environmental QoL (SMD = 0.211; 95% CI: -0.331 to 0.753; p = 0.446). Conclusion: Antidepressants are effective for ameliorating depression, anxiety, disease activity, and QoL in IBD patients. Due to most studies having a small sample size, further well-designed studies are required.

Epidemiological Survey of Hemoglobinopathies Based on Next-Generation Sequencing Platform in Hunan Province, China.

Objective: This study was aimed at investigating the carrier rate of, and molecular variation in, α- and ß-globin gene mutations in Hunan Province. Methods: We recruited 25,946 individuals attending premarital screening from 42 districts and counties in all 14 cities of Hunan Province. Hematological screening was performed, and molecular parameters were assessed. Results: The overall carrier rate of thalassemia was 7.1%, including 4.83% for α-thalassemia, 2.15% for ß-thalassemia, and 0.12% for both α- and ß-thalassemia. The highest carrier rate of thalassemia was in Yongzhou (14.57%). The most abundant genotype of α-thalassemia and ß-thalassemia was -α 3.7/αα (50.23%) and ß IVS-II-654/ß N (28.23%), respectively. Four α-globin mutations [CD108 (ACC>AAC), CAP +29 (G>C), Hb Agrinio and Hb Cervantes] and six ß-globin mutations [CAP +8 (C>T), IVS-II-848 (C>T), -56 (G>C), beta nt-77 (G>C), codon 20/21 (-TGGA) and Hb Knossos] had not previously been identified in China. Furthermore, this study provides the first report of the carrier rates of abnormal hemoglobin variants and α-globin triplication in Hunan Province, which were 0.49% and 1.99%, respectively. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the high complexity and diversity of thalassemia gene mutations in the Hunan population. The results should facilitate genetic counselling and the prevention of severe thalassemia in this region.

Gallium Nitride Based Electrode for High-Temperature Supercapacitors.

Gallium nitride (GaN) single crystal, as the representative of wide-band semiconductors, has great prospects for high-temperature energy storage, of its splendid power output, robust temperature stability, and superior carrier mobility. Nonetheless, it is an essential challenge for GaN-based devices to improve energy storage. Herein, an innovative strategy is proposed by constructing GaN/Nickel cobalt oxygen (NiCoO2  ï¼‰heterostructure for enhanced supercapacitors (SCs). Benefiting from the synergy effect between the porous GaN network as a highly conductive skeleton and the NiCoO2 with massive active sites. The GaN/NiCoO2 heterostructure-based SCs with ion liquids electrolyte are assembled and delivered an impressive energy density of 15.2 µWh cm-2 and power density, as well as superior service life at 130 °C. The theoretical calculation further explains that the reason for the energy storage enhancement of the GaN/NiCoO2 is due to the presence of the built-in electric fields. This work offers a novel perspective for meeting the practical application of GaN-based energy storage devices with exceptional performance capable of operation under high-temperature environments.

Cross-attention multi-branch CNN using DCE-MRI to classify breast cancer molecular subtypes.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to improve the accuracy of classifying luminal or non-luminal subtypes of breast cancer by using computer algorithms based on DCE-MRI, and to validate the diagnostic efficacy of the model by considering the patient's age of menarche and nodule size. Methods: DCE-MRI images of patients with non-specific invasive breast cancer admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University were collected. There were 160 cases in total, with 84 cases of luminal type (luminal A and luminal B and 76 cases of non-luminal type (HER 2 overexpressing and triple negative). Patients were grouped according to thresholds of nodule sizes of 20 mm and age at menarche of 14 years. A cross-attention multi-branch net CAMBNET) was proposed based on the dataset to predict the molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Diagnostic performance was assessed by accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1 and area under the ROC curve (AUC). And the model is visualized with Grad-CAM. Results: Several classical deep learning models were included for diagnostic performance comparison. Using 5-fold cross-validation on the test dataset, all the results of CAMBNET are significantly higher than the compared deep learning models. The average prediction recall, accuracy, precision, and AUC for luminal and non-luminal types of the dataset were 89.11%, 88.44%, 88.52%, and 96.10%, respectively. For patients with tumor size <20 mm, the CAMBNET had AUC of 83.45% and ACC of 90.29% for detecting triple-negative breast cancer. When classifying luminal from non-luminal subtypes for patients with age at menarche years, our CAMBNET model achieved an ACC of 92.37%, precision of 92.42%, recall of 93.33%, F1of 92.33%, and AUC of 99.95%. Conclusions: The CAMBNET can be applied in molecular subtype classification of breasts. For patients with menarche at 14 years old, our model can yield more accurate results when classifying luminal and non-luminal subtypes. For patients with tumor sizes ≤20 mm, our model can yield more accurate result in detecting triple-negative breast cancer to improve patient prognosis and survival.