Rupture-Related Features of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations and Their Utility in Predicting Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Evaluating rupture risk in cerebral arteriovenous malformations currently lacks quantitative hemodynamic and angioarchitectural features necessary for predicting subsequent hemorrhage. We aimed to derive rupture-related hemodynamic and angioarchitectural features of arteriovenous malformations and construct an ensemble model for predicting subsequent hemorrhage. METHODS: This retrospective study included 3 data sets, as follows: training and test data sets comprising consecutive patients with untreated cerebral arteriovenous malformations who were admitted from January 2015 to June 2022 and a validation data set comprising patients with unruptured arteriovenous malformations who received conservative treatment between January 2009 and December 2014. We extracted rupture-related features and developed logistic regression (clinical features), decision tree (hemodynamic features), and support vector machine (angioarchitectural features) models. These 3 models were combined into an ensemble model using a weighted soft-voting strategy. The performance of the models in discriminating ruptured arteriovenous malformations and predicting subsequent hemorrhage was evaluated with confusion matrix-related metrics in the test and validation data sets. RESULTS: A total of 896 patients (mean±SD age, 28±14 years; 404 women) were evaluated, with 632, 158, and 106 patients in the training, test, and validation data sets, respectively. From the training set, 9 clinical, 10 hemodynamic, and 2912 pixel-based angioarchitectural features were extracted. A logistic regression model was built using 4 selected clinical features (age, nidus size, location, and venous aneurysm), whereas a decision-tree model was constructed from 4 hemodynamic features (outflow time, stasis index, cerebral blood flow, and outflow volume ratio). A support vector machine model was designed using 5 pixel-based angioarchitectural features. In the validation data set, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of the ensemble model for predicting subsequent hemorrhages were 0.840, 0.889, 0.823, and 0.911, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ensemble model incorporating clinical, hemodynamic, and angioarchitectural features showed favorable performance in predicting subsequent hemorrhage of cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Loss of function of OsL1 gene cause early flowering in rice under short-day conditions.

Heading date is one of the important agronomic traits that affects rice yield. In this study, we cloned a new rice B3 family gene, OsL1, which regulates rice heading date. Importantly, osl1-1 and osl1-2, two different types of mutants of OsL1 were created using the gene editing technology CRISPR/Cas9 system and exhibited 4 days earlier heading date than that of the wild type under short-day conditions. Subsequently, the plants overexpressing OsL1, OE-OsL1, showed a 2-day later heading date than the wild type in Changsha and a 5-day later heading date in Lingshui, but there was no significant difference in other yield traits. Moreover, the results of subcellular localization study indicated that OsL1 protein was located in the nucleus and the expression pattern analysis showed that OsL1 gene was expressed in rice roots, stems, leaves, and panicles, and the expression level was higher at the root and weak green panicle. In addition, the OsL1 gene was mainly expressed at night time under short-light conditions. The transcriptomic analysis indicated that OsL1 might be involved in the Hd1-Hd3a pathway function. Together, our results revealed that the cloning and functional analysis of OsL1 can provide new strategy for molecular design breeding of rice with suitable fertility period. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-024-01444-1.

Intervalley Scattering Induced Terahertz Field Enhancement in Graphene Metasurface.

Terahertz (THz) field enhancement has significant applications in high-resolution imaging, next-generation wireless communications, and networking. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate a graphene metasurface for THz field enhancement that is based on the intervalley scattering theory. Each meta-atom of the metasurface is composed of one split-ring resonator (SRR) embedded in one graphene patch. The experimental results show that, by electrically adjusting the conductivity of the graphene patch, the THz field through the entire sample is enhanced by 23 times and the transmission amplitude at 0.47 THz decreases 8.4 dB. Moreover, the maximum phase difference at 0.43 THz reaches 88°. The experiment shows good agreement with simulation. This study paves a way for exploring THz-matter interactions and nonlinear optics.

Tunable slow light device based on a graphene metasurface.

Slow light devices have significant applications in memory, switching, and quantum optics. However, the design and fabrication of slow light devices with large tunable group delay are still challenging. Here, a graphene-based slow light device that can electrically modulate the group delay of terahertz (THz) waves is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The unit cell of the device consists of a U-shaped metal resonator and an Ω-shaped metal resonator, with three graphene ribbons embedded between the two resonators. Under electrical stimuli, a relatively high amplitude modulation depth of 74% is achieved and the maximum transmission amplitude is as high as 0.7 at the transmission peak of 0.6 THz. Most importantly, the maximum group delay variation reaches 5 ps at 0.76 THz and the maximum group delay amplitude is as high as 8.8 ps. The experiment shows good agreement with simulation. This study paves a new way for developing novel switchable nanophotonic devices and slow light devices.

Polarization insensitive flexible ultra-broadband terahertz metamaterial absorber.

We propose a polarization insensitive, flexible ultra-broadband terahertz (THz) metamaterial absorber. It consists of a chromium composite resonator on the top, a polyimide (PI) dielectric layer in the middle, and a chromium substrate. The simulation results show that the absorption achieves more than 90% ultra-wideband absorption in the range of 1.92-4.34 THz. The broadband absorption is produced by the combination of electric dipole resonance and magnetic resonance, as well as impedance matching with free space. Due to the rotational symmetry of the unit structure, the absorber is insensitive to polarization of the THz wave and has a larger range of incident angles. The total thickness of the absorber is only 13.4 µm, showing highly flexible and excellent high-temperature resistance characteristics. Therefore, it has potential applications in THz wave stealth and electromagnetic shielding.

Terahertz phase modulator based on a metal-VO2 reconfigurable metasurface.

Actively controlling the phase of a terahertz (THz) wave is of great significance for beaming, tunable focusing, and holography. We present a THz phase modulator based on an electrically triggered vanadium dioxide (V O 2) reconfigurable metasurface. The unit cell of the device consists of two split-ring resonators embedded with a V O 2 ribbon. By electrically triggering the insulator-to-metal transition of V O 2, the resonance mode and resonance intensity of the unit cell can be dynamically controlled. The simulation results show that the structure can achieve a phase shift of about 360° in the range of 1.03-1.13 THz, and the reflection amplitude can reach 80%. The device has potential applications in THz imaging, radar, broadband wireless communications, and array phase control.

Terahertz metamaterial biosensor for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma at early stage.

We propose a method for diagnosis of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by using a terahertz (THz) metamaterial (MM) biosensor. The biosensor has a resonance frequency at about 0.801 THz and can measure the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in serum. The sensitivity of the sensor is 124 GHz/refractive index unit (RIU), and the quality-factor (Q) is 6.913, respectively. When the surface of the biosensor is covered with healthy serum (AFP≤7ng/mL), the maximum resonance frequency shift is 50 GHz. However, when it is covered with serum from patients with cirrhosis and early HCC (AFP>7ng/mL), the resonance frequency shift is more than 59 GHz. Positive correlation exists between the frequency shift of the biosensor and serum levels of the AFP in the HCC patients. This study provides a method for quick diagnosis and prediction of cirrhosis and HCC.

Receptor interacting protein kinase 4 promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in ovarian cancer via targeting protein kinase C delta.

Receptor interacting protein kinase 4 (RIPK4) has been reported to function as an oncogenic role in several types of cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of RIPK4 in ovarian cancer (OC) cells and to elucidate the mechanism behind this effect. In this study, the GEPIA database was used to analyze the RIPK4 expressions in OC tissues and overall survival. qRT-PCR and western blot assay were performed to detect the expressions of RIPK4 and protein kinase C delta (PRKCD) in OC cells. In addition, cell proliferation was assessed by CCK-8 and colony formation assay while cell invasion and migration were evaluated by transwell, wound healing and western blot assay. The interaction of RIPK4 and PRKCD was analyzed by the STRING database and the bioGRID database, and verified with co-immunoprecipitation. Herein, we describe that RIPK4 expression was upregulated in OC tissues and cells and was associated with poor overall survival. RIPK4 silencing repressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OC cells. Mechanistically, PRKCD was highly expressed in OC cells and was combined with RIPK4. PRKCD was highly positively associated with RIPK4 in OC and was regulated by RIPK4. Moreover, PRKCD overexpression reversed the inhibitory effects of RIPK4 silencing on OC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. RIPK4 functions as an oncogene in OC cells via at least partially binding to PRKCD, which might represent a novel therapeutic strategy for improving survival for patients with OC.

Overexpression of anillin is related to poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Anillin (ANLN) is required for tumor growth. It has been proven that knockdown of ANLN effectively reduces the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in transgenic mice. However, the functional role of ANLN in HCC patients remains to be elucidated. METHODS: Both microarray and TCGA project were used for the analyses of ANLN expression and regulation in HCC. The effect of ANLN on proliferation and cell cycle was detected by CCK-8, colony formation assay and flow cytometry. ANLN expression was measured by immunohistochemistry. Correlation between ANLN expression and clinicopathological features was assessed by Pearson Chi-square test and 5-year overall survival after liver resection was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Increased copy number, decreased methylation levels in the CpG island and upregulated histone hypermethylation of ANLN were found in HCC. Knockdown of ANLN inhibited proliferation and induced G2/M phase arrest in SMMC-7721 cells. ANLN was mainly expressed in the nucleus and showed significantly higher expression levels in cancerous tissues than those in paired adjacent tissues. Moreover, nuclear ANLN expression levels in HCC metastases were significantly higher than those in primary HCC. The results of Cox proportional hazards regression model suggested that ANLN nuclear expression in HCC was an independent risk factor for poor 5-year overall survival of patients after liver resection. CONCLUSIONS: ANLN is a potential therapeutic target for HCC. Patients with nuclear ANLN overexpression in HCC tissue may need adjuvant therapy after liver resection.

Active broadband terahertz wave impedance matching based on optically doped graphene-silicon heterojunction.

Broadband terahertz (THz) impedance matching is important for both spectral resolution improvement and THz anti-radar technology. Herein, graphene-silicon hybrid structure has been proposed for active broadband THz wave impedance matching with optical tunability. The main transmission pulse measured in the time domain indicates a modulation depth as high as 92.7% totally from the graphene-silicon interface. The interface reflection from the graphene-silicon junction implies that an impedance matching condition can be actively achieved by optical doping. To reveal the mechanism, we propose a graphene-silicon heterojunction model, which gives a full consideration of both the THz conductivity of graphene and the loss in doped junction layer. The theory fits well with the experimental results. This work proves active THz wave manipulation by junction effect and paves the way for active anti-reflection coating for THz components.

The application of plasma technology for the preparation of supercapacitor electrode materials.

With the rapidly growing demand for clean energy and energy interconnection, there is an urgent need for rapid and high-capacity energy storage technologies to realize large-scale energy storage, transfer energy, and establish the energy internet. Supercapacitors, which have advantages such as high specific capacitance, fast charging and discharging rates, and long cycle lifetimes, are being widely used in electric vehicles, information technology, aerospace, and other fields. The performance of supercapacitors is crucially dependent on electrode materials. These can be categorized into electric double-layer capacitors and pseudocapacitors, primarily made from carbon and transition metal oxides, respectively. However, effectively monitoring the physicochemical properties of electrode materials during preparation and processing is challenging, which limits the improvement of supercapacitors' performance. Plasma materials preparation technology can effectively affect the materials preparation processing by energetic electrons, ions, free radicals, and multiple effects in plasma, which are easily manipulated by operation parameters. Therefore, plasma material preparation technology is considered a promising method to precisely monitor the physicochemical and electrochemical properties of energy storage materials and has been widely studied. This paper provides an overview of plasma materials preparation mechanisms, and details of the plasma technology application in the preparation of transition metal hybrids, carbon, and composite electrode materials, as well as a comparison with traditional methods. In conclusion, the advantages, challenges, and research directions of plasma materials preparation technology in the field of electrode materials preparation are summarized.

Structural variations of a new fertility restorer gene, Rf20, underlie the restoration of wild abortive-type cytoplasmic male sterility in rice.

The discovery of a wild abortive-type cytoplasmic male sterile line and the breeding of its restorer line have led to the commercialization of three-line hybrid rice, which has contributed greatly to global food security. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying fertility abortion and the restoration of wild abortive-type cytoplasmic male sterile lines largely remain elusive. In this study, we cloned a restorer gene, Rf20, following a genome-wide association study analysis of the core parent lines of three-line hybrid rice. We found that Rf20 was present in all core parental lines, but different haplotypes and structural variants of its gene resulted in differences in Rf20 expression levels between sterile and restored lines. Rf20 could restore fertility in the wild abortive-type cytoplasmic male sterile line and was found to be responsible for fertility restoration in some cytoplasmic male sterile lines under high temperature. In addition, we found that Rf20 encodes a pentatricopeptide repeat protein that competes with WA352 for binding with COX11. This interaction enhances COX11's function as a scavenger of reactive oxygen species, which in turn restores pollen fertility. In this study, a new model of pentatricopeptide repeat proteins involved in the fertility recovery of cytoplasmic male sterile lines was proposed, which provides an important theoretical basis for the breeding of strong restorer lines and for overcoming high-temperature fertility recovery of some three-line sterile lines.

Anti-Penetration Performance of Composite Structures with Metal-Packaged Ceramic Interlayer and UHMWPE Laminate.

The impact response of a composite structure consisting of a metal-packaged ceramic interlayer and an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) laminate has been studied through a ballistic test and numerical simulation. The studied structure exhibits 50% higher anti-penetration performance than the traditional ceramic/metal structure with the same areal density. The metal-packaged ceramic interlayer and the UHMWPE laminate are key components in resisting the penetration. By using a metal frame to impose three-dimensional constraints on ceramic tiles, the metal-packaged ceramic interlayer can limit the crushing of the ceramic and contain the broken ceramic fragment to improve the erosion of the projectile. The large deformation of UHMWPE laminate absorbs a large amount of energy from the projectile. By decreasing the amplitude of the shock wave and changing the distribution of the impact load in the structure, the projectile has longer residence time on the interlayer. The anti-penetration performance shows within 10% variation when the impact position is varied. Due to the asymmetric deformation and high elastic recovery ability of the UHMWPE laminate, the projectile trajectory deflection is increased, and the broken ceramic fragments are restrained, thereby mitigating after-effect damage caused by the projectile after penetrating the structure.

Quantitative evaluation of the subsequent hemorrhage with arteriography-derived hemodynamic features in patients with untreated cerebral arteriovenous malformation.

Background: Patients with untreated cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are at risk of intracerebral hemorrhage. However, treatment to prevent AVM hemorrhage carries risks. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the AVM nidus-related hemodynamic features and identify the risk factors for subsequent hemorrhage. Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with untreated AVMs who were assessed at our institution between March 2010 and March 2021. Patients with ≥6 months of treatment-free and hemorrhage-free follow-up after diagnosed by digital subtraction angiography were included in subsequent examinations. The hemodynamic features were extracted from five contrast flow-related parameter maps. The Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to find the potential risk factors for subsequent hemorrhage. Results: Overall, 104 patients with a mean follow-up duration of 3.37 years (median, 2.42 years; range, 6-117 months) were included in study, and the annual risk of rupture was 3.7%. Previous rupture (hazard ratio [HR], 4.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-20.72), deep AVM location (HR, 4.02; 95% CI, 1.01-15.99), higher cerebral blood volume (HR, 3.35; 95% CI, 1.15-9.74) in the nidus, and higher stasis index (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.06-2.24) in the nidus were associated with subsequent hemorrhage in untreated AVMs. Conclusion: Higher cerebral blood volume and stasis index in the nidus suggest increased blood inflow and stagnant blood drainage. The combination of these factors may cause subsequent hemorrhage of AVMs.

Alcohol flushing syndrome is significantly associated with intracranial aneurysm rupture in the Chinese Han population.

Objective: Although alcohol flushing syndrome (AFS) has been associated with various diseases, its association with intracranial aneurysm rupture (IAR) is unclear. We aimed to examine this association in the Chinese Han population. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed Chinese Han patients with intracranial aneurysms who were evaluated and treated at our institution between January 2020 and December 2021. AFS was determined using a semi-structured telephone interview. Clinical data and aneurysm characteristics were assessed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to determine independent factors associated with aneurysmal rupture. Results: A total of 1,170 patients with 1,059 unruptured and 236 ruptured aneurysms were included. The incidence of aneurysm rupture was significantly higher in patients without AFS (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, there was a significantly difference between the AFS and non-AFS group in habitual alcohol consumption (10.5 vs. 27.2%, p < 0.001). In the univariate analyses, AFS [odds ratio (OR) 0.49; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34-0.72] was significantly associated with IAR. In the multivariate analysis, AFS was an independent predictor of IAR (OR 0.50; 95%, CI, 0.35-0.71). Multivariate analysis revealed that AFS was an independent predictor of IAR in both habitual (OR 0.11; 95% CI, 0.03-0.45) and non-habitual drinkers (OR 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49-0.96). Conclusion: Alcohol flushing syndrome may be a novel clinical marker to assess the risk of IAR. The association between AFS and IAR exists independently of alcohol consumption. Further single nucleotide polymorphism testing and molecular biology studies are warranted.

Methylprednisolone is related to lower incidence of postoperative bleeding after flow diverter treatment for unruptured intracranial aneurysm.

Background and objectives: Regarding the anti-inflammatory effect, methylprednisolone is a candidate to prevent patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) from postoperative bleeding (PB) after flow diverter (FD) treatment. This study aimed to investigate whether methylprednisolone is related to a lower incidence of PB after FD treatment for UIAs. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed UIA patients receiving FD treatment between October 2015 and July 2021. All patients were observed until 72 h after FD treatment. The patients receiving methylprednisolone (80 mg, bid, for at least 24 h) were considered as standard methylprednisolone treatment (SMT) users, otherwise as non-SMT users. The primary endpoint indicated the occurrence of PB, including subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage, and ventricular bleeding, within 72 h after FD treatment. This study compared the incidence of PB between SMT users and non-SMT users and investigated the protective effect of SMT on PB after FD treatment using the Cox regression model. Finally, after controlling the potential factors related to PB, we performed subgroup analysis to further confirm the protective effect of SMT on PB. Results: This study finally included 262 UIA patients receiving FD treatment. PB occurred in 11 patients (4.2%), and 116 patients (44.3%) received SMT postoperatively. The median time from the end of surgery to PB was 12.3 h (range: 0.5-48.0 h). SMT users had a lower incidence of PB comparing with non-SMT users (1/116, 0.9% vs. 10/146, 6.8%, respectively; p = 0.017). The multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that SMT users (HR, 0.12 [95%CI, 0.02-0.94], p = 0.044) had a lower risk of PB postoperatively. After controlling the potential factors related to PB (i.e., gender, irregular shape, surgical methods [FD and FD + coil] and UIA sizes), the patients receiving SMT still had a lower cumulative incidence of PB, comparing with patients receiving non-SMT (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: SMT was correlated with the lower incidence of PB for patients receiving FD treatment and may be a potential method to prevent PB after the FD treatment.

Gut microbiota alters host bile acid metabolism to contribute to intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a female pregnancy-specific disorder that is characterized by increased serum bile acid and adverse fetal outcomes. The aetiology and mechanism of ICP are poorly understood; thus, existing therapies have been largely empiric. Here we show that the gut microbiome differed significantly between individuals with ICP and healthy pregnant women, and that colonization with gut microbiome from ICP patients was sufficient to induce cholestasis in mice. The gut microbiomes of ICP patients were primarily characterized by Bacteroides fragilis (B. fragilis), and B. fragilis was able to promote ICP by inhibiting FXR signaling via its BSH activity to modulate bile acid metabolism. B. fragilis-mediated FXR signaling inhibition was responsible for excessive bile acid synthesis and interrupted hepatic bile excretion to ultimately promote the initiation of ICP. We propose that modulation of the gut microbiota-bile acid-FXR axis may be of value for ICP treatment.

Rescue angioplasty and/or stenting after mechanical thrombectomy: who can benefit?

BACKGROUND: Angioplasty and/or stenting is a rescue therapy for mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in acute intracranial large vessel occlusion. This study was undertaken to determine whether rescue angioplasty and/or stenting improves the outcome after MT and to investigate whether outcomes differ by subgroup of rescue indication. METHODS: We performed propensity score matching (PSM) with data from a prospective multicenter registry of patients with acute large vessel occlusion receiving endovascular treatment. Patients were divided into the MT alone group and the MT with rescue therapy group. The primary outcome was functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score of 0-2) at 90 days. PSM was also performed in the failed MT (modified Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) 0-2a) and the residual severe stenosis (mTICI 2b-3) subgroups, respectively. RESULTS: 326 patients of mean±SD age 62.7±12.0 years (90 women, 27.6%) were matched from 1274 patients. In the matched cohort, functional independence at 90 days was higher in the rescue therapy group than in the MT alone group (44.2% vs 29.5%; OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.18 to 3.06, P=0.008). In the failed MT subgroup with 66 matched pairs, more patients had functional independence in the rescue therapy group than in the MT alone group (39.0% vs 17.0%; OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.29 to 7.59, P=0.01). In the residual stenosis subgroup with 63 matched pairs, functional independence rates were similar in the rescue therapy and the MT alone groups (51.6% vs 55.7%; OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.72, P=0.65). CONCLUSION: Rescue angioplasty and/or stenting could improve the clinical outcome in patients with acute large vessel occlusion with failed MT, while no benefit was seen in those with residual severe stenosis but substantial reperfusion.

Deciphering the role of DOCK8 in tumorigenesis by regulating immunity and the application of nanotechnology in DOCK8 deficiency therapy.

The dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) immunodeficiency syndrome is a severe immune disorder and characterized by serum IgE levels elevation, fungal and viral infections, dermatitis and food allergies. It was well known that DOCK8 is crucial for the survival and function of multiple immune related cells. However, the critical role of DOCK8 on tumorigenesis through regulating immunity is poorly investigated. Accumulating evidences indicated that DOCK8 could affect tumorigenesis by regulating the immunity through immune cells, including NK cells, T cells, B cells and dendritic cells. Here, we summarized and discussed the critical role of DOCK8 in cytoskeleton reconstruction, CD4+ T cell differentiation, immune synaptic formation, tumor immune infiltration, tumor immune surveillance and tumorigenesis. Furthermore, the potential roles of nanotechnology in improving the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation-based therapy for DOCK8 deficiency diseases are also highlighted and discussed.

Progress of selective catalytic reduction denitrification catalysts at wide temperature in carbon neutralization.

With the looming goal of carbon neutrality and increasingly stringent environmental protection policies, gas purification in coal-fired power plants is becoming more and more intense. To achieve the NOx emission standard when coal-fired power plants are operating at full load, wide-temperature denitrification catalysts that can operate for a long time in the range of 260-420°C are worthy of study. This review focuses on the research progress and deactivation mechanism of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) denitration catalysts applied to a wide temperature range. With the increasing application of SCR catalysts, it also means that a large amount of spent catalysts is generated every year due to deactivation. Therefore, it is necessary to recycle the wide temperature SCR denitration catalyst. The challenges faced by wide-temperature SCR denitration catalysts are summarized by comparing their regeneration processes. Finally, its future development is prospected.