TMEM16 proteins: Ca2+­activated chloride channels and phospholipid scramblases as potential drug targets (Review).

TMEM16 proteins, which function as Ca2+­activated Cl­ channels are involved in regulating a wide variety of cellular pathways and functions. The modulators of Cl­ channels can be used for the molecule­based treatment of respiratory diseases, cystic fibrosis, tumors, cancer, osteoporosis and coronavirus disease 2019. The TMEM16 proteins link Ca2+ signaling, cellular electrical activity and lipid transport. Thus, deciphering these complex regulatory mechanisms may enable a more comprehensive understanding of the physiological functions of the TMEM16 proteins and assist in ascertaining the applicability of these proteins as potential pharmacological targets for the treatment of a range of diseases. The present review examined the structures, functions and characteristics of the different types of TMEM16 proteins, their association with the pathogenesis of various diseases and the applicability of TMEM16 modulator­based treatment methods.

Precise and efficient measurement of tibial slope on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): two novel autonomous pipelines by traditional and deep learning algorithms.

Background: The measurement of posterior tibial slopes (PTS) can aid in the screening and prevention of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and improve the success rate of some other knee surgeries. However, the circle method for measuring PTS on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans is challenging and time-consuming for most clinicians to implement in practice, despite being highly repeatable. Currently, there is no automated measurement scheme based on this method. To enhance measurement efficiency, consistency, and reduce errors resulting from manual measurements by physicians, this study proposes two novel, precise, and computationally efficient pipelines for autonomous measurement of PTS. Methods: The first pipeline employs traditional algorithms with experimental parameters to extract the tibial contour, detect adhesions, and then remove these adhesions from the extracted contour. A cyclic process is employed to adjust the parameters adaptively and generate a better binary image for the following tibial contour extraction step. The second pipeline utilizes deep learning models for classifying MRI slice images and segmenting tibial contours. The incorporation of deep learning models greatly simplifies the corresponding steps in pipeline 1. Results: To evaluate the practical performance of the proposed pipelines, doctors utilized MRI images from 20 patients. The success rates of pipeline 1 for central, medial, and lateral slices were 85%, 100%, and 90%, respectively, while pipeline 2 achieved success rates of 100%, 100%, and 95%. Compared to the 10 minutes required for manual measurement, our automated methods enable doctors to measure PTS within 10 seconds. Conclusions: These evaluation results validate that the proposed pipelines are highly reliable and effective. Employing these tools can effectively prevent medical practitioners from being burdened by monotonous and repetitive manual measurement procedures, thereby enhancing both the precision and efficiency. Additionally, this tool holds the potential to contribute to the researches regarding the significance of PTS, particularly those demanding extensive and precise PTS measurement outcomes.

SARS-CoV-2-related bat viruses evade human intrinsic immunity but lack efficient transmission capacity.

Circulating bat coronaviruses represent a pandemic threat. However, our understanding of bat coronavirus pathogenesis and transmission potential is limited by the lack of phenotypically characterized strains. We created molecular clones for the two closest known relatives of SARS-CoV-2, BANAL-52 and BANAL-236. We demonstrated that BANAL-CoVs and SARS-CoV-2 have similar replication kinetics in human bronchial epithelial cells. However, BANAL-CoVs have impaired replication in human nasal epithelial cells and in the upper airway of mice. We also observed reduced pathogenesis in mice and diminished transmission in hamsters. Further, we observed that diverse bat coronaviruses evade interferon and downregulate major histocompatibility complex class I. Collectively, our study demonstrates that despite high genetic similarity across bat coronaviruses, prediction of pandemic potential of a virus necessitates functional characterization. Finally, the restriction of bat coronavirus replication in the upper airway highlights that transmission potential and innate immune restriction can be uncoupled in this high-risk family of emerging viruses.

Arthroscopy-Assisted Closed Reduction and Percutaneous Internal Fixation for Medial Malleolus Fracture.

BACKGROUND: Arthroscopy-assisted closed reduction and percutaneous internal fixation is a minimally invasive technique for medial malleolus fracture treatment. The purpose of the study was to assess the quality and functional outcomes of this technique. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with combined medial malleolus fractures were treated with arthroscopy-assisted closed reduction and percutaneous screw fixation technique. The surgical procedure was described in detail; the clinical efficacy of this method was evaluated in terms of time of operation, postoperative complications, and fracture healing time; and functional outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: All of the patients were followed up for a minimum of 12 months without complications of the medial malleolus wound, and all of the medial malleolus fractures healed within 6 to 8 weeks. At the last follow-up, the visual analog scale scores ranged from 0 to 3 and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle and hindfoot function scores ranged from 75 to 95. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopy-assisted closed reduction and percutaneous internal fixation makes the treatment of medial malleolus fractures less invasive compared with traditional surgical methods and allows simultaneous exploration and management of the articular surface.

Chlormequat chloride induces hepatic steatosis by promoting mTOR/SREBP1 mediated lipogenesis via AMPK inhibition.

Chlormequat chloride (CCC), a widely used plant growth regulator, is a choline analogue that has been shown to have endocrine-disrupting effects. Previous studies have shown that maternal exposure to CCC could induce hyperlipidemia and growth disruption in rat offspring. This study aims to further investigate the effects of peripubertal exposure to CCC on pubertal development and lipid homeostasis, as well as the underlying mechanisms. In vivo, male weanling rats were exposed to CCC (0, 20, 75 and 200 mg/kg bw/day) from post-natal day 21-60 via daily oral gavage. The results in rats showed that 75 mg/kg CCC treatment induced hepatic steatosis, predominantly microvesicular steatosis with a small amount of macrovesicular steatosis, in rat livers and 200 mg/kg CCC treatment induced liver damage including inflammatory infiltration, hepatic sinusoidal dilation and necrosis. In vitro, HepG2 cells were treated with CCC (0, 30, 60, 120, 240 and 480 µg/mL) for 24 h. And the results showed that CCC above 120 µg/mL induced an increase in triglyceride and neutral lipid levels of HepG2 cells. Mechanism exploration revealed that CCC treatment promoted the activation of mTOR/SREBP1 signalling pathway and inhibited activation of AMPK in both in vivo rat livers and in vitro HepG2 cells. Treatment with AMPK activator Acadesine (AICAR) could alleviate the lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells induced by CCC. Collectively, the present results indicate that CCC might induce hepatic steatosis by promoting mTOR/SREBP1 mediated lipogenesis via AMPK inhibition.

Cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature as a prognostic tool and therapeutic target in diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Cuproptosis is a newly defined form of programmed cell death that relies on mitochondria respiration. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in tumorigenesis and metastasis. However, whether cuproptosis-related lncRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the prognostic signatures of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs in DLBCL and investigate their potential molecular functions. RNA-Seq data and clinical information for DLBCL were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Cuproptosis-related lncRNAs were screened out through Pearson correlation analysis. Utilizing univariate Cox, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) and multivariate Cox regression analysis, we identified seven cuproptosis-related lncRNAs and developed a risk prediction model to evaluate its prognostic value across multiple groups. GO and KEGG functional analyses, single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA), and the ESTIMATE algorithm were used to analyze the mechanisms and immune status between the different risk groups. Additionally, drug sensitivity analysis identified drugs with potential efficacy in DLBCL. Finally, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed based on the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). We identified a set of seven cuproptosis-related lncRNAs including LINC00294, RNF139-AS1, LINC00654, WWC2-AS2, LINC00661, LINC01165 and LINC01398, based on which we constructed a risk model for DLBCL. The high-risk group was associated with shorter survival time than the low-risk group, and the signature-based risk score demonstrated superior prognostic ability for DLBCL patients compared to traditional clinical features. By analyzing the immune landscapes between two groups, we found that immunosuppressive cell types were significantly increased in high-risk DLBCL group. Moreover, functional enrichment analysis highlighted the association of differentially expressed genes with metabolic, inflammatory and immune-related pathways in DLBCL patients. We also found that the high-risk group showed more sensitivity to vinorelbine and pyrimethamine. A cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature was established to predict the prognosis and provide insights into potential therapeutic strategies for DLBCL patients.

Surgical removal of a peripheral venous catheter fragment in the heart in a preterm infant.

Peripheral venous catheter fracture with cardiovascular embolization is a rare but potentially serious complication. Herein, we report a case of peripheral venous catheter fracture with embolization in right ventricle in a preterm infant. The catheter fragment was successfully removed by surgical procedure via median sternotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB).We hope this case will increase awareness of this rare complication and improve cannulation safety.

Genome-Wide Identification, Expression and Response to Estrogen of Vitellogenin Gene Family in Sichuan Bream (Sinibrama taeniatus).

To enhance our understanding of teleost reproductive physiology, we identified six Sichuan bream (Sinibrama taeniatus) vitellogenin genes (vtg1-6) and characterized their sequence structures. We categorized them into type Ⅰ (vtg1,4,5 and 6), type Ⅱ (vtg2) and type Ⅲ (vtg3) based on differences in their subdomain structure. The promoter sequence of vtgs has multiple estrogen response elements, and their abundance appears to correlate with the responsiveness of vtg gene expression to estrogen. Gene expression analyses revealed that the vitellogenesis of Sichuan bream involves both heterosynthesis and autosynthesis pathways, with the dominant pathway originating from the liver. The drug treatment experiments revealed that 17ß-estradiol (E2) tightly regulated the level of vtg mRNA in the liver. Feeding fish with a diet containing 100 µg/g E2 for three weeks significantly induced vtg gene expression and ovarian development, leading to an earlier onset of vitellogenesis. Additionally, it was observed that the initiation of vtg transcription required E2 binding to its receptor, a process primarily mediated by estrogen receptor alpha in Sichuan bream. The findings of this study provide novel insights into the molecular information of the vitellogenin gene family in teleosts, thereby contributing to the regulation of gonadal development in farmed fish.

Comparative analysis of short-term efficacy between robot-assisted retrograde drilling and arthroscopic microfracture for osteochondral lesions of the talus.

Objective: To investigate the short-term clinical efficacy of robot-assisted retrograde drilling and arthroscopic microfracture for osteochondral lesions of the talus (OCLT). Methods: This study was divided into two groups: experimental group: robot-assisted retrograde drilling group; control group: arthroscopic microfracture group. A total of 6 OCLT patients who were treated with robot navigation-assisted retrograde drilling and 10 OCLT patients who were treated with arthroscopic microfracture between October 2020 and October 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 11 males and five females, with a mean age of 36 years. The patients were followed up for 6-12 months to compare the changes in the OCLT lesion area by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), visual analogue scale/score (VAS) and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society score (AOFAS) before and after surgery. Results: All 16 patients were followed up for an average of 8 months, and no complications such as joint infection, nerve injury, or active bleeding occurred during the follow-up period. Only one patient suffered discomfort involving transient postoperative pain in the operative area, but did not experience long-term numbness or chronic pain. Postoperative MRI revealed that none of the patients had severe signs of osteonecrosis, osteolysis or cystic changes of the talus, with lesion areas smaller than those before surgery. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). The patients in the experimental group showed a more significant improvement in the last 3 months than in the first 3 months of the follow-up period. At the last follow-up, the VAS score was 3 points in the experimental group and 2.2 points in the control group, and the AOFAS score was 88.6 points in the experimental group and 88 points in the control group, all of which were significantly higher than those before operation, and the differences were statistically significant, but there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. Conclusion: Both robot navigation-assisted retrograde drilling and arthroscopic microfracture for bone marrow stimulation (BMS) to treat OCLT in all patients obtained satisfactory effects in the short term. In addition, the follow-up revealed that with excellent efficacy and few complications, robot navigation-assisted retrograde drilling was safe and minimally invasive, and greatly reduced operative time. Consequently, robot navigation-assisted retrograde drilling for BMS was a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of OCLT.

Homotherapy for Heteropathy: A Molecular Mechanism of Poria Sini Decoction for Treatment of Liver Cancer and Chronic Heart Failure.

Poria sini decoction (PSD), a significant traditional Chinese herbal formula, is effective in liver cancer (LC) and chronic heart failure (CHF); however, little is known about its concurrent targeting mechanism. Methods. This study analyzed the potential molecular mechanism of PSD against the two distinct diseases using network pharmacology approaches, including multidatabase search, pharmacokinetic screening, network construction analysis, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, and molecular docking to elaborate the active components, signaling pathways, and potential mechanisms of PSD in the treatment of both LC and CHF. Results. A total of 155 active components and 193 potential targets in PSD were identified. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that quercetin, isorhamnetin, and naringenin, etc. may be potential candidate agents. TNF, AKT1, and IL6, etc. could become potential therapeutic targets. TNF-α, NF-κB, PI3K-AKT, and TRP signaling pathways might play an important role in PSD against LC and CHF. Molecular docking results showed that most screened active compounds could embed itself into target proteins with a high binding affinity, and the hydrogen bonds number ≥3 indicated a more stable conformation of the compounds and target proteins. Overall, quercetin and isorhamnetin were the main active components, and TNF and AKT1 were the primary targets for PSD treatment of LC and CHF. Conclusions. This study illustrated that quercetin contained in PSD played an important role in the treatment of LC and CHF by acting on the key gene of TP53 and downregulating the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway.

Swertiamarin relieves radiation-induced intestinal injury by limiting DNA damage.

Radiotherapy is the conventional treatment for pelvic abdominal tumors. However, it can cause some damage to the small intestine and colorectal, which are very sensitive to radiation. Radiation-induced intestinal injury (RIII) affects the prognosis of radiotherapy, causing sequelae of loss of function and long-term damage to patients' quality of life. Swertiamarin is a glycoside that has been reported to prevent a variety of diseases including but not limited to diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, arthritis, malaria, and abdominal ulcers. However, its therapeutic effect and mechanism of action on RIII have not been established. We investigated whether swertiamarin has a protective effect against RIII. In this article, we use irradiator to create cellular and mouse models of radiation damage. Preventive administration of swertiamarin could reduce ROS and superoxide anion levels to mitigate the cellular damage caused by radiation. Swertiamarin also attenuated RIII in mice, as evidenced by longer survival, less weight loss and more complete intestinal barrier. We also found an increase in the relative abundance of primary bile acids in irradiated mice, which was reduced by both FXR agonists and swertiamarin, and a reduction in downstream interferon and inflammatory factors via the cGAS-STING pathway to reduce radiation-induced damage.

Navigate biopsy with ultrasound under augmented reality device: Towards higher system performance.

PURPOSE: Biopsies play a crucial role in determining the classification and staging of tumors. Ultrasound is frequently used in this procedure to provide real-time anatomical information. Using augmented reality (AR), surgeons can visualize ultrasound data and spatial navigation information seamlessly integrated with real tissues. This innovation facilitates faster and more precise biopsy operations. METHODS: We have developed an augmented reality biopsy navigation system characterized by low display latency and high accuracy. Ultrasound data is initially read by an image capture card and streamed to Unity via net communication. In Unity, navigation information is rendered and transmitted to the HoloLens 2 device using holographic remoting. Concurrently, a retro-reflective tool tracking method is implemented on the HoloLens 2, enabling the simultaneous tracking of the ultrasound probe and biopsy needle. Distinct navigation information is provided during in-plane and out-of-plane punctuation. To evaluate the effectiveness of our system, we conducted a study involving ten participants, assessing puncture accuracy and biopsy time in comparison to traditional methods. RESULTS: Ultrasound image was streamed from the ultrasound device to augmented reality headset with 122.49±11.61ms latency, while only 16.22±11.25ms was taken after data acquisition from image capture card. Navigation accuracy reached 1.23±0.68mm in the image plane and 0.95±0.70mm outside the image plane, within a depth range of 200 millimeters. Remarkably, the utilization of our system led to 98% and 95% success rate in out-of-plane and in-plane biopsy, among ten participants with little ultrasound experience. CONCLUSION: To sum up, this paper introduces an AR-based ultrasound biopsy navigation system characterized by high navigation accuracy and minimal latency. The system provides distinct visualization contents during in-plane and out-of-plane operations according to their different characteristics. Use case study in this paper proved that our system can help young surgeons perform biopsy faster and more accurately.

WET-UNet: Wavelet integrated efficient transformer networks for nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumor segmentation.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is a malignant tumor that occurs in the epithelium and mucosal glands of the nasopharynx, and its pathological type is mostly poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Since the nasopharynx is located deep in the head and neck, early diagnosis and timely treatment are critical to patient survival. However, nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumors are small in size and vary widely in shape, and it is also a challenge for experienced doctors to delineate tumor contours. In addition, due to the special location of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, complex treatments such as radiotherapy or surgical resection are often required, so accurate pathological diagnosis is also very important for the selection of treatment options. However, the current deep learning segmentation model faces the problems of inaccurate segmentation and unstable segmentation process, which are mainly limited by the accuracy of data sets, fuzzy boundaries, and complex lines. In order to solve these two challenges, this article proposes a hybrid model WET-UNet based on the UNet network as a powerful alternative for nasopharyngeal cancer image segmentation. On the one hand, wavelet transform is integrated into UNet to enhance the lesion boundary information by using low-frequency components to adjust the encoder at low frequencies and optimize the subsequent computational process of the Transformer to improve the accuracy and robustness of image segmentation. On the other hand, the attention mechanism retains the most valuable pixels in the image for us, captures the remote dependencies, and enables the network to learn more representative features to improve the recognition ability of the model. Comparative experiments show that our network structure outperforms other models for nasopharyngeal cancer image segmentation, and we demonstrate the effectiveness of adding two modules to help tumor segmentation. The total data set of this article is 5000, and the ratio of training and verification is 8:2. In the experiment, accuracy = 85.2% and precision = 84.9% can show that our proposed model has good performance in nasopharyngeal cancer image segmentation.

Ion channel-mediated mitochondrial volume regulation and its relationship with mitochondrial dynamics.

The mitochondrion, one of the important cellular organelles, has the major function of generating adenosine triphosphate and plays an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis, governing signal transduction, regulating membrane potential, controlling programmed cell death and modulating cell proliferation. The dynamic balance of mitochondrial volume is an important factor required for maintaining the structural integrity of the organelle and exerting corresponding functions. Changes in the mitochondrial volume are closely reflected in a series of biological functions and pathological changes. The mitochondrial volume is controlled by the osmotic balance between the cytoplasm and the mitochondrial matrix. Thus, any disruption in the influx of the main ion, potassium, into the cells can disturb the osmotic balance between the cytoplasm and the matrix, leading to water movement between these compartments and subsequent alterations in mitochondrial volume. Recent studies have shown that mitochondrial volume homeostasis is closely implicated in a variety of diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of the main influencing factors and research progress in the field of mitochondrial volume homeostasis.

Biomechanical Research of Three Parallel Cannulated Compression Screws in Oblique Triangle Configuration for Fixation of Femoral Neck Unstable Fractures.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical treatment with internal fixation, specifically percutaneous fixation with three cannulated compression screws (CCSs), is the preferred choice for young and middle-aged patients. The mechanical advantage of the optimal spatial configuration with three screws provides maximum dispersion and cortical support. We suspect that the spatial proportion of the oblique triangle configuration (OTC) in the cross-section of the femoral neck isthmus (FNI) may significantly improve shear and fatigue resistance of the fixed structure, thereby stabilizing the internal fixation system in femoral neck fracture (FNF). This study aims to explore the mechanical features of OTC and provide a mechanical basis for its clinical application. METHODS: Twenty Sawbone femurs were prepared as Pauwels type III FNF models and divided equally into two fixation groups: OTC and inverted equilateral triangle configuration (IETC). Three 7.3 mm diameter cannulated compression screws (CCSs) were used for fixation. The specimens of FNF after screw internal fixation were subjected to static loading and cyclic loading tests, respectively, with five specimens for each test. Axial stiffness, 5 mm failure load, ultimate load, shear displacement, and frontal rotational angle of two fragments were evaluated. In the cyclic loading test, the load sizes were 700 N, 1400 N, and 2100 N, respectively, and the fracture end displacement was recorded. Results were presented as means ± SD. Data with normal distributions were compared by the Student's t test. RESULTS: In the static loading test, the axial stiffness, ultimate load, shear displacement, and frontal rotational angle of two fragments were (738.64 vs. 620.74) N/mm, (2957.61 vs. 2643.06) N, (4.67 vs. 5.39) mm, and (4.01 vs. 5.52)° (p < 0.05), respectively. Comparison between the femoral head displacement after 10,000 cycles of 700N cyclic loading and total displacement after 20,000 cycles of 700-1400N cyclic loading showed the OTC group was less than the IETC group (p < 0.05). A comparison of femoral head displacement after 10,000 cycles of 1400N and 2100N cycles and total displacement after 30,000 cycles of 700-2100N cycles showed the OTC group was less than another group, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: When three CCSs are inserted in parallel to fix FNF, the OTC of three screws has obvious biomechanical advantages, especially in shear resistance and early postoperative weight-bearing, which provides a mechanical basis for clinical selection of ideal spatial configuration for unstable FNF.

Hospital volume-mortality association after esophagectomy for cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative mortality plays an important role in evaluating the surgical safety of esophagectomy. Although postoperative mortality after esophagectomy is partly influenced by the yearly hospital surgical case volume (hospital volume), this association remains unclear. METHODS: Studies assessing the association between hospital volume and postoperative mortality in patients who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer were searched for eligibility. Odds ratios were pooled for the highest versus lowest categories of hospital volume using a random effects model. The dose-response association between hospital volume and the risk of postoperative mortality was analyzed. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO. RESULTS: Fifty-six studies including 385 469 participants were included. A higher-volume hospital significantly reduced the risk of postesophagectomy mortality by 53% compared with their lower-volume counterparts (odds ratio, 0.47; 95% CI: 0.42-0.53). Similar results were found in subgroup analyses. Volume-outcome analysis suggested that postesophagectomy mortality rates remained roughly stable after the hospital volume reached a plateau of 45 esophagectomies per year. CONCLUSIONS: Higher-volume hospitals had significantly lower postesophagectomy mortality rates in patients with esophageal cancer, with a threshold of 45 esophagectomies per year for a high-volume hospital. This remarkable negative correlation showed the benefit of a better safety in centralization of esophagectomy to a high-volume hospital.

Enhanced Chemoradiotherapy for MRSA-Infected Osteomyelitis Using Immunomodulatory Polymer-Reinforced Nanotherapeutics.

The eradication of osteomyelitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant challenge due to its development of biofilm-induced antibiotic resistance and impaired innate immunity, which often leads to frequent surgical failure. Here, the design, synthesis, and performance of X-ray-activated polymer-reinforced nanotherapeutics that modulate the immunological properties of infectious microenvironments to enhance chemoradiotherapy against multidrug-resistant bacterial deep-tissue infections are reported. Upon X-ray radiation, the proposed polymer-reinforced nanotherapeutic generates reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. To robustly eradicate MRSA biofilms at deep infection sites, these species can specifically bind to MRSA and penetrate biofilms for enhanced chemoradiotherapy treatment. X-ray-activated nanotherapeutics modulate the innate immunity of macrophages to prevent the recurrence of osteomyelitis. The remarkable anti-infection effects of these nanotherapeutics are validated using a rat osteomyelitis model. This study demonstrates the significant potential of a synergistic chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy method for treating MRSA biofilm-infected osteomyelitis.

Comprehensive advancement in endoscopy: optical design, algorithm enhancement, and clinical validation for merged WLI and CBI imaging.

As endoscopic imaging technology advances, there is a growing clinical demand for enhanced imaging capabilities. Although conventional white light imaging (WLI) endoscopy offers realistic images, it often cannot reveal detailed characteristics of the mucosa. On the other hand, optical staining endoscopy, such as Compound Band Imaging (CBI), can discern subtle structures, serving to some extent as an optical biopsy. However, its image brightness is low, and the colors can be abrupt. These two techniques, commonly used in clinical settings, have complementary advantages. Nonetheless, they require different lighting conditions, which makes it challenging to combine their imaging strengths on living tissues. In this study, we introduce a novel endoscopic imaging technique that effectively combines the advantages of both WLI and CBI. Doctors don't need to manually switch between these two observation modes, as they can obtain the image information of both modes in one image. We calibrated an appropriate proportion for simultaneous illumination with the light required for WLI and CBI. We designed a new illumination spectrum tailored for gastrointestinal examination, achieving their fusion at the optical level. Using a new algorithm that focuses on enhancing specific hemoglobin tissue features, we restored narrow-band image characteristics lost due to the introduction of white light. Our hardware and software innovations not only boost the illumination brightness of the endoscope but also ensure the narrow-band feature details of the image. To evaluate the reliability and safety of the new endoscopic system, we conducted a series of tests in line with relevant international standards and validated the design parameters. For clinical trials, we collected a total of 256 sets of images, each set comprising images of the same lesion location captured using WLI, CBI, and our proposed method. We recruited four experienced clinicians to conduct subjective evaluations of the collected images. The results affirmed the significant advantages of our method. We believe that the novel endoscopic system we introduced has vast potential for clinical application in the future.

A portable intelligent hydrogel platform for multicolor visual detection of HAase.

Hyaluronidase (HAase) is an important endoglycosidase involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes, such as apoptosis, senescence, and cancer progression. Simple, convenient, and sensitive detection of HAase is important for clinical diagnosis. Herein, an easy-to-operate multicolor visual sensing strategy was developed for HAase determination. The proposed sensor was composed of an enzyme-responsive hydrogel and a nanochromogenic system (gold nanobipyramids (AuNBPs)). The enzyme-responsive hydrogel, formed by polyethyleneimine-hyaluronic acid (PEI-HA), was specifically hydrolyzed with HAase, leading to the release of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs). Subsequently, PtNPs catalyzed the mixed system of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) and H2O2 to produce TMB2+ under acidic conditions. Then, TMB2+ effectively etched the AuNBPs and resulted in morphological changes in the AuNBPs, accompanied by a blueshift in the localized surface plasmon resonance peak and vibrant colors. Therefore, HAase can be semiquantitatively determined by directly observing the color change of AuNBPs with the naked eye. On the basis of this, the method has a linear detection range of HAase concentrations between 0.6 and 40 U/mL, with a detection limit of 0.3 U/mL. In addition, our designed multicolor biosensor successfully detected the concentration of HAase in human serum samples. The results showed no obvious difference between this method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indicating the good accuracy and usability of the suggested method.

A Generalized Full-to-Partial Registration Framework of 3D Point Sets for Computer-Aided Orthopedic Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The precise alignment of full and partial 3D point sets is a crucial technique in computer-aided orthopedic surgery, but remains a significant challenge. This registration process is complicated by the partial overlap between the full and partial 3D point sets, as well as the susceptibility of 3D point sets to noise interference and poor initialization conditions. METHODS: To address these issues, we propose a novel full-to-partial registration framework for computer-aided orthopedic surgery that utilizes reinforcement learning. Our proposed framework is both generalized and robust, effectively handling the challenges of noise, poor initialization, and partial overlap. Moreover, this framework demonstrates exceptional generalization capabilities for various bones, including the pelvis, femurs, and tibias. RESULTS: Extensive experimentation on several bone datasets has demonstrated that the proposed method achieves a superior C.D. error of 8.211 e-05 and our method consistently outperforms state-of-the-art registration techniques. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: Hence, our proposed method is capable of achieving precise bone alignments for computer-aided orthopedic surgery.