Solid-state high harmonic spectroscopy for all-optical band structure probing of high-pressure quantum states.

High pressure has triggered various novel states/properties in condensed matter, as the most representative and dramatic example being near-room-temperature superconductivity in highly pressured hydrides (~200 GPa). However, the mechanism of superconductivity is not confirmed, due to the lacking of effective approach to probe the electronic band structure under such high pressures. Here, we theoretically propose that the band structure and electron-phonon coupling (EPC) of high-pressure quantum states can be probed by solid-state high harmonic generation (sHHG). This strategy is investigated in high-pressure Im-3m H3S by the state-of-the-art first-principles time-dependent density-functional theory simulations, where the sHHG is revealed to be strongly dependent on the electronic structures and EPC. The dispersion of multiple bands near the Fermi level is effectively retrieved along different momentum directions. Our study provides unique insights into the potential all-optical route for band structure and EPC probing of high-pressure quantum states, which is expected to be helpful for the experimental exploration of high-pressure superconductivity in the future.

WNT2B activates macrophages via NF-κB signaling pathway in inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammation is a significant pathological manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), yet its mechanism has remained unclear. Although WNT2B is enriched in the intestinal inflammatory tissue of IBD patients, the specific mechanism of WNT2B in the formation of intestinal inflammation remains unclear. This study was aimed to investigate whether macrophages expressing WNT2B can aggravate intestinal tissue inflammation. Samples were collected from both normal individuals and patients with IBD at multiple colon sites. Macrophages were identified using tissue immunofluorescence. IκB kinase (IKK)-interacting protein (IKIP), which interacts with WNT2B, was found by protein cross-linking and protein mass spectrometry. The expression of WNT2B, IKIP, the NF-κB pathway, and downstream molecules were analyzed. An acute colitis model of C57BL/6J mice was established using an adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated WNT2B knockdown system and 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). The degree of intestinal inflammation in mice was assessed upon WNT2B knockdown in macrophages. Macrophages expressing WNT2B were found to be enriched in the colitis tissues of IBD patients. WNT2B in macrophages activated the NF-κB pathway and enhanced the expression of downstream inflammatory cytokines. By competitively binding IKIP, WNT2B reduced the binding of IKIP to IKKß and promoted the activation of the NF-κB pathway. Using an AAV-mediated WNT2B knockdown system, WNT2B expression in intestinal macrophages was suppressed, leading to a reduction in intestinal inflammation. WNT2B activated the NF-κB pathway and enhanced the expression of downstream inflammatory cytokines by competitively binding to IKIP, potentially contributing to colon inflammatory injury in IBD.

Fluorescence sensor based on optimized quantum yield manganese-carbon polymer dots and smartphone-integrated sensing platform for tetracycline detection.

The one-step synthesis of Mn-doped carbon quantum dots (Mn-CPDs) with a high quantum yield (QY = 45%) is reported using the microwave-assisted method. Subsequently, Mn-CPDs were successfully combined with Eu3+ ions to construct an Eu3+@Mn-CPDs fluorescence sensor. The presence of tetracycline (TC) induced a transition of fluorescence emission from blue (434 nm) to red (618 nm), and a robust linear relationship was observed between the ratio of F618 nm / F434 nm and the TC concentration (5 - 50 nmol/L), with a limit of detection (LOD) of 5.76 nmol/L. The underlying mechanism of Eu3+@Mn-CPDs and TC sensing is unveiled as a synergistic effect involving inner filter effect (IFE) and concurrent interactions. Notably, the smartphone-integrated sensing platform based on Eu3+@Mn-CPDs enables rapid and quantitative TC detection within a short time (< 30 s) by monitoring fluorescence color changes, achieving high-detection sensitivities (with a LOD of 6.18 nmol/L). This versatile and efficient sensing platform demonstrates its potential for the determination of TC concentrations in milk, honey, and tap water samples.

Chiral Discrimination of Penicillamine Enantiomers: The Role of Aggregation-Caused Quenching in Achieving High Selectivity.

The recognition and separation of chiral isomers are of great importance in both industrial and biological applications. In this study, a chiral recognition system based on electrochemiluminescence was established for the detection of penicillamine (PA) enantiomers. The system utilized a homochiral [Zn2(BDC)(d-lac)] (Zn-BL) platform for the uniform distribution of Ru(bpy)32+ nanoparticles, effectively mitigating aggregation-caused quenching. The chiral recognition ability of Zn-BL was tested to distinguish between PA enantiomers, and the results indicated a substantial increase in the chiral electrochemiluminescence (ECL) signal when l-PA was present, in contrast to d-PA. The mechanism underlying ECL chiral discrimination was investigated using water contact angle measurements, DFT calculations, and electrochemical characterization. The system exhibited high selectivity, stability, and reproducibility for PA enantiomer detection. Furthermore, the proposed method can accurately identify one enantiomer of PA in a mixture. This study provides a reliable and sensitive approach for achieving the highly selective detection of chiral molecules.

MOF-Enhanced Chiral ECL Recognition System: Dual-Function in Phenylalanine Enantiomer Detection and Coreaction Acceleration.

The accurate discernment and separation of chiral isomers with high precision remain a significant challenge in various industries and biological fields. In this investigation, an electrochemiluminescent (ECL) chiral recognition platform was devised to ascertain the presence of phenylalanine (Phe). Notably, a homochiral [Ni2(l-asp)2(bipy)] (Ni-LAB) was established as a dual-function coreactant accelerator and chiral recognition substrate. Ni-LAB facilitates the reaction between the coreactant (K2S2O8) and the luminescent entity 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracar-boxylic-l-cysteine (PTCA-cys), thereby enhancing the ECL luminescence efficiency and improving the sensitivity of the chiral sensor. The chiral recognition potential of Ni-LAB was assessed to differentiate between Phe chiral isomers, and the underlying mechanism was comprehensively elucidated. This system exhibited remarkable proficiency in detecting Phe enantiomers and precisely differentiating a single Phe enantiomer within a mixture, showcasing exceptional levels of selectivity, stability, and reproducibility. This study paves the way for the development of advanced chiral recognition systems, potentially revolutionizing the field of chiral sensing and discrimination.

Prognostic accuracy of SOFA, MEWS, and SIRS criteria in predicting the mortality rate of patients with sepsis: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, some studies classified patients with sepsis and predicted their mortality by using some evaluation scales. Several studies reported significant differences in the predictive values of several tools, and the non-uniformity of the cut-off value. OBJECTIVE: To determine and compare the prognostic accuracy of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria in predicting the mortality of patients with sepsis. METHODS: This study comprised of systematic literature review and meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases from their establishment to July 31, 2022. The research articles published in the index journals provide sufficient data (true positive, false positive, true negative, and false negative results) for patients with sepsis. The combined sensitivity and specificity of the 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the bivariate random effect model (BRM). The hierarchical overall subject working characteristics (HSROC) curve was drawn to evaluate the accuracy of the overall prognosis. RESULTS: Data of 55 088 patients from 32 studies were included in this meta-analysis. SOFA had an intermediate sensitivity of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.67-0.78) and a specificity of 0.70 (0.63-0.76). SIRS criteria had the highest sensitivity of 0.75 (0.66-0.82) and the lowest specificity of 0.40 (0.29-0.52). MEWS had the lowest sensitivity of 0.49 (0.40-0.59) and the highest specificity of 0.82 (0.78-0.86). CONCLUSIONS: Among SOFA, MEWS, and SIRS criteria, SOFA showed moderate sensitivity and specificity for predicting mortality in patients with sepsis, the highest sensitivity of SIRS and the strongest specificity of MEWS for predicting mortality in patients with sepsis. The future research direction is to combine the relevant indicators of MEWS and SIRS to develop a measurement tool with high reliability and validity. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The review provides useful insights into the prognostic accuracy of different assessment tools in predicting mortality in sepsis patients, which will help clinicians choose the most appropriate tool for early identification and treatment of sepsis. The findings may also contribute to the development of more accurate and reliable prognostic models for sepsis.

[Saikosaponin D regulates apoptosis and autophagy of pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells via Akt/mTOR pathway].

This study aims to investigate the effect and mechanism of saikosaponin D on the proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy of pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells. The cell counting kit(CCK-8) was used to examine the effects of 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, and 28 µmol·L~(-1) saikosaponin D on the proliferation of Panc-1 cells. Three groups including the control(0 µmol·L~(-1)), low-concentration(10 µmol·L~(-1)) saikosaponin D, and high-concentration(16 µmol·L~(-1)) saikosaponin D groups were designed. The colony formation assay was employed to measure the effect of saikosaponin D on the colony formation rate of Panc-1 cells. The cells treated with saikosaponin D were stained with hematoxylin-eosin(HE), and the changes of cell morphology were observed. Hoechst 33258 fluorescent staining was used to detect the effect of saikosaponin D on the cell apoptosis. The autophagy staining assay kit with MDC was used to examine the effect of saikosaponin D on the autophagy of Panc-1 cells. Western blot and immunocytochemistry(ICC) were employed to examine the effect of saikosaponin D on the expression levels and distribution of B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3(caspase-3), cleaved caspase-3, autophagy-associated protein Beclin1, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3(LC3), protein kinase B(Akt), phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), and phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin(p-mTOR). The results showed that compared with the control group, saikosaponin D decreased the proliferation rate of Panc-1 cells in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The colony formation rate of the cells significantly decreased after saikosaponin D treatment. Compared with the control group, the cells treated with saikosaponin D became small, accompanied by the formation of apoptotic bodies. The saikosaponin D groups showed increased apoptosis rate and autophagic vesicle accumulation. Compared with the control group, saikosaponin D up-regulated the expression of Bax, cleaved caspase3, Beclin1, LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ and down-regulated the expression of Bcl-2, caspase-3, p-Akt/Akt, and p-mTOR/mTOR. In addition, these proteins mainly existed in the cytoplasm. In conclusion, saikosaponin D can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis and autophagy of Panc-1 cells via inhibiting the Akt/mTOR pathway.

Beilunmycin, a new virginiamycins antibiotic from mangrove-derived Streptomyces sp. 2BBP-J2 and the antibacterial activity by inhibiting protein translation.

One new virginiamycin derivative, 'beilunmycin' (1), and three known virginiamycin antibiotics, 16-hydroxy-virginiamycin M1 (2), virginiamycin M2 (3), and virginiamycin M1 (4), were isolated from the culture of a mangrove-derived endophytic Streptomyces sp. 2BBP-J2. The structures were characterized on the basis of their spectroscopic data, and the absolute configuration of 1 was established by ECD calculations. Compounds 1-4 exhibited antibacterial activities against Gram-positive bacteria, with MIC values in the range of 0.5-16 µg/ml. All the compounds demonstrated strong protein translation-stalling activity, with minimal concentrations detected with pDualrep2 in the range of 1.9-5.9 nmol.

A symptom severity questionnaire for patients suffering from functional gastrointestinal disorder: FGI-Checklist.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: A well-validated, comprehensive checklist of functional gastrointestinal (FGI) disorder (FGID) symptom severity for tracking symptom profile changes over time is lacking. We aim to develop and validate a comprehensive symptom severity checklist for FGID. METHODS: A 20-item scale, including both upper and lower gastrointestinal symptoms, was generated to measure the symptom severity commonly found in FGID. Patients who experienced at least monthly symptoms of FGID with negative endoscopy findings were invited to complete the FGI-Checklist, Patient Health Questionaire-9 for assessing depressive symptoms, and Patient Health Questionnaire-15 for assessing somatic symptoms at baseline. A subset of patients who met Rome III diagnostic criteria of gastroesophageal reflux disease, functional dyspepsia, and irritable bowel syndrome received medication treatment for 8-12 weeks and completed the FGI-Checklist again at a follow-up visit. Exploratory factor analysis was performed for subscales formation and psychometric properties were measured. RESULTS: Six hundred and forty-one patients were recruited for current study and 108 (16.8%) of them completed the FGI-Checklist again at follow-up. Exploratory factor analysis identified a five-factor solution accounting for 66.8% of the total variance. The five factors are named esophageal syndrome, reflux syndrome, functional dyspepsia syndrome, nausea and vomiting syndrome, and abdominal and bowel syndrome. The FGI-Checklist total score correlated with Patient Health Questionaire-9 and Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (all P < 0.001), which demonstrated good construct validity. Good item-internal consistency was found (Cronbach's alphas: 0.69-0.87). Responsiveness for reflux syndrome subscale, functional dyspepsia syndrome subscale, and abdominal and bowel syndrome subscale after medication treatment was significant (paired-t-test: all P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The instrument, Checklist, is valid and reliable.

Randomized controlled clinical effectiveness of adjunct 660-nm light-emitting diode irradiation during non-surgical periodontal therapy.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The irradiation of 660-nm light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has exhibited potential to accelerate oral wound healing and prevent periodontal breakdown in rodents. This study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of 660-nm LEDs during non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). METHODS: Nineteen patients with at least one periodontitis-involved tooth in three quadrants received NSPT, and three protocols of LED light irradiation, including LED light irradiation from initial clinical assessment (T0) until the completion of scaling and root planning (T1) (LED01), LED light irradiation from T1 until re-evaluation (T2) (LED02), and no LED light irradiation (control treatment), were randomly assigned to respective quadrant. Clinical parameters were assessed at T0 and T2, and such biomarkers as IL-1ß and MMP-8 from gingival crevicular fluid were assessed at T0, T1, and T2. RESULTS: At T2, all examined sites exhibited significantly reduced probing pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival bleeding index, plaque score, and visual analog scale. In the sites with greatest initial PD and CAL, LED01 and LED02 significantly reduced PD and CAL compared with the control treatment. IL-1ß and MMP-8 were reduced in all groups at T1 and T2, and the reduction of MMP-8 was the most notable in LED01. CONCLUSION: LED light irradiation during or after scaling and root planing assisted in the recovery of periodontium and can be used as an adjunct treatment during NSPT, specifically for sites with severe periodontal breakdown.

Application of Computer-Aided Navigation Technology in the Extraction of Foreign Body From the Face.

In the oral and maxillofacial foreign body (FB) extraction surgery, computer-aided navigation technical surgery is minimally invasive and safe, and can improve the accuracy, especially for areas with relatively complex and dangerous anatomical structures. A total of 11 patients, including 8 males and 3 females, who underwent the extraction surgery of FB from oral and maxillofacial regions using computer-aided navigation technical surgery were reviewed. According to the positional relationship between the maxillofacial region and the bone tissue, the FBs were divided into 3 categories: FB in the bone; FB aside the bone; and soft-tissue FB. During the operation, the BrainLab Navigation system was used to observe and guide the operation in real-time to evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of computer-aided navigation technical surgery in the extraction of FBs from the maxillofacial regions. The FBs were successfully located and removed in 11 patients. No adjacent nerves, blood vessels, and other important anatomical structures were injured during the operation. The postoperative function and shape were not significantly affected.

Identification of two novel anti-HCV E2 412-423 epitope antibodies by screening a Chinese-specific phage library.

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 412-423 linear epitope has been found to be highly conserved across multiple HCV genotypes. The antibodies against this epitope have broadly neutralizing activity. Considering the poor immunogenicity of the epitope in humans and significant diversity in the global distribution of HCV genotypes, the aim of this study was to construct an anti-HCV phage library by using a series of optimal strategies to screen novel broadly neutralizing antibodies from Chinese donors. mRNA was isolated from peripheral blood samples of 39 patients who were anti-HCV positive. A phage library was constructed by inserting a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) gene repertoire into the T7Select10-3b vector. A synthetic peptide representing the HCV E2 N-terminal 412-423 region was used as "bait" for bio-panning. The binding affinities of phage clones to the synthetic peptide were evaluated through peptide-ELISA. Two scFv clones (R3-19 and R4-85) showing the strongest binding affinities were selected. The complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of these clones were aligned with those of other previously reported broadly neutralizing anti-HCV antibodies, and multiple conserved amino acid sites were found. The optimized procedures ensured that two novel scFv antibodies were isolated from a constructed phage library and showed specific binding to the poorly immunogenic HCV E2 412-423 linear epitope. Keywords: phage antibody library; hepatitis C virus; broadly neutralizing antibody; synthetic peptide.

Zinc-mediated α-regioselective Barbier-type cinnamylation reactions of aldehydes, ketones and esters.

We report a simple, efficient, and general method for the zinc-mediated regioselective cinnamylation of aldehydes and ketones under Barbier-type conditions in a one-pot synthesis affording the corresponding α-cinnamylated alcohols in moderate to excellent yields. Compared to the literature procedures, this approach is operationally simple, uses simple reactants, and provides direct access to linear α-cinnamylated alcohols with excellent regioselectivity. Experimental results suggest that the reactions proceed through the radical pathway. In addition, the reaction was found to be scalable to the gram-scale and the one-pot protocol is also applicable to less reactive esters leading to bishomoallylic alcohols which were valuable intermediates for desymmetrizing intramolecular Heck cyclization, allowing for the elaboration to functionalized building blocks.

Rough-set-based ADR signaling from spontaneous reporting data with missing values.

Spontaneous reporting systems of adverse drug events have been widely established in many countries to collect as could as possible all adverse drug events to facilitate the detection of suspected ADR signals via some statistical or data mining methods. Unfortunately, due to privacy concern or other reasons, the reporters sometimes may omit consciously some attributes, causing many missing values existing in the reporting database. Most of research work on ADR detection or methods applied in practice simply adopted listwise deletion to eliminate all data with missing values. Very little work has noticed the possibility and examined the effect of including the missing data in the process of ADR detection. This paper represents our endeavor towards the exploration of this question. We aim at inspecting the feasibility of applying rough set theory to the ADR detection problem. Based on the concept of utilizing characteristic set based approximation to measure the strength of ADR signals, we propose twelve different rough set based measuring methods and show only six of them are feasible for the purpose. Experimental results conducted on the FARES database show that our rough-set-based approach exhibits similar capability in timeline warning of suspicious ADR signals as traditional method with missing deletion, and sometimes can yield noteworthy measures earlier than the traditional method.

Generation of stable 3'-mRNA cleavage fragments induced by siRNA in cells with high-levels of duck hepatitis B virus replication.

Therapeutic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have attracted a lot of interest both in basic biomedical sciences as well as in translational medicine. Apart from their therapeutic efficacy adverse effects of siRNAs must be addressed. The generation of stable mRNA cleavage fragments and the translation of N-truncated proteins induced by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ASOs) have been reported. Similar to ASOs, siRNAs are considered to function via an antisense mechanism that promotes the cleavage of the target mRNA. To further investigate whether the stable mRNA cleavage fragments also occur in siRNA we constructed a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression plasmid, pshRNA794, containing the same sequence reported in experiments using ASOs which directly targeted the overlapping region of the pre-genomic mRNA (pgmRNA) and sub-genomic mRNA (sgmRNA) of duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV). The shRNA resulted in a 70.9% and 69.9% reduction of the DHBV mRNAs in LMH and HuH-7 cells, respectively. In addition a 70% inhibition of the DHBV DNA level was observed. Interestingly, 3'-mRNA cleavage fragments were detected in LMH but not in HuH-7 cells. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the ASO sequence was also effective in siRNA. Importantly, our results provide direct evidence that stable 3'-mRNA fragments were generated by siRNA in cells with high levels of DHBV replication. Whether these can cause adverse RNAi effects needs to be explored further.

A commentary regarding the article 'A meta-analysis of atrial septal defect closure in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension: Is there a room for poking holes amidst debate?'

Atrial septal defects (ASD) are a common congenital heart defect. The majority of patient with ASDs often follow an uncomplicated course of events. However, a proportion of patients with ASDs, may have their condition complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH), with a subsequent significant impact on management, morbidity, and mortality. The presence of PH influences the suitability for defect closure. Suitability for ASD closure when PVR is between 2.3 and 4.6 WU (PVRi 4-8 WU/m2) is not straightforward and clinical decision-making is individualized. Considerations include, whether to intervene with a complete defect closure, fenestrated closure or the 'treat and repair' strategy. However, it is difficult to determine the outcomes for ASD closure in patients with moderately-to-severely elevated PVR. A "treat and repair strategy" might be an option. In addition, the patient should be carefully selected by the observation of PVR change through vasoreactivity and balloon occlusion tests, and then closure should be considered. For patients with a predictable poor prognosis, research on the risk assessment of ASD closure in patients with PAH will be needed for a more individualized treatment plan.

Thrombo-inflammatory prognostic score can predict the outcome of stroke: a retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Inflammatory and thrombotic biomarkers are simple prognostic indicators of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke (IS). However, isolated assessment of inflammatory or thrombus biomarkers in patients with IS is limited in clinical practice. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of a novel, simplified thrombo-inflammatory prognostic score (TIPS) that combines both inflammatory and thrombus biomarkers in the early phase of IS and to identify high-risk patients at the time of admission. The study population comprised 915 patients with a primary diagnosis of IS in the emergency departments of five grade A tertiary hospitals in China. Results: Patients were divided into two groups based on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS): <3 and ≥3. TIPS with a value of "2" indicates biomarkers for high inflammation and thrombosis, "1" represents a biomarker, and "0" signals the absence of a biomarker. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the association between TIPS and clinical outcomes. TIPS was an independent predictor of unfavorable functional outcomes and mortality. It had a superior predictive value for clinical outcomes compared to the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) (effect ratio, 37.5%), D-dimer (effect ratio, 12.5%), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (effect ratio, 25%). Conclusion: The survival probability of TIPS with a score of 0 is twice as high as that of TIPS with a score of 2. The survival rate for TIPS with a score of 1 is one time higher than that for TIPS with a score of 2. The predictive value of TIPS for unfavorable functional outcomes is represented by an AUC of 0.653. TIPS is associated with an increased risk of death and unfavorable functional outcomes in patients with IS and may be a useful tool for identifying high-risk patients at the time of admission.

The Accuracy of Guided Implant Surgery With Different Fields of View of Cone-Beam Computerized Tomography.

Although a smaller size field of view (FOV) of cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) reduces radiation exposure, its effect on the accuracy of static computer-aided implant surgery (s-CAIS) remains unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the size of FOV on the accuracy of s-CAIS and to investigate if the arch affects this effect. A total of 32 implant sites on 8 identical scannable models (maxillae and mandibles) were randomly allocated to 2 FOV sizes: test (5 × 5 cm) and control (10 × 10 cm). All models were scanned with an intraoral scanner (IOS). With the registration of the surface scan and CBCT image, a prosthetic-driven implant position was planned. Following the fabrication of surgical templates, a single-blinded surgeon placed all implants with the fully guided s-CAIS protocol. IOS captured the implant positions with the scan body attached. Implant-planning software measured the angular deviation, 3-dimensional (3D) deviation at the crest, and 3D deviation at the apex between preplanned and actual implant positions. Two-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the effect of FOV and arch on the deviations. The size of FOV did not show a significant effect (P > .198) on angular deviation, 3D deviation at the crest, or 3D deviation at the apex. No significant difference was found when comparing the effect of the size of FOV between the maxillary and mandibular implants. In conclusion, the use of small FOV CBCT demonstrated comparable accuracy of s-CAIS to the use of medium FOV CBCT.

Coronary Artery Tree Description and Lesion Evaluation (CatLet) score for functional evaluation of coronary stenosis: a comparison study with pressure wire fractional flow reserve.

Background: Pressure wire fractional flow reserve (FFR) and its derivatives, such as quantitative flow ratio (QFR), computational pressure flow-derived FFR (caFFR), coronary angiography-derived FFR (FFRangio), and computed tomography-derived FFR (FFRCT), have been validated for identifying functionally significant stenosis and guiding revascularization strategy. The limitations of using these methods include the side effects of hyperemia-induced agents, additional costs, and vulnerability to microvascular resistance. FFR is related both to the degree of a stenotic coronary artery and to its subtended myocardial territory. Coronary Artery Tree Description and Lesion Evaluation (CatLet) score (also known as Hexu) is a product of the degree of a stenosis and the weighting of the affected coronary artery (myocardial territory). Hence, we hypothesized that the CatLet score could predict hemodynamically significant coronary stenosis. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled consecutive patients with stable coronary artery disease. They attended Sichuan Science City Hospital with at least one lesion of 50-90% diameter stenosis in a coronary artery of 2 mm or larger. FFR measurement was obtained during invasive coronary angiography. The CatLet score was obtained by multiplying a fixed value of 2.0 (for non-occlusive lesions) and the weight of the affected coronary artery. The primary endpoint was the CatLet score's diagnostic accuracy in identifying hemodynamically significant coronary stenosis, with a pressure wire FFR of ≤0.80 being used as reference. Results: We analyzed the FFR and CatLet scores from 206 vessels in 175 patients with stable coronary disease and intermediate coronary lesions. The per-vessel analysis revealed an overall good correlation between the CatLet score and the FFR [r=-0.61; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): -0.69 to -0.52; P<0.01]. We also noted a significant CatLet score-FFR correlation for each of the left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex (LCX), and right coronary artery (RCA). With a CatLet score ≥10 as a predictor of FFR ≤0.80, the overall diagnostic accuracy included a sensitivity of 78.80% (95% CI: 67.00-87.90%), a specificity of 85.00% (95% CI: 78.00-90.50%), a positive likelihood ratio of 5.25, a negative likelihood ratio of 0.25, and an area under the curve of 0.90 (95% CI: 0.85-0.94). Equivalent vessel-specific results were also achieved for each of the LAD, LCX, and RCA. Conclusions: The CatLet score, solely based on visual estimation of the results of coronary angiography, demonstrated good diagnostic performance with respect to myocardial ischemia. Its clinical values in guiding revascularization warrant further investigation.

BMX deletion mitigates neuroinflammation induced by retinal ischemia/reperfusion through modulation of the AKT/ERK/STAT3 signaling cascade.

Aims: Retinal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is implicated in the etiology of various ocular disorders. Prior research has demonstrated that bone marrow tyrosine kinase on chromosome X (BMX) contributes to the advancement of ischemic disease and inflammatory reactions. Consequently, the current investigation aims to evaluate BMX's impact on retinal I/R injury and clarify its implied mechanism of action. Main methods: This study utilized male and female systemic BMX knockout (BMX-/-) mice to conduct experiments. The utilization of Western blot assay and immunofluorescence labeling techniques was employed to investigate variations in the expression of protein and tissue localization. Histomorphological changes were observed through H&E staining and SD-OCT examination. Visual function changes were assessed through electrophysiological experiments. Furthermore, apoptosis in the retina was identified using the TUNEL assay, as well as the ELISA technique, which has been utilized to determine the inflammatory factors level. Key findings: Our investigation results revealed that the knockdown of BMX did not yield a significant effect on mouse retina. In mice, BMX knockdown mitigated the negative impact of I/R injury on retinal tissue structure and visual function. BMX knockdown effectively reduced apoptosis, suppressed inflammatory responses, and decreased inflammatory factors subsequent to I/R injury. The outcomes of the current investigation revealed that BMX knockdown partially protected the retina through downregulating phosphorylation of AKT/ERK/STAT3 pathway. Significance: Our investigation showed that BMX-/- reduces AKT, ERK, and STAT3 phosphorylation, reducing apoptosis and inflammation. Thus, this strategy protected the retina from structural and functional damage after I/R injury.