Insight into the bimetallic structure sensibility of catalytic nitrate reduction over Pd-Cu nanocrystals.

Catalytic reduction of nitrate over bimetallic catalysts has emerged as a technology for sustainable treatment of nitrate-containing groundwater. However, the structure of bimetallic has been much less investigated for catalyst optimization. Herein, two main types of Pd-Cu bimetallic nanocrystal structures, heterostructure and intermetallic, were prepared and characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that two individual Pd and Cu nanocrystals with a mixed interface exist in the heterostructure nanocrystals, while Pd and Cu atoms are uniformly distributed across the intermetallic Pd-Cu nanocrystals. The catalytic nitrate reduction experiments were carried out in a semibatch reactor under constant hydrogen flow. The nitrate conversion rate of the heterostructure Pd-Cu nanocrystals supported on α-Al2O3, γ-Al2O3, SBA-15, and XC-72R exhibited 3.82-, 6.76-, 4.28-, 2.44-fold enhancements relative to the intermetallic nanocrystals, and the nitrogen and nitrite were the main products for the heterostructure and intermetallic Pd-Cu nanocrystals, respectively. This indicates that the catalytic nitrate reduction over Pd-Cu catalyst is sensitive to the bimetallic structures of the catalysts, and heterostructure bimetallic nanocrystals exhibit better catalytic performances on both the activity and selectivity, which may provide new insights into the design and optimization of catalysts to improve catalytic activity and selectivity for nitrate reduction in water.

Genome-wide investigation of the TIFY transcription factors in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): identification, analysis, and expression.

BACKGROUND: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an essential leguminous forage with high nutrition and strong adaptability. The TIFY family is a plant-specific transcription factor identified in many plants. However, few reports have been reported on the phylogenetic analysis and gene expression profiling of TIFY family genes in alfalfa. RESULT: A total of 84 TIFY genes belonging to 4 categories were identified in alfalfa, including 58 MsJAZs, 18 MsZMLs, 4 MsTIFYs and 4 MsPPDs, respectively. qRT-PCR data from 8 genes in different tissues revealed that most MsTIFY genes were highly expressed in roots. The expression of MsTIFY14 was up-regulated after different times in both thrips-resistant and susceptible alfalfa after thrips feeding, and the expression of the remaining MsTIFYs had a strong correlation with the time of thrips feeding. Different abiotic stresses, including drought, salt, and cold, could induce or inhibit the expression of MsTIFY genes to varying degrees. In addition, the eight genes were all significantly up-regulated by JA and/or SA. Interestingly, MsTIFY77 was induced considerably by all the biotic, abiotic, or plant hormones (JA or SA) except ABA. CONCLUSION: Our study identified members of the TIFY gene family in alfalfa and analyzed their structures and possible functions. It laid the foundation for further research on the molecular functions of TIFYs in alfalfa.

[Characteristics and influence factors of rainfall redistribution in eight typical plantations in the loess area in West Shanxi, China]. / 晋西黄土区8ç§å ¸åž‹æž—åˆ†é™é›¨å†åˆ†é ç‰¹å¾ä¸Žå½±å“å› ç´ .

Aiming for clarifying the potential distribution characteristics of canopy rainfall partitioning of the loess area, we explored the process of rainfall partitioning across eight typical forest stands (Pinus tabuliformis forest, Robinia pseudoacacia forest, Platycladus orientalis forest, mixed forest of Robinia pseudoacacia-Pinus tabuliformis, mixed forest of Platycladus orientalis-Robinia pseudoacacia, Quercus wutaishanica forest, Populus davidiana forest, mixed forest of Quercus wutaishanica-Populus davidiana), and used boosted regression trees (BRT) to quantify the relative influences of stand structures and meteorological environment factors. We established multiple regression relationships according to the most influential factors extracted by BRT, and applied to the dataset of mining to verify the performance of the BRT-derived predictive model. The results showed that the percentages of throughfall (TF), stemflow (SF), and canopy interception (Ic) in total precipitation were 24.5%-95.1%, 0-13.6%, and 0.7%-55.7% among eight typical forest stands, respectively. For the individual rainfall threshold of TF, coniferous forest (3.06±1.21 mm) was significantly higher than broad-leaved forest (1.97±0.52 mm), but there was no significant difference between coniferous forest and broad-leaved mixed forest (3.01±0.98 mm). There was no significant difference in the individual rainfall threshold of SF among different composition stands. BRT analysis showed that stand structure factors accounted for a relatively small proportion for TF and SF, respectively. By contrast, stand structure factors dominated the Ic. Rainfall was the most important factor in determining TF and SF. Tree height was the most important factor in determining Ic, followed by rainfall, canopy area, diameter at breast height, and stand density. Compared with the general linear function and the power function, the prediction effect of BRT prediction model constructed here on TF and SF had been further improved, and the prediction of canopy interception still needed to explore. In conclusion, the BRT model could better quantitatively evaluate the effects of stand structure and meteorological environmental factors on rainfall partitioning components, and the performance of the BRT predictive model could satisfy and lay the foundation for the optimization strategy for stand configuration.

Fast acoustic droplet ejection based on annular array transducer.

Acoustic droplet ejection (ADE) has become the preferred method for liquid transfer in a variety of applications including synthetic biology, genotyping and drug discovery. Comparing with traditional pipetting techniques, the accuracy and data reproducibility of ADE based liquid transfer are improved, waste and cost are reduced, and cross-contamination is eliminated. The key component in the ADE system is the ultrasound transducer, which is responsible for generating focused ultrasound beam for droplet ejection. However, current ADE systems commonly utilize a single-element focused transducer with a fixed focal length that require mechanical movement to focus on the liquid surface, resulting in reduced liquid transfer efficiency. In this study, we first present a high-frequency annular array transducer for the ADE technology, which enables rapid and dynamic axial focusing to the liquid surface without mechanically moving the transducer, thereby accelerating liquid transfer. Experimental results show that the proposed 10 MHz, 5-element annular array transducer has good dynamic axial focusing ability, and can achieve accurate and stable droplet ejection of nanoliter volume at the designed focal length of 26-32 mm. Our results highlight the potential of the annular array transducer in advancing ADE system for rapid liquid transfer. This technology is expected to be useful in a variety of applications where precise and high-throughput liquid transfer is crucial.

Association between red blood cell distribution width-platelet ratio (RPR) and mortality in patients with heart failure from the MIMIC IV database: A retrospective cohort study.

The association between the red blood cell distribution width-platelet ratio (RPR) and mortality in heart failure patients remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the potential non-linear relationship between RPR and 1-year mortality risk. A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 6982 participants from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. Multivariable Cox regression and restricted cubic spline analyses were performed to evaluate the association between RPR and 1-year mortality, adjusting for potential confounders. We observed 1091 patients died in hospital and 2535 patients died during 1 year follow-up period. The prevalence or incidence of mortality did not show statistically significant differences among RPR groups in the overall study population. However, a positive association between RPR and the risk of mortality was noted after adjusting for multiple variables (HR = 1.38, 95 % CI = 1.06-1.81, P = 0.018). Analysis using restricted cubic splines indicated a U-shaped relationship between RPR levels and the risk of mortality (P nonlinearity <0.05), with the point of lowest risk at 0.104. Compared to this level, lower RPR (<0.104) was associated with increased mortality (HR = 0.046, 95 % CI: 0.004-0.546), as was higher RPR (>0.104) (HR = 2.656, 95 % CI: 1.692-4.170).This U-shaped association was consistent across subgroup analyses (all interaction P values > 0.05). RPR exhibits a U-shaped association with 1-year mortality in heart failure patients, suggesting both low and high RPR levels are linked to increased risk. RPR may serve as a relevant biomarker for risk stratification in this population. We incorporated RPR into the SOFA (AUC 0.731) and SAPS II (AUC 0.746) models, which significantly improved their predictive ability for in-hospital mortality. For 1-year mortality prediction, RPR + SAPS II (AUC 0.683) showed significantly improved accuracy, while RPR + SOFA (AUC 0.626) did not improve significantly.

Finite Element Simulation and Microstructural Analysis of Roll Forming for DP590 High-Strength Dual-Phase Steel Wheel Rims.

In this study, finite element (FE) simulation by the software Abaqus was relied on to investigate the roll forming process of a wheel rim made of an innovative dual-phase steel, i.e., DP590, after flash butt welding (FBW). In the simulation, an FE model was generated, including the design of the dies for flaring, three-roll forming, and expansion, and detailed key processing parameters based on practical production of the selected DP590. Combined with the microstructures and properties of the weld zone (WZ) and heat-affected zones (HAZs) after FBW, the distribution of stress/strain and the change in thickness of the base metal (BM), WZ and HAZs were analyzed, and compared in the important stages of roll forming. Theoretically, the variation in the microstructure and the corresponding stress-strain behaviors of the BM, WZ, and HAZs after FBW have led to the thickness reduction of DP590 that originated from softening behaviors occurring at the region of subcritical HAZs (SCHAZs), and a small amount of tempered martensite has evidently reduced the hardness and strength of the SCHAZ. Meanwhile, the distribution of stress/strain has been influenced to some extent. Further, the study includes the influence of the friction coefficient on the forming quality of the wheel rim to guarantee the simulation accuracy in practical applications. In sum, the dual-phase steel has to be carefully applied to the wheel rim, which needs to experience the processes of FBW and roll forming, focusing on the performance of SCHAZs.

Metal-Organic Framework Based on Ratiometric dual-Fluorescent Sensor Using for Accurate Quantification and on-Site Visual Detection of Ascorbic Acid.

Ascorbic acid is very important to the metabolic process of the body, but excessive intake can lead to diarrhea, kidney calculi and stomach cramps. However, complicated production procedures and harsh experimental settings limit many detection methods, and a simpler and more accurate measurement method is needed. In this study, a smartphone-assisted ratiometric fluorescence sensor was developed for the portable analysis of ascorbic acid. Leveraging the catalytic properties of MIL-53(Fe) to expedite the conversion of H2O2 into hydroxyl radicals, thereby facilitating the oxidation of o-phenylenediamine and terephthalic acid bridging ligand. The sensor showcased exceptional sensitivity in detecting ascorbic acid within a linear range of 0.3-100 µM, boasting an impressive limit of detection at 0.15 µM. Furthermore, through the utilization of color extraction RGB values captured by smartphones, accurate detection of ascorbic acid was achieved with a detection limit of 0.4 µM. Real fruit samples exhibited robust spiked recovery rates ranging from 91 to 119%, accompanied by relative standard deviations ≤ 4.7%. The MIL-53(Fe) nanozyme-based smartphone-assisted ratiometric fluorescence sensor offers an ascorbic acid fluorescence detection device that is visible, accurate, sensitive, and reasonably priced.

Chemoarchitectural signatures of subcortical shape alterations in generalized epilepsy.

Genetic generalized epilepsies (GGE) exhibit widespread morphometric alterations in the subcortical structures. Subcortical structures are essential for understanding GGE pathophysiology, but their fine-grained morphological diversity has yet to be comprehensively investigated. Furthermore, the relationships between macroscale morphological disturbances and microscale molecular chemoarchitectures are unclear. High-resolution structural images were acquired from patients with GGE (n = 97) and sex- and age-matched healthy controls (HCs, n = 184). Individual measurements of surface shape features (thickness and surface area) of seven bilateral subcortical structures were quantified. The patients and HCs were then compared vertex-wise, and shape anomalies were co-located with brain neurotransmitter profiles. We found widespread morphological alterations in GGE and prominent disruptions in the thalamus, putamen, and hippocampus. Shape area dilations were observed in the bilateral ventral, medial, and right dorsal thalamus, as well as the bilateral lateral putamen. We found that the shape area deviation pattern was spatially correlated with the norepinephrine transporter and nicotinic acetylcholine (Ach) receptor (α4ß2) profiles, but a distinct association was seen in the muscarinic Ach receptor (M1). The findings provided a comprehensive picture of subcortical morphological disruptions in GGE, and further characterized the associated molecular mechanisms. This information may increase our understanding of the pathophysiology of GGE.

scIDPMs: Single-Cell RNA-Seq Imputation Using Diffusion Probabilistic Models.

Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology has revolutionized biological research by enabling the sequencing of mRNA in individual cells, thereby providing valuable insights into cellular gene expression and functions. However, scRNA-seq data often contain false zero values known as dropout events, which can obscure true gene expression levels and compromise downstream analysis accuracy. To address this issue, several computational approaches have been proposed for imputing missing gene expression values. Nevertheless, these methods struggle to capture dropout value distributions due to the sparsity of scRNA-seq data and complex gene expression patterns. In this study, we present a novel method called scIDPMs that utilizes conditional diffusion probabilistic models to impute scRNA-seq data. Firstly, scIDPMs identifies dropout sites based on gene expression characteristics and subsequently infers the missing values by considering available gene expression information. To effectively capture global gene expression features, scIDPMs employs a deep neural network with an attention mechanism to optimize the imputation process. We evaluated the performance of scIDPMs using simulated and real scRNA-seq datasets and compared it with ten other imputation methods. The results indicate that scIDPMs outperform other methods in restoring biologically meaningful gene expression values and improving downstream analysis.

Siglec7 functions as an inhibitory receptor of non-specific cytotoxic cells and can regulate the innate immune responses in a primitive vertebrate (Oreochromis niloticus).

In mammals, siglec7, an integral component of the siglecs, is principally found on the surface of natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages, and monocytes, where it interacts with various pathogens to perform immunological regulatory activities. Nonetheless, the immune defense and mechanism of siglec7 in early vertebrates remain unknown. In this study, we identified siglec7 from Oreochromis niloticus (OnSiglec7) and revealed its immune functions. Specifically, OnSiglec7 was abundantly expressed in immune-related tissues of healthy tilapia and its transcription level was strongly activated after being challenged with A. hydrophila, S. agalactiae, and Poly: IC. Meanwhile, OnSiglec7 protein was purified and analyzed, which could recognize multiple pathogens through binding and agglutinating activity. Moreover, OnSiglec7-positive cells were mainly distributed in non-specific cytotoxic cells (NCC) of tilapia HKLs and showed cell membrane localization. Furthermore, OnSiglec7 blockage affected multiple innate immune responses (inflammation, apoptosis, and pyroptosis process) by regulating the activation of MAPK, NF-κB, TLR, and JAK-STAT pathways. Finally, OnSiglec7 blockage also greatly enhanced the cytotoxic effect of tilapia NCC. Summarily, this study uncovers immune functions and mechanisms of siglec7 in primitive vertebrates, thereby enhancing our understanding of the systemic evolution and ancient functions of other siglecs within the host's innate immune system (to our knowledge).

Evaluation of the efficacy of posterior hemivertebrectomy combined with two or more segments fusion.

BACKGROUND: Although early hemivertebra (HV) resection and short fusion (within 4 segments) have been successful in treating congenital HV, there is limited research comparing the outcomes of the shortest-segment fusion (2 segments) versus 3 or 4 segments, particularly in young children. To evaluate the efficacy of posterior hemivertebrectomy combined with two or more segments fusion in children under the age of 10 years with a solitary simple lower thoracic or lumbar HV (T8-L5). METHODS: This retrospective study included patients under the age of 10 with lower thoracic or lumbar solitary simple HV who underwent hemivertebra resection (HVR) and transpedicular short fusion and were divided into HV ± 1 group (2 segment fusion) and HV ± 2 group (3 or 4-segment fusion). The study recorded preoperative, postoperative (1 week), and the latest follow-up radiographic parameters and complications. The results of the coronal and sagittal planes were analyzed, and the main curve, segmental scoliosis curve, compensatory scoliosis curve, segmental kyphosis curve, and trunk shift were compared. RESULTS: The study included 35 patients (15 in the HV ± 1 group and 20 in the HV ± 2 group) with a mean age of 5.26 ± 2.31 years and a mean follow-up of 22.54 months (12-68). The mean preoperative Cobb angle was 32.66° ± 7.339° (HV ± 1) and 29.31°±6.642° (HV ± 2). The final Cobb angle was 10.99°± 7.837° (HV ± 1) and 8.22° ± 4.295° (HV ± 2). The main curve corrected by 72% (HV ± 1), 75% (HV ± 2) postoperatively and 67% (HV ± 1), 72% (HV ± 2) at the final follow-up (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the correction of the segmental scoliosis curve, compensatory scoliosis curve, segmental kyphosis curve, and trunk shift between the HV ± 1 and HV ± 2 groups (P > 0.05). The unplanned reoperation rate for HV in the thoracolumbar region (T11-L2) is significantly higher (P = 0.038). CONCLUSION: In the context of solitary simple lower thoracic or lumbar HV (T8-L5), HV ± 1 segment fusion suffices and yields comparable correction outcomes in the midterm period when compared to HV ± 2. The reoperation rate exhibited a statistically significant increase in the thoracolumbar region.

The role of HMGB2 in the immune response of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to streptococcal infection.

High mobility group protein B2 (HMGB2) is an abundant chromatin-associated protein with pivotal roles in transcription, cell proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, and tumorigenesis. However, its immune function in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) remains unclear. In this study, we identified a homologue of HMGB2 from Nile tilapia (On-HMGB2) and investigated its functions in the immune response against streptococcus infection. The open reading frame (ORF) of On-HMGB2 spans 642 bp, encoding 213 amino acids, and contains two conserved HMG domains. On-HMGB2 shares over 80 % homology with other fish species and 74%-76 % homology with mammals. On-HMGB2 was widely distributed in various tissues, with its highest transcript levels in the liver and the lowest in the intestine. Knockdown of On-HMGB2 promoted the inflammatory response in Nile tilapia, increased the bacterial load in the tissues, and led to elevated mortality in Nile tilapia following Streptococcus agalactiae infection. Taken together, On-HMGB2 significantly influences the immune system of Nile tilapia in response to streptococcus infection.

Diagnostic significance of LncRNA MIAT in periodontitis and the molecular mechanisms influencing periodontal ligament fibroblasts via the miR-204-5p/DKK1 axis.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the clinical importance of long noncoding RNA myocardial infarction-associated transcript (MIAT) in periodontitis and its impact on the functional regulation of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPDLFs). METHODS: Ninety-eight periodontitis patients and 74 healthy controls were enrolled. In vitro cellular models were created using Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (Pg-LPS) to stimulate hPDLFs. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure mRNA levels of MIAT and osteogenic factors. Inflammation factor concentration was assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell viability and apoptosis were examined by cell counting kit -8 and flow cytometry assay. The targeting relationship was verified by the dual-luciferase reporter and RNA Immunoprecipitation assay. RESULTS: Highly expressed MIAT and Dicckopf-1 (DDK1), and lowly expressed miR-204-5p were found in the gingival crevicular fluid of periodontitis patients and Pg-LPS induced hPDLFs. MIAT has a sensitivity of 76.53 % and a specificity of 86.49 % for identifying patients with periodontitis among healthy individuals. MIAT acts as a sponge for miR-204-5p and upregulates DDK1 mRNA expression. Silencing of MIAT diminished the promotion of apoptosis and inflammation in hPDLFs by Pg-LPS and enhanced osteogenic differentiation. However, a miR-204-5p inhibitor significantly reversed the effect of silenced MIAT. CONCLUSIONS: MIAT may act as a promising biomarker for periodontitis. It modulates apoptosis, inflammation, and osteogenic differentiation of PDLFs by focusing on the miR-204-5p/DKK1 axis, indicating its potential as a new therapeutic target for treating periodontitis.

Emission Characteristics of Aerosols Generated during the Micro-Nano Bubble Aeration Process in Wastewater.

Micro-nano bubble (MNB) aeration is an emerging technology that considerably enhances the aeration efficiency of wastewater. This study evaluates, for the first time, aerosolization at the water-air interface during MNB aeration. Our results show that the concentration of culturable mixed microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, fungi, and intestinal bacteria) in the in situ MNB generation (MNBs-G) phase is 2170 CFU/m3, 1.38 and 1.58-fold higher than those in medium-bubble aeration (MBA; 1568 CFU/m3) and small-bubble aeration (SBA; 1376 CFU/m3) aerosols, respectively. Conversely, the concentration of culturable mixed microorganisms in the MNB persistent dissolved oxygen (MNBs-O) phase is only 914 CFU/m3. Microbiological analysis shows a lower abundance of bacterial pathogens in MNBs-G (34.12%) and MNBs-O (34.02%) phases than in MBA (39.63%) and SBA (38.87%) aerosols. Acinetobacter is prevalent in MNBs-G (14.76%) and MNBs-O (8.22%) aerosols, whereas Bacillus and Arcobacter are prevalent in MBA (23.96%) and SBA (6.92%) aerosols, respectively. The total concentrations of chemicals [i.e., total organic carbon, water-soluble ions, and metal(loid)s] in aerosols formed via MNB aeration (205.98-373.74 µg/m3) are lower than those in MBA and SBA (398.69-594.92 µg/m3). Compared to MBA and SBA, the MNBs-G phase exhibits higher emissions of 12 elements in aerosols (i.e., NO3-, NO2-, Ca2+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Zn, Cd, Fe, Mn, As, and Cr), whereas the MNBs-O phase generally shows lower emissions. These findings highlight the potential of optimized MNB aeration technology in considerably mitigating aerosol emissions and thereby advancing environmental sustainability in wastewater treatment.

Acute Effects of Breath-Hold Conditions on Aerobic Fitness in Elite Rugby Players.

The effects of face immersion and concurrent exercise on the diving reflex evoked by breath-hold (BH) differ, yet little is known about the combined effects of different BH conditions on aerobic fitness in elite athletes. This study aimed to assess the acute effects of various BH conditions on 18 male elite rugby players (age: 23.5 ± 1.8 years; height: 183.3 ± 3.4 cm; body mass: 84.8 ± 8.5 kg) and identify the BH condition eliciting the greatest aerobic fitness activation. Participants underwent five warm-up conditions: baseline regular breathing, dynamic dry BH (DD), static dry BH (SD), wet dynamic BH (WD), and wet static BH (WS). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in red blood cells (RBCs), red blood cell volume (RGB), and hematocrit (HCT) pre- and post-warm-up. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and relative oxygen uptake (VO2/kgpeak) varied significantly across conditions, with BH groups showing notably higher values than the regular breathing group (p < 0.05). Interaction effects of facial immersion and movement conditions were significant for VO2peak, VO2/kgpeak, and the cardiopulmonary optimal point (p < 0.05). Specifically, VO2peak and peak stroke volume (SVpeak) were significantly higher in the DD group compared to that in other conditions. Increases in VO2peak were strongly correlated with changes in RBCs and HCT induced by DD warm-up (r∆RBC = 0.84, r∆HCT = 0.77, p < 0.01). In conclusion, DD BH warm-up appears to optimize subsequent aerobic performance in elite athletes.

Transcriptome analyses reveal key features of mouse seminal vesicle during aging.

Despite the significant morphological changes that occur in the seminal vesicles with aging, the transcriptomic characteristics remain largely unexplored. To address this, we performed bulk RNA sequencing on seminal vesicle samples from mice aged 3, 13, and 21 months to uncover transcriptomic alterations. Our findings reveal that aged seminal vesicles display cystic dilatation, epithelial hypoplasia, disordered muscle layers, fibrosis, and reduced proliferation capability. A comparison between 3-month-old and 21-month-old mice indicated that leukocyte-mediated immunity and leukocyte migration were the most significantly upregulated biological processes among differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Notably, several DEGs associated with "leukocyte migration," such as Vcam1, Cxcl13, and Ccl8, exhibited an increasing trend in transcriptomic and protein expression at three different time points in the seminal vesicles of mice. Additionally, we identified multiple aging-associated DEGs, including P21 and Tnfrsf1b. Two genes (Cd209f and Ccl8) were consistently upregulated across all six regions of the male reproductive glands (testis, epididymis, and seminal vesicle) in the comparison of bulk RNA datasets from 3-month-old and 21-month-old mice. These analyses highlight an enhanced state of immune and inflammatory response in aged seminal vesicles. This study represents the first exploration of the overall transcriptome landscape of seminal vesicles in a murine model of natural aging, offering new insights into the mechanisms underlying aging-related seminal vesicle dysfunction.

An adaptive spatiotemporal filter for ultrasound localization microscopy based on density canopy clustering.

Ultrasound Localization Microscopy (ULM) facilitates structural and hemodynamic imaging of microvessels with a resolution of tens of micrometers. In ULM, the extraction of effective microbubble signals is crucial for image quality. Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) is currently the most prevalent method for microbubble signal extraction in ULM. Most existing ULM studies employ a fixed SVD filter threshold using empirical values which will lead to imaging quality degradation due to the insufficient separation of blood signals. In this study, we propose an adaptive and non-threshold SVD filter based on canopy-density clustering, termed DCC-SVD. This filter automatically classifies the components of the SVD based on the density of their spatiotemporal features, eliminating the need for parameter selection. In in vitro tube phantom, DCC-SVD demonstrated its ability to adaptive separation of blood and bubble signal at varying microbubble concentrations and flow rates. We compared the proposed DCC-SVD method with the Block-match 3D (BM3D) filter and a classical adaptive method called spatial similarity matrix (SSM), using concentration-variable in vivo rat brain data, as well as open-source rat kidney and mouse tumor datasets. The proposed DCC-SVD improved the global spatial resolution by approximately 4 µm from 30.39 µm to 26.02 µm. It also captured vessel structure absent in images obtained by other methods and yielded a smoother vessel intensity profile, making it a promising spatiotemporal filter for ULM imaging.

Analysis of quality of life in patients after transgastric natural orifice transluminal endoscopic gallbladder-preserving surgery.

BACKGROUND: At present, laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the main surgical treatment for gallstones. But, after gallbladder removal, there are many complications. Therefore, it is hoped to remove stones while preserving the function of the gallbladder, and with the development of endoscopic technology, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery came into being. AIM: To compare the quality of life, perioperative indicators, adverse events after LC and transgastric natural orifice transluminal endoscopic gallbladder-preserving surgery (EGPS) in patients with gallstones. METHODS: Patients who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from 2020 to 2022 were retrospectively collected. We adopted propensity score matching (1:1) to compare EGPS and LC patients. RESULTS: A total of 662 cases were collected, of which 589 cases underwent LC, and 73 cases underwent EGPS. Propensity score matching was performed, and 40 patients were included in each of the groups. In the EGPS group, except the gastrointestinal defecation (P = 0.603), the total score, physical well-being, mental well-being, and gastrointestinal digestion were statistically significant compared with the preoperative score after surgery (P < 0.05). In the LC group, except the mental well-being, the total score, physical well-being, gastrointestinal digestion, the gastrointestinal defecation was statistically significant compared with the preoperative score after surgery (P < 0.05). When comparing between groups, gastrointestinal defecation had significantly difference (P = 0.002) between the two groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the total postoperative score and the other three subscales. In the surgery duration, hospital stay and cost, LC group were lower than EGPS group. The recurrence factors of gallstones after EGPS were analyzed: and recurrence was not correlated with gender, age, body mass index, number of stones, and preoperative score. CONCLUSION: Whether EGPS or LC, it can improve the patient's symptoms, and the EGPS has less impact on the patient's defecation. It needed to, prospective, multicenter, long-term follow-up, large-sample related studies to prove.