Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound reduces alveolar bone resorption during orthodontic treatment via Lamin A/C-Yes-associated protein axis in stem cells.

BACKGROUND: The bone remodeling during orthodontic treatment for malocclusion often requires a long duration of around two to three years, which also may lead to some complications such as alveolar bone resorption or tooth root resorption. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS), a noninvasive physical therapy, has been shown to promote bone fracture healing. It is also reported that LIPUS could reduce the duration of orthodontic treatment; however, how LIPUS regulates the bone metabolism during the orthodontic treatment process is still unclear. AIM: To investigate the effects of LIPUS on bone remodeling in an orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) model and explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: A rat model of OTM was established, and alveolar bone remodeling and tooth movement rate were evaluated via micro-computed tomography and staining of tissue sections. In vitro, human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) were isolated to detect their osteogenic differentiation potential under compression and LIPUS stimulation by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, and Alizarin red staining. The expression of Yes-associated protein (YAP1), the actin cytoskeleton, and the Lamin A/C nucleoskeleton were detected with or without YAP1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) application via immunofluorescence. RESULTS: The force treatment inhibited the osteogenic differentiation potential of hBMSCs; moreover, the expression of osteogenesis markers, such as type 1 collagen (COL1), runt-related transcription factor 2, ALP, and osteocalcin (OCN), decreased. LIPUS could rescue the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs with increased expression of osteogenic marker inhibited by force. Mechanically, the expression of LaminA/C, F-actin, and YAP1 was downregulated after force treatment, which could be rescued by LIPUS. Moreover, the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs increased by LIPUS could be attenuated by YAP siRNA treatment. Consistently, LIPUS increased alveolar bone density and decreased vertical bone absorption in vivo. The decreased expression of COL1, OCN, and YAP1 on the compression side of the alveolar bone was partially rescued by LIPUS. CONCLUSION: LIPUS can accelerate tooth movement and reduce alveolar bone resorption by modulating the cytoskeleton-Lamin A/C-YAP axis, which may be a promising strategy to reduce the orthodontic treatment process.

The role of body-object interaction in children's concept processing: insights from two Chinese communities.

A rating of body-object interactions (BOIs) reflects the ease with which a human body can interact physically with a word's referent. Studies with adults have demonstrated a facilitating BOI effect in language tasks, with faster and more accurate responses for high BOI words (e.g., cup) than low BOI words (e.g., coal). A few studies have explored the BOI effect in children. However, these studies have all adopted adult-rated BOIs, which may differ from children's. Using child-rated BOIs, the present study investigated the BOI effect in Chinese children and its relationship with age, as well as whether there was a community difference in the BOI effect. Children (aged 7-8) from Mainland China (N = 100) and Hong Kong SAR (HK; N = 90) completed a lexical decision task used to measure the BOI effect. The children were asked to judge whether each item was a real Chinese word; each real word was assigned a child-rated BOI score. After controlling nonverbal intelligence, gender, working memory, and Chinese character reading, a significant BOI effect was observed at the response accuracy and speed levels. The accuracy and latency analyses illustrated a community difference; the BOI effect was smaller in the HK children. This study suggests that BOI measures may be sensitive to the ecological differences between tested communities. The findings support the need for further investigations into the BOI effect across Chinese communities, particularly those in Mainland China.

The Impact of Nanomaterials on Photosynthesis and Antioxidant Mechanisms in Gramineae Plants: Research Progress and Future Prospects.

As global food security faces challenges, enhancing crop yield and stress resistance becomes imperative. This study comprehensively explores the impact of nanomaterials (NMs) on Gramineae plants, with a focus on the effects of various types of nanoparticles, such as iron-based, titanium-containing, zinc, and copper nanoparticles, on plant photosynthesis, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzyme activity. We found that the effects of nanoparticles largely depend on their chemical properties, particle size, concentration, and the species and developmental stage of the plant. Under appropriate conditions, specific NMs can promote the root development of Gramineae plants, enhance photosynthesis, and increase chlorophyll content. Notably, iron-based and titanium-containing nanoparticles show significant effects in promoting chlorophyll synthesis and plant growth. However, the impact of nanoparticles on oxidative stress is complex. Under certain conditions, nanoparticles can enhance plants' antioxidant enzyme activity, improving their ability to withstand environmental stresses; excessive or inappropriate NMs may cause oxidative stress, affecting plant growth and development. Copper nanoparticles, in particular, exhibit this dual nature, being beneficial at low concentrations but potentially harmful at high concentrations. This study provides a theoretical basis for the future development of nanofertilizers aimed at precisely targeting Gramineae plants to enhance their antioxidant stress capacity and improve photosynthesis efficiency. We emphasize the importance of balancing the agricultural advantages of nanotechnology with environmental safety in practical applications. Future research should focus on a deeper understanding of the interaction mechanisms between more NMs and plants and explore strategies to reduce potential environmental impacts to ensure the health and sustainability of the ecosystem while enhancing the yield and quality of Gramineae crops.

Deficiency of INPP4A promotes M2 macrophage polarization in eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (E-CRSwNP) remains a challenge due to its complex pathogenesis. Inositol polyphosphate-4-phosphatase type IA (INPP4A), a lipid phosphatase, has been implicated in allergic asthma. However, the expression and function of INPP4A in E-CRSwNP remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of INPP4A in macrophages in E-CRSwNP. METHODS: We assessed the expression of INPP4A in human and mouse nasal mucosal tissues via immunofluorescence staining. THP-1 cells were cultured and exposed to various cytokines to investigate the regulation of INPP4A expression and its functional role. Additionally, we established a murine nasal polyp (NP) model and administrated an INPP4A-overexpressing lentivirus evaluate its impact on NP. RESULTS: The percentage of INPP4A + CD68 + macrophages among total macrophages decreased in the E-CRSwNP group compared to the control and the non-eosinophilic CRSwNP (NE-CRSwNP) groups, exhibiting an inverse correlation with an increased percentage of CD206 + CD68 + M2 macrophages among total macrophages. Overexpression of INPP4A led to a reduced percentage of THP-1 cells polarizing towards the M2 phenotype, accompanied by decreased levels of associated chemotactic factors including CCL18, CCL22, CCL24, and CCL26. We also validated the involvement of the PI3K-AKT pathway in the function of INPP4A in vitro. Furthermore, INPP4A overexpression in the murine NP model resulted in the attenuation of eosinophilic inflammation in the nasal mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: INPP4A deficiency promotes macrophage polarization towards the M2 phenotype, leading to the secretion of chemokines that recruit eosinophils and Th2 cells, thereby amplifying eosinophilic inflammation in E-CRSwNP. INPP4A may exert a suppressive role in eosinophilic inflammation and could potentially serve as a novel therapeutic strategy.

The Association between NADPH Oxidase 2 (NOX2) and Drug Resistance in Cancer.

NADPH oxidase, as a major source of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), assumes an important role in the immune response and oxidative stress response of the body. NADPH 9 oxidase 2 (NOX2) is the first and most representative member of the NADPH oxidase family, and its effects on the development of tumor cells are gaining more and more attention. Our previous study suggested that NCF4 polymorphism in p40phox, a key subunit of NOX2, affected the outcome of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with rituximab. It hypothesized that NOX2-mediated ROS could enhance the cytotoxic effects of some anti-tumor drugs in favor of patients with tumors. Several reviews have summarized the role of NOX2 and its congeners-mediated ROS in anti-tumor therapy, but few studies focused on the relationship between the expression of NOX2 and anti-tumor drug resistance. In this article, we systematically introduced the NOX family, represented by NOX2, and a classification of the latest inhibitors and agonists of NOX2. It will help researchers to have a more rational and objective understanding of the dual role of NOX2 in tumor drug resistance and is expected to provide new ideas for oncology treatment and overcoming drug resistance in cancer.

Piezo-Acoustic Resistive Switching Behaviors in High-Performance Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Memristors.

Memristors are regarded as promising candidates for breaking the problems including high off-chip memory access delays and the hash rate cost of frequent data moving induced by algorithms for data-intensive applications of existing computational systems. Recently, organic-inorganic halide perovskites (OIHPs) have been recognized as exceptionally favorable materials for memristors due to ease of preparation, excellent electrical conductivity, and structural flexibility. However, research on OIHP-based memristors focuses on modulating resistive switching (RS) performance through electric fields, resulting in difficulties in moving away from complex external circuits and wire connections. Here, a multilayer memristor has been constructed with eutectic gallium and indium (EGaIn)/ MAPbI3 /poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(4-styrenesulphonate) (PEDOT: PSS)/indium tin oxide (ITO) structure, which exhibits reproducible and reliable bipolar RS with low SET/RESET voltages, stable endurance, ultrahigh average ON/OFF ratio, and excellent retention. Importantly, based on ion migration activated by sound-driven piezoelectric effects, the device exhibits a stable acoustic response with an average ON/OFF ratio greater than 103 , thus realizing non-contact, multi-signal, and far-field control in RS modulation. This study provides a single-structure multifunctional memristor as an integrated architecture for sensing, data storage, and computing.

Simulation on an Advanced Double-Sided Cooling Flip-Chip Packaging with Diamond Material for Gallium Oxide Devices.

Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) devices have shown remarkable potential for high-voltage, high-power, and low-loss power applications. However, thermal management of packaging for Ga2O3 devices becomes challenging due to the significant self-heating effect. In this paper, an advanced double-sided cooling flip-chip packaging structure for Ga2O3 devices was proposed and the overall packaging of Ga2O3 chips was researched by simulation in detail. The advanced double-sided cooling flip-chip packaging structure was formed by adding a layer of diamond material on top of the device based on the single-sided flip-chip structure. With a power density of 3.2 W/mm, it was observed that the maximum temperature of the Ga2O3 chip with the advanced double-sided cooling flip-chip packaging structure was 103 °C. Compared with traditional wire bonding packaging and single-sided cooling flip-chip packaging, the maximum temperature was reduced by about 12 °C and 7 °C, respectively. When the maximum temperature of the chip was controlled at 200 °C, the Ga2O3 chip with double-sided cooling packaging could reach a power density of 6.8 W/mm. Finally, by equipping the top of the package with additional water-cooling equipment, the maximum temperature was reduced to 186 °C. These findings highlight the effectiveness of the proposed flip-chip design with double-sided cooling in enhancing the heat dissipation capability of Ga2O3 chips, suggesting promising prospects for this advanced packaging structure.

Yeast Metabolic Engineering for Biosynthesis of Caffeic Acid-Derived Phenethyl Ester and Phenethyl Amide.

Caffeic acid (CA)-derived phenethyl ester (CAPE) and phenethyl amide (CAPA) are extensively investigated bioactive compounds with therapeutic applications such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticarcinogenic properties. To construct microbial cell factories for production of CAPE or CAPA is a promising option given the limitation of natural sources for product extraction and the environmental toxicity of the agents used in chemical synthesis. We reported the successful biosynthesis of caffeic acid in yeast previously. Here in this work, we further constructed the downstream synthetic pathways in yeast for biosynthesis of CAPE and CAPA. After combinatorial engineering of yeast chassis based on the rational pathway engineering method and library-based SCRaMbLE method, we finally obtained the optimal strains that respectively produced 417 µg/L CAPE and 1081 µg/L CAPA. Two screened gene targets of ΔHAM1 and ΔYJL028W were discovered to help improve the product synthesis capacity. This is the first report of the de novo synthesis of CAPA from glucose in an engineered yeast chassis. Future work on enzyme and chassis engineering will further support improving the microbial cell factories for the production of CA derivatives.

Mitochondrial fission drives neuronal metabolic burden to promote stress susceptibility in male mice.

Neurons are particularly susceptible to energy fluctuations in response to stress. Mitochondrial fission is highly regulated to generate ATP via oxidative phosphorylation; however, the role of a regulator of mitochondrial fission in neuronal energy metabolism and synaptic efficacy under chronic stress remains elusive. Here, we show that chronic stress promotes mitochondrial fission in the medial prefrontal cortex via activating dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction in male mice. Both pharmacological inhibition and genetic reduction of Drp1 ameliorates the deficit of excitatory synaptic transmission and stress-related depressive-like behavior. In addition, enhancing Drp1 fission promotes stress susceptibility, which is alleviated by coenzyme Q10, which potentiates mitochondrial ATP production. Together, our findings unmask the role of Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fission in the deficits of neuronal metabolic burden and depressive-like behavior and provides medication basis for metabolism-related emotional disorders.

Influence of Butter Layer Thickness on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Underwater Wet 16Mn/304L Dissimilar Welded Joint.

Butter layers of different thicknesses were successfully deposited on ferritic steel by using the tungsten arc welding (TIG) process. The effects of butter layer thickness on the microstructural characteristics, elemental distribution, and mechanical properties of underwater wet 16Mn/304L dissimilar welded joints were investigated. The results showed that the butter layer significantly changed the microstructure and elemental distribution of 16Mn/304L joints. As the thickness of butter increased, the heat-affected zone (HAZ) at the ferritic steel side changed from the original 16Mn steel to the ERNiCrMo-3 butter layer. The martensite content in HAZ also exhibited a downward trend. When the thickness of the butter layer exceeded 6 mm, the microstructure of HAZ at the ferritic steel side was composed of ferrite and pearlite, instead of quenched martensite. The microhardness of underwater dissimilar steel welded joints significantly reduced due to the absence of martensite. The addition of the butter layer increased the ultimate tensile strength from 515 MPa to 565 MPa. The results of this work could provide a robust basis for future applications of dissimilar steel structures.

Wheat VQ Motif-Containing Protein VQ25-A Facilitates Leaf Senescence via the Abscisic Acid Pathway.

Leaf senescence is an important factor affecting the functional transition from nutrient assimilation to nutrient remobilization in crops. The senescence of wheat leaves is of great significance for its yield and quality. In the leaf senescence process, transcriptional regulation is a committed step in integrating various senescence-related signals. Although the plant-specific transcriptional regulation factor valine-glutamine (VQ) gene family is known to participate in different physiological processes, its role in leaf senescence is poorly understood. We isolated TaVQ25-A and studied its function in leaf senescence regulation. TaVQ25-A was mainly expressed in the roots and leaves of wheat. The TaVQ25-A-GFP fusion protein was localized in the nuclei and cytoplasm of wheat protoplasts. A delayed senescence phenotype was observed after dark and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment in TaVQ25-A-silenced wheat plants. Conversely, overexpression of TaVQ25-A accelerated leaf senescence and led to hypersensitivity in ABA-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. A WRKY type transcription factor, TaWRKY133, which is tightly related to the ABA pathway and affects the expression of some ABA-related genes, was found to interact with TaVQ25-A both in vitro and in vivo. Results of this study indicate that TaVQ25-A is a positive regulator of ABA-related leaf senescence and can be used as a candidate gene for wheat molecular breeding.

Splicing transcriptome-wide association study to identify splicing events for pancreatic cancer risk.

A large proportion of the heritability of pancreatic cancer risk remains elusive, and the contribution of specific mRNA splicing events to pancreatic cancer susceptibility has not been systematically evaluated. In this study, we performed a large splicing transcriptome-wide association study (spTWAS) using three modeling strategies (Enet, LASSO and MCP) to develop alternative splicing genetic prediction models for identifying novel susceptibility loci and splicing introns for pancreatic cancer risk by assessing 8275 pancreatic cancer cases and 6723 controls of European ancestry. Data from 305 subjects of whom the majority are of European descent in the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project (GTEx) were used and both cis-acting and promoter-enhancer interaction regions were considered to build these models. We identified nine splicing events of seven genes (ABO, UQCRC1, STARD3, ETAA1, CELA3B, LGR4 and SFT2D1) that showed an association of genetically predicted expression with pancreatic cancer risk at a false discovery rate ≤0.05. Of these genes, UQCRC1 and LGR4 have not yet been reported to be associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Fine-mapping analyses supported likely causal associations corresponding to six splicing events of three genes (P4HTM, ABO and PGAP3). Our study identified novel genes and splicing events associated with pancreatic cancer risk, which can improve our understanding of the etiology of this deadly malignancy.

Coded aperture compression temporal imaging based on a dual-mask and deep denoiser.

Coded aperture compressive temporal imaging (CACTI) is the mapping of multiple frames using different encoding patterns into a single measurement and then using an algorithm to reconstruct the required high-dimensional signals, thus enabling high-speed photography on low-speed cameras. An encoding pattern and a reconstruction algorithm both play a critical role for CACTI. To improve the quality of the reconstruction, in terms of encoding, we took advantage of the reflective properties of the digital micromirror device and used a complementary dual-mask pattern to obtain more projection information. In terms of decoding, we developed what we believe, to the best of our knowledge, is a new model combining the weighted Landweber regularization with the relaxation strategy and a deep denoiser. The experimental results show the superiority of our proposed encoding-decoding combination, which achieves better performance in terms of the peak SNR, structural similarity index measure, and visual effects.

Coherent Phonon Manipulation via Electron-Phonon Interaction for Facilitated Relaxation of Metastable Centers in ZnO.

Methods that allow versatile manipulation of metastable centers in semiconductors are highly important owing to their potential for quantum information processing and computations. In this study, we demonstrate that the electron-phonon interaction enables phonon participation to promote relaxation of metastable centers in ZnO, which is known for its persistent photoconductivity (PPC) effect. Experimentally, we show that continuous infrared (IR) radiation (1064 nm, ∼30 mW/cm2) promotes longitudinal optical phonons via the Fröhlich interaction and increases the PPC relaxation rate by ∼4 folds. More importantly, we discover that coherent phonons activated by an ultrashort pulse IR laser of the same power increased the relaxation rate by ∼1200-fold, as confirmed by ultrafast transient spectroscopy to be correlated to the excitation of coherent acoustic phonons via the inverse piezoelectric effect. We expect this study to provide valuable guidance for the development of novel quantum and photoactive devices.

Intervention targeting different visual attention span components in Chinese children with developmental dyslexia: a study based on Bundesen's theory of visual attention.

Within the framework of the theory of visual attention (TVA), the visual attention span (VAS) deficit among individuals with developmental dyslexia has been ascribed to the problems entailed by bottom-up (BotU) and top-down (TopD) attentional processes. The former involves two VAS subcomponents: the visual short-term memory storage and perceptual processing speed; the latter consists of the spatial bias of attentional weight and the inhibitory control. Then, what about the influences of the BotU and TopD components on reading? Are there differences in the roles of the two types of attentional processes in reading? This study addresses these issues by using two types of training tasks separately, corresponding to the BotU and TopD attentional components. Three groups of Chinese children with dyslexia-15 children each in the BotU training, TopD training, and non-trained active control groups were recruited here. Participants completed reading measures and a CombiTVA task which was used to estimate VAS subcomponents, before and after the training procedure. Results showed that BotU training improved both the within-category and between-category VAS subcomponents and sentence reading performance; meanwhile, TopD training enhanced character reading fluency through improving spatial attention capacity. Moreover, benefits on attentional capacities and reading skills in the two training groups were generally maintained three months after the intervention. The present findings revealed diverse patterns in the influences of VAS on reading within the TVA framework, which contributes to enriching the understanding of VAS-reading relation.

Gut dysbiosis-derived ß-glucuronidase promotes the development of endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of gut dysbiosis-derived ß-glucuronidase (GUSB) in the development of endometriosis (EMs). DESIGN: 16S rRNA sequencing of stool samples from women with (n = 35) or without (n = 30) endometriosis and from a mouse model was conducted to assess gut microbiome changes and identify molecular factors influencing the development of endometriosis. Experiments in vivo in an endometriosis C57BL6 mouse model and in vitro verified the level of GUSB and its role in the development of EMs. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases. PATIENT(S): Women of reproductive age with a histological diagnosis of endometriosis were enrolled in the endometriosis group (n = 35) and infertile or healthy age-matched women who had undergone a gynecological or radiological examination in the control group (n = 30). Fecal and blood samples were taken the day before surgery. Paraffin-embedded sections from 50 bowel endometriotic lesions, 50 uterosacral lesions, 50 samples without lesions, and 50 normal endometria were collected. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Changes in the gut microbiome of patients with EMs and mice and the effect of ß-glucuronidase on the proliferation and invasion of endometrial stromal cells and the development of endometriotic lesions were assessed. RESULT(S): No difference in α and ß diversity was found between patients with EMs and controls. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed higher ß-glucuronidase expression in bowel lesions and uterosacral ligament lesions than in the normal endometrium (p<0.01). ß-Glucuronidase promoted the proliferation and migration of endometrial stromal cells during cell counting kit-8, Transwell, and wound-healing assays. Macrophage levels, especially M2, were higher in bowel lesions and uterosacral ligament lesions than in controls, and ß-glucuronidase promoted the M0 to M2 transition. Medium conditioned by ß-glucuronidase-treated macrophages promoted endometrial stromal cell proliferation and migration. ß-Glucuronidase increased the number and volume of endometriotic lesions and number of macrophages present in lesions in the mouse EMs model. CONCLUSION(S): This ß-Glucuronidase promoted EMs development directly or indirectly by causing macrophage dysfunction. The characterization of the pathogenic role of ß-glucuronidase in EMs has potential therapeutic implications.

Damage Analysis of Segmental Dry Joint Full-Scale Prestressed Cap Beam Based on Distributed Optical Fiber Sensing.

Distributed fiber optic sensors (DFOS) can detect structural cracks and structural deformation with high accuracy and wide measurement range. This study monitors the segmental prestressed bent cap, assembled with a large key dry joint, based on optical fiber technology, and it allows the comparison of its damaging process with that of a monolithic cast in place counterpart. The obtained results, comprising cross-section strain distributions, longitudinal strain profiles, neutral axis location, crack pattern, and the damage process, show that the DFOS technology can be successfully used to analyze the complex working stress state of the segmental beam with shear key joints, both in the elastic range and at the ultimate load, and to successfully identify the changing characteristics of the stress state of the segmental capping beam model when elastic beam theory no longer applies. The DFOS data confirm that the shear key joint, as the weak point of the segmental cap beam, results in the high stress concentration area, and the damage rate is higher than that of the cast-in-place beam. The accurate monitoring by the DFOS allows for the realization that the damage occurs at the premature formation of a concentrated compression zone on the upper part of the shear key.

Peritoneal cell-free DNA as a sensitive biomarker for detection of peritoneal metastasis in colorectal cancer: a prospective diagnostic study: A prospective diagnostic study.

BACKGROUND: The detection of peritoneal metastasis (PM) is limited by current imaging tools. In this prospective study, we aimed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of peritoneal cell-free DNA (cfDNA) for diagnosis of PM. METHODS: Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with/without PM were enrolled. The cfDNA experimental personnel and statists were blinded to the diagnosis of PM. Ultradeep sequencing covering large genomic regions (35000X, Next-generation sequencing) of cfDNA in peritoneal lavage fluid (FLD) and matched tumor tissues was performed. RESULTS: A total of 64 cases were recruited prospectively and 51 were enrolled into final analysis. In training cohort, 100% (17/17) PM patients obtained positive FLD cfDNA, comparing to 5/23 (21.7%) in patients without PM. Peritoneal cfDNA had a high sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 77.3% for diagnosis of PM (AUC: 0.95). In validation group of 11, 5/6 (83%) patients with PM obtained positive FLD cfDNA, comparing to 0/5 in non-PM (P = 0.031) with a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of 100%. Positive FLD cfDNA was associated with poor recurrence-free survival (P = 0.013) and was preceding radiographic evidence of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal cfDNA is a promising sensitive biomarker for earlier detection of PM in CRC than current radiological tools. It can potentially guide selection for targeted therapies and serve as a surrogate instead of laparoscopic explore in the future. Trial Registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry at chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2000035400). URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=57626.

Modulation of Vacancy Defects and Texture for High Performance n-Type Bi2 Te3 via High Energy Refinement.

The carrier concentration in n-type layered Bi2 Te3 -based thermoelectric (TE) material is significantly impacted by the donor-like effect, which would be further intensified by the nonbasal slip during grain refinement of crushing, milling, and deformation, inducing a big challenge to improve its TE performance and mechanical property simultaneously. In this work, high-energy refinement and hot-pressing are used to stabilize the carrier concentration due to the facilitated recovery of cation and anion vacancies. Based on this, combined with SbI3 doping and hot deformation, the optimized carrier concentration and high texture degree are simultaneously realized. As a result, a peak figure of merit (zT) of 1.14 at 323 K for Bi2 Te2.7 Se0.3  + 0.05 wt.% SbI3 sample with the high bending strength of 100 Mpa is obtained. Furthermore, a 31-couple thermoelectric cooling device consisted of n-type Bi2 Te2.7 Se0.3  + 0.05 wt.% SbI3 and commercial p-type Bi0.5 Sb1.5 Te3 legs is fabricated, which generates the large maximum temperature difference (ΔTmax ) of 85 K at a hot-side temperature of 343 K. Thus, the discovery of recovery effect in high energy refinement and hot-pressing has significant implications for improving TE performance and mechanical strength of n-type Bi2 Te3 , thereby promoting its applications in harsh conditions.