Diosmin ameliorates inflammation, apoptosis and activates PI3K/AKT pathway in Alzheimer's disease rats.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a prevalent cognitive disorder among the elderly, is frequently linked to the abnormal accumulation of myloid-ß (Aß), which is mainly as a result of neuronal death and inflammation. Diosmin, a flavonoid, is considered a potential drug for the treatment of AD. Our study aimed to uncover the molecular mechanism of diosmin in AD therapy. Here, rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, Aß25-35, and Aß25-35 + diosmin groups. AD model rats were induced by Aß25-35 intraventricular injection, meanwhile 50 mg/kg diosmin was orally administered for 6-week intervention. Morris water maze test assessed learning and memory abilities. Hippocampal neuronal damage was determined by HE, Nissl, and TUNEL staining. These assays indicate that diosmin improves cognitive dysfunction and reduces hippocampal neuronal loss and apoptosis. Western blot showed that diosmin reduced Bax (1.21 ± 0.12) and cleaved caspase-3 (1.27 ± 0.12) expression, and increased Bcl-2 (0.70 ± 0.06), p-PI3K (0.71 ± 0.08), and p-AKT (0.96 ± 0.10) in the hippocampus. ELISA indicated diosmin reduces IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α levels, suggesting anti-inflammation effect. These results suggest that diosmin inhibits neuronal apoptosis and neuroinflammatory responses to improve cognitive dysfunction in AD rats, possibly related to upregulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, providing a scientific basis for its use in AD treatment.

Revealing the Structural Intricacies of Biomembrane-Interfaced Emulsions with Small- and Ultra-Small-Angle Neutron Scattering.

Utilizing cell membranes from diverse cell types for biointerfacing has demonstrated significant advantages in enhancing colloidal stability and incorporating biological properties, tailored specifically for various biomedical applications. However, the structures of these materials, particularly emulsions interfaced with red blood cell (RBC) or platelet (PLT) membranes, remain an underexplored area. This study systematically employs small- and ultra-small-angle neutron scattering (SANS and USANS) with contrast variation to investigate the structure of emulsions containing perfluorohexane within RBC (RBC/PFH) and PLT membranes (PLT/PFH). The findings reveal that the scattering length density of RBC and PLT membranes is 1.5 × 10-6 Å-2, similar to 30% (w/w) deuterium oxide. Using this solvent as a cell membrane-matching medium, estimated droplet diameters are 770 nm (RBC/PFH) and 1.5 µm (PLT/PFH), based on polydispersed sphere model fitting. Intriguingly, calculated patterns and invariant analysis reveal native droplet architectures featuring entirely liquid PFH cores, differing significantly from the observed bubble-droplet core system in electron microscopy. This highlights the advantage of SANS and USANS in differentiating genuine colloidal structures in complex dispersions. In summary, this work underscores the pivotal role of SANS and USANS in characterizing biointerfaced colloids and in uncovering novel colloidal structures with significant potential for biomedical applications and clinical translation.

Da Vinci robot-assisted retroperitoneal tumor resection in 105 patients: a single-center experience.

Background: The Da Vinci Surgical System (DVSS) has the advantages of minimal invasion, rapid recovery, safety, and reliability. Although the DVSS has been widely used in various abdominal surgeries, descriptions of its use in robot-assisted retroperitoneal tumor resection (RRTR) are limited to case reports; large-sample systematic studies are lacking. The present study was performed to analyze the data of RRTR in our center, summarize our experience, and provide a reference for other retroperitoneal tumor centers. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 105 patients who underwent RRTR at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2015 to December 2022. Logistic univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors affecting RRTR. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to find the cut-off value, which was then included in the logistic multivariate analysis for verification. Results: Among the 105 patients, 87 successfully underwent RRTR (DVSS group) and 18 underwent conversion to open surgery (conversion group). There was no significant difference in sex, age, body mass index, history of abdominal surgery, or tumor location between the two groups (P > 0.05). The maximum tumor diameter [odds ratio (OR), 1.041; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.015-1.067; P = 0.002] and pathological property (OR, 8.646; 95% CI, 2.370-31.544; P = 0.001) were independent risk factors for conversion to open surgery. Further analysis confirmed that the success rate of RRTR was higher for tumors with a maximum diameter of ≤64 mm and benign tumors. Based on our experience and statistical results, we believe that retroperitoneal tumors that meet the following criteria have a higher success rate of DVSS resection: maximum tumor diameter of ≤64 mm, benign tumors, the tumor has relatively clear boundary, no obvious invasion of surrounding tissues and organs, and no need for combined organ resection. Conclusions: RRTR is safe and effective in the treatment of RPT, and the clinical prognosis is similar to that of open surgery. The success rate of RRTR in patients with appropriate surgical indications for this procedure is higher.

Chirality and Curvature on Protein Adsorption and Osteogenesis.

Here we designed enantiomeric lipid-mimetic glutamic acid derivatives (L/D-UG) and investigated their self-assembled chiral nanostructures and performance with the protein adsorption as well as the osteogenesis. It was found that L or D-UG can self-assemble into vesicle bilayers and two-dimensional (2D) nanocrystals via a kinetic and thermodynamic control, respectively. These chiral vesicles and 2D crystals showed differentiated adsorption of proteins by their curvature and chirality. Specifically, fibronectin constituted by L-amino acids adsorbed preferentially on L-UG 2D crystal in a semi-random pattern and L-2D nanocrystal show as the most effective structures to promote bone regeneration. The controlled vesicle and 2D crystal assemblies with different chirality and curvature helps to clarify their determine roles in protein adsorption and osteogenesis.

Revealing Dynamics of Protein Phosphorylation: A Study on the Cashmere Fineness Disparities in Liaoning Cashmere Goats.

Exploring the landscape of protein phosphorylation, this investigation focuses on skin samples from LCG (Liaoning Cashmere Goats), characterized by different levels of cashmere fineness. Employing LC-MS/MS technology, we meticulously scrutinized FT-LCG (fine-type Liaoning Cashmere Goats) and CT-LCG (coarse-type Liaoning Cashmere Goats). Identifying 512 modified proteins, encompassing 1368 phosphorylated peptide segments and 1376 quantifiable phosphorylation sites, our exploration further revealed consistent phosphorylation sites in both groups. Analysis of phosphorylated peptides unveiled kinase substrates, prominently featuring Protein Kinase C, Protein Kinase B and MAPK3-MAPK1-MAPK7-NLK-group. Differential analysis spotlighted 28 disparate proteins, comprising six upregulated and twenty-two downregulated. Cluster analysis showcased the robust clustering efficacy of the two sample groups. GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) enrichment analyses underscored the significance of the purine metabolism pathway, suggesting its pivotal role in modulating cashmere fineness in LCG. Notably, through differential protein analysis, two crucial proteins were identified: HSL-X (hormone-sensitive lipase isoform X1) and KPRP (keratinocyte proline-rich protein). Further evidence supports LIPE and KPRP as key genes regulating cashmere fineness, paving the way for promising avenues in further research. These findings not only contribute to a nuanced understanding of protein-level dynamics in cashmere but also provide a theoretical foundation for the selective breeding of superior Liaoning Cashmere Goat strands.

Automated diagnosis of adenoid hypertrophy with lateral cephalogram in children based on multi-scale local attention.

Adenoid hypertrophy can lead to adenoidal mouth breathing, which can result in "adenoid face" and, in severe cases, can even lead to respiratory tract obstruction. The Fujioka ratio method, which calculates the ratio of adenoid (A) to nasopharyngeal (N) space in an adenoidal-cephalogram (A/N), is a well-recognized and effective technique for detecting adenoid hypertrophy. However, this process is time-consuming and relies on personal experience, so a fully automated and standardized method needs to be designed. Most of the current deep learning-based methods for automatic diagnosis of adenoids are CNN-based methods, which are more sensitive to features similar to adenoids in lateral views and can affect the final localization results. In this study, we designed a local attention-based method for automatic diagnosis of adenoids, which takes AdeBlock as the basic module, fuses the spatial and channel information of adenoids through two-branch local attention computation, and combines the downsampling method without losing spatial information. Our method achieved mean squared error (MSE) 0.0023, mean radial error (MRE) 1.91, and SD (standard deviation) 7.64 on the three hospital datasets, outperforming other comparative methods.

Pressure-Induced Changes in the Phase Distribution and Carrier Dynamics of Quasi-Two-Dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskites.

Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) perovskites hold significant potential for diverse design strategies due to their tunable structures, exceptional optical properties, and environmental stability. Due to the complexity of the structure and carrier dynamics, characterization methods such as photoluminescence and absorption spectroscopy can observe but cannot precisely distinguish or identify the phase distribution within quasi-2D perovskite films or correlate phases with carrier dynamics. In this study, we used pressure to modulate the intralayer and interlayer structures of (PEA)2Csn-1PbnBr3n+1 quasi-2D perovskite films, investigating charge carrier dynamics. Steady-state spectroscopy revealed phase transitions at 1.62, 3, and 8 GPa, with free excitons transforming into self-trapped excitons after 8 GPa. Transient absorption spectroscopy elucidated the structural evolution, energy transfer, and pressure-induced transition mechanisms. The results demonstrate that combining pressure and spectroscopy enables the precise identification of phase distribution and pressure response ranges and reveals photophysical mechanisms, providing new insights for optimizing optoelectronic materials.

Comprehensive analysis of gene mutations and mismatch repair in Chinese colorectal cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: RAS, BRAF, and mismatch repair (MMR)/microsatellite instability (MSI) are crucial biomarkers recommended by clinical practice guidelines for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, their characteristics and influencing factors in Chinese patients have not been thoroughly described. AIM: To analyze the clinicopathological features of KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations and the DNA MMR status in CRC. METHODS: We enrolled 2271 Chinese CRC patients at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital. MMR proteins were tested using immunohistochemical analysis, and the KRAS/NRAS/BRAF/PIK3CA mutations were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Microsatellite status was determined using an MSI detection kit. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS software and logistic regression. RESULTS: The KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations were detected in 44.6%, 3.4%, 3.7%, and 3.9% of CRC patients, respectively. KRAS mutations were more likely to occur in patients with moderate-to-high differentiation. BRAF mutations were more likely to occur in patients with right-sided CRC, poorly differentiated, or no perineural invasion. Deficient MMR (dMMR) was detected in 7.9% of all patients and 16.8% of those with mucinous adenocarcinomas. KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutations were detected in 29.6%, 1.1%, 8.1%, and 22.3% of patients with dMMR, respectively. The dMMR was more likely to occur in patients with a family history of CRC, aged < 50 years, right-sided CRC, poorly differentiated histology, no perineural invasion, and with carcinoma in situ, stage I, or stage II tumors. CONCLUSION: This study analyzed the molecular profiles of KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, PIK3CA, and MMR/MSI in CRC, identifying key influencing factors, with implications for clinical management of CRC.

Removal of tetracycline in the water by a kind of S/N co-doped tea residue biochar.

Tetracycline (TC) is widely present in the environment, and adsorption technology is a potential remediation method. S/N co-doped tea residue biochar (SNBC) was successfully prepared by hydrothermal carbonization method using tea residue as raw material. S was doped by Na2S2O3·5H2O, and N was doped by N in tea residue. The adsorption efficiency of SNBC could reach 94.16% when the concentration of TC was 100 mg L-1. The adsorption effect of SNBC on TC was 9.38 times more than that of unmodified biochar. Tea biochar had good adsorption effect at pH 4-9. The maximum adsorption capacity of 271 mg g-1 was calculated by the Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption mechanism involved many mechanisms such as pore filling, π-π interaction and hydrogen bonding. The adsorbent prepared in this study could be used as an effective adsorbent in the treatment of TC wastewater.

Suppression of Adverse Phase Transition of Layered Oxide Cathode via Local Electronic Structure Regulation for High-Capacity Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Advancing the high-voltage stability of the O3-type layered cathodes for sodium-ion batteries is critical to boost their progress in energy storage applications. However, this type of cathode often suffers from intricate phase transition and structural degradation at high voltages (i.e., >4.0 V vs Na+/Na), resulting in rapid capacity decay. Here, we present a Li/Ti cosubstitution strategy to modify the electronic configuration of oxygen elements in the O3-type layered oxide cathode. This deliberate modulation simultaneously mitigates the phase transitions and counteracts the weakening of the shielding effect resulting from the extraction of sodium ions, thus enhancing the electrostatic bonding within the TM layer and inducing and optimizing the O3-OP2 phase transition occurring in the voltage range of 2.0-4.3 V. Consequently, the cosubstituted NaLi1/9Ni1/3Mn4/9Ti1/9O2 exhibits an astounding capacity of 161.2 mAh g-1 in the voltage range of 2.0-4.3 V at 1C, and stable cycling up to 100 cycles has been achieved. This work shows the impact mechanism of element substitution on interlayer forces and phase transitions, providing a crucial reference for the optimization of O3-type materials.

Modulating Carrier Dynamics in PdSe2: The Role of Pressure in Electronic and Phononic Interactions.

PdSe2 is a puckered transition metal dichalcogenide that has been reported to undergo a two-dimensional to three-dimensional structural transition under pressure. Here, we investigated the electronic and phononic evolution of PdSe2 under high pressure using pump-probe spectroscopy. We observed the electronic intraband and interband transitions occurring in the d orbitals of Pd, revealing the disappearance of the Jahn-Teller effect under high pressure. Furthermore, we found that the decay rates of interband recombination and intraband relaxation lifetimes change at 3 and 7 GPa, respectively. First-principles calculations suggest that the bandgap closure slows the decay rate of interband recombination after 3 GPa, while the saturation of phonon-phonon scattering is the main reason for the relatively constant intraband relaxation lifetime. Our work provides a novel perspective for understanding the evolution of the electron and modulation of the carrier dynamics by phonons under pressure.

The Clinical Observation of Stage I Unilateral Cleft Lip Operation was Performed According to the Contour of the Mouth and Nose.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and aesthetic outcomes of first repair surgery designed along the lip-nasal contour lines for unilateral cleft lip. Methods: According to the characteristics of cleft lip deformity, 54 patients with stage I unilateral cleft lip were treated by operation, and the nasal and oral contours were used as surgical incisions. The surgical method has the following characteristics: 1) The surgical incision line is designed on the contour line of the mouth and nose, which is easy to hide; 2) Fully peel and release the attachment points of malformed tissue, and reasonably restore and rebuild the function of orbicularis orbicular muscle; 3) The alar cartilage and mucosa of the affected side rotated inward and outward upward, and the medial foot of the alar cartilage turned outward and downward to correct the alar cartilage of the affected side; 4) Using mattress sutures for lip muscle alignment to reconstruct the ridge height on the affected side.; 5) Maintain the integrity of human ridge skin. The nasolabial effect and symmetry were observed. Results: Patients with ipsilateral upper lip shape, lip peak length, nostril size, the morphology of nasal columella, nose shape, and nasal base collapse degree exhibited significant improvement compared to preoperative measurements. The postoperative nose and lip shapes closely resembled normal anatomical features, with minimal scarring and high levels of patient satisfaction regarding the plastic surgery outcome. Conclusion: Based on the morphology of the oral and nasal regions, cicatricial camouflage following primary unilateral cleft lip repair can yield favorable aesthetic outcomes and represents a viable clinical approach.

Neuroprotective properties of the Lilium brownii extracts in the experimental model of Parkinson's disease.

Lilium brownii (L. brownii) is a plant that can be used for both medicine and food. Its bulbs are commonly used to treat neurological disorders like depression, insomnia, and Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the mechanism by which it treats PD is not yet fully understood. This study aims to investigate the possible mechanism of L. brownii extract in treating PD and to compare the efficacy of ethanol and aqueous extracts of L. brownii. In this study, mice with PD induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride (MPTP) were given L. brownii extracts for 30 days, and the effects of both extracts were then evaluated. Our study demonstrated that both extracts of L. brownii effectively improved motor dysfunction in PD mice induced by MPTP. Additionally, they increased the number of neurons in the substantia nigra region of the mice. Moreover, both extracts reduced levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and ferrous ion (Fe2+), while increasing levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in serum. They also influenced the expression of proteins associated with the p62-Keap1-Nrf2 pathway. Interestingly, while both extracts had similar behavioral effects, the ethanol extract appeared to have a more significant impact on individual proteins in the p62-Keap1-Nrf2 pathway compared to the aqueous extract, possibly due to its higher phenolic acid glyceride content. In conclusion, L. brownii shows promise as an effective and safe treatment for PD.

Association between blood lead levels and parathyroid hormone among United States adolescents aged 12-19: a cross-sectional study.

Aims: Studies on the association between serum lead levels and parathyroid function in adolescents are lacking. Therefore, in this study, we elucidated the possible association between blood lead levels (BLLs) and the parathyroid hormone (PTH) in adolescents aged 12-19 years in the United States. Methods: In this study, information from the database of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was utilized. The study included 3919 participants from survey cycles between 2003-2004 and 2005-2006. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to determine the correlation between BLLs and PTH. Furthermore, smooth curve fitting was utilized to analyze the dose-response relationship between BLLs and PTH. Results: Multivariable linear regression analysis revealed that every 1 µg/dL increase in BLLs was associated with 0.67 pg/mL increase in PTH (ß = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.16-1.18, p < 0.01). However, sex-stratified subgroup analysis revealed that this positive association was only observed in males (ß = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.50-1.83 p < 0.01). Smooth curve fitting revealed a positive correlation between BLLs and PTH. Conclusions: In adolescents in the United States, BLLs are positively correlated with PTH, particularly in males.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas of unknown primary: Can ancillary studies help identify more primary tumor sites?

A subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas present solely as metastatic disease in the neck and are of unknown primary origin (SCCUP). Most primary tumors will ultimately be identified, usually in the oropharynx. In a minority of cases, the primary site remains elusive. Here, we examine the role of ancillary testing, including mutational signature analysis (MSA), to help identify likely primary sites in such cases. Twenty-two cases of SCCUP in the neck, collected over a 10-year period, were classified by morphology and viral status; including human papillomavirus (HPV) testing by p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) and RT-qPCR, as well as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) testing by EBER-ISH. CD5 and c-KIT (CD117) IHC was done to evaluate for possible thymic origin in all virus-negative cases. Whole exome sequencing, followed by MSA, was used to identify UV signature mutations indicative of cutaneous origin. HPV was identified in 12 of 22 tumors (54.5%), favoring an oropharyngeal origin, and closely associated with nonkeratinizing tumor morphology (Fisher's exact test; p = 0.0002). One tumor with indeterminant morphology had discordant HPV and p16 status (p16+/HPV-). All tumors were EBV-negative. Diffuse expression of CD5 and c-KIT was identified in 1 of 10 virus-negative SCCUPs (10%), suggesting a possible ectopic thymic origin rather than a metastasis. A UV mutational signature, indicating cutaneous origin, was identified in 1 of 10 (10%) virus-negative SCCUPs. A cutaneous auricular primary emerged 3 months after treatment in this patient. Primary tumors became clinically apparent in 2 others (1 hypopharynx, 1 hypopharynx/larynx). Thus, after follow-up, 6 tumors remained unclassifiable as to the possible site of origin (27%). Most SCCUPs of the neck in our series were HPV-associated and thus likely of oropharyngeal origin. UV signature mutation analysis and additional IHC for CD5 and c-KIT for possible thymic origin may aid in further classifying virus-negative unknown primaries. Close clinical inspection of hypopharyngeal mucosa may also be helpful, as a subset of primary tumors later emerged at this site.

Exploring the potential mechanism of ginsenoside Rg1 to regulate ferroptosis in Alzheimer's disease based on network pharmacology.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the potential targets and signaling pathways of ginsenoside Rg1 against AD were investigated by network pharmacology METHODS: Ginsenoside Rg1 targets were identified through PubChem, PharmMapper, and Uniprot databases, while the GeneCards database was used to examine the respective targets of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and AD. Then, the common targets between ginsenoside Rg1 and APP were explored by the Venny tool, the interaction network diagram between the active components and the targets was built via Cytoscape software, as well as GO enrichment and KEGG pathway annotation analysis were performed. Furthermore, genes associated with ferroptosis were found by the GeneCards and FerrDb databases. Besides, the connection among ginsenoside Rg1, APP, ferroptosis, and AD was predicted and analyzed. Finally, the effects of ginsenosides Rg1 and liproxstain-1 on the proliferation and differentiation of APP/PS1 mice were evaluated by immunohistochemistry RESULTS: Ginsenoside Rg1, APP, ferroptosis, and AD had 12 hub genes. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway annotation analysis showed that EGFR, SRC, protein hydrolysis, protein phosphorylation, the Relaxin pathway, and the FoxO signaling pathway play an important role in the potential mechanism of ginsenoside Rg1's under regulation of ferroptosis anti-AD through the modulation of APP-related signaling pathways. The APP/PS1 mice experiment verified that ginsenosides Rg1 and liproxstain-1 can promote the proliferation and differentiation CONCLUSION: Ginsenoside Rg1, APP and ferroptosis may act on EGFR, SRC, the Relaxin and FoxO signaling pathways to regulate protein metabolism, protein phosphorylation and other pathways to improve AD symptoms.

A medical image classification method based on self-regularized adversarial learning.

BACKGROUND: Deep learning (DL) techniques have been extensively applied in medical image classification. The unique characteristics of medical imaging data present challenges, including small labeled datasets, severely imbalanced class distribution, and significant variations in imaging quality. Recently, generative adversarial network (GAN)-based classification methods have gained attention for their ability to enhance classification accuracy by incorporating realistic GAN-generated images as data augmentation. However, the performance of these GAN-based methods often relies on high-quality generated images, while large amounts of training data are required to train GAN models to achieve optimal performance. PURPOSE: In this study, we propose an adversarial learning-based classification framework to achieve better classification performance. Innovatively, GAN models are employed as supplementary regularization terms to support classification, aiming to address the challenges described above. METHODS: The proposed classification framework, GAN-DL, consists of a feature extraction network (F-Net), a classifier, and two adversarial networks, specifically a reconstruction network (R-Net) and a discriminator network (D-Net). The F-Net extracts features from input images, and the classifier uses these features for classification tasks. R-Net and D-Net have been designed following the GAN architecture. R-Net employs the extracted feature to reconstruct the original images, while D-Net is tasked with the discrimination between the reconstructed image and the original images. An iterative adversarial learning strategy is designed to guide model training by incorporating multiple network-specific loss functions. These loss functions, serving as supplementary regularization, are automatically derived during the reconstruction process and require no additional data annotation. RESULTS: To verify the model's effectiveness, we performed experiments on two datasets, including a COVID-19 dataset with 13 958 chest x-ray images and an oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) dataset with 3255 positron emission tomography images. Thirteen classic DL-based classification methods were implemented on the same datasets for comparison. Performance metrics included precision, sensitivity, specificity, and F 1 $F_1$ -score. In addition, we conducted ablation studies to assess the effects of various factors on model performance, including the network depth of F-Net, training image size, training dataset size, and loss function design. Our method achieved superior performance than all comparative methods. On the COVID-19 dataset, our method achieved 95.4 % ± 0.6 % $95.4\%\pm 0.6\%$ , 95.3 % ± 0.9 % $95.3\%\pm 0.9\%$ , 97.7 % ± 0.4 % $97.7\%\pm 0.4\%$ , and 95.3 % ± 0.9 % $95.3\%\pm 0.9\%$ in terms of precision, sensitivity, specificity, and F 1 $F_1$ -score, respectively. It achieved 96.2 % ± 0.7 % $96.2\%\pm 0.7\%$ across all these metrics on the OPSCC dataset. The study to investigate the effects of two adversarial networks highlights the crucial role of D-Net in improving model performance. Ablation studies further provide an in-depth understanding of our methodology. CONCLUSION: Our adversarial-based classification framework leverages GAN-based adversarial networks and an iterative adversarial learning strategy to harness supplementary regularization during training. This design significantly enhances classification accuracy and mitigates overfitting issues in medical image datasets. Moreover, its modular design not only demonstrates flexibility but also indicates its potential applicability to various clinical contexts and medical imaging applications.

Dissecting prostate Cancer: Single-Cell insight into Macrophage Diversity, molecular Prognosticators, and the role of Peptidylprolyl Isomerase F.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer remains a prominent challenge in oncology, with advanced stages showing poor prognosis. The tumor microenvironment (TME), and particularly tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), plays a crucial role in disease progression. This study explores the single-cell transcriptomics of prostate cancer, determines macrophage heterogeneity, identifies prognostic gene markers, and assesses the role of PPIF in TAMs. METHODS: Single-cell RNA sequencing data from the GEO database (GSE176031) and transcriptome data from the TCGA were processed to characterize cell populations and identify prognostic genes in prostate cancer. Macrophage subpopulations were examined through clustering, followed by gene set scoring based on migration, activation, and proliferation. PPIF expression in macrophages was investigated using multiplex immunofluorescence staining on matched prostate cancer and adjacent non-tumoral tissues. RESULTS: The single-cell analysis identified 9,178 cells, categorized into 10 principal cell types, with macrophages constituting a significant part of the immune microenvironment. Four macrophage subgroups demonstrated distinct functional pathways: phagocytic, immune-regulatory, and proliferative. A total of 39 genes correlated with prostate cancer prognosis were identified, of which 10 carried the most significant prognostic information. Peptidylprolyl Isomerase F (PPIF) expression was significantly higher in TAMs from tumor tissue than normal tissue, indicating its potential regulatory role in the immune microenvironment. CONCLUSION: The intricate cellular architecture of the prostate cancer TME has been elucidated, with a focus on macrophage heterogeneity and functional specialization. Prognostic genes, including PPIF, were associated with survival outcomes, providing potential therapeutic targets. PPIF's prominent expression in TAMs may serve as a lever in cancer progression, warranting further investigation as a biomarker and a molecule of interest for therapeutic targeting within the prostate cancer milieu.

Bacterial reprogramming of tick metabolism impacts vector fitness and susceptibility to infection.

Arthropod-borne pathogens are responsible for hundreds of millions of infections in humans each year. The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the predominant arthropod vector in the United States and is responsible for transmitting several human pathogens, including the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and the obligate intracellular rickettsial bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, which causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis. However, tick metabolic response to microbes and whether metabolite allocation occurs upon infection remain unknown. Here we investigated metabolic reprogramming in the tick ectoparasite I. scapularis and determined that the rickettsial bacterium A. phagocytophilum and the spirochete B. burgdorferi induced glycolysis in tick cells. Surprisingly, the endosymbiont Rickettsia buchneri had a minimal effect on bioenergetics. An unbiased metabolomics approach following A. phagocytophilum infection of tick cells showed alterations in carbohydrate, lipid, nucleotide and protein metabolism, including elevated levels of the pleiotropic metabolite ß-aminoisobutyric acid. We manipulated the expression of genes associated with ß-aminoisobutyric acid metabolism in I. scapularis, resulting in feeding impairment, diminished survival and reduced bacterial acquisition post haematophagy. Collectively, we discovered that metabolic reprogramming affects interspecies relationships and fitness in the clinically relevant tick I. scapularis.

Selective Adsorption of Sr(II) from Aqueous Solution by Na3FePO4CO3: Experimental and DFT Studies.

The efficient segregation of radioactive nuclides from low-level radioactive liquid waste (LLRW) is paramount for nuclear emergency protocols and waste minimization. Here, we synthesized Na3FePO4CO3 (NFPC) via a one-pot hydrothermal method and applied it for the first time to the selective separation of Sr2+ from simulated LLRW. Static adsorption experimental results indicated that the distribution coefficient Kd remained above 5000 mL·g-1, even when the concentration of interfering ions was more than 40 times that of Sr2+. Furthermore, the removal efficiency of Sr2+ showed no significant change within the pH range of 4 to 9. The adsorption of Sr2+ fitted the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model, with an equilibrium time of 36 min and a maximum adsorption capacity of 99.6 mg·g-1. Notably, the adsorption capacity was observed to increment marginally with an elevation in temperature. Characterization analyses and density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidated the adsorption mechanism, demonstrating that Sr2+ initially engaged in an ion exchange reaction with Na+. Subsequently, Sr2+ coordinated with four oxygen atoms on the NFPC (100) facet, establishing a robust Sr-O bond via orbital hybridization.