Hierarchical Bi2O3 nanosheets and ZIF-8 derived porous nitrogen-doped carbon fibers as novel assembled nanocomposites for high-performance flexible supercapacitors.

The unique design of the core-shell heterostructure is significant for obtaining electrode materials with excellent electrochemical properties. In this paper, porous carbon nanofibers (NPC@PPZ) embedded with N-doped porous carbon nanoparticles are used to construct flexible electrodes (NPC@PPZ@Bi2O3). Zeolite imidazole skeleton (ZIF)-8 and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) derived porous carbon fibers and Bi2O3 nanosheets, were utilized as the porous core and multilayer shell, respectively. The unique core and shell result in abundant pores and channels for fast ion transport and storage, high specific surface area, and additional electroactive sites. This perfect structural design enables the NPC@PPZ@Bi2O3 composite electrode to have excellent electrochemical performance. The results show that this electrode can obtain a high specific capacitance of 697 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 and a stable cycling performance at a high current density of 5 A g-1. The strategy developed in this study provides a new approach for the design and fabrication of flexible supercapacitors by electrostatic spinning combined with hierarchical porous structures.

Quantitatively Tracking the Speciation and Dynamics of Selenium Nanoparticles in Rice Plants.

The uptake, translocation, and transformation of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in plants present significant challenges due to the lack of effective determination methods. This is especially true for selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), which hold promise for Se-biofortified agriculture and exhibit dynamic behaviors within plant system. Herein, we proposed a novel approach that incorporates enzymic digestion and membrane filtration to selectively extract SeNPs and dissolved Se from plant tissues, employing rice (Oryza sativa) plant as a model. Subsequently, the SeNPs retained on the membrane were quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), while the dissolved Se in the filtrate, including selenite (Se(IV)), selenate (Se(VI)), and seleno amino acid, were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with ICPMS (LC-ICPMS). Recoveries of 83.5-91.4% for SeNPs and 73.6-99.4% for dissolved Se at a spiking level of 8 µg/g in quality control samples were obtained. With the established method, it was discovered that SeNPs taken up by rice leaves can transform into Se (IV) and organic Se, and all the Se species could be translocated downward, but only Se (IV) and SeNPs could be excreted through the roots. These findings provide valuable insights into the fate of SeNPs in plants and their related biological responses.

Spatially exploring RNA biology in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues.

The capability to spatially explore RNA biology in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues holds transformative potential for histopathology research. Here, we present pathology-compatible deterministic barcoding in tissue (Patho-DBiT) by combining in situ polyadenylation and computational innovation for spatial whole transcriptome sequencing, tailored to probe the diverse RNA species in clinically archived FFPE samples. It permits spatial co-profiling of gene expression and RNA processing, unveiling region-specific splicing isoforms, and high-sensitivity transcriptomic mapping of clinical tumor FFPE tissues stored for 5 years. Furthermore, genome-wide single-nucleotide RNA variants can be captured to distinguish malignant subclones from non-malignant cells in human lymphomas. Patho-DBiT also maps microRNA regulatory networks and RNA splicing dynamics, decoding their roles in spatial tumorigenesis. Single-cell level Patho-DBiT dissects the spatiotemporal cellular dynamics driving tumor clonal architecture and progression. Patho-DBiT stands poised as a valuable platform to unravel rich RNA biology in FFPE tissues to aid in clinical pathology evaluation.

Comparison of Diagnosis-Related Group Rehabilitation Reimbursement Payments With Those of a Novel Patient Classification-Based Payment System.

Objective: To compare the difference of reimbursement payments between diagnosis-related group (DRG) and a novel patient classification-based payment system, diagnosis-intervention packet (DIP), among rehabilitation inpatients in tertiary hospitals. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: TTertiary hospitals in Shenzhen, China. Participants: We assessed the records of 268,362 individuals who visited tertiary hospitals providing rehabilitation services. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: The outcome variable was the patients' rehabilitation hospitalization cost of in our study. A quantile regression analysis was conducted to estimate the effects of DIP payment on the rehabilitation hospitalization cost. Results: The results showed that the predicted marginal hospitalization cost with DRG payment were 9%, 7%, 14%, and 10% higher than that with DIP payments in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. The total difference in predicted marginal hospitalization cost between DRG and DIP was -1269 RMB (-193 USD). This difference in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 was -1419 RMB (-228 USD), -1088 RMB (-158 USD), -1585 RMB (-246 USD), and -1034 RMB (-154 USD), respectively. All differences in predicted marginal hospitalization cost between DRG and DIP was significant (P<.001), after controlling for patients' age, sex, public or private hospital, the type of disease, and the length of stay of hospitalization. Conclusions: The findings of DIP payment reduced the rehabilitation hospitalization cost would be helpful in developing more effectively and efficiently tailored interventions for rehabilitation health care in China. Furthermore, the results of this study could provide advice on building more effective strategies and intervention options for other countries that struggle with controlling rehabilitation hospitalization costs.

Genetic profiling and PVY resistance identification of potato germplasm resources.

Excellent germplasm resources are the foundation for cultivating high-quality, disease-resistant, and stress-tolerant varieties. In this study, simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to identify 138 potato accessions collected from worldwide, and genetic cluster analysis was used to characterize the genetic diversity of the tested germplasm resources. The Potato virus Y (PVY) resistance of these potato accessions was identified by artificial friction inoculation combined with molecular marker detection, and potato accessions with different PVY resistance were screened based on disease index and incidence rate. Using SSR markers, 138 potato accessions were identified, and the results showed that the genetic distances between the tested potato germplasm resources ranged from 0.025 to 0.660, and the genetic similarity coefficients ranged from 0.489 to 0.975. The 138 accessions could be clustered into five subgroups using Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA). Among them, Z173, Biyin No. 4, Suyin No. 2, XN995, XN987, Biyin No 22, Bibiao104, Sarpo mira, XN996, XN979, Desiree, RUNSHI, Actrice, Jia 1219, Heyin No 12, and Moyin No.1 have relatively distant genetic relationship with another 122 accessions. Based on the disease index, the following different accessions were screened: five highly resistant, 11 resistant, 45 moderately resistant, 35 susceptible, and 42 highly susceptible. Fourteen resource materials with good resistance (disease index ≤ 33.74%, and a grading of high resistance (HR) or medium resistance (MR); incidence rate ≤ 67.58%) were identified. By combining genetic cluster analysis and PVY resistance identification, six accessions showed PVY resistance and had distant genetic relationships with other accessions selected which provided important materials for disease resistance breeding and quality improvement of potato. In this study, the genetic diversity and PVY resistance of global potato germplasm resources was explored, and potato germplasm materials with important utilization value were screened. The results obtained in this study could provide important references for the research and utilization of global potato germplasm resources.

Enhancing stereotactic ablative boost radiotherapy dose prediction for bulky lung cancer: A multi-scale dilated network approach with scale-balanced structure loss.

PURPOSE: Partial stereotactic ablative boost radiotherapy (P-SABR) effectively treats bulky lung cancer; however, the planning process for P-SABR requires repeated dose calculations. To improve planning efficiency, we proposed a novel deep learning method that utilizes limited data to accurately predict the three-dimensional (3D) dose distribution of the P-SABR plan for bulky lung cancer. METHODS: We utilized data on 74 patients diagnosed with bulky lung cancer who received P-SABR treatment. The patient dataset was randomly divided into a training set (51 plans) with augmentation, validation set (7 plans), and testing set (16 plans). We devised a 3D multi-scale dilated network (MD-Net) and integrated a scale-balanced structure loss into the loss function. A comparative analysis with a classical network and other advanced networks with multi-scale analysis capabilities and other loss functions was conducted based on the dose distributions in terms of the axial view, average dose scores (ADSs), and average absolute differences of dosimetric indices (AADDIs). Finally, we analyzed the predicted dosimetric indices against the ground-truth values and compared the predicted dose-volume histogram (DVH) with the ground-truth DVH. RESULTS: Our proposed dose prediction method for P-SABR plans for bulky lung cancer demonstrated strong performance, exhibiting a significant improvement in predicting multiple indicators of regions of interest (ROIs), particularly the gross target volume (GTV). Our network demonstrated increased accuracy in most dosimetric indices and dose scores in different ROIs. The proposed loss function significantly enhanced the predictive performance of the dosimetric indices. The predicted dosimetric indices and DVHs were equivalent to the ground-truth values. CONCLUSION: Our study presents an effective model based on limited datasets, and it exhibits high accuracy in the dose prediction of P-SABR plans for bulky lung cancer. This method has potential as an automated tool for P-SABR planning and can help optimize treatments and improve planning efficiency.

Host-sensitized borate phosphors ZnGdB5O10:Mn2+/Dy3+/Sm3+ .

Photoluminescence energy transfer is a good strategy to enhance the efficiency or tuning of emission colors. A phosphor host containing Gd3+ may facilitate the host-sensitization effect and transfer the so-absorbed photon energy to other activators. Zn1-xMnxGdB5O10 (0.005 ≤ x ≤ 0.07), ZnGd1-yDyyB5O10 (0.01 ≤ y ≤ 0.09), and ZnGd1-zSmzB5O10 (0.01 ≤ z ≤ 0.09) were synthesized via the traditional high-temperature solid-state method. A powder X-ray diffraction technique was employed to confirm the phase purity and successful doping. In all phosphors, by monitoring the characteristic emission of Mn2+, Dy3+ and Sm3+, the excitation spectra of all were found to contain the typical absorption belonging to Gd3+; in addition, the largely shortened fluorescence lifetimes of Gd3+ after Mn2+, Dy3+ or Sm3+ doping strongly proved the existence of the host-sensitization effect. Along with Gd3+-sensitization, Mn2+ doped at the Zn2+ site emits a close-to-ideal red light. Dy3+ and Sm3+ doped at the Gd3+ site emit close to white and orange light, respectively. The calculated internal quantum efficiency is 25.5% for Zn0.995Mn0.005GdB5O10, 17.0% for ZnGd0.97Dy0.03B5O10 and 17.4% for ZnGd0.97Sm0.03B5O10. The high thermal stability of the photoluminescent emission for Mn2+, Dy3+, and Sm3+ can be demonstrated through in situ high-temperature experiments, which suggest possible enhanced energy transfer efficiency at high temperatures.

Evaluation and the mechanism of ShengXian and JinShuiLiuJun decoction in the treatment of silicotic fibrosis: An integrated network pharmacology, life omics, and experimental validation study.

BACKGROUND: Silicosis is a systemic disease characterized by extensive fibrosis due to prolonged exposure to silica dust, with rising incidence rates significantly impacting global public health. ShengXian and JinShuiLiuJun Decoction (SXD) is a Chinese medicinal preparation containing a variety of medicinal plants. It has shown notable clinical efficacy in treating silicotic fibrosis in China. However, the precise mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain unclear. This study integrates network pharmacology, multi-omics analysis, and experimental validation to investigate the potential mechanisms by which SXD treats silicotic fibrosis. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of SXD in treating silicotic fibrosis and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: HPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to identify the active components of SXD, and combined with network pharmacology, metabolomics, and transcriptomics, the mechanism of SXD in treating silicotic fibrosis was explored from multiple perspectives. The therapeutic effect of SXD was assessed through HE staining, Masson staining, Micro CT imaging, pulmonary function tests, and hydroxyproline content in lung tissue. Finally, network pharmacology and multi-omics findings were validated using molecular docking. CETSA, immunofluorescence, SPR, and Western blotting were used to analyze key factors in the NF-κB pathway at the animal, cellular, and molecular levels. RESULTS: SXD treatment improved lung function in silicosis rats, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, collagen deposition, fibrosis and other pathological changes, and inhibited the protein expression of TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-1ß, and NF-κB in lung tissue. HPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with network pharmacology identified key compounds such as Liquiritigenin, 3-Methoxynobiletin, Isomangiferin, Hesperidin, shogaol, and Ligustroflavone, which likely exert therapeutic effects through the TNF, IL-17, NF-κB, and TGF-ß signaling pathways. Transcriptomics and metabolomics results revealed that SXD up-regulated the expression of NF-κB pathway-related genes (NFKBIA, NFKBIZ) and key regulators of the retinol metabolism pathway, while down-regulating pro-inflammatory genes (IL1B, IL17A, IL6). Experimental findings confirmed that SXD suppressed the expression of NF-κB pathway-related proteins and upstream activators TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-1ß, as well as their receptors, in both lung tissue and cellular models. Additionally, SXD-containing serum had a direct, non-toxic effect on MRC-5 cells, effectively inhibiting collagen expression and TGF-ß secretion. SXD also had a positive effect on collagen production and extracellular matrix (ECM) aggregation in fibroblasts. Molecular dynamics studies showed that SXD directly binds to NF-κB and IκB. CONCLUSION: SXD exerts therapeutic effects on silicotic fibrosis by inhibiting NF-κB signaling transduction mediated by TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-1ß, and suppressing fibroblast activation.

An early and stable mouse model of polymyxin-induced acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: Polymyxins have been revived as a last-line therapeutic option for multi-drug resistant bacteria and continue to account for a significant proportion of global antibiotic usage. However, kidney injury is often a treatment limiting event with kidney failure rates ranging from 5 to 13%. The mechanisms underlying polymyxin-induced nephrotoxicity are currently unclear. Researches of polymyxin-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) models need to be more standardized, which is crucial for obtaining consistent and robust mechanistic results. METHODS: In this study, male C57BL/6 mice received different doses of polymyxin B (PB) and polymyxin E (PE, also known as colistin) by different routes once daily (QD), twice daily (BID), and thrice daily (TID) for 3 days. We continuously monitored the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and the AKI biomarkers, including serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1). We also performed histopathological examinations to assess the extent of kidney injury. RESULTS: Mice receiving PB (35 mg/kg/day subcutaneously) once daily exhibited a significant decrease in GFR and a notable increase in KIM-1 two hours after the first dose. Changes in GFR and KIM-1 at 24, 48 and 72 h were consistent and demonstrated the occurrence of kidney injury. Histopathological assessments showed a positive correlation between the severity of kidney injury and the changes in GFR and KIM-1 (Spearman's rho = 0.3167, P = 0.0264). The other groups of mice injected with PB and PE did not show significant changes in GFR and AKI biomarkers compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The group receiving PB (35 mg/kg/day subcutaneously) once daily consistently developed AKI at 2 h after the first dose. Establishing an early and stable AKI model facilitates researches into the mechanisms of early-stage kidney injury. In addition, our results indicated that PE had less toxicity than PB and mice receiving the same dose of PB in the QD group exhibited more severe kidney injury than the BID and TID groups.

The diagnostic value and validation of IL-22 combimed with sCD40L in tuberculosis pleural effusion.

BACKGROUND: There is substantial evidence indicating that cytokines play a role in the immune defense against tuberculosis. This study aims to evaluate the levels of various cytokines in pleural effusion to ditinguish between tuberculosis pleurisy and malignant pleurisy. METHODS: A total of 82 participants with pleural effusion were included in the training cohort, and 76 participants were included in the validation cohort. The individuals were divided into tuberculosis and malignant pleurisy groups. The concentrations of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 A, IL-17 F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-25, IL-31, IL-33, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in pleural effusion were measured using a multiplex cytokine assay. The threshold values were calculated according to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to aid in diagnosing tuberculosis pleurisy. Furthermore, the combined measure was validated in the validation cohort. RESULTS: The levels of all 14 cytokines in pleural effusion were significantly higher in participants with tuberculosis compared to those with malignant pleurisy (all P < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) was ≥ 0.920 for the IL-22, sCD40L, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-31, which were significantly increased in tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) compared to MPE in the training cohort. Threshold values of 95.80 pg/mL for IFN-γ, 41.80 pg/mL for IL-31, and 18.87 pg/mL for IL-22 provided ≥ 90% sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing between tuberculosis pleurisy and malignant pleurisy in the training cohort. Among these, IL-22 combined with sCD40L showed the best sensitivity and specificity (94.0% and 96.9%) for diagnosing tuberculosis pleurisy, and this finding was validated in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the levels of IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 A, IL-17 F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-25, IL-31, IL-33, IFN-γ, sCD40L and TNF-α in pleural effusion had significant difference between tuberculosis pleurisy and malignant pleurisy. Specifically, IL-22 ≥ 18.87 pg/mL and sCD40L ≥ 53.08 pg/mL can be clinically utilized as an efficient diagnostic strategy for distinguishing tuberculosis pleurisy from malignant pleurisy.

Outcomes of Radical Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Localized Renal Pelvic and Ureteral Carcinoma Intolerant to Surgery: A Real-World Study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the safety and efficacy of radical radiotherapy for localized inoperable renal pelvic and ureteral carcinoma. METHODS: 23 patients who received radiotherapy were enrolled. The prescribed dose was 60 to 67.5 Gy in 25 fractions and for bulky tumors, SABR was used in the first 3 to 5 times with tumor center boosted synchronously with 6 to 8 Gy/f. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate local control (LC), DMFS, CSS and OS. Univariate analysis was performed by the log-rank test. The change in the eGFR before and after radiotherapy was compared by paired t test. The side effects were graded by CTCAE, version 5.0. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 17 months. The LC rates at 2 years after radiotherapy were 85.0%; the DMFS rates were 52.2%; the CSS rates were 83.0%; and the OS rates were 77.8%. The main failure mode after radiotherapy was distant metastasis. Univariate analysis revealed that T3-4 stage (P = .001), N+ status (P < .001) and a tumor volume ≥ 20 cc (P = .005) were poor prognostic factors for DMFS. There was no significant difference in the mean eGFR before and after radiotherapy (47.0 mL/min/1.73m2 vs. 48.5 mL/min/1.73m2, P = .632). Only 1 patient developed acute grade 3 anemia. No patients developed grade 3 or higher late toxicities. CONCLUSION: For localized inoperable renal pelvic and ureteral carcinoma, radiotherapy is well tolerable with high local control and expected to bring survival benefits. In such patients, radiotherapy may be an option when surgery is unsuitable.

Structurally diversified sesquiterpenoids from Chloranthus henryi and their neuroprotective activities on H2O2 damaged PC12 cells.

Fifteen undescribed sesquiterpenoid monomers, including six pairs of sesquiterpenoid enantiomers (1a/1b-3a/3b and 5a/5b-7a/7b) and three analogues (4, 8, and 9), together with two known sesquiterpenoid dimers (10 and 11) were isolated from the whole plant of Chloranthus henryi Hemsl. Their structures were characterized by spectroscopic data analysis, ECD calculations, and single crystal X-Ray diffractions. Compounds 1a and 1b were highly aromatic cadinane-type sesquiterpenoids. At a concentration of 10 µM, compounds 8, 10, and 11 exhibited potent neuroprotective activity against H2O2-induced PC12 cell damage. Compounds 10 and 11 significantly decreased the level of ROS. In addition, compound 11 increased the levels of p-AMPK, p-SIRT1, and SIRT3 in the H2O2-induced PC12 cell damage via activated the AMPK/SIRT signaling pathway.

Comparative efficacy of various exercise types and doses for depression in older adults: a systematic review of paired, network and dose-response meta-analyses.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed the effects of different exercise modalities and doses on depression levels in older adults. METHODS: Systematic searches of the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Scopus databases were conducted from the start of database construction until December 2023. Studies were included if they were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of exercise interventions in older adults. Pairwise, network and dose-network meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models for the outcome of depression in older adults. RESULTS: A total of 80 RCTs with 5536 participants were included in this study. Network meta-analyses showed that resistance exercise [standardized mean difference (SMD) = - 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI): - 0.90, - 0.46] and mind-body exercise (MBE; SMD = - 0.54, 95% CI: - 0.72, - 0.37) were the most effective forms of exercise for improving depression in older adults, followed by aerobic exercise (SMD = - 0.31, 95% CI: - 0.50, - 0.13) and mixed exercise (SMD = - 0.23, 95% CI: - 44, - 0.01). In addition, a U-shaped dose-response relationship was found between overall exercise dose and depression levels in older adults, and a significant response was seen after 390 metabolic equivalent (MET)-min/week. CONCLUSIONS: Our study determined the effectiveness of different exercises in improving levels of older adults and found that resistance exercise and MBE were more effective adjunctive treatments. By providing the most effective treatments, older adults can reap the benefits of improving depression in older adults at doses lower than the World Health Organization guidelines.

Molecular mechanisms of Sepsis attacking the immune system and solid organs.

Remarkable progress has been achieved in sepsis treatment in recent times, the mortality rate of sepsis has experienced a gradual decline as a result of the prompt administration of antibiotics, fluid resuscitation, and the implementation of various therapies aimed at supporting multiple organ functions. However, there is still significant mortality and room for improvement. The mortality rate for septic patients, 22.5%, is still unacceptably high, accounting for 19.7% of all global deaths. Therefore, it is crucial to thoroughly comprehend the pathogenesis of sepsis in order to enhance clinical diagnosis and treatment methods. Here, we summarized classic mechanisms of sepsis progression, activation of signal pathways, mitochondrial quality control, imbalance of pro-and anti- inflammation response, diseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), cell death, presented the latest research findings for each mechanism and identify potential therapeutic targets within each mechanism.

Application of multi-omics in the study of traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is playing an increasingly important role in disease treatment due to the advantages of multi-target, multi-pathway mechanisms, low adverse reactions and cost-effectiveness. However, the complexity of TCM system poses challenges for research. In recent years, there has been a surge in the application of multi-omics integrated research to explore the active components and treatment mechanisms of TCM from various perspectives, which aids in advancing TCM's integration into clinical practice and holds immense importance in promoting modernization. In this review, we discuss the application of proteomics, metabolomics, and mass spectrometry imaging in the study of composition, quality evaluation, target identification, and mechanism of action of TCM based on existing literature. We focus on the workflows and applications of multi-omics based on mass spectrometry in the research of TCM. Additionally, potential research ideas for future exploration in TCM are outlined. Overall, we emphasize the advantages and prospects of multi-omics based on mass spectrometry in the study of the substance basis and mechanism of action of TCM. This synthesis of methodologies holds promise for enhancing our understanding of TCM and driving its further integration into contemporary medical practices.

Ultrahigh-Sensitivity and Damage-Free Detection of Single Nanometer-Sized Particle.

In the past decades, various methods, such as chemical sensing, X-ray screening, and spectroscopy, have been employed to detect explosives for environmental protection and national public security. However, achieving ultrahigh sensitivity for detection, which is crucial for some practical applications, remains challenging. This study employs scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy (STEM-EELS) to detect individual ∼200 nm explosive nanoparticles of octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX). The vibrational modes of HMX were acquired for each single nanoparticle under the aloof STEM-EELS mode, which ensures damage-free detection. Detailed comparisons with Raman and infrared spectra validate the acquired data's origin. This work highlights STEM-EELS as an effective tool in explosives detection, offering ultrahigh sensitivity, damage-free, and nanometer spatial resolution, with potential applications in environmental protection, public security, and criminal investigations.

Novel nomogram for the prediction of sepsis-induced coagulopathy in the PICU: A multicentre retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis-induced coagulopathy (SIC) is a severe complication of sepsis, characterized by poor prognosis and high mortality. However, the predictors of SIC in pediatric patients have yet to be identified. Our aim was to develop a user-friendly and efficient nomogram for predicting SIC in sepsis patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We screened 948 sepsis patients admitted to the PICU in three hospitals located in Shandong, China. Least absolute shrinkage and selector operation (LASSO) regression was used in the training cohort for variable selection and regularization. The selected variables were utilized to construct a nomogram for predicting the risk of SIC among sepsis patients admitted to the PICU. RESULTS: Overall, SIC was observed in 324 (40.3 %) patients. The morbidity of SIC in sepsis patients is associated with age, fibrinogen, prothrombin time, C-reactive protein, lactate and the pediatric sequential organ failure assessment score. We developed a nomogram for the early identification of SIC in the training cohort (area under the curve [AUC] 0.869, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.830-0.907, sensitivity 75.7 %, specificity 84.8 %) and validation cohorts (validation cohort 1: AUC 0.854, 95 % CI 0.805-0.903, sensitivity 72.0 %, specificity 86.9 %; validation cohort 2: AUC 0.853, 95 % CI 0.796-0.910, sensitivity 70.1 %, specificity 87.8 %). The calibration plots of the nomogram demonstrated a high level of concordance in the SIC probabilities between the observed and predicted values. CONCLUSIONS: The novel nomogram showed excellent predictive performance for the morbidity of SIC among sepsis patients admitted to the PICU, potentially assisting healthcare professionals in early identification and intervention for SIC.

Inherent symmetry and flexibility in hepatitis B virus subviral particles.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection poses a major global health challenge with massive morbidity and mortality. Despite a preventive vaccine, current treatments provide limited virus clearance, necessitating lifelong commitment. The HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) is crucial for diagnosis and prognosis, yet its high-resolution structure and assembly on the virus envelope remain elusive. Utilizing extensive datasets and advanced cryo-electron microscopy analysis, we present structural insights into HBsAg at a near-atomic resolution of 3.7 angstroms. HBsAg homodimers assemble into subviral particles with D2- and D4-like quasisymmetry, elucidating the dense-packing rules and structural adaptability of HBsAg. These findings provide insights into how HBsAg assembles into higher-order filaments and interacts with the capsid to form virions.