A logic-activated nanoswitch for killing cancer cells according to assessment of drug-resistance.

A logic-activated nanoswitch that could diagnose the differences between drug-resistant and non-drug-resistant cancer cells and control the release of drugs was developed for enhanced chemo-gene therapy using a standalone system. Compared to traditional treatments, the nanoswitch displayed improved anti-tumor efficiency in vitro.

Fertigation control system based on the mariotte siphon.

This paper adopts the Mariotte siphon to simplify the nutrient solution preparation structure while improving the liquid mixing accuracy for nutrient solution. A liquid mixing model suitable for EC and pH regulation was constructed by combining fuzzy control algorithms, and a set of fertigation nutrient solution control equipment was designed and developed. During the experiment, comparison was made between the Fuzzy-PID algorithm and the traditional PID algorithm in terms of nutrient solution configuration. The results show that the Fuzzy-PID algorithm is smoother and more stable compared to the PID algorithm. Through analysis of the liquid mixing accuracy with the venturi type fertigation machine, it was found that the fertigation machine designed with the Mariotte structure is more accurate for liquid mixing, and can better meet the needs of crop growth.

Preparation and Characterization of Graphene Oxide/Carbon Nanotube/Polyaniline Composite and Conductive and Anticorrosive Properties of Its Waterborne Epoxy Composite Coatings.

The organic coating on the surface is common and the most effective method to prevent metal materials from corrosion. However, the corrosive medium can penetrate the metal surface via micropores, and electrons cannot transfer in the pure resin coatings. In this paper, a new type of anticorrosive and electrically conductive composite coating filled with graphene oxide/carbon nanotube/polyaniline (GO/CNT/PANI) nanocomposites was successfully prepared by in situ polymerization of aniline (AN) on the surface of GO and CNT and using waterborne epoxy resin (WEP) as film-forming material. The structure and morphology of the composite were characterized using a series of characterization methods. The composite coatings were comparatively examined through resistivity, potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and salt spray tests. The results show that the GO/CNT/PANI/WEP composite coating exhibits excellent corrosion resistance for metal substrates and good conductivity when the mass fraction of GO/CNT/PANI is 3.5%. It exhibits a lower corrosion current density of 4.53 × 10-8 A·cm-2 and a higher electrochemical impedance of 3.84 × 106 Ω·cm2, while only slight corrosion occurred after 480 h in the salt spray test. The resistivity of composite coating is as low as 2.3 × 104 Ω·cm. The composite coating possesses anticorrosive and electrically conductive properties based on the synergistic effect of nanofillers and expands the application scope in grounding grids and oil storage tank protection fields.

Simplified Gambogic Acid Prodrug Nanoparticles to Improve Efficiency and Reduce Toxicity for Clinical Translation Potential.

Poor in vivo characteristics of gambogic acid (GA) and difficulties in industrial manufacturing of its nanocarriers have hindered its clinical translation. Therefore, a reproducible nano-drug delivery system must be developed to realize simpler manufacture and address inherent defects of GA, such as short circulation and severe side effects, in order to facilitate its clinical application. Herein, a drug self-assembled nanoparticles (NPs) consisting of a hydrophobic prodrug based on GA and oleyl alcohol (OA), as well as vitamin E-polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) as a shield to improve the stability of the NPs is reported. The preparation method is simple enough to stably facilitate large-scale manufacturing. The self-assembled NPs exhibit a remarkably high drug-loading capacity, and their prolonged circulation enables the NPs to demonstrate superior antitumor efficacy in both cellular and animal models. The flexible hydrophobic long chain wraps GA groups, which mitigates vascular irritation and reduces hemolysis rates. Consequently, the prodrug nano-system addresses GA-related concerns regarding stability, efficacy, and safety, offering a simple, stable, and secure nano-platform for similar candidate drugs.

Different patterns of structural network impairments in two amyotrophic lateral sclerosis subtypes driven by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance hybrid imaging.

The structural network damages in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients are evident but contradictory due to the high heterogeneity of the disease. We hypothesized that patterns of structural network impairments would be different in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis subtypes by a data-driven method using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance hybrid imaging. The data of positron emission tomography, structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging in fifty patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 23 healthy controls were collected by a 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance hybrid. Two amyotrophic lateral sclerosis subtypes were identified as the optimal cluster based on grey matter volume and standardized uptake value ratio. Network metrics at the global, local and connection levels were compared to explore the impaired patterns of structural networks in the identified subtypes. Compared with healthy controls, the two amyotrophic lateral sclerosis subtypes displayed a pattern of a locally impaired structural network centralized in the sensorimotor network and a pattern of an extensively impaired structural network in the whole brain. When comparing the two amyotrophic lateral sclerosis subgroups by a support vector machine classifier based on the decreases in nodal efficiency of structural network, the individualized network scores were obtained in every amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient and demonstrated a positive correlation with disease severity. We clustered two amyotrophic lateral sclerosis subtypes by a data-driven method, which encompassed different patterns of structural network impairments. Our results imply that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may possess the intrinsic damaged pattern of white matter network and thus provide a latent direction for stratification in clinical research.

DUSP5 deficiency suppresses the progression of acute kidney injury by enhancing autophagy through AMPK/ULK1 pathway.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a critical clinical disease characterized by the rapid decline in renal function, carrying a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality. The treatment of AKI is frequently limited by its variable clinical presentations and intricate pathophysiology, highlighting the urgent need for a deeper understanding of its pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets. Dual-specific protein phosphatase 5 (DUSP5), a member of the serine-threonine phosphatase family, possesses the capability to dephosphorylate extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK). DUSP5 has emerged as a pivotal player in modulating metabolic signals, inflammatory responses, and cancer progression, while also being closely associated with various kidney diseases. This study systematically scrutinized the function and mechanism of DUSP5 in AKI for the first time, unveiling a substantial increase in DUSP5 expression during AKI. Moreover, DUSP5 knockdown was observed to attenuate the production of inflammatory factors and apoptotic cells in renal tubular epithelial cells by enhancing AMPK/ULK1-mediated autophagy, thus improving renal function. In a word, DUSP5 knockdown in AKI effectively impede disease progression by activating autophagy. This finding holds promise for introducing fresh perspectives and targets for AKI treatment.

Effects of triaxial rolling on the microstructure and installation characteristics of reactor pressure vessel studs.

Reactor pressure vessel (RPV) studs are key components of nuclear reactors, and their connection with flange ensures the sealing of the RPV under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions. In the present work, the external threads of the RPV stud were prepared by triaxial rolling, and the texture evolution of the external thread root material of an RPV stud was predicted by finite element analysis coupled with viscoplastic self-consistent simulations. The microstructure of the external thread root material of RPV stud was characterized by scanning electron microscope and electron back-scattered diffraction. The installation characteristics of the turned and rolled parts of the RPV stud were tested by installation and pretightening tests. It was found that the dynamic recrystallization at the external thread root formed ultrafine tempered sorbite grains, high-angle grain boundaries (47%), and strong {111} <110> and {111} <112> textures. In the installation and pretightening test, the residual elongation of rolled parts was reduced by 6% under the same loading pressure. The triaxial rolling process distributed the microstructure of the external thread root of the RPV stud in a gradient manner, resulting in improved stud installation characteristics.

Chitinase-assisted winner: nematodes antagonize symbiotic microbes.

Nematodes do not merely siphon off plant resources but also sabotage the plant's mutualistic relationships with beneficial microbes. Yang and colleagues elegantly elucidated this generalizable molecular antagonism, revealing how Heterodera glycines, the notorious soybean cyst nematode (SCN), suppresses beneficial microbial symbiosis through a specific chitinase, HgCht2.

Tumor Microenvironment-Responsive Magnetotactic Bacteria-Based Multi-Drug Delivery Platform for MRI-Visualized Tumor Photothermal Chemodynamic Therapy.

Cancer cells display elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and altered redox status. Herein, based on these characteristics, we present a multi-drug delivery platform, AMB@PDAP-Fe (APPF), from the magnetotactic bacterium AMB-1 and realize MRI-visualized tumor-microenvironment-responsive photothermal-chemodynamic therapy. The Fe3+ in PDAP-Fe is reduced by the GSH at the tumor site and is released in the form of highly active Fe2+, which catalyzes the generation of ROS through the Fenton reaction and inhibits tumor growth. At the same time, the significant absorption of the mineralized magnetosomes in AMB-1 cells in the NIR region enables them to efficiently convert near-infrared light into heat energy for photothermal therapy (PTT), to which PDAP also contributes. The heat generated in the PTT process accelerates the process of Fe2+ release, thereby achieving an enhanced Fenton reaction in the tumor microenvironment. In addition, the magnetosomes in AMB-1 are used as an MRI contrast agent, and the curing process is visualized. This tumor microenvironment-responsive MTB-based multi-drug delivery platform displays the potency to combat tumors and demonstrates the utility and practicality of understanding the cooperative molecular mechanism when designing multi-drug combination therapies.

Intraoperative Cavity Local Delivery System with NETs-Specific Drug Release for Post-Breast Cancer Surgery Recurrence Correction.

Postoperative breast cancer recurrence is tricky due to the limited therapeutic options. Transforming growth factors-ß (TGF-ß) is vital in promoting postoperative tumor recurrence. However, conventional blocking strategies fail to satisfy both bio-safety and sufficient relapse correction. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are essential for the spatiotemporal dynamics of TGF-ß at tumor-resection sites, whose unique mechanism for local TGF-ß amplification could remarkably increase the risk of relapse after surgery. Herein, the principle of NETs formation is ingeniously utilized to construct a surgical residual cavity hydrogel that mimics NETs formation. The hydrogel is prepared based on the electrostatic interaction between histidine (His) and sodium alginate (Alg). Then, arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) protein is released during NETs formation. Simultaneously, the electrical property of His in hydrogel changes automatically, which further lead to promising localized release of anti-TGF-ß. The hydrogel system can realize specific and selective drug release at targeted NETs site over a prolonged period while exhibiting excellent biocompatibility. Superior breast cancer recurrence inhibition is achieved by suppressing TGF-ß and related indicators, impeding epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) progression, and rectifying the locally exacerbated immunosuppressive environment within NETs. The novel NETs local microenvironment drug release functional hydrogel will provide inspiration for postoperative recurrence correction strategies.

c-Src Is Responsible for Mitochondria-Mediated Arrhythmic Risk in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Increased mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake has been implicated in the QT prolongation and lethal arrhythmias associated with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. We attempted to define the role of mitochondria in ischemic arrhythmic risk and to identify upstream regulators. METHODS: Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced in wild-type FVB/NJ mice by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Western blot, immunoprecipitation, ECG telemetry, and patch-clamp techniques were used. RESULTS: After MI, c-Src (proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src) and its active form (p-Src Y416) were increased. The activation of c-Src was associated with increased diastolic Ca2+ sparks, action potential duration prolongation, and arrhythmia in MI mice. c-Src upregulation and arrhythmia could be reversed by treatment of mice with the Src inhibitor PP1 but not with the inactive analogue PP3. Tyrosine phosphorylated mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) was upregulated in the heart tissues of MI mice and patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. In a heterologous expression system, c-Src could bind MCU and phosphorylate MCU tyrosines. Overexpression of wild-type c-Src significantly increased the mitochondrial Ca2+ transient while overexpression of dominant-negative c-Src significantly decreased the mitochondrial Ca2+ transient. c-Src inhibition by PP1, MCU inhibition by Ru360, or MCU knockdown could reduce the action potential duration, Ca2+ sparks, and arrhythmia after MI. The human heart tissue showed that patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy had significantly increased c-Src active form associated with increased MCU tyrosine phosphorylation and ventricular arrhythmia. CONCLUSIONS: MI leads to increased c-Src active form that results in MCU tyrosine phosphorylation, increased mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, QT prolongation, and arrhythmia, suggesting c-Src or MCU may represent novel antiarrhythmic targets.

Serum Metabolomics and NF-κB Pathway Analysis Revealed the Antipyretic Mechanism of Ellagic Acid on LPS-Induced Fever in Rabbits.

Fever is one of the most common clinical conditions and is characterized by pyrogenic infection, malignancy, inflammation, and tissue damage, among others. Ellagic acid (EA) can inhibit the expression of related proteins on the pathway by blocking the nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB) signaling pathway, inhibit the levels of pro-inflammatory factors interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), interleukin-6(IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), increase the level of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10, and effectively alleviate inflammatory symptoms. In addition, EA can also reduce the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA) and nitric oxide(NO) in the body, increase the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and catalase(CAT), scavenge oxidative free radicals, inhibit lipid oxidation, and achieve antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between EA and various inflammatory markers, such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, prostaglandin E2(PGE2), and cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP), and clarify the mechanism of the cyclooxidase-2(COX-2)/NF-κB signaling pathway. Combined with the metabolomics analysis, our study revealed the effects of EA on multiple endogenous biomarkers, reflecting the characteristics of a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway mechanism. Compared to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- treated animals, subsequent administration of EA significantly lowered the LPS-induced rectal temperature increase (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), significantly increased serum SOD and GSH levels (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), and significantly decreased serum MDA, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α levels (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). In addition, compared to LPS-treated animals, subsequent administration of EA significantly decreased cerebrospinal fluid cAMP and PGE2 levels (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), significantly decreased cAMP, significantly increased 5-HT levels (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), and significantly down-regulated p-NF-κB p65 and COX-2 protein levels in the hypothalamus. Subsequent gas chromatography mass spectrometry(GC-MS) metabolite analysis indicated that 12 differential metabolites were detected in serum isolated 4 h after LPS treatment, and 10 differential metabolites were detected in serum collected 7 h after LPS treatment. Next, Pearson correlation analysis was used to systematically characterize the relationship between the identified metabolites and TNF-α, IL-6, MDA, SOD, PGE2, and cAMP. The levels of propionic acid, pyridine, and L-valine were up-regulated by EA, which inhibited the expression of MDA, IL-1ß, and TNF-α and increased the activity of GSH. The levels of inositol, urea, and 2-monopalmitin were down-regulated by EA, which inhibited the expression of MDA, IL-1ß, and TNF-α, increased the activity of SOD and GSH, reduced the inflammatory response, and alleviated the oxidative stress state. Combined with the results of the metabolic pathway analysis, we suggest that the pathways of the galactose metabolism, synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies, as well as ascorbic acid and aldehyde acid metabolism are closely related to the antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects of EA. Our study established the relationship between EA and various inflammatory markers, such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, PGE2, and cAMP, and clarified the mechanism of the COX-2/NF-κB signaling pathway. Combined with the metabolomics analysis, our study revealed the effects of EA on multiple endogenous biomarkers, reflecting the characteristics of a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway mechanism.

Evaluation of a novel PET tracer [18F]-Florbetazine for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and ß-amyloid deposition quantification.

[18F]-Florbetazine ([18F]-92) is a selective PET tracer for ß-amyloid (Aß) depositions with a novel diaryl-azine scaffold to reduce lipophilicity and to achieve higher gray-to-white matter contrast. We aimed to assess its diagnostic value in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and pharmacokinetics characteristics in human subjects. METHODS: Six healthy controls (HCs) and nine AD patients underwent dynamic PET examination with [18F]-Florbetazine and a structural MRI scan. The time-activity-curves (TACs) for volumes of interest (VOIs) in cerebral cortex, cerebellar cortex and cerebral white matter was depicted and their standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRs) with cerebellar cortex as reference were compared between HCs and AD patients. The cerebral gray-to-white matter SUV ratio (GWR) was also calculated. RESULTS: In HCs, radioactivities in the cerebral cortex VOIs were homogeneously low and at the same level as in cerebellar cortex, while in AD patients, cortical VOIs expected to contain Aß exhibited high radioactivity. Cerebral cortex SUVRs remain relatively low in HCs while keep increasing along with time in AD patients. After 15 min, the cerebral cortex SUVRs became significant higher in AD patients compared to HCs with 100 % discrimination accuracy. In AD patients, GWR remained over 1.3 for all time intervals and visual inspection showed lower uptake in cerebral white matter compared to cerebral cortex. CONCLUSION: [18F]-Florbetazine PET showed high uptake on Aß plaques and high gray-to-white contrast in AD patients that are favorable in visual read. [18F]-Florbetazine can be potentially used for detection and quantification of Aß depositions in the living human brain.

[Application value of ultrasound technology in transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the application value of ultrasound technology in transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate (TUERP). METHODS: This study included 78 BPH patients admitted in our hospital from June 2021 to June 2023, aged 70.68±8.63 years and with the indication of surgery. We randomly divided them into two groups to receive TUERP (the control group, n = 39) and ultrasound-assisted TUERP (the US-TUERP group, n = 39). We statistically analyzed and compared the relevant parameters obtained before and after operation between the two groups. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed in the operation time and bladder irrigation time between the two groups (P > 0.05). More glandular tissues were removed but less intraoperative bleeding and fewer perioperative complications occurred in the US-TUERP group than in the control. Compared with the baseline, IPSS, postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), quality of life score (QOL) and maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) were significantly improved in both groups at 1 and 3 months after surgery, even more significantly in the US-TUERP than in the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: US-TUERP helps achieve complete resection of the hyperplastic prostatic tissue along the surgical capsule at the anatomical level, with a higher safety, fewer perioperative complications, and better therapeutic effects.

Downregulation of interleukin 11 regulates the transforming growth factor-ß/ERK1/2 signaling pathway to inhibit articular capsule fibrosis and alleviate post-traumatic articular capsule contracture.

BACKGROUND: Post-traumatic capsular contracture is a common complication of joint injury and surgery. Post-traumatic capsular contracture is associated with fibrosis characterized by excessive differentiation and proliferation of myofibroblasts and abnormal secretion and accumulation of extracellular matrix. Previous studies have suggested that interleukin 11 (IL11) plays a role in myocardial fibrosis. We thus hypothesized that IL11 may play a fibrotic role during capsular contracture, in order to discover new targets for preventing joint capsule contracture. METHODS: We constructed a post-traumatic contracture model by excessively extending the knee joint and fixing the joint in the flexion position, and a post-traumatic joint capsule contracture model was constructed in the wild-type, IL11-/-, IL11 R -/-, α-SMA-cre-IL11fl/fl, α-SMA-cre-IL11Rfl/fl mouse strain, with wild-type mice without any treatment of the knee joint as the control group. Fibrotic markers and the expression of IL11 and IL11 R in knee joint tissue were detected in each group of mice. The NIH3T3 cell line was used for in vitro analyses. The expression of fibrosis markers, IL11, transforming growth factor-ß, and ERK1/2 were detected by western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Inhibition of IL11 inhibited ERK1/2 phosphorylation, reduced the secretion of collagen in the joint capsule, and inhibited the excessive differentiation and proliferation of myofibroblasts in the post-traumatic joint capsule contracture, thus alleviating the joint capsule contracture and obtaining better joint mobility. CONCLUSION: Downregulation of IL11 in traumatic joint capsule contracture inhibits ERK1/2 phosphorylation, thus significantly relieving joint capsule contracture. Our findings indicate the transforming growth factor-ß/IL11/ERK1/2 axis is an important pathway for the differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. Anti-IL11 treatment is an effective means to prevent traumatic joint capsule contracture.

Mortality risk of patients with intestinal obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal obstruction represents a severe intestinal disease associated with higher mortality rates. However, the determinants of mortality in patients with intestinal obstruction remain inadequately understood. This study sought to elucidate the potential risk factors associated with mortality in the context of intestinal obstruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of 227 patients diagnosed with intestinal obstruction at the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University, spanning the period from September 7, 2022, to January 7, 2023. The primary endpoint of the study was mortality within four weeks following discharge. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to evaluate the risk factors associated with mortality outcomes. RESULTS: A cohort of 227 patients diagnosed with intestinal obstruction (median age, 59.02 years [IQR, 48.95-70.85 years]) was included in our study. Malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) and COVID-19 were identified as independent risk factors for mortality among these patients. Notably, the mortality rate increased significantly to 38.46% when MBO was concomitant with COVID-19. Furthermore, postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) (OR, 54.21 [death]; 95% CI, 3.17-926.31), gastric cancer (OR, 9.71 [death]; 95% CI, 1.38-68.18), VTE (Caprini Score ≥ 5) (OR, 7.64 [death]; 95% CI, 1.37-42.51), and COVID-19 (OR, 5.72 [death]; 95% CI, 1.01-32.29) were all determined to be independent risk factors for postoperative mortality. Additionally, gastric cancer could have emerged as one of the most severe risk factors for mortality in individuals with intestinal obstruction within the cohort of cancer patients, of which gastric cancer exhibited higher mortality rates compared to individuals with other forms of cancer. CONCLUSION: The study identifies MBO, gastric cancer, COVID-19, PPC, and VTE as potential risk factors for mortality in cases of intestinal obstruction. These findings highlight the necessity for continuous monitoring of indicators related to these mortality risk factors and their associated complications, thereby offering valuable insights for the management and treatment of intestinal obstruction.

Withdrawn: Combinatorial lipidomics and proteomics underscore erythrocyte lipid membrane aberrations in the development of adverse cardio-cerebrovascular complications in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

This article has been withdrawn: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal). The authors reached out to the Publisher to alert the Publisher to incorrect text published in the article. After investigating the situation, the journal came to the conclusion that the wrong version of the file was sent by the authors to the production team during the proof stage and the misplaced text was not noticed by the authors when they approved the final version. After consulting with the Editor-in-Chief of the journal, the decision was made to withdraw the current version of the article.

Development and External Validation of a CT-Based Radiomics Nomogram to Predict Perineural Invasion and Survival in Gastric Cancer: A Multi-institutional Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a radiomics nomogram utilizing CT data for predicting perineural invasion (PNI) and survival in gastric cancer (GC) patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 408 GC patients from two institutions: 288 patients from Institution I were divided 7:3 into a training set (n = 203) and a testing set (n = 85); 120 patients from Institution II served as an external validation set. Radiomics features were extracted and screened from CT images. Independent radiomics, clinical, and combined models were constructed to predict PNI. Model discrimination, calibration, clinical utility, and prognostic significance were evaluated using area under the curve (AUC), calibration curves, decision curves analysis, and Kaplan-Meier curves, respectively. RESULTS: 15 radiomics features and three clinical factors were included in the final analysis. The AUCs of the radiomics model in the training, testing, and external validation sets were 0.843 (95% CI: 0.788-0.897), 0.831 (95% CI: 0.741-0.920), and 0.802 (95% CI: 0.722-0.882), respectively. A nomogram was developed by integrating significant clinical factors with radiomics features. The AUCs of the nomogram in the training, testing, and external validation sets were 0.872 (95% CI: 0.823-0.921), 0.862 (95% CI: 0.780-0.944), and 0.837 (95% CI: 0.767-0.908), respectively. Survival analysis revealed that the nomogram could effectively stratify patients for recurrence-free survival (Hazard Ratio: 4.329; 95% CI: 3.159-5.934; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The radiomics-derived nomogram presented a promising tool for predicting PNI in GC and held significant prognostic implications. IMPORTANT FINDINGS: The nomogram functioned as a non-invasive biomarker for determining the PNI status. The predictive performance of the nomogram surpassed that of the clinical model (P < 0.05). Furthermore, patients in the high-risk group stratified by the nomogram had a significantly shorter RFS (P < 0.05).

Ratiometric fluorescence and smartphone-assisted sensing platform based on dual-emission carbon dots for brilliant blue detection.

In this study, an innovative ratiometric fluorescence and smartphone-assisted visual sensing platform based on blue-yellow dual-emission carbon dots (BY-CDs) was constructed for the first time to determine brilliant blue. The BY-CDs was synthesized via a facile one-step hydrothermal process involving propyl gallate and o-phenylenediamine. The synthesized BY-CDs exhibit favorable water solubility and exceptional fluorescence stability. Under excitation at 370 nm, BY-CDs show two distinguishable fluorescence emission bands (458 and 558 nm). Upon addition of brilliant blue, the fluorescence intensity at 558 nm exhibited a significant quenching effect attributed to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), while the fluorescence intensity at 458 nm was basically unchanged. The prepared BY-CDs can effectively serve as a ratiometric nanosensor for determining brilliant blue with the ratio of fluorescence intensities at 458 and 558 nm (F458/F558) as response signal. In addition, the developed ratiometric fluorescence sensor exhibits a noticeable alteration in color from yellow to green under UV light with a wavelength of 365 nm upon addition of varying concentrations of brilliant blue, which provides the possibility of visual detection of brilliant blue by a smartphone application. Finally, the BY-CDs based dual-mode sensing platform successfully detected brilliant blue in actual food samples and achieved a desirable recovery rate. This study highlights the merits of fast, convenient, economical, real-time, visual, high accuracy, excellent precision, good selectivity and high sensitivity for brilliant blue detection, and paves new paths for the monitoring of brilliant blue in real samples.