Transpiration-induced self-growth of texture hydrogel surfaces.

Trees grow by coupling the transpiration-induced nutrient absorption from external sources and photosynthesis-based nutrient integration. Inspired by this manner, we designed a class of polyion complex (PIC) hydrogels containing isolated liquid-filled voids for growing texture surfaces. The isolated liquid-filled voids were created via irreversible matrix reconfiguration in a deswelling-swelling process. During transpiration, these voids reversibly collapse to generate negative pressures within the matrices to extract polymerizable compounds from external sources and deliver them to the surface of the samples for photopolymerization. This growth process is spatial-controllable and can be applied to fabricate complex patterns consisting of different compositions, suggesting a new strategy for making texture surfaces.

Constructing a Built-In Electric Field To Accelerate Water Dissociation for Efficient Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution.

The alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is intricately linked to the water dissociation kinetics. The quest for new strategies to accelerate this step is a pivotal aspect of enhancing the HER performance. Herein, we designed and synthesized a heterogeneous nickel phosphide/cobalt phosphide nanowire array grown on nickel foam (Ni2P/CoP/NF) to form a p-n junction structure. The built-in electric field (BEF) in the p-n junction optimizes the binding ability of hydrogen and hydroxyl intermediates, efficiently promoting water dissociation for the alkaline HER. Consequently, Ni2P/CoP/NF exhibits a lower overpotential of 58 and 118 mV at 30 and 100 mA cm-2, respectively, and high stability over 40 h at 300 mA cm-2 for the HER in 1 M KOH. Computational calculations combined with experiment results testify that the BEF presence in the p-n junction of Ni2P/CoP/NF effectively promotes water dissociation, regulates intermediate adsorption/desorption, and boosts electron transport. This study presents a rational design approach for high-performance heterogeneous electrocatalysts.

Soil antibiotic resistant genes and virulence factors affected by 3-year organic farming management of double rice cropping system.

Investigating the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factors (VFs) within soil microbial communities is crucial for understanding microbial ecology and the evolution of antibiotic resistance. However, the study of ARGs, VFs, and their primary soil microbial hosts under organic rice production has not been extensively pursued. To this end, a 3-year field experiment under organic management in South China was conducted. The study revealed that, in contrast to conventional management (CK), organic farming practices did not significantly alter the total reads of ARGs and VFs. However, there was a notable alteration in the ARGs abundance at the antibiotic class level, such as an increase in the abundance of Multidrug ARGs (by 1.7 %) and a decrease in Rifamycin (by 17.5 %) and Fosfomycin ARGs (by 15.3 %). Furthermore, a significant shift in VFs was observed under organic farming compared to CK, characterized by an increase (P < 0.05) in offensive VFs and a decrease (P < 0.05) in nonspecific VFs and the regulation of virulence-associated genes. Key microbial taxa identified as influencing ARGs and VFs in the tested soil samples, e.g., Proteobacteria. The findings suggest that organic rice production in South China requires further attention to soil ecology, particularly concerning the alterations in ARGs and VFs.

Long-range, high-precision optical calibration path based on an optoelectronic oscillator.

We propose a laser ranging calibration optical path system using multiple optoelectronic oscillators (OEOs) that provides long range, high precision, low cost and high stability. A phase locked loop is used to control the length of the calibration optical path, which is measured with high precision by alternating the oscillations between the measurement loop and the reference loop. The calibration optical path length exceeds 9000 m with the stability of 6.8 µm during 3 minutes, and the relative measurement accuracy of the calibration optical path reaches 6.9 × 10-10.

Depressive symptoms were associated with an elevated prevalence of gallstones among adults in the United States: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2017-2020.

Background:  Gallstone disease is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. Despite extensive research exploring the risk factors associated with gallstones, the association between depressive symptoms and gallstones remains inadequately understood. This study aimed to assess the association between depressive symptoms and the prevalence of gallstones among adults in the United States. Methods: In this study, a cross-sectional design utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning the years 2017 to 2020. The assessment of depressive symptoms was conducted through the utilization of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), which assigns total scores ranging from 0 to 27. Participants with PHQ-9 scores equal to or exceeding 10 were categorized as having clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression and subgroup analysis were used to assess the association between depressive symptoms and gallstone prevalence. Results: A total of 7,797 participants aged 20 years or older were enrolled in this study, of whom 835 had a self-reported history of gallstones. After multiple adjustments, each one-point increase in PHQ-9 scores was associated with a 5 % increase in the risk of gallstones (odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.03, 1.07, P < 0.001). Compared to individuals with PHQ-9 scores < 10, participants with PHQ-9 total scores ≥ 10 exhibited a 79 % higher risk of gallstones (OR = 1.79, 95 % CI: 1.43, 2.23, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Depressive symptoms were associated with an elevated prevalence of gallstones. However, it is important to note that further validation through prospective cohort studies is warranted to confirm this finding.

FGF21 attenuates salt-sensitive hypertension via regulating HNF4α/ACE2 axis in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus of mice.

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has a protective effect against cardiovascular disease. However, the role of FGF21 in hypertension remains elusive. METHODS: Ten-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal-salt (NS) group, NS+FGF21 group, deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt (DOCA) group and DOCA+FGF21 group. The mice in NS group underwent uninephrectomy without receiving DOCA and 1% NaCl and the mice in DOCA group were subjected to uninephrectomy and DOCA-salt (DOCA and 1% NaCl) treatment for 6 weeks. At the same time, the mice were infused with vehicle (artificial cerebrospinal fluid, aCSF) or FGF21 (1 mg/kg) into the bilateral paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of mice. RESULTS: Here, we showed that FGF21 treatment lowered DOCA salt-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in the PVN, which reduced sympathetic nerve activity and hypertension. Mechanistically, FGF21 treatment decreased the expression of HNF4α and inhibited the binding activity of HNF4α to the promoter region of ACE2 in the PVN of DOCA salt-treated mice, which further up-regulated ACE2/Ang (1-7) signals in the PVN. In addition, ACE2 deficiency abolished the protective effect of FGF21 in DOCA salt-treated mice, suggesting that FGF21-mediated antihypertensive effect was dependent on ACE2. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate that FGF21 protects against salt-sensitive hypertension via regulating HNF4α/ACE2/Ang (1-7) axis in the PVN of DOCA salt-treated mice via multi-organ crosstalk between liver, brain and blood vessels.

Exercise may improve lung immunity after surgical stress: Evidence from a nephrectomy model via a bioinformatic analysis.

Exercise offers numerous benefits to cancer patients and plays an essential role in postsurgical cancer rehabilitation. However, there is a lack of research examining the effects of exercise after the surgical stress of nephrectomy. To address this gap, we created an animal model that simulated patients who had undergone nephrectomy with or without an exercise intervention. Next, we performed a bioinformatic analysis based on the data generated by the RNA sequencing of the lung tissue sample. An overrepresentation analysis was conducted using two genome databases (Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes [KEGG]). A KEGG analysis of the exercise-treated nephrectomy mice revealed enrichment in immune-related pathways, particularly in the NF-κB and B cell-related pathways. The expression of CD79A and IGHD, which are responsible for B cell differentiation and proliferation, was upregulated in the nephrectomy mice. Differential gene expression was categorized as significantly upregulated or downregulated according to nephrectomy and exercise groups. Notably, we identified several gene expression reversals in the nephrectomy groups with exercise that were not found in the nephrectomy without exercise or control groups. Our preliminary results potentially reveal a genetic landscape for the underlying mechanisms of the effects of exercise on our nephrectomy model.

Gypenoside L inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting the SREBP2-HMGCS1 axis and enhancing immune response.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor that occurs in the liver, with a high degree of malignancy and relatively poor prognosis. Gypenoside L has inhibitory effects on liver cancer cells. However, its mechanism of action is still unclear. This study aims to investigate the inhibitory effects of gypenoside L on HCC in vitro and in vivo, and explore its potential mechanisms. The results showed that gypenoside L reduced the cholesterol and triglyceride content in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells, inhibited cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, arrested cell cycle at G0/G1 phase, promoted cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, it targeted the transcription factor SREPB2 to inhibit the expression of HMGCS1 protein and inhibited the downstream proteins HMGCR and MVK, thereby regulating the mevalonate (MVA) pathway. Overexpression HMGCS1 led to significant alterations in the cholesterol metabolism pathway of HCC, which mediated HCC cell proliferation and conferred resistance to the therapeutic effect of gypenoside L. In vivo, gypenoside L effectively suppressed HCC growth in tumor-bearing mice by reducing cholesterol production, exhibiting favorable safety profiles and minimal toxic side effects. Gypenoside L modulated cholesterol homeostasis, enhanced expression of inflammatory factors by regulating MHC I pathway-related proteins to augment anticancer immune responses. Clinical samples from HCC patients also exhibited high expression levels of MVA pathway-related genes in tumor tissues. These findings highlight gypenoside L as a promising agent for targeting cholesterol metabolism in HCC while emphasizing the effectiveness of regulating the SREBP2-HMGCS1 axis as a therapeutic strategy.

Development and validation of a machine learning-based readmission risk prediction model for non-ST elevation myocardial infarction patients after percutaneous coronary intervention.

To investigate the factors that influence readmissions in patients with acute non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by using multiple machine learning (ML) methods to establish a predictive model. In this study, 1576 NSTEMI patients who were hospitalized at the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College were selected as the research subjects. They were divided into two groups: the readmitted group and the non-readmitted group. The division was based on whether the patients experienced complications or another incident of myocardial infarction within one year after undergoing PCI. Common variables selected by univariate and multivariate logistic regression, LASSO regression, and random forest were used as independent influencing factors for NSTEMI patients' readmissions after PCI. Six different ML models were constructed using these common variables. The area under the ROC curve, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were used to evaluate the performance of the six ML models. Finally, the optimal model was selected, and a nomogram was created to visually represent its clinical effectiveness. Three different methods were used to select seven representative common variables. These variables were then utilized to construct six different ML models, which were subsequently compared. The findings indicated that the LR model exhibited the most optimal performance in terms of AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. The outcome, admission mode (walking and non-walking), communication ability, CRP, TC, HDL, and LDL were identified as independent predicators of readmissions in NSTEMI patients after PCI. The prediction model constructed by the LR algorithm was the best. The established column graph model established proved to be effective in identifying high-risk groups with high accuracy and differentiation. It holds a specific predictive value for the occurrence of readmissions after direct PCI in NSTEMI patients.

Impact of renal function variability on long-term prognosis in ischemic stroke patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Although renal dysfunction is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) following stroke, the impact of renal function variability is unclear. Aim: This study aimed to assess the association between renal function variability and various adverse clinical outcomes in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA)/ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: We conducted a population-based study and retrospectively identified patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of TIA/ischemic stroke and AF during 2016-2020 using the Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System of Hong Kong. Serial serum creatinine tested upon the onset of TIA/ischemic stroke and during their subsequent follow-up was collected. Renal function variability was calculated using the coefficient of variation of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Clinical endpoints that occurred during the study period were captured and included ischemic stroke/systemic embolism, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), total bleeding, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), cardiovascular, non-cardiovascular, and all-cause mortality. Competing risk regression and Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess the associations of renal function variability with the outcomes of interest. Results: A total of 3,809 patients (mean age 80 ± 10 years, 43% men) who satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria were followed up for a mean of 2.5 ± 1.5 years (9,523 patient-years). The mean eGFR was 66 ± 22 mL/min/1.73 m2 at baseline, and the median number of renal function tests per patient during the follow-up period was 20 (interquartile range 11-35). After accounting for potential confounders, a greater eGFR variability was associated with increased risks of recurrent ischemic stroke/systemic embolism [fully adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.20], ICH (1.17, 1.01-1.36), total bleeding (1.13, 1.06-1.21), MACE (1.22, 1.15-1.30), cardiovascular (1.49, 1.32-1.69), non-cardiovascular (1.43, 1.35-1.52), and all-cause mortality (fully adjusted hazard ratio 1.44, 1.39-1.50). Conclusion: Visit-to-visit renal function variability is independently associated with adverse clinical outcomes in TIA/ischemic stroke patients with AF. Further large-scale studies are needed to validate our results.

Characterization of key aroma compounds of fried pepper sauce under different pretreatment processes.

Fried pepper sauce (FPS) is renowned among consumers for its distinct aroma profile and rich nutritional composition. However, the primary aroma components of FPSs, crucial for quality assurance, remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to delve deeper into the unique aroma profile of FPSs by analyzing samples subjected to various pretreatment methods (including three heat-moisture treatment processes: soaking at 60 °C, soaking at 100 °C, and steaming, and three crushing processes: mashing, mincing, and horizontal knife cutting). FPS samples were analyzed by quantitative descriptive sensory analysis (QDA), gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS), relative odor activity value analysis (rOAV), principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and partial least squares regression analysis (PLSR). The QDA results revealed that the overall aroma profile of FPS products was characterized by chili-like, fatty, and herbal notes. GC-MS identified 115 volatile components in FPSs, primarily alkenes, ketones, and acids, with varying concentrations across samples. According to the rOAV (>1) and GC-O, 11 compounds were identified as key aroma contributors to FPS aroma, including 2-methylpropanal, acetic acid, 3-methylbutanal, methional, eucalyptol, benzeneacetaldehyde, linalool, (E)-2-nonenal, (2E)-2-decenal, (2E,4E)-deca-2,4-dienal, and (E,Z)-2,4-decadienal. PCA and PLS-DA were employed to assess aroma differences among nine FPS samples. Screening for VIP > 1 and p < 0.05 identified 8 and 12 key marker compounds influenced by different crushing methods or heat-moisture treatments, respectively. PLSR indicated that the sensory attributes were greatly related to most aroma-active compounds. These findings provide novel insights into FPS aroma attributes, facilitating precise processing and quality control of fried pepper sauce products.

A Bioinspired Design of Protective Al2O3/Polyurethane Hierarchical Composite Film Through Layer-By-Layer Deposition.

Structural materials such as ceramics, metals, and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) are frequently threatened by large compressive and impact forces. Energy absorption layers, i.e., polyurethane and silicone foams with excellent damping properties, are applied on the surfaces of different substrates to absorb energy. However, the amount of energy dissipation and penetration resistance are limited in commercial polyurethane foams. Herein, a distinctive nacre-like architecture design strategy is proposed by integrating hard porous ceramic frameworks and flexible polyurethane buffers to improve energy absorption and impact resistance. Experimental investigations reveal the bioinspired designs exhibit optimized hardness, strength, and modulus compared to that of polyurethane. Due to the multiscale energy dissipation mechanisms, the resulting normalized absorbed energy (≈8.557 MJ m-3) is ≈20 times higher than polyurethane foams under 50% quasi-static compression. The bioinspired composites provide superior protection for structural materials (CFRP, glass, and steel), surpassing polyurethane films under impact loadings. It is shown CFRP coated with the designed materials can withstand more than ten impact loadings (in energy of 10 J) without obvious damage, which otherwise delaminates after a single impact. This biomimetic design strategy holds the potential to offer valuable insights for the development of lightweight, energy-absorbent, and impact-resistant materials.

InSb all-dielectric metasurface for ultrahigh efficient Si-based mid-infrared detection.

Mid-infrared (MIR) Si-based optoelectronics has wide potential applications, and its design requires simultaneous consideration of device performance optimization and the feasibility of heterogeneous integration. The emerging interest in all-dielectric metasurfaces for optoelectronic applications stems from their exceptional ability to manipulate light. In this Letter, we present our research on an InSb all-dielectric metasurface designed to achieve ultrahigh absorptivity within the 5-5.5 µm wavelength range. By integrating an InSb nanodisk array layer on a Si platform using wafer bonding and heteroepitaxial growth, we demonstrate three kinds of metasurface with high absorptivity of 98.36%, 99.28%, and 99.18%. The enhanced absorption is mainly contributed by the Kerker effect and the anapole state and the peak, with the added flexibility of tuning both the peak and bandwidth of absorption by altering the metasurface parameters. Our findings provide an alternative scheme to develop high-performance detectors and absorbers for MIR silicon photonics.

Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder by Dynamic Local Graph-Theory Indicators Based on Electroencephalogram.

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopment disease characterized by impaired social and cognitive abilities. Despite its prevalence, reliable biomarkers for identifying individuals with ASD are lacking. Recent studies have suggested that alterations in the functional connectivity of the brain in ASD patients could serve as potential indicators. However, previous research focused on static functional-connectivity analysis, neglecting temporal dynamics and spatial interactions. To address this gap, our study integrated dynamic functional connectivity, local graph-theory indicators, and a feature-selection and ranking approach to identify biomarkers for ASD diagnosis. METHODS: The demographic information, as well as resting and sleeping electroencephalography (EEG) data, were collected from 20 ASD patients and 25 controls. EEG data were pre-processed and segmented into five sub-bands (Delta, Theta, Alpha-1, Alpha-2, and Beta). Functional-connection matrices were created by calculating coherence, and static-node-strength indicators were determined for each channel. A sliding-window approach, with varying widths and moving steps, was used to scan the EEG series; dynamic local graph-theory indicators were computed, including mean, standard deviation, median, inter-quartile range, kurtosis, and skewness of the node strength. This resulted in 95 features (5 sub-bands × 19 channels) for each indicator. A support-vector-machine recurrence-feature-elimination method was used to identify the most discriminative feature subset. RESULTS: The dynamic graph-theory indicators with a 3-s window width and 50% moving step achieved the highest classification performance, with an average accuracy of 95.2%. Notably, mean, median, and inter-quartile-range indicators in this condition reached 100% accuracy, with the least number of selected features. The distribution of selected features showed a preference for the frontal region and the Beta sub-band. CONCLUSIONS: A window width of 3 s and a 50% moving step emerged as optimal parameters for dynamic graph-theory analysis. Anomalies in dynamic local graph-theory indicators in the frontal lobe and Beta sub-band may serve as valuable biomarkers for diagnosing autism spectrum disorders.

Assessing the generalisability of the psychosis metabolic risk calculator (PsyMetRiC) for young people with first-episode psychosis with validation in a Hong Kong Chinese Han population: a 4-year follow-up study.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is common following first-episode psychosis (FEP), contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality. The Psychosis Metabolic Risk Calculator (PsyMetRiC), a risk prediction algorithm for MetS following a FEP diagnosis, was developed in the United Kingdom and has been validated in other European populations. However, the predictive accuracy of PsyMetRiC in Chinese populations is unknown. Methods: FEP patients aged 15-35 y, first presented to the Early Assessment Service for Young People with Early Psychosis (EASY) Programme in Hong Kong (HK) between 2012 and 2021 were included. A binary MetS outcome was determined based on the latest available follow-up clinical information between 1 and 12 years after baseline assessment. The PsyMetRiC Full and Partial algorithms were assessed for discrimination, calibration and clinical utility in the HK sample, and logistic calibration was conducted to account for population differences. Sensitivity analysis was performed in patients aged >35 years and using Chinese MetS criteria. Findings: The main analysis included 416 FEP patients (mean age = 23.8 y, male sex = 40.4%, 22.4% MetS prevalence at follow-up). PsyMetRiC showed adequate discriminative performance (full-model C = 0.76, 95% C.I. = 0.69-0.81; partial-model: C = 0.73, 95% C.I. = 0.65-0.8). Systematic risk underestimation in both models was corrected using logistic calibration to refine PsyMetRiC for HK Chinese FEP population (PsyMetRiC-HK). PsyMetRiC-HK provided a greater net benefit than competing strategies. Results remained robust with a Chinese MetS definition, but worse for the older age group. Interpretation: With good predictive performance for incident MetS, PsyMetRiC-HK presents a step forward for personalized preventative strategies of cardiometabolic morbidity and mortality in young Hong Kong Chinese FEP patients. Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

In Situ Symbiosis of Cerium Oxide Nanophase for Enhancing the Oxygen Electrocatalysis Performance of Single-Atom Fe─N─C Catalyst with Prolonged Stability for Zinc-Air Batteries.

The Fenton reaction, induced by the H2O2 formed during the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) process leads to significant dissolution of Fe, resulting in unsatisfactory stability of the iron-nitrogen-doped carbon catalysts (Fe-NC). In this study, a strategy is proposed to improve the ORR catalytic activity while eliminating the effect of H2O2 by introducing CeO2 nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy and subsequent characterizations reveal that CeO2 nanoparticles are uniformly distributed on the carbon substrate, with atomically dispersed Fe single-atom catalysts (SACs) adjacent to them. CeO2@Fe-NC achieves a half-wave potential of 0.89 V and a limiting current density of 6.2 mA cm-2, which significantly outperforms Fe-NC and commercial Pt/C. CeO2@Fe-NC also shows a half-wave potential loss of only 1% after 10 000 CV cycles, which is better than that of Fe-NC (7%). Further, H2O2 elimination experiments show that the introduction of CeO2 significantly accelerate the decomposition of H2O2. In situ Raman spectroscopy results suggest that CeO2@Fe-NC significantly facilitates the formation of ORR intermediates compared with Fe-NC. The Zn-air batteries utilizing CeO2@Fe-NC cathodes exhibit satisfactory peak power density and open-circuit voltage. Furthermore, theoretical calculations show that the introduction of CeO2 enhances the ORR activity of Fe-NC SAC. This study provides insights for optimizing SAC-based electrocatalysts with high activity and stability.

General synthesis of ionic-electronic coupled two-dimensional materials.

Two-dimensional (2D) AMX2 compounds are a family of mixed ionic and electronic conductors (where A is a monovalent metal ion, M is a trivalent metal, and X is a chalcogen) that offer a fascinating platform to explore intrinsic coupled ionic-electronic properties. However, the synthesis of 2D AMX2 compounds remains challenging due to their multielement characteristics and various by-products. Here, we report a separated-precursor-supply chemical vapor deposition strategy to manipulate the chemical reactions and evaporation of precursors, facilitating the successful fabrication of 20 types of 2D AMX2 flakes. Notably, a 10.4 nm-thick AgCrS2 flake shows superionic behavior at room temperature, with an ionic conductivity of 192.8 mS/cm. Room temperature ferroelectricity and reconfigurable positive/negative photovoltaic currents have been observed in CuScS2 flakes. This study not only provides an effective approach for the synthesis of multielement 2D materials with unique properties, but also lays the foundation for the exploration of 2D AMX2 compounds in electronic, optoelectronic, and neuromorphic devices.

Clinical application of digital technology in the use of anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flaps to repair complex soft tissue defects of the limbs.

Background: It is challenging to repair wide or irregular defects with traditional skin flaps, and anterolateral thigh (ALT) lobulated perforator flaps are an ideal choice for such defects. However, there are many variations in perforators, so good preoperative planning is very important. This study attempted to explore the feasibility and clinical effect of digital technology in the use of ALT lobulated perforator flaps for repairing complex soft tissue defects in limbs. Methods: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was performed on 28 patients with complex soft tissue defects of the limbs, and the CTA data were imported into Mimics 20.0 software in DICOM format. According to the perforation condition of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and the size of the limb defect, one thigh that had two or more perforators from the same source vessel was selected for 3D reconstruction of the ALT lobulated perforator flap model. Mimics 20.0 software was used to visualize the vascular anatomy, virtual design and harvest of the flap before surgery. The intraoperative design and excision of the ALT lobulated perforator flap were guided by the preoperative digital design, and the actual anatomical observations and measurements were recorded. Results: Digital reconstruction was successfully performed in all patients before surgery; this reconstruction dynamically displayed the anatomical structure of the flap vasculature and accurately guided the design and harvest of the flap during surgery. The parameters of the harvested flaps were consistent with the preoperative parameters. Postoperative complications occurred in 7 patients, but all flaps survived uneventfully. All of the donor sites were closed directly. All patients were followed up for 13-27 months (mean, 19.75 months). The color and texture of each flap were satisfactory and each donor site exhibited a linear scar. Conclusions: Digital technology can effectively and precisely assist in the design and harvest of ALT lobulated perforator flaps, provide an effective approach for individualized evaluation and flap design and reduce the risk and difficulty of surgery.

Kurarinone, a flavonoid from Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in mouse bone marrow-derived monocyte/macrophages.

Inflammation-induced osteoclast proliferation is a crucial contributor to impaired bone metabolism. Kurarinone (KR), a flavonoid extracted from the Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, exhibits notable anti-inflammatory properties. Nevertheless, the precise influence of KR on osteoclast formation remains unclear. This study's objective was to assess the impact of KR on osteoclast activity in vitro and unravel its underlying mechanism. Initially, a target network for KR-osteoclastogenesis-osteoporosis was constructed using network pharmacology. Subsequently, the intersecting targets were identified through the Venny platform and a PPI network was created using Cytoscape 3.9.1. Key targets within the network were identified employing topological algorithms. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis were then performed on these targets to explore their specific functions and pathways. Additionally, molecular docking of potential core targets of KR was conducted, and the results were validated through cell experiments. A total of 83 target genes overlapped between KR and osteoclastogenesis-osteoporosis targets. Enrichment analysis revealed their role in inflammatory response, protein tyrosine kinase activity, osteoclast differentiation, and MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. PPI analysis and molecular docking demonstrate that key targets MAPK14 and MAPK8 exhibit more stable binding with KR compared to other proteins. In vitro experiments demonstrate that KR effectively inhibits osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption without cellular toxicity. It suppresses key osteoclast genes (NFATc1, c-Fos, TRAP, MMP9, Ctsk, Atp6v2), hinders IκB-α degradation, and inhibits ERK and JNK phosphorylation, while not affecting p38 phosphorylation. The results indicate that KR may inhibit osteoclast maturation and bone resorption by blocking NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, suggesting its potential as a natural therapeutic agent for osteoporosis.