The causal role of gut microbiota in susceptibility of Long COVID: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Long COVID is a major challenge facing the public. Gut microbiota is closely related to Long COVID. However, the causal effects between gut microbiota and Long COVID remains unclear. Methods: Using summary statistics from Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between gut microbiota and Long COVID. The primary statistical method employed was Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW). Sensitivity analyses were then conducted to evaluate the reliability of the findings and account for potential confounding variables. Finally, a reverse MR analysis was conducted to examine potential associations between Long COVID and genetically predicted gut microbiota compositions. Results: There were 2 positive and 1 negative causal effect between gut microbiota and Long COVID. Meta-analysis results show that genus Parasutterella (OR = 1.145, 95%CI = 1.035 ∼ 1.266, P = 0.008) and genus Oscillospira (OR = 1.425, 95%CI = 1.235 ∼ 1.645, P < 0.001) significantly increased the risk of Long COVID. And genus Eisenbergiella (OR = 0.861, 95%CI = 0.785 ∼ 0.943, P = 0.001) significantly decreased the risk of Long COVID. Neither the pleiotropy nor the heterogeneity was observed. Reverse causal effect does not hold. Conclusion: Our research has provided genetic evidence that establishes multiple causal relationships between the gut microbiota and Long COVID, supporting the role of the gut microbiota in Long COVID. It is possible that different taxa play a role in the development of Long COVID. The causal relationships identified in this study require further investigation.

Raman spectroscopy for esophageal tumor diagnosis and delineation using machine learning and the portable Raman spectrometer.

Esophageal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The identification of residual tumor tissues in the surgical margin of esophageal cancer is essential for the treatment and prognosis of cancer patients. But the current diagnostic methods, either pathological frozen section or paraffin section examination, are laborious, time-consuming, and inconvenient. Raman spectroscopy is a label-free and non-invasive analytical technique that provides molecular information with high specificity. Here, we report the use of a portable Raman system and machine learning algorithms to achieve accurate diagnosis of esophageal tumor tissue in surgically resected specimens. We tested five machine learning-based classification methods, including k-Nearest Neighbors, Adaptive Boosting, Random Forest, Principal Component Analysis-Linear Discriminant Analysis, and Support Vector Machine (SVM). Among them, SVM shows the highest accuracy (88.61 %) in classifying the esophageal tumor and normal tissues. The portable Raman system demonstrates robust measurements with an acceptable focal plane shift of up to 3 mm, which enables large-area Raman mapping on resected tissues. Based on this, we finally achieve successful Raman visualization of tumor boundaries on surgical margin specimens, and the Raman measurement time is less than 5 min. This work provides a robust, convenient, accurate, and cost-effective tool for the diagnosis of esophageal cancer tumors, advancing toward Raman-based clinical intraoperative applications.

Hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy combined with camrelizumab plus rivoceranib for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis: a multicenter propensity score-matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) signifies late-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with high-risk progression and poor prognosis. As a standard treatment, sorafenib monotherapy has limited the efficacy in managing HCC with PVTT. Currently, both hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) and the combination of camrelizumab and rivoceranib have shown favorable survival benefits for advanced HCC, surpassing the standard sorafenib treatment. In this study, we investigate the safety and efficacy of HAIC combined with camrelizumab and rivoceranib in treating HCC patients with PVTT. METHODS: From January 2020 to December 2021, HCC patients with PVTT, who received either a triple regime of HAIC combined with camrelizumab and rivoceranib or a dual regime of camrelizumab and rivoceranib as their first-line treatment, were reviewed for eligibility at four hospital centers in China. To balance any intergroup differences, propensity score matching (PSM) was applied. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of the dual and triple combination treatment regimens based on survival prognosis and tumor response and evaluate the safety based on the occurrence of adverse reactions. RESULT: In this study, a total of 411 patients who received either the triple treatment regime (HAIC combined with camrelizumab plus rivoceranib, referred to as the HAICCR group, n = 292) or the dual treatment regime (camrelizumab combined with rivoceranib, referred to as the CR group, n = 119) between January 2020 and December 2021 were included. The results showed that the HAICCR group exhibited significantly better overall survival (mOS: 19.60 months vs. 11.50 months, p < 0.0001) and progression-free survival (mPFS: 10.0 months vs. 5.6 months, p < 0.0001) compared to the CR group in the overall cohort. Moreover, the HAICCR group also had a significantly higher ORR (objective response rate, 55.5% vs. 42.0%, p = 0.013) and DCR (disease control rate, 89.0% vs. 79.0%) compared to the CR group. After PSM, a final matched cohort of 83 pairs was obtained, and the survival benefits were consistent in this cohort as well (mOS: 18.70 months vs. 11.0 months, p < 0.0001; mPFS: 10.0 months vs. 5.6 months, p < 0.0001). However, there was no significant difference in the ORR between the triple and dual combination regimes. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that CTP (Child-Turcotte-Pugh) stage, ALBI (albumin-bilirubin index) grade, tumor number, and treatment regime were significant risk factors affecting overall survival, while AFP (α-fetoprotein) level, tumor number, metastasis, and treatment regime were significant risk factors affecting progression-free survival. As for safety, hypertension and hand-foot syndrome were the two most common adverse reactions in both groups, with no significant difference in the occurrence of adverse reactions between the two groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In the context of advanced HCC patients with PVTT, the combination regime of HAIC and camrelizumab plus rivoceranib demonstrates more excellent capacity for prolonging survival and offers a well-tolerated safety compared to the CR dual therapy approach. This triple regime represents a therapeutic modality of broad prospects and vast potential for HCC patients with PVTT.

Adaptive Clustering for Point Cloud.

The point cloud segmentation method plays an important role in practical applications, such as remote sensing, mobile robots, and 3D modeling. However, there are still some limitations to the current point cloud data segmentation method when applied to large-scale scenes. Therefore, this paper proposes an adaptive clustering segmentation method. In this method, the threshold for clustering points within the point cloud is calculated using the characteristic parameters of adjacent points. After completing the preliminary segmentation of the point cloud, the segmentation results are further refined according to the standard deviation of the cluster points. Then, the cluster points whose number does not meet the conditions are further segmented, and, finally, scene point cloud data segmentation is realized. To test the superiority of this method, this study was based on point cloud data from a park in Guilin, Guangxi, China. The experimental results showed that this method is more practical and efficient than other methods, and it can effectively segment all ground objects and ground point cloud data in a scene. Compared with other segmentation methods that are easily affected by parameters, this method has strong robustness. In order to verify the universality of the method proposed in this paper, we test a public data set provided by ISPRS. The method achieves good segmentation results for multiple sample data, and it can distinguish noise points in a scene.

Regulating the Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces of Lithium-High Nickel Batteries via a Multifunctional Additive.

Lithium metal batteries with high nickel ternary (LiNixCoyMn1-x-yO2, x ≥ 0.8) as the cathode hold the promise to meet the demand of next-generation high energy density batteries. However, the unsatisfactory stability of electrode-electrolyte interfaces limits their practical applications. In this work, N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyltrifluoroacetamide (NMTFA) is suggested as a new functional electrolyte additive to stabilize the Li∥LiNi0.9Co0.05Mn0.05O2 chemistry by forming robust and effective electrode-electrolyte interphases, namely the anode-electrolyte interphase (AEI, or conventionally called SEI) and cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI). The NMTFA-derived SEI/CEI greatly enhances the battery performance that a capacity retention of 82.1% after 200 cycles at 1C charge/discharge is achieved, significantly higher than that without NMTFA addition (52.5%). Moreover, the NMTFA also improves the thermal stability of the electrolyte and inhibits the hydrolysis of LiPF6. This work provides new clues for the optimization of electrolyte formulation for lithium-high nickel batteries through modulating interfaces.

Assessing the causal associations of sleep apnea with mental health and socioeconomic status: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization.

OBJECTIVE: Traditional observational research has suggested a connection between socioeconomic position, mental health, and sleep apnea (SA), but the specifics of this connection are still unclear. Using the Mendelian randomization approach, we intended to evaluate the potential causal link between mental health, socioeconomic status, and SA. METHODS: Our research employed summary statistics data from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on mental health, socioeconomic status, and SA. In the main study, the connection between mental health, socioeconomic status, and SA was examined using the inverse variance weighted approach. In addition, as a supplement, we also used other Mendelian randomization methods, including MR Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode. RESULTS: The primary analysis showed that educational attainment, including longer years of schooling, college or university degree, and higher intelligence was associated with a lower risk of SA (OR = 0.750, 95%CI = 0.653-0.862; OR = 0.558, 95%CI = 0.423-0.735; OR = 0.871, 95%CI = 0.760-0.999, respectively), while social deprivation was associated with a higher risk of SA (OR = 1.821, 95%CI = 1.075-3.085). And the income was not associated with the risk of sleep apnea (OR = 0.877, 95%CI = 0.682-1.129). In mental health exposure, major depressive disorder was associated with a higher risk of sleep apnea (OR = 1.196, 95%CI = 1.015-1.409), while attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia were not associated with the risk of sleep apnea (OR = 1.064, 95%CI = 0.958-1.181; OR = 1.030, 95%CI = 0.942-1.127; OR = 0.990, 95%CI = 0.957-1.025, respectively). Reverse MR analysis failed to find a causal effect from SA on mental health and socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS: This MR investigation offers proof of a possible causal relationship between SA, socioeconomic level, and mental health.

High-Throughput Calculations for Screening d- and p-Block Single-Atom Catalysts toward Li2 S/Na2 S Decomposition Guided by Facile Descriptor beyond Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi Relationship.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are promising cathode materials for addressing issues faced by lithium-sulfur batteries. Considering the ample chemical space of SACs, high-throughput calculations are efficient strategies for their rational design. However, the high throughput calculations are impeded by the time-consuming determination of the decomposition barrier (Eb ) of Li2 S. In this study, the effects of bond formation and breakage on the kinetics of SAC-catalyzed Li2 S decomposition with g-C3 N4 as the substrate are clarified. Furthermore, a new efficient and easily-obtained descriptor Li─S─Li angle (ALi─S─Li ) of adsorbed Li2 S, different from the widely accepted thermodynamic data for predicting Eb , which breaks the well-known Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi relationship, is identified. Under the guidance of ALi─S─Li , several superior SACs with d- and p-block metal centers supported by g-C3 N4 are screened to accelerate the sulfur redox reaction and fix the soluble lithium polysulfides. The newly identified descriptor of ALi─S─Li can be extended to rationally design SACs for Na─S batteries. This study opens a new pathway for tuning the performance of SACs to catalyze the decomposition of X2 S (X = Li, Na, and K) and thus accelerate the design of SACs for alkaline-chalcogenide batteries.

Structural Analysis and Novel Mechanism of Enteromorpha prolifera Sulfated Polysaccharide in Preventing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

A water-soluble polysaccharide (EP) was purified from edible algae Enteromorpha prolifera. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), ion chromatography (IC), and fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) were performed to characterize its structure. EP was defined as a low molecular weight (6625 Da) composed of rhamnose, glucose, glucuronic acid, xylose, galactose, arabinose, and mannose. Moreover, it was a sulfated polysaccharide with a degree of substitution (DS) of 1.48. Then, the high-fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ) induced diabetic mouse model was established to support evidence for a novel hypoglycemic mechanism. Results showed that blood glucose (47.32%), liver index (7.65%), epididymal fat index (16.86%), serum total cholesterol (26.78%) and triglyceride (37.61%) in the high-dose EP (HEP) group were significantly lower than those in the HFD group. Noticeably, the content of liver glycogen in the HEP group was significantly higher (62.62%) than that in the HFD group, indicating the promotion of glycogen synthesis. These beneficial effects were attributed to significantly increased protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation and its downstream signaling response. Further studies showed that diabetic mice exhibited excessive O-GlcNAcylation level and high expression of O-linked ß-D-N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT), which were decreased by 62.21 and 30.43% in the HEP group. This result suggested that EP had a similar effect to OGT inhibitors, which restored AKT phosphorylation and prevented pathoglycemia. This work reveals a novel hypoglycemic mechanism of EP, providing a theoretical basis for further studies on its pharmacological properties in improvement of T2DM.

GSDMD promotes neutrophil extracellular traps via mtDNA-cGAS-STING pathway during lung ischemia/reperfusion.

Lung ischemia/reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a complex pathophysiological process, with the histopathological hallmark of neutrophils migrating into the lungs. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been suggested to exert a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and infection in humans and animals, while the exact functions and underlying mechanisms of NETs in LIRI remain insufficiently elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of pore-forming protein gasdermin D (GSDMD) on NETs release in LIRI induced by lung ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). We found that disulfiram, a GSDMD inhibitor, dramatically reduced NETs release and pathological injury in lung I/R in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, GSDMD caused mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) leaking into the neutrophil cytosol, and then the cytoplasmic mtDNA activated the cGAS-STING signaling pathway and stimulated NETs formation in lung I/R. Furthermore, inhibition of cGAS/STING pathway could inhibit cytosol mtDNA mediated NETs formation.

Insight into the High-Efficiency Benzo(a)pyrene Degradation Ability of Pseudomonas benzopyrenica BaP3 and Its Application in the Complete Bioremediation of Benzo(a)pyrene.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common carcinogens. Benzo(a)pyrene is one of the most difficult high-molecular-weight (HMW) PAHs to remove. Biodegradation has become an ideal method to eliminate PAH pollutants from the environment. The existing research is mostly limited to low-molecular-weight PAHs; there is little understanding of HMW PAHs, particularly benzo(a)pyrene. Research into the biodegradation of HMW PAHs contributes to the development of microbial metabolic mechanisms and also provides new systems for environmental treatments. Pseudomonas benzopyrenica BaP3 is a highly efficient benzo(a)pyrene-degrading strain that is isolated from soil samples, but its mechanism of degradation remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the high degradation efficiency mechanism of BaP3. The genes encoding Rhd1 and Rhd2 in strain BaP3 were characterized, and the results revealed that rhd1 was the critical factor for high degradation efficiency. Molecular docking and enzyme activity determinations confirmed this conclusion. A recombinant strain that could completely mineralize benzo(a)pyrene was also proposed for the first time. We explained the mechanism of the high-efficiency benzo(a)pyrene degradation ability of BaP3 to improve understanding of the degradation mechanism of highly toxic PAHs and to provide new solutions to practical applications via synthetic biology.

Pseudomonas benzopyrenica sp. nov., isolated from soil, exhibiting high-efficiency degradation of benzo(a)pyrene.

A Gram-negative, yellow-pigmented, aerobic and rod-shaped bacterium, designated as strain BaP3T, was isolated from the soil. Strain BaP3T grew at 16-37℃ (optimum, 30 °C) and pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0). Additionally, strain BaP3T could tolerate NaCl concentrations in the range 0-6 % (optimum, 1%). Moreover, strain BaP3T was motile by flagella. The phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences showed that strain BaP3T belonged to the genus Pseudomonas, and the sequence was most closely related to Pseudomonas oryzihabitans CGMCC 1.3392T and Pseudomonas psychrotolerans DSM 15758T, with 99.66 % sequence similarity. Pseudomonas rhizoryzae RY24T was the next closely related species, exhibiting 99.38 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. The DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between strain BaP3T and its closely related types were below 50 and 92 %, respectively. Both results were below the cut-off for species distinction. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain BaP3T was 65.30 mol%. The predominant quinone in strain BaP3T was identified as ubiquinone Q-9. The major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω7c and/or C18 : 1 ω6c), summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c) and C16 : 0. These results indicated that strain BaP3T represents a novel species in the genus Pseudomonas. The type strain is BaP3T (CCTCC AB 2022379T=JCM 35914T), for which the name Pseudomonas benzopyrenica sp. nov. is proposed.

Multiparametric MRI-based model for prediction of local progression of hepatocellular carcinoma after thermal ablation.

PURPOSE: To develop a deep learning radiomics of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (DLRMM)-based model that incorporates preoperative and postoperative signatures for prediction of local tumor progression (LTP) after thermal ablation (TA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: From May 2017 to October 2021, 417 eligible patients with HCC were retrospectively enrolled from three hospitals (one primary cohort [PC, n = 189] and two external test cohorts [ETCs][n = 135, 93]). DLRMM features were extracted from T1WI + C, T2WI, and DWI using ResNet18 model. An integrative model incorporating the DLRMM signature with clinicopathologic variables were further built to LTP risk stratification. The performance of these models were compared by areas under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) using DeLong test. RESULTS: A total of 1668 subsequences and 31,536 multiparametric MRI slice including T1WI, T2WI, and DWI were collected simultaneously. The DLRMM signatures were extracted from tumor and ablation zone, respectively. Ablative margin, multiple tumors, and tumor abutting major vessels were regarded as risk factors for LTP in clinical model. The AUC of DLRMM model were 0.864 in PC, 0.843 in ETC1, and 0.858 in ETC2, which was higher significantly than those in clinical model (p < 0.001). After integrating clinical variable, DLRMM model obtained significant improvement with AUC of 0.870-0.869 in three cohorts (all, p < 0.001), which can provide the risk stratification for overall survival of HCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: The DLRMM model is essential to identify LTP risk of HCC patients who underwent TA and may potentially benefit personalized decision-making.

Galectin-3 as TREM2 upstream factor contributes to lung ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating macrophage polarization.

Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) is a complex "aseptic" inflammatory response, macrophage play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of LIRI. Galectin-3 (Gal3), a lectin implicated inflammation, has received limited attention in LIRI. Studies have reported Gal3 as a ligand for triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell 2 (TREM2) in macrophages in Alzheimer's disease. Hence, we established LIRI C57BL/6 mice model and hypoxia/glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) model to investigate the relationship among Gal3, TREM2, and macrophage polarization. Our result demonstrated inhibition of Gal3 significantly reduced M1-type macrophage polarization while markedly increased M2-type in LIRI. In addition, we observed colocalization of Gal3 and TREM2 in macrophages, inhibition of Gal3 could recover the downregulation of TREM2 induced by LIRI while promoting TREM2 expression could attenuate lung injury in LIRI. In summary, our findings suggest Gal3 as an upstream factor of TREM2, play a crucial role in LIRI by regulating macrophage polarization.

Effect of Low Tube Voltage (100 kV) Combined with ASIR-V on the Visualization and Image Quality of the Adamkiewicz Artery: A Comparison with 120 kV Protocol.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of low tube voltage (100 kV) combined with adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction-V (ASIR-V) on the visualization and image quality of the Adamkiewicz artery (AKA). METHODS: One hundred patients were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned into two groups (both n = 50). Group A (100 kV) was reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and ASIR-V from 10% to 100% with 10% intervals. Group B (120 kV) was only reconstructed with FBP. The objective image quality was evaluated by using CT values of the aorta (CTAorta), background noise, signal-to-noise ratio of the descending aorta (SNRAorta), and contrast-to-noise ratio of the spinal cord (CNRSpinal cord). The subjective image quality and visualization scores of the AKA were assessed on a 5-point scale. RESULTS: CTAorta was significantly higher in Group A than in Group B (p < 0.001). When ASIR-V weights were ≥60%, significant differences were found in the background noise, SNRAorta, and CNRSpinal cord between the two groups (all p < 0.05). In Group A, compared with FBP, the subjective score gradually increased as ASIR-V increased to 80%, which decreased when ASIR-V exceeded 80%. The visualization scores of the AKA (≥60%) and the ability to detect vessel continuity (≥80%) gradually increased as the ASIR-V weights increased (p < 0.05). The effective radiation dose was reduced by about 40.36% in Group A compared to Group B. CONCLUSIONS: compared with conventional scanning protocol, using a combination of low tube voltage (100 kV) and 80% ASIR-V protocol could not only increase the visualization of the AKA, but also improve image quality and reduce the radiation doses.

New roles for Bacillus thuringiensis in the removal of environmental pollutants.

For a long time, the well-known Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been extensively studied and developed as a biological insecticide for Lepidoptera and Coleoptera pests due to its ability to secrete a large number of specific insecticidal proteins. In recent years, studies have found that Bt strains can also potentially biodegrade residual pollutants in the environment. Many researchers have isolated Bt strains from multiple sites polluted by exogenous compounds and characterized and identified their xenobiotic-degrading potential. Furthermore, its pathway for degradation was also investigated at molecular level, and a number of major genes/enzymes responsible for degradation have been explored. At present, a variety of xenobiotics involved in degradation in Bt have been reported, including inorganic pollutants (used in the field of heavy metal biosorption and recovery and precious metal recovery and regeneration), pesticides (chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, 2,2-dichloropropionic acid, etc.), organic tin, petroleum and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, reactive dyes (congo red, methyl orange, methyl blue, etc.), and ibuprofen, among others. In this paper, the biodegrading ability of Bt is reviewed according to the categories of related pollutants, so as to emphasize that Bt is a powerful agent for removing environmental pollutants.

Microbial degradation as a powerful weapon in the removal of sulfonylurea herbicides.

Sulfonylurea herbicides have been widely used worldwide and play a significant role in modern agricultural production. However, these herbicides have adverse biological effects that can damage the ecosystems and harm human health. As such, rapid and effective techniques that remove sulfonylurea residues from the environment are urgently required. Attempts have been made to remove sulfonylurea residues from environment using various techniques such as incineration, adsorption, photolysis, ozonation, and microbial degradation. Among them, biodegradation is regarded as a practical and environmentally responsible way to eliminate pesticide residues. Microbial strains such as Talaromyces flavus LZM1, Methylopila sp. SD-1, Ochrobactrum sp. ZWS16, Staphylococcus cohnii ZWS13, Enterobacter ludwigii sp. CE-1, Phlebia sp. 606, and Bacillus subtilis LXL-7 can almost completely degrade sulfonylureas. The degradation mechanism of the strains is such that sulfonylureas can be catalyzed by bridge hydrolysis to produce sulfonamides and heterocyclic compounds, which deactivate sulfonylureas. The molecular mechanisms associated with microbial degradation of sulfonylureas are relatively poorly studied, with hydrolase, oxidase, dehydrogenase and esterase currently known to play a pivotal role in the catabolic pathways of sulfonylureas. Till date, there are no reports specifically on the microbial degrading species and biochemical mechanisms of sulfonylureas. Hence, in this article, the degradation strains, metabolic pathways, and biochemical mechanisms of sulfonylurea biodegradation, along with its toxic effects on aquatic and terrestrial animals, are discussed in depth in order to provide new ideas for remediation of soil and sediments polluted by sulfonylurea herbicides.

Method to Solve Underwater Laser Weak Waves and Superimposed Waves.

With the rapid development of Lidar technology, the use of Lidar for underwater terrain detection has become feasible. There is still a challenge in the process of signal resolution: the underwater laser echo signal is different to propagating in the air, and it is easy to produce weak waves and superimposed waves. However, existing waveform decomposition methods are not effective in processing these waveform signals, and the underwater waveform signal cannot be correctly decomposed, resulting in subsequent data-processing errors. To address these issues, this study used a drone equipped with a 532 nm laser to detect a pond as the study background. This paper proposes an improved inflection point selection decomposition method to estimate the parameter. By comparing it with other decomposition methods, we found that the RMSE is 2.544 and R2 is 0.995975, which is more stable and accurate. After estimating the parameters, this study used oscillating particle swarm optimization (OPSO) and the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm (LM) to optimize the estimated parameters; the final results show that the method in this paper is closer to the original waveform. In order to verify the processing effect of the method on complex waveform, this paper decomposes and optimizes the simulated complex waveforms; the final RMSE is 0.0016, R2 is 1, and the Gaussian component after decomposition can fully represent the original waveform. This method is better than other decomposition methods in complex waveform decomposition, especially regarding weak waves and superimposed waves.

Predictive value of ACEF II score for adverse prognosis in patients with coronary heart disease after percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of age, creatinine and ejection fraction (ACEF) II score for the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: A total of 445 patients with CHD who underwent PCI were consecutively enrolled. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyse the power of the ACEF II score in predicting MACCE. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank tests were chosen for survival analysis of adverse prognosis between groups. Finally, multivariate Cox proportional risk regression analysis was used to investigate independent risk factors for MACCEs in patients with CHD after PCI. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher incidence of MACCEs in patients with high ACEF II scores. The area under the ROC curve of ACEF II score was 0.718, suggesting it had ideal predictive value for MACCE risks. The ACEF II score had a best cut-off value of 1.461 (sensitivity 79.4%, specificity 53.7%). Survival analysis indicated that patients in the high-score group had a significantly lower cumulative MACCE-free survival rate. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that ACEF II scores ≥1.461, Gensini scores ≥61.5, age, cardiac troponin I and previous PCI were independent risk factors of MACCE in patients with CHD after PCI, while the utilisation of statins was an independent protective factor. CONCLUSIONS: The ACEF II score has an ideal capacity for risk stratification in patients with CHD undergoing PCI and offers good predictive value for MACCE in the long term.

Near-infrared laser-irradiated upconversion nanoparticles with dexamethasone precise released for alleviating lung ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Introduction: Dexamethasone (DEX), as an important enduring-effect glucocorticoid (GC), holds great promise in the field of lung ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI) comprehensive therapy owing to its immunomodulatory properties, such as inducing apoptosis and cell cycle distribution. However, its potent anti-inflammatory application is still restricted because of multiple internal physiologic barriers. Methods: Herein, we developed upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) coated with photosensitizer/capping agent/fluorescent probe-modified mesoporous silica (UCNPs@mSiO2[DEX]-Py/ß-CD/FITC, USDPFs) for precise DEX release synergistic LIRI comprehensive therapy. The UCNPs were designed by covering an inert YOF:Yb shell on the YOF:Yb, Tm core to achieve high-intensity blue and red upconversion emission upon Near-Infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Results: Under suitable compatibility conditions, the molecular structure of photosensitizer can be damaged along with capping agent shedding, which endowed USDPFs with an outstanding capability to carry out DEX release controlling and fluorescent indicator targeting. Furthermore, the hybrid encapsulating of DEX significantly increased utilization of nano-drugs, improving the water solubility and bioavailability, which was conducive to developing the anti-inflammatory performance of USDPFs in the complex clinical environment. Discussion: The response-controlled release of DEX in the intrapulmonary microenvironment can reduce normal cell damage, which can effectively avoid the side effects of nano-drugs in anti-inflammatory application. Meanwhile, the multi-wavelength of UCNPs endowed nano-drugs with the fluorescence emission imaging capacity in an intrapulmonary microenvironment, providing precise guidance for LIRI.

A novel anastrozole intravaginal ring for endometriosis: Pharmacokinetic characteristics and mucosal irritation.

In order to achieve the long-term management of endometriosis, a more economical and environmentally friendly material, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), was used to prepare a intravaginal ring with anastrozole (ATZ). This paper has compared the pharmacokinetic parameters with oral tablets (Aida®) in mini pigs and evaluated the uterine targeted effect and mucosal irritation of the ring. A bioassay method was developed and validated for the determination of ATZ in mini pigs. The determination of ATZ was achieved by LC-MS/MS using terfenadine as the internal standard. Separation was achieved on a Kinetex-C18 110A chromatographic column (3 × 30 mm, 2.6 µm; Phenomenex) with a gradient mobile phase consisting of methanol (0.1% formic acid) and water (0.1% formic acid). The method has been proved to be scientific and sensitive through methodological validation and can be easily and quickly applied to the determination of the content of anastrozole in mini pigs. The pharmacokinetic test results show that there was no significant difference in pharmacokinetic parameters between the two formulations. The intravaginal ring has a passive targeting effect on the uterus, and its mucosal irritation is acceptable. The intravaginal ring provides a new method for long-term management of endometriosis.