Measurement of nanocomposite scintillators by terahertz time domain spectroscopy.

Nanocomposite scintillators are expected to combine the advantages of inorganic and plastic scintillators, such as high detection efficiency, high light yield, fast decay time, low cost, and ease of processing. They are currently the forefront and hot field of scintillator research. In this study, a non-destructive method was developed for measuring the content of inorganic components in nanocomposite scintillators by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. The complex refractive index of B a F 2 nanocomposite scintillators with different mass contents was measured in the terahertz band. As the mass content of B a F 2 nanoparticles increases, the refractive index and extinction coefficient of B a F 2 nanocomposite scintillators also gradually increase in the terahertz band. By combining the effective medium theory, the expected mass content was obtained, proving the feasibility of this measuring method.

Neutrophil profiling illuminates anti-tumor antigen-presenting potency.

Neutrophils, the most abundant and efficient defenders against pathogens, exert opposing functions across cancer types. However, given their short half-life, it remains challenging to explore how neutrophils adopt specific fates in cancer. Here, we generated and integrated single-cell neutrophil transcriptomes from 17 cancer types (225 samples from 143 patients). Neutrophils exhibited extraordinary complexity, with 10 distinct states including inflammation, angiogenesis, and antigen presentation. Notably, the antigen-presenting program was associated with favorable survival in most cancers and could be evoked by leucine metabolism and subsequent histone H3K27ac modification. These neutrophils could further invoke both (neo)antigen-specific and antigen-independent T cell responses. Neutrophil delivery or a leucine diet fine-tuned the immune balance to enhance anti-PD-1 therapy in various murine cancer models. In summary, these data not only indicate the neutrophil divergence across cancers but also suggest therapeutic opportunities such as antigen-presenting neutrophil delivery.

High expression of RTEL1 predicates worse progression in gliomas and promotes tumorigenesis through JNK/ELK1 cascade.

Gliomas are the most common primary intracranial tumor worldwide. The maintenance of telomeres serves as an important biomarker of some subtypes of glioma. In order to investigate the biological role of RTEL1 in glioma. Relative telomere length (RTL) and RTEL1 mRNA was explored and regression analysis was performed to further examine the relationship of the RTL and the expression of RTEL1 with clinicopathological characteristics of glioma patients. We observed that high expression of RTEL1 is positively correlated with telomere length in glioma tissue, and serve as a poor prognostic factor in TERT wild-type patients. Further in vitro studies demonstrate that RTEL1 promoted proliferation, formation, migration and invasion ability of glioma cells. In addition, in vivo studies also revealed the oncogene role of RTEL1 in glioma. Further study using RNA sequence and phospho-specific antibody microarray assays identified JNK/ELK1 signaling was up-regulated by RTEL1 in glioma cells through ROS. In conclusion, our results suggested that RTEL1 promotes glioma tumorigenesis through JNK/ELK1 cascade and indicate that RTEL1 may be a prognostic biomarker in gliomas.

Effect of WeChat-Based Medication Guidance on Symptoms and Serological Parameters in Children with Mycoplasma Pneumoniae.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of microsoft-based medication guidance on the level of symptoms and serological indicators in children receiving budesonide nebulisation combined with terbutaline for the treatment of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumoniae (MPP). Methods: A total of 109 children with MPP treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University of China between October 2022 and April 2023 were divided into the conventional group (n=54, with medication guidance by telephone follow-up) and the WeChat group (n=55, with medication guidance based on the WeChat platform) using a randomized number table. The time to resolution of symptoms, serological index levels, incidence of adverse drug events, medication adherence scores and satisfaction rate of family guidance were compared between the two groups. Results: The disappearance time of symptoms such as wheezing and cough in the WeChat group was shorter than that in the conventional group (P < .05). After treatment, the C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and calcitoninogen (PCT) levels and the incidence of adverse drug events were lower in the WeChat group than in the conventional group (P < .05). After treatment, the levels of forceful spirometry (FVC), 1st-second expiratory volume (FEV1), peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), medication compliance score and family guidance satisfaction rate were higher in the WeChat group than in the conventional group (P < .05). Conclusion: WeChat-based medication guidance can optimize the therapeutic effect of MPP, improve children's medication compliance and satisfaction rate of family guidance, and reduce the occurrence of adverse drug events.

Automatic detection of cerebral microbleeds using susceptibility weighted imaging and artificial intelligence.

Background: Efficiently and accurately detecting cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) is crucial for diagnosing dementia, stroke, and traumatic brain injury. Manual CMB detection, however, is time-consuming and error-prone. This study evaluates a novel artificial intelligence (AI) software designed for the automated detection of CMBs using susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI). Methods: The SWI data from 265 patients, 206 of whom had a history of stroke and others of whom presented a variety of other medical histories, including hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cerebral hemorrhage, intracerebral vascular malformations, tumors, and inflammation, collected between January 2015 and December 2018, were analyzed. Two independent radiologists initially reviewed the images to identify and count the number of CMBs. Subsequently, the images were processed using an automatic CMB detection software. The generated reports were then reviewed by the radiologists. A final consensus between the two radiologists, obtained after a second review of the images, was used to compare results obtained from the initial manual detection and those of the automatic CMB detection software. The differences of detection sensitivity and precision for patients with or without CMBs and for individual CMBs between the radiologist and the automatic CMB detection software were compared using Pearson chi-squared tests. Results: A total of 1,738 CMBs were detected among 148 patients (71.4±10.7 years, 100 males) from the analyzed SWI data. While the radiologists identified 139 cases with CMBs, the automatic CMB detection software detected 145 cases. Nevertheless, there was no statistical difference in the sensitivity and specificity of the automatic CMB detection software compared to manual detection in determining patients with CMBs (P=0.656 and P=0.212, chi-square test). However, the radiologist identified 93 patients without CMBs, while the automatic CMB detection software detected 121 patients without CMBs, exhibiting a statistically significant difference (P=0.016, chi-square test). In terms of individual CMBs, the radiologists found 1,284, whereas the automatic CMB detection software detected 1,677 CMBs. The detection sensitivity for human versus the automatic CMB detection software were 75.5% and 96.5% respectively (P<0.001, chi-square test), while the precision rates were 92.2% and 86.0% (P<0.001, chi-square test), respectively. Notably, the radiologists were more likely to overlook CMBs when the number of CMBs was high (above 30). Conclusions: The automatic CMB detection software proved to be an effective tool for the detection and quantification of CMBs. It demonstrated higher sensitivity than the radiologists, especially in detecting minuscule CMBs and in cases with high CMB prevalence.

Right ventricle-pulmonary artery coupling in pulmonary artery hypertension its measurement and pharmacotherapy.

The right ventricular (RV) function correlates with prognosis in severe pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) but which metric of it is most clinically relevant is still uncertain. Clinical methods to estimate RV function from simplified pressure volume loops correlate with disease severity but the clinical relevance has not been assessed. Evaluation of right ventricle pulmonary artery coupling in pulmonary hypertensive patients may help to elucidate the mechanisms of right ventricular failure and may also help to identify patients at risk or guide the timing of therapeutic interventions in pulmonary hypertension. Complete evaluation of RV failure requires echocardiographic or magnetic resonance imaging, and right heart catheterization measurements. Treatment of RV failure in PAH relies on decreasing afterload with drugs targeting pulmonary circulation; fluid management to optimize ventricular diastolic interactions; and inotropic interventions to reverse cardiogenic shock. The ability to relate quantitative metrics of RV function in pulmonary artery hypertension to clinical outcomes can provide a powerful tool for management. Such metrics could also be utilized in the future as surrogate endpoints for outcomes and evaluation of response to therapies. This review of literature gives an insight on RV-PA coupling associated with PAH, its types of measurement and pharmacological treatment.

Guest-Regulated Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species from Porphyrin-Based Multicomponent Metallacages for Selective Photocatalysis.

The development of novel materials for highly efficient and selective photocatalysis is crucial for their practical applications. Herein, we employ the host-guest chemistry of porphyrin-based metallacages to regulate the generation of reactive oxygen species and further use them for the selective photocatalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohols. Upon irradiation, the sole metallacage (6) can generate singlet oxygen (1O2) effectively via excited energy transfer, while its complex with C70 (6⊃C70) opens a pathway for electron transfer to promote the formation of superoxide anion (O2⋅-), producing both 1O2 and O2⋅-. The addition of 4,4'-bipyridine (BPY) to complex 6⊃C70 forms a more stable complex (6⊃BPY) via the coordination of the Zn-porphyrin faces of 6 and BPY, which drives fullerenes out of the cavities and restores the ability of 1O2 generation. Therefore, benzyl alcohols are oxidized into benzyl aldehydes upon irradiation in the presence of 6 or 6⊃BPY, while they are oxidized into benzoic acids when 6⊃C70 is employed as the photosensitizing agent. This study demonstrates a highly efficient strategy that utilizes the host-guest chemistry of metallacages to regulate the generation of reactive oxygen species for selective photooxidation reactions, which could promote the utilization of metallacages and their related host-guest complexes for photocatalytic applications.

Au/PANI@PtCu-based electrochemical immunosensor for ultrasensitive determination of pro-gastrin-releasing peptide.

An ultrasensitive sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor for pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP) detection was constructed based on PtCu nanodendrites functionalized Au/polyaniline nanospheres (Au/PANI@PtCu). The prepared Au/PANI@PtCu nanocomposites not only possessed excellent electro-catalytic activity of H2O2 reduction due to the synergistic effect between the Au/PANI and PtCu NDs but also provided large specific surface area for detection of antibodies (Ab2) immobilization. In addition, Au nanoparticles encapsulated multi-wall carbon nanotubes (AuNPs@MWCNTs) were also applied to modify the glassy carbon electrode interface for loading numerous capture antibodies (Ab1). In the presence of target ProGRP, a sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor showed a strong current response from the electro-catalysis of Au/PANI@PtCu toward H2O2 reduction. Benefiting from the exceptional electro-catalytic performance of Au/PANI@PtCu and the high conductivity of AuNPs@MWCNTs, the sandwich-type immunoassay exhibited remarkable sensitivity in detection. The linear range extended from 100 fg/mL to 10 ng/mL, while achieving an impressively low limit of detection of 77.62 fg/mL.

Two-dimensional inverse problem of fire location in the closed goaf of coal mine based on optical fiber sensors.

Monitoring the temperature to determine the fire source locations is essential for controlling the spontaneous combustion in the goaf. Optical fiber sensors are employed to measure the temperature distribution in the goaf. However, due to changes in the geological conditions and the influence of the falling rocks in the goaf, only sensors on the upper side of the uncompacted goaf, due to inclination and coal pillar, may remain. Unilateral sensors are located on the upper side of the goaf, while fire occurs in the center. To investigate the issue with linear unilateral sensors, a two-dimensional inverse method has been developed to determine the location of fire sources by considering heat transfer after a fire inside the goaf. The equations were theoretically solved using Green's function method to obtain the internal temperature distribution of the physical model of the goaf. Sensitivity analysis identified the most crucial parameters in the process of spontaneous heating at different temperature. The fire source location can be determined using a loop method based on the model calculations. We considered a case to validate the model. Accurately identifying the fire source location in the goaf using the unilateral sensors has an essential theoretical and practical significance for fire prevention and fighting.

Amino-Functionalized Graphdiyne Derivative as a Cathode Interface Layer with High Thickness Tolerance for Highly Efficient Organic Solar Cells.

Efficient cathode interfacial materials (CIMs) are essential components for effectively enhancing the performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). Although high-performance CIMs are desired to meet the requirements of various OSCs, potential candidates for CIMs are scarce. Herein, an amino-functionalized graphdiyne derivative (GDY-N) is developed, which represents the first example of GDY that exhibits favorable solubility in alcohol. Utilizing GDY-N as the CIM, an outstanding champion PCE of 19.30% for devices based on the D18-Cl:L8-BO (certified result: 19.05%) is achieved, which is among the highest efficiencies reported to date in OSCs. Remarkably, the devices based on GDY-N exhibit a thickness-insensitive characteristic, maintaining 95% of their initial efficiency even with a film thickness of 25 nm. Moreover, the GDY-N displays wide universality and facilitates exceptional stability in OSCs. This work not only enriches the diversity of GDY derivatives, but also demonstrates the feasibility of GDY derivatives as CIMs with high thickness tolerance in OSCs.

Clinical effects and biological mechanisms of exercise on lumbar disc herniation.

Lumbar Disc Herniation (LDH) is a syndrome in which lumbar disc degeneration, rupture of the annulus fibrosus, and herniation of the nucleus pulposus irritate and compress the nerve roots and cauda equina, resulting in the main manifestations of lumbar pain and/or lower extremity pain. There is evidence in various clinical areas that exercise is effective in treating LDH, and exercise intervention for more than 2 weeks reduces disease activity in LDH. However, the mechanism of exercise's action in reducing disease activity in LDH is unclear. In this article, we first summarize and highlight the effectiveness of exercise in treating LDH and provide guideline recommendations regarding exercise type, intensity, frequency, and duration. Then, we integrate the existing evidence and propose biological mechanisms for the potential effects of exercise on neuromechanical compression, inflammatory chemical stimuli, and autoimmune responses from the perspective of LDH pathogenesis as an entry point. However, a large body of evidence was obtained from non-LDH populations. Future research needs to investigate further the proposed biological mechanisms of exercise in reducing disease activity in LDH populations. This knowledge will contribute to the basic science and strengthen the scientific basis for prescribing exercise therapy for the routine clinical treatment of LDH.

Research progress on the characteristics, sources, and environmental and potential health effects of water-soluble organic compounds in atmospheric particulate matter.

Water-soluble organic compounds (WSOCs) have received extensive attention due to their indistinct chemical components, complex sources, negative environmental impact, and potential health effects. To the best of our knowledge, until now, there has been no comprehensive review focused on the research progress of WSOCs. This paper reviewed the studies on chemical constituent and characterization, distribution condition, sources, environmental impact, as well as the potential health effects of WSOCs in the past 13 years. Moreover, the main existing challenges and directions for the future research on WSOCs were discussed from several aspects. Because of the complex composition of WSOCs and many unknown individual components that have not been detected, there is still a need for the identification and quantification of WSOCs. As modern people spend more time in indoor environments, it is meaningful to fill the gaps in the component characteristics and sources of indoor WSOCs. In addition, although in vitro cell experiments have shown that WSOCs could induce cellular oxidative stress and trigger the inflammatory response, the corresponding mechanisms of action need to be further explored. The current population epidemiology research of WSOCs is missing. Prospectively, we propose to conduct a comprehensive and simultaneous analysis strategy for concentration screening, source apportionment, potential health effects, and action mechanisms of WSOCs based on high throughput omics coupled with machine learning simulation and prediction.

Mid-arm muscle circumference and triceps skinfold thickness associated with cardiometabolic disease in Chinese residents: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The association of cardiometabolic disease (CMD) with body muscle and fat mass remains unclear. Mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC) and triceps skinfold (TSF) thickness are easily obtained measuring methods for these two body compositions. This study aimed to investigate the association of CMD with MAMC and TSF thickness among Chinese residents. METHODS: A total of 9440 eligible participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were included in the analysis. Associations of CMD prevalence with MAMC and TSF thickness were estimated using logistic regression models. Multivariable COX proportional-hazards regression models were used to estimate the effect of baseline MAMC and TSF thickness on subsequent CMD. RESULTS: Positive associations of CMD prevalence with MAMC (odds ratio [OR] = 1.169, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.110-1.232, P < 0.001) and TSF thickness (OR = 1.313, 95%CI 1.240-1.390, P < 0.001) were observed in the cross-sectional analysis. In the longitudinal study, a 1-SD increase in MAMC was associated with a 13.6% increased risk of CMD incidence (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.136, 95%CI 1.073-1.204, P < 0.001), and a 1-SD increase in TSF thickness had a 17.6% increased risk of CMD incidence (HR = 1.176, 95%CI 1.084-1.276, P < 0.001). For the CMD components, both MAMC and TSF thickness contributed to increased incidences of hypertension (HR = 1.163, 95%CI 1.097-1.233, P < 0.001 in MAMC; HR = 1.218, 95%CI 1.110-1.336, P < 0.001 in TSF thickness) and diabetes mellitus (HR = 1.166, 95%CI 1.028-1.323, P = 0.017 in MAMC; HR = 1.352, 95%CI 1.098-1.664, P = 0.004 in TSF thickness). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with higher MAMC and TSF thickness had an increased incidence of CMD, mainly hypertension and diabetes mellitus. This study revealed a seemingly counterintuitive association between body muscle mass and metabolic homeostasis. Although the potential mechanisms require further exploration, the impact of body muscle mass on metabolic health cannot be ignored.

An Analysis Regarding the Article: Insight Into the Optimal Timing of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an emerging minimally invasive treatment modality that has been shown to reduce mortality significantly compared to medical therapy alone and is superior or noninferior to conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients with severe and symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) deemed to have an intermediate or higher operative risk. AS patients at intermediate surgical risk, although complications of each procedure were different; with vascular complications and paravalvular leak (PVL) being more common in the TAVI group, whereas several other complications were more frequently found in the SAVR group, including new-onset atrial fibrillation, acute kidney injury and life-threatening bleeding. The risk factors associated with TAVR include larger annulus size (based on MSCT), pre-TAVI transvalvular Vmax, and aortic valve calcification; aortic valve calcification was found to be an independent predictor of PVL.

The role of physical activity on healthcare utilization in China.

BACKGROUND: Evidence on the role of physical activity (PA) on healthcare utilization and expenditure is limited in China. We aimed to examine the association between the total physical activity (TPA) per week, healthcare service use and expenditure. METHODS: We extracted the data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2011, 2013, and 2015. Participants more than 50 years old who completed the follow-up for the three waves were enrolled. We converted the volume of vigorous physical activity (VPA) into an equivalent volume of moderate physical activity (MPA) and calculated the TPA per week for each participant. 12,927 of the 17,708 participants in CHARLS were included in our analysis. More than one-third of participants over 50 years old never participate in any moderate or intensity activity, and the median of self-reported moderate or intensity PA was about 525 (IQR 0-1680) MET-minutes per week in 2015. RESULTS: Compared to inactive subjects, the highest level of TPA was significantly related to the decreased risk number of inpatient visits (IRR: 0.58; 95% CI:0.50-0.67, p < 0.001), inpatient hospital days (IRR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.42-0.84, p < 0.01), healthcare expenditure (IRR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.65-0.79, p < 0.001) and catastrophic health expenditures (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.45-0.72, p < 0.001) after adjusting for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging in moderate-to-vigorous PA may drive a potential decrease in healthcare utilization, healthcare expenditure and household financial risk with a dose-response relationship in China, and some possible policy implications in public health may be considered to promote exercise in the middle-aged and elderly to reduce the medical burden on individuals and healthcare systems.

Prevalence and association of early onset severe hyperbilirubinemia in newborn in the East China region: Retrospective medical record analyses.

Research on the prevalence and association of hyperbilirubinemia is controversial because of different cultures, demographics, and clinical conditions. The etiology of hyperbilirubinemia is affected by the environment and other factors in the newborn. The World Health Organization recommended a 1-day hospital stay after uncomplicated delivery, jaundice assessment before discharge, and screening on 3rd and 7th days after birth for hyperbilirubinemia. However, the implementation of these recommendations is difficult in China. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and association of early onset severe hyperbilirubinemia in newborns in East China. Retrospective medical record analyses for 250 cesarean sections or vaginal deliveries, ≥2 kg body weight, and negative for Hepatitis B surface antigen by birth newborns were performed. A biochemical analyzer, quantitative assay, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to evaluate total serum bilirubin, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, and gene variant phenotyping, respectively. A total in 33 (13%) newborns were reported with early onset severe hyperbilirubinemia (according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, total serum bilirubin ≥ 342 µmol/L within 6 hours of birth). All newborns with severe hyperbilirubinemia were hospitalized and underwent phototherapy. The mothers of all newborns had a gestational age ≥ 35 weeks. Hospitalization included artificial feeding, and breastfeeding was rare (P < .0001). ABO incompatibility ("O" blood type for mother and either "A" or "AB" or "B" blood type for newborn, P = .0411), G6PD deficiency (G6PD/6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase ≤ 1.0 in quantitative assay, P = .0422), Rh incompatibility (the mother's blood type was Rh negative and newborn blood type was Rh positive, P = .0416), fewer genotype rs4149056 frequencies (P = .0452), higher genotype rs2306283 frequencies (P = .0461), and higher genotype rs1805173 frequencies (P = .0471) were independent parameter for early onset severe hyperbilirubinemia of newborns. The prevalence of early onset severe hyperbilirubinemia in Chinese newborns is 13% in the East China region. Blood incompatibility, G6PD deficiency, fewer genotype rs4149056 frequencies, higher genotype rs2306283 frequencies, and higher genotype rs1805173 frequencies were independent predictors of early onset severe hyperbilirubinemia among newborns in the East China region (Level of Evidence: IV; Technical Efficacy: Stage 5).

Characterization of SchTPSs Enables Construction of Yeast for the Bioproduction of α-Cadinol and the Related Sesquiterpenes.

Plant volatile sesquiterpenes (PVSs) play important roles in chemical plant defense. However, it is difficult to isolate sufficient PVSs for deep investigations due to their low contents and chemical and physical properties close to those of other lipids. The extracts of Stellera chamaejasme L. exhibit insecticidal, fungicidal, and allelopathic activities. In this study, we identified three sesquiterpene synthase genes (SchTPS5, SchTPS6, and SchTPS7) from S. chamaejasme L. SchTPS7 is an α-farnesene synthase. SchTPS5 and SchTPS6 are two catalytically promiscuous sesquiterpene synthases, and α-cadinol and τ-muurolol are the predominant products for both of them in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study, for the first time, reports plant sesquiterpene synthases capable of producing α-cadinol and/or τ-muurolol in a heterologous host. More intriguingly, seven out of eight products of SchTPS6 in S. cerevisiae possess various insecticidal, fungicidal, and herbicidal activities. Building on this finding, we used SchTPS6 to construct an engineered S. cerevisiae for the production of these sesquiterpenes. The titers of two major products α-cadinol and τ-muurolol, respectively, reached 46.2 ± 4.0 and 11.2 ± 1.4 mg/L in a flask. This study lays a foundation for the development of new agrochemical mixtures.

Fibrosis-4 index is closely associated with clinical outcomes in acute cardioembolic stroke patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.

Liver cirrhosis is a confirmed risk factor for poor prognosis of stroke; however, the contribution of clinically inapparent liver fibrosis to cardioembolic stroke (CES) and its outcomes are poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the associations between liver fibrosis-measured by the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score-and stroke severity and short-term clinical outcomes of patients with acute CES due to nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). A total of 522 patients were followed for a median of 90 days. We calculated the FIB-4 score and defined liver fibrosis as follows: likely advanced fibrosis (FIB-4 > 3.25), indeterminate advanced fibrosis (FIB-4, 1.45-3.25), and unlikely advanced fibrosis (FIB-4 < 1.45). Logistic regression analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to investigate the relations between the FIB-4 score and stroke severity, major disability at discharge, and all-cause mortality. Among these 522 acute CES patients with NVAF, the mean FIB-4 score (2.28) on admission reflected intermediate fibrosis, whereas liver enzymes were largely normal. In multivariate regression analysis, patients with advanced liver fibrosis were more likely to have a higher risk of severe stroke (OR = 2.21, 95% CI 1.04-3.54), major disability at discharge (OR = 4.59, 95% CI 1.88-11.18), and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.10-1.56) than their counterparts. Regarding sex, these associations were stronger in males but not significant in females. In patients with acute CES due to NVAF, advanced liver fibrosis is associated with severe stroke, major disability, and all-cause death. Our findings indicate that early screening and management of liver fibrosis may decrease stroke severity and risk of death in patients with NVAF, especially for male patients. Consequently, FIB-4 > 3.25 of male patients should receive ultrasound elastography to further determine the degree of liver fibrosis.

Designing a Multilayered Oxygen Barrier Structure to Tackle Oxidation Challenges in Phase-Change Memory for Improved Reliability.

Phase-change memory (PCM) is considered one of the most promising candidates for universal memory. However, during the manufacturing process of PCM, phase-change materials (PCMs) encounter severe oxidation, which can cause degraded performance and reduced stability of PCM, hindering its industrialization process. In this work, a multilayered oxygen barrier (MOB) structure is proposed to tackle this challenge. Material characterization shows that the MOB structure can significantly reduce the extent of oxidation of PCMs from around 70% to as low as around 10%, achieving a remarkably low level of oxidation. Moreover, the material in the MOB structure exhibits notable enhancements in crystallization temperature and cycling capability. The improved stability is attributed to the oxygen barrier effect and the suppression of elemental segregation within the material, which are both conferred by the MOB structure. In summary, this work provides an effective solution to address the oxidation of PCMs, offering valuable guidance for realizing a high-reliability PCM in practical production.

Glycoproteomic contributions to hepatocellular carcinoma research: a 2023 update.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a significant burden globally, which ranks sixth among the most frequently diagnosed cancers and stands as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Glycoproteomics, as an important branch of proteomics, has already made significant achievements in the field of HCC research. Aberrant protein glycosylation has shown to promote the malignant transformation of hepatocytes by modulating a wide range of tumor-promoting signaling pathways. The glycoproteome provides valuable information for understanding cancer progression, tumor immunity, and clinical outcome, which could serve as potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tools in HCC. AREAS COVERED: In this review, recent advances of glycoproteomics contribute to clinical applications (diagnosis and prognosis) and molecular mechanisms (hepatocarcinogenesis, progression, stemness and recurrence, and drug resistance) of HCC are summarized. EXPERT OPINION: Glycoproteomics shows promise in HCC, enhancing early detection, risk stratification, and personalized treatments. Challenges include sample heterogeneity, diverse glycans structures, sensitivity issues, complex workflows, limited databases, and incomplete understanding of immune cell glycosylation. Addressing these limitations requires collaborative efforts, technological advancements, standardization, and validation studies. Future research should focus on targeting abnormal protein glycosylation therapeutically. Advancements in glycobiomarkers and glycosylation-targeted therapies will greatly impact HCC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment.