Recent Advances in Functional Materials for Optical Data Storage.

In the current data age, the fundamental research related to optical applications has been rapidly developed. Countless new-born materials equipped with distinct optical properties have been widely explored, exhibiting tremendous values in practical applications. The optical data storage technique is one of the most significant topics of the optical applications, which is considered as the prominent solution for conquering the challenge of the explosive increase in mass data, to achieve the long-life, low-energy, and super high-capacity data storage. On this basis, our review outlines the representative reports for mainly introducing the functional systems based on the newly established materials applied in the optical storage field. According to the material categories, the representative functional systems are divided into rare-earth doped nanoparticles, graphene, and diarylethene. In terms of the difference of structural features and delicate properties among the three materials, the application in optical storage is comprehensively illustrated in the review. Meanwhile, the potential opportunities and critical challenges of optical storage are also discussed in detail.

Short-term outcomes of robot-assisted versus video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for non-small cell lung cancer patients with neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy: a single-center retrospective study.

Background: Neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy has been increasingly applied to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the comparison between robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in the feasibility and oncological efficacy following neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy is scarce. This study aims to assess the superiorities of RATS over (VATS) concerning short-term outcomes in treating NSCLC patients with neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy. Methods: NSCLC patients receiving RATS or VATS lobectomy following neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy at Shanghai Chest Hospital from 2019 to 2022 were retrospectively identified. Baseline clinical characteristics, perioperative outcomes, and survival profiles were analyzed. Results: Forty-six NSCLC patients with neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy were included and divided into the RATS (n=15) and VATS (n=31) groups. The baseline clinical characteristics and induction-related adverse events were comparable between the two groups (all p>0.050). The 30-day mortality in the RATS and VATS groups were 0% and 3.23%, respectively (p=1.000). Patients undergoing RATS were associated with reduced surgical-related intensive unit care (ICU) stay than those receiving VATS (0.0 [0.0-0.0] vs. 0.0 [0.0-1.0] days, p=0.026). Moreover, RATS assessed more N1 LNs (6.27 ± 1.94 vs 4.90 ± 1.92, p=0.042) and LN stations (3.07 ± 1.03 vs 2.52 ± 0.57, p=0.038) compared with VATS. By comparison, no difference was found in surgical outcomes, pathological results, and postoperative complications between the RATS and VATS groups (all p>0.050). Finally, RATS and VATS achieved comparable one-year recurrence-free survival (82.96% vs. 85.23%, p=0.821) and the timing of central nervous system, LN, and bone recurrences (all p>0.050). Conclusion: RATS is safe and feasible for NSCLC patients with neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy, reducing surgical-related ICU stay, assessing increased N1 LNs and stations, and achieving similar survival profiles to VATS.

Association between length of stay and postoperative survival in patients with lung cancer: a propensity score matching analysis based on National Cancer Database.

Background: Postoperative complications tend to result in prolonged hospitalization. The aim of this study was to investigate whether prolonged postoperative length of stay (LOS) can predict patient survival, particularly long-term survival. Methods: All patients undergoing lung cancer surgery between 2004 and 2015 were identified in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). The highest quintile of LOS (more than 8 days) was defined as prolonged length of stay (PLOS). We performed 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) between the groups with and without PLOS (Non-PLOS). Excluding confounding factors, postoperative LOS was used as a surrogate for postoperative complications. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards survival analyses were performed to analyze survival. Results: A total of 88,007 patients were identified. After matching, 18,585 patients were enrolled in the PLOS and Non-PLOS groups, respectively. Before and after matching, 30-day rehospitalization rate and 90-day mortality in the PLOS group were significantly higher than they were in the Non-PLOS group (P<0.001), indicating a potential worse short-term postoperative survival. After matching, the median survival of the PLOS group was significantly lower than that of the Non-PLOS group (53.2 vs. 63.5 months, P<0.0001). Multivariable analysis revealed that PLOS is independent negative predictor of overall survival [OS; hazard ratio (HR) =1.263, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.227 to 1.301, P<0.001]. In addition, age (<70 or ≥70), gender, race, income, year of diagnosis, surgery type, pathological stage, and neoadjuvant therapy also were independent prognostic factors of postoperative survival for patients with lung cancer (all P<0.001). Conclusions: Postoperative LOS could be taken as the quantitative indicator of postoperative complications of lung cancer in NCDB. In this study, PLOS predicted worse short-term and long-term survival independent of other factors. Avoiding PLOS could be considered to benefit patient survival after lung cancer surgery.

Homologous recombination repair gene-based risk model predicts prognosis and immune microenvironment for primary lung cancer after previous malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Homologous recombination repair (HRR) plays an important role in cancer development, drug resistance, and immune escape, but the role of HRR genes in primary lung cancer (PLC) after previous malignancies is unclear. METHODS: We used HRR-related score constrcted by HRR genes to classify patients into two groups and compared clinical progression, differential genes, and their functions between them. Then, we constructed a prognostic risk model based on HRR-related score and screened key differentially expressed genes. We evaluated the potential roles, mutational information, and immune correlations of key genes. Finally, we compared the long-term prognosis and immune correlations of different prognostic risk subgroups. RESULTS: We found that HRR-related score was associated with T-stage, immunotherapy sensitivity, and prognosis of PLC after previous malignancies. Differential genes between HRR-related low-score and high-score groups are mainly involved in DNA replication and repair processes, such as the cell cycle. We identified three key genes, ABO, SERPINE2, and MYC, by machine learning, and MYC had the highest amplification mutation frequency. We verified that the key gene-based prognostic model can better assess the prognosis of patients. The risk score of the prognostic model was associated with immune microenvironment and efficacy of immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we identified three key genes ABO, SERPINE2, and MYC associated with HRR status in PLC after previous malignancies. The risk model based on key genes is associated with immune microenvironment and can well predict the prognosis for PLC after previous malignancies.

Combined application of high-throughput sequencing and LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics to evaluate the formation of Zn-protoporphyrin in Nuodeng ham.

In order to deepen the understanding of the formation mechanism of Zn-protoporphyrin (ZnPP), Nuodeng ham was used as the research object, and the effects of bacterial communities and small molecule metabolites on the formation of ZnPP during the processing of Nuodeng ham were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing and LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics. With the prolongation of processing time, the ZnPP content increased significantly, while the heme content decreased significantly. Compound curing agent significantly inhibited the formation of ZnPP and significantly decreased the heme content. The bacterial communities changed dynamically and the five bacterial genera were significantly positively correlated with ZnPP content. Forty-seven differential metabolites were obtained through screening, of which seventeen differential metabolites were significantly positively correlated with ZnPP content. Correlation analysis showed a strongly positive correlation between Staphylococcus, Delftia, Acinetobacter and these seventeen differential metabolites. These findings can provide a theoretical basis for further establishing the color control measures of Nuodeng ham.

The effect of Pilates exercise training for scoliosis on improving spinal deformity and quality of life: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear if Pilates is conducive to reducing spinal deformity and improving patients' quality of life (QOL) with scoliosis. The aim of this study was to systematically review the published evidence to determine whether Pilates exercise training is an efficacious therapy for scoliosis. METHODS: Searches was conducted in Medline, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane library, Baidu Scholar, and Green Medical to identify randomized studies that tested the effect of Pilates exercise training on Cobb angle, pain level, trunk range of motion (ROM), angle of trunk rotation, and QOL in idiopathic scoliosis. Separate meta-analyses were performed on the endpoints of these outcome measures. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. RESULTS: This review included 10 randomized controlled trials (n = 359). PEDro scores ranged from 3 to 10, with the mean score across all articles being 5.3/10 and judged to be of fair quality. The results indicated that Pilates exercises was effective in reducing Cobb angle (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.11-2.35), angle of trunk rotation (SMD = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.01-1.73), and pain level (SMD = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.55-4.01), as well as improving trunk ROM (SMD = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.45-2.00), and QOL (SMD = 3.05, 95% CI = 2.59-3.51) in patients with scoliosis. CONCLUSION: Pilates exercise training may reduce the Cobb angle and trunk rotation, relieve pain, increase trunk ROM, and improve QOL for patients with scoliosis. Due to the poor quality of the evidence, however, these results should be interpreted with caution.

Coherent Phonon Rabi Oscillations with a High-Frequency Carbon Nanotube Phonon Cavity.

Phonon-cavity electromechanics allows the manipulation of mechanical oscillations similar to photon-cavity systems. Many advances on this subject have been achieved in various materials. In addition, the coherent phonon transfer (phonon Rabi oscillations) between the phonon cavity mode and another oscillation mode has attracted many interest in nanoscience. Here, we demonstrate coherent phonon transfer in a carbon nanotube phonon-cavity system with two mechanical modes exhibiting strong dynamical coupling. The gate-tunable phonon oscillation modes are manipulated and detected by extending the red-detuned pump idea of photonic cavity electromechanics. The first- and second-order coherent phonon transfers are observed with Rabi frequencies 591 and 125 kHz, respectively. The frequency quality factor product fQm ∼ 2 × 1012 Hz achieved here is larger than kBTbase/h, which may enable the future realization of Rabi oscillations in the quantum regime.

Coupling Two Distant Double Quantum Dots with a Microwave Resonator.

We fabricated a hybrid device with two distant graphene double quantum dots (DQDs) and a microwave resonator. A nonlinear response is observed in the resonator reflection amplitude when the two DQDs are jointly tuned to the vicinity of the degeneracy points. This observation can be well fitted by the Tavis-Cummings (T-C) model which describes two two-level systems coupling with one photonic field. Furthermore, the correlation between the DC currents in the two DQDs is studied. A nonzero cross-current correlation is observed which has been theoretically predicted to be an important sign of nonlocal coupling between two distant systems. Our results explore T-C physics in electronic transport and also contribute to the study of nonlocal transport and future implementations of remote electronic entanglement.

Introduction of DC line structures into a superconducting microwave 3D cavity.

We report a technique that can noninvasively add multiple DC wires into a 3D superconducting microwave cavity for electronic devices that require DC electrical terminals. We studied the influence of our DC lines on the cavity performance systematically. We found that the quality factor of the cavity is reduced if any of the components of the electrical wires cross the cavity equipotential planes. Using this technique, we were able to incorporate a quantum dot (QD) device into a 3D cavity. We then controlled and measured the QD transport signal using the DC lines. We have also studied the heating effects of the QD by the microwave photons in the cavity.