Defect-Induced All-Solid-State Frustrated Lewis Pair on Metal-Organic Monolayer Accelerating Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction with H2O Vapor.

Understanding the structure-performance relationships of a frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) at the atomic level is key to yielding high efficiency in activating chemically "inert" molecules into value-added products. A sound strategy was developed herein through incorporating oxygen defects into a Zr-based metal-organic layer (Zr-MOL-D) and employing Lewis basic proximal surface hydroxyls for the in situ formation of solid heterogeneous FLP (Zr4-δ-VO-Zr-OH). Zr-MOL-D exhibits a superior CO2 to CO conversion rate of 49.4 µmol g-1 h-1 in water vapor without any sacrificing agent or photosensitizer, which is about 12 times higher than that of pure MOL (Zr-MOL-P), with extreme stability even after being placed for half a year. Theoretical and experimental results reveal that the introduction of FLP converts the process of the crucial intermediate COOH* from an endothermic reaction to an exothermic spontaneous reaction. This work is expected to provide new prospects for developing efficient MOL-based photocatalysts in FLP chemistry through a sound defect-engineering strategy.

Ultra-low frequency magnetic energy focusing for highly effective wireless powering of deep-tissue implantable electronic devices.

The limited lifespan of batteries is a challenge in the application of implantable electronic devices. Existing wireless power technologies such as ultrasound, near-infrared light and magnetic fields cannot charge devices implanted in deep tissues, resulting in energy attenuation through tissues and thermal generation. Herein, an ultra-low frequency magnetic energy focusing (ULFMEF) methodology was developed for the highly effective wireless powering of deep-tissue implantable devices. A portable transmitter was used to output the low-frequency magnetic field (<50 Hz), which remotely drives the synchronous rotation of a magnetic core integrated within the pellet-like implantable device, generating an internal rotating magnetic field to induce wireless electricity on the coupled coils of the device. The ULFMEF can achieve energy transfer across thick tissues (up to 20 cm) with excellent transferred power (4-15 mW) and non-heat effects in tissues, which is remarkably superior to existing wireless powering technologies. The ULFMEF is demonstrated to wirelessly power implantable micro-LED devices for optogenetic neuromodulation, and wirelessly charged an implantable battery for programmable electrical stimulation on the sciatic nerve. It also bypassed thick and tough protective shells to power the implanted devices. The ULFMEF thus offers a highly advanced methodology for the generation of wireless powered biodevices.

Dawn of CAR-T cell therapy in autoimmune diseases.

ABSTRACT: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has achieved remarkable success in the treatment of hematological malignancies. Based on the immunomodulatory capability of CAR-T cells, efforts have turned toward exploring their potential in treating autoimmune diseases. Bibliometric analysis of 210 records from 128 academic journals published by 372 institutions in 40 countries/regions indicates a growing number of publications on CAR-T therapy for autoimmune diseases, covering a range of subtypes such as systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, among others. CAR-T therapy holds promise in mitigating several shortcomings, including the indiscriminate suppression of the immune system by traditional immunosuppressants, and non-sustaining therapeutic levels of monoclonal antibodies due to inherent pharmacokinetic constraints. By persisting and proliferating in vivo, CAR-T cells can offer a tailored and precise therapeutics. This paper reviewed preclinical experiments and clinical trials involving CAR-T and CAR-related therapies in various autoimmune diseases, incorporating innovations well-studied in the field of hematological tumors, aiming to explore a safe and effective therapeutic option for relapsed/refractory autoimmune diseases.

Host Nuclear Genome Copy Number Variations Identify High-Risk Anal Precancers in People Living with HIV.

BACKGROUND: People living with HIV (PLWH) have substantially increased incidence of anal precancer and cancer. There are very little data regarding genomic disturbances in anal precancers among PLWH. Here, we identified specific chromosomal variants in anal squamous intraepithelial lesions. METHODS: We collected 63 anal biopsy specimens (27 low-grade intraepithelial lesions [LSIL] and 36 high-grade intraepithelial lesions [HSIL]) from PLWH obtained as part of anal cancer screening in our NYC-based health system. Data on patient demographics, anal cytological and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) diagnoses were collected. Specimens were tested for a panel of chromosomal alterations associated with HPV-induced oncogenesis using Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization (FISH) and analyses compared the associations of these alterations with clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Gains of 3q26, 5p15, 20q13 and cen7 were detected in 42%, 31%, 31%, and 19% of HSIL compared to 7%, 0%, 4%, and 0% of LSIL, respectively. Where at least one abnormality was seen, 89% had a 3q26 gain. In lesions with 5p15 gains, 20q13 gains co-occurred in 91% of cases, while cen7 gain only co-occurred with the other three alterations. Sensitivity and specificity of any alteration to predict HSIL was 47% (95% CI: 30-65%) and 93% (95% CI: 76%-99%) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Genomic alterations seen in HPV-associated cancers may help distinguish anal LSIL from HSIL. 3q26 amplification may be an early component of anal carcinogenesis, preceding 5p16, 20q13 and/or chr7. IMPACT: We share insights on potential genomic biomarkers for discriminating high-risk anal precancers.

Single body-coupled fiber enables chipless textile electronics.

Intelligent textiles provide an ideal platform for merging technology into daily routines. However, current textile electronic systems often rely on rigid silicon components, which limits seamless integration, energy efficiency, and comfort. Chipless electronic systems still face digital logic challenges owing to the lack of dynamic energy-switching carriers. We propose a chipless body-coupled energy interaction mechanism for ambient electromagnetic energy harvesting and wireless signal transmission through a single fiber. The fiber itself enables wireless visual-digital interactions without the need for extra chips or batteries on textiles. Because all of the electronic assemblies are merged in a miniature fiber, this facilitates scalable fabrication and compatibility with modern weaving techniques, thereby enabling versatile and intelligent clothing. We propose a strategy that may address the problems of silicon-based textile systems.

Efficacy and safety of dabigatran and rivaroxaban in atrial fibrillation patients with impaired liver function: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with impaired liver function (ILF) have not been sufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DOACs for stroke prevention in patients with AF and ILF. METHOD: This study was based on data from 15 centers in China, including 4,982 AF patients. The patients were divided into 2 subgroups based on their liver function status: patients with normal liver function (NLF)(n = 4213) and patients with ILF (n = 769). Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk of total bleeding, major bleeding, thromboembolism, and all-cause deaths in AF patients with NLF and ILF after taking dabigatran or rivaroxaban, respectively. RESULTS: Among AF patients treated with dabigatran or rivaroxaban, patients with ILF were associated with significantly higher major bleeding, compared with NLF patients (aOR: 4.797; 95% CI: 2.224-10.256; P < 0.001). In patients with NLF, dabigatran (n = 2011) had considerably lower risk of total bleeding than rivaroxaban (n = 2202) (aOR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.002-1.513; P = 0.049). In patients with ILF, dabigatran (n = 321) significantly favored lower risks of major bleeding compared with rivaroxaban(n = 448) (aOR: 5.484; 95% CI: 1.508-35.269; P = 0.026). CONCLUSION: After using dabigatran or rivaroxaban, patients with ILF had remarkably increased risk of major bleeding compared with patients with NLF. In AF patients with NLF, dabigatran had the distinct strength of significantly reduced risk of total bleeding compared with rivaroxaban. In patients with AF and ILF, dabigatran use was associated with lower risk for major bleeding compared with rivaroxaban.

Causal associations between Helicobacter pylori infection and pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Observational studies have reported that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is associated with a series of pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. However, the results have been inconsistent, and the causal effect is unknown. Methods: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed using summary-level statistics for anti-H. pylori IgG levels from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Cohort. Outcome data for pregnancy (miscarriage, preeclampsia-eclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, placental abruption, premature rupture of membranes, postpartum hemorrhage) and neonates (birthweight, gestational age, and preterm birth) were sourced from genome-wide association meta-analysis as well as the FinnGen and Early Growth Genetics Consortium. Causal estimates were calculated by five methods including inverse variance weighted (IVW). The heterogeneity of instrumental variables was quantified by Cochran's Q test, while sensitivity analyses were performed via MR-Egger, MR-PRESSO, and leave-one-out tests. Results: IVW estimates suggested that genetically predicted anti-H. pylori IgG levels were significantly associated with increased risks of preeclampsia-eclampsia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.24, P = 0.026) and premature rupture of membranes (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.05-1.30, P = 0.004). Similar results were obtained for preeclampsia-eclampsia from the MR-Egger method (OR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.06-1.64, P = 0.027) and for premature rupture of membranes from the weighted median method (OR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.06-1.41, P = 0.006). No significant causal effects were found for other outcomes. There was no obvious heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy across the MR analysis. Conclusion: Our two-sample MR study demonstrated a causal relationship of H. pylori infection with preeclampsia-eclampsia and premature rupture of membranes. The findings confirm the epidemiological evidence on the adverse impact of H. pylori in pregnancy. Further studies are needed to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms and assess the effectiveness of pre-pregnancy screening and preventive eradication.

Maternal dietary cholesterol and egg intake during pregnancy and large-for-gestational-age infants: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Cholesterol plays a vital role in fetal growth and development during pregnancy. There remains controversial over whether pregnant women should limit their cholesterol intake. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between maternal dietary cholesterol intake during pregnancy and infant birth weight in a Chinese prospective cohort study. METHODS: A total of 4,146 mother-child pairs were included based on the Jiangsu Birth Cohort (JBC) study. Maternal dietary information was assessed with a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Birth weight z-scores and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants were converted by the INTERGROWTH-21st neonatal weight-for-gestational-age standard. Poisson regression and generalized estimating equations (GEE) were employed to examine the relationships between LGA and maternal dietary cholesterol across the entire pregnancy and trimester-specific cholesterol intake, respectively. RESULTS: The median intake of maternal total dietary cholesterol during the entire pregnancy was 671.06 mg/d, with eggs being the main source. Maternal total dietary cholesterol and egg-sourced cholesterol were associated with an increase of birth weight z-score, with per SD increase in maternal total and egg-sourced dietary cholesterol being associated with an increase of 0.16 (95% CI: 0.07, 0.25) and 0.06 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.09) in birth weight z-score, respectively. Egg-derived cholesterol intake in the first and third trimesters were positively linked to LGA, with adjusted relative risk (aRR) of 1.11 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.18) and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.18). Compared to mothers consuming ≤7 eggs/week in the third trimester, aRR for having LGA newborn was 1.37 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.72) for consuming 8-10 eggs/week and 1.45 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.86) for consuming >10 eggs/week (p for trend=0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Maternal total dietary cholesterol intake, as well as consuming over 7 eggs/week during pregnancy displayed significant positive relationships with the incidence of LGA, suggesting that mothers should avoid excessive cholesterol intake during pregnancy to prevent adverse birth outcomes.

Abrogation of KLF5 sensitizes BRCA1-proficient pancreatic cancer to PARP inhibition.

Poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor monotherapies are selectively effective in patients with pancreatic, breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers with BRCA1 mutations. Cancer patients with more frequent wild-type BRCA show poor responses to PARP inhibitors. Moreover, patients who are initially sensitive to these inhibitors eventually respond poorly to drugs. In the present study, we discover that abrogation of Kruppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) significantly inhibits homologous recombination, which is the main mechanism for DNA double-stranded repair. Furthermore, the downregulation of KLF5 expression promotes the DNA damage induced by olaparib and significantly reduces the IC 50 of the RARP inhibitor in pancreatic cancer cells. Overexpression of BRCA1 reverses the above effects caused by silencing of KLF5. Olaparib combined with a KLF5 inhibitor has an enhanced cytotoxic effect. Mechanistically, we identify BRCA1 as a KLF5 target gene. BRCA1 is positively correlated with KLF5 in PDAC tissue. Our results indicate that inhibition of KLF5 may induce BRCAness in a larger pancreatic cancer subset with proficient BRCA. The combination of KLF5 inhibitors and PARP inhibitors provides a novel treatment strategy to enhance the sensitivity of BRCA1-proficient pancreatic cancer to PARP inhibitors.

Hemorrhoidal disease among doctors from grade-A tertiary hospitals in big cities of China: results from web-based doctors as patients survey.

BACKGROUND: Doctors are at high risk of developing hemorrhoidal disease (HD), but it is unclear whether doctors are aware of this risk. The OASIS (dOctors AS patIentS) study was performed to examine the prevalence, awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of HD among doctors in big cities in China. METHODS: An online survey consisting of a structured questionnaire was carried out among doctors in grade-A tertiary hospitals in 29 provinces across China from August to October 2020. RESULTS: A total of 1227 questionnaire responses were collected. HD prevalence was 56.8%, with a significant difference between internists and surgeons (P = 0.01). 15.6% of doctors with HD didn't have serious concerns about the recurrence and severity of HD. 91.5% of doctors adopted general treatments, and 83.0% considered oral medications only when topical medications were ineffective. Among the oral medications, Micronized Purified Flavonoid Fraction (MPFF) was most effective based on the scores from three important parameters, but only 17% of doctors received MPFF. CONCLUSIONS: Doctors are at higher risk of developing HD with a high prevalence among Chinese doctors, but they are not fully aware or not concerned about HD. There is a deficiency in treatment recommendations and clinical management of HD even for doctors, including late initiation and inadequate oral drug therapy. Therefore, awareness and standardized treatment of HD should be improved among Chinese doctors, as well as in the general population.

EasyDAM_V4: Guided-GAN-based cross-species data labeling for fruit detection with significant shape difference.

Traditional agriculture is gradually being combined with artificial intelligence technology. High-performance fruit detection technology is an important basic technology in the practical application of modern smart orchards and has great application value. At this stage, fruit detection models need to rely on a large number of labeled datasets to support the training and learning of detection models, resulting in higher manual labeling costs. Our previous work uses a generative adversarial network to translate the source domain to the target fruit images. Thus, automatic labeling is performed on the actual dataset in the target domain. However, the method still does not achieve satisfactory results for translating fruits with significant shape variance. Therefore, this study proposes an improved fruit automatic labeling method, EasyDAM_V4, which introduces the Across-CycleGAN fruit translation model to achieve spanning translation between phenotypic features such as fruit shape, texture, and color to reduce domain differences effectively. We validated the proposed method using pear fruit as the source domain and three fruits with large phenotypic differences, namely pitaya, eggplant, and cucumber, as the target domain. The results show that the EasyDAM_V4 method achieves substantial cross-fruit shape translation, and the average accuracy of labeling reached 87.8, 87.0, and 80.7% for the three types of target domain datasets, respectively. Therefore, this research method can improve the applicability of the automatic labeling process even if significant shape variance exists between the source and target domain.

Single Droplet Tweezer Revealing the Reaction Mechanism of Mn(II)-Catalyzed SO2 Oxidation.

Sulfate aerosol is one of the major components of secondary fine particulate matter in urban haze that has crucial impacts on the social economy and public health. Among the atmospheric sulfate sources, Mn(II)-catalyzed SO2 oxidation on aerosol surfaces has been regarded as a dominating one. In this work, we measured the reaction kinetics of Mn(II)-catalyzed SO2 oxidation in single droplets using an aerosol optical tweezer. We show that the SO2 oxidation occurs at the Mn(II)-active sites on the aerosol surface, per a piecewise kinetic formulation, one that is characterized by a threshold surface Mn(II) concentration and gaseous SO2 concentration. When the surface Mn(II) concentration is lower than the threshold value, the reaction rate is first order with respect to both Mn(II) and SO2, agreeing with our traditional knowledge. But when surface Mn(II) concentration is above the threshold, the reaction rate becomes independent of Mn(II) concentration, and the reaction order with respect to SO2 becomes greater than unity. The measured reaction rate can serve as a tool to estimate sulfate formation based on field observation, and our established parametrization corrects these calculations. This framework for reaction kinetics and parametrization holds promising potential for generalization to various heterogeneous reaction pathways.

Lancao decoction alleviates cognitive dysfunction: A new therapeutic drug and its therapeutic mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive dysfunction (CD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized primarily by the decline of learning and memory abilities. The physiological and pathological mechanisms of CD are very complex, which is mainly related to normal function of the hippocampus. Lancao decoction (LC) is a Chinese medicine formula, which has been used to treat neurodegenerative disorders. However, the potential of LC for the treatment of CD, as well as its underlying mechanisms, is unclear. PURPOSE: In the study, we aimed to reveal the functional and neuronal mechanisms of LC's treatments for CD in scopolamine-induced mice. METHODS: Gas chromatography (GC) was used to determine the stability of LC's extraction. CD model was established by the chronic induction of scopolamine (Scop, 1 mg/kg/day) for 1 week. Behavioral tests including morris water maze (MWM) and y-maze were used to evaluate learning and memory abilities of mice after LC's treatments. Immunofluorescence was used to detected the expressions of cFOS, Brdu and Ki67 after LC's treatments. Pharmacological blockade experiments explored the role of α-Amino-3­hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) in LC's treatments for CD and its relationships with regeneration, activities and differentiation of neurons. RESULTS: The results showed that LC was capable of improving spatial learning and memory and spontaneous alternating abilities in Scop-induced mice, which was similar to donepezil. LC could increase the number of cFOS positive cells, which was used as a marker of neuronal activity to upregulate by neuronal activities in hippocampus, but donepezil did not. Moreover, LC could strengthen neurogenesis and neuro-differentiation by increasing the number of Brdu and Ki67 positive cells in hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), meanwhile, donepezil could only enhance the number of Ki67 positive cells. Transient inhibition of AMPAR by NBQX blunted the function of LC's treatment for CD and inhibited the enhanced effect of LC on Scop-induced hippocampal neuronal excitability and neurogenesis in mice. CONCLUSION: To sum up, our study demonstrated that LC had the function of treating CD by enhancing content of acetylcholine (ACh) to activate AMPAR, which further up-regulated neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation to strengthen neuroactivities in hippocampus.

Customized Enhancement of Thermal Sensitivity of Tumors at Different Subcutaneous Depths by Multichannel Lanthanide Nanocomposites.

The photothermal therapeutic effect on tumors located at different subcutaneous depths varies due to the attenuation of light by tissue. Here, based on the wavelength-dependent optical attenuation properties of tissues, the tumor depth is assessed using a multichannel lanthanide nanocomposite. A zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8)-coated nanocomposite is able to deliver high amounts of the hydrophilic heat shock protein 90 inhibitor epigallocatechin gallate through a hydrogen-bonding network formed by the encapsulated highly polarized polyoxometalate guest. It is superior to both bare and PEGylated ZIF-8 for drug delivery. With the assessment of tumor depth and accumulated amount of nanocomposite by fluorescence, an irradiation prescription can be customized to release sufficient HSP90 inhibitor and generate heat for sensitized photothermal treatment of tumors, which not only ensured therapeutic efficacy but also minimized damage to the surrounding tissues.

Hedgehog pathway negatively regulated depleted uranium-induced nephrotoxicity.

Depleted uranium (DU) retains the radiological toxicities, which accumulates preferentially in the kidneys. Hedgehog (Hh) pathway plays a critical role in tissue injury. However, the role of Hh in DU-induced nephrotoxicity was still unclear. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of Gli2, which was an important transcription effector of Hh signaling, on DU induced nephrotoxicity. To clarify it, CK19 positive tubular epithelial cells specific Gli2 conditional knockout (KO) mice model was exposed to DU, and then histopathological damage and Hh signaling pathway activation was analyzed. Moreover, HEK-293 T cells were exposed to DU with Gant61 or Gli2 overexpression, and cytotoxicity of DU as analyzed. Results showed that DU caused nephrotoxicity accompanied by activation of Hh signaling pathway. Meanwhile, genetic KO of Gli2 reduced DU-induced nephrotoxicity by normalizing biochemical indicators and reducing Hh pathway activation. Pharmacologic inhibition of Gli1/2 by Gant61 reduced DU induced cytotoxicity by inhibiting apoptosis, ROS formation and Hh pathway activation. However, overexpression of Gli2 aggravated DU-induced cytotoxicity by increasing the levels of apoptosis and ROS formation. Taken together, these results revealed that Hh signaling negatively regulated DU-inducted nephrotoxicity, and that inhibition of Gli2 might serve as a promising nephroprotective target for DU-induced kidney injury.

Atomic-level imaging of beam-sensitive COFs and MOFs by low-dose electron microscopy.

Electron microscopy, an important technique that allows for the precise determination of structural information with high spatiotemporal resolution, has become indispensable in unravelling the complex relationships between material structure and properties ranging from mesoscale morphology to atomic arrangement. However, beam-sensitive materials, particularly those comprising organic components such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs), would suffer catastrophic damage from the high energy electrons, hindering the determination of atomic structures. A low-dose approach has arisen as a possible solution to this problem based on the integration of advancements in several aspects: electron optical system, detector, image processing, and specimen preservation. This article summarizes the transmission electron microscopy characterization of MOFs and COFs, including local structures, host-guest interactions, and interfaces at the atomic level. Revolutions in advanced direct electron detectors, algorithms in image acquisition and processing, and emerging methodology for high quality low-dose imaging are also reviewed. Finally, perspectives on the future development of electron microscopy methodology with the support of computer science are presented.

ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE 5-KIP-RELATED PROTEIN 1-SHOOT MERISTEMLESS modulates reproductive development of Arabidopsis.

Soil (or plant) water deficit accelerates plant reproduction. However, the underpinning molecular mechanisms remain unknown. By modulating cell division/number, ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5), a key bZIP (basic (region) leucine zippers) transcription factor, regulates both seed development and abiotic stress responses. The KRP (KIP-RELATED PROTEIN) cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play an essential role in controlling cell division, and SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM) plays a key role in the specification of flower meristem identity. Here, our findings show that abscisic acid (ABA) signaling and/or metabolism in adjust reproductive outputs (such as rosette leaf number and open flower number) under water-deficient conditions in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants. Reproductive outputs increased under water-sufficient conditions but decreased under water-deficient conditions in the ABA signaling/metabolism mutants abscisic acid2-1 (aba2-1), aba2-11, abscisic acid insensitive3-1 (abi3-1), abi4-1, abi5-7, and abi5-8. Further, under water-deficient conditions, ABA induced-ABI5 directly bound to the promoter of KRP1, which encodes a CDK that plays an essential role in controlling cell division, and this binding subsequently activated KRP1 expression. In turn, KRP1 physically interacted with SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM), which functions in the specification of flower meristem identity, promoting STM degradation. We further demonstrate that reproductive outputs are adjusted by the ABI5-KRP1-STM molecular module under water-deficient conditions. Together, our findings reveal the molecular mechanism by which ABA signaling and/or metabolism regulate reproductive development under water-deficient conditions. These findings provide insights that may help guide crop yield improvement under water deficiency.

Morules and ß-catenin predict POLE mutation status in endometrial cancer: A pathway to more cost-effective diagnostic procedures.

OBJECTIVES: The characterization of DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE) mutations has transformed the classification of endometrial endometrioid carcinomas (EECs), highlighting the need for efficient identification methods. This study aims to examine the relationship between distinct morphologic features-namely, squamous morules and squamous differentiation (SD), as well as ß-catenin expression-and the POLE mutation status in endometrial cancer (EC). METHODS: Our study included 35 POLE-mutated (POLEmut) EC cases and 395 non-POLEmut EEC cases. RESULTS: Notably, we observed no presence of morules in POLEmut cases, while SD was identified in 20% of instances. Conversely, morules and SD were identified in 12.7% and 26.1% of non-POLEmut EC cases, respectively, with morules consistently linked to a POLE wild-type status. The nuclear ß-catenin expression is typically absent in tumors with wild-type POLE (wt-POLE) status. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the presence of either morules or nuclear ß-catenin expression in EEC could practically rule out the presence of POLE mutations. These morphologic and immunohistochemical features can be used as preliminary screening tools for POLE mutations, offering significant savings in time and resources and potentially enhancing clinical decision-making and patient management strategies. However, further validation in larger, multi-institutional studies is required to fully understand the implications of these findings on clinical practice.

Convolution-Enhanced Bi-Branch Adaptive Transformer With Cross-Task Interaction for Food Category and Ingredient Recognition.

Recently, visual food analysis has received more and more attention in the computer vision community due to its wide application scenarios, e.g., diet nutrition management, smart restaurant, and personalized diet recommendation. Considering that food images are unstructured images with complex and unfixed visual patterns, mining food-related semantic-aware regions is crucial. Furthermore, the ingredients contained in food images are semantically related to each other due to the cooking habits and have significant semantic relationships with food categories under the hierarchical food classification ontology. Therefore, modeling the long-range semantic relationships between ingredients and the categories-ingredients semantic interactions is beneficial for ingredient recognition and food analysis. Taking these factors into consideration, we propose a multi-task learning framework for food category and ingredient recognition. This framework mainly consists of a food-orient Transformer named Convolution-Enhanced Bi-Branch Adaptive Transformer (CBiAFormer) and a multi-task category-ingredient recognition network called Structural Learning and Cross-Task Interaction (SLCI). In order to capture the complex and unfixed fine-grained patterns of food images, we propose a query-aware data-adaptive attention mechanism called Bi-Branch Adaptive Attention (BiA-Attention) in CBiAFormer, which consists of a local fine-grained branch and a global coarse-grained branch to mine local and global semantic-aware regions for different input images through an adaptive candidate key/value sets assignment for each query. Additionally, a convolutional patch embedding module is proposed to extract the fine-grained features which are neglected by Transformers. To fully utilize the ingredient information, we propose SLCI, which consists of cross-layer attention to model the semantic relationships between ingredients and two cross-task interaction modules to mine the semantic interactions between categories and ingredients. Extensive experiments show that our method achieves competitive performance on three mainstream food datasets (ETH Food-101, Vireo Food-172, and ISIA Food-200). Visualization analyses of CBiAFormer and SLCI on two tasks prove the effectiveness of our method. Codes will be released upon publication. Code and models are available at https://github.com/Liuyuxinict/CBiAFormer.