Impact of N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone Erosion on Surface Functional Groups and Pore Evolution in Coals of Different Ranks.

In low-permeability coal reservoirs, utilizing the organic solvent N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) has emerged as an effective approach to improving the coal pore structure and enhancing coalbed methane productivity. However, the exact mechanisms of how solvent erosion alters functional groups and develops pores remain incompletely understood. This study utilized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance to assess the impact of NMP on the functional groups and pore structures of lignite, bituminous coal, and anthracite. The results indicate that a 6 h treatment with NMP led to an increased proportion of oxygen-containing functional groups in all coal samples, accompanied by a decrease in hydroxyls and aliphatic hydrocarbons. The aromaticity of the coal samples was enhanced to varying degrees, most notably for lignite. In terms of pore modification, the porosity of lignite and bituminous coal increased by 84.82 and 43.56%, while anthracite experienced a porosity increase of 3.04%, indicating a diminished effectiveness of NMP as the coal rank increased. These findings suggest that NMP selectively dissolves specific organic molecules in coals, thereby enhancing pore connectivity and promoting a transition from micro- to meso- and macropores. These findings highlight the potential of NMP in enhancing coalbed methane production and advance our understanding of the mechanisms behind solvent erosion.

Causal relationship between feelings and cognitive decline: An univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: While the impact of depression on cognition is well-documented, the relationship between feelings and cognition has received limited attention. AIM: To explore the potential association between feelings and cognition with a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. METHODS: Our analysis utilized genome-wide association data on various feelings (fed-up feelings, n = 453071; worrier/anxious feelings, n = 450765; guilty feelings, n = 450704; nervous feelings, n = 450700; sensitivity/hurt feelings, n = 449419; miserableness, n = 454982; loneliness/isolation, n = 455364; happiness, n = 152348) in the European population and their impact on cognitive functions (intelligence, n = 269867). Conducting a univariable MR (UVMR) analysis to assess the relationship between feelings and cognition. In this analysis, we applied the inverse variance weighting (IVW), weighted median, and MR Egger methods. Additionally, we performed sensitivity analysis (leave-one-out analysis), assessed heterogeneity (using MR-PRESSO and Cochran's Q test), and conducted multiple validity test (employing MR-Egger regression). Subsequently, a multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis was employed to examine the impact of feelings on cognition. IVW served as the primary method in the multivariable analysis, complemented by median-based and MR-Egger methods. RESULTS: In this study, UVMR indicated that sensitivity/hurt feelings may have a negative causal effect on cognition (OR = 0.63, 95%CI: 0.43-0.92, P = 0.017). After adjustment of other feelings using MVMR, a direct adverse causal effect on cognition was observed (ORMVMR = 0.39, 95%CI: 0.17-0.90, PMVMR = 0.027). While a potential increased risk of cognitive decline was observed for fed-up feelings in the UVMR analysis (ORUVMR = 0.64, 95%CI: 0.42-0.97, PUVMR = 0.037), this effect disappeared after adjusting for other feelings (ORMVMR = 1.42, 95%CI: 0.43-4.74, PMVMR = 0.569). These findings were generally consistent across MV-IVW, median-based, and MR-Egger analyses. MR-Egger regression revealed pleiotropy in the impact of worrier/anxious feelings on cognition, presenting a challenge in identifying the effect. Notably, this study did not demonstrate any significant impact of guilty feelings, nervous feelings, miserableness, or loneliness/isolation on cognition. Due to a limited number of instrumental variables for happiness, this study was unable to analyze the relationship between happiness and cognition. CONCLUSION: This MR study finds that sensitivity/hurt feelings are associated with cognitive decline, while the link between worrier/anxious feelings and cognition remains inconclusive. Insufficient evidence supports direct associations between happiness, guilty feelings, nervous feelings, miserableness, loneliness/isolation, and cognition.

TEMPO-Grafted Polystyrene/Polymethacrylate Organosiloxane Janus Nanohybrids as Efficient Pickering Interfacial Catalyst for Selective Aerobic Oxidation of Cinnamyl Alcohol.

The novel 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) groups immobilized on functional polymers or nanoparticles emerged as potential Pickering interfacial catalysts (PICs) for effective catalysis in biphasic systems. In this study, a snowman-shaped Janus-structured polymer with TEMPO-anchored nanohybrid particles (SM-JPP-TEMPO) was prepared and employed as a potential PIC in the Anelli-Montanari system for the selective oxidation of alcohol. The amphiphilic character of SM-JPP-TEMPO particles plays a dual role as an emulsifier and catalyst in the Pickering emulsion. As a result, it enables smaller droplets (102 µm) at the water-in-oil (W/O) interface and reduces the interfacial tension from 26.58 to 17.38 mN/m, which improves the stability of the Pickering emulsion system. This constructed Pickering emulsion microreactor offers a larger interface contact area and shortens the mass transfer distance of the substrate of cinnamyl alcohol, which significantly enhances the catalytic conversion at the Anelli-Montanari oxidation system, thus achieving remarkable conversion efficiency of (92.3%) with excellent selectivity (99%) in static (stirring-free) condition. It was found that the Janus nanohybrid catalyst (SM-JPP-TEMPO) enhanced 1.29-fold catalytic efficiency compared to the TEMPO grafted spherical polystyrene nanoparticle (PS-NPs-TEMPO) catalyst (72%). Moreover, after seven consecutive cycles, the Janus nanocatalyst (SM-JPP-TEMPO) maintained the conversion significantly. Hence, these results collectively highlight that the amphiphilic SM-JPP-TEMPO catalyst provides an efficient and eco-friendly strategy for the intensification of liquid-liquid biphasic reaction systems for potential applications in industries.

Thymosin α1 combined with XELOX improves immune function and reduces serum tumor markers in colorectal cancer patients after radical surgery.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of thymosin α1 combined with XELOX in improving immune function and reducing serum tumor markers in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) after radical surgery. A total of 180 patients who underwent radical surgery for CRC were divided into two groups: an observation group (n = 94) receiving thymosin α1 in combination with XELOX and a control group (n = 86) receiving XELOX alone. Immune function, inflammatory factor levels, serum tumor markers, and quality of life were assessed before and after treatment. Adverse reactions and recurrence rates were compared between the two groups in 1 and 3 years. Following therapy, there was a notable increase in the levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ in all cohorts, particularly in the observation cohort, when compared to pre-therapy levels. Conversely, CD8+ levels decreased across all cohorts, especially in the observation cohort. Additionally, there was an increase in the levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ in the observation cohort, compared to both pre-therapy and control cohort levels, while IL-6 levels decreased. The presence of CEA, CA242, and CA724 reduced significantly across all cohorts following post-therapy, particularly in the observation cohort. Post-therapy, there was a significant increase in the scoring for role, cognitive, social, emotional, and somatic functions in all cohorts, with the most significant improvement observed in the observation cohort. There were no significant differences in the incidence of side effects across cohorts, while neutropenia events were significantly lower in the observation cohort (32.98%) compared to the control cohort (48.84%). The 12-month recurrence rate showed no statistical significance across cohorts, while the observation cohort had a significantly lower three-year recurrence rate (24.47%) compared to the control cohort (59.30%). Thymosin α1 combined with XELOX is effective in improving immune function, reducing serum tumor markers, and minimizing recurrence in CRC patients after radical surgery. This combination therapy may be a promising new direction for the treatment of CRC.

Correlation Between C4/IgG with Macroproteinuria in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Pilot Study.

Background and Objectives: Loss of immunoglobulin G (IgG) is accompanied with proteinuria, especially macroproteinuria. The complement system participates kidney disease resulting in proteinuria. Whether the ratio of complement and IgG is associated with macroproteinuria remains unknown. Design Setting Participants and Measurements: A total of 1013 non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients were recruited according to the electrical case records system with 268 patients who endured kidney biopsy. Patients were grouped via the estimated glomerular filtration rate or the levels of proteinuria determination. Biomarkers in different CKD groups or proteinuria groups were compared by one-way ANOVA or independent samples t-test. Pearson or spearman analysis was employed to analyze correlation between clinical indexes. Further, influence factor of macroproteinuria was studied by using binary logistic regression. The ROC curve was performed to explore probable predictive biomarker for macroproteinuria. Results: No significant difference of complement C3 and C4 among CKD1 to CKD5 stages, while higher level of complement C4 in patients with macroproteinuria. Further, C4 had a positive correlation with proteinuria (r=0.255, p=0.006). After adjusted for age, IgA, IgM, triglyceride and HDL, a binary logistic regression model showed lnC4/IgG (OR=3.561, 95% CI 2.196-5.773, p<0.01), gender (OR=1.737, 95% CI 1.116-2.702, p=0.014), age (OR=0.983, 95% CI 0.969-0.997, p=0.014), and history of diabetes (OR=0.405, 95% CI 0.235-0.699, p<0.01) were independent influence factors of macroproteinuria. The area under the ROC curve was 0.77 (95% CI: 0.75-0.82, p<0.001) for C4/IgG. The analysis of ROC curves revealed a best cut-off for complement C4 was 0.024 and yielded a sensitivity of 71% and a specificity of 71%. The area under the ROC curve was 0.841 (95% CI: 0.735-0.946, p < 0.001) for C4/IgG in IgA nephropathy patients. The analysis of ROC curves revealed a best cut-off for complement C4/IgG was 0.026 and yielded a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 81.2%. The area under the ROC curve for C4/IgG in CKD1-5 stages were 0.772, 0.811, 0.785, 0.835, 0.674. Conclusion: Complement C4/IgG could be used to predict macroproteinuria.

Repeat hepatectomy versus thermal ablation therapy for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: This meta-analysis was conducted to assess the survival benefits of repeat hepatectomy (RH) and thermal ablation therapy (TAT) in managing recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed, SinoMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Medline, and Web of Science databases using relevant keywords to identify all studies published on this specific topic. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using a fixed-effects model. Results: This meta-analysis included a total of 21 studies, comprising 2580 patients with recurrent HCC, among whom 1189 underwent RH and 1394 underwent TAT. Meta-analysis results demonstrated that the RH group exhibited superior overall survival (OS) (HR=0.85, 95%CI 0.76∼0.95, P=0.004) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR=0.79, 95%CI 0.7∼0.9, P<0.01) compared to the TAT group. Regarding postoperative complications, the TAT group experienced fewer complications than the RH group (OR=3.23, 95%CI 1.48∼7.07, P=0.003), while no significant difference in perioperative mortality was observed between the two groups (OR=2.11, 95%CI 0.54∼8.19, P=0.28). Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that, in comparison to TAT, RH may confer superior survival benefits for patients with recurrent HCC.

Development and validation of a point-of-care nursing mobile tool to guide the diagnosis of malnutrition in hospitalized adult patients: a multicenter, prospective cohort study.

Malnutrition is a prevalent and severe issue in hospitalized patients with chronic diseases. However, malnutrition screening is often overlooked or inaccurate due to lack of awareness and experience among health care providers. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel digital smartphone-based self-administered tool that uses facial features, especially the ocular area, as indicators of malnutrition in inpatient patients with chronic diseases. Facial photographs and malnutrition screening scales were collected from 619 patients in four different hospitals. A machine learning model based on back propagation neural network was trained, validated, and tested using these data. The model showed a significant correlation (p < 0.05) and a high accuracy (area under the curve 0.834-0.927) in different patient groups. The point-of-care mobile tool can be used to screen malnutrition with good accuracy and accessibility, showing its potential for screening malnutrition in patients with chronic diseases.

Prediction of drug-target binding affinity based on deep learning models.

The prediction of drug-target binding affinity (DTA) plays an important role in drug discovery. Computerized virtual screening techniques have been used for DTA prediction, greatly reducing the time and economic costs of drug discovery. However, these techniques have not succeeded in reversing the low success rate of new drug development. In recent years, the continuous development of deep learning (DL) technology has brought new opportunities for drug discovery through the DTA prediction. This shift has moved the prediction of DTA from traditional machine learning methods to DL. The DL frameworks used for DTA prediction include convolutional neural networks (CNN), graph convolutional neural networks (GCN), and recurrent neural networks (RNN), and reinforcement learning (RL), among others. This review article summarizes the available literature on DTA prediction using DL models, including DTA quantification metrics and datasets, and DL algorithms used for DTA prediction (including input representation of models, neural network frameworks, valuation indicators, and model interpretability). In addition, the opportunities, challenges, and prospects of the application of DL frameworks for DTA prediction in the field of drug discovery are discussed.

Advances in Semiconductor Lasers Based on Parity-Time Symmetry.

Semiconductor lasers, characterized by their high efficiency, small size, low weight, rich wavelength options, and direct electrical drive, have found widespread application in many fields, including military defense, medical aesthetics, industrial processing, and aerospace. The mode characteristics of lasers directly affect their output performance, including output power, beam quality, and spectral linewidth. Therefore, semiconductor lasers with high output power and beam quality are at the forefront of international research in semiconductor laser science. The novel parity-time (PT) symmetry mode-control method provides the ability to selectively modulate longitudinal modes to improve the spectral characteristics of lasers. Recently, it has gathered much attention for transverse modulation, enabling the output of fundamental transverse modes and improving the beam quality of lasers. This study begins with the basic principles of PT symmetry and provides a detailed introduction to the technical solutions and recent developments in single-mode semiconductor lasers based on PT symmetry. We categorize the different modulation methods, analyze their structures, and highlight their performance characteristics. Finally, this paper summarizes the research progress in PT-symmetric lasers and provides prospects for future development.

lincRNA00907 promotes NASH progression by targeting miRNA-942-5p/TAOK1.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to examine the involvement of lincRNA00907 in the advancement of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). METHODS: The examination was conducted to assess the expression of linc00907 in liver tissues from NASH patients and healthy individuals. High-fat diets induced NASH in mouse models, while palmitic acid/oleic acid treatment was used to create in vitro cell models. Various techniques, such as qRT-PCR, Oil Red O staining and gene knockdown/overexpression, were used to assess the impact of linc00907 on genes related to lipid metabolism and immunity, as well as intracellular lipid accumulation. Furthermore, dual-luciferase reporter assays were carried out to confirm the connection between miRNA-942-5p and linc00907 or TAOK1 mRNA. RESULTS: Linc00907 was found to be significantly upregulated in both NASH patients and NASH mouse models. Overexpression of linc00907 led to an increase in intracellular lipid accumulation, while knockdown of linc00907 resulted in decreased lipid content. It was found that miRNA-942-5p binds with linc00907, and their interaction was confirmed in dual-luciferase reporter assays. Additionally, TAOK1 was predicted to be a downstream target of miRNA-942-5p, and the upregulation of TAOK1 due to linc00907 was reversed by miRNA-942-5p overexpression. linc00907 overexpression reduces apoptosis but can be reversed by TAOK1 knockdown. The reduction of TAOK1 counteracted the impact of linc00907 on gene expression associated with lipid metabolism and immunity, as well as on the accumulation of intracellular lipids. CONCLUSIONS: Our research suggests that linc00907 functions as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sequestering miRNA-942-5p, thus increasing the expression of TAOK1 and encouraging lipid accumulation in hepatocytes, leading to the aggravation of NASH development. Targeting the linc00907/miRNA-942-5p/TAOK1 axis may hold therapeutic potential for the treatment of NASH.

Amorphous Fe substrate enhances nitrogen and phosphorus removal in sulfur autotrophic process.

The autotrophic denitrification of coupled sulfur and natural iron ore can remove nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater with low C/N ratios. However, the low solubility of crystalline Fe limits its bioavailability and P absorption capacity. This study investigated the effects of amorphous Fe in drinking water treatment residue (DWTR) and crystalline Fe in red mud (RM) on nitrogen and phosphorus removal during sulfur autotrophic processes. Two types of S-Fe cross-linked filler particles with three-dimensional mesh structures were obtained by combining sulfur with the DWTR/RM using the hydrogel encapsulation method. Two fixed-bed reactors, sulfur-DWTR autotrophic denitrification (SDAD) and sulfur-RM autotrophic denitrification (SRAD), were constructed and stably operated for 236 d Under a 5-8-h hydraulic retention time, the average NO3--N, TN, and phosphate removal rates of SDAD and SRAD were 99.04 %, 96.29 %, 94.03 % (SDAD) and 97.33 %, 69.97 %, 82.26 % (SRAD), respectively. It is important to note that fermentative iron-reducing bacteria, specifically Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, were present in SDAD at an abundance of 58.17 %, but were absent from SRAD. The presence of these bacteria facilitated the reduction of Fe (III) to Fe (II), which led to the complete denitrification of the S-Fe (II) co-electron donor to produce Fe (III), completing the iron cycle in the system. This study proposes an enhancement method for sulfur autotrophic denitrification using an amorphous Fe substrate, providing a new option for the efficient treatment of low-C/N wastewater.

Rydberg atom electric field sensing for metrology, communication and hybrid quantum systems.

Rydberg atoms-based electric field sensing has developed rapidly over the past decade. A variety of theoretical proposals and experiment configurations are suggested and realized to improve the measurement metrics, such as intensity sensitivity, bandwidth, phase, and accuracy. The Stark effect and electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) or electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA) are fundamental physics principles behind the stage. Furthermore, various techniques such as amplitude- or frequency-modulation, optical homodyne read-out, microwave superheterodyne and frequency conversion based on multi-wave mixing in atoms are utilized to push the metrics into higher levels. In this review, different technologies and the corresponding metrics they had achieved were presented, hoping to inspire more possibilities in the improvement of metrics of Rydberg atom-based electric field sensing and broadness of application scenarios.

Targeting high circDNA2v levels in colorectal cancer induces cellular senescence and elicits an anti-tumor secretome.

The efficacy of immunotherapy against colorectal cancer (CRC) is impaired by insufficient immune cell recruitment into the tumor microenvironment. Our study shows that targeting circDNA2v, a circular RNA commonly overexpressed in CRC, can be exploited to elicit cytotoxic T cell recruitment. circDNA2v functions through binding to IGF2BP3, preventing its ubiquitination, and prolonging the IGF2BP3 half-life, which in turn sustains mRNA levels of the protooncogene c-Myc. Targeting circDNA2v by gene silencing downregulates c-Myc to concordantly induce tumor cell senescence and the release of proinflammatory mediators. Production of CXCL10 and interleukin-9 by CRC cells is elicited through JAK-STAT1 signaling, in turn promoting the chemotactic and cytolytic activities of CD8+ T cells. Clinical evidence associates increased circDNA2v expression in CRC tissues with reductions in CD8+ T cell infiltration and worse outcomes. The regulatory relationship between circDNA2v, cellular senescence, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes thus provides a rational approach for improving immunotherapy in CRC.

Crystalline nanoxylan from hot water extracted wood xylan at multi-length scale: Molecular assembly from nanocluster hydrocolloids to submicron spheroids.

As a contribution to expand accessibility in the territory of bio-based nanomaterials, we demonstrate a novel material strategy to convert amorphous xylan preserved in wood biomass to hierarchical assemblies of crystalline nanoxylan on a multi-length scale. By reducing the end group in pressurized hot water extracted (PHWE) xylan to primary alcohol as a xylitol form with borohydride reduction, the endwise-peeling depolymerization is effectively impeded in the alkali-catalyzed hydrolytic cleavage of side substitutions in xylan. Nanoprecipitation by a gradual pH decrease resulted in a stable hydrocolloid dispersion in the form of worm-like nanoclusters assembled with primary crystallites, owing to the self-assembly of debranched xylan driven by strong intra- and inter-chain H-bonds. With evaporation-induced self-assembly, we can further construct the hydrocolloids as dry submicron spheroids of crystalline nanoxylan (CNX) with a high average elastic modulus of 47-83 GPa. Taking the advantage that the chain length and homogeneity of PHWE-xylan can be tailored, a structure-performance correlation was established between the structural order in CNX and the phosphorescent emission of this crystalline biopolymer. Rigid clusterization and high crystallinity that are constructed by strong intra- and inter-molecule interactions within the nanoxylan effectively restrict the molecular motion, thereby promoting the emission of ultralong organic phosphorescence.

Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab magnetic nanoparticles for magnetic resonance / near-infrared imaging targeting HER2 in breast cancer.

This study developed a probe Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab with fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging functions that can target breast cancer with high HER2 expression, aiming to provide a new theoretical method for the diagnosis of early breast cancer. Methods:Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab nanoparticles were combined with Fe3O4 for T2 imaging and Cy5.5 for near-infrared imaging, and coupled with trastuzumab for HER2 targeting. We characterized the nanoparticles used transmission electron microscopy, hydration particle size, Zeta potential, UV and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and examined its magnetism, fluorescence, and relaxation rate related properties. CCK-8 and blood biochemistry analysis evaluated the biosafety and stability of the nanoparticles, and validated the targeting ability of Fe3O4-Cy5.5 trastuzumab nanoparticles through in vitro and in vivo cell and animal experiments. Results: Characterization results showed the successful synthesis of Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab nanoparticles with a diameter of 93.72±6.34 nm. The nanoparticles showed a T2 relaxation rate 42.29 mM-1s-1, magnetic saturation strength of 27.58 emg/g. Laser confocal and flow cytometry uptake assay showed that the nanoparticles could effectively target HER2 expressed by breast cancer cells. As indicated by in vitro and in vivo studies, Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab were specifically taken up and effectively aggregated to tumor regions with prominent NIRF/MR imaging properties. CCK-8, blood biochemical analysis and histological results suggested Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab that exhibited low toxicity to major organs and good in vivo biocompatibility. The prepared Fe3O4-Cy5.5-trastuzumab exhibited excellent targeting, NIRF/MR imaging performance. It is expected to serve as a safe and effective diagnostic method that lays a theoretical basis for the effective diagnosis of of early breast cancer. Conclusion: This study successfully prepared a kind of nanoparticles with near-infrared fluorescence imaging and T2 imaging properties, which is expected to serve as a new theory and strategy for early detection of breast cancer. Keywords Breast cancer ; HER2 ;Trastuzumab ;T2 imaging properties; Near infrared fluorescence imaging; Early detection .

Finite element analysis of biomechanical effects of percutaneous cement discoplasty in scoliosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of bone cement on the vertebral body and biomechanical properties in percutaneous cement discoplasty (PCD) for degenerative lumbar disc disease. METHODS: Three-dimensional reconstruction of L2 ~ L3 vertebral bodies was performed in a healthy volunteer, and the corresponding finite element model of the spine was established. Biomechanical analysis was performed on the changes in stress distribution in different groups of models by applying quantitative loads. RESULTS: Models with percutaneous discoplasty (PCD) showed improved stability under various stress conditions, and intervertebral foraminal heights were superior to models without discoplasty. CONCLUSION: Cement discoplasty can improve the stability of the vertebral body to a certain extent and restore a certain height of the intervertebral foramen, which has a good development prospect and potential.

Selective-Area-Grown PbTe-Pb Planar Josephson Junctions for Quantum Devices.

Planar Josephson junctions are predicted to host Majorana zero modes. The material platforms in previous studies are two-dimensional electron gases (InAs, InSb, InAsSb, and HgTe) coupled to a superconductor such as Al or Nb. Here, we introduce a new material platform for planar JJs, the PbTe-Pb hybrid. The semiconductor, PbTe, was grown as a thin film via selective area epitaxy. The Josephson junction was defined by a shadow wall during the deposition of superconductor Pb. Scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals a sharp semiconductor-superconductor interface. Gate-tunable supercurrents and multiple Andreev reflections are observed. A perpendicular magnetic field causes interference patterns of the switching current, exhibiting Fraunhofer-like and SQUID-like behaviors. We further demonstrate a prototype device for Majorana detection wherein phase bias and tunneling spectroscopy are applicable.

Construction and validation of a nomogram for predicting remission of migraine patients with patent foramen ovale after closure.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to construct and validate a nomogram model that predicts the remission of migraine attacks by screening factors that affect the prognosis of migraine patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) after closure. METHOD: Retrospective analysis was conducted in migraine patients with PFO who underwent PFO closure in the Department of Cardiology of Jiangsu Province Hospital from September 2020 to April 2023. Based on the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) scores from the 1-year follow-up after PFO closure, all patients who met the inclusion criteria were categorized into a remission group and a non-remission group. The primary efficacy endpoint was remission of migraine headache. After collecting clinical data, transcranial doppler sonography (TCD) results and MIDAS scores, LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) regression and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to filter variables predictive to migraine remission and construct the nomogram model. The Nomogram's accuracy and consistency were respectively assessed through Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves. Additionally, an analysis of decision curves (DCA) was conducted to evaluate the clinical utility of this newly developed model. RESULT: A total of 241 consecutive patients were included in the study. The remission group included 21 males and 93 females, with a median age of 39 (30.25,50) years. The non-remission group included 26 males and 101 females, with a median age of 35 (25.5,47.5) years. All Patients were randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that 5 independent predictors, including MIDAS before closure (p = 0.0002), mitigating factors (p = 0.0057), number of attacks/month (p = 0.0058), TCD (p = 0.0093) and Platelet Crit (PCT) (p = 0.0351), played a significant role in the prediction of remission of migraine patients with PFO after closure. Based on these independent predictors, the predictive nomogram model of migraine remission in PFO patients was constructed. The application of the nomogram in the training cohort exhibited good discrimination (area under the ROC curve was 0.7763[95% CI 0.7108-0.8418]), which was confirmed in the validation cohort (AUC was 0.704[95% CI 0.5533-0.8547]). The calibration curve showed that the nomogram model demonstrated good calibration performance. Additionally, the decision curve analysis indicated the clinical utility of the nomogram model. CONCLUSION: The construction of the nomogram model had a considerable predictive accuracy for migraine remission in patients after PFO closure, which may provide constructive guidance for clinical decision making.

Longitudinal imaging of vitreal hyperreflective foci in mice with acute optic nerve damage using visible-light optical coherence tomography.

Hyperreflective foci (HRFs) appear in optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of the retina and vitreous of patients with various ocular diseases. HRFs are hypothesized to be immune cells that appear in response to ischemia or tissue damage. To accurately identify HRFs and establish their clinical significance, it is necessary to replicate the detection of similar patterns in vivo in a small animal model. We combined visible-light OCT with temporal speckle averaging (TSA) to visualize and track vitreal HRFs (VHRFs) densities for three days after an optic nerve crush (ONC) injury. Resulting vis-OCT images revealed that VHRF density significantly increased approximately 10-fold at 12 h after ONC and returned to baseline three days after ONC. Additional immunohistochemistry results confirmed these VHRFs as inflammatory cells induced from optic nerve damage.

Integrating transcriptomics and machine learning for immunotherapy assessment in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly prevalent and lethal malignancy worldwide. Although immunotherapy has substantially improved CRC outcomes, intolerance remains a major concern among most patients. Considering the pivotal role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in tumor progression and treatment outcomes, profiling the TME at the transcriptomic level can provide novel insights for developing CRC treatment strategies. Seventy-seven TME-associated signatures were acquired from previous studies. To elucidate variations in prognosis, clinical features, genomic alterations, and responses to immunotherapy in CRC, we employed a non-negative matrix factorization algorithm to categorize 2595 CRC samples of 27 microarrays from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Three machine learning techniques were employed to identify a signature specific to immunotherapy. Subsequently, the mechanisms by which this signature interacts with TME subtypes and immunotherapy were investigated. Our findings revealed five distinct TME subtypes (TMESs; TMES1-TMES5) in CRC, each exhibiting a unique pattern of immunotherapy response. TMES1, TMES4, and TMES5 had relatively inferior outcomes, TMES2 was associated with the poorest prognosis, and TMES3 had a superior outcome. Subsequent investigations revealed that activated dendritic cells could enhance the immunotherapy response rate, with their augmentation effect closely associated with the activation of CD8+T cells. We successfully classified CRC into five TMESs, each demonstrating varying response rates to immunotherapy. Notably, the application of machine learning to identify activated dendritic cells helped elucidate the underlying mechanisms contributing to these differences. We posit that these TMESs hold promising clinical implications for prognostic evaluation and guidance of immunotherapy strategies, thereby providing valuable insights to inform clinical decision-making.