Simultaneous Vertical Mastopexy During Aquafilling Removal: An Effective Way to Reshape the Breast with Ptosis.

BACKGROUND: Aquafilling was used to be a popular breast filler and was banned due to increasing reports of complications. Debridement surgery is the only available approach to treat complications caused by gel fillers, but it often leads to breast deformity and skin laxity. This study aims to present a new surgical strategy to reshape the breast immediately after Aquafilling removal. METHODS: Twelve patients who underwent Aquafilling removal at our institution were included, with five patients receiving the combined vertical mastopexy in group I and seven patients receiving Aquafilling removal alone in group II. Surgical data, complications and satisfaction were compared between the two groups. Satisfaction was assessed by using the BREAST-Q at least 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: The age range of the 12 patients was 41-56 years. Although the duration of surgery in group I was longer than that in group II (p = 0.011), the drainage duration and postoperative hospitalization between the two groups were comparable. All patients recovered well. Scarring was the only complication in group I, but there was no difference compared to group II (p = 0.711). Group II had a significantly higher incidence of postoperative depression deformity than group I (p = 0.008). Regarding satisfaction, patients in group I had significantly higher scores in satisfaction with breasts, psychosocial well-being and sexual well-being than those in group II. CONCLUSION: Combining Aquafilling removal with vertical mastopexy is an effective method of reshaping the shape of the ptotic breasts, offering superior esthetic outcomes without delaying postoperative recovery or increasing the risk of complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

LRRK2 regulates ferroptosis through the system Xc-GSH-GPX4 pathway in the neuroinflammatory mechanism of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder. Neuroinflammation mediated by activated microglia and apoptosis of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the midbrain are its primary pathological manifestations. Leucine-rich repeat protein kinase 2 (LRRK2) kinase has been observed to increase expression during neuroinflammation, however, the effect of LRRK2 on microglia activation remains poorly understood. In this study, we have established lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treated BV2 cells and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) models for both in vivo and in vitro investigation. Our data in vivo reveal that LRRK2 can promote microglia activation by regulating ferroptosis and activating nuclear factor-κB. Inhibition of LRRK2 expression effectively suppressed the LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and facilitated the secretion of neuroprotective factors. Importantly, by co-overexpressing LRRK2 and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), we identified the system Xc-GSH-GPX4 pathway as a crucial component in LRRK2-mediated microglial ferroptosis and inflammatory responses. Using a microglial culture supernatant (MCS) transfer model, we found that inhibiting LRRK2 or downregulating ferroptosis in BV2 cells prevented SH-SY5Y cell apoptosis. Additionally, we observed abundant expression of LRRK2 and P-P65 in the midbrain, which was elevated in the MPTP-induced PD model, along with microglia activation. LRRK2 and P-P65 expression inhibition with PF-06447475 attenuated microglia activation in the nigrostriatal dense part of MPTP-treated mice. Based on our findings, it is evident that LRRK2 plays a critical role in promoting the neuroinflammatory response during the pathogenesis of PD by regulating the system Xc-GSH-GPX4 pathway. Taken together, our data highlights the potential research and therapeutic value of targeting LRRK2 to regulate neuroinflammatory response in PD through ferroptosis.

Self-Concept Clarity and Loneliness among College Students: The Chain-Mediating Effect of Fear of Negative Evaluation and Self-Disclosure.

Self-concept clarity is considered a crucial indicator of mental health. Although several studies have examined the correlation between self-concept clarity and loneliness, few studies have investigated the underlying mechanism. Based on the evolutionary theory of loneliness and social penetration theory, this cross-sectional study focused on cognitive and behavioral factors in interpersonal communication situations, aiming to explore the relationship between self-concept clarity and loneliness as well as its internal mechanism. An online questionnaire survey comprised 1145 college students in China to assess their self-concept clarity, fear of negative evaluation, self-disclosure, and loneliness. After controlling for demographic variables, the results showed that self-concept clarity was not only able to directly and negatively predict loneliness but also indirectly predict loneliness through the independent mediating effects of fear of negative evaluation and self-disclosure, as well as the chain-mediating effect of fear of negative evaluation to self-disclosure. This study provides important implications for cognitive and behavioral intervention strategies to alleviate people's loneliness and improve their mental health.

ACBP4-WRKY70-RAP2.12 module positively regulates submergence-induced hypoxia response in Arabidopsis thaliana.

ACYL-CoA-BINDING PROTEINs (ACBPs) play crucial regulatory roles during plant response to hypoxia, but their molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Our study reveals that ACBP4 serves as a positive regulator of the plant hypoxia response by interacting with WRKY70, influencing its nucleocytoplasmic shuttling in Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, we demonstrate the direct binding of WRKY70 to the ACBP4 promoter, resulting in its upregulation and suggesting a positive feedback loop. Additionally, we pinpointed a phosphorylation site at Ser638 of ACBP4, which enhances submergence tolerance, potentially by facilitating WRKY70's nuclear shuttling. Surprisingly, a natural variation in this phosphorylation site of ACBP4 allowed A. thaliana to adapt to humid conditions during its historical demographic expansion. We further observed that both phosphorylated ACBP4 and oleoyl-CoA can impede the interaction between ACBP4 and WRKY70, thus promoting WRKY70's nuclear translocation. Finally, we found that the overexpression of orthologous BnaC5.ACBP4 and BnaA7.WRKY70 in Brassica napus increases submergence tolerance, indicating their functional similarity across genera. In summary, our research not only sheds light on the functional significance of the ACBP4 gene in hypoxia response, but also underscores its potential utility in breeding flooding-tolerant oilseed rape varieties.

Identification of hub genes and potential therapeutic mechanisms related to HPV positive head and neck squamous carcinoma based on full transcriptomic detection and ceRNA network construction.

Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The objective of this study is to investigate the gene expression profiles and signaling pathways that are specific to HPV-positive HNSCC (HPV+ HNSCC). Moreover, a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network analysis was utilized to identify the core gene of HPV+ HNSCC and potential targeted therapeutic drugs. Transcriptome sequencing analysis identified 3,253 coding RNAs and 3,903 non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that exhibited preferentially expressed in HPV+ HNSCC. Four key signaling pathways were selected through pathway enrichment analysis. By combining ceRNA network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network topology analysis, RNA Polymerase II Associated Protein 2 (RPAP2), which also exhibited high expression in HPV+ HNSCC based on the TCGA database, was identified as the hub gene. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) results revealed RPAP2's involvement in various signaling pathways, encompassing basal transcription factors, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, adherens junction, other glycan degradation, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and oglycan biosynthesis. Five potential small molecule targeted drugs (enzastaurin, brequinar, talinolol, phenylbutazone, and afuresertib) were identified using the cMAP database, with enzastaurin showing the highest affinity for RPAP2. Cellular functional experiments confirmed the inhibitory effect of enzastaurin on cell viability of HPV+ HNSCC and RPAP2 expression levels. Additionally, enzastaurin treatment suppressed the expression levels of the top-ranked long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), and microRNA (miRNA) in the ceRNA network. This study based on the ceRNA network provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies for HPV+ HNSCC, and provide theoretical basis for the exploration of HPV+ HNSCC biomarkers and the development of targeted drugs.

Constricted posterior fourchette deformities: Definition, classification and surgical treatments.

BACKGROUND: Labiaplasty is one of the top cosmetic procedures patients are seeking in the past two years. However, treatment of disease in posterior fourchette caused by various etiological factors was less investigated and neglected. METHODS: Three types of posterior fourchette deformity were proposed: (1) Redundant posterior fourchette, (2) Relaxed posterior fourchette, and (3) Constricted posterior fourchette. Local flap transfer technique was applied. Y-V-plasty and 5-Z-Flap-plasty were used to treat web type and tight type of the constricted posterior fourchette, respectively. Follow-ups were arranged on the Internet or at the outpatient clinic. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was utilized to evaluate sexual discomfort in the satisfaction questionnaires during follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients with constricted posterior fourchette deformity from May 2022 to May 2023 were reviewed in the study. Y-V-plasty could decrease VAS in patients with web-type deformity by 4.13 ± 1.46 (p＜0.001). 5-Z-Flap-plasty could decrease VAS in patients with tight-type deformity by 3.76 ± 1.53 (p＜0.05). Satisfaction rates of the web type and tight type were 93.1% (27/29) and 86.7% (13/15) respectively. Complications include two cases of hematoma, one case of persistent pain and two cases of dehiscence. CONCLUSION: Constricted posterior fourchette seriously affects the quality of life. Y-V-plasty and 5-Z-Flap-plasty can be utilized to treat the two subtypes of constricted posterior fourchette, which can effectively reduce the pain score of patients with high satisfaction and few long-term complications.

Response to the Comment on "Is Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging Superior to Sonography in Gynecomastia Evaluation and Surgery Planning".

The chief aim of this paper is to response to the comment on "Is breast magnetic resonance imaging superior to sonography in gynecomastia evaluation and surgery planning" and reiterate the merit of breast MRI in gynecomastia treatment for its ability to improve our understanding of the anatomical structure of gynecomastia, which, in turn, aids in refining our surgical approach. All preliminary results shed light on the objective superiority of MRI over physical examination and sonography in evaluating the tissue components of gynecomastia. However, due to the inferiority of MRI over ultrasound in terms of cost, time consumption and accessibility, there is still a significant amount of progress to be made before MRI could be widely popularized.Level of Evidence IV This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Liquid-core polymer nanocapsules prepared using flash nanoprecipitation.

Hypothesis: Nanocapsules, consisting of a solid shell and a liquid core, are an interesting class of materials with numerous applications and various methods of synthesis. One common method for synthesis of nanoparticles is flash nanoprecipitation. For a multicomponent system consisting of a liquid (n-hexadecane) and solid (polystyrene), we hypothesize that nanocapsules will form from droplets created by the turbulent mixing in the nanoprecipitation process. We anticipate n-hexadecane molecules should phase-separate more rapidly from the non-solvent, thus becoming the core, while the more slowly diffusing polystyrene forms the shell. Additionally, we predict that the amount of both n-hexadecane and polystyrene used in creating these nanocapsules will influence capsule size. Experiments: Using flash nanoprecipitation, we synthesized nanocapsules of a polystyrene shell and liquid core of n-hexadecane. We varied the concentrations of both polystyrene and n-hexadecane and characterized the resulting dispersions using dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. Findings: Our experiments demonstrate that flash nanoprecipitation can be employed to create nanocapsules with radii ranging from 50 to 200 nm, with radii of the n-hexadecane cores between 35 and 175 nm and polystyrene shells with thickness ranging from 7 to 62 nm. We used various methods of analysis to confirm this core/shell morphology and applied a droplet model to explain the dependence of particle size on initial concentrations of n-hexadecane and polystyrene.

Integrated Bioinformatics and Experimental Analysis of Long Noncoding RNA Associated-ceRNA as Prognostic Biomarkers in Advanced Stomach Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Advanced stomach adenocarcinoma (ASTAD) is a highly malignant and prognostically poor stage of gastric cancer. Recently, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) was found to play a crucial role, including as competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in cancer. However, studies on large-scale sample in ASTAD are still lacking, thus we constructed the ceRNA network of ASTAD to explore its molecular mechanism. METHODS: We compared the expression of mRNAs, lncRNAs and miRNAs between ASTAD and normal tissues utilizing RNA-Seq and miRNA-seq Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were executed for annotating the functions of differentially expressed mRNAs. Subsequently, we investigated the expression correlations between the differentially expressed lncRNAs and their respective mRNAs by constructing a ceRNA network. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to assess the relationship between high/low risk scores based on this network with patient prognosis in TCGA training cohort and GSE15459 validation cohort. In vitro functional assays were employed to verify the cancer-promoting effects of key lncRNAs in the ceRNA network and their possible mechanisms. RESULTS: In ASTAD tissues, a total of 176 lncRNAs, 124 miRNAs, and 2205 mRNAs were identified as differentially expressed. Our constructed ceRNA network consisted 6 differentially expressed lncRNAs (PVT1, MAGI2-AS3, KCNQ1OT1, LINC02086, AC125807.2 and LINC02535), 25 miRNAs and 130 mRNAs, and the risk score derived from these lincRNAs could predict ASTAD patient outcomes. Key lncRNA LINC02086 was experimentally verified to enhance proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells by competitively binding to miR-93a-5p with MMP3. CONCLUSION: Our comprehensive ceRNA network for ASTAD provides valuable insights into its molecular mechanisms, and LINC02086 may be used as an innovative target for clinical treatment.

The tolerability and efficacy of antifibrotic therapy in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Results from a real-world study.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive and fatal lung disease lacking effective therapeutics. Treatment with pirfenidone or nintedanib is recommended for patients to delay the progression of their disease. Adverse reactions caused by anti-fibrosis drugs can sometimes interrupt treatment and even change the progression of the disease. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical use, adverse reactions, tolerability of pirfenidone and nintedanib in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and the efficacy of antifibrotic therapy in a real world. METHODS: We recruited patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treated with pirfenidone or nintedanib at China-Japan Friendship Hospital from February 2017 to February 2022. We investigated the medication situation, adverse reactions, tolerability and survival of patients taking medications. RESULTS: A total of 303 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis were enrolled in the study. Treatment was divided between 205 patients receiving pirfenidone and 98 patients receiving nintedanib. Baseline data between the two groups were not significantly different. Patients treated with nintedanib had a higher overall discontinuation rate than those treated with pirfenidone (61.22 vs. 32.68 %, p < 0.001). Across all patient groups, the most common reason for discontinuing treatment was medication-related adverse effects. Compared to pirfenidone, nintedanib had a significantly higher discontinuation rate due to adverse events (48.98 % vs 27.80 %, p < 0.001). The most common side effect of both drugs was diarrhea. Pirfenidone was associated with a higher rate of extra-digestive adverse effects than nintedanib. Survival was not significantly different between the two drugs and using pirfenidone above 1200 mg/day did not confer significant survival benefits. The survival rate of patients who adhere to anti-fibrosis therapy for more than 6 months can be significantly improved (HR = 0.323, p = 0.0015). CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal adverse effects were the most common adverse effects and the main reason of discontinuation of antifibrotic therapy, especially nintedanib. Consistent adherence to antifibrotic therapy may make the patients benefit from adjusting their antifibrotic medications, dosage, and active management of side effects.

LINC00869 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis via Protrusion Formation.

Coordination of filament assembly and membrane remodeling is required for the directional migration of cancer cells. The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) recruits the actin-related protein (ARP) 2/3 complex to assemble branched actin networks. The goal of our study was to assess the potential regulatory role exerted by the novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00869 on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. We used HCC cells to overexpress or knockdown LINC00869, analyzed patient data from publicly available databases and Cancer Hospital Affiliated with Zhengzhou University, and used a xenograft mouse model of HCC to study the molecular mechanism associated with LINC00869 expression. We found that high levels of LINC00869 expression were associated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC. Next, we detected an interaction between LINC00869 and both WASP and ARP2 in HCC cells, and observed a modulatory effect of LINC00869 on the phosphorylation of WASP at Y291 and the activity of cell division control protein 42 (CDC42). These modulatory roles were required for WASP/CDC42 activity on F-actin polymerization to enhance membrane protrusion formation and maintain persistent cell polarization. This, in turn, promoted the migration and invasion abilities of HCC cells. Finally, we confirmed the role of LINC00869in vivo, using the tumor xenograft mouse model; and identified a positive correlation between LINC00869 expression levels and the phosphorylation levels of WASP in HCC samples. Overall, our findings suggest a unique mechanism by which LINC00869 orchestrates membrane protrusion during migration and invasion of HCC cells. IMPLICATIONS: LncRNA LINC00869 regulates the activity of CDC42-WASP pathway and positively affects protrusion formation in HCC cells, which expands the current understanding of lncRNA functions as well as gives a better understanding of carcinogenesis.

Antimicrobial efficacy of aloe-emodin mediated photodynamic therapy against antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro.

Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen that causes topical infections following burn injuries. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has emerged as a promising approach for treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. The objective of this study was to evaluate the aPDT efficacy of aloe-emodin (AE), which is a photosensitizer extracted from traditional Chinese herbs, on antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa in vitro. In this study, we confirmed the effectiveness of AE-mediated aPDT against both standard and MDR P. aeruginosa, explored the effects of irradiation time and AE concentration on bacterial survival in AE-mediated aPDT, and observed the structural damage of P. aeruginosa by using transmission electron microscope. Our results showed that neither AE nor light irradiation alone caused cytotoxic effects on P. aeruginosa. However, AE-mediated aPDT effectively inactivated both antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa. The transmission electron microscope investigation showed that aPDT mediated by AE primarily caused damage to the cytoplasm and cell membrane. Our findings suggest that AE is a photosensitizer in the aPDT of MDR P. aeruginosa-caused topical infections following burn injuries. Future investigations will concentrate on the safety and efficacy of AE-mediated aPDT in animal models and clinical trials.

An Electrolyte with Less Space-Occupying Diluent at Cathode Inner Helmholtz Plane for Stable 4.6†V Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Reasonably elevating the working voltage (≥4.4 V vs. Li/Li+ ) of the cathode is one of the efficient approaches to maximize the energy density of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). As a preferred partner for high-voltage LIB systems, localized high-concentration electrolyte (LHCE), characterized by a stronger Li solvation structure, less free solvent, and robust electrode/electrolyte interphase has attracted much attention in academic circles. Herein, we systematically studied the role of the diluent in LHCE on the formation of the cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) and elucidated that the existing anion-diluent pairing in the inner Helmholtz plane (IHP) results in an uneven CEI and subsequent battery degradation under high voltage. A m-fluorotoluene (mFT) diluent was further employed in the LHCE containing lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB) to facilitate a uniform and rich-anion-derived CEI, since the weaker interaction of HmFT -BDFOB - , as compared to the HHhydrofluoroether -BDFOB - , reduces the influence of mFT in IHP or initial CEI formation. Consequently, the mFT-dominated LHCE propels the high-voltage performance of LIBs one step forward, endowing a 4.6 V-class 1.2-Ah graphite||LiNi0.8 Co0.1 Mn0.1 O2 pouch cells a 90.4 % capacity retention after 130 cycles. Our study thus describes a new index affecting the CEI formation and proposes novel strategies to deeply optimize the high-voltage LIBs.

A novel endoscopy image fusion system: combine white light imaging and compound band imaging.

PURPOSE: White light imaging (WLI) is a commonly seen examination mode in endoscopy. The particular light in compound band imaging (CBI) can highlight delicate structures, such as capillaries and tiny structures on the mucosal surface. These two modes complement each other, and doctors switch between them manually to complete the examination. This paper proposes an endoscopy image fusion system to combine WLI and CBI. METHODS: We add a real-time rotatable color wheel in the light source device of the AQ-200 endoscopy system to achieve rapid imaging of two modes at the same position of living tissue. The two images corresponding to the pixel level can avoid registration and lay the foundation for image fusion. We propose a multi-scale image fusion framework, which involves Laplacian pyramid (LP) and convolutional sparse representation (CSR) and strengthens the details in the fusion rule. RESULTS: Volunteer experiments and ex vivo pig stomach trials are conducted to verify the feasibility of our proposed system. We also conduct comparative experiments with other image fusion methods, evaluate the quality of the fused images, and verify the effectiveness of our fusion framework. The results show that our fused image has rich details, high color contrast, apparent structures, and clear lesion boundaries. CONCLUSION: An endoscopy image fusion system is proposed, which does not change the doctor's operation and makes the fusion of WLI and CBI optical staining technology a reality. We change the light source device of the endoscope, propose an image fusion framework, and verify the feasibility and effectiveness of our scheme. Our method fully integrates the advantages of WLI and CBI, which can help doctors make more accurate judgments than before. The endoscopy image fusion system is of great significance for improving the detection rate of early lesions and has broad application prospects.

NIR-Actuated Targeted Janus Nanomotors Remodel Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment for Augmented Cancer Immunotherapy.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) always display immunosuppressive M2 phenotype in the tumor microenvironment to facilitate tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Ibrutinib (IBR), a novel irreversible Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, has been employed to repolarize the BTK-overexpressed TAMs from M2 to M1 phenotype to remodel the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. However, the poor solubility of IBR extremely hinders its bioavailability, which results in low tumor accumulation and TAMs uptake in vivo. Herein, NIR laser-actuated Janus nanomotors are proposed for the effective and deep delivery of IBR to TAMs in solid tumor for targeted immunotherapy. Under NIR irradiation, the Janus nanomotors exhibit efficient photothermal conversion to produce powerful propulsion via self-thermophoresis with a speed of 12.15 µm s-1 . Combined with the salic acid targeting and IBR loading, the nanomotors significantly boost their binding and uptake efficacy by M2-like macrophages during the active motion, which highly facilitate the reprogramming of M2 to M1 macrophages in vitro. Furtherly, the autonomous motion also validly improves in vivo accumulation and penetration depth in tumors to alter the M1/M2 polarization balance and activate T cells. Overall, the synthesized IC@MSA JNMs would provide a promising strategy for the efficient delivery of immunological agents toward targeted cancer immunotherapy.

Combined applications of UV and chlorine on antibiotic resistance control: A critical review.

Environmental health problems caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) have become a global concern. ARB and ARGs have been continuously detected in various water environments, which pose a new challenge for water quality safety assurance. Disinfection is a key water treatment process to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms in water, and combined chlorine and UV processes (the UV/Cl2 process, the UV-Cl2 process, and the Cl2-UV process) are considered potential disinfection methods to control antibiotic resistance. This review documented the efficacy and mechanism of combined UV and chlorine processes for the control of antibiotic resistance, as well as the effects of chlorine dose, solution pH, UV wavelength, and water matrix on the effectiveness of the processes. There are knowledge gaps in research on the combined chlorine and UV processes for antibiotic resistance control, in particular the UV-Cl2 process and the Cl2-UV process. In addition, changes in the structure of microbial communities and the distribution of ARGs, which are closely related to the spread of antibiotic resistance in the water, induced by combined processes were also addressed. Whether these changes could lead to the re-transmission of antibiotic resistance and harm human health may need to be further evaluated.

A Monocular Variable Magnifications 3D Laparoscope System Using Double Liquid Lenses.

During minimal invasive surgery (MIS), the laparoscope only provides a single viewpoint to the surgeon, leaving a lack of 3D perception. Many works have been proposed to obtain depth and 3D reconstruction by designing a new optical structure or by depending on the camera pose and image sequences. Most of these works modify the structure of the conventional laparoscopes and cannot provide 3D reconstruction of different magnification views. In this study, we propose a laparoscopic system based on double liquid lenses, which provide doctors with variable magnification rates, near observation, and real-time monocular 3D reconstruction. Our system composes of an optical structure that can obtain auto magnification change and autofocus without any physically moving element, and a deep learning network based on the Depth from Defocus (DFD) method, trained to suit inconsistent camera intrinsic situations and estimate depth from images of different focal lengths. The optical structure is portable and can be mounted on conventional laparoscopes. The depth estimation network estimates depth in real-time from monocular images of different focal lengths and magnification rates. Experiments show that our system provides a 0.68-1.44x zoom rate and can estimate depth from different magnification rates at 6fps. Monocular 3D reconstruction reaches at least 6mm accuracy. The system also provides a clear view even under 1mm close working distance. Ex-vivo experiments and implementation on clinical images prove that our system provides doctors with a magnified clear view of the lesion, as well as quick monocular depth perception during laparoscopy, which help surgeons get better detection and size diagnosis of the abdomen during laparoscope surgeries.

Construction and application of a QSRR approach for identifying flavonoids.

A quantitative structure retention relationship (QSRR) method was developed to identify flavonoid isomers auxiliary using an ultra high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method based on the linear relationships between the Ln(k') values of flavonoids and their hydrogen bonding energy (XAH) and dissolution energy (ES). Chromatographic separation was achieved with a Hypersil GOLD C18 (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.9 µm) column and Agilent SB-C18 (2.1 ×50 mm, 1.8 µm) column on a Dionex Ultimate 3000 RSLC chromatograph. Compounds were eluted isocratically using a mobile phase containing 0.1% formic acid/water solution and methanol at a ratio of 55:45 (v/v). Mass spectrometry was performed in the negative and positive ionization modes on a Thermo Fisher Q Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization interface. The established QSRR model was Ln(k') = 5.6163 + 0.0469ES - 0.0984XAH, with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.9981, adjusted determination coefficient (adjR2) of 0.9976, and corrected root mean square error of 0.0682. The determination coefficient of the leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation (Q2LOO) was 0.9976, and the cross-verification root mean square error was 0.0754. Simulated samples containing 7 flavonoids were used to validate the feasibility of the method. The classical method (UHPLC-MS/MS combined the CD software and the mzCloud, mzVault and Chemspider databases) was used to identify the seven flavonoids in the simulated samples. This classic identification strategy cannot provide accurate identification results, which provided multiple identification results for each compound in the simulated samples. On the basis of the results, the 7 flavonoids were accurately identified by the established QSRR model, and the reference standards were used to validate it. The relative error of retention time(RE(tR)) between the model calculation and experimental results was less than 10%. This method effectively complements and improves the classical methods, that UHPLC-MS/MS combined the CD software and the mass spectra databases were used to identify flavonoids identification.

PVDF-HFP via Localized Iodization as Interface Layer for All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries with Li6 PS5 Cl Films.

All-solid lithium (Li) metal batteries (ASSLBs) with sulfide-based solid electrolyte (SEs) films exhibit excellent electrochemical performance, rendering them capable of satisfying the growing demand for energy storage systems. However, challenges persist in the application of SEs film owing to their reactivity with Li metal and uncontrolled formation of lithium dendrites. In this study, iodine-doped poly(vinylidenefluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) as an interlayer (PHI) to establish a stable interphase between Li metal and Li6 PS5 Cl (LPSCl) films is investigated. The release of I ions and PVDF-HFP produces LiI and LiF, effectively suppressing lithium dendrite growth. Density functional theory calculations show that the synthesized interlayer layer exhibits high interfacial energy. Results show that the PHI@Li/LPSCl film/PHI@Li symmetrical cells can cycle for more than 650 h at 0.1 mA cm-2 . The PHI@Li/LPSCl film/NCM622 cell exhibits a distinct enhancement in capacity retention of ≈26% when using LiNi0.6 Mn0.2 Co0.2 O2 (NCM622) as the cathode, compared to pristine Li metal as the anode. This study presents a feasible method for producing next-generation dendrite-free SEs films, promoting their practical use in ASSLBs.

Deep Learning Based Metabolite Annotation.

Metabolite annotation is a major bottleneck in untargeted metabolomics studies by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This is in part due to the limited publicly available spectral libraries, which consist of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) data acquired from just a fraction of known compounds. Machine learning and deep learning methods provide the opportunity to predict molecular fingerprints based on MS/MS data. The predicted molecular fingerprints can then be used to help rank candidate metabolite IDs obtained based on predicted formula or measured precursor m/z of the unknown metabolite. This approach is particularly useful to help annotate metabolites whose corresponding MS/MS spectra cannot be matched with those in spectral libraries. We previously reported application of a convolutional neural network (CNN) for molecular fingerprint prediction using MS/MS spectra obtained from the MoNA repository and NIST 20. In this paper, we investigate high-dimensional representation of the spectral data and molecular fingerprints to improve accuracy in molecular fingerprint prediction.