The predictive value of conventional magnetic resonance imaging combined with intravoxel incoherent motion parameters for evaluating maternal and neonatal clinical outcomes in patients with placenta accreta spectrum disorders.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to identify factors predictive of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes in patients with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) parameters. METHOD: Fifty-six normal singleton pregnancies at 33-39 weeks of gestation underwent MRI examination at 1.5 T. The IVIM parameters were obtained from the placenta. The correlation between the f value and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and between the f value and transfused units of red blood cells (RBCs) was estimated by linear regression. The correlation between various influencing factors (clinical risk factors, MRI features, and IVIM parameters) and poor outcomes was investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULT: The interobserver agreement ranged from fair to excellent (k = 0.30-0.88). Multivariate analyses showed that previous cesarean sections, low signal intensity bands on T2WI and the D value were independent risk factors for adverse outcomes. The combination of three risk factors demonstrated the highest AUC of 0.903, with a sensitivity and specificity of 73.10 % and 96.90 %, respectively. Last, f was positively correlated with PPH and units of RBCs transfused. DISCUSSION: Preoperative MRI features and IVIM parameters may be used to predict poor outcomes in patients with invasive placental disorders like PAS.

Multispectral Thermometry Method Based on Optimisation Ideas.

Multispectral thermometry is based on the law of blackbody radiation and is widely used in engineering practice today. Temperature values can be inferred from radiation intensity and multiple sets of wavelengths. Multispectral thermometry eliminates the requirements for single-spectral and spectral similarity, which are associated with two-colour thermometry. In the process of multispectral temperature inversion, the solution of spectral emissivity and multispectral data processing can be seen as the keys to accurate thermometry. At present, spectral emissivity is most commonly estimated using assumption models. When an assumption model closely matches an actual situation, the inversion of the temperature and the accuracy of spectral emissivity are both very high; however, when the two are not closely matched, the inversion result is very different from the actual situation. Assumption models of spectral emissivity exhibit drawbacks when used for thermometry of a complex material, or any material whose properties dynamically change during a combustion process. To address the above problems, in the present study, we developed a multispectral thermometry method based on optimisation ideas. This method involves analysing connections between measured temperatures of each channel in a multispectral temperature inversion process; it also makes use of correlations between multispectral signals at different temperatures. In short, we established a multivariate temperature difference correlation function based on the principles of multispectral radiometric thermometry, using information correlations between data for each channel in a temperature inversion process. We then established a high-precision thermometry model by optimising the correlation function and correcting any measurement errors. This method simplifies the modelling process so that it becomes an optimisation problem of the temperature difference function. This also removes the need to assume the relationships between spectral emissivity and other physical quantities, simplifying the process of multispectral thermometry. Finally, this involves correction of the spectral data so that any impact of measurement error on the thermometry is reduced. In order to verify the feasibility and reliability of the method, a simple eight-channel multispectral thermometry device was used for experimental validation, in which the temperature emitted from a blackbody furnace was identified as the standard value. In addition, spectral data from the 468-603 nm band were calibrated within a temperature range of 1923.15-2273.15 K, resulting in multispectral thermometry based on optimisation principles with an error rate of around 0.3% and a temperature calculation time of less than 3 s. The achieved level of inversion accuracy was better than that obtained using either a secondary measurement method (SMM) or a neural network method, and the calculation speed achieved was considerably faster than that obtained using the SMM method.

[Analysis of constituents in different parts of Forsythia suspensa by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and evaluation of their anti-inflammatory activity].

This study aims to characterize and identify the chemical constituents in 11 parts of Forsythia suspensa by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) combined with a self-established chemical constituent database, including leaves, flowers, fruits, green F. suspensa, old F. suspensa, and seeds. The quality attributes and differences of different parts of F. suspensa were evaluated by principal component analysis, partial least square discriminant analysis, and other stoichiometric methods. A total of 79 compounds were identified, including 13 phenylethanol glycosides, 10 lignans, 12 flavonoids, 10 organic acids, 14 terpenoids, and 20 other types of compounds. Among them, 34 compounds were the main variables of difference between the different parts of F. suspensa, and the content of each component was relatively higher in the leaves and green F. suspensa. The LPS-induced inflammation model of RAW264.7 cells was applied to study the anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts of the different parts of F. suspensa and the main constituents. The results show that the extracts of green F. suspensa, flower, twig, and stem exhibited anti-inflammatory activity, and the constituents such as forsythoside A, phyllyrin, phillygenin, and(+)-pinoresinol-ß-D-glucopyranoside could significantly inhibit anti-inflammatory activity released by NO. The chemical constituent in different parts of F. suspensa is analyzed comprehensively, and the anti-inflammatory activity is evaluated in this study, which provides a reference for the development and comprehensive utilization of F. suspensa resources.

Are children with IgA nephropathy different from adult patients?

BACKGROUND: Previously, several studies have indicated that pediatric IgA nephropathy (IgAN) might be different from adult IgAN, and treatment strategies might be also different between pediatric IgAN and adult IgAN. METHODS: We analyzed two prospective cohorts established by pediatric and adult nephrologists, respectively. A comprehensive analysis was performed investigating the difference in clinical and pathological characteristics, treatment, and prognosis between children and adults with IgAN. RESULTS: A total of 1015 children and 1911 adults with IgAN were eligible for analysis. More frequent gross hematuria (88% vs. 20%, p < 0.0001) and higher proteinuria (1.8 vs. 1.3 g/d, p < 0.0001) were seen in children compared to adults. In comparison, the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was lower in adults (80.4 vs. 163 ml/min/1.73 m2, p < 0.0001). Hypertension was more prevalent in adult patients. Pathologically, a higher proportion of M1 was revealed (62% vs. 39%, p < 0.0001) in children than in adults. S1 (62% vs. 28%, p < 0.0001) and T1-2 (34% vs. 8%, p < 0.0001) were more frequent in adults. Adjusted by proteinuria, eGFR, and hypertension, children were more likely to be treated with glucocorticoids than adults (87% vs. 45%, p < 0.0001). After propensity score matching, in IgAN with proteinuria > 1 g/d, children treated with steroids were 1.87 (95% CI 1.16-3.02, p = 0.01) times more likely to reach complete remission of proteinuria compared with adults treated with steroids. CONCLUSIONS: Children present significantly differently from adults with IgAN in clinical and pathological manifestations and disease progression. Steroid response might be better in children.

Cell size and xylem differentiation regulating genes from Salicornia europaea contribute to plant salt tolerance.

Cell wall is involved in plant growth and plays pivotal roles in plant adaptation to environmental stresses. Cell wall remodelling may be crucial to salt adaptation in the euhalophyte Salicornia europaea. However, the mechanism underlying this process is still unclear. Here, full-length transcriptome indicated cell wall-related genes were comprehensively regulated under salinity. The morphology and cell wall components in S. europaea shoot were largely modified under salinity. Through the weighted gene co-expression network analysis, SeXTH2 encoding xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases, and two SeLACs encoding laccases were focused. Meanwhile, SeEXPB was focused according to expansin activity and the expression profiling. Function analysis in Arabidopsis validated the functions of these genes in enhancing salt tolerance. SeXTH2 and SeEXPB overexpression led to larger cells and leaves with hemicellulose and pectin content alteration. SeLAC1 and SeLAC2 overexpression led to more xylem vessels, increased secondary cell wall thickness and lignin content. Notably, SeXTH2 transgenic rice exhibited enhanced salt tolerance and higher grain yield. Altogether, these genes may function in the succulence and lignification process in S. europaea. This work throws light on the regulatory mechanism of cell wall remodelling in S. europaea under salinity and provides potential strategies for improving crop salt tolerance and yields.

High accuracy ranging for space debris with spaceborne single photon Lidar.

The increasing risk posed by space debris highlights the need for accurate localization techniques. Spaceborne single photon Lidar (SSPL) offers a promising solution, overcoming the limitations of traditional ground-based systems by providing expansive coverage and superior maneuverability without being hindered by weather, time, or geographic constraints. This study introduces a novel approach leveraging non-parametric Bayesian inference and the Dirichlet process mixture model (DPMM) to accurately determine the distance of space debris in low Earth orbit (LEO), where debris exhibits nonlinear, high dynamic motion characteristics. By integrating extended Kalman filtering (EKF) for range gating, our method captures the temporal distribution of reflected photons, employing Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) for iterative solutions. Experimental outcomes demonstrate our method's superior accuracy over conventional statistical techniques, establishing a clear correlation between radial absolute velocity and ranging error, thus significantly enhancing monostatic space debris localization.

Increased miR-3074-5p expression promotes M1 polarization and pyroptosis of macrophages via ERα/NLRP3 pathway and induces adverse pregnancy outcomes in mice.

Decidual macrophages (dMϕs) play critical roles in regulation of immune-microhomeostasis at maternal-fetal interface during pregnancy, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, it was found that litter size and fetal weight were significantly reduced, whereas the rate of embryo resorption was increased in miR-3074-5p knock-in (3074-KI) pregnant mice, compared to that of wild-type (WT) pregnant mice. Plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in 3074-KI pregnant mice were also significantly elevated compared to WT pregnant mice at GD7.5. The quantity of M1-Mϕs in uterine tissues of 3074-KI pregnant mice was significantly increased compared to WT pregnant mice at GD13.5. Estrogen receptor-α (ERα) was validated to be a target of miR-3074-5p. Either miR-3074-5p overexpression or ERα knockdown promoted transcriptional activity of NF-κB/p65, induced M1-polarization and pyroptosis of THP1-derived Mϕs, accompanied with increased intracellular levels of cleaved Caspase-1, cleaved IL-1ß, NLRP3, cleaved GSDMD and ASC aggregation. Furthermore, ERα could not only bind to NLRP3 or ASC directly, but also inhibit the interaction between NLRP3 and ASC. The endometrial miR-3074-5p expression level at the middle secretory stage of repeated implantation failure (RIF) patients was significantly decreased compared to that of control fertile women. These data indicated that miR-3074-5p could promote M1 polarization and pyroptosis of Mϕs via activation of NLRP3 inflammasome by targeting ERα, and the dysregulation of miR-3074-5p expression in dMϕs might damage the embryo implantation and placentation by interfering with inflammatory microenvironment at the maternal-fetal interface during early pregnancy.

Cistanche phenylethanoid glycosides induce apoptosis and pyroptosis in T-cell lymphoma.

Cistanche deserticola, known for its extensive history in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is valued for its therapeutic properties. Recent studies have identified its anticancer capabilities, yet the mechanisms underlying these properties remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we determined that a mixture of four cistanche-derived phenylethanoid glycosides (CPhGs), echinacoside, acteoside, 2-acetylacteoside, and cistanoside A, which are among the main bioactive compounds in C. deserticola, eliminated T-cell lymphoma (TCL) cells by inducing apoptosis and pyroptosis in vitro and attenuated tumor growth in vivo in a xenograft mouse model. At the molecular level, these CPhGs elevated P53 by inhibiting the SIRT2-MDM2/P300 and PI3K/AKT carcinogenic axes and activating PTEN-Bax tumor-suppressing signaling. Moreover, CPhGs activated noncanonical and alternative pathways to trigger pyroptosis. Interestingly, CPhGs did not activate canonical NLRP3-caspase-1 pyroptotic signaling pathway; instead, CPhGs suppressed the inflammasome factor NLRP3 and the maturation of IL-1ß. Treatment with a caspase-1/4 inhibitor and silencing of Gasdermin D (GSDMD) or Gasdermin E (GSDME) partially rescued CPhG-induced cell death. Conversely, forced expression of NLRP3 restored cell proliferation. In summary, our results indicate that CPhGs modulate multiple signaling pathways to achieve their anticancer properties and perform dual roles in pyroptosis and NLRP3-driven proliferation. This study offers experimental support for the potential application of CPhGs in the treatment of TCL.

[Retracted] Anthelmintic drug albendazole arrests human gastric cancer cells at the mitotic phase and induces apoptosis.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3892/etm.2016.3992.].

Severe hypoxemia after radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation in palliatively repaired tetralogy of Fallot: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) often have arrhythmias, commonly being atrial fibrillation (AF). Radiofrequency ablation is an effective treatment for AF and does not usually cause severe postoperative hypoxemia, but the risk of complications may increase in patients with conditions such as TOF. CASE SUMMARY: We report a young male patient with a history of TOF repair who developed severe hypoxemia after radiofrequency ablation for AF and was ultimately confirmed to have a new right-to-left shunt. The patient subsequently underwent atrial septal occlusion and eventually recovered. CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency ablation may cause iatrogenic atrial septal injury; thus possible complications should be predicted in order to ensure successful treatment and patient safety.

Toward Enhancing Performance of Electromagnetic Wave Absorption for Conductive Metal-Organic Frameworks: Nanostructure Engineering or Crystal Morphology Controlling.

Conductive metal-organic frameworks (cMOFs), which have high porosity and intrinsic electron conductivity, are regarded as ideal candidates for electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption materials. Controlling the nanostructure of absorbers may be one of the effective strategies to improve the electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance. Herein, a series of conductive Cu-HHTP MOFs (HHTP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexahydroxytriphenyl hydrates) with different nanostructures or crystal morphologies were successfully synthesized by using different structural inducers to regulate the changes in the morphology, thereby improving the EMW absorption performance. Specifically, when ammonia was used as an inducer, the obtained A-Cu-HHTP with a nanosheet structure exhibited excellent EMW absorption performance. The minimum reflection loss (RLmin) can reach -51.08 dB at 7.25 GHz with a thickness of 4.4 mm, and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) can cover 5.73 GHz at 2.5 mm. The influence of the nanostructures of the cMOFs on the dielectric and EMW absorption performance was clarified. The nanosheet structure of A-Cu-HHTP increases its specific surface area, which expands multiple scattering and reflection paths of incident EMW; Meanwhile, the unique structure facilitates the formation of more heterogeneous interfaces, optimizing impedance matching. The significant improvement in EMW performance is mainly attributed to multiple reflections and scattering as well as impedance matching. This work not only provides a simple and effective strategy for improving electromagnetic wave absorption performance but also offers guidelines for preparing morphology functional cMOF materials.

scifi-ATAC-seq: massive-scale single-cell chromatin accessibility sequencing using combinatorial fluidic indexing.

Single-cell ATAC-seq has emerged as a powerful approach for revealing candidate cis-regulatory elements genome-wide at cell-type resolution. However, current single-cell methods suffer from limited throughput and high costs. Here, we present a novel technique called scifi-ATAC-seq, single-cell combinatorial fluidic indexing ATAC-sequencing, which combines a barcoded Tn5 pre-indexing step with droplet-based single-cell ATAC-seq using the 10X Genomics platform. With scifi-ATAC-seq, up to 200,000 nuclei across multiple samples can be indexed in a single emulsion reaction, representing an approximately 20-fold increase in throughput compared to the standard 10X Genomics workflow.

Guiding function of positron emission tomography-computed tomography examination in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular adnexal mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma.

AIM: To explore the role of positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) examination in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular adnexal mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (OAML). METHODS: The general clinical data, postoperative PET-CT results, treatment regimens, and the prognosis of 21 histopathologically confirmed OAML patients between October 2017 and September 2021 were collected. Among the 21 patients, five patients underwent surgical treatment alone, 13 patients underwent surgical treatment combined with radiotherapy, and three patients underwent surgical treatment combined with chemotherapy. RESULTS: The follow-up period ranged from 8 to 79mo, with four cases of recurrence and no deaths. Through PET-CT examination, two patients exhibited both local ocular metabolic elevation and systemic metastasis, and one of these patients had cervical lymph node metastasis, while the other had submandibular and parotid gland metastasis. Nine patients showed only local ocular metabolic elevation, while 10 patients had no abnormal metabolic activity locally. CONCLUSION: PET-CT examination plays a crucial role in detecting residual lesions and recurrence following tumor resection, aiding in precise disease staging, and facilitating the development of personalized treatment plans, ultimately improving patient prognosis.

Identification Markers Responsible for Differentially Processed Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Quadruple-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

The rhizome of Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for over 2000 years. The fresh Chinese herb possesses micro toxicity and is thus traditionally alternately steamed and basked nine times to alleviate the toxicity and enhance the pharmaceutical efficacy. Different processing cycles usually result in variable therapeutic effects in the processed Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (P-PCH). However, it can be hard to tell these various P-PCHs apart at present. To identify the P-PCHs that had undergone repeated steaming one to nine times, the chemical constituents were profiled based on Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Quadruple-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry, and the Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis methods were adopted to discriminate different cycles of P-PCH. A total of 44 characteristic markers were identified, which allowed the P-PCHs to be discriminated exactly.

Four new diterpenoids from the aerial parts of Leucas zeylanica (L.) R. Br.

Four new undescribed halimane- and labdane-type diterpenoids, named zeylleucapenoids E-H (1-4), along with four known analogues (5-8), were isolated from the aerial parts of Leucas zeylanica (L.) R. Br. Their structures were determined by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis and computational calculations. Compounds 1 and 2 are the highly modified halimane diterpenoids featuring a 6/6/6-fused tricyclic system with an unusual six-membered 6,11-ether ring. Compound 8 exhibits nontoxic effects for zebrafish embryo, while it displays efficient reduction against NO production in a dose-dependent manner and strongly suppresses the secretion of LPS-induced TNF-α and IL-6 cytokines in RAW264.7 macrophages. In addition, marked reductions of iNOS and COX-2 expression were observed. Molecular docking analysis indicated that 8 has high affinities with the target amino acid residues on protein-binding sites, which may be a possible mechanism contributing to the anti-inflammatory potential of this molecule.

Exploratory Study on COPD Phenotypes and their Progression: Integrating SPECT and qCT Imaging Analysis.

Background: The objective of this study is to understand chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) phenotypes and their progressions by quantifying heterogeneities of lung ventilation from the single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images and establishing associations with the quantitative computed tomography (qCT) imaging-based clusters and variables. Methods: Eight COPD patients completed a longitudinal study of three visits with intervals of about a year. CT scans of these subjects at residual volume, functional residual capacity, and total lung capacity were taken for all visits. The functional and structural qCT-based variables were derived, and the subjects were classified into the qCT-based clusters. In addition, the SPECT variables were derived to quantify the heterogeneity of lung ventilation. The correlations between the key qCT-based variables and SPECT-based variables were examined. Results: The SPECT-based coefficient of variation (CV Total ), a measure of ventilation heterogeneity, showed strong correlations (|r| ≥ 0.7) with the qCT-based functional small airway disease percentage (fSAD% Total ) and emphysematous tissue percentage (Emph% Total ) in the total lung on cross-sectional data. As for the two-year changes, the SPECT-based maximum tracer concentration (TC max ), a measure of hot spots, exhibited strong negative correlations with fSAD% Total , Emph% Total , average airway diameter in the left upper lobe, and airflow distribution in the middle and lower lobes. Conclusion: Small airway disease is highly associated with the heterogeneity of ventilation in COPD lungs. TC max is a more sensitive functional biomarker for COPD progression than CV Total . Besides fSAD% Total and Emph% Total , segmental airways narrowing and imbalanced ventilation between upper and lower lobes may contribute to the development of hot spots over time.

Compact meta-differentiator for achieving isotropically high-contrast ultrasonic imaging.

Ultrasonic imaging is crucial in the fields of biomedical engineering for its deep penetration capabilities and non-ionizing nature. However, traditional techniques heavily rely on impedance differences within objects, resulting in poor contrast when imaging acoustically transparent targets. Here, we propose a compact spatial differentiator for underwater isotropic edge-enhanced imaging, which enhances the imaging contrast without the need for contrast agents or external physical fields. This design incorporates an amplitude meta-grating for linear transmission along the radial direction, combined with a phase meta-grating that utilizes focus and spiral phases with a first-order topological charge. Through theoretical analysis, numerical simulations, and experimental validation, we substantiate the effectiveness of our technique in distinguishing amplitude objects with isotropic edge enhancements. Importantly, this method also enables the accurate detection of both phase objects and artificial biological models. This breakthrough creates new opportunities for applications in medical diagnosis and nondestructive testing.

[Comparison of the efficacy of TiRobot orthopaedic robot assisted F screw technique and inverted triangle parallel nail internal fixation in the treatment of unstable femoral neck fractures].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of TiRobot assisted F screw technique and inverted triangle parallel nail internal fixation in the treatment of unstable femoral neck fractures. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 72 patients with unstable femoral neck fractures who were treated with percutaneous cannulated screw fixation assisted with TiRobot Orthopaedic robot from December 2019 to April 2021. Among them, 37 patients were treated with F screw internal fixation, including 16 males and 21 females, aged 47 to 64 years old with an average of （53.87±5.28） years old；According to Pauwels classification, there were 1 case of type Ⅰ, 19 cases of type Ⅱ, 17 cases of type Ⅲ；8 cases of combined medical diseases；17 cases of falling, 8 cases of traffic accident and 12 cases of falling from height；The time from injury to operation was 29 to 49 hours with average of （35.00±7.34） hours. Another 35 cases used internal fixation with an inverted triangle parallel nail, including 13 males and 22 females with an average age of 46 to 63 years old （52.36±5.05） years old；According to the Pauwels injury classification：there were 2 cases of type Ⅰ, 21 cases of type Ⅱ, 12 cases of type Ⅲ；6 cases of medical diseases, 15 cases of falling injury, 9 cases of traffic accident, 11 cases of falling injury；The time from injury to operation was 30 to 45 hours with an average of （33.00±6.83） h. The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, intraoperative fluoroscopy times, follow-up time, fracture healing time, postoperative complications were observed and compared between the two groups. The hip joint function was evaluated by Harris score at 6 months and 12 months after operation. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative fluoroscopy times and other intraoperative data between two groups（P>0.05）. Both groups were followed up regularly, and the follow-up time was 12 to 16 months. The fracture healing time and Harris score of the F screw internal fixation group were better than those of the inverted triangle parallel nail internal fixation group （P<0.05）. There was 1 case of femoral neck shortening in the F screw internal fixation group, 1 case of nonunion, 1 case of nail withdrawal, and 1 case of lower extremity deep vein thrombosis in the inverted triangle internal fixation group. The incidence of complications in the F screw internal fixation group was lower than that in the inverted triangle parallel nail internal fixation group（P<0.05）. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous cannulated F screw technique using Tirobot navigation positioning system is a safe and effective treatment for patients with unstable femoral neck fractures. It can significantly shorten the fracture healing time, reduce the incidence of postoperative complications, significantly improve hip joint function, and improve the quality of life.