Calibration-free, high-precision, and robust terahertz ultrafast metasurfaces for monitoring gastric cancers.

Optical sensors, with great potential to convert invisible bioanalytical response into readable information, have been envisioned as a powerful platform for biological analysis and early diagnosis of diseases. However, the current extraction of sensing data is basically processed via a series of complicated and time-consuming calibrations between samples and reference, which inevitably introduce extra measurement errors and potentially annihilate small intrinsic responses. Here, we have proposed and experimentally demonstrated a calibration-free sensor for achieving high-precision biosensing detection, based on an optically controlled terahertz (THz) ultrafast metasurface. Photoexcitation of the silicon bridge enables the resonant frequency shifting from 1.385 to 0.825 THz and reaches the maximal phase variation up to 50° at 1.11 THz. The typical environmental measurement errors are completely eliminated in theory by normalizing the Fourier-transformed transmission spectra between ultrashort time delays of 37 ps, resulting in an extremely robust sensing device for monitoring the cancerous process of gastric cells. We believe that our calibration-free sensors with high precision and robust advantages can extend their implementation to study ultrafast biological dynamics and may inspire considerable innovations in the field of medical devices with nondestructive detection.

Can uric acid affect the immune microenvironment in bladder cancer? A single-center multi-omics study.

Metabolic abnormalities are one of the important factors in bladder cancer (BCa) progression and microenvironmental disturbance. As an important product of purine metabolism, uric acid's (UA) role in BCa metabolism and immunotherapy remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis of a cohort comprising 39 BCa patients treated with PD-1 and 169 patients who underwent radical cystectomy at Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis showed that the prognosis of patients with high UA is worse (p = 0.007), and high UA is an independent risk factor for cancer specific survival in patients with BCa (p = 0.025). We established a hyperuricemia mouse model with BCa subcutaneous xenografts in vivo. The results revealed that the subcutaneous tumors of hyperuricemia mice had a greater weight and volume in comparison with the control group. Through flow cytometric analysis, the proportion of CD8+ and CD4+ T cells in these subcutaneous tumors was seen to decline significantly. We also evaluated the relationship of UA and BCa by muti-omic analysis. UA related genes were significantly increased in the CD8+ T cell of non-responders to immunotherapy by single-cell sequencing. An 11-gene UA related signature was constructed and the risk score negatively correlated with various immune cells and immune checkpoints. Finally, a nomogram was established using a UA related signature to forecast the survival rate of patients with BCa. Collectively, this study demonstrated that UA was an independent prognostic biomarker for BCa and was associated with worse immunotherapy response.

An OBP gene highly expressed in non-chemosensory tissues affects the phototaxis and reproduction of Spodoptera frugiperda.

Insect odorant binding proteins (OBPs) were initially regarded as carriers of the odorants involved in chemosensation. However, it had been observed that a growing number of OBP genes exhibited broad expression patterns beyond chemosensory tissues. Here, an OBP gene (OBP31) was found to be highly expressed in the larval ventral nerve cord, adult brain and male reproductive organ of Spodoptera frugiperda. An OBP31 knockout strain (OBP31-/- ) was generated by CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis. For OBP31-/- , the larvae needed longer time to pupate, but there was no difference in the pupal weight between OBP31-/- and wild type (WT). OBP31-/- larvae showed stronger phototaxis than the WT larvae, indicating the importance of OBP31 in light perception. For mating rhythm of adults, OBP31-/- moths displayed an earlier second mating peak. In the cross-pairing of OBP31-/- and WT moths, the mating duration was longer, and hatchability was lower in OBP31-/- group and OBP31+/- ♂ group than that in the WT group. These results suggested that OBP31 played a vital role in larval light perception and male reproductive process and could provide valuable insights into understanding the biological functions of OBPs that were not specific in chemosensory tissues.

Multiphase MRI-Based Radiomics for Predicting Histological Grade of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly heterogeneous cancer. Accurate preoperative prediction of histological grade holds potential for improving clinical management and disease prognostication. PURPOSE: To evaluate the performance of a radiomics signature based on multiphase MRI in assessing histological grade in solitary HCC. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. SUBJECTS: A total of 405 patients with histopathologically confirmed solitary HCC and with liver gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced MRI within 1 month of surgery. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted spoiled gradient echo sequence (LAVA) at 1.5 or 3.0 T. ASSESSMENT: Tumors were graded (low/high) according to results of histopathology. Basic clinical characteristics (including age, gender, serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level, history of hepatitis B, and cirrhosis) were collected and tumor size measured. Radiomics features were extracted from Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI data. Three feature selection strategies were employed sequentially to identify the optimal features: SelectFromModel (SFM), SelectPercentile (SP), and recursive feature elimination with cross-validation (RFECV). Probabilities of five single-phase radiomics-based models were averaged to generate a radiomics signature. A combined model was built by combining the radiomics signature and clinical predictors. STATISTICAL TESTS: Pearson χ2 test/Fisher exact test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, interclass correlation coefficient (ICC), univariable/multivariable logistic regression analysis, area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), DeLong test, calibration curve, Brier score, decision curve, Kaplan-Meier curve, and log-rank test. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: High-grade HCCs were present in 33.8% of cases. AFP levels (odds ratio [OR] 1.89) and tumor size (>5 cm; OR 2.33) were significantly associated with HCC grade. The combined model had excellent performance in assessing HCC grade in the test dataset (AUC: 0.801), and demonstrated satisfactory calibration and clinical utility. DATA CONCLUSION: A model that combined a radiomics signature derived from preoperative multiphase Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI and clinical predictors showed good performance in assessing HCC grade. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 5.

Tenascin-X Mediates Flow-Induced Suppression of EndMT and Atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) has been identified as a critical driver of vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis, and TGF-ß (transforming growth factor ß) is a key mediator of EndMT. Both EndMT and atherosclerosis are promoted by disturbed flow, whereas unidirectional laminar flow limits EndMT and is atheroprotective. How EndMT and endothelial TGF-ß signaling are regulated by different flow patterns is, however, still poorly understood. METHODS: Flow chamber experiments in vitro and endothelium-specific knockout mice were used to study the role of tenascin-X in the regulation of EndMT and atherosclerosis as well as the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: In human endothelial cells as well as in human and mouse aortae, unidirectional laminar flow but not disturbed flow strongly increased endothelial expression of the extracellular matrix protein TN-X (tenascin-X) in a KLF4 (Krüppel-like factor 4) dependent manner. Mice with endothelium-specific loss of TN-X (EC-Tnxb-KO) showed increased endothelial TGF-ß signaling as well as increased endothelial expression of EndMT and inflammatory marker genes. When EC-Tnxb-KO mice were subjected to partial carotid artery ligation, we observed increased vascular remodeling. EC-Tnxb-KO mice crossed to low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice showed advanced atherosclerotic lesions after being fed a high-fat diet. Treatment of EC-Tnxb-KO mice with an anti-TGF-beta antibody or additional endothelial loss of TGF-beta receptors 1 and 2 normalized endothelial TGF-beta signaling and prevented EndMT. In in vitro studies, we found that TN-X through its fibrinogen-like domain directly interacts with TGF-ß and thereby interferes with its binding to the TGF-ß receptor. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, we show that TN-X is a central mediator of flow-induced inhibition of EndMT, endothelial inflammation and atherogenesis, which functions by binding to and by blocking the activity of TGF-ß. Our data identify a novel mechanism of flow-dependent regulation of vascular TGF-ß, which holds promise for generating new strategies to prevent vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Anaerolentibacter hominis gen. nov. sp. nov., Diplocloster hominis sp. nov. and Pilosibacter fragilis gen. nov. sp. nov., isolated from human faeces.

Three Gram-positive, obligately anaerobic bacterial strains, namely CSJ-1T, CSJ-3T, and CSJ-4T, were isolated from faeces of healthy persons. They were characterized through a combination of whole-genome sequencing, phenotypic traits, and metabolomic analysis. The genome sizes of CSJ-1T, CSJ-4T, and CSJ-3T were 3.3, 3.8, and 6.1 Mbp, with DNA G+C contents of 47.2, 48.3, and 48.8 mol%, respectively. Strain CSJ-3T was identified as representing a novel species, Diplocloster hominis (type strain CSJ-3T=CGMCC 1.18033T=JCM 36512T) of the genus Diplocloster. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and whole genome average nucleotide identity (gANI) of CSJ-4T to its closest related species, Diplocloster modestus ASD 4241T, were 98.3 and 91.4 %, respectively. Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed 91.6 % similarity between CSJ-1T and its closest phylogenetic neighbour, Catenibacillus scindens DSM 106146T, and 93.3 % similarity between CSJ-4T and its closest relative strain, Clostridium fessum SNUG30386T. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic results, we proposed two novel genera and three novel species. Strain CSJ-1T was identified as representing a novel species of novel genus, Anaerolentibacter hominis gen. nov. sp. nov. (type strain CSJ-1T=CGMCC 1.18046T=JCM 36511T) of the family Lachnospiraceae, and strain CSJ-4T was identified as representing a novel species of novel genus Pilosibacter fragilis gen. nov. sp. nov. (type strain CSJ-4T=CGMCC 1.18026T= JCM 36513T) of the family Clostridiaceae.

Gut microbiota influence frailty syndrome in older adults: mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.

Frailty syndrome denotes a decreased capacity of the body to maintain the homeostasis and stress of the internal environment, which simultaneously increases the risk of adverse health outcomes in older adults, including disability, hospitalization, falls, and death. To promote healthy aging, we should find strategies to cope with frailty. However, the pathogenesis of frailty syndrome is not yet clear. Recent studies have shown that the diversity, composition, and metabolites of gut microbiota significantly changed in older adults with frailty. In addition, several frailty symptoms were alleviated by adjusting gut microbiota with prebiotics, probiotics, and symbiosis. Therefore, we attempt to explore the pathogenesis of frailty syndrome in older people from gut microbiota and summarize the existing interventions for frailty syndrome targeting gut microbiota, with the aim of providing timely and necessary interventions and assistance for older adults with frailty.

Optimizing efficiency and resilience of no-take marine protected areas for fish conservation under climate change along the coastlines of China Seas.

Climate change is one of the major threats to coastal fish biodiversity, and optimization of no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) is imminent. We predicted fish redistribution under climate change in coastal China Seas with joint species distribution modeling and prioritized areas for conservation with Zonation, for which we used core area zonation (CAZ) and additive benefit function (ABF). Based on our results, we devised an expansion plan of no-take MPAs. Under climate change, fish were redistributed northward along the coast. These redistributions were segmented by the Yangtze River estuary and its adjacent waters, indicating a possible biogeographical barrier. Under CAZ and ABF, significantly more fish habitat was conserved than under random prioritization (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = -0.36 and -0.62, respectively). The ABF better represented areas with higher species richness, whereas CAZ better represented core habitats for species with narrow distributions. Without accounting for species redistribution, the expanded MPAs were mainly distributed in the northwest of the South China Sea, the East China Sea, the north of the Yellow Sea, and the west of the Bohai Sea. When accounting for species redistribution, the proposed MPAs were mainly distributed in the north of the Bohai Sea and southwest of the Yellow Sea, corresponding to the northern species redistributions. These MPAs conserved less habitat for fishes at present but protected more and better quality habitat for fishes in 2050 and 2100 than those MPAs that did not account for species redistribution, indicating improved fish conservation under climate change. Incorporating species redistribution and trade-offs between areas with high species richness and areas that contain habitats for rare species are suggested to address coastal fish conservation under climate change. This work provides valuable information for fish conservation and is a precursor to systematic conservation planning along the coastlines of China Seas.

Mejora de la eficiencia y la resiliencia de las áreas marinas protegidas con veda para la conservación de peces bajo el cambio climático en la costa de los mares de China Resumen El cambio climático es una de las principales amenazas para la biodiversidad de peces costeros, y la mejora de las área marinas protegidas (AMP) con vedas es inevitable. Pronosticamos la redistribución de los peces por el cambio climático en la costa de los mares de China con un modelo de distribución de especies y las áreas priorizadas para la conservación con Zonation, para el cual usamos zonación de las áreas núcleo (ZAN) y la función del beneficio aditivo. (FBA). Con base en nuestros resultados, diseñamos un plan de expansión de AMP con veda. Con el cambio climático, los peces se redistribuyeron hacia el norte a lo largo de la costa. Esta redistribución fue segmentada por el estuario del río Yangtze y las aguas vecinas, indicador de una posible barrera biogeográfica. Con la ZAN y la FBA, se conservó una cantidad significativa de peces en comparación con una priorización aleatoria (p < 0.001, d de Cohen = ­0.36 y ­0.62, respectivamente). La FBA representó de mejor manera las áreas con una riqueza de especies elevada, mientras que la ZAN representó de mejor manera los hábitats nucleares de las especies con una distribución reducida. Sin contar la redistribución de las especies, las AMP expandidas se localizaron principalmente en el noroeste del Mar del Sur de China, del Mar del Este de China, al norte del Mar Amarillo y al oeste del Mar Bohai. Cuando consideramos la redistribución de las especies, las AMP propuestas se localizaron principalmente al norte del Mar de Bohai y al suroeste del Mar Amarillo, lo que corresponde a la redistribución hacia el norte de las especies. Estas AMP conservaron un menor hábitat de los peces en el presente pero protegieron un mejor hábitat y de mayor calidad para los peces en 2050 y 2100 que las AMP que no consideraron la redistribución de especies, lo que indica una mejora en la conservación de peces bajo el cambio climático. Se sugiere que la incorporación de la redistribución de especies y las compensaciones entre las áreas con una riqueza de especies elevada y las áreas que albergan hábitats para especies raras abordarán la conservación de peces costeros bajo el cambio climático. Esta investigación proporciona información valiosa para la conservación de peces y es un precursor de la planeación sistemática de la conservación a lo largo de la costa de los mares de China.

Plasma Cell-Free DNA Is a Potential Biomarker for Diagnosis of Calcific Aortic Valve Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is the third most common cardiovascular disease in aging populations. Despite a growing number of biomarkers having been shown to be associated with CAVD, a marker suitable for routine testing in clinical practice is still needed. Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been suggested as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis in multiple diseases. In this study, we aimed to test whether cfDNA could be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis of CAVD. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 137 diagnosed CAVD patients and 180 normal controls. The amount of cfDNA was quantified by amplifying a short fragment (ALU 115) and a long fragment (ALU 247) using quantitative real-time PCR. The cfDNA integrity (cfDI) was calculated as the ratio of ALU247 to ALU115. The association between CAVD and cfDI was evaluated using regression analysis. RESULTS: CAVD patients had increased ALU 115 fragments (median, 185.14 (416.42) versus 302.83 (665.41), p < 0.05) but a decreased value of cfDI (mean, 0.50 ± 0.25 vs. 0.41 ± 0.26, p < 0.01) in their serum when compared to controls. This difference was more dramatic in non-rheumatic CAVD patients (p < 0.001) versus rheumatic CAVD patients (no significant difference). Similarly, CAVD patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) (p < 0.01) showed a greater difference than non-BAV CAVD patients (p < 0.05). Linear regression and logistic regression showed that cfDI was independently and significantly associated with the presence of CAVD (95% CI, 0.096 to 0.773, p < 0.05). The ROC assay revealed that cfDI combined with clinical characteristics had a better diagnostic value than cfDI alone (AUC = 0.6191, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: cfDI may be a potential biomarker for diagnosis of CAVD.

Prioritizing the multifaceted community and species uniqueness for the conservation of lacustrine fishes in the largest subtropical floodplain, China.

Hydrological variations affect habitat characteristics and fish distribution in floodplain lakes. Assessing the contributions of the local community (i.e., LCBD, community uniqueness) and species to overall ß diversity (i.e., SCBD, species uniqueness) of fish assemblages is valuable for habitat and species conservation planning, particularly from functional and phylogenetic perspectives. We examined the changes in multifaceted LCBD and SCBD of fish across different hydrological periods in the Poyang Lake, China, and analyzed their responsive mechanisms using regression models, based on which the conservation priorities of habitats and species were evaluated. The findings revealed that taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic LCBD and SCBD were lowest during the wet season compared to the normal and dry seasons, emphasizing the regulatory effects of hydrological regimes on fish assemblages. Taxonomic and functional LCBD were significantly impacted by the mean abundance of migratory fish, highlighting the importance of specific species combinations on community uniqueness. Taxonomic and functional SCBD exhibited positive correlations primarily with mean abundance, suggesting the potential uniqueness of certain common species. Additionally, we identified the river-lake junction (Hukou station) and natural reserve (Xingzi and Nanjishan stations) with high overall community uniqueness as critical habitats. We also emphasized the necessity for increased conservation efforts for species having high overall species uniqueness during different hydrological periods, including Coilia brachygnathus, Ctenopharyngodon idella, Coilia nasus, Saurogobio dabryi, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Megalobrama amblycephala, and Parabramis pekinensis. This research underscores the significance of integrating multiple ecological perspectives to manage biodiversity changes and maintain ecological conservation values effectively.

Risk and protective factors associated with wound infection after neurosurgical procedures: A meta-analysis.

To systematically evaluate the risk factors for wound infection at the surgical site after neurosurgical craniotomy by meta-analysis, and to provide an evidence-based basis for preventing the occurrence of wound infection. A computerised search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang database was conducted for relevant studies on risk factors for surgical site wound infection after neurosurgical craniotomy published from the database inception to November 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data and performed quality assessment in strict accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. STATA 17.0 software was applied for data analysis. Overall, 18 papers with 17 608 craniotomy patients were included, of which 905 patients developed wound infections. The analysis showed that underlying diseases [OR = 2.50, 95% CI (1.68, 3.72), p < 0.001] and emergency surgery [OR = 2.47, 95% CI (1.80, 3.38), p < 0.001] were the risk factors for developing wound infections after craniotomy, age < 60 years [OR = 0.72, 95% CI (0.52, 0.98), p = 0.039] was a protective factor for wound infections; whereas sex [OR = 1.11, 95% CI (0.98, 1.27), p = 0.112] and the antimicrobial use [OR = 1.30, 95% CI (0.81 2.09), p = 0.276] were not associated with the presence or absence of wound infection after craniotomy. Underlying disease and emergency surgery are risk factors for developing wound infections after craniotomy, whereas age < 60 years is a protective factor. Clinicians can reduce the occurrence of postoperative wound infections by communicating with patients in advance about the possibility of postoperative wound infections based on these factors, and by doing a good job of preventing postoperative wound infections.

The transcription factor zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2 alleviates NASH by transcriptional activation of phosphatase and tensin homolog.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: NASH, which is a common clinical condition predisposing to advanced liver diseases, has become a worldwide epidemic. A large and growing unmet therapeutic need for this condition reflects incomplete understanding of its pathogenesis. In the current study, we identified a transcription factor, zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2 (ZHX2), in hepatocytes as a protective factor against steatohepatitis. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We found that hepatic ZHX2 was significantly suppressed in NASH models and steatotic hepatic cells. Hepatocyte-specific ablation of ZHX2 exacerbated NASH-related phenotypes in mice, including lipid accumulation, enhanced inflammation, and hepatic fibrosis. Conversely, hepatocyte-specific overexpression of ZHX2 significantly alleviated the progression of NASH in an experimental setting. Integrated analysis of transcriptomic profiling and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data demonstrated that the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was a target gene of ZHX2 in hepatocyte. ZHX2 bound to the promoter of PTEN gene and subsequently promoted the transcription of PTEN, which mediated the beneficial role of ZHX2 against NASH. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings demonstrate a protective role of ZHX2 against NASH progression by transcriptionally activating PTEN. These findings shed light on the therapeutic potential of targeting ZHX2 for treating NASH and related metabolic disorders.

120-GBaud 16-QAM silicon photonics IQ modulator for data center interconnection.

We demonstrated all-silicon IQ modulators (IQMs) operating at 120-GBaud 16-QAM with suitable bandwidth, and output power. We required optical signal-to-noise-ratio (rOSNR) that have promising potential to be used in 800-Gbps small-form-factor pluggable transceivers for data center interconnection. First, we tested an IQM chip using discrete drivers and achieved a per-polarization TX output power of -18.74 dBm and an rOSNR of 23.51 dB over a 100-km standard SMF. Notably, a low BER of 1.4e-3 was obtained using our SiP IQM chip without employing nonlinear compensation, optical equalization, or an ultra-wide-bandwidth, high-ENOB OMA. Furthermore, we investigated the performance of a 3D packaged transmitter by emulating its frequency response using an IQM chip, discrete drivers, and a programmable optical filter. With a laser power of 17 dBm, we achieved a per-polarization output power of -15.64 dBm and an rOSNR of 23.35 dB.

Three-dimensional location system based on an L-shaped array of Rydberg atomic receivers.

The Rydberg atomic receiver, sensing microwave electric field with high sensitivity and broad bandwidth, possesses the potential to be the staple for precise navigation and remote sensing. In this Letter, a Ku-band three-dimensional location system using an L-shaped array of Rydberg atomic receivers is theoretically proposed and experimentally demonstrated, and the proof of principle results show excellent consistency between the location-derived and the setting coordinates. The novel L-shaped array, together with the triangulation method, gives both phase difference and angle of arrival, achieving location of the horn for a signal microwave field in three-dimensional space. The concluded validity of this location system in the testing scene remains at approximately 90% with a theoretical maximum location tolerance of 5.7 mm. Furthermore, the estimation of two different spatiotemporal coordinates for the moving target confirms the velocity measurement capability of the system with errors less than 0.5 mm/s. The proposed location system using a Rydberg atomic receiver array is a verification for the most basic element and can be extended through repetition or nesting to a multi-input-multi-output system as well as multi-channel information processing.

Transcatheter tricuspid valve-in-valve implantation for degenerated surgical bioprosthesis.

BACKGROUND: Isolated redo surgery for degenerated tricuspid bioprosthesis is of very high risk. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transcatheter valve-in-valve (TVIV) implantation using a novel balloon expandable Renato valve. METHODS: A prospective multicenter study was conducted to enroll patients with degenerated tricuspid bioprostheses. A total of 12 patients underwent TVIV implantation using the Renato valve system via transfemoral, transjugular, or transatrial approaches at three institutions from May 2021 to October 2021. All-cause mortality and hemodynamic performance were evaluated up to 6 months after procedure. RESULTS: The median age was 68.2 years, and 75.0% were female. Six patients had a history of rheumatic left-sided valve surgery and late tricuspid valve replacement. The median preoperative Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 9.9%. The procedures were successful in all cases. Tricuspid regurgitation and paravalvular leak were none or mild in all patients. The median transvalvular gradient decreased from 7.8 mmHg preoperatively to 4.5 mmHg at 6 months after TVIV, respectively. No death occurred and all patients recovered to New York Heart Association functional class I or II during a 6-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: TVIV implantation with the Renato valve was a safe and effective treatment for degenerated bioprostheses in high-risk patients.

Internalization and cytotoxicity of polystyrene microplastics in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Ubiquitous micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) are emerging environmental pollutants, which pose a potential threat to human health. When MNPs enter the blood circulatory system, vascular endothelium is one of the most important target organs that directly interact with the MNPs. However, little is known about the cytotoxicity of MNPs to vascular endothelial cells. In this study, we investigated the uptake and cytotoxic effects of polystyrene MNPs with a particle size of 1 µm (1-µm PS-MNPs) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. Our study found that interaction between HUVECs and 1-µm PS-MNPs was at a very low level. Even at the high exposure concentration of 25 µg/mL, the percentage of HUVECs combined with fluorescent 1-µm PS-MNPs was only 3.80% using flow cytometry analysis. Moreover, there were no significant differences in inflammation, autophagy, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and adhesion molecule expression following exposure to 1-µm PS-MNPs (5, 10, and 25 µg/mL) for 48 h, except for a remarkable decrease in cell viability at the extremely high concentration of 100 µg/mL. Herein, 1-µm PS-MNPs showed a low level of acute toxicity to HUVECs in vitro, and we expect these results contribute to the further risk assessment of MNPs on human health.

Prognostic factors in patients with thymoma who underwent surgery.

PURPOSE: Thymoma is the most common primary tumor in the anterior mediastinum. The prognostic factors of patients with thymoma still need to be clarified. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic factors of patients with thymoma who received radical resection and establish the nomogram to predict the prognosis of these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent radical resection for thymoma with complete follow-up data between 2005 and 2021 were enrolled. Their clinicopathological characteristics and treatment methods were retrospectively analyzed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to identify the independent prognostic factors. According to the results of the univariate analysis in the Cox regression model, the predictive nomograms were created. RESULTS: A total of 137 patients with thymoma were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 52 months, the 5-year and 10-year PFS rates were 79.5% and 68.1%, respectively. The 5-year and 10-year OS rates were 88.4% and 73.1%, respectively. Smoking status (P = 0.022) and tumor size (P = 0.039) were identified as independent prognostic factors for PFS. Multivariate analysis showed that a high level of neutrophils (P = 0.040) was independently associated with OS. The nomogram showed that the World Health Organization (WHO) histological classification contributed more to the risk of recurrence than other factors. Neutrophil count was the most important predictor of OS in patients with thymoma. CONCLUSION: Smoking status and tumor size are risk factors for PFS in patients with thymoma. A high level of neutrophils is an independent prognostic factor for OS. The nomograms developed in this study accurately predict PFS and OS rates at 5 and 10 years in patients with thymoma based on individual characteristics.

Pattern Recognition Analysis of Metabolites in Escherichia coli Based on ESI-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry.

To achieve rapid detection of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli strains, a pattern recognition method based on electrospray ionization Orbitrap mass spectrometry (ESI-Orbitrap MS) was used for the analysis of drug-resistant, and sensitive strains of metabolites were analyzed. Results of five clustering methods applied to analytical data of metabolites were evaluated using iso-phenotypic coefficients. The effectiveness of three methods, principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), was compared. Univariate statistics such as t-test and fold change were also used to examine the screened differential information. Both PLS-DA and OPLS-DA could achieve rapid identification of strain classes, and OPLS-DA was more powerful in screening 96 significantly different ions. This work is expected to be useful for rapid and accurate identification of strains.

Implementation of mind mapping with problem-based learning in prosthodontics course for Chinese dental students.

BACKGROUND: The traditional Chinese dentistry classroom teaching model focuses on the instruction of knowledge details, but less on the frameworks and learners' motivation. Here, we introduced a combination of mind mapping and PBL instruction (MBL)into the prosthodontics course for Chinese dental students. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of MBL in prosthodontics and make observations from the students' perspectives, based on their response with the learning process. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 56 fourth-year undergraduates of stomatology, and these participants were randomly allocated into either the combined mind map teaching group (MBL) or the problem-based learning group (PBL) to attend the prosthodontics course. An anonymous questionnaire was also administered to both groups to evaluate the students' perceptions and experiences, using closed and open-ended items. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. RESULTS: The students' responses to closed items indicate their experience in PBL and MBL to be positive, including increased motivation, improved memory of knowledge, enhanced discipline connection and raised teamwork, with fairly higher ratings for the MBL group. However, the tutor-guided competence scores including the memory and framework part, were significantly higher for MBL group than PBL group (two-way ANOVA, p < 0.01, p < 0.001, respectively). Meanwhile, the self-perceived competence scores including the motivation, framework and teamwork part, were significantly higher for MBL group than PBL group (two-way ANOVA, p < 0.01, p < 0.001, p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that MBL teaching approach can help in integration of knowledge structure and enhance clinical reasoning. MBL is an effective and well-organized method in prosthodontics course for dental students.

An Automated TW3-RUS Bone Age Assessment Method with Ordinal Regression-Based Determination of Skeletal Maturity.

The assessment of bone age is important for evaluating child development, optimizing the treatment for endocrine diseases, etc. And the well-known Tanner-Whitehouse (TW) clinical method improves the quantitative description of skeletal development based on setting up a series of distinguishable stages for each bone individually. However, the assessment is affected by rater variability, which makes the assessment result not reliable enough in clinical practice. The main goal of this work is to achieve a reliable and accurate skeletal maturity determination by proposing an automated bone age assessment method called PEARLS, which is based on the TW3-RUS system (analysis of the radius, ulna, phalanges, and metacarpal bones). The proposed method comprises the point estimation of anchor (PEA) module for accurately localizing specific bones, the ranking learning (RL) module for producing a continuous stage representation of each bone by encoding the ordinal relationship between stage labels into the learning process, and the scoring (S) module for outputting the bone age directly based on two standard transform curves. The development of each module in PEARLS is based on different datasets. Finally, corresponding results are presented to evaluate the system performance in localizing specific bones, determining the skeletal maturity stage, and assessing the bone age. The mean average precision of point estimation is 86.29%, the average stage determination precision is 97.33% overall bones, and the average bone age assessment accuracy is 96.8% within 1 year for the female and male cohorts.