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The G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) sensing nutritional signals (amino acids, fatty acids, glucose, etc.) are not fully understood. In this research, we used transcriptome sequencing to analyse differentially expressed genes (DEG) in mouse mammary gland tissues at puberty, lactation and involution stages, in which eight GPCR were selected out and verified by qRT-PCR assay. It was further identified the role of GPR110-mediating nutrients including palmitic acid (PA) and methionine (Met) to improve milk synthesis using mouse mammary epithelial cell line HC11. PA but not Met affected GPR110 expression in a dose-dependent manner. GPR110 knockdown decreased milk protein and fat synthesis and cell proliferation and blocked the stimulation of PA on mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation and sterol-regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) expression. In summary, these experimental results disclose DEG related to lactation and reveal that GPR110 mediates PA to activate the mTOR and SREBP-1c pathways to promote milk protein and fat synthesis.

We report an intelligent anti-microbial peptide (bis-pyrene-KLVFF-WHSGTPH) that can recognize and trap Mycobacterium tuberculosis, inhibiting the macrophage phagocytosis process.

The cast alloy IN625 has been developed recently and evaluated as a candidate material for 700°C class advanced ultrasupercritical plants. In order to clarify the effects of chromium (Cr) on δ phase precipitation and mechanical properties of cast alloy IN625, aging treatment experiments on cast alloy IN625 with different chromium additions were carried out. It was revealed that the precipitation of the δ phase in cast alloy IN625 after aging at 750°C was nearly unaffected by chromium content. The tensile properties of cast alloy IN625 appeared to be insensitive to chromium content but were sensitive to the δ phase. Stress rupture tests showed that the rupture time of aged alloys increased compared with those of the solid solution alloys. Moreover, when the fraction of the δ phase increased from 18 to 35%, different trends emerged in the stress rupture life at 400 and 375 MPa, respectively.

Critical bone defects caused by extensive excision of malignant bone tumor and the probability of tumor recurrence due to residual tumor cells make malignant bone tumor treatment a major clinical challenge. The present therapeutic strategy concentrates on implanting bone substitutes for defect filling but suffers from failures in both enhancing bone regeneration and inhibiting the growth of tumor cells. Herein, Cu and Mn-doped borosilicate nanoparticles (BSNs) were developed for syncretic bone repairing and anti-tumor treatment, which can enhance bone regeneration through the osteogenic effects of Cu2+ and Mn3+ ions and meanwhile induce tumor cells apoptosis through the hydroxyl radicals produced by the Fenton-like reactions of Cu2+ and Mn3+ ions. In vitro study showed that both osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and angiogenesis of endothelial cells were promoted by BSNs, and consistently the critical bone defects of rats were efficiently repaired by BSNs through in vivo evaluation. Meanwhile, BSNs could generate hydroxyl radicals through Fenton-like reactions in the simulated tumor microenvironment, promote the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, and eventually induce tumor cell apoptosis. Besides, subcutaneous tumors of mice were effectively inhibited by BSNs without causing toxic side effects to normal tissues and organs. Altogether, Cu and Mn-doped BSNs developed in this work performed dual functions of enhancing osteogenesis and angiogenesis for bone regeneration, and inhibiting tumor growth for chemodynamic therapy, thus holding a great potential for syncretic bone repairing and anti-tumor therapy., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Dual-functional bioactive borosilicate nanoparticles were successfully synthesized. • Incorporation of Cu and Mn to the nanoparticles enhanced osteogenesis and angiogenesis. • Cu and Mn doped borosilicate nanoparticles inhibited tumor by producing ·OH. • Potential syncretic bone repair and chemodynamic therapy developed for bone tumor treatment.

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pneumovesicoscopic Cohen surgery with an adjustable suspension technique through the urethra for the treatment of primary vesicoureteral reflux disease in infants. Methods This study retrospectively analysed the clinical data of 31 infants who underwent pneumovesicoscopic Cohen surgery with an adjustable suspension technique through the urethra in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2020. We also collected the clinical data of 29 infants who underwent open Cohen surgery in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2018 as a control variable. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared. Result All pneumovesicoscopic Cohen surgeries were successfully completed and no patients were converted to open surgery. The amount of bleeding, duration of postoperative analgesia, duration of postoperative haematuria, incision size and length of hospital stay in the pneumovesicoscopic surgery group were significantly lower than those in the open surgery group (P 0.05). Conclusion Pneumovesicoscopic Cohen surgery with an adjustable suspension technique through the urethra for the treatment of primary vesicoureteral reflux disease in infants was safe and effective. This procedure had the advantages of less trauma, quick recovery and good cosmetic effects.

Silicon-based vertical double-diffused MOSFET (VDMOS) devices are important components of the power system of spacecraft. However, VDMOS is sensitive to the total ionizing dose (TID) effect and may have TID response variability. The within-batch TID response variability on silicon-based VDMOS devices is studied by the 60Co gamma-ray irradiation experiment in this paper. The variations in device parameters after irradiation is obtained, and the damage mechanism is revealed. Experimental results show that the standard deviations of threshold voltage, subthreshold swing, output capacitance, and diode forward voltage increase, while the standard deviation of maximum transconductance decreases after irradiation. The standard deviation of on-state resistance is basically unchanged before and after irradiation. By separating the trapped charges generated by TID irradiation, it is found that the deviation of the oxide trapped charges and the interface traps increase with the increase in the total dose. The reasons for the variation in device parameters after irradiation are revealed by establishing the relationship between the trapped charges and the electrical parameters before and after irradiation.

Objective:The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pneumovesicoscopic Cohen surgery with adjustable suspension technique through natural channel on the treatment of primary vesicouretral reflux disease in infants. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 31 infants who underwent pneumovesicoscopic Cohen surgery with adjustable suspension technique through natural channel in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2020. We also collected the clinical data of 29 infants who underwent open Cohen surgery in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2018 as a control. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared. Result: All the pneumovesicoscopic Cohen surgery were successfully completed, and no one transferred to open surgery. The amount of bleeding, duration of postoperative analgesic, duration of postoperative hematuria, incision size and length of hospital stay in the pneumovesicoscopic surgery group were significantly lower than those in the open surgery group (P0.05). Conclusion: Pneumovesicoscopic Cohen surgery with adjustable suspension technique through natural channel on the treatment of primary vesicouretral reflux disease in infants was safe and effective, it had the advantages of less trauma, quick recovery and good cosmetic effect.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and clinical outcomes of S2-alar-iliac (S2AI) and iliac screw (IS) techniques in the lumbopelvic reconstruction of lumbosacral tuberculosis patients. From January 2014 to August 2016, 26 patients with lumbosacral tuberculosis attending the 8th Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital were included in this retrospective study. The subjects were divided into two groups based on the lumbopelvic fixation type (16 patients in the S2AI group, 10 patients in the IS group). The operation time, blood loss, length of hospitalisation, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) level, visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), ambulatory status, and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores of the patients in two groups were recorded and compared. In addition, surgical complications were collected and analysed. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss were significantly lower in the S2AI group than that in the IS group (P .05). Compared with preoperative data, postoperative data showed significant improvement in ESR, CRP level, ODI scores, VAS scores, ambulatory status, and SF-36 (P .05), but there was no significant difference in remission degree between the two groups. Compared with IS group, The S2AI group had significantly lower rates of symptomatic screw prominence (P .05). Both the IS and S2AI fixation techniques can achieve satisfactory outcomes for the restoration of lumbosacral stability of lumbosacral tuberculosis. Furthermore, compared to the traditional IS fixation technique, the S2AI fixation technique can shorten operation time and reduce surgical trauma for the treatment of lumbosacral tuberculosis.

Thermal injury repair is a complex process during which the maintenance of the proliferation and migration of human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) exert a crucial role. MicroRNAs have been proven to exert an essential function in repairing skin burns. This study delves into the regulatory effects of miR-24-3p on the migration and proliferation of HSFs that have sustained a thermal injury, thereby, providing deeper insight into thermal injury repair pathogenesis. The PPAR-β protein expression level progressively increased in a time-dependent manner on the 12th, 24th and 48th hour following the thermal injury of the HSFs. The knockdown of PPAR-β markedly suppressed the proliferation of and migration of HSF. Following thermal injury, the knockdown also promoted the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, TNF-α, PTGS-2 and P65 expression. PPAR-β contrastingly exhibited an opposite trend. A targeted relationship between PPAR-β and miR-24-3p was predicted and verified. miR-24-3p inhibited thermal injured HSF proliferation and migration and facilitated inflammatory cytokine expression through the regulation of PPAR-β. p65 directly targeted the transcriptional precursor of miR-24 and promoted miR-24 expression. A negative correlation between miR-24-3p expression level and PPAR-β expression level in rats' burnt dermal tissues was observed. Our findings reveal that miR-24-3p is conducive to rehabilitating the denatured dermis, which may be beneficial in providing effective therapy of skin burns.

In this study, a porous polyurea/graphene platelet (GnP) composite film with high flexibility and multifunctionality was developed and investigated for strain sensing and energy storage applications. Morphology and mechanical properties were studied; tensile strength and Young’s modulus were enhanced by 132% and 900%, respectively at 5 wt% GnPs. The polyurea/GnP film exhibited high sensitivity to various strains– namely, tension, compression, bending and twisting. In tensile strain, gauge factor was 1.86 and 6.26 within strain ranges of 0–30% and 30–60%, respectively. Interestingly, the film showed piezoresistive and capacitive-type strain sensor under compression load; a 33% increase in relative resistance with response time of 108 millisecond; and 22% increase in relative capacitance with response time of 92 millisecond when load of 5 kPa was applied. Furthermore, the strain sensor showed high durability and reliability over 20,000 cycles. The developed polyurea/GnP film showed a stable capacitive performance over 20,000 charge–discharge cycles. This work provides important insights for the potential of polyurea/graphene films in multifunctional sensors and flexible energy storage applications.

Yanhong Yan,1 Jiao Geng,2 Xu Cui,1 Guiyu Lei,1 Lili Wu,1 Guyan Wang1 1Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Guyan Wang, Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 1 Dongjiaomingxiang, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13910985139, Fax +86-10-58268017, Email guyanwang2006@163.comPurpose: Thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB) may be highly beneficial for thoracoscopic lobectomy patients, but it may increase the risk of hypothermia. Apart from its anesthetic-reducing effects, this randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the hypothermic effect of TPVB, and thus optimize its clinical use.Patients and methods: Adult patients were randomly allocated to two groups: TPVB + general anesthesia (GA) group or GA group. In the TPVB+GA group, the block was performed after GA induction by an experienced but unrelated anesthesiologist. Both the lower esophageal and axillary temperature were recorded at the beginning of surgery (T0) and every 15 min thereafter (T1-T8), and the end of surgery (Tp). The primary outcome was the lower esophageal temperature at Tp. The secondary outcomes included lower esophageal temperature from T0-T8 and axillary temperature from T0-Tp. The total propofol, analgesics, and norepinephrine consumption and the incidence of adverse events were also recorded.Results: Forty-eight patients were randomly allocated to the TPVB+GA (n=24) and GA (n=24) groups. The core temperature at the end of the surgery was lower in the TPVB+GA group than the GA group (35.90± 0.30°C vs 36.35± 0.33°C, P< 0.001), with a significant difference from 45 min after the surgery began until the end of the surgery (P< 0.05). In contrast, the peripheral temperature showed a significant difference at 60 min after the surgery began till the end (P< 0.05). TPVB+GA exhibited excellent analgesic and sedative-sparing effects compared to GA alone (P< 0.001), though it increased norepinephrine consumption due to hypotension (P< 0.001).Conclusion: Although thorough warming strategies were used, TPVB combined with GA remarkably reduced the body temperature, which is an easily neglected side effect. Further studies on the most effective precautions are needed to optimize the clinical use of TPVB.Keywords: core temperature, peripheral temperature, general anesthesia, warming strategy

Background: To reveal the alterations of tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA) expression profiles induced by hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment in diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and investigate new therapeutic targets. Materials & methods: tsRNA sequencing was employed in normal skin tissue, in DFUs, and after HBO treatment groups. A quantitative real-time PCR was used to validate tsRNA sequencing results and their targets levels. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to reveal their therapeutic functions in DFUs. Results: A total of 22 tsRNAs were differentially expressed in the three groups. Three selected tsRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR for further analysis, which were all significantly overexpressed in DFU while being normally expressed after HBO treatment. Bioinformatics analysis disclosed that these tsRNAs may play therapeutic roles through the regulation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Conclusion: tsRNAs may be novel useful targets for HBO to treat DFUs.

Magnetic resonance (MR) image reconstruction from undersampled k-space data can be formulated as a minimization problem involving data consistency and image prior. Existing deep learning (DL)-based methods for MR reconstruction employ deep networks to exploit the prior information and integrate the prior knowledge into the reconstruction under the explicit constraint of data consistency, without considering the real distribution of the noise. In this work, we propose a new DL-based approach termed Learned DC that implicitly learns the data consistency with deep networks, corresponding to the actual probability distribution of system noise. The data consistency term and the prior knowledge are both embedded in the weights of the networks, which provides an utterly implicit manner of learning reconstruction model. We evaluated the proposed approach with highly undersampled dynamic data, including the dynamic cardiac cine data with up to 24-fold acceleration and dynamic rectum data with the acceleration factor equal to the number of phases. Experimental results demonstrate the superior performance of the Learned DC both quantitatively and qualitatively than the state-of-the-art.

One of the hot research topics in propagation dynamics is identifying a set of critical nodes that can influence maximization in a complex network. The importance and dispersion of critical nodes among them are both vital factors that can influence maximization. We therefore propose a multiple influential spreaders identification algorithm based on spectral graph theory. This algorithm first quantifies the role played by the local structure of nodes in the propagation process, then classifies the nodes based on the eigenvectors of the Laplace matrix, and finally selects a set of critical nodes by the constraint that nodes in the same class are not adjacent to each other while different classes of nodes can be adjacent to each other. Experimental results on real and synthetic networks show that our algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art and classical algorithms in the SIR model.

In our work, a flurry of original porphyrin-based polymers covalently functionalized g-C3N4 nanohybrids were constructed and nominated as PPorx-g-C3N4 (x = 1, 2 and 3) through click chemistry between porphyrin-based polymers with alkyne end-groups [(PPorx-C≡CH (x = 1, 2 and 3)] and azide-functionalized graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4-N3). Due to the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) between porphyrin-based polymers [PPorx (x = 1, 2 and 3)] group and graphite phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4) group in PPorx-g-C3N4 nanohybrids, the PPorx-g-C3N4 nanohybrids exhibited better non-linear optical (NLO) performance than the corresponding PPorx-C≡CH and g-C3N4-N3. It found that the imaginary third-order susceptibility (Im [χ(3)]) value of the nanohybrids with different molecular weight (MW) of the pPorx group in the nanohybrids ranged from 2.5×103 to 7.0 × 103 g mol−1 was disparate. Quite interestingly, the Im [χ(3)] value of the nanohybrid with a pPorx group’s MW of 4.2 × 103 g mol−1 (PPor2-g-C3N4) was 1.47 × 10–10 esu, which exhibited the best NLO performance in methyl methacrylate (MMA) of all nanohybrids. The PPorx-g-C3N4 was dispersed in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to prepare the composites PPorx-g-C3N4/PMMA since PMMA was widely used as an alternative to glass. PPor2-g-C3N4/PMMA showed the excellent NLO performance of all nanohybrids with the Im [χ(3)] value of 2.36 × 10–10 esu, limiting threshold of 1.71 J/cm2, minimum transmittance of 8% and dynamic range of 1.09 in PMMA, respectively. It suggested that PPorx-g-C3N4 nanohybrids were potential outstanding NLO materials.

Tuberculosis is a major public health concern worldwide, and it is a serious threat to human health for a long period. Macrophage phagocytosis of

Objective：To compare the outcome of using a double J(DJ) stent combined with pyelostomy with a DJ stent alone in Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty (LP) for pediatric ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all patients with UPJO treated with LP between January 2017 and November 2021 in our center. According to different postoperative drainage methods patients were divided into a DJ stent group (52 cases) and a DJ stent combined with pyelostomy group (combination group, 41 cases). Operative time, bleeding volume, perirenal drainage stent removal time, and postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications, and renal function recovery were compared between the two groups. Renal ultrasound and diuretic renogram (DR) were used for preoperative and postoperative follow-up. Results: A total of 52 patients were in the DJ stent group and 41 patients in the combination group. The mean hospital stay was 6.46±2.66 days in the DJ stent group and 5.22±1.63 days in the combination group (p0.05). Non-catheter-related complications developed in 10/52 patients in the DJ stent group (19.2%) and only 1/41 patients in the combination group (2.4%) (pConclusion:A DJ stent combined with pyelostomy can reduced non-catheter related complications,which is conducive to patient recovery after pyeloplastyand,and the hospital stay was significantly shorter than the DJ stent. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the nursing treatment of the pyelostomy tube and guard against the occurrence of pyelostomy tube shedding.

PMMA bone cement has been clinically used for decades in vertebroplasty due to its high mechanical strength and satisfactory injectability. However, the interface between bone and PMMA is fragile and more prone to refracture

Activation of coagulation cascades, especially FX and prothrombin, prevents blood loss and reduces mortality from hemorrhagic shock. Inorganic salts are effective but cannot stop bleeding completely in large hemorrhagic events, and rebleeding carries a significant mortality risk. The coagulation mechanism of inorganic salts has been oversimplified in the past two decades, limiting the creation of novel hemostats. Here, on the interface the activation of the coagulation, fibrinolysis, and cell activities were monitored at the protein level. The link between the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interface, hydration layer, microenvironmental structure of the crystal and amorphous salt, protease activity, and adsorption was also uncovered. It reveals that strong water binding and fibrinogen adsorption on kaolin's surface causes rebleeding after hemostasis, resulting in a weak thrombus. The kaolin surface inhibited the FIXa and FVIIIa composite assembly, reducing its positive feedback on the extrinsic pathway. Inspiringly, amorphous bioactive glass (BG) with transient-dynamic ions microenvironment interface are designed to bypass the barrier of the crystal structure hydration shell, hence enhancing the continuous activation of the biomaterial surface on coagulation system. Under comparative exploration, the unique coagulation pattern of BG was obtained: upon contact with the hydrophilic BGs, intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways continuously initiated under the dynamic ionic microenvironment, and prothrombin complexes successfully hydrolyzed to thrombin without platelet membrane involvement, speeding the production of high-strength clots. Further evidence proves that BG more than doubled the survival rate of SD rats than kaolin in the lethal femoral artery, vein, and nerve disconnection hemorrhage model. This study investigates how the surface of inorganic salts assists in coagulation cascades that may help elucidate the clinical application of kaolin-gauze and pave the way to new materials for managing hemorrhage.

This paper presents an experimental study of the dynamic and static characteristics of SiC Power MOSFETs in a total ionizing dose radiation environment. Their relationship has also been studied. Furthermore, the factors and mechanisms that affect the switching characteristics of SiC Power MOSFET in a total dose radiation environment are discussed. The change of switching characteristics of SiC VDMOS induced by radiation depends not only on the trapped charge accumulated at the interface and gate oxide above the channel but is also strongly dependent on the parasitic capacitance of the device. The former causes the negative shift of the threshold voltage to decrease the turn-on time and increase the turn-off time, while the latter increases both the turn-on time and turn-off time. The results of the study show that the static and dynamic performance of SiC power MOSFET must be considered simultaneously in the total dose radiation damage assessment and radiation hardening. Namely, the static characteristic represented by the threshold voltage and the dynamic characteristic represented by the turn-off time.

Macrophages (Mφs) are master regulators of the immune response and may serve as therapeutic targets in aging societies. This study aimed to determine the function of M1Mφ-exosomes (Exos) in the development of osteoporosis (OP) and the involvement of microRNA (miR)-98 and dual specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1). A murine model of OP was established using ovariectomies (OVX). Bone loss was observed in OVX-treated mice, which presented a reduced bone mineral density and number of bone trabecula, and it was further aggravated by treatment with M1Mφ-Exos. Exos also suppressed osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. miRNA microarray analysis revealed that miR-98 levels were notably upregulated in cells after Exo treatment, and DUSP1 was confirmed as a target of miR-98. Meanwhile, downregulation of miR-98 or upregulation of DUSP1 restored the osteogenic differentiation ability of MC3T3-E1 cells. In addition, upregulation of DUSP1 reduced bone loss in murine bone tissues and suppressed JNK phosphorylation. In summary, M1Mφ-derived exosomal miR-98 exacerbates bone loss and OP by downregulating DUSP1 and activating the JNK signaling pathway. miR-98 may therefore serve as a therapeutic target in OP management. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Background Magnetic resonance (MR) quantitative T1ρ imaging has been increasingly used to detect the early stages of osteoarthritis. The small volume and curved surface of articular cartilage necessitate imaging with high in-plane resolution and thin slices for accurate T1ρ measurement. Compared with 2D T1ρ mapping, 3D T1ρ mapping is free from artifacts caused by slice cross-talk and has a thinner slice thickness and full volume coverage. However, this technique needs to acquire multiple T1ρ-weighted images with different spin-lock times, which results in a very long scan duration. It is highly expected that the scan time can be reduced in 3D T1ρ mapping without compromising the T1ρ quantification accuracy and precision. Methods To accelerate the acquisition of 3D T1ρ mapping without compromising the T1ρ quantification accuracy and precision, a signal-compensated robust tensor principal component analysis method was proposed in this paper. The 3D T1ρ-weighted images compensated at different spin-lock times were decomposed as a low-rank high-order tensor plus a sparse component. Poisson-disk random undersampling patterns were applied to k-space data in the phase- and partition-encoding directions in both retrospective and prospective experiments. Five volunteers were involved in this study. The fully sampled k-space data acquired from 3 volunteers were retrospectively undersampled at R=5.2, 7.7, and 9.7, respectively. Reference values were obtained from the fully sampled data. Prospectively undersampled data for R=5 and R=7 were acquired from 2 volunteers. Bland-Altman analyses were used to assess the agreement between the accelerated and reference T1ρ measurements. The reconstruction performance was evaluated using the normalized root mean square error and the median of the normalized absolute deviation (MNAD) of the reconstructed T1ρ-weighted images and the corresponding T1ρ maps. Results T1ρ parameter maps were successfully estimated from T1ρ-weighted images reconstructed using the proposed method for all accelerations. The accelerated T1ρ measurements and reference values were in good agreement for R=5.2 (T1ρ: 40.4±1.4 ms), R=7.7 (T1ρ: 40.4±2.1 ms), and R=9.7 (T1ρ: 40.9±2.2 ms) in the Bland-Altman analyses. The T1ρ parameter maps reconstructed from the prospectively undersampled data also showed promising image quality using the proposed method. Conclusions The proposed method achieves the 3D T1ρ mapping of in vivo knee cartilage in eight minutes using a signal-compensated robust tensor principal component analysis method in image reconstruction.

Licochalcone (LicA) is a flavonoid commonly derived from the licorice plant that is reported to have a variety of pharmacological activities. However, few studies have focused on its anti-allergic properties. IgE-mediated passive and systemic anaphylaxis mice models were used to assess the in vivo anti-allergic effect of LicA and its underlying mechanism, while degranulation, cytokines, and chemokines released from laboratory of allergic disease (LAD2) cells were used to assess its in vitro anti-allergic effect. We used western blot analysis to explore the downstream signaling pathway of its anti-allergic effect. We found that in the mouse model, LicA attenuated IgE-mediated paw inflammation, recovered the allergy-induced drop in body temperature, and reduced the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and monocyte chemo-attractant protein-1 in mouse serum in a dose-dependent manner. LicA inhibited the allergic reaction via inhibition of IgE-mediated LAD2 cell activation through the PLC/ERK/STAT3 pathway.

Lidocaine, a potent local anesthetic, is clinically used in nerve block and pain management. However, due to its short half-life, repeated administration is required. For this reason, here we designed and prepared a lidocaine-encapsulated polylactic acid-glycolic acid (Lidocaine@PLGA) microcapsule with ultrasound responsiveness to relieve the sciatica nerve pain. With a premixed membrane emulsification strategy, the fabricated lidocaine-embedded microcapsules possessed uniform particle size, good stability, injectability, and long-term sustained release both in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, Lidocaine@PLGA microcapsules had the function of ultrasonic responsive release, which made the drug release controllable with the effect of on-off administration. Our research showed that using ultrasound as a trigger switch could promote the rapid release of lidocaine from the microcapsules, achieving the dual effects of long-term sustained release and short-term ultrasound-triggered rapid release, which can enable the application of ultrasound-responsive Lidocaine@PLGA microcapsules to nerve root block and postoperative pain relief.

Urban vibrancy is described by the activities of residents and their spatio-temporal dynamics. The metro station area (MSA) is one of the densest and most populous areas of the city. Thus, creating a vibrant and diverse urban environment becomes an important goal of transit-oriented development (TOD). Existing studies indicate that the built environment decisively determines MSA-level urban vibrancy. Meanwhile, the spatio-temporal heterogeneity of such effects requires thoroughly exploration and justification. In this study, we first apply mobile signaling data to quantify and decipher the spatio-temporal distribution characteristics of the MSA-level urban vibrancy in Chengdu, China. Then, we measure the built environment of the MSA by using multi-source big data. Finally, we employ geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) models to examine the spatio-temporal non-stationarity of the impact of the MSA-level built environment on urban vibrancy. The results show that: 1) The high-vibrant MSAs concentrate in the commercial center and the employment center. 2) Indicators such as residential density, overpasses, road density, road network integration index, enterprise density, and restaurant density are significantly and positively associated with urban vibrancy, while indicators such as housing price and bus stop density are negatively associated with urban vibrancy. 3) The GTWR model better fits the data than the stepwise regression model. The impact of the MSA-level built environment on urban vibrancy shows a strong non-stationarity in both spatial and temporal dimensions, which matches with the spatio-temporal dynamic patterns of the residents’ daily work, leisure, and consumption activities. The findings can provide references for planners and city managers on how to frame vibrant TOD communities.

Digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) is emerging as a powerful method for nucleic acid detection due to its unprecedented sensitivity and precision. However, most current dPCR platforms are inherently limited by their low multiplexing ability due to primer-pair cross interactions and spectral overlap of available fluorophores. Here, we present a novel and robust method for multiplexing dPCR that is free from primer dimerization and fluorescence channel number limitation, enabling highly precise and multiplexed detection of nucleic acid targets. By prestoring target-specific primers and probes in different storage chambers, the method physically separates reactions and thus avoids the primer-pair cross interactions and spectral overlap of different fluorescent probes that usually occur within a single-tube reaction. Furthermore, a dissolvable delay valve (DDV) is embedded between each pair of the reagent prestorage chamber and reaction microwell array. Such a DDV configuration allows full reconstitution of the prestored reagents and then generates a uniform concentration distribution of the reconstituted reagents across the entire reaction microwell array, which is favorable for achieving reliable and robust multiplex dPCR assays. We demonstrated the feasibility of this method by performing an eight-plex dPCR assay targeting the seven most common point mutations in Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homologue (KRAS) and a reference sequence (wild-type KRAS allele).

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a major cause of early death (ED) and leads to poor prognosis in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). We retrospectively described 27 unselected APL patients who experienced early ICH. The ED rate was 37%. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 45.4%, while the 3-year OS rate of patients who survived through induction therapy was 87.5%. No patient experienced central nervous system leukemia (CNSL). Concurrent differentiation syndrome, white blood cell count, prothrombin time and D-dimer were related to death. Although the ED rate among APL patients with early ICH was high, patients with early ICH had a favorable outcome after surviving through induction therapy. CNSL was rare despite a history of ICH during induction therapy. Compared with APL patients without ICH, it seems unnecessary to administer additional measures to prevent CNSL for this subpopulation in the era of all-trans retinoic acid and arsenic trioxide, but this needs further validation in prospective trials.

Transit-oriented development (TOD) has been regarded as an effective way to improve urban vibrancy and facilitate affordable, equitable, and livable communities in metro station areas (MSAs). Previous studies placed great attention on the interplay between the MSA-level built environment and overall human activities while neglecting the heterogeneity among different age groups. To address this gap, we leverage the mobile phone signaling data to quantify the spatio-temporal distribution of the MSA-level human activities among different age groups as measured by the vibrancy index (VI). Furthermore, we investigate the impact of the MSA-level built environment on the VI and its intergenerational differences by employing multiple linear regressions based on multi-sourced data. To this end, Chengdu—a TOD-thriving megacity in China—is chosen as a case study. The results indicate that: (1) Residential and bus stop density are positively associated with the VI. And the magnitudes of the correlation coefficients are similar among different age groups. (2) Distance to CBD is negatively associated with the VI of teenagers (12–18 years), middle-aged adults (40–59 years), and older adults (above 60 years) but unrelated to the VI of young adults (19–39 years). (3) Employment density is positively associated with the VI of young and middle-aged adults but insignificantly associated with the VI of teenagers and older adults. (4) The correlations between the floor area ratio and the VI are positive for all age groups. As age increases, the significance of such correlations becomes more pronounced. (5) Streetscape greenery shows a more significant positive correlation with the VI of teenagers and older adults as compared to those of young and middle-aged adults. (6) Significant negative correlations exist between housing price and the VI of different age groups. The findings can inform the development and design of vibrant TOD communities.

ObjectivesA radiomics-based explainable eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model was developed to predict central cervical lymph node metastasis (CCLNM) in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), including positive and negative effects.MethodsA total of 587 PTC patients admitted at Binzhou Medical University Hospital from 2017 to 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were randomized into the training and test cohorts with an 8:2 ratio. Radiomics features were extracted from ultrasound images of the primary PTC lesions. The minimum redundancy maximum relevance algorithm and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used to select CCLNM positively-related features and radiomics scores were constructed. Clinical features, ultrasound features, and radiomics score were screened out by the Boruta algorithm, and the XGBoost model was constructed from these characteristics. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was used for individualized and visualized interpretation. SHAP addressed the cognitive opacity of machine learning models.ResultsEleven radiomics features were used to calculate the radiomics score. Five critical elements were used to build the XGBoost model: capsular invasion, radiomics score, diameter, age, and calcification. The area under the curve was 91.53% and 90.88% in the training and test cohorts, respectively. SHAP plots showed the influence of each parameter on the XGBoost model, including positive (i.e., capsular invasion, radiomics score, diameter, and calcification) and negative (i.e., age) impacts. The XGBoost model outperformed the radiologist, increasing the AUC by 44%.ConclusionsThe radiomics-based XGBoost model predicted CCLNM in PTC patients. Visual interpretation using SHAP made the model an effective tool for preoperative guidance of clinical procedures, including positive and negative impacts.

Magnetic resonance parameter mapping (MRPM) plays an important role in clinical applications and biomedical researches. However, the acceleration of MRPM remains a major challenge for achieving further improvements.In this work, a new undersampled k-space based joint multi-contrast image reconstruction approach named CC-IC-LMEN is proposed for accelerating MR T1rho mapping.The reconstruction formulation of the proposed CC-IC-LMEN method imposes a blockwise low-rank assumption on the characteristic-image series (c-p space) and utilizes infimal convolution (IC) to exploit and balance the generalized low-rank properties in low-and high-order c-p spaces, thereby improving the accuracy. In addition, matrix elastic-net (MEN) regularization based on the nuclear and Frobenius norms is incorporated to obtain stable and exact solutions in cases with large accelerations and noisy observations. This formulation results in a minimization problem, that can be effectively solved using a numerical algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). Finally, T1rho maps are then generated according to the reconstructed images using nonlinear least-squares (NLSQ) curve fitting with an established relaxometry model.The relative lOur proposed CC-IC-LMEN method provides accurate and robust solutions for accelerated MR T1rho mapping.

For a magnetically suspended control moment gyro (MSCMG), the high-speed rotor is actively suspended by magnetic bearings of 5-DOF, but the nonlinearity of the magnetic suspension force is one of the main reasons for the poor accuracy of radial translation control of the magnetically suspended rotor (MSR). To solve this problem, here, the characteristics of the magnetic suspension force are analyzed, and the nonlinear dynamic model of MSR is established. A sliding mode control (SMC) based on a neural network is presented, and the radial basis function (RBF) neural network is adopted to approximate the nonlinear displacement stiffness and the current displacement stiffness to weaken the chattering in SMC to improve the control accuracy of the MSR. The stability of the neural network SMC for the MSR is analyzed based on Lyapunov functions, and the rules of updating network weights are presented based on adaptive algorithms. Compared with these existing classic control methods, the simulation and experimental tests performed on a single-gimbal MSCMG with an angular momentum of 200 N.m.s indicated that this neural network SMC for MSR’s radial translation can not only make its suspension more stable but can also make its position precision higher.