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Abstract Structural superlubricity (SSL) is a state of contact with no wear and ultralow friction. SSL has been characterized at contact with van der Waals (vdW) layered materials, while its stability under extreme loading conditions has not been assessed. By designing both self-mated and non-self-mated vdW contacts with materials chosen for their high strengths, we report outstanding robustness of SSL under very high pressures in experiments. The incommensurate self-mated vdW contact between graphite interfaces can maintain the state of SSL under a pressure no lower than 9.45 GPa, and the non-self-mated vdW contact between a tungsten tip and graphite substrate remains stable up to 3.74 GPa. Beyond this critical pressure, wear is activated, signaling the breakdown of vdW contacts and SSL. This unexpectedly strong pressure-resistance and wear-free feature of SSL breaks down the picture of progressive wear. Atomistic simulations show that lattice destruction at the vdW contact by pressure-assisted bonding triggers wear through shear-induced tearing of the single-atomic layers. The correlation between the breakdown pressure and material properties shows that the bulk modulus and the first ionization energy are the most relevant factors, indicating the combined structural and electronic effects. Impressively, the breakdown pressures defined by the SSL interface could even exceed the strength of materials in contact, demonstrating the robustness of SSL. These findings offer a fundamental understanding of wear at the vdW contacts and guide the design of SSL-enabled applications.

Summary: Background: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a prevalent and severe condition that impairs female health but there is currently no effective treatment available to restore ovarian function. Human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) exhibit ovarian protection in pre-clinical models. Thus, we conducted a single-arm, phase 1 clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of allogenic hAECs in treating POF. Methods: A total of 35 patients received 6 × 107 hAECs via ovarian artery and completed a five-month follow-up from December 30, 2020 to January 31, 2022. The follow-up assessments were conducted at various intervals after hAECs treatment, including one month (Visit-1, V-1), three months (Visit-2, V-2), and five months (Visit-3, V-3) post-treatment. The primary endpoints were incidence of adverse events (AEs), and clinically significant laboratory abnormalities. Secondary endpoints included evaluation of transvaginal ultrasound results, sex hormone levels, Menopausal Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire, as well as reproductive indicators. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02912104. Findings: No serious AEs were observed throughout the five-month follow-up period. The most common AE was hematoma (7/35, 20.00%), and other AEs include pelvic pain (4/35, 11.43%), fever (2/35, 5.71%), anaphylaxis (2/35, 5.71%), and hepatotoxicity (1/35, 2.86%). After hAECs transplantation (hAECT), significant improvements were observed in the levels of endometrial thickness, left ovarian volume, sex hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2)), and MENQOL scores in all patients during the five-month follow-up period. Among them, 13 participants (37.14%) experienced spontaneous menstrual bleeding, and 20.00% (7/35) reported more than one regular menstrual bleeding post-hAECT. In this response group, significant improvements were observed in endometrial thickness, left ovarian volume, levels of FSH, E2, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and MENQOL scores one month after hAECT in comparison to pre-hAECT. Interpretation: hAECT via ovarian artery is safe, well-tolerated and temporarily ameliorates endometrial thickness, ovarian size, hormone levels, and menopausal symptoms in POF patients. Further randomized controlled trial of hAECs with longer follow-up period and a larger sample size is warranted. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82271664), the Interdisciplinary Program of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (YG2022ZD028), the Shanghai Municipal Health Committee (202240345), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases (No. Shelab2022ZD01), Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (No. 20152236), and National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2018YFC1004802), Shanghai Clinical Research Center for Cell Therapy, China (No. 23J41900100).

Microfluidic mixers, a pivotal application of microfluidic technology, are primarily utilized for the rapid amalgamation of diverse samples within microscale devices. Given the intricacy of their design processes and the substantial expertise required from designers, the intelligent automation of microfluidic mixer design has garnered significant attention. This paper discusses an approach that integrates artificial neural networks (ANNs) with reinforcement learning techniques to automate the dimensional parameter design of microfluidic mixers. In this study, we selected two typical microfluidic mixer structures for testing and trained two neural network models, both highly precise and cost-efficient, as alternatives to traditional, time-consuming finite-element simulations using up to 10,000 sets of COMSOL simulation data. By defining effective state evaluation functions for the reinforcement learning agents, we utilized the trained agents to successfully validate the automated design of dimensional parameters for these mixer structures. The tests demonstrated that the first mixer model could be automatically optimized in just 0.129 s, and the second in 0.169 s, significantly reducing the time compared to manual design. The simulation results validated the potential of reinforcement learning techniques in the automated design of microfluidic mixers, offering a new solution in this field.

Abstract Background This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the feasibility of total-body 18F-FDG PET/CT ultrafast acquisition combined with a deep learning (DL) image filter in the diagnosis of colorectal cancers (CRCs). Methods The clinical and preoperative imaging data of patients with CRCs were collected. All patients underwent a 300-s list-mode total-body 18F-FDG PET/CT scan. The dataset was divided into groups with acquisition durations of 10, 20, 30, 60, and 120 s. PET images were reconstructed using ordered subset expectation maximisation, and post-processing filters, including a Gaussian smoothing filter with 3 mm full width at half maximum (3 mm FWHM) and a DL image filter. The effects of the Gaussian and DL image filters on image quality, detection rate, and uptake value of primary and liver metastases of CRCs at different acquisition durations were compared using a 5-point Likert scale and semi-quantitative analysis, with the 300-s image with a Gaussian filter as the standard. Results All 34 recruited patients with CRCs had single colorectal lesions, and the diagnosis was verified pathologically. Of the total patients, 11 had liver metastases, and 113 liver metastases were detected. The 10-s dataset could not be evaluated due to high noise, regardless of whether it was filtered by Gaussian or DL image filters. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the liver and mediastinal blood pool in the images acquired for 10, 20, 30, and 60 s with a Gaussian filter was lower than that of the 300-s images (P 0.05). Conclusions The DL filter can significantly improve the image quality of total-body 18F-FDG PET/CT ultrafast acquisition. Deep learning-based image filtering methods can significantly reduce the noise of ultrafast acquisition, making them suitable for clinical diagnosis possible.

Purpose: Cavernous nerve injury induced erectile dysfunction (ED) is a refractory complication with high incidence in person under radical prostatectomy. Studies have shown that relaxin-2 (RLX-2) plays a vital role of endothelial protection, vasodilation, anti-fibrosis and neuroprotection in a variety of diseases. However, whether penile cavernous erection can benefit from RLX-2 remains unknown. The purpose of the experiment was to explore the effects of RLX-2 on ED in the rat suffering with bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI). Materials and Methods: The rats were divided into three groups: Sham group was underwent sham operation, BCNI+RLX group or BCNI group was underwent bilateral cavernous nerve crush and then randomly treated with RLX-2 (0.4 mg/kg/d) or saline by continuous administration using a subcutaneously implanted micro pump for 4 weeks respectively. Then, erectile function was evaluated by electrical stimulation of cavernous nerves. Cavernous nerves and penile tissues and were collected for histological evaluation. Results: Erectile function of rats with BCNI was partially improved after RLX-2 treatment. The BCNI group had lower expression of relaxin family peptide receptor (RXFP) 1, p-AKT/AKT, p-eNOS/eNOS ratios than sham operation rats, but RLX-2 could partially reversed these changes. Histologically, the BCNI+RLX group had a significant effect on preservation of neurofilament, neuronal glial antigen 2 of penile tissue and nNOS of cavernous nerves when compared with BCNI group. RLX-2 could inhibited the lever of BCNI induced corporal fibrosis and apoptosis via regulating TGFβ1-Smad2/3-CTGF pathway and the expression of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, caspase3. Conclusions: RLX-2 could improve erectile function of BCNI rats by protecting cavernous nerve and endothelial function and suppressing corporal fibrosis and apoptosis via RXFP1 and AKT/eNOS pathway. Our findings may provide a promising treatment for refractory BCNI induced ED.

BackgroundThe clinical correlation between erectile dysfunction (ED) and depression has been revealed in cumulative studies. However, the evidence of shared mechanisms between them was insufficient. This study aimed to explore common transcriptomic alterations associated with ED and depression.Materials and methodsThe gene sets associated with ED and depression were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Comparative analysis was conducted to obtain common genes. Using R software and other appropriate tools, we conducted a range of analyses, including function enrichment, interactive network creation, gene cluster analysis, and transcriptional and post-transcriptional signature profiling. Candidate hub crosslinks between ED and depression were selected after external validation and molecular experiments. Furthermore, subpopulation location and disease association of hub genes were explored.ResultsA total of 85 common genes were identified between ED and depression. These genes strongly correlate with cell adhesion, redox homeostasis, reactive oxygen species metabolic process, and neuronal cell body. An interactive network consisting of 80 proteins and 216 interactions was thereby developed. Analysis of the proteomic signature of common genes highlighted eight major shared genes: CLDN5, COL7A1, LDHA, MAP2K2, RETSAT, SEMA3A, TAGLN, and TBC1D1. These genes were involved in blood vessel morphogenesis and muscle cell activity. A subsequent transcription factor (TF)–miRNA network showed 47 TFs and 88 miRNAs relevant to shared genes. Finally, CLDN5 and TBC1D1 were well-validated and identified as the hub crosslinks between ED and depression. These genes had specific subpopulation locations in the corpus cavernosum and brain tissue, respectively.ConclusionOur study is the first to investigate common transcriptomic alterations and the shared biological roles of ED and depression. The findings of this study provide insights into the referential molecular mechanisms underlying the co-existence between depression and ED.

Abstract Background Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) affects approximately 1% of the male population worldwide. The underlying mechanism and gene transcription remain unclear. This study aims to explore the potential pathogenesis for the detection and management of NOA. Methods Based on four microarray datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, integrated analysis and weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) were used to obtain the intersected common differentially expressed genes (DESs). Differential signaling pathways were identified via GO and GSVA-KEGG analyses. We constructed a seventeen-gene signature model using least absolute shrinkage and selection operation (LASSO) regression, and validated its efficacy in another two GEO datasets. Three patients with NOA and three patients with obstructive azoospermia were recruited. The mRNA levels of seven key genes were measured in testicular samples, and the gene expression profile was evaluated in the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. Results In total, 388 upregulated and 795 downregulated common DEGs were identified between the NOA and control groups. ATPase activity, tubulin binding, microtubule binding, and metabolism- and immune-associated signaling pathways were significantly enriched. A seventeen-gene signature predictive model was constructed, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) values were 1.000 (training group), 0.901 (testing group), and 0.940 (validation set). The AUCs of seven key genes (REC8, CPS1, DHX57, RRS1, GSTA4, SI, and COX7B) were all > 0.8 in both the testing group and the validation set. The qRT-PCR results showed that consistent with the sequencing data, the mRNA levels of RRS1, GSTA4, and COX7B were upregulated, while CPS1, DHX57, and SI were downregulated in NOA. Four genes (CPS1, DHX57, RRS1, and SI) showed significant differences. Expression data from the HPA database showed the localization characteristics and trajectories of seven key genes in spermatogenic cells, Sertoli cells, and Leydig cells. Conclusions Our findings suggest a novel seventeen-gene signature model with a favorable predictive power, and identify seven key genes with potential as NOA-associated marker genes. Our study provides a new perspective for exploring the underlying pathological mechanism in male infertility.

Algal genomics research contributes to a deeper understanding of algal evolution and provides useful genomics inferences correlated with various functions. Published algal genome sequences are very limited owing to genome assembly challenges. Because genome data of freshwater algae are rapidly increasing with the recent boom in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics, an interface to store, interlink, and display these data is needed. To provide a substantial genomic resource specifically for freshwater algae, we developed the Freshwater Algae Database (FWAlgaeDB), a user-friendly, constantly updated online repository for integrating genomic data and annotation information. This database, which includes information on 204 freshwater algae, allows easy access to gene repertoires and gene clusters of interest and facilitates potential applications. Three functional modules are integrated into FWAlgaeDB: a Basic Local Alignment Search Tool tool for similarity analyses, a Search tool for rapid data retrieval, and a Download function for data downloads. This database tool is freely available at http://www.fwalagedb.com/#/home. To demonstrate the utility of FWAlgaeDB, we also individually mapped metagenomic sequencing reads of 10 water samples to FWAlgaeDB and Nt algae databases we constructed to obtain taxonomic composition information. According to the mapping results, FWAlgaeDB may be a better choice for identifying algal species in freshwater samples, with fewer potential false positives because of its focus on freshwater algal species. FWAlgaeDB can therefore serve as an open-access, sustained platform to provide genomic data and molecular analysis tools specifically for freshwater algae.

Objective: Asthenozoospermia (AZS) is one of the most common causes of male fertility, affecting family wellbeing and population growth. Chronic epididymitis (CE) is a common and lingering inflammatory disease in the scrotum. Inflammation in the epididymis has a severe impact on sperm motility. This study aimed to explore the genetic profile and critical pathways involved in the pathological mechanisms of AZS and CE, and discover potential biomarkers.Methods: Genomic datasets of AZS and CE were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and relevant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. GO and pathway enrichment analyses, construction of a protein-protein interaction network, and receiver operator characteristic curve analysis were conducted. The expression profile of hub genes was validated in immunohistochemical data and testicular cell data. Immune infiltration, miRNA-hub gene interactions, and gene-disease interactions were explored. The mRNA levels of hub genes were further measured by qRT-PCR.Results: A total of 109 DEGs were identified between the AZS/CE and healthy control groups. Pathways of the immune system, neutrophil degranulation, and interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 signaling were enriched in AZS and CE. Five hub genes (CD300LB, CMKLR1, CCR4, B3GALT5, and CTSK) were selected, and their diagnostic values were validated in AZS, CE, and independent validation sets (area under the curve >0.7). Furthermore, the five-hub gene signature was well characterized in testicular immunohistochemical staining and testicular cells from healthy controls. Immune infiltration analysis showed that infiltration of CD8+ cells and T helper cells was significantly related to the expression level of five hub genes. In addition, a miRNA-hub gene network and interaction of other diseases were displayed. The mRNA levels of hub genes (CD300LB, CMKLR1, CCR4, and B3GALT5) were significantly elevated in the patient group. The mRNA level of CTSK also showed a similar trend.Conclusion: Our study uncovered the genetic profile involved in AZS and CE, and elucidated enriched pathways and molecular associations between hub genes and immune infiltration. This finding provides novel insight into the common pathogenesis of both diseases as well as the potential biomarkers for CE-associated AZS.

BackgroundCOVID-19 has spread widely across continents since 2019, causing serious damage to human health. Accumulative research uncovered that SARS-CoV-2 poses a great threat to male fertility, and male infertility (MI) is a common comorbidity for the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to explore the cross-talk molecular mechanisms between COVID-19 and MI.Materials and methodsA total of four transcriptome data regarding COVID-19 and MI were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) repository, and were divided for two purposes (initial analysis and external validation). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis, GO and pathway annotation, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, connectivity ranking, ROC analysis, immune infiltration, and translational and post-translational interaction were performed to gain hub COVID-19-related DEGs (CORGs). Moreover, we recorded medical information of COVID-19 patients with MI and matched healthy controls, and harvested their sperm samples in the university hospital. Expressions of hub CORGs were detected through the qRT-PCR technique.ResultsWe identified 460 overlapped CORGs in both the COVID-19 DEGs and MI DEGs. CORGs were significantly enriched in DNA damage and repair-associated, cell cycle-associated, ubiquitination-associated, and coronavirus-associated signaling. Module assessment of PPI network revealed that enriched GO functions were closely related to cell cycle and DNA metabolism processes. Pharmacologic agent prediction displayed protein-drug interactions of ascorbic acid, biotin, caffeine, and L-cysteine with CORGs. After connectivity ranking and external validation, three hub CORGs (ENTPD6, CIB1, and EIF3B) showed good diagnostic performance (area under the curve > 0.75). Subsequently, three types of immune cells (CD8+ T cells, monocytes, and macrophages M0) were dominantly enriched, and 24 transcription factor-CORGs interactions and 13 miRNA-CORGs interactions were constructed in the network. Finally, qRT-PCR analysis confirmed that there were significant differences in the expression of hub CORGs (CIB1 and EIF3B) between the patient and control groups.ConclusionThe present study identified and validated hub CORGs in COVID-19 and MI, and systematically explored molecular interactions and regulatory features in various biological processes. Our data provide new insights into the novel biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets of COVID-19-associated MI.

Abstract Increased antibiotic resistance poses a major limitation in tackling inflammatory bowel disease and presents a large challenge for global health care. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a potential class of antimicrobial agents. Here, we have designed the potential oral route for antimicrobial peptide R7I with anti‐proteolytic properties to deal with bacterial enteritis in mice. The results revealed that R7I protected the liver and gut from damage caused by inflammation. RNA‐Seq analysis indicated that R7I promoted digestion and absorption in the small intestine by upregulating transmembrane transporter activity, lipid and small molecule metabolic processes and other pathways, in addition to upregulating hepatic steroid biosynthesis and fatty acid degradation. For the gut microbiota, Clostridia were significantly reduced in the R7I‐treated group, and Odoribacteraceae, an efficient isoalloLCA‐synthesizing strain, was the main dominant strain, protecting the gut from potential pathogens. In addition, we further discovered that R7I reduced the accumulation of negative organic acid metabolites. Overall, R7I exerted better therapeutic and immunomodulatory potential in the bacterial enteritis model, greatly reduced the risk of disease onset, and provided a reference for the in vivo application of antimicrobial peptides.

Background: Clinical associations between erectile dysfunction and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) have been noticed, but the common pathogenic mechanisms between them remain elusive. The aim of the study was to mine shared genetic alterations between ED and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.Method: Transcriptome data of ED and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome-related genes (CPRGs) were retrieved from relevant databases and differentially expressed analysis was used to obtain significant CPRGs. Then function enrichment and interaction analyses were performed to show shared transcriptional signature, including gene ontology and pathway enrichment, the construction of protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, cluster analysis, and co-expression analysis. Hub CPRGs and key cross-link were selected by validating these genes in clinical samples, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and ED-related datasets. Then the miRNA-OSRGs co-regulatory network was predicted and validated. Subpopulation distribution and disease association of hub CPRGs were further identified.Result: Differentially expressed analysis revealed 363 significant CPRGs between ED and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, functioning in inflammatory reaction, oxidative stress, apoptosis, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and extracellular matrix organization. A PPI network containing 245 nodes and 504 interactions was constructed. Module analysis depicted that multicellular organismal process and immune metabolic process were enriched. 17 genes were screened in PPI via topological algorithms, and reactive oxygen species as well as interleukin-1 metabolism were regarded as the bridging interactive mechanism. After screening and validation, a hub-CPRG signature consisting of COL1A1, MAPK6, LPL, NFE2L2 and NQO1 were identified and associated miRNA were verified. These miRNAs played an important role in immune and inflammatory response likewise. Finally, NQO1 was identified as a key genetic link between ED and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. It was predominately enriched in corpus cavernosum endothelial cell, and correlated with other male urogenital and immune system diseases tightly.Conclusion: We identified the genetic profiles as well as corresponding regulatory network underlying interaction between ED and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome via multi-omics analysis. These findings expanded a new understanding for the molecular mechanism of ED with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

BackgroundHormonal therapy is a reasonable treatment for cryptorchidism caused by idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH). However, the clinical evidence on whether it is effective and safe for the treatment of cryptorchidism caused by IHH is lacking.AimTo evaluate the effect of hormonal therapy in testicular descent, puberty development, and spermatogenesis in adult males with cryptorchidism caused by IHH.MethodsThis retrospective study included 51 patients with cryptorchidism caused by IHH from the Andrology Clinic of University affiliated teaching hospital. Patients were divided into two groups: group A patients received hormonal therapy; group B patients received surgical treatment for cryptorchidism followed by hormonal therapy.ResultsThe rate of successful testicular descent following hormonal therapy (19/32 in group A) or surgical treatment (11/19 in group B) shows no statistically significant difference. There was also no statistically significant difference in penile length, Tanner stage of pubic hair, testicular volume, and success rate of spermatogenesis between the two groups. Testicular atrophy was seen in a single patient in group B.ConclusionsHormone therapy in adult males with cryptorchidism caused by IHH is effective and safe regarding testicular descent, puberty development, and spermatogenesis. This study provides new insight into the treatment of cryptorchidism caused by IHH and highlights that hormonal therapy could be an effective, safe, and economic treatment option for cryptorchidism in males caused by IHH.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common male sexual dysfunction disease, and it was predicted that the number of ED patients worldwide will reach 322 million by 2025. However, the pathogenesis of ED is complex and the current treatment options are still limited, so it is urgent to explore new treatment strategies. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in ED, and these single-stranded non-coding small RNA molecules are involved in key pathophysiological processes in the occurrence and development of ED. Therefore, miRNAs have remarkable potential as therapeutic targets in ED. Here, this review introduces the physiological basis of erectile function and the pathophysiological changes in ED and summarizes the current knowledge on the expression, biological functions, and molecular mechanisms of miRNAs in ED, especially the potential of miRNA-targeted therapies to improve ED. This review will provide a comprehensive view of the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of ED and the potential value of miRNAs in the treatment of ED.

Introduction: Biomarkers predicting tumor response to neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are still lacking despite great efforts. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of the immune PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors via SULmax (iPERCIST-max) in predicting tumor response to neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy and short-term survival in locally advanced NSCLC.Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we calculated SULmax, SULpeak, metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG) and their dynamic percentage changes in a training cohort. We then investigated the correlation between alterations in these parameters and pathological tumor responses. Subsequently, iPERCIST-max defined by the proportional changes in the SULmax response (△SULmax%) was constructed and internally validated using a time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) value. A prospective cohort from the Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) was also included for external validation. The relationship between the iPERCIST-max responsiveness and event-free survival in the training cohort was also investigated.Results: Fifty-five patients with NSCLC were included in this study from May 2019 to December 2021. Significant alterations in post-treatment SULmax (p < 0.001), SULpeak (p < 0.001), SULmean (p < 0.001), MTV (p < 0.001), TLG (p < 0.001), and tumor size (p < 0.001) were observed compared to baseline values. Significant differences in SULpeak, SULmax, and SULmean between major pathological response (mPR) and non-mPR statuses were observed. The optimal cutoff values of the SULmax response rate were −70.0% and −88.0% using the X-tile software. The univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression showed that iPERCIST-max is the only significant key predictor for mPR status [OR = 84.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7.84–900.12, p < 0.001]. The AUC value for iPERCIST-max was 0.896 (95% CI: 0.776–1.000, p < 0.001). Further, external validation showed that the AUC value for iPERCIST-max in the SYSUCC cohort was 0.889 (95% CI: 0.698–1.000, p = 0.05). Significantly better event-free survival (EFS) in iPERCIST-max responsive disease (31.5 months, 95% CI 27.9–35.1) than that in iPERCIST-max unresponsive disease (22.2 months, 95% CI: 17.3–27.1 months, p = 0.024) was observed.Conclusion: iPERCIST-max could better predict both early pathological tumor response and short-term prognosis of NSCLC treated with neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy than commonly used criteria. Furthermore, large-scale prospective studies are required to confirm the generalizability of our findings.

Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of new cancer cases and the second most common tumor type in men globally. LMO3 has been stated to play a vital role in some cancers; however, the prognostic value of LMO3 in PCa remains vague. Here, we utilized various web databases to elucidate in detail the prognostic value and molecular functions of LMO3 in PCa. LMO3 expression was significantly decreased in PCa. Low LMO3 expression was associated with gender, age, and TNM grade and predicted a poor prognosis in PCa patients. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that LMO3 is engaged in the extracellular matrix and immune response. Moreover, LMO3 was positively correlated with immune infiltration levels and numerous immune markers. LMO3 may function as a prospective biomarker of immune infiltration in PCa.

Occult breast cancer, commonly presenting with axillary lymphadenopathy, is an extremely rare entity of breast cancer. Metastasis to the spleen as a single site is rarely seen and has been little reported in literature. Herein we described a case of a 60-year-old patient who presented with an asymptomatic solitary splenic mass 19 months after axillary lymph node dissection, regional radiotherapy, and systemic therapy. Laparoscopic splenectomy was performed, and histopathological examination confirmed metastasis from occult breast cancer. Then, the patient was administered with oral vinorelbine and dual-targeted treatment. With over 10 months of follow-up, there is no evidence of recurrence or metastasis of malignancy. To our knowledge, this study reports the first case of solitary splenic metastasis from occult breast cancer and highlights the importance of considering splenic metastasis as the only site of recurrence during follow-up of primary cancer, regardless of its rarity. If possible, splenectomy may be a therapeutic strategy.

PurposeThe present study sets out to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of conversion surgery following induction immunochemotherapy for patients with initially unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in a real-world scenario.Materials and MethodsIn this multi-center, real-world study (NCT04822103), patients who had unresectable ESCC disease were enrolled across eight medical centers in China. All patients received programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitor plus chemotherapy every 3 weeks for at least two cycles. Patients with significant relief of cancer-related clinical symptoms and radiological responsive disease were deemed surgical candidates. Feasibility and safety profile of immunochemotherapy plus conversion surgery, radiological and pathological tumor responses, as well as short-term survival outcomes were evaluated. Moreover, data of an independent ESCC cohort receiving induction chemotherapy (iC) were compared.ResultsOne hundred and fifty-five patients were enrolled in the final analysis. Esophagectomy was offered to 116 patients, yielding a conversion rate of 74.8%. R0 resection rate was 94%. Among the 155 patients, 107 (69.0%) patients experienced at least one treatment-related adverse event (TRAE) and 45 (29.0%) patients reported grade 3 and above TRAEs. Significant differences in responsive disease rate were observed between iC cohort and induction immunochemotherapy (iIC) cohort [objective response rate: iIC: 63.2% vs. iC: 47.7%, p = 0.004; pathological complete response: iIC: 22.4% vs. iC: 6.7%, p = 0.001). Higher anastomosis fistula rate was observed in the iC group (19.2%) compared with the iIC group (4%). Furthermore, Significantly higher event-free survival was observed in those who underwent conversion surgery.ConclusionOur results supported that conversion surgery following immunochemotherapy is feasible and safe for patients with initially unresectable locally advanced ESCC. Both radiological and pathological response rates were significantly higher in the iIC cohort compared with those in the traditional iC cohort.

Background: Antibiotics are very effective for treating diarrhea in weaned pigs, but the global prohibition of antibiotics makes it urgent to find an alternative to antibiotics. Objective: An experiment was conducted to determine the antimicrobial activity of a linear trpzip-like β-hairpin antimicrobial peptide WK3 in vivo and to assess its effects on growth performance and intestinal health. Design: Thirty-two piglets were weaned at 21 days and housed in individual metabolic cages, which were randomly divided into four groups and were maintained on a corn-soybean meal-based basal diet. Group 1 included a blank group. Groups 2, 3, and 4 were orally infected by feeding with Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88, which was followed by saline treatment (group 2), enrofloxacin injection at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg (group 3), and WK3 injection at a dose of 2 mg/kg (group 4). The experiment lasted for 6 days, and feed and water were provided ad libitum. Results: Both WK3 and enrofloxacin effectively attenuated diarrhea and improved growth performance of piglets. Compared with the control group, WK3 significantly improved the villus height in the ileum (P < 0.05) but did not affect the villus height in the duodenum or jejunum. Additionally, we did not observe any obvious difference in crypt depth or villus height/crypt depth among the duodenum, jejunum and ileum (P > 0.05). WK3 also reduced the numbers of Enterococcus spp (P < 0.01) in the cecal contents, and the number of Enterobacterium spp tended to decrease (0.05 < P < 0.1). Moreover, the jejunal mucosa of the WK3 group exhibited lower interleukin-1α (IL-1a; P < 0.01), toll-like receptors-4 (TLR-4; P < 0.05), and myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88; P < 0.01) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression levels. The jejunum of the WK3 group also exhibited an increased antioxidant capacity, reduced concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA; P < 0.05), and enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P < 0.05). Conclusions: WK3 has the potential to replace antibiotics as a new generation feed additive.

Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. (Alternanthera philoxeroides) is an important herbage species, which could provide high-quality feed for livestock and poultry breeding. This paper is the first to report the A. philoxeroides’s chloroplast genomes, which were detected by de novo sequencing. The results showed that the length of A. philoxeroides’ chloroplast genome sequence was 152,255 bp, including a large single-copy (LSC) region (84,670 bp), a small single-copy (SSC) region (17,343 bp), and two inverted repeat (IR) regions (25,121 bp). Alternanthera philoxeroides’ chloroplast genome encoded 132 genes including 8 rRNA, 38 tRNA, and 86 protein-coding genes. After phylogenetic and cluster analysis, A. philoxeroides was closest to Amaranthaceae, and the relationship between Amaranthus and Achyranthes was closest.

Abstract Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most deadly urinary tumors in men globally, and the 5‐year over survival is poor due to metastasis of tumor. It is significant to explore potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and personalized therapy of PCa. In the present study, we performed an integrated analysis based on multiple microarrays in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset and obtained differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between 510 PCa and 259 benign issues. The weighted correlation network analysis indicated that prognostic profile was the most relevant to DEGs. Then, univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses were conducted and four prognostic genes were obtained to establish a four‐gene prognostic model. And the predictive effect and expression profiles of the four genes were well validated in another GEO dataset, The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Human Protein Atlas datasets. Furthermore, combination of four‐gene model and clinical features was analyzed systematically to guide the prognosis of patients with PCa to a largest extent. In summary, our findings indicate that four genes had important prognostic significance in PCa and combination of four‐gene model and clinical features could achieve a better prediction to guide the prognosis of patients with PCa.

Due to the high incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and poor response to the first-line treatment of DM-induced erectile dysfunction (DMED), new therapeutic strategies for DMED are needed. Adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC) transplantation is considered a promising treatment modality for DMED but is limited by poor survival and efficacy after transplantation. In this study, we aimed to increase the therapeutic effect of DMED by overexpressing the relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1) using a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats activation (CRISPRa) system in ADSCs. Two lentiviruses carrying the CRISPRa system transfected ADSCs to overexpress RXFP1 (RXFP1-ADSCs). The intracavernous injection of ADSCs was performed in DMED rats induced by the intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Four weeks after transplantation, we measured erectile function and collected specimens of the corpus cavernosum for follow-up detection. The results showed that ADSCs improved erectile function in diabetic rats, and the RXFP1-ADSCs were more significant. We detected reduced levels of oxidative stress, apoptosis and fibrosis together with relative normalization of endothelial and smooth muscle cell function in the penis after ADSC transplantation. RXFP1-ADSCs had more potent efficacy in the above alterations compared to negative control ADSCs due to the high levels of survival and paracrine capacity in RXFP1-ADSCs. The results revealed that RXFP1-ADSC transplantation could partially preserve erectile function in DMED rats associated with the regulation of oxidative stress, apoptosis, fibrosis and endothelial and smooth muscle cell dysfunction. RXFP1 may be the new target for the genetic modification of ADSCs, which benefits the management of DMED.

In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of fetal brain development, structural brain atlases usually serve as essential references for the fetal population. Individual images are usually normalized into a common or standard space for analysis. However, the existing fetal brain atlases are mostly based on MR images obtained from Caucasian populations and thus are not ideal for the characterization of the fetal Chinese population due to neuroanatomical differences related to genetic factors. In this paper, we use an unbiased template construction algorithm to create a set of age-specific Chinese fetal atlases between 21-35 weeks of gestation from 115 normal fetal brains. Based on the 4D spatiotemporal atlas, the morphological development patterns, e.g., cortical thickness, cortical surface area, sulcal and gyral patterns, were quantified. The fetal brain abnormalities were detected when referencing the age-specific template. Additionally, a direct comparison of the Chinese fetal atlases and Caucasian fetal atlases reveals dramatic anatomical differences, mainly in the medial frontal and temporal regions. After applying the Chinese and Caucasian fetal atlases separately to an independent Chinese fetal brain dataset, we find that the Chinese fetal atlases result in significantly higher accuracy than the Caucasian fetal atlases in guiding brain tissue segmentation. These results suggest that the Chinese fetal brain atlases are necessary for quantitative analysis of the typical and atypical development of the Chinese fetal population in the future. The atlases with their parcellations are now publicly available at https://github.com/DeepBMI/FBA-Chinese.

Zingiber mioga (Thunb.) Rosc. (Zingiber mioga) is an important edible species, which also has important medical and natural pigment value. This article is firstly reported the Zingiber mioga’s chloroplast genomes which detect by de novo sequencing. The results showed that the length sequence of Zingiber mioga’s chloroplast genome was 163,541 bp, and the length of LSC, SSC, and two IR regions was 88,035, 15,886, and 29,810 bp, respectively. Zingiber mioga’s chloroplast genome was encoded 135 genes involving 10 rRNA, 38 tRNA, and 87 protein-coding genes. After phylogenetic and cluster analysis, the Zingiber were closest approach to Zingiber mioga, followed by Kaempferia, Curcuma, Hedychium, and Roscoea.

Microfluidics has shown great potential in cell analysis, where the flowing path in the microfluidic device is important for the final study results. However, the design process is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Therefore, we proposed an ANN method with three dense layers to analyze particle trajectories at the critical intersections and then put them together with the particle trajectories in straight channels. The results showed that the ANN prediction results are highly consistent with COMSOL simulation results, indicating the applicability of the proposed ANN method. In addition, this method not only shortened the simulation time but also lowered the computational expense, providing a useful tool for researchers who want to receive instant simulation results of particle trajectories.

Introduction Recently, the rate of caesarean sections (CS) worldwide has risen and CS-associated complications such as niche have increased substantially. Until now, evidence-based clinical guidelines for the treatment of niche-related symptoms remain absent. In patients with postmenstrual spotting, it has not been studied if the effect of levonorgestrel 52 mg intrauterine system (LNG-IUS 52 mg) is superior to that of hysteroscopy. This study will answer the question of whether LNG-IUS 52 mg is more effective in improving postmenstrual spotting than hysteroscopic niche resection in women with niche-related spotting at 6 months after randomisation.Methods and analysis This is a randomised controlled trial. A total of 208 women with postmenstrual spotting related to niche in the caesarean uterine scar of at least 2 mm and residual myometrium of at least 2.2 mm evaluated by MRI will be included. Women desiring to conceive within 1 year, with contraindications for LNG-IUS 52 mg or hysteroscopic surgery will be excluded. After informed consent is obtained, eligible women will be randomly allocated to LNG-IUS 52 mg or hysteroscopic niche resection at 1:1. The primary outcome is the efficacy in reducing postmenstrual spotting at 6 months after randomisation. The secondary outcomes include menstrual pattern, total days of blood loss per month, rate of amenorrhoea, side effects and complications.We will use a Visual Analogue Scale for chronic pelvic pain, urological symptoms and women’s satisfaction (five-point Likert scale).Ethics and dissemination The study was approved by the local medical ethics committee and by the Institutional Review Board of the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Shanghai, China (No. GKLW 2019-08). Participants will sign a written informed consent before participation. The results of this study will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.Trial registration number ChiCTR1900025677.

Abstract Background To determine whether magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features combined with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values could be used as a tool for categorizing ovarian epithelial cancer (OEC) and predicting survival, as well as correlating with laboratory tests (serum cancer antigen 125, serum CA-125) and tumor proliferative index (Ki-67 expression). Methods and materials MRI examination was undertaken before invasive procedures. MRI features were interpreted and recorded on the picture archive communication system (PACS). ADC measurements were manually performed on post-process workstation. Clinical characteristics were individually retrieved and recorded through the hospital information system (HIS). Cox hazard model was used to estimate the effects of both clinical and MRI features on overall survival. Results Both clinical and MRI features differed significantly between Type I and Type II cancer groups (p

Pharmacological therapy of diabetes mellitus-induced erectile dysfunction (DMED) is intractable owig to the poor response to phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i). The surge in the number of diabetic patients makes it extremely urgent to find a novel therapy for DMED. Ferroptosis is a recently discovered form of cell death evoked by lipid peroxidation and is related to several diabetic complications. GPX4, an important phospholipid hydroperoxidase, can alleviate ferroptosis and maintain redox balance via reducing lipid peroxides. However, whether GPX4 can be a prospective target of DMED needs to be determined. Fifty rats were randomly divided into control group, DMED group, DMED + negative control group (DMED + NC group), DMED + low-dose group (1 × 106 infectious units), and DMED + high-dose group (2 × 106 infectious units). Erectile function was assessed 4 weeks after intracavernous injection of GPX4 or negative control lentivirus. The penile shafts were collected for subsequent molecular biological and histological analysis. The results demonstrated that erectile function of the rats in DMED and DMED + NC groups was extremely impaired and was improved in a dose-dependent manner with GPX4 lentivirus (GPX4-LV) injection. Additionally, upregulation of the ACSL4-LPCAT3-LOX pathway, iron overload, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and decreased endothelial and smooth muscle cell numbers were observed in the corpus cavernosum of DMED group. Meanwhile, the nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway was inhibited, and the Ras homolog gene family member A (RhoA)/Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) pathway was promoted in DMED rats. The above histologic alterations and related molecular changes were alleviated after GPX4-LV injection. The results revealed that GPX4 improved erectile function by modulating ferroptosis during DMED progression. This finding is of paramount significance in deciphering the molecular mechanism of hyperglycemia-induced ferroptosis, thereby providing a prospective target for preventing the development of DMED.

In this paper, a two-dimensional (2D) displacement sensor based on the diagonal symmetry complementary split-ring resonator (CSRR) structure is proposed. The one-dimensional (1D) displacement sensor is initially developed by etching a ring on the ground plane, and a triangle metal patch is used as the mover. When the mover is attached, a CSRR is formed, thereby inducing a resonant frequency. The displacement of the mover can be retrieved by the variation in the resonant frequency. Then, the structure is extended for designing a 2D displacement sensor. To further reduce the error caused by the lateral displacement, the shape of the sensor is further optimized using the particle swarm algorithm. Finally, the structure of the CSRR displacement sensor is simulated and analyzed, and a physical prototype is made. The measured results are consistent with the theoretical analysis, and its sensitivity is 160 MHz/mm.

Structural superlubricity (SSL) is a state of nearly zero friction and zero wear between two directly contacted solid surfaces. Recently, SSL was achieved in mesoscale and thus opened the SSL technology which promises great applications in Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS), sensors, storage technologies, etc. However, load issues in current mesoscale SSL studies are still not clear. The great challenge is to simultaneously measure both the ultralow shear forces and the much larger normal forces, although the widely used frictional force microscopes (FFM) and micro tribometers can satisfy the shear forces and normal forces requirements, respectively. Here we propose a hybrid two-axis force sensor that can well fill the blank between the capabilities of FFM and micro tribometers for the mesoscopic SSL studies. The proposed sensor can afford 1mN normal load with 10 nN lateral resolution. Moreover, the probe of the sensor is designed at the edge of the structure for the convenience of real-time optical observation. Calibrations and preliminary experiments are conducted to validate the performance of the design.

Background: The management of diabetes mellitus-induced erectile dysfunction (DMED) is progressively becoming tricky due to the surge in the number of patients and the poor efficiency of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors in DMED. Paeonol (Pae), as a traditional Chinese medicine, has been more and more widely used in the treatment of diabetic complications. However, whether Pae could be a potential therapeutic drug of DMED needs to be further evaluated. Objectives: To investigate the pharmacological effect and possible mechanism of Pae in the treatment of DMED. Methods: Intraperitoneal streptozotocin injection and an apomorphine test were used to construct the model of DMED. Seventeen DMED rats were divided into two groups: DMED group (n = 8) and DMED+Pae group (Pae; 100 mg/kg/d; oral administration; n = 9). In addition, there were still 10 normal age-matched male rats as control group. Four weeks later, the cavernous nerve electric stimulation was carried out to measure the erectile response. Moreover, the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) were primarily isolated and exposed to high glucose (HG) stimulation, Pae treatment and glycyrrhizin (GL; the selective inhibitor of HMGB1). After an incubation for 1 week, the CCSMCs were harvested for detection. Results: The impairment of erectile function was observed in DMED rats compared with control samples, accompanied by the upregulation of HMGB1/RAGE/NF-κB Pathway. The lower nitric oxide and cGMP level and the higher level of inflammation, fibrosis, and apoptosis were also observed in DMED rats. It showed contrast that Pae treatment could improve the erectile function, as well as histologic alteration and related molecular changes. In addition, Pae could downregulate the HMGB1/RAGE/NF-κB pathway to regulate the apoptosis and inflammation levels of CCSMCs in high-glucose conditions, which is similar to the results of GL treatment. Conclusion: Pae alleviated ED in DMED rats, likely by inhibiting HMGB1/RAGE/NF-κB Pathway, inflammatory, apoptosis, and fibrotic activity, and moderating endothelial dysfunction. Our study provide evidence for a potential new therapy for DMED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common andrological disorder that tends to afflict diabetic patients, among others. Pharmacological therapy of diabetes mellitus-induced ED (DMED) is ineffective, as it is linked with smooth muscle cell loss in the corpus cavernosum. Ferroptosis is a recently identified kind of cell death evoked by lipid peroxidation, and it is connected with a number of diabetic complications. Objectives: To investigate the role of ferroptosis in DMED. Materials and methods: We established the rat model of DMED and conducted a combined analysis of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Next, DMED disease targets were determined by cross-referencing DEGs and DMED-related genes in the DisGeNET,GenCLiP3, andGeneCards databases. Additionally, these targetswere analyzed using "clusterProfiler" in R utilizing Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotations. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of rat penile tissues was used to validate several targets. Notably, the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, Western blotting, oxidative stress (OS) level, and iron concentrationwere tested in corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) stimulated with high glucose (HG), and treated with Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1). Results: Sixty-nine disease targets of DMED were identified. According to KEGG analysis, these targets were primarily enriched in the ferroptosis pathway. Additionally, IHC results revealed that the expression of GPX4, SLC7A11, and ACSL4 was deregulated in the DMED group compared to the control group. Significantly, HG decreased cell viability and increased OS and iron levels in CCSMCs, which could be reversed by Fer-1 treatment. Discussion and conclusion: Our study revealed that ferroptosis may indeed exist in DMED. GPX4, SLC7A11, and ACSL4 all have a role in controlling the viability of CCSMCs, making them potential therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes mellitus-induced erectile dysfunction (DMED) is one of the complications of diabetes and has a poor response to phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, the first-line treatment for ED. Saxagliptin (Sax), a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4i), has been officially used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is one of the important substrates of DPP-4, and has been proven to be beneficial for several DMcomplications. However, it is unknownwhether Sax contributes to the management of DMED. Objectives: To explore the effect and possible underlying mechanisms of Sax in the treatment of DMED. Methods: The model of DMwas established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. All rats were divided into three groups (n = 8 per group): control group, DMED group and DMED+Sax group. In cellular experiments, the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) were exposed to high glucose (HG), and treated with Sax and AMD3100 (SDF-1 receptor inhibitor). The penile tissue and CCSMCs were harvested for detection. Results: We found that erectile function was impaired in DMED rats compared with the control group, which was partially relieved by Sax. Decreased expression of DPP-4 and increased level of SDF-1 were also observed in DMED+Sax group, together with elevation of PI3K/AKT pathway and inhibition of endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress and apoptosis in corpus cavernosum. Moreover, Sax could also regulate oxidative stress and apoptosis in CCSMCs underHGcondition, which was blocked in part by AMD3100. Conclusion: Sax could alleviate DMED through increasing SDF-1 and PI3K/AKT pathway, in company with moderation of endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress and apoptosis. Our findings indicated that DPP-4 is may be beneficial to the management of DMED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of Chinese herbal medicine Polygonatum sibiricum (PS). In this study, a rat acute liver injury (ALI) model was established by a single intraperitoneal injection of 50% CCl4 oil solution, and the rats were treated intragastrically with Polygonatum sibiricum aqueous extract (PSAE). The results showed that PSAE significantly decreased the serum levels of ALT, AST and ALP, increased the activities of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) activity in hepatic tissue, and decreased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in hepatocytes. The expressions of Nrf2, NQO-1, HO-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL mRNA, and HO-1 proteins were elevated, and the expression of p53 mRNA was decreased. In conclusion, PSAE exerted a powerful protective action against CCl4-induced ALI in rats via effectively regulating the expressions of Nrf2-Keap1-ARE related genes and proteins, and inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis. These outcomes provided evidence that PS had apparent hepatoprotective effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, internet addiction disorder (IAD) has become more prevalent worldwide and the recognition of its devastating impact on the users and society has rapidly increased. However, the neurobiological mechanism of IAD has not bee fully expressed. The present study was designed to determine if the striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) levels measured by 99mTc-TRODAT-1 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain scans were altered in individuals with IAD. SPECT brain scans were acquired on 5male IAD subjects and 9 healthy age-matched controls. The volume (V) and weight (W) of bilateral corpus striatum as well as the 99mTc-TRODAT-1 uptake ratio of corpus striatum/the whole brain (Ra) were calculated using mathematical models. It was displayed that DAT expression level of striatum was significantly decreased and the V, W, and Ra were greatly reduced in the individuals with IAD compared to controls. Taken together, these results suggest that IAD may cause serious damages to the brain and the neuroimaging findings further illustrate IAD is associated with dysfunctions in the dopaminergic brain systems. Our findings also support the claim that IAD may share similar neurobiological abnormalities with other addictive disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents structure design, microfabrication processes, calibration techniques and experimental results of differential capacitance force sensors with features of sub-nano-newton sensitivity, up to 10 000 Hz sampling rate, and applicability as stand-alone devices. The representative sensor demonstrates a force resolution of 0.11 nN at a 19 Hz sampling rate or 1.47 nN at 10 000 Hz. A novel asymmetric differential capacitance structure proposed results in remarkable increase in the ratio of measurement range to resolution in comparison with traditional symmetric structure. In addition, the stiction between silicon and glass caused by the capillary force during dicing is eliminated by the use of hydrophobization treatment. Such a treatment is essential to successfully fabricate structures with a large ratio of overlapped area to gap in silicon/glass anodic bonding processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]