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Puncture biopsy is an important clinical technique to obtain diseased tissue for pathological diagnosis, where imaging guidance is critical. In this paper, we describe a metal reflector-enhanced microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) approach capable of guiding puncture biopsy for detection of breast cancer and joint diseases. Numerical experimentations simulating puncture guidance in breast cancer and knee gout models were first conducted using (CST STUDIO SUITE) (CST) software, and then ex-vivo experiments were performed followed by qualitative observations and semi-quantitative analysis. The results of both the simulations and ex-vivo experiments showed that our reflector-enhanced TAI could image the puncture needle in high resolution with a large depth of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent primary liver malignancy and a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite advancements in therapeutic strategies, the 5-year survival rate for individuals undergoing curative resection remains between 10% and 15%. Consequently, identifying molecular targets that specifically inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells is critical for improving treatment outcomes. Database analysis using Targetscan identified complementary binding sites for the human-specific miRNA hsa-miR-6894-3p (hereafter referred to as miR-6894-3p) on SHROOM2, and Starbase data suggested a potential regulatory interaction between lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 and miR-6894-3p in liver cancer. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the role of lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 in regulating miR-6894-3p, with a focus on its impact on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and related cellular processes in liver cancer cells via SHROOM2 regulation. Methods: Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was initially employed to measure the expression levels of lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 and miR-6894-3p in three HCC cell lines: HepG2, HuH-7, and Li-7. Based on these initial assessments, two cell lines were selected for further experimentation. Stable cell lines overexpressing lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 were developed, and cells were transfected with miR-6894-3p mimics or a mimic negative control (NC). After 24 h, qPCR was utilized to quantify the relative expression of lnc-MAP3K13-3:1, miR-6894-3p, SHROOM2, and Caspase9 mRNA in each group. Cell proliferation was analyzed using the cell counting Kit-8 assay, while flow cytometry was used to assess cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. Migration capabilities were evaluated through cell scratch assays, and dual-luciferase assays were utilized to verify interactions between miR-6894-3p, lnc-MAP3K13-3:1, and SHROOM2. Results: Overexpression of lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 and miR-6894-3p mimic transfection resulted in increased expression of SHROOM2 and Caspase9 mRNA, as demonstrated by qPCR. The miR-6894-3p mimic regulated the activity of lnc-MAP3K13-3:1. Functional assays showed that lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 overexpression inhibited proliferation in HuH-7 and Li-7 cells, promoted apoptosis, reduced migration in Li-7 cells, but enhanced migration in HuH-7 cells. Additionally, lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 overexpression significantly increased the proportion of HuH-7 cells in the G2/M phase and Li-7 cells in the S phase. The miR-6894-3p mimic modulated the effects of lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration. Dual-luciferase assays confirmed direct binding between lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 and miR-6894-3p, as well as between miR-6894-3p and SHROOM2. Conclusion: These findings indicate that overexpression of lnc-MAP3K13-3:1 regulates SHROOM2 expression through targeting miR-6894-3p, thereby influencing cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and other cellular processes associated with HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe2B is a potentially promising electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to its excellent electronic conductivity, which is superior to that of traditional oxide catalysts. However, the activity of Fe2B is still not satisfactory. In this study, meta-stable microstructure stacking faults (SFs) were incorporated into Fe2B through a one-step high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) method. Pressure suppressed atomic diffusion but formed SFs when the grain grew. Fe2B with SFs exhibited remarkable OER activity, with low overpotential values of only 269 and 344 mV required to reach current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively; because of the presence of SFs, the overpotential for the OER was reduced to only 67.7% of that of Fe2B without SFs at 10 mA cm−2. Theoretical and experimental investigations confirmed that these SFs regulate the d-band center of Fe2B toward the Fermi level, optimizing the catalytic site activity. Furthermore, SFs reduced the charge transfer between Fe atoms and boron (B) atoms, increasing the number of free electrons in the structure and thereby increasing conductivity. Finally, this study suggests a strategy to construct microstructures in crystals, providing new insights into designing excellent catalysts via microstructure engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing a second phase has been an effective way to solve the brittleness of boron carbide (B4C) for its application. Though reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is an ideal candidate for reinforcing the B4C duo's two-dimensional structure and excellent mechanical properties, the toughness is less than 6 MPa·m1/2, or the hardness is lower than 30 GPa in B4C–graphene composites. A barrier to enhancing toughness is the weak interface strength between rGO and B4C, which limits the bridging and pull-out toughening effects of rGO. In this work, internal stress was introduced using a high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) method with B4C–rGO composites. The optimal hardness and toughness values for the B4C-2 vol% rGO composite reached 30.1 GPa and 8.6 MPa·m1/2, respectively. The improvement in toughness was 4 times higher than that of pure B4C. The internal stress in the composite increased gradually from 2.3 GPa to 3.3 GPa with an increase in rGO content from 1 vol% to 3 vol%. Crack deflection, bridging, and rGO pull-out are responsible for the improvement in toughness. Moreover, the high internal stress contributed to the formation of good interface strength by embedding rGO into the B4C matrix particles, which further enhanced the dissipation of the crack energy during the pull-out process and led to high toughness. This work provides new insights into synthesizing high-toughness B4C matrix composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]