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The lack of control over the crystal growth in a systematic way currently stands as an unsurmountable impediment to the preparation of dynamic crystals as soft robots; in effect, the mechanical effects of molecular crystals have become a subject of scattered reports that pertain only to specific crystal sizes and actuation conditions, often without the ability to establish or confirm systematic trends. One of the factors that prevents the verification of such performance is the unavailability of strategies for effectively controlling crystal size and aspect ratio, where crystals of serendipitous size are harvested from crystallization solution. Here we devised a water‐assisted precipitation method to prepare crystals of chemical variants of 9‐anthracene derivatives with various thicknesses that respond to ultraviolet light with simple mechanical effects, including bending, splintering, and rotation. By capitalizing on the robust mechanical flexibility and deformability of crystals, we demonstrate systematic variations in crystal deformation that are further elevated in complexity to construct crystal‐based robots capable of controllable motions reminiscent of sailing and humanoid movements. The results illustrate an approach to eliminate one of the critical obstacles towards complete control over the motility of dynamic molecular crystals as microrobots in non‐aerial environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a differential phase contrast microscopy that enables single‐shot phase imaging for unstained biological samples. The proposed approach employs a ring‐shaped LED array for polarisation multiplexing illumination and a polarisation camera for image acquisition. As such, multiple images of different polarisation angles can be simultaneously captured with a single shot. Through polarisation demultiplexing, the sample phase can therefore be recovered from the single‐shot measurement. Both simulations and experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach. We also demonstrate that ring‐shaped illumination enables higher contrast and lower‐distortion imaging results than disk‐shaped illumination does. The proposed single‐shot approach potentially enables phase contrast imaging for live cell samples in vitro. Lay Description: We propose a microscopy that enables imaging of transparent samples, unstained cells, etc. We demonstrate that the proposed method enables higher contrast and lower‐distortion imaging results than conventional methods, and significantly improves imaging efficiency. The proposed method potentially enables dynamic imaging for live cell samples in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Avapritinib was first approved by the FDA in January 2020 and represents the first precision‐targeted drug for gastrointestinal stromal tumours. However, there is a lack of large‐scale data relating to adverse events (AEs) related to its use. We aimed to explore the avapritinib‐related AEs in real‐world practice based on the post‐marketing data. Methods: We extracted all avapritinib‐related reports submitted to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) by June 2022. Based on disproportionality analysis and Bayesian analysis, we then calculated the reporting odds ratio (ROR), proportional reporting ratio (PRR), information component (IC) and empirical Bayes geometric mean (EBGM) to evaluate whether there is a significant association between avapritinib and AEs. Gender, age and time to onset were comparable between haemorrhage/non‐haemorrhage, serious/non‐serious, death/non‐death AEs, respectively. Results: In total, 3120 cases related to avapritinib were documented in the FAERS database, and 44% were reported within 30 days of commencing avapritinib. A total of 331 different AE signals were detected, and no significant differences between males and females was identified. Although the number of AEs associated with an abnormal skin texture and executive dysfunction was small, the signal intensity is high, suggesting that these events are strongly correlated with avapritinib. Subgroup analysis showed that elderly male patients were more likely to suffer from serious AEs compared to females (P <.01), but there was no significant difference between the haemorrhage group and the non‐haemorrhage group. Analysis of fatalities due to avapritinib‐related AEs indicated that sex, age and time‐to‐onset were all significantly related to death (P <.05). Conclusion: Our study provides a more precise description of the incidence and characteristics of AEs after using avapritinib, clinicians should be particularly careful when prescribing avapritinib to elderly male patients, especially within the 30 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe therapeutic range of voriconazole (VRC) is narrow, this study aimed to explore factors influencing VRC plasma concentrations > 5 mg/L and to construct a clinical risk score nomogram prediction model. Clinical data from 221 patients with VRC prophylaxis and treatment were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort at a 7:3 ratio. Univariate and binary logistic regression analysis was used to select independent risk factors for VRC plasma concentration above the high limit (5 mg/L). Four indicators including age, weight, CYP2C19 genotype, and albumin were selected to construct the nomogram prediction model. The area under the curve values of the training cohort and the validation cohort were 0.841 and 0.802, respectively. The decision curve analysis suggests that the nomogram model had good clinical applicability. In conclusion, the nomogram provides a reference for early screening and intervention in a high-risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increasingly severe environmental problems caused by water pollution, the degradation of organic dyes can be effectively achieved through the utilization of photocatalysis. In this work, metal alkoxides and a combination of alcohol/hydrophobic solvents are employed to prepare BaTiO3 aerogels via a liquid-phase and template-free synthetic route. The preparation process of the aerogels solely entails facile agitation and supercritical drying, eliminating the need for additional heat treatment. The binary solvent of ethanol and toluene is identified as the optimal choice, resulting in a significantly enhanced surface area (up to 223 m2/g) and an abundant pore structure of BaTiO3 aerogels compared to that of the BaTiO3 nanoparticles. Thus, the removal efficiency of the BaTiO3 aerogel sample for MO is nearly twice as high as that of the BaTiO3 nanoparticles sample. Noble metal Ag nanoparticles' deposition onto the BaTiO3 aerogel surface is further achieved via the photochemical deposition method, which enhances the capture of photogenerated electrons, thereby ensuring an elevated level of photocatalytic efficiency. As a result, Ag nanoparticles deposited on BaTiO3 aerogel can degrade MO completely after 40 min of illumination, while the corresponding aerogel before modification can only remove 80% of MO after 60 min. The present work not only complements the preparatory investigation of intricate aerogels but also offers a fresh perspective for the development of diverse perovskite aerogels with broad applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Tacrolimus a first‐line medication used after transplantation can induce β‐cell dysfunction, causing new‐onset diabetes mellitus (NODM). Regenerating islet‐derived protein 3 gamma (Reg3g), a member of the pancreatic regenerative gene family, has been reported to improve type 1 diabetes by promoting β‐cell regeneration. We aim to investigate the role of Reg3g in reversing tacrolimus‐induced β‐cell dysfunction and NODM in mice. Experimental Approach Circulating REG3A (the human homologue of mouse Reg3g) in heart transplantation patients treated with tacrolimus was detected. The glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion and mitochondrial functions, including mitochondria membrane potential (MMP), mitochondria calcium, ATP production, oxygen consumption rate and mitochondrial morphology were investigated in β‐cells. Additionally, effects of Reg3g on tacrolimus‐induced NODM in mice were analysed. Key Results: Circulating REG3A level in heart transplantation patients with NODM significantly decreased compared with those without diabetes. Tacrolimus down‐regulated Reg3g via inhibiting STAT3‐mediated transcription activation. Moreover, Reg3g restored glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion suppressed by tacrolimus in β‐cells by improving mitochondrial functions, including increased MMP, mitochondria calcium uptake, ATP production, oxygen consumption rate and contributing to an intact mitochondrial morphology. Mechanistically, Reg3g increased accumulation of pSTAT3(Ser727) in mitochondria by activating ERK1/2‐STAT3 signalling pathway, leading to restoration of tacrolimus‐induced mitochondrial impairment. Reg3g overexpression also effectively mitigated tacrolimus‐induced NODM in mice. Conclusion and Implications: Reg3g can significantly ameliorate tacrolimus‐induced β‐cell dysfunction by restoring mitochondrial function in a pSTAT3(Ser727)‐dependent manner. Our observations identify a novel Reg3g‐mediated mechanism that is involved in tacrolimus‐induced NODM and establish the novel role of Reg3g in reversing tacrolimus‐induced β‐cell dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]