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Ultraviolet (UV), particularly UVB, is widely used in the treatment of skin diseases including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, mycosis fungoides and pruritus. Recently, there has been a trend of replacing broad‐band UVB (BB‐UVB) units with narrow‐band UVB (NB‐UVB), as studies have demonstrated that NB‐UVB is more efficacious in the treatment of psoriasis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the biological effects and transcriptome changes induced by light‐emitting diode‐based NB‐UVB (NB‐UVB LED) phototherapy. Cell viability and the cell migration ability were significantly decreased posttreatment, as well as apoptosis and ROS levels were remarkably increased. NB‐UVB‐induced S phase arrest was observed 12 h postirradiation. Bioinformatics analysis of transcriptome sequencing data revealed that NB‐UVB LED irradiation induced dose‐depended changes in multiple key signaling pathways, such as PI3K and cytoskeletal‐related pathways. The depolymerization of cytoskeleton induced by NB‐UVB was observed 24 h posttreatment. In addition, the expression levels of cytoskeleton‐related proteins FN1, ITGB4, ITGA1, RAC2 and DOCK1 decreased significantly 12 h after irradiation. Our results indicated that NB‐UVB LED may serve as a novel option for the development of NB‐UVB phototherapy devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the high efficiency of keyhole plasma arc welding (K-PAW), it still has several deficiencies, such as narrow welding parameter ranges, easily disturbed welding process and instability of welding quality, etc. It is a significant prerequisite to predict the keyhole/penetration status accurately for maintaining the welding process stability and improving the welding quality. Most researchers have focused on visual inspection techniques and convolutional neural networks (CNN), establishing a mathematical model of the correlation between weld pool images and penetration status. While CNN could extract the features of single weld pool images, it is difficult to predict the evolution trend of the incoming moments. In this paper, a novel model based on CNN and LSTM (long-short term memory) was developed to extract both the spatial and temporal features of topside weld pool images, and consequently the complex keyhole behaviors were predicted and described. The comparative study is carried out on different models, i.e. the single CNN model, the single LSTM model, and the CNN-LSTM model that integrates both spatial features of single images and temporal features of sequence. The keyhole initialization and establishing period, as the typical and critical welding scenario in full-penetration welding, is investigate and compared, resulting in a predicted value that is close to reality. Furthermore, ahead prediction of keyhole status was adopted, maintaining over 80% accuracy even when predicting keyhole behaviors 2 s into the future. Consequently, the unified CNN-LSTM model effectively improves the prediction accuracy of keyhole/penetration status, promising for intelligent K-PAW technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Anatomical prior information is introduced to estimate high-resolution CT images. • A united framework is applied instead of designing multiple models for individual human body sites. • An improved performance is achieved by Wasserstein GAN with an attribute loss function. Currently, many deep learning (DL)-based low-dose CT image postprocessing technologies fail to consider the anatomical differences in training data among different human body sites, such as the cranium, lung and pelvis. In addition, we can observe evident anatomical similarities at the same site among individuals. However, these anatomical differences and similarities are ignored in the current DL-based methods during the network training process. In this paper, we propose a deep network trained by introducing anatomical site labels, termed attributes for training data. Then, the network can adaptively learn to obtain the optimal weight for each anatomical site. By doing so, the proposed network can take full advantage of anatomical prior information to estimate high-resolution CT images. Furthermore, we employ a Wasserstein generative adversarial network (WGAN) augmented with attributes to preserve more structural details. Compared with the traditional networks that do not consider the anatomical prior and whose weights are consequently the same for each anatomical site, the proposed network achieves better performance by adaptively adjusting to the anatomical prior information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although persistent efforts have identified and characterized a few candidate genes and related biological processes with potential functions in the adaptation of many species to extreme environments, few works have been conducted to determine the genomic basis of adaptation in endangered livestock breeds that have been living in extreme conditions for more than thousands of years. To fill this gap, we sequenced the whole genomes of nine individuals from three Chinese native endangered cattle breeds that are living in high‐altitude or arid environments. Phylogenetic and evolutionary history analyses of these three and other six breeds showed that the genetic structure of the cattle populations is primarily related to geographic location. Interestingly, we identified pervasive introgression from the yak to Zhangmu cattle (ZMC) that cover several genes (e.g., NOS2, EGLN1 and EPAS1) involved in the hypoxia response and previously identified as positive selection genes in other species, which suggested that the adaptive introgression from yak may have contributed to the adaptation of ZMC to high‐altitude environments. In addition, by contrasting the breeds in opposite living conditions, we revealed a set of candidate genes with various functions from hypoxia response, water metabolism, immune response and body shape change to embryo development and skeletal system development, etc., that may be related to high‐altitude or arid adaptation. Our research provides new insights into the recovery and adaptation of endangered native cattle and other species in extreme environments and valuable resources for future research on animal husbandry to cope with climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To select candidate genes for goat prolificacy, we managed six multi- and six single-kid female goats at the same feeding level and in the same management mode over a 4-year period. These goats showed stable differences in litter size over five continuous parturition records. Whole-genome re-sequencing was used in all 12 to select candidate genes, namely, AURKA , ENDOG , SOX2 , RORA , GJA10 , RXFP2 , CDC25C , and NANOS3 , by the strength of their differentiation signals. Most of the selected genes were enriched in the coiled coil process and ovarian development, which suggests that the coiled coil process has a potential regulatory effect on fecundity. Detection of the distribution of variants and association analyses with litter size in 400 goats showed that NANOS3 exon mutations may lead to a transformation of the protein structure. The variation in CDC25C , ENDOG , and NANOS3 showed a significant association with litter size. These results can contribute to the improvement of reproduction traits in the artificial breeding of goats. • Some candidate genes, such as ENDOG, RORA, SMAD5, RXFP2, CDC25C and NANOS3 , was selected out by the strongest differentiation signals. • The coiled coil process and ovarian development enriched most genes at selective regions. • NANOS3 mutations may lead to the protein structure transformation, and variations in CDC25C, ENDOG and NANOS3 showed association with litter size [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolactin receptor (PRLR) gene plays a crucial role in the milk production, reproduction and the growth of mammals. To fully characterize the structure of the mutation and to further study the function of the goat PRLR gene, two insertion/deletion (indel) loci (12 bp; 16-bp; 5-bp) were detected in 1038 Shaanbei white cashmere (SBWC) goats. Associated analysis revealed that the 16-bp indel mutation was significantly associated the body length, body height, chest depth (CD), body length index (BLI), heart girth index and cannon circumference index (CCI) (p < 0.05). The polymorphism of 5-bp indel was significantly associated with CD, heart girth, CCI and BLI (p < 0.05). Overall, individuals with genotype DD showed better phenotypic traits than individuals with other genotypes at the two loci of PRLR gene in SBWC goat. These findings suggested that the two novel indels within the caprine PRLR gene could be considered as effective DNA molecular markers and could provide a valuable theoretical basis for the application of marker-assisted selection in the goat industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous randomised trials have shown an overwhelming benefit of mechanical thrombectomy for treating patients with stroke caused by large vessel occlusion of the anterior circulation. Whether endovascular treatment is beneficial for vertebrobasilar artery occlusion remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of endovascular treatment of acute strokes due to vertebrobasilar artery occlusion.Methods: We did a multicentre, randomised, open-label trial, with blinded outcome assessment of thrombectomy in patients presenting within 8 h of vertebrobasilar occlusion at 28 centres in China. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to endovascular therapy plus standard medical therapy (intervention group) or standard medical therapy alone (control group). The randomisation sequence was computer-generated and stratified by participating centres. Allocation concealment was implemented by use of sealed envelopes. The primary outcome was a modified Rankin scale (mRS) score of 3 or lower (indicating ability to walk unassisted) at 90 days, assessed on an intention-to-treat basis. The primary safety outcome was mortality at 90 days. Secondary safety endpoints included the rates of symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage, device-related complications, and other severe adverse events. The BEST trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02441556.Findings: Between April 27, 2015, and Sept 27, 2017, we assessed 288 patients for eligibility. The trial was terminated early after 131 patients had been randomly assigned (66 patients to the intervention group and 65 to the control group) because of high crossover rate and poor recruitment. In the intention-to-treat analysis, there was no evidence of a difference in the proportion of participants with mRS 0-3 at 90 days according to treatment (28 [42%] of 66 patients in the intervention group vs 21 [32%] of 65 in the control group; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1·74, 95% CI 0·81-3·74). Secondary prespecified analyses of the primary outcome, done to assess the effect of crossovers, showed higher rates of mRS 0-3 at 90 days in patients who actually received the intervention compared with those who received standard medical therapy alone in both per-protocol (28 [44%] of 63 patients with intervention vs 13 [25%] of 51 with standard therapy; adjusted OR 2·90, 95% CI 1·20-7·03) and as-treated (36 [47%] of 77 patients with intervention vs 13 [24%] of 54 with standard therapy; 3·02, 1·31-7·00) populations. The 90-day mortality was similar between groups (22 [33%] of 66 patients in the intervention vs 25 [38%] of 65 in the control group; p=0·54) despite a numerically higher prevalence of symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage in the intervention group.Interpretation: There was no evidence of a difference in favourable outcomes of patients receiving endovascular therapy compared with those receiving standard medical therapy alone. Results might have been confounded by loss of equipoise over the course of the trial, resulting in poor adherence to the assigned study treatment and a reduced sample size due to the early termination of the study.Funding: Jiangsu Provincial Special Program of Medical Science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Due to the high order spatial derivatives and stiff reactions, severe temporal stability constraints on the time step are generally required when developing numerical methods for solving high order partial differential equations. Implicit integration method (IIF) method along with its compact form (cIIF), which treats spatial derivatives exactly and reaction terms implicitly, provides excellent stability properties with good efficiency by decoupling the treatment of reaction and spatial derivatives. One major challenge for IIF is storage and calculation of the potential dense exponential matrices of the sparse discretization matrices resulted from the linear differential operators. The compact representation for IIF (cIIF) was introduced to save the computational cost and storage for this purpose. Another challenge is finding the matrix of high order space discretization, especially near the boundaries. In this paper, we extend IIF method to high order discretization for spatial derivatives through an example of reaction diffusion equation with fourth order accuracy, while the computational cost and storage are similar to the general second order cIIF method. The method can also be efficiently applied to deal with other types of partial differential equations with both homogeneous and inhomogeneous boundary conditions. Direct numerical simulations demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Cisplatin-based treatment is first-line chemotherapy for several cancers including ovarian cancer. The development of cisplatin resistance results in treatment failure, but the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are a large family of enzymes that deacetylate lysine residues on histones and non-histone proteins. High expression of HDAC1 is associated with poor outcomes in ovarian cancer. Furthermore, resistance to chemotherapeutic agents is associated with HDAC1 overexpression in ovarian cancer cells. The goals of this study were to determine whether targeting HDAC1 can sensitize ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-targeting HDAC1 was designed to silence HDAC1 in the cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cell line A2780CDDP and its cisplatin-sensitive cell line A2780. The effects of targeting HDAC1 on cell viability assay, colony formation, and apoptosis were detected. c-Myc re-expression or miR-34a inhibitors were used to examine the relationship among HDAC1, c-Myc, and miR-34a expression, which was assessed by western blot analysis and quantitative reverse transcription PCR. We established stable transfectants of A2780CDDP/HDAC1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and A2780/HDAC1 shRNA. The therapeutic effectiveness of cisplatin in murine xenograft models was assessed following shRNA-mediated HDAC1 silencing in A2780CDDP and A2780 cells. The mechanism of cell death was studied in tumor sections obtained from different mouse tumors. Results: In cisplatin-resistant A2780CDDP cells, HDAC1 knockdown by siRNA suppressed cell proliferation, and increased apoptosis and chemosensitivity by downregulating c-Myc and upregulating miR-34a. In cisplatin-sensitive A2780 cells, HDAC1 knockdown did not affect cell proliferation and apoptosis. Cisplatin treatment activated HDAC1 and c-Myc and inactivated miR-34a. Inhibition of HDAC1 with siRNA reduced c-Myc expression, increased miR-34a expression, and sensitized A2780 cells to cisplatin-induced apoptosis. c-Myc re-expression or miR-34a targeting by miR-34a inhibitors protected cells from apoptosis or reversed cisplatin resistance following HDAC1 knockdown or/and cisplatin exposure. Finally, in vivo studies showed that targeting HDAC1 inhibited A2780CDDP-induced xenograft tumor growth but not A2780-induced xenograft tumor growth. Targeting HDAC1 sensitized both A2780- and A2780CDDP-induced xenograft tumors to cisplatin treatment. Conclusions: Upregulation of HDAC1 is a crucial event in the development of drug resistance to current treatments in ovarian cancer. Thus, targeting HDAC1 by enhancing c-Myc-dependent miR-34a expression might be an effective strategy for increasing the efficacy of cisplatin treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their letter to the editor, the authors from the Karolinska Institute argue that, with the current available evidence of efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke, it is unethical to perform a trial in patients with basilar artery occlusion in which patients are at risk of being withheld this effective treatment. Good outcomes of a few selected patients after intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) were enough evidence for the stroke community to obviate the performance of a randomized trial of patients with basilar artery occlusion. Meta-analysis of retrospectively collected data of case series of selected patients showed no "obvious" difference in outcome between patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) or IAT.[4]. [Extracted from the article]

The traditional bearingless permanent magnet synchronous motor has complex decoupling control problems. To overcome the drawbacks above, a novel hybrid permanent magnet type bearingless motor (HPMTBM) is proposed in this paper, which has integrated the merits of hybrid excitation permanent magnet motor and magnetic bearings. The main advantages of this HPMTBM are the simple control mechanism and the low power consumption. First, the principle and theoretical background of this motor are introduced. Then, the mathematical models of radial suspension force and torque are established using Maxwell stress tensor method, and air-gap magnetic fields, radial suspension forces are calculated by finite-element analysis. Finally, the prototype motor is designed and constructed. The radial suspension forces and rotor radial displacements are tested. The simulation and experimental results show the feasibility of the proposed HPMTBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To determine the linear and non-linear interacting relationships between weather factors and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in children in Gansu, China, and gain further traction as an early warning signal based on weather variability for HFMD transmission.Method: Weekly HFMD cases aged less than 15 and meteorological information from 2010 to 2014 in Jiuquan, Lanzhou and Tianshu, Gansu, China were collected. Generalized linear regression models (GLM) with Poisson link and classification and regression trees (CART) were employed to determine the combined and interactive relationship of weather factors and HFMD in both linear and non-linear ways.Results: GLM suggested an increase in weekly HFMD of 5.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 5.4%, 6.5%] in Tianshui, 2.8% [2.5%, 3.1%] in Lanzhou and 1.8% [1.4%, 2.2%] in Jiuquan in association with a 1 °C increase in average temperature, respectively. And 1% increase of relative humidity could increase weekly HFMD of 2.47% [2.23%, 2.71%] in Lanzhou and 1.11% [0.72%, 1.51%] in Tianshui. CART revealed that average temperature and relative humidity were the first two important determinants, and their threshold values for average temperature deceased from 20 °C of Jiuquan to 16 °C in Tianshui; and for relative humidity, threshold values increased from 38% of Jiuquan to 65% of Tianshui.Conclusion: Average temperature was the primary weather factor in three areas, more sensitive in southeast Tianshui, compared with northwest Jiuquan; Relative humidity's effect on HFMD showed a non-linear interacting relationship with average temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of socio-ecological factors on hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) were explored in this study using Bayesian spatial modeling and spatial patterns identified in dry regions of Gansu, China. Notified HFMD cases and socio-ecological data were obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention, Gansu Yearbook and Gansu Meteorological Bureau. A Bayesian spatial conditional autoregressive model was used to quantify the effects of socio-ecological factors on the HFMD and explore spatial patterns, with the consideration of its socio-ecological effects. Our non-spatial model suggests temperature (relative risk (RR) 1.15, 95 % CI 1.01-1.31), GDP per capita (RR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.01-1.39) and population density (RR 1.98, 95 % CI 1.19-3.17) to have a significant effect on HFMD transmission. However, after controlling for spatial random effects, only temperature (RR 1.25, 95 % CI 1.04-1.53) showed significant association with HFMD. The spatial model demonstrates temperature to play a major role in the transmission of HFMD in dry regions. Estimated residual variation after taking into account the socio-ecological variables indicated that high incidences of HFMD were mainly clustered in the northwest of Gansu. And, spatial structure showed a unique distribution after taking account of socio-ecological effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is widely present in brackish water all over the world, causing infections in certain aquatic animals. It is also a foodborne pathogen that causes diarrhea in humans. The aim of this study is to develop an immunochromatographic lateral flow assay (LFA) for rapid detection of V. parahaemolyticus in both aquatic products and human feces of diarrheal patients. Two monoclonal antibody (MAb) pairs, GA1a-IC9 and IC9-KB4c, were developed and proven to be highly specific and sensitive to V. parahaemolyticus . Based on the two MAb pairs, two types of LFA strips were prepared. Their testing limits for V. parahaemolyticus culture were both 1.2 × 10 3 CFU/ml. The diagnostic sensitivities and specificities were both 100% for the 32 tested microbial species, including 6 Vibrio species. Subsequently, the LFA strips were used to test Whiteleg shrimps and human feces. The type II strip showed a higher diagnostic sensitivity. Its sensitivity and specificity for hepatopancreas and fecal samples from 13 Whiteleg shrimps and fecal samples from 146 human diarrheal patients were all 100%. In conclusion, our homemade type II LFA is a very promising testing device for rapid and convenient detection of V. parahaemolyticus infection not only in aquatic animals, but also in human diarrheal patients. This sensitive immunochromtographic LFA allows rapid detection of V. parahaemolyticus without requirement of culture enrichment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mating decision in budding yeast is a switch-like or bistability response that allows cells to filter out weak pheromone signals or avoid improper mating when a mate is sufficiently close. However, the molecular mechanisms that control the bistability decision are not yet fully understood. In many cases, scaffold proteins are thought to play a key role during this process. A workable definition of a scaffold is a protein that dynamically binds to two or more consecutively acting components of a signaling cascade, such as protein kinase and that kinase's substrate. Here, we show that bistability mechanism can arise from multisite phosphorylation system with scaffold binding when phosphorylation and dephosphorylation occur at different locations. This scaffold binding in a multisite phosphorylation system can robustly result in multiple steady states. By developing generic mathematical models, we argue that the scaffold protein plays an important role in creating bistability, and by treating parameters symbolically, we also thereby reduce the complexity of calculating steady states from simulating differential equations to finding the roots of polynomials, of which the degree depends on the number of phosphorylation sites N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are beneficial for human health. However, humans and mammals are unable to synthesize n-3 PUFAs because they lack the n-3 desaturase gene fat-1 and must therefore obtain this type of fatty acid through their diet. Through the production of fat-1 transgenic animals, it is possible to obtain animal products that are rich in n-3 PUFAs, such as meat and milk. The aim of this study was to analyze the gene expression profile and the mechanism of lipid metabolism in fat-1 transgenic cattle and to accumulate important basic data that are required to obtain more efficient fat-1 transgenic cattle. Transcriptome profiling of fat-1 transgenic and wild-type cattle identified differentially expressed genes that are involved in 90 biological pathways, eight pathways of which were related to lipid metabolism processes 36 genes of which were related to lipid metabolism. This analysis also identified 11 significantly enriched genes that were involved in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway. These findings were verified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The information obtained in this study indicated that the introduction of an exogenous fat-1 gene into cattle affects the gene expression profile and the process of lipid metabolism in these animals. These results may provide important insights into how an exogenous fat-1 gene synthesizes n-3 PUFAs in transgenic cattle and other mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) is well known to promote extracellular matrix accumulation. Recent studies demonstrated that TGF-β1 protects against blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption in the condition of inflammatory pain and stroke. In the present study, we investigated whether TGF-β1 can maintain BBB integrity and prevent hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) treatment in a rat model of thromboembolic middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Three hours after MCAO, rats were given saline, rt-PA alone or rt-PA combined with TGF-β1 intravenously. Animals were sacrificed 24 h after surgery. HT was calculated as hemorrhagic score. Evans blue dye extravasation was measured for BBB disruption. Basement membrane damage was observed by electron microscopy and quantified by collagen IV and laminin immunostaining. Gelatin zymography was used to measure the activities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. Western blot was performed for the expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1). Rats treated with rt-PA showed elevations in basement membrane damage, BBB disruption and HT. These phenomena were reduced in rats treated by TGF-β1. We also showed that TGF-β1 inhibited rt-PA mediated induction of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Meanwhile, TGF-β1 upregulated PAI-1 expression which was reduced by rt-PA. Taken together, these results suggest that TGF-β1 can reduce rt-PA induced basement membrane degradation, BBB disruption and HT. One possible mechanism is associated with the elevation of PAI-1. Suppression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 elevated by rt-PA may be another mechanism contributing to the protective effects of TGF-β1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A previous study showed that melatonin (MEL) membrane receptors 1b (Mel1b) and Mel1c promoted the secretion of growth hormone (GH) in chick adenohypophysis cells under monochromatic green light. However, the intracellular signalling pathways of these two receptors are unclear. Therefore, cultured adenohypophysis cells derived from chickens exposed to monochromatic green light were treated with MEL, Mel1b- and Mel1c-specific blockers, protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitors and adenylate cyclase (AC), or AC activator in vitro to explore the signal transduction mechanism that promote the secretion of GH. The results showed that Mel1b and Mel1c participate in MEL-mediated green light-induced secretion of GH in chick adenohypophysis cells. However, MEL increased cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels, and p-PKA protein levels were blocked by a Mel1b-specific antagonist but not a Mel1c-specific antagonist, which indicated that Mel1b affected the secretion of GH via the AC/cAMP/PKA signalling pathway. Moreover, Mel1b and Mel1c both activated ERK1/2 to regulate the secretion of GH. In addition, intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ channels were also involved in secretion of GH in chick adenohypophysis cells. These results demonstrate that the MEL mediated green light-induced secretion of GH in chick adenohypophysis via the Mel1b/AC/PKA/ERK1/2, Mel1c/ERK1/2, and intracellular and extracellular Ca2+ channel signalling pathways. • Mel1b and Mel1c- mediated green light affects growth hormone (GH) secretion in vitro. • Mel1b promotes GH secretion by AC/PKA/ERK1/2 under green light. • Mel1c promotes GH secretion by ERK1/2 under green light. • Ca2+ channels regulate GH secretion under green light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Observational studies have indicated an association between coffee consumption and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Nevertheless, whether the association is causal is still unclear. We conducted a Mendelian randomization study to explore whether coffee consumption is causally related to ALS. Methods: Two genome-wide association studies (GWASs) investigating coffee consumption (n = 129,422 and 375,833, respectively) were adopted to define instrumental variables for coffee consumption (high vs. infrequent/no, 1 cup/day increase, and 50% increase). Summary-level data for ALS were adopted from a large GWAS of ALS with a total of 20,806 cases and 59,804 controls. Results: Genetically predicted higher coffee consumption was not associated with ALS. The ORs were 1.02 (95% CI: 0.93–1.13; p = 0.649) for high vs. infrequent/no, 0.98 (95% CI: 0.84–1.15; p = 0.822) for 1 cup/day increase, 0.97 (95% CI: 0.79–1.19; p = 0.766) for 50% increase. Sensitivity analyses yielded consistent results. No pleiotropic bias and heterogeneity were observed. Conclusion: Using multiple approaches and sensitivity analyses, our MR results show that genetically predicted coffee consumption was not associated with ALS. Further studies are warranted to explore the effect of coffee consumption on ALS progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eutectic cast Al–Si alloys with excellent high-temperature and casting performance are widely used in engine pistons. During frequent starts and stops, the thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF) is the most important failure cause. Ultrasonic melt treatment (UT) was chosen to compare and investigate the influence of micro-structures on fatigue life and damage mechanisms of as-cast (AC) eutectic Al–Si alloys under TMF loading. After UT, the grain size, primary Si, and intermetallic particles are reduced significantly in the alloy; fatigue life increases obviously. As a result of pilling-up of dislocations, the competitive effects of the critical strain/stress for fatigue crack nucleation can be found. There are two different crack initiation mechanisms under TMF: one is primary Si fracture for AC alloys with limited critical strain/stress for fatigue crack nucleation at fractured Si particles, and the other is primary Si debonding for UT alloys with increasing critical fracture strain/stress. After the crack initiation, the fractured or debonded primary phases provide the advantages for the further development of main cracks for both alloys. The UT alloy (805 ± 253 cycles) has about twice the TMF life of the AC alloy (403 ± 98 cycles). The refinement of micro-structures is instrumental in improving the fatigue resistance and life of TMF for the UT alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) monolayers have shown strong second-harmonic generation (SHG) owing to their lack of inversion symmetry. These ultrathin layers then serve as the frequency converters that can be intergraded on a chip. Here, taking MoSSe as an example, we report the first detailed experimental study of the SHG of Janus TMD monolayer, in which the transition metal layer is sandwiched by the two distinct chalcogen layers. It is shown that the SHG effectively arises from an in-plane second-harmonic polarization under paraxial focusing and detection. Based on this, the orientation-resolved SHG spectroscopy is realized to readily determine the zigzag and armchair axes of the Janus crystal with an accuracy better than ±0.6°. Moreover, the SHG intensity is wavelength-dependent and can be greatly enhanced (∼ 60 times) when the two-photon transition is resonant with the C-exciton state. Our findings uncover the SHG properties of Janus MoSSe monolayer, therefore lay the basis for its integrated frequency-doubling applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shunt obstruction is a type of ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) failure. Whether changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters can influence shunt outcomes or not is debatable. Methods: In this study, we retrospectively included adult hydrocephalus patients who received VPS from 6 general hospitals in different provinces of China from November 2013 to September 2021. The inclusion criteria: Patients with hydrocephalus of all etiologies underwent shunt surgery from 6 general hospitals in different provinces of China were included in the study. The exclusion criteria: 1.Patients under the age of 18; 2.Patients who had previous shunt surgery; 3. Shunt failure from other factors; 4.Patients died from other causes; 5. Patients with incomplete data. The CSF of shunt patients had been analyzed at the time of shunt insertion. The CSF samples were collected and analyzed when the shunt was implanted. The relationship between CSF parameters and the incidence rate of shunt obstruction in one year was analyzed. Results: A total of 717 eligible patients from 6 hospitals were included, of whom 59(8.23%) experienced obstruction. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that protein level(odds ratio [OR] 1.161, 95% CI 1.005 ~ 1.341, p = 0.043), decreased glucose level(< 2.5 mmol/L)(odds ratio 3.784, 95% confidence interval 1.872 ~ 7.652, p = 0.001) and protein level increase(> 0.45 g/L) (odds ratio 3.653, 95% confidence interval 1.931 ~ 6.910, p = 0.001)were independent risk factors of shunt obstruction. Conclusion: This study suggested that increased protein level (> 0.45 g/L) and decreased glucose level (< 2.5 mmol/L) in CSF indicated an increased risk of shunt obstruction in a patient with hydrocephalus. Thus, shunt surgery should be more carefully considered when the CSF glucose and protein were abnormal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halide perovskites have been proven to have enormous potential for further flexible optoelectronic devices. However, the repeated mechanical bending and tolerance to moisture corrosion remain a critical challenge for flexible perovskite devices. Solution chemistry of a precursor is the basis for the preparation of high-quality perovskite films and can significantly enhance the lasing performance and humidity stability of perovskites. Herein, from the perspective of solvent engineering, two ionic liquids (ILs) of methylammonium acetate (MAAc) and methylammonium propionate (MAP) were introduced to prepare high-quality MAPbBr3 perovskite films. The as-prepared MAPbBr3 perovskite films exhibit not only enhanced amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) performance but also the excellent mechanical reliability even in a humid environment. Especially, the MAAc-based MAPbBr3 perovskite film possesses the morphology optimization, defect passivation, simultaneous improvements in ASE, and bending durability due to the stronger coordination capacity and reactivity between MAAc and Pb2+. Our work provides an effective strategy for flexible perovskite based photonic devices fueled by the remarkable mechanical reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Methods Results Conclusion This study aimed to investigate the effect of collateral circulation on the outcomes of thrombectomy versus medical management alone in basilar artery occlusion (BAO) patients with varying stroke severities.Data from the ATTENTION cohort were used to perform a post‐hoc analysis comparing the outcomes of thrombectomy with medical management in BAO patients with varying degrees of collateral circulation and stroke severity. Basilar Artery on Computed Tomography Angiography (BATMAN) scores were used to quantify the collateral circulation, and the effect was estimated through a primary outcome of 90‐day functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score, mRS ≤2). Favorable versus unfavorable BATMAN scores were analyzed as both continuous and categorical variables, and an adjusted multivariate regression model was applied.Among 221 BAO patients, thrombectomy significantly improved functional independence compared to medical management in patients with favorable BATMAN scores (aOR 7.75, 95% CI 2.78–26.1), but not in those with unfavorable BATMAN scores (aOR 1.33, 95% CI 0.28–6.92; pinteraction = 0.028). When treated as a continuous variable, increased BATMAN score was found to be associated with a higher likelihood of functional independence in the thrombectomy group (aOR 1.97, 95% CI 1.44–2.81; pinteraction = 0.053). In severe stroke patients with higher BATMAN scores (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≥21), we identified a significant interaction for treatment effect with thrombectomy compared to medical management (pinteraction = 0.042).An increased BATMAN score was significantly associated with a higher probability of functional independence after thrombectomy than after medical management, particularly in patients with severe BAO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current studies on the impact of sex in the prognosis of childhood arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) are limited. We aimed to explore the sex differences in outcomes in patients with childhood AIS. A retrospective analysis was conducted using the prospective data from the Chinese Pediatric Ischemic Stroke Registry. Baseline characteristics between sexes were compared in the total population cohort, propensity score (PS)-matched cohort, and inverse probability of treatment weighting cohort. Multivariate logistic regression and ordinal regression were used to analyze the association of sex with outcomes. Mixed-effects regression model was applied to further analyze the improvement in pediatric modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores between sexes from 90 days to one year. Survival analysis was used to estimate the recurrence rates during the follow-up period. A total of 468 patients were finally included. Multivariate logistic regression showed that there were no significant differences between females and males in achieving favorable outcome (odds ratio [OR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63 to 1.72), functional independence (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.63), or shift to worse pediatric mRS scores (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.59 to 1.17) at 90-day. Mixed-effects regression and survival analysis indicated that females and males exhibited comparable functional recovery from 90 days to one year and had similar recurrent risk during the follow-up period. This nationally-representative observational study indicated that both male and female pediatric patients with AIS exhibited comparable similar clinical outcomes at 90 days, as well as similar improvements and risks of recurrence during the follow-up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Posterior circulation Acute Stroke Prognosis Early Computed Tomography Scores (pc-ASPECTS) is a rapid method of measuring early ischemic changes. However, there was no agreement study about pc-ASPECTS. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the agreement on pc-ASPECTS based on non-contrast CT (NCCT) and CT angiography (CTA) source images in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion (BAO). Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with acute BAO from January 2022 to August 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China. The NCCT and CTA were scored independently by 15 raters during 2 different reading sessions at least 3 weeks apart. The pc-ASPECTS based on NCCT and CTA were analyzed on the full scale or were dichotomized (0–6 vs. 7–10, 0–7 vs. 8–10, and 0–8 vs. 9–10). The level of agreement was measured using Fleiss κ statistics. Results: The median (IQR) CT-based pc-ASPECTS was 8 (6.75–9). The interrater agreement for CT-based pc-ASPECTS (κ = 0.133 [0.132–0.133]) and CTA-based pc-ASPECTS (κ = 0.204 [0.203–0.204]) was slight for all raters. Dichotomizations obtaining the highest concordance for the CT-based pc-ASPECTS (0–6 vs. 7–10) and the CTA-based pc-ASPECTS (0–8 vs. 9–10) failed to increase the interrater agreement to a substantial level (κ = 0.350 [0.348–0.351] and 0.396 [0.395–0.398], respectively). Intrarater agreement for global CT-based pc-ASPECTS was less than substantial for the 14/15 raters and reached the level of substantial for the 3/15 raters with dichotomization. Conclusions: Agreement between clinicians assessing CT-based and CTA-based pc-ASPECTS cannot be sufficient to make reproducible clinical decisions and assessments. The dichotomization failed to improve interrater and intrarater agreement to the level of substantial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Higher CRP levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of AD. • The association between genetically predicted CRP levels and AD was consistent in sensitivity analysis. • No directional pleiotropy was observed in the MR-Egger regression. In this study, we examined whether C-reactive protein (CRP) play causal roles in Alzheimer's disease (AD) using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Summary-level data for AD (71,880 cases and 383,378 controls) was obtained from the large meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies. As instrumental variables, we used 56 single nucleotide polymorphisms (n = 4 for conservative CRP instruments; n = 52 for liberal CRP instruments), previously identified to be associated with CRP levels (n = 194,418 and 204,402 European individuals, respectively). MR estimates were calculated using the inverse-variance weighted approach and complemented with the weighted median, MR-PRESSO, and MR-Egger methods. Genetically predicted elevated CRP levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of AD (conservative CRP instruments: odds ratio, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.04; p = 0.008). Results for liberal CRP instruments showed a consistent trend. Sensitivity analyses generated similar results and no pleiotropic bias was observed. This study indicates that genetically predicted elevated CRP levels may be a causal risk factor for AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the predictive value of hemodynamic features for stroke relapse in patients with intracranial vertebrobasilar atherosclerotic stenosis treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) using quantitative digital subtraction angiography (q-DSA). Methods: In this retrospective longitudinal study, patients with intracranial vertebrobasilar atherosclerotic stenosis and who underwent PTAS treatment between January 2012 and May 2020 were enrolled. The q-DSA assessment was performed before and after PTAS. ROIs 1–4 were placed along the vertebral artery, proximal and distal basilar artery, and posterior cerebral artery; ROIs 5–8 were in 5 mm and 10 mm proximal and distal to the lesion, respectively. Relative time to peak (rTTP) was defined as the difference in TTP between ROIs. Cox regression analyses were performed to determine risk factors for recurrent stroke. Results: A total of 137 patients (mean age, 62 years ± 10 [standard deviation], 83.2% males) were included, and 26 (19.0%) patients had stroke relapse during follow-up (median time of 42.6 months [interquartile range, 19.7–60.7]). Preprocedural rTTP4-1 (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 2.270; 95% CI 1.371–3.758; p = 0.001) and preprocedural rTTP8-5 (adjusted HR = 0.240; 95% CI 0.088–0.658; p = 0.006) were independently associated with the recurrent stroke. These hemodynamic parameters provided an incremental prognostic value for stroke relapse (AUC, 0.817 [0.704–0.931]; the net reclassification index, 0.431 [0.057–0.625]; and the integrated discrimination index, 0.140 [0.035–0.292]). Conclusions: In patients with intracranial vertebrobasilar atherosclerosis treated with PTAS, preprocedural prolonged TTP of the target vessel and shortened trans-stenotic TTP difference were associated with stroke relapse. Q-DSA-defined hemodynamic parameters provided incremental predictive value over conventional parameters for stroke recurrence. Clinical relevance statement: Quantitative DSA analysis enables intuitive observation and semi-quantitative evaluation of peri-therapeutic cerebral blood flow. More importantly, quantitative DSA–defined hemodynamic parameters have the potential for risk stratification of patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Key Points: Semi-quantitative angiography-based parameters can reflect pre- and postprocedural subtle changes in blood flow in patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. Although angioplasty procedures can significantly improve blood flow status, patients with more restricted baseline blood flow still show a higher risk of stroke recurrence. Angiography-based hemodynamic features possess prognostic value and can serve as clinical markers to assess stroke risk of patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic light‐emitting transistors (OLETs) are highly integrated and minimized optoelectronic devices with significant potential superiority in smart displays and optical communications. To realize these various applications, it is urgently needed for color‐tunable emission in OLETs, but remains a great challenge as a result of the difficulty for designing organic semiconductors simultaneously integrating high carrier mobility, strong solid‐state emission, and the ability for potential tunable colors. Herein, a high mobility emissive excimer organic semiconductor, 2,7‐di(2‐anthryl)‐9H‐fluorene (2,7‐DAF) was reasonably designed by introducing a rotatable carbon–carbon single bond connecting two anthracene groups at the 2,7‐sites of fluorene, and the small torsion angles simultaneously guarantee effective conjugation and suppress fluorescence quenching. Indeed, the unique stable dimer arrangement and herringbone packing mode of 2,7‐DAF single crystal enables its superior integrated optoelectronic properties with high carrier mobility of 2.16 cm2 ⋅ V−1 ⋅ s−1, and strong excimer emission with absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 47.4 %. Furthermore, the voltage‐dependent electrically induced color‐tunable emission from orange to blue was also demonstrated for an individual 2,7‐DAF single crystal based OLETs for the first time. This work opens the door for a new class of high mobility emissive excimer organic semiconductors, and provides a good platform for the study of color‐tunable OLETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic light‐emitting transistors (OLETs) are highly integrated and minimized optoelectronic devices with significant potential superiority in smart displays and optical communications. To realize these various applications, it is urgently needed for color‐tunable emission in OLETs, but remains a great challenge as a result of the difficulty for designing organic semiconductors simultaneously integrating high carrier mobility, strong solid‐state emission, and the ability for potential tunable colors. Herein, a high mobility emissive excimer organic semiconductor, 2,7‐di(2‐anthryl)‐9H‐fluorene (2,7‐DAF) was reasonably designed by introducing a rotatable carbon–carbon single bond connecting two anthracene groups at the 2,7‐sites of fluorene, and the small torsion angles simultaneously guarantee effective conjugation and suppress fluorescence quenching. Indeed, the unique stable dimer arrangement and herringbone packing mode of 2,7‐DAF single crystal enables its superior integrated optoelectronic properties with high carrier mobility of 2.16 cm2 ⋅ V−1 ⋅ s−1, and strong excimer emission with absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 47.4 %. Furthermore, the voltage‐dependent electrically induced color‐tunable emission from orange to blue was also demonstrated for an individual 2,7‐DAF single crystal based OLETs for the first time. This work opens the door for a new class of high mobility emissive excimer organic semiconductors, and provides a good platform for the study of color‐tunable OLETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Owing to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, flavonoids can influence the initiation and development of atherosclerosis, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely undetermined. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between dietary flavonoids and carotid calcification in patients with ischemic stroke. Methods: This study screened consecutive patients with ischemic stroke via Nanjing Stroke Registry Program from February 2016 to April 2021. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate dietary consumption of flavonoids and other nutritional components. Presence and degree of carotid calcification were determined according to Agatston scores on computer tomography angiography. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between dietary flavonoids (total flavonoids, flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, and isoflavones) and carotid calcification. Results: Of the 601 enrolled patients, 368 (61.2%) were detected with carotid calcification. Patients with high intake of total flavonoids (the fifth quintile) had a 52% lower carotid calcification risk than those with low intake (the first quintile; odds ratio [OR] = 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26–0.90; p = 0.007 for trends) after adjusting for major confounders. Patients with high intake of flavan-3-ols (the fifth quintile) had a 51% lower carotid calcification risk than those with low intake (the first quintile; OR = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.25–0.97; p = 0.016 for trends). Conclusion: Dietary flavonoid intake is associated with carotid calcification, and, therefore, may influence the risk of stroke occurrence and recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CircRNAs are a class of noncoding RNAs with tissue- and development-specific expression characteristics. In many mammals, primordial follicle development begins in the embryonic stage. However, the study of circRNAs in primordial follicle development in mice has not been reported. Results: In this study, ovaries were collected from mouse foetuses at 15.5 days post coitus (dpc) and 17.5 dpc, which are two key stages of primordial follicle development. A total of 4785 circRNAs were obtained by using RNA-seq. Of these, 83 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses showed that these differential circRNAs were mainly involved in the regulation of reproductive development. Through qRT-PCR, back-splice sequence detection and enzyme digestion protection experiments, we found that circ-009346, circ-014674, circ-017054 and circ-008296 were indeed circular. Furthermore, circ-009346, circ-014674 and circ-017054 were identified as three key circRNAs by analysing their expression in the ovaries of mice at different developmental stages. The circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network was constructed and validated for target miRNA and mRNA using qRT-PCR. The interacting genes circ-009346, circ-014674, and circ-017054 were subjected to KEGG enrichment analysis. We found that circ-014674 may participate in the assembly and reserve of primordial follicles through oestrogen and the Janus kinase (JAK) signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signalling pathway (JAK-SATA). Circ-009346 and circ-017054 may have similar functions and are involved in the activation and growth of primordial follicles through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signalling pathways. Conclusions: Based on our findings, three circRNAs associated with primordial follicle development were identified, and their potential mechanisms of regulating primordial follicle development were revealed. These findings will help us better understand the molecular mechanism of circRNAs in primordial follicles and provide important references and targets for the development of primordial follicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) image registration is useful in the clinic to achieve fast and accurate imaging-based disease diagnosis and treatment planning. Nevertheless, the efficiency and performance of the existing registration algorithms can still be improved. In this paper, we propose a novel unsupervised learning-based framework to achieve accurate and efficient multi-contrast MR image registration. Specifically, an end-to-end coarse-to-fine network architecture consisting of affine and deformable transformations is designed to improve the robustness and achieve end-to-end registration. Furthermore, a dual consistency constraint and a new prior knowledge-based loss function are developed to enhance the registration performances. The proposed method has been evaluated on a clinical dataset containing 555 cases, and encouraging performances have been achieved. Compared to the commonly utilized registration methods, including VoxelMorph, SyN, and LT-Net, the proposed method achieves better registration performance with a Dice score of 0.8397± 0.0756 in identifying stroke lesions. With regards to the registration speed, our method is about 10 times faster than the most competitive method of SyN (Affine) when testing on a CPU. Moreover, we prove that our method can still perform well on more challenging tasks with lacking scanning information data, showing the high robustness for the clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is characterized by elevated intracranial pressure of unknown etiology and venous sinus stenting may be an optional treatment. We aimed to evaluate the effects of venous sinus stenting on visual function, intracranial pressure, and trans‐stenotic pressure gradient of the patients with IIH and to determine effects of baseline BMI or weight changes on subjective vision outcome and intracranial pressure. Methods: From July 2009 to Aug 2016, 88 eligible patients with IIH and venous sinus stenosis who underwent stenting were retrospectively studied. Results: In this study, 67 women and 21 men were included with an average age of 39.01 (18–60) years. The average BMI was 26.75 kg/m2. Here, 66 (75.9%) patients had papilledema, 39 had impaired vision before stenting; 57 patients were followed‐up, 48 (84.2%) showed significant subjective improvement or recovery in visual acuity, 4 (7.0%) patients reported no significant change in visual functions, and 5 (8.8%) suffered permanent vision loss. The cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure and trans‐stenotic pressure gradient were significantly decreased postoperatively. Baseline BMI was associated with pre‐and postoperative trans‐stenotic pressure gradients, as well as changes in cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure. However, baseline BMI and body weight changes during follow‐up were not necessarily associated with subjective visual outcomes after stenting. Stenting efficacy was limited in patients with severe preoperative optic symptoms. Conclusions: Venous sinus stenting represented an effective treatment for resolving visual dysfunction and intracranial pressure associated with venous sinus stenosis. BMI seemed to be associated with intracranial pressure but not subjective visual outcomes after stenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past decade has witnessed the great success achieved by metal halide perovskites (MHPs) in photovoltaic and related fields. However, challenges still remain in further improving their performance, as well as, settling the stability issue for future commercialization. Recently, MHP/2D material heterostructures that combining MHPs with the low‐cost and solution‐processable 2D materials have demonstrated unprecedented improvement in both performance and stability due to the distinctive features at hetero‐interface. The diverse fabrication techniques of MHPs and 2D materials allow them to be assembled as heterostructures with different configurations in a variety of ways. Moreover, the large families of MHPs and 2D materials provide the opportunity for the rational design and modification on compositions and functionalities of MHP/2D materials heterostructures. Herein, a comprehensive review of MHP/2D material heterostructures from syntheses to applications is presented. First, various fabrication techniques for MHP/2D material heterostructures are introduced by classifying them into solid‐state methods and solution‐processed methods. Then the applications of MHP/2D heterostructures in various fields including photodetectors, solar cells, and photocatalysis are summarized in detail. Finally, current challenges for the development of MHP/2D material heterostructures are highlighted, and future opportunities for the advancements in this research field are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Risk stratification plays a critical role in patients with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic stenosis. Heavy macrophage infiltration (HMC) is an important factor of plaque destabilization. However, in vivo imaging technologies and screening criteria for HMC remain limited. We aimed to (i) introduce algorithms for in vivo detection of macrophage infiltrations using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and (ii) to investigate the threshold of HMC and its association with plaque vulnerability. Methods: Ex vivo OCT images were co‐registered with histopathology in 282 cross‐sectional pairs from 19 carotid endarterectomy specimens. Of these, 197 randomly selected pairs were employed to define the parameters, and the remaining 85 pairs were used to evaluate the accuracy of the OCT‐based algorithm in detecting macrophage infiltrations. Clinical analysis included 93 patients receiving carotid OCT evaluation. The prevalence and burden of macrophage infiltration were analyzed. Multivariable and subgroup analysis were performed to investigate the association between HMC and plaque rupture. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of algorithm for detecting macrophage infiltration were 88.0% and 74.9%, respectively. Of 93 clinical patients, ruptured plaques exhibited higher prevalence of macrophage infiltration than nonruptured plaques (83.7% [36/43] vs 32.0% [16/50], p < 0.001). HMC was identified when the macrophage index was greater than 60.2 (sensitivity = 74.4%, specificity = 84.0%). Multivariable analysis showed that HMC and multiple calcification were independent risk factors for non‐lipid‐rich plaque rupture. Interpretation: This study provides a novel approach and screening criteria for HMC, which might be valuable for atherosclerotic risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The systems of reaction-diffusion equations coupled with moving boundaries defined by Stefan condition have been widely used to describe the dynamics of spreading population and with competition of two species. To solve these systems numerically, new numerical challenges arise from the competition of two species due to the interaction of their free boundaries. On the one hand, extremely small time steps are usually needed due to the stiffness of the system. On the other hand, it is always difficult to efficiently and accurately handle the moving boundaries especially with competition of two species. To overcome these numerical difficulties, we introduce a front tracking method coupled with an implicit solver for the 1D model. For the general 2D model, we use a level set approach to handle the moving boundaries to efficiently treat complicated topological changes. Several numerical examples are examined to illustrate the efficiency, accuracy and consistency for different approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is always very difficult to efficiently and accurately solve a system of differential equations coupled with moving free boundaries, while such a system has been widely applied to describe many physical/biological phenomena such as the dynamics of spreading population. The main purpose of this paper is to introduce efficient numerical methods within a general framework for solving such systems with moving free boundaries. The major numerical challenge is to track the moving free boundaries, especially for high spatial dimensions. To overcome this, a front tracking framework coupled with implicit solver is first introduced for the 2D model with radial symmetry. For the general 2D model, a level set approach is employed to more efficiently treat complicated topological changes. The accuracy and order of convergence for the proposed methods are discussed, and the numerical simulations agree well with theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invented decades ago, whirling is a machining process primarily employed for producing helical surfaces. In view of its cost-effectiveness, this paper proposes to adapt the whirling process for manufacturing airfoil blades. Considering that chatter often occurs during the whirling process due to the low stiffness of blade workpiece, which impairs the machining quality, theoretical issues in relation to chatter and its prediction for the blade whirling process are investigated. Firstly, the principle of blade whirling is briefly introduced and vibration components in the cutter-workpiece system are analyzed in order to identify the characteristics of blade whirling and establish a reasonable dynamic model. Then, a theoretical model for stability prediction in blade whirling is presented and verified, which fully considers the geometric immersion of the whirling cutter and the dynamic parameters of the workpiece system. In order to ensure accuracy of the prediction results, non-symmetric frequency response function (FRF) matrices are adopted in modeling the system and identifying the modal parameters. After that, the effect of material removal on machining stability is examined. Since a large proportion of material is to be removed, the whirling operation is divided into several steps for exploration. The results show that the material removal changes the natural frequency and modal shape of the system which causes the variation of the limit on cutting depth. Finally, the proposed approach is verified with a scaled propeller blade being machined as a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have found that melatonin was related to the growth and development in avian. Therefore, the newly hatched broilers were exposed to colors of light to establish a model of pinealectomy and explored the mechanism of pineal melatonin promoting growth hormone (GH) secretion. The results showed that green light (GL) promoted the levels of GH, pituitary‐specific transcription factor‐1 (Pit‐1) genes and proteins in pituitary. Moreover, the mRNA and protein levels of melatonin receptor subtypes Mel1b and Mel1c in the pituitary in GL were higher than other monochromatic light groups. After pinealectomy, the expression of Pit‐1, GH, Mel1b and Mel1c in pituitary decreased. In vitro, exogenous melatonin promoted the level of Pit‐1 mRNA and the secretion of GH in anterior pituitary cells. However, when melatonin was added with exogenous selective Mel1b antagonist (4‐phenyl‐2‐propionamideotetralin) and selective Mel1c antagonist (prazosin), the level of Pit‐1 mRNA and the GH secretion decreased. When selective Mel1b and Mel1c antagonists were added simultaneously, the decrease in Pit‐1 mRNA and GH secretion was more significant. These results indicated that pineal melatonin promotes the expression of Pit‐1 under GL by binding to melatonin receptor subtypes Mel1b and Mel1c in the pituitary, thereby increasing GH secretion and promoting the growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs), which are the stem cells present in the dental follicle tissue of the tooth germ and are derived from the neural crest, are direct precursor cells of periodontal tissues and can form the periodontal ligament, cementum, and alveolar bone proper in the late stage of tooth development. DFSCs have the ability to achieve osteogenic, adipogenic, chondrogenic, neural, and cardiomyocytic differentiation in a specific induced environment. Recently, isolated dental follicle epithelial stem cells from DFSCs were also found to have the ability to form salivary gland cells and ductal cells. In recent years, DFSCs have also been reported to play an active role in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases in animal models. Therefore, DFSCs could not only be used as a good seed source for tissue regeneration but also provide new treatment strategies for autoimmune diseases. The study of DFSCs in tissue regeneration and immunoregulation has developed from in vitro experiments to animal experiments. In this review, we will discuss recent advances in our understanding of DFSCs in tissue regeneration and immunomodulation. We expect DFSCs to be considered for stem cell-based therapies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As a disorder of the brain in adults and children, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered the major cause of mortality and morbidity. As a serious complication of TBI, post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) is commonly identified and significantly associated with neurocognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, and growth impairment. The long-term functional outcomes after shunt dependence are totally not clear. Methods: This study included 6279 patients between 2012 and 2022. To identify the unfavorable functional outcomes and the PTH-related factors, we carried out univariable logistic regression analyses. To identify the occurrence time of PTH, we conducted the log-rank test and Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results: Mean patient age was 51.03 ± 22.09 years. Of the 6279 patients with TBI, 327 developed PTH (5.2%). Several PTH development-associated factors, such as intracerebral hematoma, diabetes, longer initial hospital stay, craniotomy, low GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale), EVD (external ventricular drain), and DC (decompressive craniectomy) (p < 0.01), were identified. We also analyzed the factors of unfavorable outcomes after TBI including > 80 years, repeated operations, hypertension, EVD, tracheotomy, and epilepsy (p < 0.01). Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) itself is not an independent factor of the unfavorable outcome but shunt complication is a strong independent factor of unfavorable outcome (p < 0.05). Conclusion: We should emphasize the practices that can minimize the risks of shunt complications. Additionally, the rigorous radiographic and clinical surveillance will benefit those patients at high risk of developing PTH. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, ChiCTR2300070016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the factors influencing the short-term response to the initial radioiodine therapy (RT) course in patients with intermediate- and high-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A total of 182 patients with intermediate- and high-risk PTC who underwent RT in our hospital from March 2018 to October 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. The patients were divided into incomplete response (IR) and nonincomplete response (Non-IR) groups according to the response observed in clinical follow-up within 6–12 months after RT. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the effects of 15 observed factors on the response to RT. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the value of factors found to be significant in multivariate analyses for predicting an IR. A total of 182 patients with intermediate- and high-risk PTC were analyzed; the percentage of patients with a Non-IR was 61.54% (112/182), and the percentage of patients with an IR was 38.46% (70/182). The CD4+ T-cell percentage (t = 4.757, P = 0.000), CD4/CD8 (z = − 2.632, P = 0.008), stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg) level (z = − 8.273, P = 0.000) and M stage (χ2 = 17.823, P = 0.000) of the two groups were significantly different. Multivariate analysis showed that only the sTg level (OR: 1.116, 95% CI 1.068–1.165, P < 0.001) and CD4+ T-cell percentage (OR: 0.909, 95% CI 0.854–0.968, P = 0.003) were independent factors associated with the therapeutic response to RT. The cutoff sTg level and CD4+ T-cell percentage for predicting an IR were 7.62 μg/L and 40.95%, respectively. The sTg level and CD4+ T-cell percentage were verified to be independent predictive factors of RT response. Higher sTg levels and lower CD4+ T-cell percentages were related to an IR in patients with intermediate- and high-risk PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are a promising platform for new photonic and optoelectronic devices. Exciton‐phonon interaction is critical in determining their characteristics such as the exciton coherence lifetime and linewidth. However, the exciton linewidth obtained by conventional reflection spectrum is greatly affected by the background signals, and the research into exciton‐phonon coupling difference induced by stacking‐order in multi‐layer structures is still lacking. In this work, the temperature‐dependent exciton linewidths of CVD‐grown large‐area monolayer, 2H and 3R‐stacking bilayer WS2 based on a self‐designed reflective magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectrum are systematically investigated. It is found that 2H‐bilayer WS2 exhibits significantly larger exciton linewidth compared with monolayer and 3R bilayer, which can be attributed to the appearance of new phonon‐assisted relaxation channels caused by interlayer coupling. Meanwhile, 3R bilayer with a redshifted exciton peak has a narrower linewidth than 2H phase because the interlayer hopping is suppressed, resulting in the absence of interlayer scattering channel. These results provide intuitive evidence for the exciton linewidth‐broadening and exciton‐phonon coupling in different stacked layers and open up new vistas for the development of TMD‐based narrow‐linewidth nano‐sensors devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glycemic gap, as a novel index of acute glycemic excursion, is associated with poor prognosis of different diseases. This study aimed to explore the association of the glycemic gap with long‐term stroke recurrence in patients with ischemic stroke. Methods: This study included patients with ischemic stroke from the Nanjing Stroke Registry Program. The glycemic gap was calculated by subtracting the estimated average blood glucose from the blood glucose at admission. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to explore the association between the glycemic gap and the risk of stroke recurrence. The Bayesian hierarchical logistic regression model was used to estimate the effects of the glycemic gap on stroke recurrence stratified by diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation. Results: Among 2734 enrolled patients, 381 (13.9%) patients experienced stroke recurrence during a median follow‐up of 3.02 years. In multivariate analysis, glycemic gap (high group vs. median group) was associated with significantly increased risk for stroke recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.488; 95% confidence interval, 1.140–1.942; p =.003) and had varying effects on stroke recurrence depending on atrial fibrillation. The restricted cubic spline curve showed a U‐shaped relationship between the glycemic gap and stroke recurrence (p =.046 for nonlinearity). Conclusion: Our study found that the glycemic gap was significantly associated with stroke recurrence in patients with ischemic stroke. The glycemic gap was consistently associated with stroke recurrence across subgroups and had varying effects depending on atrial fibrillation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterostructured transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have received much attention due to their tunable optical and electronic properties. Here, a strategy for facile fabrication of porous anodic alumina (PAA) membrane‐supported monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is described. PAA is either empty or filled with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Such nanopore/nanosphere‐supported MoS2 (i.e., PAA‐MoS2 and PAA‐Au‐MoS2) exhibits greatly enhanced optical performances compared with those of silicon wafer‐supported MoS2 (i.e., Si/SiO2‐MoS2). Notably, 11‐fold Raman enhancement, 13‐fold photoluminescence enhancement, and 419‐fold second‐harmonic generation enhancement are achieved in PAA‐Au‐MoS2. Moreover, the optical enhancement mechanism of this unique structure is proposed. This work provides a platform for the construction of curved/heterostructured TMDs and exploration of their strong light‐matter interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layer‐by‐layer all‐polymer solar cells (LbL all‐PSCs) are prepared with PM6 and PY‐IT by using sequential spin coating method. The exciton dissociation efficiency in acceptor layer near electrode is rather low due to the limited exciton diffuse distance and impossible energy transfer from narrow bandgap acceptor to wide bandgap donor. In this study, less PM6 is incorporated into PY‐IT layer to enhance exciton dissociation in PY‐IT layer near electrode. A power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.45% is achieved in the LbL all‐PSCs incorporating 10 wt% PM6 into PY‐IT layer, which is much larger than 16.04% PCE of PM6/PY‐IT‐based LbL all‐PSCs. Over 8% PCE enhancement can be realized by incorporating 10 wt% PM6 into PY‐IT layer, which is attributed to the enhanced exciton utilization efficiency in PY‐IT layers near electrode. The enhanced exciton utilization efficiency in PY‐IT layer can be confirmed from the quenched photoluminescence (PL) emission in PY‐IT:PM6 films. Meanwhile, charge transport in acceptor layers can be optimized by incorporating less PM6, as confirmed from the optimized molecular arrangement. This study indicates that the strategy of incorporating less donor into acceptor layer has great potential in fabricating efficient LbL all‐PSCs by improving exciton utilization efficiency in acceptor layer near electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]