Search

With the rapid development of wearable devices, tactile sensors have received extensive attention as supplements to vision and hearing. However, it remains challenging for a single tactile sensor to generate distinguishable electrical signals when receiving mechanical stimuli in different directions. Herein, a novel flexible electromagnetic tactile sensor (FETS) prepared by combining flexible double‐layer coils and a flexible tilted magnetic column array (TMCA) is presented. Flexible double‐layer high‐density coils are fabricated using the micro‐electromechanical system (MEMS) technology. The turns of the coil (1 × 1 cm) are 100, while both the line width and spacing of turns are 40 µm. TMCA is prepared using a template and magnetized along the axis direction. When a pulling force or pressure is applied to the TMCA, the magnetic flux decreases or increases correspondingly, allowing the FETS to accurately distinguish stimuli and produce different signals (−/+ or +/−). The FETS presents a sensitivity of up to 21.7 µV kPa−1 (0.05–10 kPa), a minimal magnetic field detection limit of 10 mT, a low‐pressure detection limit of 5 g, and good repeatability (5000 cycles). Additionally, the FETS is applied in robotic tactile testing, Morse code, and noncontact magnetic field recognition. It has potential applications in the Internet of Things (IoT) and information communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides an overview of the transformation and storage of energy and carbon dioxide in deep formations, which are important for low-carbon and sustainable development. The document highlights the importance of fluid mechanics in porous media for large-scale projects related to energy and CO2 transformation and storage. It discusses various studies on topics such as CO2 miscible flooding, CO2-oil two-phase flow, rock microstructure variations, and the mechanical response of rock during fluid flows. The document concludes by stating that the studies presented in this special issue will contribute to the development of theoretical, experimental, and numerical modeling methods in this field. [Extracted from the article]

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of vehicle ownership, energy consumption, and carbon emissions in Guangdong Province, China, from 2020 to 2035 under different scenarios. Key findings highlight the province's pursuit of carbon peak goals and provide valuable insights into strategies to achieve them. Vehicle ownership in Guangdong is projected to exceed 48 million by 2035, which represents a doubling from 2020. Under both scenarios, internal combustion engine vehicle ownership will peak around 2030 and then gradually decline, while under the enhanced scenario, electric vehicle ownership will exceed 40% by 2035. Enhanced vehicle energy efficiency and reduced annual mileage will lead to a 17% reduction in gasoline and diesel consumption by 2035 in both scenarios. At the same time, there will be a substantial five- to six-fold increase in electricity consumption for vehicles compared to 2020. Both scenarios peak in carbon emissions before 2030, with the enhanced scenario achieving this peak a year earlier. The enhanced scenario outperforms the baseline, reducing carbon emissions by about 21.2% from the peak and 8% relative to 2020. Pure electric vehicles exhibit a significant advantage in reducing carbon emissions per vehicle compared to their internal combustion engine counterparts. Encouraging new energy vehicles, especially pure electric ones, accelerates the carbon emissions peak and lowers overall peak emissions. Accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles, reducing per-vehicle fuel consumption and annual average mileage, and optimizing transportation modes are crucial for carbon peaking from the vehicle fuel cycle. Policy recommendations focus on promoting new energy vehicles, optimizing transportation, and advancing research and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effects of the circularly polarized light (CPL) and the electric field (EF) on the nonlocal transport in a silicene-based antiferromagnet/superconductor/ferromagnet (AF/S/F) asymmetrical junction. For case I (II), the CPL and the EF are applied simultaneously in the antiferromagnetic (ferromagnetic) region, whereas in the ferromagnetic (antiferromagnetic) region, only a constant EF is considered. The spin-valley-resolved conductance can be turned on or off by adjusting the CPL or the EF. The AF/S/F junction can be manipulated as a spin-locked valley filter for case I, while for case II, it can be used not only as a valley-locked spin filter but also as a nonlocal switch between two pure nonlocal processes. Such interesting nonlocal switch effect can be effectively controlled by reversing the direction of the incident energy axis, the handedness of the CPL, or the direction of the EF. These findings may open an avenue to the design and manufacture of the spintronic and valleytronic devices based on the asymmetrical silicene magnetic superconducting heterostructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The GaSe 1-x Te x /MoS 2 displays a type-II band alignment. • The electrons are moved from the GaSe 1-x Te x to the MoS 2 layer. • Te doping improves effective mass ratio and carrier separation efficiency. • The visible light absorption ability is improved in the lower energy region. In this work, the influence of Te atom doping on GaSe 1-x Te x /MoS 2 heterojunctions within the electronic, optical, and photocatalytic behavior are examined by means of first-principles calculations. The outcomes demonstrate that GaSe 1-x Te x /MoS 2 is a van der Waals heterojunction and displays a type-II band alignment, as substantiated by the binding energy and layer separation. Te atom doping can functionally govern the bandgap of GaSe 1-x Te x /MoS 2 , and all of them present a progressively decreasing tendency with the increase of the doping concentration, covering a range from 1.28 eV to 0 eV. Additionally, the VBM and CBM in all configurations derive from the contribution of electrons supplied by the Te- p and Mo- d orbitals, respectively. The CDD and W suggest that the electrons in GaSe 1-x Te x /MoS 2 are moved from the GaSe 1-x Te x to the MoS 2 layer, yet the impact of Te doping on the charge distribution at the interface is quite tenuous. Moreover, the increase in Te doping concentration improves the probability of photogenerated electron and hole desynchronization, and the larger VBOs and CBOs in the interlayers of GaSeT 0.33 /MoS 2 and GaSeB 0.33 /MoS 2 lead to a redistribution of electrons, which is conducive to the acceleration of the efficient dissociation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Comparing with the monolayers, the two heterojunctions reveal the relatively wider absorption edge and enhanced light absorption ability in the lower energy visible light range, predicting the potential utilization of both in the fields of photocatalysis and solar energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Incorporating piezo-response into photocatalysis holds great promise for eco-friendly strategies in environmental remediation and sustainable energy conversion. Herein, flexible N -defect nanoporous g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (NPCNs) was prepared via one-step method, then whose surface was protonated. And existed dense 1T/2H phase and vertical interfaces in non-layer-dependent-piezo-response sailboat-like-MoS 2 (Sv-MS) formed by in-situ stresses during nucleation and growth by experiments and MD-simulations. Noble-metal-free Z-scheme PC/VM heterojunction with broad-spectrum absorption, enhanced piezo-response and intimate triple-interface was established by electrostatic self-assembly, performing efficient hybrid-driven piezo-photocatalysis. With a systematic modification of morphology, grain size, phase composition, and surface condition of the components, the optimal PC(3.6H)/VM(u2) exhibited high piezo-photocatalytic rates for degradation of organic dyes and antibiotic (RhB (0.565 min-1), MO (0.052 min-1), MB (1.557 min-1), TC (0.062 min-1)) and hydrogen evolution (3528 μmolg-1h-1) under visible-light and ultrasonic-wave, with maintenance under NIR-light (λ max = 1000 nm) attributed to up-conversion effect (RhB: 0.212 min-1, H 2 : 2355 μmolg-1h-1). Furthermore, the piezo-photocatalytic mechanism was proposed by experiments and DFT-calculations for effective triple-interface Z-Scheme charge migration. This work provides a rational protocol for constructing diverse-energy-triggered, multiple-interfaces and broad-solar-spectrum (UV–Vis-NIR) piezo-photocatalysts in degradation and hydrogen evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractLet H be a subgroup of a finite group G. We say that H satisfies the partial Π -property in G if there exists a chief series ΓG:1=G0G such that for every G-chief factor Gi/Gi−1 (1≤i≤n) of ΓG, |G/Gi−1:NG/Gi−1(HGi−1/Gi−1∩Gi/Gi−1)| is a π(HGi−1/Gi−1∩Gi/Gi−1) -number. In this paper, we study the influence of some second minimal or second maximal subgroups of a Sylow subgroup satisfying the partial Π -property on the structure of a finite group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a rolling bearing fault diagnosis method based on the enhanced channel attention network. The vibration signals are collected via a wireless sensor node, which are input to the neural network, and channel attention block is used to strengthen the assignment of important features, so that the attention of network is paid onto the critical fault information. Furthermore, channel attention block and residual convolution block are combined to form an enhanced channel attention network to extract the detail features. Experiment results show that the model can achieve 100% recognition accuracy for rolling bearings in various working conditions. It is also shown that the proposed new learning algorithm can provide a higher diagnosis accuracy than those state-of-the-arts in a strong disturbance environment, which reflects better robustness and generalisation ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was performed to evaluate the differences in oral function and psychological well-being between patients with PTC after the gasless transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (gasless-TOETVA) and patients with PTC after open surgery. Methods: PTC patients who underwent radical surgery from May 2021 to August 2022 were included in this study. Postoperative data on oral function and psychological well-being, including the Oral Health Impact profile-14 (OHIP-14) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y, were collected and analyzed. Results: 212 patients were included in the analysis. Among them, 102 patients who received gasless-TOETVA were assigned to the gasless-TOETVA group, while the remaining 110 patients who underwent open surgery were categorized as the open group. Although the OHIP-14 score in the gasless-TOETVA group was higher than that of the open group from 6 months to 1 year after surgery (p = 0.012), the difference in OHIP-14 scores between the two groups disappeared 1 year after surgery (p = 0.155). There were no differences between the gasless-TOETVA group and the open group in state-anxiety scores. However, the gasless-TOETVA group had significantly lower trait-anxiety scores than the open group at all follow-up time periods. Furthermore, within the gasless-TOETVA group, patients who were more than 1 year post-surgery showed significantly increased trait-anxiety scores compared to those of patients who were less than 1 year post-surgery (Δ = 3.4; p = 0.032). In contrast, the open group showed a decreasing trend in trait-anxiety scores, but there was no statistically significant difference between patients who had surgery less than 1 year ago and those who had surgery more than 1 year ago (Δ = − 2.2; p = 0.094). Conclusion: Gasless TOETVA had a temporary impact on oral function, but it did not alleviate the state of anxiety. Furthermore, we observed a significant increase in trait-anxiety scores among PTC patients who underwent gasless-TOETVA after 1 year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case study of a 35-year-old man with a history of uraemia who presented with increased tumor marker levels. The patient underwent both [18F]F-FDG PET/CT and [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 total-body PET/CT scans. The [18F]F-FDG PET/CT showed increased FDG uptake in osteogenic destructive bones and extensive calcification, while the [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT revealed FAPI uptake in the same lesions as well as additional abnormal foci. The study suggests that FAPI PET/CT may be superior to FDG PET/CT in diagnosing and assessing kidney fibrosis and related calcium phosphorus metabolism disorders in chronic kidney disease. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is the most devastating complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) and plays a major role in disability and death in DM patients. NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit B5 (NDUFB5) plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial respiration, but whether it is involved in regulating the progression of advanced glycation end products (AGEs)-mediated DFU is still unclear. Methods: Firstly, the role of AGEs on cell viability, migration, and mitochondrial respiration in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was explored in vitro. Next, NDUFB5 expression was detected in human samples and AGEs-treated HUVECs, and NDUFB5's effect on AGEs-induced HUVECs injury and skin wound in diabetic mice was further clarified. In addition, the role of m6A modification mediated by methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) in regulating NDUFB5 expression and AGEs-induced HUVECs injury was investigated. Results: NDUFB5 promoted cell viability, migration, and mitochondrial respiration in AGEs-treated HUVECs, whereas mitochondrial fusion promoter M1 facilitated cell viability, migration, and mitochondrial oxiadative respiration in NDUFB5 knockdown HUVECs. Meanwhile, NDUFB5 promotes skin wound healing in diabetic mice. Besides, METTL3-mediated m6A modification and insulin like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) enhanced NDUFB5 expression in HUVECs. Furthermore, METTL3 promoted cell viability, migration, and mitochondrial respiration in AGEs-treated HUVECs by increasing NDUFB5. Conclusion: METTL3-mediated NDUFB5 m6A modification inhibits AGEs-induced cell injury in HUVECs. METTL3 and NDUFB5 might serve as potential targets for DFU therapy in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET imaging has been extensively utilized for the detection of biochemical recurrence (BCR) in prostate cancer. However, the detection rate declines to merely 10–40% when PSA levels are < 0.2 ng/mL employing short axial field-of-view (SAFOV) PET. Prior studies exhibited superior detection rates with total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET compared to SAFOV [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET in BCR patients with PSA > 0.2 ng/mL. Nevertheless, the diagnostic utility of total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET for BCR patients when PSA is < 0.2 ng/mL remains unclear. This study aimed to assess whether total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT could improve the detection rate compared to SAFOV [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in BCR patients with PSA < 0.2 ng/mL. Methods: Eighty BCR patients with PSA < 0.2 ng/mL underwent total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. These patients were matched by baseline qualities to another 80 patients who received SAFOV [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. The detection rates of total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and SAFOV [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT were compared utilizing a chi-square test and stratified analysis. Image quality of total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT and SAFOV [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT was assessed based on subjective scoring and objective parameters. The objective parameters measured were SUVmax, SUVmean, standard deviation (SD) of SUV, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of liver and gluteus maximus. Results: The image quality of total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT was superior to that of SAFOV [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in both early and delayed scans. The detection rate of total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT for BCR patients with PSA < 0.2 ng/mL was significantly higher than that of SAFOV [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT (73.75% vs. 43.75%, P < 0.001). Total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT resulted in noteworthy modifications to the treatment regimen when contrasted with SAFOV [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. Conclusions: In BCR patients with PSA < 0.2 ng/mL, total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT not only demonstrated a significantly higher detection rate compared to SAFOV [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT but also led to significant alterations in treatment regimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The cluster of differentiation (CD70) is a potential biomarker of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). This study aims to develop CD70-targeted immuno-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (immunoPET/CT) imaging tracers and explore the diagnostic value in preclinical studies and the potential value in detecting metastases in ccRCC patients. Methods: Four novel CD70-specific single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) were produced and labelled with 18F by the aluminium fluoride restrained complexing agent (AlF-RESCA) method to develop radiotracers. The visualisation properties of the tracers were evaluated in a subcutaneous ccRCC patient–derived xenograft (PDX) model. In a registered prospective clinical trial (NCT06148220), six patients with pathologically confirmed RCC were included and underwent immunoPET/CT examination exploiting one of the developed tracers (i.e., [18F]RCCB6). Results: We engineered four sdAbs (His-tagged RCCB3 and RCCB6, His-tag-free RB3 and RB6) specifically targeting recombinant human CD70 without cross-reactivity to murine CD70. ImmunoPET/CT imaging with [18F]RCCB3 and [18F]RCCB6 demonstrated a high tumour-to-background ratio in a subcutaneous ccRCC PDX model, with the latter showing better diagnostic potential supported by higher tumour uptake and lower bone accumulation. In comparison, [18F]RB6, developed by sequence optimisation, has significantly lower kidney accumulation than that of [18F]RCCB6. In a pilot translational study, [18F]RCCB6 immunoPET/CT displayed ccRCC metastases in multiple patients and demonstrated improved imaging contrast and diagnostic value than 18F-FDG PET/CT in a patient with ccRCC. Conclusion: The work successfully developed a series of CD70-targeted immunoPET/CT imaging tracers. Of them, [18F]RCCB6 clearly and specifically identified inoculated ccRCCs in preclinical studies. Clinical translation of [18F]RCCB6 suggests potential for identifying recurrence and/or metastasis in ccRCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to develop deep learning techniques on total-body PET to bolster the feasibility of sedation-free pediatric PET imaging. Methods: A deformable 3D U-Net was developed based on 245 adult subjects with standard total-body PET imaging for the quality enhancement of simulated rapid imaging. The developed method was first tested on 16 children receiving total-body [18F]FDG PET scans with standard 300-s acquisition time with sedation. Sixteen rapid scans (acquisition time about 3 s, 6 s, 15 s, 30 s, and 75 s) were retrospectively simulated by selecting the reconstruction time window. In the end, the developed methodology was prospectively tested on five children without sedation to prove the routine feasibility. Results: The approach significantly improved the subjective image quality and lesion conspicuity in abdominal and pelvic regions of the generated 6-s data. In the first test set, the proposed method enhanced the objective image quality metrics of 6-s data, such as PSNR (from 29.13 to 37.09, p < 0.01) and SSIM (from 0.906 to 0.921, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the errors of mean standardized uptake values (SUVmean) for lesions between 300-s data and 6-s data were reduced from 12.9 to 4.1% (p < 0.01), and the errors of max SUV (SUVmax) were reduced from 17.4 to 6.2% (p < 0.01). In the prospective test, radiologists reached a high degree of consistency on the clinical feasibility of the enhanced PET images. Conclusion: The proposed method can effectively enhance the image quality of total-body PET scanning with ultrafast acquisition time, leading to meeting clinical diagnostic requirements of lesion detectability and quantification in abdominal and pelvic regions. It has much potential to solve the dilemma of the use of sedation and long acquisition time that influence the health of pediatric patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Dynamic total-body imaging enables new perspectives to investigate the potential relationship between the central and peripheral regions. Employing uEXPLORER dynamic [11C]CFT PET/CT imaging with voxel-wise simplified reference tissue model (SRTM) kinetic modeling and semi-quantitative measures, we explored how the correlation pattern between nigrostriatal and digestive regions differed between the healthy participants as controls (HC) and patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: Eleven participants (six HCs and five PDs) underwent 75-min dynamic [11C]CFT scans on a total-body PET/CT scanner (uEXPLORER, United Imaging Healthcare) were retrospectively enrolled. Time activity curves for four nigrostriatal nuclei (caudate, putamen, pallidum, and substantia nigra) and three digestive organs (pancreas, stomach, and duodenum) were obtained. Total-body parametric images of relative transporter rate constant (R1) and distribution volume ratio (DVR) were generated using the SRTM with occipital lobe as the reference tissue and a linear regression with spatial-constraint algorithm. Standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) at early (1–3 min, SUVREP) and late (60–75 min, SUVRLP) phases were calculated as the semi-quantitative substitutes for R1 and DVR, respectively. Results: Significant differences in estimates between the HC and PD groups were identified in DVR and SUVRLP of putamen (DVR: 4.82 ± 1.58 vs. 2.58 ± 0.53; SUVRLP: 4.65 ± 1.36 vs. 2.84 ± 0.67; for HC and PD, respectively, both p < 0.05) and SUVREP of stomach (1.12 ± 0.27 vs. 2.27 ± 0.65 for HC and PD, respectively; p < 0.01). In the HC group, negative correlations were observed between stomach and substantia nigra in both the R1 and SUVREP values (r=-0.83, p < 0.05 for R1; r=-0.94, p < 0.01 for SUVREP). Positive correlations were identified between pancreas and putamen in both DVR and SUVRLP values (r = 0.94, p < 0.01 for DVR; r = 1.00, p < 0.001 for SUVRLP). By contrast, in the PD group, no correlations were found between the aforementioned target nigrostriatal and digestive areas. Conclusions: The parametric images of R1 and DVR generated from the SRTM model, along with SUVREP and SUVRLP, were proposed to quantify dynamic total-body [11C]CFT PET/CT in HC and PD groups. The distinction in correlation patterns of nigrostriatal and digestive regions between HC and PD groups identified by R1 and DVR, or SUVRs, may provide new insights into the disease mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a chronic psychiatric disorder related to diminished dopaminergic neurotransmission. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has shown effectiveness in treating patients with treatment-refractory depression (TRD). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of DBS on dopamine D2 receptor binding in patients with TRD. Six patients with TRD were treated with bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST)-nucleus accumbens (NAc) DBS were recruited. Ultra-high sensitivity [11C]raclopride dynamic total-body positron emission tomography (PET) imaging was used to assess the brain D2 receptor binding. Each patient underwent a [11C]raclopride PET scan for 60-min under DBS OFF and DBS ON, respectively. A simplified reference tissue model was used to generate parametric images of binding potential (BP ND) with the cerebellum as reference tissue. Depression and anxiety symptoms improved after 3–6 months of DBS treatment. Compared with two-day-nonstimulated conditions, one-day BNST-NAc DBS decreased [11C]raclopride BP ND in the amygdala (15.9 %, p < 0.01), caudate nucleus (15.4 %, p < 0.0001) and substantia nigra (10.8 %, p < 0.01). This study was limited to the small sample size and lack of a healthy control group. Chronic BNST-NAc DBS improved depression and anxiety symptoms, and short-term stimulation decreased D2 receptor binding in the amygdala, caudate nucleus, and substantia nigra. The findings suggest that DBS relieves depression and anxiety symptoms possibly by regulating the dopaminergic system. • BNST-NAc DBS can improve the depressive and anxiety symptoms of TRD patients. • BNST-NAc DBS decreased dopamine D2 receptor binding in the amygdala, caudate, and substantia nigra. • BNST-NAc DBS improves clinical symptoms of TRD patients potentially by compensating for the defective dopaminergic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive death of upper and lower motor neurons, leading to generalized muscle atrophy, paralysis, and even death. Mitochondrial damage and neuroinflammation play key roles in the pathogenesis of ALS. In the present study, the efficacy of A‐1, a derivative of arctigenin with AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) and silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) activation for ALS, was investigated. Methods: A‐1 at 33.3 mg/kg was administrated in SOD1G93A transgenic mice orally from the 13th week for a 6‐week treatment period. Motor ability was assessed before terminal anesthesia. Muscle atrophy and fibrosis, motor neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in the spinal cord were evaluated by H&E, Masson, Sirius Red, Nissl, and immunohistochemistry staining. Protein expression was detected with proteomics analysis, Western blotting, and ELISA. Mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured using an assay kit. Results: A‐1 administration in SOD1G93A mice enhanced mobility, decreased skeletal muscle atrophy and fibrosis, mitigated loss of spinal motor neurons, and reduced glial activation. Additionally, A‐1 treatment improved mitochondrial function, evidenced by elevated ATP levels and increased expression of key mitochondrial‐related proteins. The A‐1 treatment group showed decreased levels of IL‐1β, pIκBα/IκBα, and pNF‐κB/NF‐κB. Conclusions: A‐1 treatment reduced motor neuron loss, improved gastrocnemius atrophy, and delayed ALS progression through the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC‐1α pathway, which promotes mitochondrial biogenesis. Furthermore, the AMPK/SIRT1/IL‐1β/NF‐κB pathway exerted neuroprotective effects by reducing neuroinflammation. These findings suggest A‐1 as a promising therapeutic approach for ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sex chromosomes of skinks are usually poorly differentiated and hardly distinguished by cytogenetic methods. Therefore, identifying sex chromosomes in species lacking easily recognizable heteromorphic sex chromosomes is necessary to fully understand sex chromosome diversity. In this paper, we employed cytogenetics, sex quantification of genes, and transcriptomic approaches to characterize the sex chromosomes in Plestiodon elegans. Cytogenetic examination of metaphases revealed a diploid number of 2n = 26, consisting of 12 macrochromosomes and 14 microchromosomes, with no significant heteromorphic chromosome pairs, speculating that the sex chromosomes may be homomorphic or poorly differentiated. The results of the sex quantification of genes showed that Calumenin (calu), COPI coat complex subunit γ 2 (copg2), and Smoothened (smo) were at half the dose in males as in females, suggesting that they are on the X chromosome. Transcriptomic data analysis from the gonads yielded the excess expression male-specific genes (n = 16), in which five PCR molecular markers were developed. Restricting the observed heterozygosity to males suggests the presence of homomorphic sex chromosomes in P. elegans, XX/XY. This is the first breakthrough in the study of the sex chromosomes of Plestiodon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A deep understanding of the pore‐scale multi‐cycle two‐phase seepage mechanism of gas‐water systems in low‐permeability reservoirs is crucial for enhancing oil and gas recovery and optimizing the operating conditions of underground gas storage. A pore network model was reconstructed using micro‐CT images of low‐permeability core samples from the Dagang Oilfield, China. The mathematical models of gas‐water flow in the pore‐scale models were established based on Poiseuille's law and the quasi‐static displacement theory, considering the gas compressibility and slip effects. The porosity, pore size, absolute permeability, and relative permeability (Kr) of oil‐water and gas‐water were calculated using pore network simulations and validated against experimental benchmark data of the same samples. The effects of multi‐cycle displacement, rock wettability, and average pore pressure on the gas‐water two‐phase flow were simulated and analyzed. The results showed that the relative permeability of gas (Krg) at the same water saturation level significantly increased when the gas compressibility and slip effects were considered. With an increase in the number of gas‐water displacement cycles, Krg at the same water saturation level showed a decreasing trend, indicating a reduction in the gas seepage capability. Krg decreased with increasing water contact angle. With an increase in the average pore pressure, Krg decreased and gradually increased when the average pressure exceeded 25 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multifrequency quantum valley Hall effect (QVHE) has been realized to significantly improve the transmission capacity of topological waveguides, and the multimode QVHE with a large valley Chern number has been realized to increase the mode density of topological waveguides. However, multifrequency and multimode QVHEs have not been realized simultaneously. In this work, using tight‐binding model calculations and numerical simulations, a valley photonic crystal (VPC) consisting of a Stampfli‐triangle photonic crystal is constructed, and its multiple degeneracies in the low‐frequency and high‐frequency bands split simultaneously to realize the QVHE with multiple topological edge states (TESs). The multifrequency and multimode topological transmission with two low‐frequency modes and four high‐frequency modes is realized by means of simulations and experiments through a Z‐shaped waveguide constructed using two VPCs with opposite valley Chern numbers to prove the realization of a large valley Chern number in the two frequency bands. The two low‐frequency modes are successfully distinguished with position‐dependent selective excitations, which experimentally demonstrate the occurrence of a large valley Chern number. A frequency‐dependent multimode beam splitter is theoretically proposed for high‐performance integrated photonic device applications. These results provide new ideas for high‐efficiency and high‐capacity optical transmission and communication devices and their integration; furthermore, they broaden the application range of TESs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The pre-surgical estimation of lymph node (LN) metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant diagnostic predicament. The associations between LN morphology, density, and metabolic heterogeneity and LN metastasis status in CRCs have been seldomly examined through the lens of radiomics. This research aimed to assess 2-[18F]FDG PET-based quantification of intratumoral metabolic heterogeneity for predicting lymph node metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer. Materials and methods: The construction of the model utilized data from 264 CRC patients, all of whom underwent preoperative 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT. Radiomic features were extracted from PET and CT images of LNs. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was implemented for selecting pertinent imaging features with a tenfold cross-validation. The predictive accuracy for LN metastasis status was juxtaposed against traditional methodologies (comprising CT-reported LN status and PET/CT-reported LN status) by deploying the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The radiomics signature was evaluated based on discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility parameters. The model was further subjected to validation using an independent cohort of 132 patients from the period of January 2012 to June 2020. Results: The radiomics model was composed of eight significant radiomic features (five from PET and three from CT), encapsulating metabolic and density heterogeneity. The radiomics signature (area under the curve (AUC), 0.908) showcased a significantly superior performance compared to CT-reported LN status (AUC, 0.563, P < 0.001) and PET/CT-reported LN status (AUC, 0.64, P < 0.001) for predicting LN-positive or LN-negative status. The radiomics signature (AUC, 0.885) also showcased a significantly superior performance compared to CT-reported LN status (AUC, 0.587, P < 0.001) and PET/CT-reported LN status (AUC, 0.621, P < 0.001) to identify N1 and N2. This signature maintained its independence from clinical risk factors and exhibited robustness in the validation test set. Decision curve analysis attested to the clinical utility of the radiomics signature. Conclusions: The radiomics signature based on 2-[18F]FDG PET/CT, which derived image features directly from LNs irrespective of clinical risk factors, displayed enhanced diagnostic performance compared to conventional CT or PET/CT-reported LN status. This allows for the identification of pre-surgical LN metastasis status and facilitates a patient-specific prediction of LN metastasis status in CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn order to improve the utilization value of the erythritol mother liquor, the separation and purification of the erythritol mother liquor was selected in this study. The selected chromatographic separation programme for erythritol crystallizing mother liquor is as follows: Firstly, erythritol is resolved from mannitol and arabitol with DTF-01Ca (Suqing Group) resin and then mannitol is resolved from arabitol with 99Ca/320 (Dowex) resin. At the same time, the chromatographic conditions of the DTF-01Ca (Suqing Group) and 99Ca/320 (Dowex) resins were optimized, resulting in an optimal separation temperature and mobile phase flow rate of 70 °C, 10 ml/min. On this basis, a single-column chromatographic model was used to calculate the TD model parameter (N) and the mass transfer coefficient (km ) of the separation of erythritol mother liquor by DTF-01Ca (Suqing Group) and 99Ca/320 (Dowex) resins. The adsorption isotherms, TD model parameter (N) and the mass transfer coefficient (km ) provides data references for the design and operation of the simulated moving beds (SMB) separation system for the industrial-scale separation of erythritol crystallizing mother liquor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate neighboring Pt atoms can enhance the metal activity of NiCoP for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, it remains a great challenge to link Pt and NiCoP. Herein, we introduced curvature of bowl‐like structure to construct Pt/NiCoP interface by adding a minimal 1 ‰‐molar‐ratio Pt. The as‐prepared sample only requires an overpotential of 26.5 and 181.6 mV to accordingly achieve the current density of 10 and 500 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH. The water dissociation energy barrier (Ea) has a ~43 % decrease compared with NiCoP counterpart. It also shows an ultrahigh stability with a small degradation rate of 10.6 μV h−1 at harsh conditions (500 mA cm−2 and 50 °C) after 3000 hrs. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), soft X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (sXAS), and X‐ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) verify the interface electron transfer lowers the valence state of Co/Ni and activates them. DFT calculations also confirm the catalytic transition step of NiCoP can change from Heyrovsky (2.71 eV) to Tafel step (0.51 eV) in the neighborhood of Pt, in accord with the result of the improved Hads at the interface disclosed by in situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate neighboring Pt atoms can enhance the metal activity of NiCoP for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, it remains a great challenge to link Pt and NiCoP. Herein, we introduced curvature of bowl‐like structure to construct Pt/NiCoP interface by adding a minimal 1 ‰‐molar‐ratio Pt. The as‐prepared sample only requires an overpotential of 26.5 and 181.6 mV to accordingly achieve the current density of 10 and 500 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH. The water dissociation energy barrier (Ea) has a ~43 % decrease compared with NiCoP counterpart. It also shows an ultrahigh stability with a small degradation rate of 10.6 μV h−1 at harsh conditions (500 mA cm−2 and 50 °C) after 3000 hrs. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), soft X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (sXAS), and X‐ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) verify the interface electron transfer lowers the valence state of Co/Ni and activates them. DFT calculations also confirm the catalytic transition step of NiCoP can change from Heyrovsky (2.71 eV) to Tafel step (0.51 eV) in the neighborhood of Pt, in accord with the result of the improved Hads at the interface disclosed by in situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), a carcinogen in some foods and medications, is linked to liver damage similar to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study explores how NDEA disrupts liver lipid metabolism. Sprague-Dawley rats were given two doses of NDEA (100 mg/kg) orally, 24 h apart. Liver response was assessed through tissue staining, blood tests, and biochemical markers, including fatty acids, lipid peroxidation, and serum very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels. Additionally, lipidomic analysis of liver tissues and serum was performed. The results indicated significant hepatic steatosis (fat accumulation in the liver) following NDEA exposure. Blood analysis showed signs of inflammation and liver damage. Biochemical tests revealed decreased liver protein synthesis and specific enzyme alterations, suggesting liver cell injury but maintaining mitochondrial function. Increased fatty acid levels without a rise in lipid peroxidation were observed, indicating fat accumulation. Lipidomic analysis showed increased polyunsaturated triglycerides in the liver and decreased serum VLDL, implicating impaired VLDL transport in liver dysfunction. In conclusion, NDEA exposure disrupts liver lipid metabolism, primarily through the accumulation of polyunsaturated triglycerides and impaired fat transport. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms of NDEA-induced liver injury and its progression to hepatic steatosis. [Display omitted] • NDEA exposure leads to fat accumulation, known as steatosis, which is similar to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). • Elevated poly-unsaturated TG are present without increased lipid peroxidation indicating predominant TG accumulation. • Decreased serum VLDL and increased hepatic polyunsaturated triglycerides indicate disrupted lipid transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) built on inorganic anodes have achieved great commercial success. By contrast, the practical application of organic anode materials encounters key bottlenecks including electronic insulation, high solubility, and poor initial coulombic efficiency (ICE). Among them, improving ICEs (normally 30–60%) faces enormous challenges in both theory and technology, and there has been no substantial breakthrough yet. Herein, a wet chemical pretreatment technology to increase the ICE of maleic acid (MA)‐based anodes from 43.2% to nearly 100% is proposed for the first time, and this strategy demonstrates universal applicability. Typically, the wet chemical pretreatment involves reacting with lithium‐biphenyl to form LixMA intermediates (x = 4–6) and further forming a compact artificial solid‐electrolyte interphase (SEI) film through the spontaneous reaction between active LixMA and battery organic electrolytes. This wet chemically‐constructed artificial SEI layer can almost completely suppress lithium loss in the initial cycle of the MA electrode and significantly boost the actual output energy density, rate capability, and cycling durability of MA anode‐based full batteries. Significantly, the study further demonstrated that a series of organic anode materials with high ICEs can be achieved through similar wet chemical pretreatment. This work will open up the true application of high‐ICE organic anodes in LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a semi-analytical solution has been proposed for the transient confined-unconfined flow toward a partially penetrating well in a confined aquifer. It can be used to characterize the dynamic development of drawdown and the transient unconfined region during the transient confined-unconfined conversion. The proposed solution takes into account the delayed response recharge from the unsaturated region by the Neuman's upper surface recharge boundary condition, which is derived by the Laplace and Fourier transformations. The reliability of the semi-analytical solution has been proved by comparisons with numerical solutions from Visual MODFLOW Flex. In addition, a new model for the pumping flow in a pure unconfined aquifer is also developed by degradation analysis of the proposed solution, which has been used to fit well with the measured data from the pumping test in Cape Cod aquifer. The results indicate that both the use of partially penetrating pumping well and aquifer anisotropy have negative effects on the drawdown delayed responses and the development of transient unconfined region, which are disappeared at times > 10 5 S r b / K r . The delayed response is positively related to the gravity storage and vertical hydraulic conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An unintended dural tear (DT) is the most common intraoperative complication of lumbar spine surgery. The unilateral biportal endoscopic technique (UBE) has become increasingly popular for treating various degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine; however, the DT incidence and risk factors specific to UBE remain undetermined. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of DTs in UBE. Method: Data from all patients who underwent UBE for degenerative lumbar spinal diseases from November 2018 to December 2021 at our institution were used to assess the effects of demographics, diagnosis, and type of surgery on unintended DT risk. Results: Overall, 24/608 patients (3.95%) experienced DTs and were treated with primary suture repair or bed rest. Although several patients experienced mild symptoms of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, no serious postoperative sequelae such as nerve root entrapment, meningitis, or intracranial hemorrhage occurred. Additionally, no significant correlations were identified between DT and sex (P = 0.882), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.758), smoking status (P = 0.506), diabetes (P = 0.672), hypertension (P = 0.187), or surgeon experience (P = 0.442). However, older patients were more likely to experience DT than younger patients (P = 0.034), and patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) were more likely to experience DT than patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) (P = 0.035). Additionally, DT was more common in revision versus primary surgery (P < 0.0001) and in unilateral laminotomy with bilateral decompression (ULBD) versus unilateral decompression (P = 0.031). Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, LSS, ULBD, and revision surgery were significant risk factors for DT. Conclusions: In this UBE cohort, we found that the incidence of DT was 3.95%. Additionally, older age, LSS, ULBD, and revision surgery significantly increased the risk of DT in UBE surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging improves lesion detection compared to early [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT in patients with prostate cancer. However, the sole use of delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT has been limited due to the insufficient number of photons obtained with standard PET/CT scanners. The combination of early and delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA standard PET/CT may be considered, and it is challenging to incorporate into a high-demand clinical setting. Long field-of-view (LFOV) PET/CT scanners have higher sensitivity compared to standard PET/CT. However, it remains unknown whether the image quality of solitary delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA LFOV PET/CT imaging is adequate to satisfy clinical diagnostic requirements. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality of delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA LFOV PET/CT and examine the feasibility of utilizing delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA LFOV PET/CT imaging alone in patients with prostate cancer. Methods: The study sample consisted of 56 prostate cancer patients who underwent [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT scanning between December 2020 and July 2021. All patients were subjected to early LFOV PET/CT imaging at 1-h post-injection as well as delayed LFOV PET/CT imaging at 3-h post-injection using [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11. The image quality and diagnostic efficiency of solitary delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT imaging was analyzed. Results: The results showed that delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT yielded satisfactory image quality that fulfilled clinical diagnostic benchmarks. Compared to early imaging, delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT demonstrated heightened lesion SUVmax values (11.0 [2.3–193.6] vs. 7.0 [2.0–124.3], P < 0.001) and superior tumor-to-background ratios (3.3 [0.5–62.2] vs. 1.7 [0.3–30.7], P < 0.001). Additionally, delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT detected supplementary lesions in 14 patients (25%) compared to early imaging, resulting in modifications to disease staging and management plans. Conclusions: In summary, the findings indicate that the image quality of delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT is satisfactory for meeting clinical diagnostic prerequisites. The use of solitary delayed [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 LFOV PET/CT imaging in prostate cancer simplifies the examination protocol and improves patient compliance, compared to [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 standard PET/CT which necessitates both early and delayed imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to quantitatively assess [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 uptake in pathological lesions and normal organs in prostate cancer using the total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and to characterize the dynamic metabolic heterogeneity of prostate cancer. Methods: Dynamic total-body [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scans were performed on ten prostate cancer patients. Manual delineation of volume-of-interests (VOIs) was performed on multiple normal organs displaying high [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 uptake, as well as pathological lesions. Time-to-activity curves (TACs) were generated, and the four compartment models including one-tissue compartmental model (1T1k), reversible one-tissue compartmental model (1T2k), irreversible two-tissue compartment model (2T3k) and reversible two-tissue compartmental model (2T4k) were fitted to each tissue TAC. Various rate constants, including K1 (forward transport rate from plasma to the reversible compartment), k2 (reverse transport rate from the reversible compartment to plasma), k3 (tracer binding on the PSMA-receptor and its internalization), k4 (the externalization rate of the tracer) and Ki (net influx rate), were obtained. The selection of the optimal model for describing the uptake of both lesions and normal organs was determined using the Akaike information criteria (AIC). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the cut-off values for differentiating physiological and pathological [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 uptake. Results: Both 1T1k and 1T2k models showed relatively high AIC values compared to the 2T3k and 2T4k models in both pathological lesions and normal organs. The kinetic behavior of pathological lesions was better described by the 2T3k model compared to the 2T4k model, while the normal organs were better described by the 2T4k model. Significant variations in kinetic metrics, such as K1, k2, and k3, and Ki, were observed among normal organs with high [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 uptake and pathological lesions. The high Ki value in normal organs was primarily determined by elevated K1 and low k3, rather than k2. Conversely, the high Ki value in pathological lesions, ranking second to the kidney and similar to salivary glands and spleen, was predominantly determined by the highest k3 value. Notably, k3 exhibited the highest performance in distinguishing between physiological and pathological [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 uptake, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.844 (95% CI, 0.773–0.915), sensitivity of 82.9%, and specificity of 74.1%. The k3 values showed better performance than SUVmean (AUC, 0.659), SUVmax (AUC, 0.637), and other kinetic parameter including K1 (AUC, 0.604), k2 (AUC, 0.634), and Ki (AUC, 0.651). Conclusions: Significant discrepancies in kinetic metrics were detected between pathological lesions and normal organs, despite their shared high uptake of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11. Notably, the k3 value exhibits a noteworthy capability to distinguish between pathological lesions and normal organs with elevated [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 uptake. This discovery implies that k3 holds promise as a prospective imaging biomarker for distinguishing between pathologic and non-specific [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 uptake in patients with prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing suitable additive materials for high-performance anti-corrosion coatings continues to be a formidable obstacle. Although imine molecules are a promising family of organic compounds due to the π-conjugated aromatic structure containing N heteroatoms, their research as the anticorrosive additives is still in its early stages. Herein, we have prepared a rod-like imine molecule, Hexaazatrinaphthalene (HATN), which was further assembled with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to obtain a novel HATN/rGO composite via a facile electrostatic self-assembly. As such, the HATN/rGO composite as additive material was incorporated into epoxy resin to develop a corrosion-resistant HATN/rGO epoxy coating, showing exceptional passive and active anti-corrosion properties with a low corrosion rate of 5.75 × 10−6 mm a−1 and a high corrosion inhibition efficiency of 99.83 %. Remarkably, the resistance at 0.01 Hz value of HATN/rGO epoxy coating is superior to those of rGO-based epoxy coatings previously reported. Scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET) and salt spray measurements further demonstrate long-term performance of the HATN/rGO epoxy coating with excellent corrosion resistance. Additionally, theoretical calculation proves that the obvious electron transfer from rGO to HATN molecule promotes charge-transfer capability and electrochemical activity of the HATN/rGO composite, suggesting its great potential as the additive material for high-performance corrosion protection. [Display omitted] • An imine-based composite is fabricated via a facile electrostatic self-assembly for the first time. • DFT calculations reveal high electrochemical activity and charge-transfer ability of the composite. • The composite acts as an anticorrosive filler for epoxy coating with passive and active properties. • Salt spray and SVET technique demonstrate long-term anti-corrosion performance of the coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the studies of topological corner states (TCSs) have been extended from crystals to quasicrystals, which are referred to as higher‐order topological quasicrystalline insulators (HOTQIs). However, the TCSs of complete quasi‐periodic structure in photonic systems have yet to be demonstrated. Moreover, there is only one TCS in each corner region in higher‐order topological insulators (HOTIs). Increasing the number of TCS is expected to increase the application potential of TCSs. In this work, HOTQIs in photonic systems are experimentally observed. It is found that HOTQIs possess TCS arrays, and each TCS array contains several TCSs. Furthermore, the universal theoretical framework of the multimer analysis method is improved, and the difference in the average charge density is proposed as a real‐space topological index. These results will open up new ideas for investigating highly integrated, multi‐region localized TCSs and are expected to provide new ways to explore topological phenomena and the applications of photonic quasicrystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Standardized uptake value (SUV) has been prevalently used to measure [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 activity in prostate cancer, but it is susceptible to multiple factors. Parametric imaging allows for absolute quantification of tracer uptake and provides a better diagnostic accuracy that is crucial for lesion detection. However, the clinical significance of total-body parametric imaging of [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 remains to be fully assessed. Therefore, the aim of our study is to delve into the diagnostic implications of total-body parametric imaging of [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT for patients with prostate cancer. Methods: Twenty prostate cancer patients were included and underwent a dynamic total-body [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scan. An irreversible two-tissue compartment model (2T3k) was fitted for each tissue time-to-activity curve, and the net influx rate (Ki) was obtained. The image quality and semi-quantitative analysis of lesion-to-background ratio (LBR), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were compared between parametric images and SUV images. Results: Kinetic modeling using 2T3k demonstrated favorable model fitting in both normal organs and lesions. All of the lesions detected on SUV images (55–60 min) could be detected on Ki images. The correlation between Ki, SUVmean, and SUVmax in both normal organs and pathological lesions was found to be positive and statistically significant. Conversely, a moderate positive correlations were found between Ki and K1 (R = 0.69, P < 0.001; R = 0.61, P < 0.001) and Ki and k3 (R = 0.69, P < 0.001; R = 0.62, P < 0.001), in normal organs and pathological lesions, respectively. Visual assessment in Ki images showed less image noise and higher lesions conspicuity compared to SUV images. Ki image-derived LBR, SNR, and CBR of pathological lesions including primary tumors (PTs), lymph node metastases (LNMs) and bone metastases (BMs), exhibited remarkably higher folds (1.4–3.6 folds) compared to those derived from SUV of corresponding lesions. Conclusions: Total-body parametric imaging of [68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 enhanced lesion contrast and improved lesion detectability compared to SUV images. This may potentially serve as an imaging biomarker and theranostic tool for precise diagnosis and treatment evaluation in prostate cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The high expression of the transmembrane glycoprotein trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2 (Trop2) was strongly associated with the progression of solid tumors, including pancreatic and gastric cancers. Our study aimed to construct Trop2-specific immuno-positron emission tomography (immunoPET) probes and assess the diagnostic abilities in preclinical pancreatic and gastric cancer models. Methods: The expression of Trop2 in pancreatic cancer was determined by single-cell sequencing and immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray (TMA). Flow cytometry was used to screen the expression of Trop2 in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Two nanobodies (i.e., RTD98 and RTD01) targeting Trop2 were developed and labeled with gallium-68 (68Ga, T1/2 = 1.1 h) to construct immunoPET imaging probes. The agents were researched in cell-derived pancreatic and patient-derived gastric cancer models expressing varying Trop2. Results: Single-cell sequencing results showed high expression of Trop2 in pancreatic ductal cells as well as acinar cells and immunohistochemical staining of TMA from pancreatic cancers showed significantly higher expression of Trop2 in cancerous than in paracancerous tissues. ImmunoPET utilizing [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RTD98 could clearly delineate subcutaneous tumors, both in cell-derived pancreatic cancer models and patient-derived gastric cancer models, superior to imaging using [18F]-FDG or a non-specific probe [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RTD161. Another probe with improved pharmacokinetics targeting Trop2, [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RTD01, was further prepared and showed advantageous diagnostic capabilities in preclinical pancreatic cancer models. Conclusion: In the work, we reported two nanobody tracers targeting human Trop2 which may facilitate better use of Trop2-targeted therapeutics by noninvasively displaying expression dynamics of the target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An unintended dural tear (DT) is the most common intraoperative complication of lumbar spine surgery. The unilateral biportal endoscopic technique (UBE) has become increasingly popular for treating various degenerative diseases of the lumbar spine; however, the DT incidence and risk factors specific to UBE remain undetermined. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of DTs in UBE. Method: Data from all patients who underwent UBE for degenerative lumbar spinal diseases from November 2018 to December 2021 at our institution were used to assess the effects of demographics, diagnosis, and type of surgery on unintended DT risk. Results: Overall, 24/608 patients (3.95%) experienced DTs and were treated with primary suture repair or bed rest. Although several patients experienced mild symptoms of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, no serious postoperative sequelae such as nerve root entrapment, meningitis, or intracranial hemorrhage occurred. Additionally, no significant correlations were identified between DT and sex (P = 0.882), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.758), smoking status (P = 0.506), diabetes (P = 0.672), hypertension (P = 0.187), or surgeon experience (P = 0.442). However, older patients were more likely to experience DT than younger patients (P = 0.034), and patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) were more likely to experience DT than patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) (P = 0.035). Additionally, DT was more common in revision versus primary surgery (P < 0.0001) and in unilateral laminotomy with bilateral decompression (ULBD) versus unilateral decompression (P = 0.031). Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, LSS, ULBD, and revision surgery were significant risk factors for DT. Conclusions: In this UBE cohort, we found that the incidence of DT was 3.95%. Additionally, older age, LSS, ULBD, and revision surgery significantly increased the risk of DT in UBE surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have indicated that 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in biochemical recurrence (BCR) patients with poorly differentiated prostate adenocarcinoma had higher diagnostic sensitivity than those with well differentiated adenocarcinoma, but whether the performance of FDG PET can achieve the effect of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET in BCR patients with a high Gleason score remains poorly understood. This study aimed to compare the efficacies of 18F-FDG PET/CT and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT for BCR patients and evaluate whether 18F-FDG PET was not inferior to 68Ga-PSMA PET for detecting BCR with a high Gleason score. This was a retrospective, head-to-head comparative study completed at Ren Ji Hospital between May 2018 and June 2021. Patients underwent both 18F-FDG and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT. The detection rate of BCR at the patient level and at the anatomical region level was evaluated. In total, 145 patients were enrolled in this study. 18F-FDG PET/CT (24.1%, 35/145) had lower detection rates than 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT (59.3%, 86/145; p < 0.001) at the patient level and at any anatomical region (p < 0.05). The PSA level (p < 0.001, OR = 11.026, 95% CI: 3.214–37.824) and the Gleason score (p < 0.001, OR = 20.227, 95% CI: 5.741–71.267) were independent predictive factors of the detection rate on 18F-FDG PET/CT, while the PSA level (p < 0.001, OR = 4.862, 95% CI: 2.338–10.110) was the only predictor of the detection rate on 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT. 18F-FDG PET/CT had a similar detection rate as 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in patients with a Gleason score of 9 at the patient level (64.3% vs. 71.4%, p = 0.567) and any anatomical region (all p > 0.05), but 18F-FDG PET/CT had a lower detection rate than 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in patients with a Gleason score of 6–8. 18F-FDG PET is not inferior to 68Ga-PSMA PET for detecting BCR with a Gleason score of 9; therefore, 18F-FDG PET/CT could be considered in BCR patients with a Gleason score of 9. However, 68Ga-PSMA is a better tracer than 18F-FDG in PET/CT for treatment decision making in BCR patients with a Gleason score of 6–8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of quality control circle (QCC) activities on increasing the mask-wearing compliance of hospitalized patients diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) during external examinations.Methods: To assess the mask-wearing compliance of patients diagnosed with TB admitted to a ward in our hospital in 2019, who visited other departments, we conducted activities in accordance with the ten steps of the QCC. We outlined the causes of non-compliance and developed and implemented improvement plans. We compared the results obtained before and after the implementation of the QCC to assess the enhancement in patient compliance concerning wearing masks during external examinations, particularly among individuals diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis.Results: The compliance rate for mask-wearing during external examinations rose from an initial 32.61% (45/138) prior to the intervention to 83.71% (149/178) following the intervention. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ2 = 85.635, P <  0.001). The following countermeasures and implementation measures were formulated: (1) Increasing public health education and awareness; (2) Strengthening the training of nursing staff to enhance their knowledge; (3) Providing free surgical masks; (4) Establishing an effective monitoring system with the department of auxiliary examinations.Conclusion: QCC interventions were significantly effective in enhancing adherence to mask-wearing protocols during external examinations of hospitalized patients with tuberculosis. Such improvements contribute substantially to the mitigation of tuberculosis transmission within clinical and healthcare environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a case study of a 65-year-old woman who presented with symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease. However, further imaging tests ruled out Parkinson's disease and revealed mild tau protein deposition in the bilateral cerebellar white matter, as well as white matter abnormalities and a meningioma. Genetic testing confirmed a diagnosis of neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) with a notable CGG repeat expansion in the NOTCH2NLC gene. This case is significant as it is the first report of tau protein deposits in the cerebellum of a NIID patient and suggests tau as a potential biomarker for NIID. The study was conducted in accordance with ethical guidelines and the patient provided informed consent for publication. [Extracted from the article]

The human health risk assessment through the dermal exposure of metal (loid)s in dust from low latitude and high geological background plateau cities was largely unknown. In this study, the road dust samples were harvested from a typical low-latitude plateau provincial capital city Kunming, Southwest China. The total concentration and dermal bioaccessibility of heavy metal (loid)s in road dust were determined, and their health risks as well as cytotoxicity on human skin keratinocytes were also assessed. The average concentrations of As (28.5 mg/kg), Cd (2.65 mg/kg), Mn (671 mg/kg), and Zn (511 mg/kg) exceeded the soil background values. Arsenic had the highest bioaccessibility after 2 h (3.79%), 8 h (4.24%), and 24 h (16.6%) extraction. The dermal pathway when bioaccessibility is considered has a higher hazard quotient than the conventional method using total metal(loid)s in the dust. In addition, toxicological verification suggested that the dust extracts suppressed the cell viability, increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and DNA damage, and eventually activated the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway, evidenced by the upregulation of Caspase-3/9, Bax, and Bak-1. Cadmium was positively correlated with the mRNA expression of Bax. Taken together, our data indicated that both dermal bioaccessibility and cytotoxicity should be considered for accurate human skin health risk assessment of heavy metal(loid)s in road dust, which may provide new insight for accurate human health risk assessment and environmental management. • The enrichment of Cd and Zn in road dust from Kunming is the highest. • Bioaccessible heavy metal (loid)s in the road dust pose health risks to humans. • Road dust extracts triggered obvious cytotoxicity in human skin cells. • Bioaccessible Cd may be responsible for dust induced cellular apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: While sedation is routinely used in pediatric PET examinations to preserve diagnostic quality, it may result in side effects and may affect the radiotracer’s biodistribution. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of sedation-free pediatric PET imaging using ultra-fast total-body (TB) PET scanners and deep learning (DL)-based attenuation and scatter correction (ASC).This retrospective study included TB PET (uExplorer) imaging of 35 sedated pediatric patients under four years old to determine the minimum effective scanning time. A DL-based ASC method was applied to enhance PET quantification. Both quantitative and qualitative assessments were conducted to evaluate the image quality of ultra-fast DL-ASC PET. Five non-sedated pediatric patients were subsequently used to validate the proposed approach.Comparisons between standard 300-second and ultra-fast 15-second imaging, CT-ASC and DL-ASC ultra-fast 15-second images, as well as DL-ASC ultra-fast 15-second images in non-sedated and sedated patients, showed no significant differences in qualitative scoring, lesion detectability, and quantitative Standard Uptake Value (SUV) (P = ns).This study demonstrates that pediatric PET imaging can be effectively performed without sedation by combining ultra-fast imaging techniques with a DL-based ASC. This advancement in sedation-free ultra-fast PET imaging holds potential for broader clinical adoption.Methods: While sedation is routinely used in pediatric PET examinations to preserve diagnostic quality, it may result in side effects and may affect the radiotracer’s biodistribution. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of sedation-free pediatric PET imaging using ultra-fast total-body (TB) PET scanners and deep learning (DL)-based attenuation and scatter correction (ASC).This retrospective study included TB PET (uExplorer) imaging of 35 sedated pediatric patients under four years old to determine the minimum effective scanning time. A DL-based ASC method was applied to enhance PET quantification. Both quantitative and qualitative assessments were conducted to evaluate the image quality of ultra-fast DL-ASC PET. Five non-sedated pediatric patients were subsequently used to validate the proposed approach.Comparisons between standard 300-second and ultra-fast 15-second imaging, CT-ASC and DL-ASC ultra-fast 15-second images, as well as DL-ASC ultra-fast 15-second images in non-sedated and sedated patients, showed no significant differences in qualitative scoring, lesion detectability, and quantitative Standard Uptake Value (SUV) (P = ns).This study demonstrates that pediatric PET imaging can be effectively performed without sedation by combining ultra-fast imaging techniques with a DL-based ASC. This advancement in sedation-free ultra-fast PET imaging holds potential for broader clinical adoption.Results: While sedation is routinely used in pediatric PET examinations to preserve diagnostic quality, it may result in side effects and may affect the radiotracer’s biodistribution. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of sedation-free pediatric PET imaging using ultra-fast total-body (TB) PET scanners and deep learning (DL)-based attenuation and scatter correction (ASC).This retrospective study included TB PET (uExplorer) imaging of 35 sedated pediatric patients under four years old to determine the minimum effective scanning time. A DL-based ASC method was applied to enhance PET quantification. Both quantitative and qualitative assessments were conducted to evaluate the image quality of ultra-fast DL-ASC PET. Five non-sedated pediatric patients were subsequently used to validate the proposed approach.Comparisons between standard 300-second and ultra-fast 15-second imaging, CT-ASC and DL-ASC ultra-fast 15-second images, as well as DL-ASC ultra-fast 15-second images in non-sedated and sedated patients, showed no significant differences in qualitative scoring, lesion detectability, and quantitative Standard Uptake Value (SUV) (P = ns).This study demonstrates that pediatric PET imaging can be effectively performed without sedation by combining ultra-fast imaging techniques with a DL-based ASC. This advancement in sedation-free ultra-fast PET imaging holds potential for broader clinical adoption.Conclusions: While sedation is routinely used in pediatric PET examinations to preserve diagnostic quality, it may result in side effects and may affect the radiotracer’s biodistribution. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of sedation-free pediatric PET imaging using ultra-fast total-body (TB) PET scanners and deep learning (DL)-based attenuation and scatter correction (ASC).This retrospective study included TB PET (uExplorer) imaging of 35 sedated pediatric patients under four years old to determine the minimum effective scanning time. A DL-based ASC method was applied to enhance PET quantification. Both quantitative and qualitative assessments were conducted to evaluate the image quality of ultra-fast DL-ASC PET. Five non-sedated pediatric patients were subsequently used to validate the proposed approach.Comparisons between standard 300-second and ultra-fast 15-second imaging, CT-ASC and DL-ASC ultra-fast 15-second images, as well as DL-ASC ultra-fast 15-second images in non-sedated and sedated patients, showed no significant differences in qualitative scoring, lesion detectability, and quantitative Standard Uptake Value (SUV) (P = ns).This study demonstrates that pediatric PET imaging can be effectively performed without sedation by combining ultra-fast imaging techniques with a DL-based ASC. This advancement in sedation-free ultra-fast PET imaging holds potential for broader clinical adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is expressed in approximately 70% of breast cancer cases and determines the sensitivity and effectiveness of endocrine therapy. 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2, 6-biphosphatase3 (PFKFB3) is a glycolytic enzyme that is highly expressed in a great many human tumors, and recent studies have shown that it plays a significant role in improving drug sensitivity. However, the role of PFKFB3 in regulating ERα expression and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we find by using immunohistochemistry (IHC) that PFKFB3 is elevated in ER-positive breast cancer and high expression of PFKFB3 resulted in a worse prognosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments verify that PFKFB3 promotes ER-positive breast cancer cell proliferation. The overexpression of PFKFB3 promotes the estrogen-independent ER-positive breast cancer growth. In an estrogen-free condition, RNA-sequencing data from MCF7 cells treated with siPFKFB3 showed enrichment of the estrogen signaling pathway, and a luciferase assay demonstrated that knockdown of PFKFB3 inhibited the ERα transcriptional activity. Mechanistically, down-regulation of PFKFB3 promotes STUB1 binding to ERα, which accelerates ERα degradation by K48-based ubiquitin linkage. Finally, growth of ER-positive breast cancer cells in vivo was more potently inhibited by fulvestrant combined with the PFKFB3 inhibitor PFK158 than for each drug alone. In conclusion, these data suggest that PFKFB3 is identified as an adverse prognosis factor for ER-positive breast cancer and plays a previously unrecognized role in the regulation of ERα stability and activity. Our results further explores an effective approach to improve fulvestrant sensitivity through the early combination with a PFKFB3 inhibitor. • PFKFB3 is elevated in breast cancer and higher PFKFB3 is associated with adverse outcome in ER-positive breast cancer. • PFKFB3 regulates ERα stability via the E3 ubiquitin ligase STUB1 and ERα transcriptional activity in estrogen-free condition. • The combination usage of fulvestrant and PFK158 had a better inhibition effect on ER+ breast cancer than either drug alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Multifrequency and Multimode Topological Waveguides in a Stampfli-Triangle Photonic Crystal with Large Valley Chern Numbers" discusses the observation of a multifrequency and multimode topological waveguide in Stampfli-triangle photonic crystals. The researchers, Bei Yan, Yiwei Peng, Jianjun Liu, Fei Gao, Shuangchun Wen, and their co-workers, have identified two topological edge states in low-frequency bands and four topological edge states in high-frequency bands. This discovery has the potential to enhance the efficiency and capacity of optical transmission and communication devices, expanding their application range. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: To compare performance of whole-body [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET imaging in the detection of Krukenberg tumors (KTs), primary site and extra-ovarian metastases of gastric signet-ring-cell carcinoma (GSRCC), and evaluate the value of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy and its potential impact on the management of KTs from GSRCC.Twelve patients with twenty-three KTs from GSRCC, who underwent both [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 pelvic PET/MR and whole-body [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET imaging were retrospectively analyzed. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG uptakes were compared by using Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired t test. McNemar’s test was used to compare lesion detectability between two modalities. Two-tailed P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Immunohistochemistry staining was utilized to analyze the fibroblast activation protein (FAP) expression in KTs.A total of 12 patients with 23 KTs from GSRCC (8 synchronous and 4 metachronous) were evaluated. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 was superior to [18F]FDG PET in detecting primary sites of GSRCC (100% [11/11] vs. 18.2% [2/11], p = 0.002), involved lymph nodes (90.9% [10/11] vs. 54.5% [6/11], p = 0.046) and peritoneal metastases (100% [12/12] vs. 41.7% [5/12], p = 0.008), with higher SUVmax and TBR (all p < 0.005). Both tracers had limited value in identifying KTs, with 100% false negative rate on [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET and a low detection rate of 8.7% on [18F]FDG PET. Fap immunohistochemistry showed negative or slight FAP expression in neoplastic signet ring cells and ovarian stroma. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy greatly improved the detection rate of Krukenberg tumors (87%, 20/23). After adding diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), the detection rate was further improved (87.5% vs. 100%, p = 0.083). [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy either upgraded TNM staging or changed treatment management in twelve patients.[68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET outperformed [18F]FDG PET in detecting primary site and most extra-ovarian metastases of GSRCC, but both tracers had limited value in identifying Krukenberg tumors. Pelvis MRI should be applied to compensate the limitation of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET imaging to identify Krukenberg tumours. The [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy has the potential to impact treatment decisions for GSRCC patients with KTs.Methods: To compare performance of whole-body [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET imaging in the detection of Krukenberg tumors (KTs), primary site and extra-ovarian metastases of gastric signet-ring-cell carcinoma (GSRCC), and evaluate the value of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy and its potential impact on the management of KTs from GSRCC.Twelve patients with twenty-three KTs from GSRCC, who underwent both [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 pelvic PET/MR and whole-body [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET imaging were retrospectively analyzed. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG uptakes were compared by using Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired t test. McNemar’s test was used to compare lesion detectability between two modalities. Two-tailed P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Immunohistochemistry staining was utilized to analyze the fibroblast activation protein (FAP) expression in KTs.A total of 12 patients with 23 KTs from GSRCC (8 synchronous and 4 metachronous) were evaluated. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 was superior to [18F]FDG PET in detecting primary sites of GSRCC (100% [11/11] vs. 18.2% [2/11], p = 0.002), involved lymph nodes (90.9% [10/11] vs. 54.5% [6/11], p = 0.046) and peritoneal metastases (100% [12/12] vs. 41.7% [5/12], p = 0.008), with higher SUVmax and TBR (all p < 0.005). Both tracers had limited value in identifying KTs, with 100% false negative rate on [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET and a low detection rate of 8.7% on [18F]FDG PET. Fap immunohistochemistry showed negative or slight FAP expression in neoplastic signet ring cells and ovarian stroma. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy greatly improved the detection rate of Krukenberg tumors (87%, 20/23). After adding diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), the detection rate was further improved (87.5% vs. 100%, p = 0.083). [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy either upgraded TNM staging or changed treatment management in twelve patients.[68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET outperformed [18F]FDG PET in detecting primary site and most extra-ovarian metastases of GSRCC, but both tracers had limited value in identifying Krukenberg tumors. Pelvis MRI should be applied to compensate the limitation of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET imaging to identify Krukenberg tumours. The [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy has the potential to impact treatment decisions for GSRCC patients with KTs.Results: To compare performance of whole-body [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET imaging in the detection of Krukenberg tumors (KTs), primary site and extra-ovarian metastases of gastric signet-ring-cell carcinoma (GSRCC), and evaluate the value of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy and its potential impact on the management of KTs from GSRCC.Twelve patients with twenty-three KTs from GSRCC, who underwent both [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 pelvic PET/MR and whole-body [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET imaging were retrospectively analyzed. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG uptakes were compared by using Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired t test. McNemar’s test was used to compare lesion detectability between two modalities. Two-tailed P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Immunohistochemistry staining was utilized to analyze the fibroblast activation protein (FAP) expression in KTs.A total of 12 patients with 23 KTs from GSRCC (8 synchronous and 4 metachronous) were evaluated. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 was superior to [18F]FDG PET in detecting primary sites of GSRCC (100% [11/11] vs. 18.2% [2/11], p = 0.002), involved lymph nodes (90.9% [10/11] vs. 54.5% [6/11], p = 0.046) and peritoneal metastases (100% [12/12] vs. 41.7% [5/12], p = 0.008), with higher SUVmax and TBR (all p < 0.005). Both tracers had limited value in identifying KTs, with 100% false negative rate on [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET and a low detection rate of 8.7% on [18F]FDG PET. Fap immunohistochemistry showed negative or slight FAP expression in neoplastic signet ring cells and ovarian stroma. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy greatly improved the detection rate of Krukenberg tumors (87%, 20/23). After adding diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), the detection rate was further improved (87.5% vs. 100%, p = 0.083). [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy either upgraded TNM staging or changed treatment management in twelve patients.[68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET outperformed [18F]FDG PET in detecting primary site and most extra-ovarian metastases of GSRCC, but both tracers had limited value in identifying Krukenberg tumors. Pelvis MRI should be applied to compensate the limitation of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET imaging to identify Krukenberg tumours. The [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy has the potential to impact treatment decisions for GSRCC patients with KTs.Conclusions: To compare performance of whole-body [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET imaging in the detection of Krukenberg tumors (KTs), primary site and extra-ovarian metastases of gastric signet-ring-cell carcinoma (GSRCC), and evaluate the value of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy and its potential impact on the management of KTs from GSRCC.Twelve patients with twenty-three KTs from GSRCC, who underwent both [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 pelvic PET/MR and whole-body [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG PET imaging were retrospectively analyzed. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 and [18F]FDG uptakes were compared by using Wilcoxon signed-rank test or paired t test. McNemar’s test was used to compare lesion detectability between two modalities. Two-tailed P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Immunohistochemistry staining was utilized to analyze the fibroblast activation protein (FAP) expression in KTs.A total of 12 patients with 23 KTs from GSRCC (8 synchronous and 4 metachronous) were evaluated. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 was superior to [18F]FDG PET in detecting primary sites of GSRCC (100% [11/11] vs. 18.2% [2/11], p = 0.002), involved lymph nodes (90.9% [10/11] vs. 54.5% [6/11], p = 0.046) and peritoneal metastases (100% [12/12] vs. 41.7% [5/12], p = 0.008), with higher SUVmax and TBR (all p < 0.005). Both tracers had limited value in identifying KTs, with 100% false negative rate on [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET and a low detection rate of 8.7% on [18F]FDG PET. Fap immunohistochemistry showed negative or slight FAP expression in neoplastic signet ring cells and ovarian stroma. [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy greatly improved the detection rate of Krukenberg tumors (87%, 20/23). After adding diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), the detection rate was further improved (87.5% vs. 100%, p = 0.083). [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy either upgraded TNM staging or changed treatment management in twelve patients.[68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET outperformed [18F]FDG PET in detecting primary site and most extra-ovarian metastases of GSRCC, but both tracers had limited value in identifying Krukenberg tumors. Pelvis MRI should be applied to compensate the limitation of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET imaging to identify Krukenberg tumours. The [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR imaging strategy has the potential to impact treatment decisions for GSRCC patients with KTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is a potential depressant which is an indispensable reagent for the treatment of complex refractory iron ores during reverse flotation. In this study, the interaction force between hematite particles adsorbed with CMC and bubbles was calculated, thereby revealing the inhibitory mechanism of CMC on hematite particles. When dodecylamine (DDA) was 15 mg/L and CMC was 3 mg/L, pH=10, the content and recovery rate of hematite reached 83.25% and 87.41%, respectively. Zeta potential tests showed that adsorption of CMC hindered the adsorption of DDA on hematite. AFM images visualized the adsorption status and adsorption layer thickness of CMC on the surfaces of hematite and quartz. FTIR results indicated that the adsorption of CMC on the surface of hematite was strong chemical adsorption, but the adsorption on quartz was physical adsorption. Based on the extended DLVO theory, the total potential of interaction between hematite particles adsorbed with CMC and bubbles was measured. The calculation results demonstrated that the hydration repulsion interaction potential owing to the adsorption of CMC dominated the total potential energy, preventing the adhesion of hematite and bubbles. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cynicism symptom "less interest in studies" played the most central role in the burnout network. • Depressive symptoms "anhedonia" and "fatigue" and burnout symptom "doubting the significance of studies" exhibited the most bridging effect to maintain burnout-depression comorbidity. • Community detection indicated three communities within burnout symptoms, which corresponded to the three dimensions identified via factor analysis, and there was no overlap between burnout and depression symptoms. • These findings substantiate the multidimensional structure of burnout and underscore burnout as a distinct concept separate from depression. Research on burnout has garnered considerable attention since its inception. However, the ongoing debate persists regarding the conceptual model of burnout and its relationship with depression. Thus, we conducted a network analysis to determine the dimensional structure of burnout and the burnout-depression overlap. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used to measure burnout and depression among 1096 college students. We constructed networks for burnout, depression, and a burnout-depression co-occurrence network. The results showed that cynicism symptom was the most central to the burnout network. In the co-occurrence network, depressive symptoms ("anhedonia", "fatigue") and burnout symptom ("doubting the significance of studies") were the most significant in causing burnout-depression comorbidity. Community detection revealed three communities within burnout symptoms, aligning closely with their three dimensions identified through factor analysis. Additionally, there was no overlap between burnout and depression. In conclusion, our findings support a multidimensional structure of burnout, affirming it as a distinct concept separate from depression. Cynicism, rather than exhaustion, plays the most important role in burnout and the burnout-depression comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kadsura coccinea (Lem.) A. C. Smith is known as "Heilaohu" of the Tujia ethnomedicine in China. It has anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory and liver protective effects, used to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, gastritis and hepatitis. In this research, we investigated the anti-fibrotic effect and possible mechanisms of acetylbinankadsurin A (ACBA) in vitro and in vivo, which is a natural compound derived from roots of K. coccinea. We try to evaluate the efficacy of ACBA in the treatment of liver fibrosis and to explore the underlying mechanisms of ACBA by network pharmacology, machine learning, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and experimental assessment. ACBA was isolated from the CH 2 Cl 2 layer of the roots of K. coccinea through column chromatographic techniques. The structure of ACBA was determined by using 1D and 2D NMR. CCl 4 -induced C57BL/6 mouse liver fibrosis models were established to evaluate the anti-fibrosis effects of ACBA in vivo. The molecular targets of ACBA and liver fibrosis were obtained from various databases, then constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks through the STRING database. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis were applied using the "clusterProfiler" R package. Furthermore, the key genes for ACBA treatment of liver fibrosis were identified by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were also carried out. Finally, the target and pathway of ACBA were verified by immunofluorescence staining, RT-PCR and Western blot. First, ACBA attenuated CCl 4 -induced liver injury and fibrosis in vivo. These findings were accompanied by decreased expression of α-SMA and collagen I. Second, ACBA significantly decreased serum levels of ALT, AST, TNF-α and IL-6. Then, we identified 133 potential targets of ACBA and 7987 targets of liver fibrosis. KEGG analysis showed that ACBA could regulate the drug metabolism - cytochrome P450, fructose and mannose metabolism, IL-17 and NF-κB signaling pathways. Next, six core targets was screened by LASSO analysis including AKR1B1, PFKFB3, EPHA3, CDK1, CCR1 and CYP3A4. Molecular docking showed that ACBA has a good binding affinity for CCR1. Furthermore, compared with CCR1 inhibitor BX-471, The results of molecular simulation dynamics showed that ACBA was stable in binding with CCR1. Consistently, ACBA remarkably downregulated the expression of CCR1, p-NF-κBp65, p-IκBα, p-STAT1 and TNF-α proteins, which were upregulated in CCl 4 -induced hepatic fibrosis and LPS-THP-1 cells. Our results suggest that ACBA significantly attenuated CCl 4 -induced liver fibrosis in histopathological and in serum level. This effect may be mediated by CCR1, NF-κB and STAT1 signalling. [Display omitted] • Acetylbinankadsurin A (ACBA) was isolated from the CH2Cl2 layer of the roots of Tujia ethnomdicine "Heilaohu" (Kadsura coccinea) through column chromatographic techniques. • ACBA significantly ameliorated liver fibrosis in CCl4-induced mice. • Multimodal investigation including network pharmacology, Network pharmacology, machine learning, molecular docking and molecular simulation dynamics with experiment to analyze the mechanism of ACBA. • The anti-liver fibrosis effect of ACBA may involve in the regulation of the CCR1, NF-κB and STAT1 signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetramethylpyrazine nitrone (TBN), a novel derivative of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) designed and synthesized by our group, possesses multi-functional mechanisms of action and displays broad protective effects in vitro and in animal models of age-related brain disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's disease (PD). In the present report, we investigated the effects of TBN on aging, specifically on muscle aging and the associated decline of motor functions. Using a D-galactose-induced aging mouse model, we found that TBN could reverse the levels of several senescence and aging markers including p16, p21, ceramides, and telomere length and increase the wet-weight ratio of gastrocnemius muscle tissue, demonstrating its efficacy in ameliorating muscle aging. Additionally, the pharmacological effects of TBN on motor deficits (gait analysis, pole-climbing test and grip strength test), muscle fibrosis (hematoxylin & eosin (HE), Masson staining, and αSMA staining), inflammatory response (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), and mitochondrial function (ATP, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were also confirmed in the D-galactose-induced aging models. Further experiments demonstrated that TBN alleviated muscle aging and improved the decline of age-related motor deficits through an AMPK-dependent mechanism. These findings highlight the significance of TBN as a potential anti-aging agent to combat the occurrence and development of aging and age-related diseases. [Display omitted] • TBN ameliorates D-galactose-induced muscle aging and improves age-related motor deficits in mice • TBN reduces aged-related muscular fibrosis and atrophy, and inflammatory response • TBN improves age-related mitochondrial impairment and activated the AMPK signaling pathway • TBN suppresses muscle atrophy by modulating NF-κB-Murf1/Atrogin-1 signaling • TBN mitigates muscle aging and age-related motor deficits via AMPK signaling activation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Strengthening effects of LP on fatigue life extension of LCed parts were studied. • LP enhances microhardness, residual stress and fatigue performance. • LP-induced severe plastic deformation helps to close metallurgical defect of LCed parts. • Strengthening mechanism of LP on LCed IN718 alloy was revealed. Strengthening effects of laser peening (LP) on fatigue life extension of IN718 nickel-based alloy parts repaired by laser cladding (LC) were investigated. Special attention was paid on the microhardness, residual stress, microstructures and fatigue performance. The results show that LP increases the microhardness and compressive residual stress of LCed samples and the induced severe plastic deformation closes the metallurgical defect. In addition, LP changes the microstructure of LCed parts, transforms a large number of columnar dendritic structures into cellular dendritic structures. The grains in the subsurface were refined and a high-density dislocation structure is produced as well. As a result, while compared with the matrix sample, the fatigue life of LPed sample with laser power density of 11.30 GW/cm2 is increased by 54.9 %. Finally, synergistic strengthening mechanism of LP on LCed IN718 nickel-based alloy parts through defective pore closure effect, high-amplitude residual stress, and microstructure evolution was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Two forms of ETZ-EMA cocrystal polymorph are synthesized using solvent evaporation and grinding methods. • Further experiments of phase transition between polymorphs induced by temperature and solid-state grinding are performed. • THz and Raman vibrational spectroscopy are used to characterize the structures of ETZ-EMA cocrystal polymorphs and their possible phase transition processes. Two cocrystal polymorphs of ethenzamide (ETZ) and ethylmalonic acid (EMA) were synthesized by solvent evaporation. Crystal structure analysis revealed that the main amide − carboxyl heterosynthon in ETZ-EMA cocrystal Form I and Form II are the same, but the crystal structure of these two polymorphs are different. Terahertz (THz) and Raman vibrational spectroscopy were used to characterize ETZ, EMA, ETZ-EMA cocrystal polymorph Form I and Form II respectively. The experimental results showed that ETZ, EMA, ETZ-EMA cocrystal Form I and ETZ-EMA cocrystal Form II exhibited completely different characteristic peaks. Both THz and Raman vibrational spectroscopy can be used to distinguish ETZ-EMA cocrystal Form I from Form II. Furthermore, the investigation of phase transition induced by temperature and solid-state grinding was also performed. In the temperature phase transition experiments, when the powder sample was heated to a temperature range of 80–82 °C, the metastable ETZ-EMA cocrystal Form I transformed into the more stable ETZ-EMA cocrystal Form II. Solid-state grinding analysis revealed that the results of the ETZ-EMA cocrystal polymorph synthesis in grinding experiments depended on the polarity of the solvents used. Grinding without solvent or with high polarity solvents tended to result in the stable ETZ-EMA cocrystal Form II. Moreover, the metastable ETZ-EMA cocrystal Form I would transform into Form II after further grinding process. These results demonstrate that THz and Raman vibrational spectroscopy have high sensitivity and accuracy in the detection of both cocrystal synthesis and cocrystal polymorph phase transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Optimal timing for post-radiotherapy EBV DNA risk stratification is uncertain. • EBV DNA level is dynamic between 0–2 and 8–12 weeks post-radiotherapy. • Patients switching from detectable to undetectable EBV DNA had better prognosis. • Delayed EBV DNA testing at 8–12 weeks better enriched for high-risk patients. To characterize longitudinal changes in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA post-radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients, and investigate whether an early (0–2 weeks) or delayed (8–12 weeks) EBV DNA result better predicts for disease-free survival (DFS). Histologically-confirmed NPC patients with ≥1 EBV DNA test quantified using the harmonized BamHI-W polymerase chain reaction-based assay at 0–2 and 8–12 weeks post-radiotherapy were included. We identified 302 patients with EBV DNA measured at 0–2 weeks post-radiotherapy; of which, 110 (36.4 %) underwent a repeat test at 8–12 weeks post-treatment. Patients harboring a detectable EBV DNA at 0–2 weeks experienced an inferior DFS (adjusted HR 1-264 copies 1.72 [95 %CI: 1.05–2.83], P = 0.031; AHR ≥265 copies 4.39 [95 %CI: 1.68–11.44], P = 0.002 relative to 0 copies/mL). At 8–12 weeks, we observed substantial shifts in EBV DNA readings from 0 to 2 weeks; 76/110 (69.1 %) and 34/110 (30.9 %) patients at 0–2 weeks versus 90/110 (81.8 %) and 20/110 (18.2 %) at 8–12 weeks recorded undetectable and detectable EBV DNA, respectively. Positive EBV DNA at 8–12 weeks was strongly associated with relapse (73.3 % [11/15] for 1–264; 80.0 % [4/5] for ≥265 subgroups had relapses versus 15.6 % [14/90] for 0 copies/mL). Area under receiver operating curve values for 2-year relapse rates were 0.817 (95 %CI: 0.725–0.909) for stage + EBV DNA 8-12w versus 0.654 (95 %CI: 0.542–0.765) for stage + EBV DNA 0-2w. EBV DNA is dynamic post-radiotherapy, and delayed EBV DNA testing better enriched for higher-risk NPC patients. This implicates trials investigating adjuvant chemotherapy intensification based on early EBV DNA testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]