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Summary: The composite film with collagen as the main component has been widely used due to its characteristics of non‐toxicity, environmental protection and health. Fish skin, a by‐product of fish, is an excellent source of collagen. Thus, collagen was extracted from an under‐utilised species, Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) skin, and the composite film of fish skin collagen–chitosan–cinnamon essential oil was prepared by casting. The effects of the ratio of collagen to chitosan (2:8, 4:6, 5:5, 6:4, 8:2) and the concentration of essential oil (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, and 0.4% (v/v)) on the composite film were studied. The structures of the composite films were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X‐ray diffractometry (XRD). The collagen content of Atlantic cod skin is approximately 50.12%, which is significantly higher than that found in basa fish and Nile tilapia (P < 0.05). The content of hydroxyproline was 4.51%. Analyses of tensile strength, elongation at break, water vapor permeability, and water solubility showed Co4Ch6 (Co:Ch = 4:6) had the optimal comprehensive performance, and Co4Ch6–0.2 (Co4Ch6 with 0.2% CEO) had high water resistance in the high‐humidity environment. As the CEO concentration rose, the composite films' infrared absorption bands were enhanced in amplitude, and the XRD peaks were gradually intensified, indicating the internal crystallinity and, thereby, the opacity of the composite films were improved. The bacteriostasis zones Co4Ch6–0.4 against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 2.02 cm and 1.73 cm, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging rate of Co4Ch6 rose with the increase in CEO concentration, and the DPPH radical scavenging rate of C04Ch6–0.4 was up to 48.56%. Thus, the composite films prepared from fish skin collagen, chitosan, and cinnamon essential oils have outstanding mechanical properties, barrier ability, and antimicrobial activity and are promising for application in food packaging and storage. In addition, the composite films showed a potential antioxidation ability, which might be used as green bioactive films to preserve nutraceutical products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a rare example of cationic three‐dimensional (3D) metal‐organic framework (MOF) of [Cu5Cl3(TMPP)]Cl5 ⋅ xSol (denoted as Cu−TMPP; H2TMPP=meso‐tetrakis (6‐methylpyridin‐3‐yl) porphyrin; xSol=encapsulated solvates) supported by [Cu8Cl6]10+ cluster secondary building units (SBUs) wherein the eight faces of the Cl−‐based octahedron are capped by eight Cu2+. Surface‐area analysis indicated that Cu−TMPP features a mesoporous structure and its solvate‐like Cl− counterions can be exchanged by BF4−, PF6−, and NO3−. The polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coated Cu−TMPP (denoted as Cu−TMPP−PVP) demonstrated good ROS generating ability, producing ⋅OH in the absence of light (peroxidase‐like activity) and 1O2 on light irradiation (650 nm; 25 mW cm−2). This work highlights the potential of Cu−TMPP as a functional carrier of anionic guests such as drugs, for the combination therapy of cancer and other diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of performing carbogen gas-challenge blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 25 patients with HCC underwent T2* mapping derived from multi-echo gradient-recalled echo imaging prior to and following breathing carbogen (95% O2 and 5% CO2) for 10 min. Follow-up T2* mapping was performed in 5 patients 1 day after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). T2*, R2* and ∆R2* values (R2*air - R2*carb) of the whole tumor, the solid region of the tumor and the adjacent liver parenchyma were measured and compared in the patients with HCC. The T2* value of the solid region of the tumor following carbogen breathing was higher than the value following room air breathing (P

PurposeTo investigate the utility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) with Gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA) for detecting liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in rats.MethodsThis study was approved by the institutional animal care and use committee. Liver fibrosis in rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL/kg 50% CCl4 twice a week for 4-13 weeks. Control rats were injected with saline. Liver fibrosis was graded using the Metaviar score: no fibrosis (F0), mild fibrosis (F1-F2) and advanced fibrosis (F3-F4). DCE-MRI with Gd-EOB-DTPA was performed for all rats. Ktrans, Kep, Ve and iAUC of the liver parenchyma were measured. Relative enhancement (RE) value of the liver was calculated on T1-weighted images at 15, 20 and 25 min after Gd-EOB-DTPA administration.ResultsThirty-five rats were included: no fibrosis (n=13), mild fibrosis (n=11) and advanced fibrosis (n=11). Ktrans and iAUC values were highest in advanced fibrosis group and lowest in no fibrosis group (P＜0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for fibrosis (stages F1 and greater) were 0.773 and 0.882 for Ktrans and iAUC, respectively. AUROC for advanced fibrosis were 0.835 and 0.867 for Ktrans and iAUC, respectively. Kep and RE values were not able to differentiate fibrosis stages (all P＞0.05).ConclusionKtrans and iAUC obtained from DCE-MRI with Gd-EOB-DTPA are useful for the detection and staging of rat liver fibrosis induced by CCl4.

Background: Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI has not been widely used and its role in evaluating exertional heat illness (EHI)‐related myocardial involvement remains unknown. Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of strain curve‐derived trigger delay (TD) IVIM‐MRI and its role in assessing myocardial diffusion and microvascular perfusion of EHI patients. Study Type: Prospective. Subjects: A total of 42 male EHI patients (median age: 21 years) and 22 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls (HC). Field Strength/Sequence: A 3‐T, diffusion‐weighted spin‐echo echo‐planar‐imaging sequence. Assessment: IVIM‐MRI was acquired by conventional TD method (group A) or strain curve‐based TD method (group B) in random order. IVIM image quality was evaluated on a 3‐point Likert scale (1, nondiagnostic; 2, moderate; 3, good). Technical success was defined as image quality score = 3. IVIM‐MRI‐derived parameters (pseudo diffusion in the capillaries [D*], perfusion fraction [f], and slow apparent diffusion coefficient [D]) were compared between EHI and HC. Statistical Tests: Student's t‐tests, chi‐square tests, one‐way analysis of variance, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). The statistical significance level was set at P < 0.05. Results: IVIM‐MRI image quality score (median [interquartile range]: 3 [2, 3] vs. 2 [1–3]) and technical success rate (61.9%[13/21] vs. 28.6%[6/21]) were significantly improved in group B. EHI patients showed significantly decreased D* (118.1 ± 23.3 × 10−3 mm2/sec vs. 142.7 ± 42.6 × 10−3 mm2/sec) and f values (0.42 ± 0.12 vs. 0.51 ± 0.11) and significantly higher D values (3.0 ± 0.9 × 10−3 mm2/sec vs. 2.5 ± 0.6 × 10−3 mm2/sec) compared to HC. Relative to D and D*, f showed the most robust efficacy for detecting EHI‐related myocardial injury with the highest area under the ROC curve (0.906: 95% confidence interval, 0.799, 0.967) and sensitivity of 88.5% and specificity of 85.6%. Conclusion: The strain curve‐based TD method significantly improved image quality and technical success rate of IVIM‐MRI, and f value may be an effective biomarker to assess myocardial microcirculation abnormalities of EHI patients. Evidence Level: 2. Technical Efficacy: Stage 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report the exciton polaritons in both positive and negative detuning micro cavities based on InGaN multi-quantum wells (MQWs) and the first polariton lasing in InGaN/GaN MQWs at room temperature by utilizing a 4.5λ Fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity with double dielectric distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs). Double thresholds corresponding respectively to polariton lasing and photonic lasing are observed along with half-width narrowing and peak blue-shifts. The threshold of polariton lasing is about half of the threshold of photonic lasing. Our results paved a substantial way for ultra-low threshold lasers and room temperature Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) in nitride semiconductors.