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Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) is an optical molecular tomography technology with great promise, and it has broad application prospects for its high sensitivity. However, it is still a challenge in reconstruction because of its severe ill-posedness. In this study, a new extraction strategy to determine a permissible region of target is proposed for FMT, which can provide a definite central position and size of the permissible region. Numerical simulation experiments and an in vivo experiment have been carried out to verify the performances of the strategy. The experimental results demonstrated that the strategy can provide a permissible region of target with a definite position and size, which further allowed a steady and accurate reconstruction for FMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the binding of amine‐based hyperbranched macromolecular polyethyleneimine (PEI) to diatomite (DE) was carried out by using the silane coupling agent KH560 (PEI‐KH560‐DE). Fourier infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the structure of the modified DE. Then, the composites were prepared using PEI‐KH560‐DE as the filler in the epoxy resin matrix and then cured with dimethylimidazole. The cured composites were tested for impact resistance, flexural properties, and tensile properties, and then subjected to DSC. The experimental results showed that when different proportions of diatomite or modified diatomite were added to the epoxy resin matrix, the strength and toughness of the composites could be significantly enhanced. When the content of PEI‐KH560‐DE was 15 wt%, the impact strength of the composites reached the maximum value of 5.39 kJ/m2, which was 156.67% higher than that of the pure epoxy resin (2.10 kJ/m2). The tensile strength was also improved from 16.38 MPa of the pure epoxy resin to 26.55 MPa, corresponding to an increase of 62.09%. With the addition of modified diatomite, the Tdmax and char yield of the composites were significantly enhanced, indicating that the addition of diatomite can enhance the heat resistance and thermal stability of the composites. The curing kinetics study showed that the addition of PEI‐KH560‐DE can significantly reduce the apparent activation energy required for the curing reaction of epoxy resin probably due to the presence of amine group in PEI, which plays a role in promoting the curing behavior. Highlights: Amine groups and flexible chain segments were introduced into diatomite.Mechanism of polyethyleneimine‐modified diatomite was investigated.Improved mechanical and thermal properties of PEI‐KH560‐DE/EP composites.Curing kinetics showed that amine groups reduce apparent activation energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnetic (FM) and antiferromagnetic (AFM) materials offers unprecedented opportunities for spintronics and magneto‐optic devices. Combining magnetic Kerr microscopy and density functional theory calculations, the AFM‐FM transition is investigated and a surprising abnormal magneto‐optic anisotropy in vdW CrSBr associated with different magnetic phases (FM, AFM, or paramagnetic state) is discovered. This unique magneto‐optic property leads to different anisotropic optical reflectivity from different magnetic states, permitting direct imaging of the AFM Néel vector orientation and the dynamic process of the AFM‐FM transition within a magnetic field. Using Kerr microscopy, not only the domain nucleation and propagation process is imaged but also the intermediate spin‐flop state in the AFM‐FM transition is identified. The unique magneto‐optic property and clear identification of the dynamics process of the AFM‐FM phase transition in CrSBr demonstrate the promise of vdW magnetic materials for future spintronic technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve accurate and highly sensitive determination of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in baked food, a magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) technique based on magnetic covalent organic frameworks (COFs) material was established to achieve the selective and efficient enrichment of two major AGEs (i. e. Nε-carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) and Nε-(carboxyethyl) lysine (CEL)) in baked foods. The quantitative analysis of CML and CEL was conducted with high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method. Results showed that the synthesized magnetic COFs material showed big specific surface area and strong magnetism, which was suitable for MSPE. The optimum conditions of MSPE were as follows: the amount of adsorbent was 20 mg, the time of vortex extraction was 20 min, the elution solvent was 5% ammonia/methanol solution, the volume of elution solvent was 4 mL, the elution time was 15 min. The limits of detection of CML and CEL for the established method were 2.05 ng/mL and 2.31 ng/mL, respectively, while the limits of quantification were 6.83 ng/mL and 7.71 ng/mL, respectively. And intra-day and inter-day precisions were good (RSDintra-day ≤ 4.74%, RSDinter-day ≤ 5.38%). The recoveries of CML and CEL in typical food matrixes (i. e. biscuits and nuts) were in the range of 90.70% ~ 108.74% and 85.50% ~ 113.00%, respectively. Applying the analytical method established in this article to the determination of CML and CEL contents in 26 commercially available baked goods, it was found that the contents of CML and CEL in biscuits and pastries were in the range of (9.60 ± 0.16) ~ (78.10 ± 1.12) mg/kg, and (4.37 ± 0.23) ~ (26.70 ± 1.27) mg/kg, respectively; while the contents of CML and CEL in nuts were in the range of (6.49 ± 0.13) ~ (82.00 ± 0.98) mg/kg, and (6.65 ± 0.30) ~ (55.90 ± 0.67) mg/kg, respectively. The established method could effectively purify samples and significantly reduce matrix effect, and thus showed high accuracy for quantitative analysis. Furthermore, the synthesized magnetic COFs material could be recycled for 5 times, which was suitable for the determination of CML and CEL in baked food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Observational studies have suggested an association between lipid‐lowering drugs and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) risk. This study aimed to assess the causal influence of lipid‐lowering agents on IBD risk using Mendelian randomization analysis. Method: In a population of 173,082 individuals of European ancestry, 55 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms were identified as instrumental variables for 6 lipid‐lowering drug targets (HMGCR, NPC1LC, PCSK9, LDLR, CETP and APOB). Summary statistics for the genome‐wide association study of IBD, ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) were obtained from the FinnGen consortium, Program in Complex Trait Genomics and UK Biobank. Inverse‐variance weighted was employed as the primary MR method, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals were reported as the results. Sensitivity analyses using conventional MR methods were conducted to assess result robustness. Results: Gene‐proxied inhibition of Niemann‐Pick C1‐like 1 (NPC1L1) was associated with an increased IBD risk (OR [95% CI]: 2.31 [1.38, 3.85]; p =.001), particularly in UC (OR [95% CI]: 2.40 [1.21, 4.74], p =.012), but not in CD. This finding was replicated in the validation cohort. Additionally, gene‐proxied inhibition of low‐density lipoprotein receptor was associated with reduced IBD (OR [95% CI]:.72 [.60,.87], p <.001) and UC risk (OR [95% CI]:.74 [.59,.92], p =.006), although this result was not replicated in the validation cohort. Other drug targets did not show significant associations with IBD, UC or CD risk. Conclusion: Inhibition of the lipid‐lowering drug‐target NPC1L1 leads to an increased IBD risk, mainly in the UC population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although multiple myeloma is still incurable, an abundance of novel treatments have become available for relapsed and or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). Direct head-to-head comparisons between the novel treatments are lacking. We performed a network meta-analysis to evaluate immediate effects such as response quality of current novel-drugs combined therapeutic regimens, with the aim to identify treatments that could be more effective than others in RRMM. We searched Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for randomized controlled clinical trials receiving novel-drugs combined treatments as means of interventions. The primary endpoint was objective response rates (ORRs). We used the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) to sequence treatments. Totally, 22 randomized controlled trials were identified for final evaluation. With the aim to include all regimens within one network analysis, we divided the treatment schemes into 13 categories according to the use of novel drugs. Carfilzomib-, daratumumab-, and isatuximab-based treatments had better ORRs than bortezomib combined dexamethasone and lenalidomide combined dexamethasone. Daratumumab- and isatuximab-based treatments had better ORRs than pomalidomide combined dexamethasone. According to the SUCRA, daratumumab- and isatuximab-based triple-drug regimens had higher probabilities of achieving better ORRs, followed by carfilzomib, elotuzumab, venetoclax, selinexor, ixazomib, vorinostat, pomalidomide, panobinostat, lenalidomide. Our network meta-analysis performed a complete review of the ORRs of all current available novel-drugs based regimens for RRMM. By using the clinical data all from randomized controlled studies, daratumumab- and isatuximab-based treatments were identified to be the best treatments receiving better response quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]