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AIM: To evaluate the added value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) combined with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection of new, very small hepatocellular carcinoma lesions (<=1 cm) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma following interventional therapy compared to conventional MRI alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After interventional therapy, 45 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma underwent conventional MRI and DWI with a b-value of 0 and 700 s/mm(2). Twenty-one new, small hepatocellular carcinoma lesions were confirmed in 16 patients at follow-up MRI. Two observers independently retrospectively analysed the two imaging sets in random order. The diagnostic performance using each imaging set was evaluated by received operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-one new, very small hepatocellular carcinoma lesions found in 16 patients was confirmed as the final result. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the DWI/conventional MRI combination (observer 1, 0.952; observer 2, 0.976) and conventional MRI images alone (observer 1, 0.905; observer 2, 0.905) were statistically significant. The kappa value of the DWI/conventional MRI combination was 0.884, and that of conventional MRI was 0.722. Among the 21 lesions, 100% (21/21) of the lesions were both recognized by two independent reviewers on DWI, while only 76% (16/21) and 71% (15/21) of the lesions were regarded as very small hepatocellular carcinomas on conventional MRI. CONCLUSION: Due to the higher detection rate of new subcentimetre lesions in hepatocellular carcinoma patients following interventional therapy, DWI could be considered complementary to conventional MRI in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic CB2 receptor agonists exhibit great potential in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, chronic and neuropathic pain, cancer, and inflammation-associated pathologies while avoiding adverse psychoactive effects caused by interactions with CB1 receptors. Herein, a class of 5-aryl-pyrazole-3-carboxamide derivatives was thus designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated. Among the compounds tested, compound 33, one of the most potent leads, showed a remarkably high potency and selectivity at the CB2 receptor (EC 50, CB2  = 16.2 nM, EC 50, CB1  > 10 5  nM). Furthermore, 33 treatment significantly attenuate colon inflammation in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mouse model of colitis, supporting that CB2 receptor agonists might serve as potential therapeutics for treating colitis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we have no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work, there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature or kind in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in, or the review of, the manuscript entitled., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

We propose an α-separable graph Hamiltonian network (α-SGHN) that reveals complex interaction patterns between particles in lattice systems. Utilizing trajectory data, α-SGHN infers potential interactions without prior knowledge about particle coupling, overcoming the limitations of traditional graph neural networks that require predefined links. Furthermore, α-SGHN preserves all conservation laws during trajectory prediction. Experimental results demonstrate that our model, incorporating structural information, outperforms baseline models based on conventional neural networks in predicting lattice systems. We anticipate that the results presented will be applicable beyond the specific on-site and intersite interaction lattices studied, including the Frenkel-Kontorova model, the rotator lattice, and the Toda lattice.

Ablation therapy is a type of minimally invasive treatment, utilized for various organs including the brain, heart, and kidneys. The accuracy of the ablation process is critically important to avoid both insufficient and excessive ablation, which may result in compromised efficacy or complications. The thermal ablation is formulated by two theoretical models: the heat transfer (HT) and necrosis formation (NF) models. In modern medical practices, feed-forward (FF) and temperature feedback (TFB) controls are primarily used as ablation control methodologies. FF involves pre-therapy procedure planning based on previous experiences and theoretical knowledge without monitoring the intraoperative tissue response, hence, it can't compensate for discrepancies in the assumed HT or NF models. These discrepancies can arise due to individual patient's tissue characteristic differences and specific environmental conditions. Conversely, TFB control is based on the intraoperative temperature profile. It estimates the resulting heat damage based on the monitored temperature distribution and assumed NF model. Therefore, TFB can make necessary adjustments even if there is an error in the assumed HT model. TFB is thus seen as a more robust control method against modeling errors in the HT model. Still, TFB is limited as it assumes a fixed NF model, irrespective of the patient or the ablation technique used. An ideal solution to these limitations would be to actively monitor heat damage to the tissue during the operation and utilize this data to control ablation. This strategy is defined as necrosis feedback (NFB) in this study. Such real-time necrosis monitoring modalities making NFB possible are emerging, however, there is an absence of a generalized study that discusses the integration and quantifies the significance of the real-time necrosis monitor techniques for ablation therapy. Such an investigation is expected to clarify the universal principles of how these techniques would improve ablation therapy. In this study, we examine the potential of NFB in suppressing errors associated with the NF model as NFB is theoretically capable of monitoring and suppressing the errors associated with the NF models in its closed control loop. We simulate and compare the performances of TFB and NFB with artificially generated modeling errors using the finite element method (FEM). The results show that NFB provides more accurate ablation control than TFB when NF-oriented errors are applied, indicating NFB's potential to improve the ablation control accuracy and highlighting the value of the ongoing research to make real-time necrosis monitoring a clinically viable option., Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict interest During the preparation of this work, the authors used ChatGPT for proofreading in order to enhance the readability and eliminate grammatical errors. After using this tool, the authors reviewed and edited the content and take full responsibility for the content of the publication. The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Biomedical Engineering Society.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex multifactorial neurodegenerative disease. With the escalating aging of the global population, the societal burden of this disease is increasing. Although drugs are available for the treatment of AD, their efficacy is limited and there remains no effective cure. Therefore, the identification of safe and effective prevention and treatment strategies is urgently needed. Functional factors in foods encompass a variety of natural and safe bioactive substances that show potential in the prevention and treatment of AD. However, current research focused on the use of these functional factors for the prevention and treatment of AD is in its initial stages, and a complete theoretical and application system remains to be determined. An increasing number of recent studies have found that functional factors such as polyphenols, polysaccharides, unsaturated fatty acids, melatonin, and caffeine have positive effects in delaying the progression of AD and improving cognitive function. For example, polyphenols exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects, and polysaccharides promote neuronal growth and inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress. Additionally, unsaturated fatty acids inhibit Aβ production and Tau protein phosphorylation and reduce neuroinflammation, and melatonin has been shown to protect nerve cells and improve cognitive function by regulating mitochondrial homeostasis and autophagy. Caffeine has also been shown to inhibit inflammation and reduce neuronal damage. Future research should further explore the mechanisms of action of these functional factors and develop relevant functional foods or nutritional supplements to provide new strategies and support for the prevention and treatment of AD.

Objective: To investigate the distribution and primary drainage sites of the venous drainage system in the pedicled nasal septal mucosal flap, as well as to examine protective measures for the venous system of the nasal septal mucosal flap and its application in repairing the nasal skull base through the anatomical study of the nasal septum mucosal venous system in cadavers. Methods: Gross anatomy dissections were performed on 13 sides perfused fresh frozen cadaveric head specimens. The nasal septum mucosal flap was separated along the perichondrium and subperiosteum, then passed across the vomer, anterior wall of sphenoid sinus, clivus, and towards the anterior edge of vertical plate of palatine bone. Detailed documentation, including photographs, was made to record the morphology, distribution and drainage location of veins of the nasal septum mucosal flap and its pedicle, along with number of sphenopalatine veins. Furthermore, venous injuries resulting from obtaining a pedicled nasal septal mucosa flap were observed. From March 2023 to March 2024, a retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with nasopharyngeal lesions who underwent surgical repair using a modified pedicled nasal septum mucosal flap for venous system protection in the ENT institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University. The postoperative endoscopy was employed to assess the viability of the mucosal flap. Results: The veins of the nasal septum mucosa were primarily located in the posterior region, including the vomerine region, anterior wall of the sphenoid sinus, clivus region, and posterolateral wall of the nasal cavity, in a reticular pattern. Perforating veins draining into these bony structures could be observed, although their quantity and morphology varied. Notably, no prominent sphenopalatine veins were identified in 10 specimens examined, while 3 specimens exhibited sphenopalatine veins: one with a small single branch and two with venous bundles. Preservation of the nasal septal vein was possible when dissection was limited to the anterior edge of the wing of vomer. A wider range of dissection increased the risk of veinous injury. In cases where only vascular pedicles at the sphenopalatine foramen were preserved, three cadaveric head specimens retained intact sphenopalatine veins, while drainage veins were completely destroyed in ten other specimens. Fifteen patients with unilateral lesions (8 with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 7 with nasopharyngeal radionecrosis) were included in this study. The postoperative reconstructions were carried out using contralateral pedicled nasal septal mucosal flaps. The average follow-up time was 7 months (ranging from 3 to 12 months), and all the nasal septal mucosal flaps survived. Conclusions: The primary location of the drainage vein within the nasal septum mucosa is situated in its posterior region, where it penetrates into adjacent bone structures. Very few sphenopalatine veins pass through the sphenopalatine foramen. Extensive dissection of the pedicled nasal septal mucosal flap may potentially impair the venous system and adversely affect flap survival rates, necessitating further clinical exploration.

Background: The current method for liver graft implantation during the anhepatic phase is complex. Therefore, this study aimed to introduce a modified orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) technique with major vascular reconstruction using cuff technique to simplify the process of liver graft implantation during the anhepatic phase., Methods: Twenty-four canines were randomly assigned to two groups: the modified orthotopic liver transplantation group (M-OLT, n  = 12) and the control group (n = 12). All animals were randomly assigned to the donor or recipient groups. The recipients received orthotopic liver transplantation using a modified technique in the M-OLT group, and OLT using traditional implantation technique without venovenous bypass was performed in the control group. The donor and recipient characteristics were compared between the two groups. Vascular anastomotic patency was evaluated using angiography immediately and one week after surgery., Results: All recipients underwent successful liver transplantation. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of sex, body weight, or cold ischemia time of the donor liver. However, recipients in the M-OLT group had a shorter operation time, less intraoperative blood loss, shorter anhepatic phase, shorter vascular occlusion time, and shorter warm ischemia time than that in the control group (all p  < 0.05). No anastomotic leakage or stenosis was detected in either group after liver transplantation. One recipient in the M-OLT group and three in the control group died within one week of transplantation., Conclusions: This modified technique is safe and feasible for canine liver transplantation and can significantly simplify liver graft implantation procedures during the anhepatic period., Competing Interests: No authors have conflicts of interest or financial ties to disclose., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Entanglement asymmetry, which serves as a diagnostic tool for symmetry breaking and a proxy for thermalization, has recently been proposed and studied in the context of symmetry restoration for quantum many-body systems undergoing a quench. In this Letter, we investigate symmetry restoration in various symmetric random quantum circuits, particularly focusing on the U(1) symmetry case. In contrast to nonsymmetric random circuits where the U(1) symmetry of a small subsystem can always be restored at late times, we reveal that symmetry restoration can fail in U(1)-symmetric circuits for certain weak symmetry-broken initial states in finite-size systems. In the early-time dynamics, we observe an intriguing quantum Mpemba effect implying that symmetry is restored faster when the initial state is more asymmetric. Furthermore, we also investigate the entanglement asymmetry dynamics for SU(2) and Z&#95;{2} symmetric circuits and identify the presence and absence of the quantum Mpemba effect for the corresponding symmetries, respectively. A unified understanding of these results is provided through the lens of quantum thermalization with conserved charges.

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) play a substantial role in the process of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). The present work aimed to determine the probable mechanism by which LncRNA TUG1 exacerbates CIRI via the miR-340-5p/phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) pathway. After developing a middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) model, pcDNA-TUG1 together with miR-340-5p agomir were administrated in vivo. Furthermore, the neurologic defects in rats were assessed by a modified neurological severity score. Moreover, 2,3,5-Triphenyl-2 H-tetrazolium chloride stain-step was performed to determine the brain's infarct size. In addition, western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and qRT-PCR experiments were utilized for gauging the proteomic/genomic expression-profiles. Luciferase reporter assay validated correlations across TUG1, miR-340-5p, together with PTEN. The results indicated relatively reduced miR-340-5p levels in MCAO/R models, while upregulated TUG1 levels. The pcDNA-TUG1-treated rats indicated increasing neurological dysfunction, whereas the miR-340-5p agomir-treated rats showed improvement. Furthermore, miR-340-5p was determined to be the expected and confirmed TUG1 target. All things considered, the findings suggested that PTEN can serve as the target of miR-340-5p. In addition, TUG1 served as a miR-340-5p ceRNA, which promotes PTEN modulation. Furthermore, TUG1 overexpression decreased miR-340-5p's capacity to fend against CIRI. Conclusively, this work proved that in CIRI, targeting the TUG1/miR-340-5p/PTEN regulatory axis is a viable approach for the treatment of ischemic stroke., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://qims.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/qims-24-910/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a minimally invasive therapy for atrial fibrillation. Conventional RF procedures lack intraoperative monitoring of ablation-induced necrosis, complicating assessment of completeness. While spectroscopic photoacoustic (sPA) imaging shows promise in distinguishing ablated tissue, multi-spectral imaging is challenging in vivo due to low imaging quality caused by motion. Here, we introduce a cardiac-gated sPA imaging (CG-sPA) framework to enhance image quality using a motion-gated averaging filter, relying on image similarity. Necrotic extent was calculated based on the ratio between spectral unmixed ablated tissue contrast and total tissue contrast, visualizing as a continuous color map to highlight necrotic area. The validation of the concept was conducted in both ex vivo and in vivo swine models. The ablation-induced necrotic lesion was successfully detected throughout the cardiac cycle through CG-sPA imaging. The results suggest the CG-sPA imaging framework has great potential to be incorporated into clinical workflow to guide ablation procedures intraoperatively., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with impaired adipose tissue physiology. Elevated brown adipose tissue (BAT) mass or activity has shown potential in the treatment of PCOS. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether BAT-derived exosomes (BAT-Exos), as potential biomarkers of BAT activity, exert similar benefits as BAT in the treatment of PCOS. PCOS was induced in female C57BL/6J mice orally administered 1 mg/kg of letrozole for 21 days. Subsequently, the animals underwent transplantation with BAT or administered BAT-Exos (200 μg) isolated from young healthy mice via the tail vein; healthy female mice were used as controls. The results indicate that BAT-Exos treatment significantly reduced body weight and improved insulin resistance in PCOS mice. In addition, BAT-Exos improved ovulation function by reversing the acyclicity of the estrous cycle, decreasing circulating luteinizing hormone and testosterone, recovering ovarian performance, and improving oocyte quality, leading to a higher pregnancy rate and litter size. Furthermore, western blotting revealed reduced expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and increased expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in the ovaries of mice in the BAT-Exos group. To further explore the role of the STAT3/GPX4 signaling pathway in PCOS mice, we treated the mice with an intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg stattic, a STAT3 inhibitor. Consistent with BAT-Exos treatment, the administration of stattic rescued letrozole-induced PCOS phenotypes. These findings suggest that BAT-Exos treatment might be a potential therapeutic strategy for PCOS and that the STAT3/GPX4 signaling pathway is a critical therapeutic target for PCOS., (© 2024 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.)

The recent discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in La&#95;{3}Ni&#95;{2}O&#95;{7} offers a fresh platform for exploring unconventional pairing mechanisms. Starting with the basic argument that the electrons in d&#95;{z^{2}} orbitals nearly form local moments, we examine the effect of the Hubbard interaction U on the binding strength of Cooper pairs based on a single-orbital bilayer model with intralayer hopping t&#95;{∥} and interlayer superexchange J&#95;{⊥}. By extensive density matrix renormalization group calculations, we observe a remarkable enhancement in binding energy as much as 10-20 times larger with U/t&#95;{∥} increasing from 0 to 12 at J&#95;{⊥}/t&#95;{∥}∼1. We demonstrate that such a substantial enhancement stems from a kinetic-energy-driven mechanism. Specifically, a Z&#95;{2} Berry phase will emerge at large U due to the Hilbert space restriction (Mottness), which strongly suppresses the mobility of single particle propagation as compared to U=0. However, the kinetic energy of the electrons (holes) can be greatly restored by forming an interlayer spin-singlet pairing, which naturally results in a superconducting state even for relatively small J&#95;{⊥}. An effective hard-core bosonic model is further proposed to estimate the superconducting transition temperature at the mean-field level.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be used to image microstructures of human kidneys. However, current OCT probes exhibit inadequate field-of-view, leading to potentially biased kidney assessment. Here we present a robotic OCT system where the probe is integrated to a robot manipulator, enabling wider area (covers an area of 106.39 mm by 37.70 mm) spatially-resolved imaging. Our system comprehensively scans the kidney surface at the optimal altitude with preoperative path planning and OCT image-based feedback control scheme. It further parameterizes and visualizes microstructures of large area. We verified the system positioning accuracy on a phantom as 0.0762 ± 0.0727 mm and showed the clinical feasibility by scanning ex vivo kidneys. The parameterization reveals vasculatures beneath the kidney surface. Quantification on the proximal convoluted tubule of a human kidney yields clinical-relevant information. The system promises to assess kidney viability for transplantation after collecting a vast amount of whole-organ parameterization and patient outcomes data., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In this paper, we present a new method of performing extended dynamic mode decomposition (EDMD) on systems, which admit a symbolic representation. EDMD generates estimates of the Koopman operator, K, for a dynamical system by defining a dictionary of observables on the space and producing an estimate, Km, which is restricted to be invariant on the span of this dictionary. A central question for the EDMD is what should the dictionary be? We consider a class of chaotic dynamical systems with a known or estimable generating partition. For these systems, we construct an effective dictionary from indicators of the "cylinder sets," which arise in defining the "symbolic system" from the generating partition. We prove strong operator topology convergence for both the projection onto the span of our dictionary and for Km. We also prove practical finite-step estimation bounds for the projection and Km as well. Finally, we demonstrate some numerical results on eigenspectrum estimation and forecasting applied to the dyadic map and the logistic map., (© 2024 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing.)

Objective: To investigate the value of myocardium scar area in predicting adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Methods: The first part of this study was a retrospective study. Patients diagnosed with ICM and undergoing CABG surgery at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2017 to December 2022 were enrolled as the discovery cohort. All patients underwent cardiac magnetic resonance-late gadolinium enhancement (CMR-LGE) before surgery. According to the occurrence of postoperative MACEs, the patients were divided into MACEs group and MACEs-free group. Preoperative clinical and imaging data, intraoperative and postoperative data were collected and compared between the two groups. The primary endpoint was postoperative MACEs. Univariate and multifactor regression analyses were used to analyze the risk factors for MACEs. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate the predictive efficacy and optimal cut-off value of myocardial scar area for endpoint events. The second part of this study was a prospective study. Patients with ICM who received CABG at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2023 to June 2023 were enrolled as a validation cohort, and were divided into MACEs group and MACEs-free group according to whether MACEs occurred after surgery. Preoperative clinical and imaging data, intraoperative and postoperative data were collected and compared between the two groups. Verify the reliability of the cut-off value obtained by ROC curve in the validation cohort. Results: A total of 120 patients with ICM (30 patients in MACEs group and 90 patients in MACEs-free group), aged (61.6±8.7) years, including 93 males, were included in the discovery cohort. A total of 22 ICM patients (5 patients in MACEs group and 17 patients in MACEs-free group), aged (59.5±8.2) years, including 18 males, were included in the validation cohort. Multivariate Cox regression showed that myocardial scar area ( HR =1.258, 95% CI 1.096-1.444, P =0.001) was an independent risk factor for the primary endpoint event. The area under ROC curve of myocardial scar area for predicting postoperative MACEs was 0.90 (95% CI 0.83-0.95), and myocardial scar area≥36.0% was the optimal cut-off value for predicting postoperative MACEs, and its sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 96.7%, 72.2% and 78.3%, respectively. In the validation cohort, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of myocardial scar area in predicting postoperative MACEs in patients with ICM after CABG were 80.0%, 82.4% and 81.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Myocardial scar area is an independent risk factor for MACEs after CABG in patients with ICM, and myocardial scar area≥36.0% is the optimal cut-off value for predicting MACEs after CABG. Myocardial scar area can help to identify patients at high risk of surgery and provide a basis for risk stratification of patients.

Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is the most common type of heart arrhythmia, typically treated with radiofrequency catheter ablation to isolate the heart from abnormal electrical signals. Monitoring the formation of ablation-induced lesions is crucial for preventing recurrences and complications arising from excessive or insufficient ablation. Existing imaging modalities lack real-time feedback, and their intraoperative usage is in its early stages. A critical need exists for an imaging-based lesion indexing (LSI) method that directly reflects tissue necrosis formation. Previous studies have indicated that spectroscopic photoacoustic (sPA) imaging can differentiate ablated tissues from their non-ablated counterparts based on PA spectrum variation. In this paper, we introduce a method for detecting ablation lesion boundaries using sPA imaging. This approach utilizes ablation LSI, which quantifies the ratio between the signal from ablated tissue and the total tissue signal. We enhance boundary detection accuracy by adapting a regression model-based compensation. Additionally, the method was cross-validated with clinically used intraoperative monitoring parameters. The proposed method was validated with ex vivo porcine cardiac tissues with necrotic lesions created by different ablation durations. The PA-measured lesion size was compared with gross pathology. Statistical analysis demonstrates a strong correlation (R > 0.90) between the PA-detected lesion size and gross pathology. The PA-detected lesion size also exhibits a moderate to strong correlation (R > 0.75) with local impedance changes recorded during procedures. These results suggest that the introduced PA imaging-based LSI has great potential to be incorporated into the clinical workflow, guiding ablation procedures intraoperatively., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy is challenging. This study investigated a minimally invasive approach to salvage retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma., Methods: An anatomical study of four fresh cadaveric heads was conducted to demonstrate the relevant details of retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy using the endoscopic transoral medial pterygomandibular fold approach. Six patients with nasopharyngeal cancer with retropharyngeal lymph node recurrence, who underwent retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy with the endoscopic transoral medial pterygomandibular fold technique at the Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University from July to December 2021, were included in this study., Results: The anatomical study demonstrated that the endoscopic transoral medial pterygomandibular fold approach offers a short path and minimally invasive approach to the retropharyngeal space. The surgical procedure was well tolerated by all patients, with no significant post-operative complications., Conclusion: The endoscopic transoral medial pterygomandibular fold approach is safe and efficient for retropharyngeal lymphadenectomy.

We introduce the Discrete-Temporal Sobolev Network (DTSN), a neural network loss function that assists dynamical system forecasting by minimizing variational differences between the network output and the training data via a temporal Sobolev norm. This approach is entirely data-driven, architecture agnostic, and does not require derivative information from the estimated system. The DTSN is particularly well suited to chaotic dynamical systems as it minimizes noise in the network output which is crucial for such sensitive systems. For our test cases we consider discrete approximations of the Lorenz-63 system and the Chua circuit. For the network architectures we use the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and the Transformer. The performance of the DTSN is compared with the standard MSE loss for both architectures, as well as with the Physics Informed Neural Network (PINN) loss for the LSTM. The DTSN loss is shown to substantially improve accuracy for both architectures, while requiring less information than the PINN and without noticeably increasing computational time, thereby demonstrating its potential to improve neural network forecasting of dynamical systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ground state preparation is classically intractable for general Hamiltonians. On quantum devices, shallow parametrized circuits can be effectively trained to obtain short-range entangled states under the paradigm of variational quantum eigensolver, while deep circuits are generally untrainable due to the barren plateau phenomenon. In this Letter, we give a general lower bound on the variance of circuit gradients for arbitrary quantum circuits composed of local 2-designs. Based on our unified framework, we prove the absence of barren plateaus in training finite local-depth circuits (FLDC) for the ground states of local Hamiltonians. FLDCs are allowed to be deep in the conventional circuit depth to generate long-range entangled ground states, such as topologically ordered states, but their local depths are finite, i.e., there is only a finite number of gates acting on individual qubits. This characteristic sets FLDC apart from shallow circuits: FLDC in general cannot be classically simulated to estimate local observables efficiently by existing tensor network methods in two and higher dimensions. We validate our analytical results with extensive numerical simulations and demonstrate the effectiveness of variational training using the generalized toric code model.

Objective: To analyze the clinical application value of serum heme oxygenase (HO)-1expression level in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and, based on that, establish a diagnostic model combined with glucose regulatory protein 78 (GRP78) so as to clarify its diagnostic effectiveness and application value. Methods: A total of 210 NAFLD patients diagnosed by abdominal B-ultrasound and liver elastography were included, and at the same time, 170 healthy controls were enrolled. The general clinical data, peripheral blood cell counts, and biochemical indicators of the research subjects were collected. The expression levels of HO-1 and GRP78 were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Multivariate analysis was used to screen independent risk factors for NAFLD. Visual output was performed through nomogram diagrams, and the diagnostic model was constructed. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness of NAFLD. Measurement data were analyzed using a t -test or Mann-Whitney U rank sum test to detect data differences between groups. Enumeration data were analyzed using the Fisher's exact probability test or the Pearson χ (2) test. Results: Compared with the healthy control group, the white blood cell count, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GTT), fasting blood glucose (Glu), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), serum HO-1, and GRP78 levels were significantly increased in the NAFLD group patients ( P  < 0.05). Binary logistic analysis results showed that AST, TG, LDL-C, serum HO-1, and GRP78 were independent risk factors for NAFLD ( P  < 0.05). A nomogram clinical predictive model HGATL was established using HO-1 (H), GRP78 (G) combined with AST (A), TG (T), and LDL-C (L), with the formula P =-21.469+3.621×HO-1+0.116 ×GRP78+0.674×AST+6.250×TG+4.122 ×LDL-C. The results confirmed that the area under the ROC curve of the HGATL model was 0.965 8, with an optimal cutoff value of 81.69, a sensitivity of 87.06%, a specificity of 92.82%, a P  < 0.05, and the diagnostic effectiveness significantly higher than that of a single indicator. The calibration curve and DCA both showed that the model had good diagnostic performance. Conclusion: The HGATL model can be used as a novel, non-invasive diagnosis model for NAFLD and has a positive application value in NAFLD diagnosis and therapeutic effect evaluation. Therefore, it should be explored and promoted in clinical applications.

Objective: Quantified MRCP imaging data was used as a reference for design and preparation of a modified percutaneous transhepatic cholangio drainage (PTCD) tube. Methods: 3.0 T upper abdominal MR and MRCP imaging data of 2 300 patients treated from July 2015 to July 2020 at the Department of Radiology of the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University were screened and a total of 381 patients diagnosed with biliary duct structures were identified. Causative etiologies among these patients included pancreatic adenocarcinoma (pancreatic head), cholangiocarcinoma, ampullary carcinoma, as well as intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic bile duct dilation. An improved PTCD tube was designed based on MRCP quantification of left and right hepatic and common hepatic duct length. Results: In the setting of biliary obstruction caused by malignancy, the distance of the left hepatic duct from its origin to the point of left and right hepatic duct confluence was 15.9±3.8 mm, while the distance of the right hepatic duct from its origin to the point of left and right hepatic duct confluence was 12.4±3.2 mm; the length of the bile duct from its origin to the point of left and right hepatic duct confluence was 34.0±8.1 mm. The improved PTCD tube design incorporated an altered length of the drainage orifice. Conclusion: MRCP imaging of the biliary tract is effective for measuring biliary tract length in the setting of pathological dilation. Based on our biliary tract measurements, a modified PTCD tube was designed to more effectively meet drainage requirements and manage biliary obstruction caused by Bismuth-Corlette type Ⅱ and Ⅲ malignancies.

This paper introduces a deconvolution-based method to enhance the elevation resolution of a linear array-based three-dimensional (3D) photoacoustic (PA) imaging system. PA imaging combines the high contrast of optical imaging with the deep, multi-centimeter spatial resolution of ultrasound (US) imaging, providing structural and functional information about biological tissues. Linear array-based 3D PA imaging is easily accessible and applicable for ex vivo studies, small animal research, and clinical applications in humans. However, its elevation resolution is limited by the acoustic lens geometry, which establishes a single elevation focus. Previous work used synthetic aperture focusing (SAF) to enhance elevation resolution, but the resolution achievable by SAF is constrained by the size of the elevation focus. Here, we introduce the application of Richardson-Lucy deconvolution, grounded in simulated point-spread-functions, to surpass the elevation resolution attainable with SAF alone. We validated this approach using both simulation and experimental data, demonstrating that the full-width-at-half-maximum of point targets on the elevation plane was reduced compared to using SAF only, suggesting resolution improvement. This method shows promise for improving 3D image quality of existing linear array-based PA imaging systems, offering potential benefits for disease diagnosis and monitoring., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 Optica Publishing Group.)

Unsaturated amides represent common functional groups found in natural products and bioactive molecules and serve as versatile synthetic building blocks. Here, we report an iron(II)/cobalt(II) dual catalytic system for the syntheses of distally unsaturated amide derivatives. The transformation proceeds through an iron nitrenoid-mediated 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer (1,5-HAT) mechanism. Subsequently, the radical intermediate undergoes hydrogen atom abstraction from vicinal methylene by a cobaloxime catalyst, efficiently yielding β,γ- or γ,δ-unsaturated amide derivatives under mild conditions. The efficiency of Co-mediated HAT can be tuned by varying different auxiliaries, highlighting the generality of this protocol. Remarkably, this desaturation protocol is also amenable to practical scalability, enabling the synthesis of unsaturated carbamates and ureas, which can be readily converted into various valuable molecules.

Osteoclasts are over-activated as we age, which results in bone loss. Src deficiency in mice leads to severe osteopetrosis due to a functional defect in osteoclasts, indicating that Src function is essential in osteoclasts. G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the targets for ∼35% of approved drugs but it is still unclear how GPCRs regulate Src kinase activity. Here, we reveal that GPR54 activation by its natural ligand Kisspeptin-10 (Kp-10) causes Dusp18 to dephosphorylate Src at Tyr 416. Mechanistically, Gpr54 recruits both active Src and the Dusp18 phosphatase at its proline/arginine-rich motif in its C terminus. We show that Kp-10 binding to Gpr54 leads to the up-regulation of Dusp18. Kiss1, Gpr54 and Dusp18 knockout mice all exhibit osteoclast hyperactivation and bone loss, and Kp-10 abrogated bone loss by suppressing osteoclast activity in vivo. Therefore, Kp-10/Gpr54 is a promising therapeutic target to abrogate bone resorption by Dusp18-mediated Src dephosphorylation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aim: To investigate the potential of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging to predict perineural invasion (PNI) preoperatively in resectable gastric cancer (GC)., Materials and Methods: This study prospectively recruited 85 surgically resected GC patients (58 men, 27 women) aged 60.87 ± 10.17 (39-81) years, who underwent IVIM sequence within 1 week before surgery. According to histopathological PNI diagnoses, patients were divided into PNI positive and negative groups. Conventional apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and the IVIM parameters, including true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D∗), and pseudodiffusion fraction (f), were compared between the two groups. Morphological MRI features were also analysed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to screen independent predictors of PNI. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were preformed to evaluate the efficacy. Spearman's correlation test was performed to analyse the relationship between MRI parameters and PNI., Results: Tumour thickness and f in PNI-positive group were higher, whereas the ADC, D were lower than those in PNI-negative group (p<0.05). These four parameters correlated with PNI (p<0.05). The D, f, and tumour thickness were independent predictors of PNI. The area under the curve of ADC, D, f, thickness, and the combined parameter (D + f + thickness) were 0.648, 0.745, 0.698, 0.725, and 0.869, respectively. The combined parameter demonstrated higher efficacy than any other parameters (p<0.05)., Conclusion: The ADC, D, and f can effectively distinguish PNI status in GC. The D, f, and thickness were independent predictors of PNI., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is known to result in left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, and ischemic/nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (ICM/NIDCM). However, less is known about the prognostic value of T2DM on LV longitudinal function and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) assessed with cardiac MRI in ICM/NIDCM patients., Purpose: To measure LV longitudinal function and myocardial scar in ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM and to determine their prognostic values., Study Type: Retrospective cohort., Population: Two hundred thirty-five ICM/NIDCM patients (158 with T2DM and 77 without T2DM)., Field Strength/sequence: 3T; steady-state free precession cine; phase-sensitive inversion recovery segmented gradient echo LGE sequences., Assessment: Global peak longitudinal systolic strain rate (GLPSSR) was evaluated to LV longitudinal function with feature tracking. The predictive value of GLPSSR was determined with ROC curve. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured. The primary adverse cardiovascular endpoint was follow up every 3 months., Statistical Tests: Mann-Whitney U test or student's t-test; Intra and inter-observer variabilities; Kaplan-Meier method; Cox proportional hazards analysis (threshold = 5%)., Results: ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM exhibited significantly lower absolute value of GLPSSR (0.39 ± 0.14 vs. 0.49 ± 0.18) and higher proportion of LGE positive (+) despite similar LV ejection fraction, compared to without T2DM. LV GLPSSR was able to predict primary endpoint (AUC 0.73) and optimal cutoff point was 0.4. ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM (GLPSSR < 0.4) had more markedly impaired survival. Importantly, this group (GLPSSR < 0.4, HbA1c ≥ 7.8%, or LGE (+)) exhibited the worst survival. In multivariate analysis, GLPSSR, HbA1c, and LGE (+) significantly predicted primary adverse cardiovascular endpoint in overall ICM/NIDCM and ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM., Conclusions: T2DM has an additive deleterious effect on LV longitudinal function and myocardial fibrosis in ICM/NIDCM patients. Combining GLPSSR, HbA1c, and LGE could be promising markers in predicting outcomes in ICM/NIDCM patients with T2DM., Evidence Level: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: 5., (© 2023 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

Carboxymethyl chitosan and resistant starch exhibit good performance in diabetes regulation. We prepared carboxymethyl chitosan - resistant starch complex. Test the properties of composite resistant starch by using X-ray diffraction, water contact angle, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, interactions with intestinal microbiota and mouse experiments were also conducted. The results indicated that the composite resistant starch had a good effect on promoting the proliferation of probiotics on Bifidobacterium and a significant inhibitory effect on Escherichia coli than resistant starch (P < 0.05). After administration, the water intake and weight of diabetic mice were significantly reduced. The blood glucose of diabetic mice was also reduced, and oral glucose tolerance showed that the glucose degradation rates of composite resistant starch were significantly improved compared to model mice. Cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein were significantly lower than those in the diabetes group (P < 0.05). The diversity of the gut microbiota was also proven., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Esophageal atresia (EA) is a life-threatening congenital malformation in newborns, and the traditional repair approaches pose technical challenges and are extremely invasive. Therefore, surgeons have been actively investigating new minimally invasive techniques to address this issue. Magnetic compression anastomosis has been reported in several studies for its potential in repairing EA. In this paper, the primary repair of EA with magnetic compression anastomosis under thoracoscopy was reported., Case Summary: A full-term male weighing 3500 g was diagnosed with EA gross type C. The magnetic devices used in this procedure consisted of two magnetic rings and several catheters. Tracheoesophageal fistula ligation and two purse strings were performed. The magnetic compression anastomosis was then completed thoracoscopically. After the primary repair, no additional operation was conducted. A patent anastomosis was observed on the 15 th day postoperatively, and the magnets were removed on the 23 rd day. No leakage existed when the transoral feeding started., Conclusion: Thoracoscopic magnetic compression anastomosis may be a promising minimally invasive approach for repairing EA., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to provide data support for resource utilization of the stems and leaves of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus(SLAM) by analyzing and evaluating the chemical constituents. The crude protein, crude fiber, and soluble saccharide of SLAM were analyzed by Kjeldahl method, filtration method, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry, respectively. The nucleosides, amino acids, flavonoids, and saponins of SLAM were analyzed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry(UPLC-TQ-MS). Combined with principal component analysis(PCA), the quality difference of resource components of SLAM was comprehensively evaluated. The results showed that the average content of crude protein, crude fiber, total polysaccharide, and redu-cing sugar in SLAM was 5.11%, 30.33%, 11.03 mg·g~(-1), and 31.90 mg·g~(-1), respectively. Six nucleosides, 15 amino acids, 22 flavonoids, and one saponin were detected, with an average content of 1.49 mg·g~(-1), 6.00 mg·g~(-1), 1.86 mg·g~(-1), and 35.67 μg·g~(-1), respectively. The content of various types of chemical components in SLAM differed greatly in different harvesting periods and growing years. The results of PCA showed that the quality of SLAM produced in Ningxia was superior. The results can provide references for the utilization of SLAM.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is known as one of the most prevalent and fatal cancer types. This report describes an MRI-compatible photoacoustic/ultrasound (PA/US) imaging platform to improve the diagnosis of PCa. In the proposed solution, PA imaging, which offers real-time, non-ionizing imaging with high sensitivity and specificity, is combined with MRI, aiming to overcome PA's limited field of view (FOV) and make PA scalable for translation to clinical settings. Central to the design of the system is a reflector-based transrectal probing mechanism composed of MRI-compatible materials. The linear transducer with a center hole for optical fiber delivery can be mechanically actuated to form a multi-angled scan, allowing PA/US imaging from varied cross-sectional views. Performance assessment was carried out in phantom and ex-vivo settings. We confirmed the MRI compatibility of the system and demonstrated the feasibility of its tri-modal imaging capability by visualizing a tubing phantom containing contrast agents. The ex-vivo evaluation of targeted tumor imaging capability was performed with a mouse liver sample expressing PSMA-positive tumors, affirming the system's compatibility in spectroscopic PA (sPA) imaging with biological tissue. These results support the feasibility of the in-bore MRI-compatible transrectal PA and US and the potential clinical adaptability.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Hence, early detection of cardiac changes by imaging is crucial to reducing cardiovascular complications., Purpose: Early detection of cardiac changes is crucial to reducing cardiovascular complications. The study aimed to detect the dynamic change in cardiac morphology, function, and diffuse myocardial fibrosis(DMF) associated with T1DM and T2DM mice models., Materials and Methods: 4-week-old C57Bl/6J male mice were randomly divided into control (n=30), T1DM (n=30), and T2DM (n=30) groups. A longitudinal study was conducted every 4 weeks using serial 7.0T CMR and echocardiography imaging. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF), tissue tracking parameters, and DMF were measured by cine CMR and extracellular volume fraction (ECV). Global peak circumferential strain (GCPS), peak systolic strain rate (GCPSSR) values were acquired by CMR feature tracking. LV diastolic function parameter (E/E') was acquired by echocardiography. The correlations between the ECV and cardiac function parameters were assessed by Pearson's test., Results: A total of 6 mice were included every 4 weeks in control, T1DM, and T2DM groups for analysis. Compared to control group, an increase was detected in the LV mass and E/E' ratio, while the values of GCPS, GCPSSR decreased mildly in DM. Compared to T2DM group, GCPS and GCPSSR decreased earlier in T1DM(GCPS 12W,P=0.004; GCPSSR 12W,P=0.04). ECV values showed a significant correlation with GCPS and GCPSSR in DM groups. Moreover, ECV values showed a strong positive correlation with E/E'(T1DM,r=0.757,P<0.001;T2DM, r=0.811,P<0.001)., Conclusion: The combination of ECV and cardiac mechanical parameters provide imaging biomakers for pathophysiology, early diagnosis of cardiac morphology, function and early intervention in diabetic cardiomyopathy in the future., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Zhang, Shi, Liu, Gao, Zhao, Zhang, Yang, Li, Wang, Du, Li, Bo, Zhuang, Fan, Sun and Xu.)

Objective: To develop a flexible miniaturized photoacoustic (PA) imaging probe for detecting anatomical structures during laparoscopic surgery. The proposed probe aimed to facilitate intraoperative detection of blood vessels and nerve bundles embedded in tissue not directly visible to the operating physician to preserve these delicate and vital structures., Methods: We modified a commercially available ultrasound laparoscopic probe by incorporating custom-fabricated side-illumination diffusing fibers that illuminate the probe's field of view. The probe geometry, including the position and orientation of the fibers and the emission angle, was determined using computational models of light propagation in the simulation and subsequently validated through experimental studies., Results: In wire phantom studies within an optical scattering medium, the probe achieved an imaging resolution of 0.43 ±0.09 mm and a signal-to-noise ratio of 31.2±1.84 dB. We also conducted an ex vivo study using a rat model, demonstrating the successful detection of blood vessels and nerves., Conclusion: Our results indicate the viability of a side-illumination diffusing fiber PA imaging system for guidance during laparoscopic surgery., Significance: The potential clinical translation of this technology could enhance the preservation of critical vascular structures and nerves, thereby minimizing post-operative complications.

Rationale: Calcium dobesilate, a vasoprotective and antioxidant agent, is gradually being used for the treatment of chronic kidney disease. Calcium dobesilate-induced hyperpyrexia is a rare clinical event, and few studies have reported it., Patient Concerns: The patient took calcium dobesilate, which caused high fever. After stopping calcium dobesilate, his body temperature returned to normal., Diagnoses: Based on the medical history, symptoms and signs, the patient was diagnosed with drug fever caused by calcium dobesilate., Interventions: Calcium dobesilate was stopped, and supportive treatment was given at the same time., Outcomes: The present case was initially misdiagnosed as a fever caused by a bacterial infection, but treatment with the antibiotic moxifloxacin was ineffective. Based on the patient's medical history, laboratory and examination results, body temperature changes, and Naranjo Advanced Drug Response Scale, calcium dobesilate-induced hyperpyrexia was diagnosed. After discontinuation of calcium dobesilate, the patient's body temperature normalized, and no additional episode of fever was observed at follow-up., Lesson: Moreover, misdiagnosis and mistreatment of this condition can deteriorate the patient's condition. Herein, we report a case of calcium dobesilate-induced hyperpyrexia that occurred during the treatment of chronic renal insufficiency. Subsequently, a systematic analysis of the patient's diagnosis and treatment was reviewed. If unexplained high fever develops during the use of calcium dobesilate, calcium dobesilate-induced hyperpyrexia should be considered. Accordingly, calcium dobesilate should be discontinued., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution imaging modality that can be used to image microstructures of human kidneys. These images can be analyzed to evaluate the viability of the organ for transplantation. However, current OCT devices suffer from insufficient field-of-view, leading to biased examination outcomes when only small portions of the kidney can be assessed. Here we present a robotic OCT system where an OCT probe is integrated with a robotic manipulator, enabling wider area spatially-resolved imaging. With the proposed system, it becomes possible to comprehensively scan the kidney surface and provide large area parameterization of the microstructures. We verified the probe tracking accuracy with a phantom as 0.0762±0.0727 mm and demonstrated its clinical feasibility by scanning ex vivo kidneys. The parametric map exhibits fine vasculatures beneath the kidney surface. Quantitative analysis on the proximal convoluted tubule from the ex vivo human kidney yields highly clinical-relevant information., Competing Interests: Additional Declarations: Yes there is potential Competing Interest. YC: Prebeo, LLC (I, P). Conflict of Interest YC: Prebeo, LLC (I, P).

Background: Current radiomics for treatment response assessment in gastric cancer (GC) have focused solely on Computed tomography (CT). The importance of multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) radiomics in GC is less clear., Purpose: To compare and combine CT and mp-MRI radiomics for pretreatment identification of pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in GC., Study Type: Retrospective., Population: Two hundred twenty-five GC patients were recruited and split into training (157) and validation dataset (68) in the ratio of 7:3 randomly., Field/sequence: T2-weighted fast spin echo (fat suppressed T2-weighted imaging [fs-T2WI]), diffusion weighted echo planar imaging (DWI), and fast gradient echo (dynamic contrast enhanced [DCE]) sequences at 3.0T., Assessment: Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps were generated from DWI. CT, fs-T2WI, ADC, DCE, and mp-MRI Radiomics score (Radscores) were compared between responders and non-responders. A multimodal nomogram combining CT and mp-MRI Radscores was developed. Patients were followed up for 3-65 months (median 19) after surgery, the overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) were calculated., Statistical Tests: A logistic regression classifier was applied to construct the five models. Each model's performance was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. The association of the nomogram with OS/PFS was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and C-index. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: CT Radscore, mp-MRI Radscore and nomogram were significantly associated with tumor regression grading. The nomogram achieved the highest area under the curves (AUCs) of 0.893 (0.834-0.937) and 0.871 (0.767-0.940) in training and validation datasets, respectively. The C-index was 0.589 for OS and 0.601 for PFS. The AUCs of the mp-MRI model were not significantly different to that of the CT model in training (0.831 vs. 0.770, P = 0.267) and validation dataset (0.797 vs. 0.746, P = 0.137)., Data Conclusions: mp-MRI radiomics provides similar results to CT radiomics for early identification of pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The multimodal radiomics nomogram further improved the capability., Evidence Level: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: 2., (© 2022 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

Ultrasound (US) guided access for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is gaining popularity in the urology community as it reduces radiation risk. The most popular technique involves manual image-needle alignment. A misaligned needle however needs to be retracted and reinserted, resulting in a lengthened operation time and complications such as bleeding. These limitations can be mitigated through the co-registration between the US array and needle. The through-hole array concept provides the primary solution, including a hole at the center of the array. Because of the central opening, the image-needle alignment is achieved inherently. Previous literature has described applications that are limited to superficial and intravascular procedures, suggesting that developing a through-hole array for deeper target applications would be a new breakthrough., Objective: Here, we present a dual-segment array with a central opening. As the prototype development, two segments of 32-element arrays are combined with an open space of 10 mm in length in between them., Method: We conducted phantom and ex-vivo studies considering the target depth of the 80-100 mm range. The image quality and needle visibility are evaluated by comparing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), full width at half maximum (FWHM), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) results measured with a no-hole linear array under equivalent conditions. An ex-vivo study is performed using porcine kidneys with ceramic balls embedded to evaluate the needle access accuracy., Results and Conclusion: The mean needle access error of 20 trials is found to be 2.94 ±1.09 mm, suggesting its potential impact on realizing a simple and intuitive deep US image-guided access.

This paper describes a framework allowing intraoperative photoacoustic (PA) imaging integrated into minimally invasive surgical systems. PA is an emerging imaging modality that combines the high penetration of ultrasound (US) imaging with high optical contrast. With PA imaging, a surgical robot can provide intraoperative neurovascular guidance to the operating physician, alerting them of the presence of vital substrate anatomy invisible to the naked eye, preventing complications such as hemorrhage and paralysis. Our proposed framework is designed to work with the da Vinci surgical system: real-time PA images produced by the framework are superimposed on the endoscopic video feed with an augmented reality overlay, thus enabling intuitive three-dimensional localization of critical anatomy. To evaluate the accuracy of the proposed framework, we first conducted experimental studies in a phantom with known geometry, which revealed a volumetric reconstruction error of 1.20 ± 0.71 mm. We also conducted an ex vivo study by embedding blood-filled tubes into chicken breast, demonstrating the successful real-time PA-augmented vessel visualization onto the endoscopic view. These results suggest that the proposed framework could provide anatomical and functional feedback to surgeons and it has the potential to be incorporated into robot-assisted minimally invasive surgical procedures., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement.)

Background: The combined anterior/posterior approach appears to be capable of reconstructing spinal stability, correcting thoracolumbar deformity, and promoting neural recovery in severe thoracolumbar fracture dislocation. However, this type of operation requires changing the body position during the procedure, resulting in a lengthy operation time. As a universal surgical robot, TINAVI robot has achieved good surgical results in clinical surgery. But to our knowledge, no reports describing TINAVI robot-assisted single lateral position anteroposterior surgery for thoracolumbar fracture dislocation., Case Summary: We describe a case of a 16-year-old female patient with severe thoracolumbar fracture and dislocation underwent surgery assisted by the TINAVI robot. A one-stage combined anterior and posterior operation was performed on a severe thoracolumbar fracture dislocation using the TINAVI robot, and the operation was completed in right lateral position., Conclusion: The TINAVI robot-assisted one-stage anterior and posterior surgery in right lateral position for severe thoracolumbar fracture and dislocation is both safe and effective., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

We introduce a methodology for seeking conservation laws within a Hamiltonian dynamical system, which we term "neural deflation." Inspired by deflation methods for steady states of dynamical systems, we propose to iteratively train a number of neural networks to minimize a regularized loss function accounting for the necessity of conserved quantities to be in involution and enforcing functional independence thereof consistently in the infinite-sample limit. The method is applied to a series of integrable and nonintegrable lattice differential-difference equations. In the former, the predicted number of conservation laws extensively grows with the number of degrees of freedom, while for the latter, it generically stops at a threshold related to the number of conserved quantities in the system. This data-driven tool could prove valuable in assessing a model's conserved quantities and its potential integrability.

The development of ocular organoids, which closely mimic the tissue structure and functionality of the human eye, has emerged as a prominent area of research in the field of ophthalmology. These organoids serve as valuable models for investigating the mechanisms and interventions of eye-related diseases. However, the establishment of in vitro models that accurately represent the tissue structure and functionality of the human eye has long been a challenge in ophthalmic research. Numerous efforts have been made to enhance the fidelity of ocular organoid models, aiming to improve their suitability for studying disease pathogenesis and drug efficacy. With advancements in technology, it has become possible to construct individual components of the eye, such as the cornea and retina, in vitro. This review summarizes the recent advancements in ocular organoid research, with a focus on corneal and retinal organoids.

Purpose: To investigate the potential of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM) for preoperative prediction of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in gastric cancer (GC)., Methods: This study prospectively enrolled 90 patients (62 males, 28 females, 60.79 ± 9.99 years old) who received radical gastrostomy. Abdominal MRI examinations including IVIM were performed within 1 week before surgery. Patients were divided into LVI-positive and -negative group according to pathological diagnosis after surgery. The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and IVIM parameters, including true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), and pseudodiffusion fraction (f), were compared between the two groups. The relationship between MRI parameters and LVI was studied by Spearman's correlation analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to screen independent predictors of LVI. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analyses were applied to evaluate the efficacy., Results: The ADC, D in LVI-positive group were lower, whereas tumor thickness and f parameter in LVI-positive group were higher than those in LVI-negative group, and they were statistically correlated with LVI (p < 0.05). D, f and tumor thickness were independent risk factors of LVI. The area under the curve of ADC, D, f, thickness, and the combined parameter (D + f + thickness) were 0.667, 0.754, 0.695, 0.792, and 0.876, respectively. The combined parameter demonstrated higher efficacy than any other parameters (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: The ADC, D, and f can effectively distinguish LVI status of GC. The D, f and thickness were independent predictors. The combination of the three predictors further improved the efficacy., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

To reveal the characteristics and key impact factors of phytoplankton communities in different types of lakes, sampling surveys for phytoplankton and water quality parameters were conducted at 174 sampling sites in a total of 24 lakes covering urban, countryside, and ecological conservation areas of Wuhan in spring, summer, autumn, and winter 2018. The results showed that a total of 365 species of phytoplankton from nine phyla and 159 genera were identified in the three types of lakes. The main species were green algae, cyanobacteria, and diatoms, accounting for 55.34%, 15.89%, and 15.07% of the total number of species, respectively. The phytoplankton cell density varied from 3.60×10 6 -421.99×10 6 cell·L -1 , chlorophyll-a content varied from 15.60-240.50 μg·L -1 , biomass varied from 27.71-379.79 mg·L -1 , and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index varied from 0.29-2.86. In the three lake types, cell density, Chla, and biomass were lower in EL and UL, whereas the opposite was true for the Shannon-Wiener diversity index. NMDS and ANOSIM analysis showed differences in phytoplankton community structure (Stress=0.13, R =0.048, P =0.2298). In addition, the phytoplankton community structure of the three lake types had significant seasonal characteristics, with chlorophyll-a content and biomass being significantly higher in summer than in winter ( P <0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that phytoplankton biomass decreased with increasing N:P in UL and CL, whereas the opposite was true for EL. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that WT, pH, NO 3 - , EC, and N:P were the key factors that significantly affected the variability in phytoplankton community structure in the three types of lakes in Wuhan ( P <0.05).

In the present work we explore the concept of solitary wave billiards. That is, instead of a point particle, we examine a solitary wave in an enclosed region and examine its collision with the boundaries and the resulting trajectories in cases which for particle billiards are known to be integrable and for cases that are known to be chaotic. A principal conclusion is that solitary wave billiards are generically found to be chaotic even in cases where the classical particle billiards are integrable. However, the degree of resulting chaoticity depends on the particle speed and on the properties of the potential. Furthermore, the nature of the scattering of the deformable solitary wave particle is elucidated on the basis of a negative Goos-Hänchen effect which, in addition to a trajectory shift, also results in an effective shrinkage of the billiard domain.

Background: Postradiation skull base osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a severe complication that occurs after radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) that can severely affect quality of life (QOL) and be life threatening. Only 13.4% - 28.6% of patients can be cured by traditional repeated endoscopic debridement. Here, we introduced salvage endoscopic surgery for skull base ORN patients and evaluated its clinical efficacy., Methods: This was a prospective, observational, single-arm clinical study. Clinical data from 18 skull base ORN patients who underwent radical endoscopic necrectomy followed by reconstruction using a septal pedicled mucosal flap or temporal muscle flap were included in the study. The endpoint was an overall survival (OS) of 2 years. The numeric rating scale (NRS) scores for pain and foul odor were analyzed to determine the efficacy and safety of this surgery., Results: A total of 21 patients were recruited, 18 of whom completed the study and were analyzed. All surgeries were successfully performed. During the 2-year study, the OS rate of the entire cohort was 75%. The median NRS score for pain decreased from 6.44 +- 2.62 to 0.50 +- 0.71, and the NRS score for foul odor decreased from 1.89±1.08 to 1 after surgery., Conclusions: Salvage endoscopic necrectomy followed by construction using a septal pedicled mucosal flap or temporal muscle flap is a novel, safe, and effective treatment for ORN in patients with NPC., Clinical Trial Registration: This study was approved by the independent ethics committee of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University (IEC No. 2019095-1). Written informed consent was obtained from all patients. The study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial registry (ChiCTR2000029327).

Long non-coding RNA taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) plays pivotal roles in angiogenesis, an important mechanism of neural repair after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, the role of TUG1 in angiogenesis following ICH is not clear. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the role and the underlying mechanism of TUG1 in neurologic impairment and cerebral angiogenesis following ICH. The ICH rat model was established and then rats were injected with TUG1-expressing plasmid (pcDNA-TUG1) or miR-26a mimic, a critical regulator of VEGF-mediated angiogenesis. We confirmed the overexpression of TUG1 and miR-26a by qRT-PCR. The neurological deficits of ICH rats were evaluated by modified neurological severity scores. The expression of angiogenesis markers VEGF and CD31 were examined by immunohistochemistry and western blot. The interaction between TUG1 and miR-26a was determined by luciferase reporter assay. Our results showed that ICH caused a marked upregulation of TUG1 and a significant downregulation of miR-26a. TUG1 overexpression led to the deterioration of neurologic function and inhibited cerebral angiogenesis in ICH rats. In contrast, overexpression of miR-26a alleviated the neurologic damage and promoted cerebral angiogenesis in ICH rats, but these could be attenuated by TUG1 overexpression. Furthermore, TUG1 directly bound to miR-26a and inhibited its expression. Importantly, TUG1 overexpression inhibited the expression of VEGF by targeting miR-26a. In conclusion, our results indicated that TUG1 aggravated ICH-mediated injury by suppressing angiogenesis by downregulating miR-26a. This suggests a rationale for targeting TUG1/miR-26a in the therapy of ICH., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2023.)