VDMNet: A Deep Learning Framework with Vessel Dynamic Convolution and Multi-Scale Fusion for Retinal Vessel Segmentation.

Retinal vessel segmentation is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring ophthalmic and systemic diseases. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) enables detailed imaging of the retinal microvasculature, but existing methods for OCTA segmentation face significant limitations, such as susceptibility to noise, difficulty in handling class imbalance, and challenges in accurately segmenting complex vascular morphologies. In this study, we propose VDMNet, a novel segmentation network designed to overcome these challenges by integrating several advanced components.

A SARS-CoV-2 mucosal nanovaccine based on assembly of maltodextrin, STING agonist and polyethyleneimine.

SARS-CoV-2 has the characteristics of strong transmission with severe morbidity and mortality. Protein-based vaccines have the properties of specificity, effectiveness and safety against SARS-CoV-2. Receptor-binding domain (RBD) homotrimer affords high protection efficacy against stringent lethal viral challenge.

The dynamic oral-gastric microbial axis connects oral and gastric health: current evidence and disputes.

Emerging evidence indicates that oral microbes are closely related to gastric microbes and gastric lesions, including gastric atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer (GC). Helicobacter pylori is a key pathogen involved in GC. However, the increasing prevalence of H.

Decoding TDP-43: the molecular chameleon of neurodegenerative diseases.

TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) has emerged as a critical player in neurodegenerative disorders, with its dysfunction implicated in a wide spectrum of diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted roles of TDP-43 in both physiological and pathological contexts. We delve into TDP-43's crucial functions in RNA metabolism, including splicing regulation, mRNA stability, and miRNA biogenesis.

Similarities and differences in physiological adaptation to cadmium interactions with nitrogen levels between two aquatic iris life forms in urban wetlands.

Plants play a key role in the ecological restoration of urban wetlands. Previous studies have shown that heavy-metal accumulation capacities and adaptation strategies of wetland plants may be related to their life forms. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N) on the adaptation strategies of two evergreen and deciduous aquatic iris life forms under cadmium (Cd) stress.

Two-stage surgery with oblique lateral interbody fusion and posterior fixation in degenerative scoliosis with lumbosacral curve-driven degenerative lumbar scoliosis: a feasible option to prevent postoperative coronal decompensation.

Objective: This study aims to introduce a two-stage surgical procedure, namely oblique lateral interbody fusion (OLIF), for spinal disorders treatment. Furthermore, clinical outcomes and imaging results are analyzed between OLIF with posterior fixation and posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with fixation for lumbosacral curve-driven degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS).

Methods: 146 patients with type 2 DLS who underwent OLIF or PLIF between January 2019 and November 2023 were included.

Association between waist-to-hip ratio and risk of myocardial infarction: a systematic evaluation and meta-analysis.

Background: Myocardial infarction(MI) is one of the most serious health threats. Despite the increasing number of clinical methods used to predict the onset of MI, the prediction of MI is still unsatisfactory and necessitates new methods.

Objective: To systematically review observational studies from the past two decades on the association between waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and MI risk.

Carrier Recirculation Induced Ultrasensitive Photodetectors of InSe/CdTe Heterostructure Featuring an Interfacial Holes Layer.

Photodetectors (PDs) based on mix-dimensional heterojunctions (MDHJs) built from 2D layered materials and covalent-bonded semiconductors show the prospect of compensating the intrinsic weakness of 2D materials to realize their full potential. However, there is an open issue to improve the temporal response of PDs while maintaining high gain and sensitivity. Herein, photoconductive type MDHJs PDs with 2D InSe and covalent-bonded CdTe thin film are designed and fabricated in which InSe is the active layer and CdTe is the medium gain one.

SHEP1 alleviates cardiac ischemia reperfusion injury via targeting G3BP1 to regulate macrophage infiltration and inflammation.

The macrophage-associated inflammation response plays an important role in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI). SHEP1(SH2 domain-containing Eph receptor-binding protein 1) has been implicated in adhesion and migration of inflammatory cells. However, the role and molecular mechanism of SHEP1 regulating macrophage remains unclear during MIRI.

Regression analysis of group-tested current status data.

Group testing is an effective way to reduce the time and cost associated with conducting large-scale screening for infectious diseases. Benefits are realized through testing pools formed by combining specimens, such as blood or urine, from different individuals. In some studies, individuals are assessed only once and a time-to-event endpoint is recorded, for example, the time until infection.

Identification and validation of an immune-related miRNA signature for predicting prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

MicroRNAs play a significant role in the initiation and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, their roles in immune regulation of HCC remain unclear. Our study aimed to identify an immune-related miRNA signature and explore its impact on the prognosis and tumor immune microenvironment HCC. Initially, we identified 48 differentially expressed immune-related miRNAs.

SerpinB1 targeting safeguards against pathological cardiac hypertrophy and remodelling by suppressing cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and inflammation initiation.

Aims: While the pivotal role of inflammation in pathological cardiac hypertrophy and remodelling is widely acknowledged, the mechanisms triggering inflammation initiation remain largely obscure. This study aims to elucidate the role and mechanism of serpin family B member 1 (SerpinB1) in pro-inflammatory cardiomyocyte pyroptosis, heart inflammation, and cardiac remodelling.

Methods And Results: C57BL/6J wild-type, inducible cardiac-specific SerpinB1 overexpression or knockout mice underwent transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery.

The addition of vermiculite reduced antibiotic resistance genes during composting: Novel insights based on reducing host bacteria abundance and inhibiting plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are prevalent in raw materials used for composting. The utilization of eco-friendly materials for the removal of ARGs is regarded as an economically effective method. Therefore, this study focused on the impact of incorporating different proportions of vermiculite (0% (CK), 5% (T1), and 10% (T2)) on the dynamics of ARGs during composting.

TAM-Derived Exosomes Promote EMT by Upregulating lncRNA MIR4435-2HG in Head and Neck Cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of tumor-associated macrophage (TAM)-derived exosomes on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and the underlying mechanisms involved.

Subjects And Methods: Exosomes were isolated and characterized using transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle size analysis, and western blotting. The effect on EMT in HNSCC cells was assessed using wound healing, transwell invasion, and EMT marker assays.

High-Performance Silicone Sponge Evaporators with Low Thermal Conductivity for Long-Term Solar Interfacial Evaporation and Freshwater Harvesting.

Solar interfacial evaporation (SIE) has emerged as a highly promising approach for sustainable freshwater harvesting. However, maintaining a stable evaporation rate and achieving a high freshwater yield in high-salinity brines remain a significant challenge. In this study, we present the development of silicone sponge-based evaporators with a "free-salt" structure, designed to enhance the efficiency of SIE and freshwater collection.

The association between oral microbiome and gastric precancerous lesions.

Gastric precancerous lesions are thought to be precursors in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer through Correa's cascade. Recent studies have investigated the association between the oral microbiome and gastric precancerous lesions. However, there has yet to be a comprehensive synthesis review of the existing literature on the relationship between oral microbiome and gastric precancerous lesions.

Proteomics and transcriptomic analyses provide new insights into the pectin polysaccharide biosynthesis in Premna puberula Pamp.

Premna puberula Pamp. is a plant with similarities to both food and medicine, which has attracted the attention of researchers because of the rich pectin in its leaves. However, the mechanism of efficient pectin accumulation remains unclear.

U-shape-based network for left ventricular segmentation in echocardiograms with contrastive pretraining.

Cardiovascular diseases, characterized by high morbidity, disability, and mortality rates, are a collective term for disorders affecting the heart's structure or function. In clinical practice, physicians often manually delineate the left ventricular border on echocardiograms to obtain critical physiological parameters such as left ventricular volume and ejection fraction, which are essential for accurate cardiac function assessment. However, most state-of-the-art models focus excessively on pushing the boundaries of segmentation accuracy at the expense of computational complexity, overlooking the substantial demand for high-performance computing resources required for model inference in clinical applications.

Geminivirus Fitness via bZIP17/28 is impaired by the autophagic degradation of the betasatellite βV1 protein.

The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a vital cellular pathway that maintains endoplasmic reticulum (ER) homeostasis under conditions of ER stress, which is associated with the degradation of misfolded proteins. However, the role of ER-associated degradation in plant-microbe interactions has yet to be explored. In this study, we identified a novel viral protein βV1, encoded by tomato yellow leaf curl betasatellite (TYLCCNB), is an ER-localized protein that triggers ER aggregation.

A Haloalkane Dehalogenase DhaA Nanoparticle Based on Pullulan Conjugation and Polyethyleneimine Adsorption.

Haloalkane dehalogenase DhaA is a member of the α/β-hydrolase superfamily and can degrade the halogenated compounds. However, the enzyme could not tolerate harsh and extreme environmental conditions, such as high temperature, extreme pH, and hypersaline, which limits its practical applications. Pullulan is a hydrophilic polysaccharide and acts as an additive to improve the enzyme stability.

Characteristics of Pore Structure and the Evolution Process in Terrestrial Shale Reservoirs: A Case Study of the Shahejie Formation in Dongpu Depression, Bohai Bay Basin.

Microscopic pore characteristics of shale are very important for exploring the oil occurrence and content. However, previous studies on heterogeneous terrestrial shale are lacking. We choose the Shahejie formation (SF) of the Dongpu Depression in the Bohai Bay Basin as a case study.

Mechanistic insights into adsorption-desorption of PFOA on biochars: Effects of biomass feedstock and pyrolysis temperature, and implication of desorption hysteresis.

Adsorptive removal of the emerging organic pollutant perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) from contaminated water using biochar is a promising cost-effective approach. To determine the stability of PFOA adsorption on biochar, the thermodynamic analysis of the adsorption-desorption behavior is essential. This study comprehensively investigated the adsorption and desorption of PFOA on biochars derived from maple sawdust, peanut shells and corn stalks, pyrolyzed at peak temperatures of 400, 600 and 800 °C.

Glycyrrhizin alleviates the toxicity of hydroxychloroquine in treating oral lichen planus by occupying heat shock protein 90 alpha.

Background: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a common chronic inflammatory disease with the potential of malignant transformation. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), derived from quinine originating from Cinchona spp. bark, is a commonly prescribed off-label for OLP.

Self-powered chitosan/graphene oxide hydrogel band-aids with bioadhesion for promoting infected wounds healing.

Typical anti-infection strategies, such as antibiotics and other antibacterial nanomaterials, are effective in preventing bacterial infections during the wound healing process. Additionally, electrical stimulation (ES) can also inhibit bacterial growth and facilitate skin wound repair. However, self-powered and therapeutic wearable devices combining antibacterial materials with ES are still lacking.