Publications by authors named "Fan Zheng"

Background: To explore the correlation between the levels of D-dimer (D-D), fibrinogen (FIB), fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) and platelets (PLT) in peripheral blood of patients with lower limb fractures and the formation of deep vein thrombosis in lower limbs, and to establish a new thrombosis prediction model for patients with lower limb fractures.

Methods: The patients were divided into DVT group and non DVT group according to whether there was deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremity. The differences in the levels of D-D, FIB, FDP and platelets between the two groups were analyzed and compared.

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Objective: The aim of this study is to develop and validate a deep-learning radiomics model for predicting surgical risk factors for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in young patients to assist clinicians in identifying surgical candidates, alleviating symptoms, and improving prognosis.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients from two medical centers was conducted. From sagittal and axial MR images, the regions of interest were handcrafted to extract radiomics features.

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Background: Sleep spindles may be implicated in sensing and regulation of peripheral glucose. Whether spindle density in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) differs from that of healthy subjects is unknown.

Methods: Our retrospective analysis of polysomnography (PSG) studies identified 952 patients with T2DM and 952 sex-, age- and BMI-matched control subjects.

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This work offers an ultrasonic structural health monitoring (SHM) approach for assessing the defects located on the same surface and at one side of piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer array. It is based on the analysis of ultrasonic bulk wave travelling in the thickness direction obtained from an enhanced full-skip configuration of the time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) technique. In contrast to existing TOFD setup only considering the direct paths between the ultrasonic transducer and defect, our ultrasound monitoring configuration involves twice reflected ultrasonic bulk wave (TRBW).

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  • - Recent research has identified cancer-associated microbiota in various cancers, influencing inflammation, tumor development, and treatment resistance, particularly in hepatoblastoma (HB), a common childhood cancer.
  • - A study using 16S rDNA sequencing revealed significant differences in microbiome diversity and abundance between HB tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues, with Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes being prevalent in tumors.
  • - Specific bacterial communities showed potential correlations with HB development and associated markers, suggesting they could serve as indicators of the disease, warranting further investigation into the role of the microbiome in HB.
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Tuning the dimensions and molecular packing geometry of crystalline organic frameworks and polymers represents an important challenge for reticular chemistry. Here we show that for extended structures made of 1,3,6,8-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)pyrene (PyTTA) linked with methoxy group functionalized terephthalaldehyde aldehydes, simple substituents on the aldehyde linker can have profound structure directing effects due to noncovalent interactions. Specifically, reacting 2,3-dimethoxyterephthalaldehyde with PyTTA gives a 2D covalent organic framework with unique AA-inclined-AA stacking and bilayer pyrene motifs, whereas reacting 2,5-dimethoxyterephthalaldehyde with PyTTA gives a 1D crystalline polymer with AB stacking and isolated pyrene motifs.

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A hallmark feature of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is massive intratumoral fibrosis, designated as desmoplasia. Desmoplasia is characterized by the expansion of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and a massive increase in extracellular matrix (ECM). During fibrogenesis, distinct genes become reactivated specifically in fibroblasts, e.

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Aqueous manganese-ion batteries (AMIBs) are becoming more noticeable because of their excellent theoretical capacity, outstanding safety profile, and cost-effectiveness. However, there aren't many studies on cathode materials appropriate for AMIBs, and the manganese-ion storage mechanisms within these materials have not been thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, the electrochemical performance of existing cathode materials remains suboptimal.

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Aims: Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) family proteins involve in various cellular processes via regulating the cell cycle; however, their expression during osteogenic differentiation and postmenopausal osteoporosis remains poorly understood.

Main Methods: Using bioinformatics, we screened for CDK14 bound to Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) and explored its expression in vitro with time-gradient model and in a mouse model of postmenopausal osteoporosis, building on prior research. Subsequently, we investigated its effect on osteoblast proliferation, cell cycle dynamics, and osteogenic differentiation by administering CDK14 siRNA and the covalent inhibitor FMF-04-159-2.

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  • * A new bacteriophage called pK3-24 was discovered, which specifically targets and can effectively kill ST447 K. pneumoniae, showing potential as an alternative to antibiotics.
  • * Phage pK3-24 has a stable double-stranded DNA genome, does not carry antibiotic resistance genes, and has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing biofilm production and mortality in infected larvae.
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Background: Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is a common feature of chronic kidney diseases (CKD), with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) being one of its important mechanisms. S100A2 is a protein associated with cell proliferation and differentiation, but its specific functions and molecular mechanisms in RIF remain to be determined.

Methods: S100A2 levels were evaluated in three mouse models, including unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), and aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN), as well as in TGF-β1- treated HK-2 cells and in kidney tissue samples.

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  • Therapeutic strategies focusing on disrupting dysregulated transcription have shown promise for treating cancers like leukaemias using small molecule inhibitors that target key proteins involved in gene expression.* -
  • Research indicates that the effectiveness of these inhibitors is influenced not just by their ability to stop mRNA production, but also by how quickly mRNA is produced and degraded.* -
  • Findings suggest that modifying post-transcriptional processes, such as targeting specific proteins, can enhance the effects of transcriptional inhibitors, offering potential new combination therapies for leukaemia.*
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Introduction: There is growing evidence indicating a complex interaction between blood metabolites and atopic dermatitis (AD). The objective of this study was to investigate and quantify the potential influence of plasma metabolites on AD through Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods: Our procedures followed these steps: instrument variable selection, primary analysis, replication analysis, Meta-analysis of results, reverse MR analysis, and multivariate MR (MVMR) analysis.

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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising cancer treatment, but limited oxygen supply in tumors (hypoxia) can hinder its effectiveness. This is because traditional PDT relies on Type-II reactions that require oxygen. Type-I photosensitizers (PSs) offer a promising approach to overcome the limitations of tumor photodynamic therapy (PDT) in hypoxic environments.

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  • A study analyzed respiratory specimens from 128 children with pneumonia in Beijing, revealing that 77.3% tested positive for a specific pathogen, particularly affecting younger patients.
  • The most common strains were identified through gene typing, showing a notable increase in macrolide-resistant mutations, especially in children under three years old.
  • Severe pneumonia was observed in 56.2% of analyzed cases, with longer fever durations and higher complication rates, highlighting the necessity for clinicians to recognize the severity linked to macrolide-resistant infections.
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  • Fat grafting and repositioning is a potentially effective method for addressing lower eyelid issues like tear trough deformities, but there's a lack of comprehensive studies on its complications.
  • This research involved analyzing 33 studies with 4671 patients to evaluate the complications associated with this surgical technique.
  • The findings indicated a total complication rate of 11.2%, with specific complications like unsatisfactory correction and hematoma also noted, highlighting the importance of monitoring these risks and communicating effectively with patients.
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Background: Programmed death ligand-1 () expression serves a predictive biomarker for the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the treatment of patients with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (LA). However, only a limited number of studies have explored the relationship between expression and spectral dual-layer detector-based computed tomography (SDCT) quantification, qualitative parameters, and clinical biomarkers. Therefore, this study was conducted to clarify this relationship in stage I LA and to develop a nomogram to assist in preoperative individualized identification of -positive expression.

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In this study, we explore the mass transfer and separation mechanism of Li and Mg confined within the flexible nanoporous zeolite imidazolate framework ZIF-8 under the influence of an electric field, employing molecular dynamics simulation. Our results highlight that the electric field accelerates the dehydration process of ions and underscore the critical importance of ZIF-8 framework flexibility in determining the separation selectivity of the ZIF-8 membrane. The electric field is shown to diminish ion hydration in the confined space of ZIF-8, notably disrupting the orientation of water molecules in the first hydration shells of ions, leading to an asymmetrical ionic hydration structure characterized by the uniform alignment of water dipoles.

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  • The study presents a new dye called PQMO-PXZ that combines thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) for use in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).
  • PQMO-PXZ has been carefully designed and characterized, showing advantages over traditional emitters, including better luminescence efficiency and a red-shifted emission due to its strong intramolecular charge transfer properties.
  • OLED devices using PQMO-PXZ as the emissive core show impressive performance with an external quantum efficiency of 11.8%, highlighting its potential as an efficient material for OLED technology.
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A novel thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitter, DCNP-SCF, is developed based on a dicyanophenanthrene acceptor. DCNP-SCF is prepared by a simple C-N coupling reaction. Its thermal, theoretical, photophysical, and electroluminescent properties are investigated, emphasizing its potential in organic electroluminescence devices.

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  • - Macrophages are vital for maintaining specific functions and balance in the adrenal gland, particularly in regulating aldosterone production through their interactions with blood vessels.
  • - The study reveals that the absence of the molecule VEGF-A in macrophages leads to changes in blood vessel structure, resulting in increased aldosterone secretion and associated health issues like high blood pressure.
  • - Findings suggest that the communication between macrophages and endothelial cells is crucial for adrenal health and could have significant implications for understanding similar processes in other endocrine organs.
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Bacterial infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative strains carrying the mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1 are serious threats to world public health due to the lack of effective treatments. Inhibition of the ATP synthase makes bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae more sensitive to polymyxin. This provides new strategies for treating infections caused by polymyxins-resistant bacteria carrying mcr-1.

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