Combining Multifrequency Magnetic Resonance Elastography With Automatic Segmentation to Assess Renal Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Multifrequency MR elastography (mMRE) enables noninvasive quantification of renal stiffness in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Manual segmentation of the kidneys on mMRE is time-consuming and prone to increased interobserver variability.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of mMRE combined with automatic segmentation in assessing CKD severity.

Enhanced accuracy and stability in automated intra-pancreatic fat deposition monitoring of type 2 diabetes mellitus using Dixon MRI and deep learning.

Purpose: Intra-pancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) is closely associated with the onset and progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to develop an accurate and automated method for assessing IPFD on multi-echo Dixon MRI.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, 534 patients from two centers who underwent upper abdomen MRI and completed multi-echo and double-echo Dixon MRI were included.

High-entropy engineered BaTiO-based ceramic capacitors with greatly enhanced high-temperature energy storage performance.

Ceramic capacitors with ultrahigh power density are crucial in modern electrical applications, especially under high-temperature conditions. However, the relatively low energy density limits their application scope and hinders device miniaturization and integration. In this work, we present a high-entropy BaTiO-based relaxor ceramic with outstanding energy storage properties, achieving a substantial recoverable energy density of 10.

Designer topological-single-atom catalysts with site-specific selectivity.

Designing catalysts with well-defined, identical sites that achieve site-specific selectivity, and activity remains a significant challenge. In this work, we introduce a design principle of topological-single-atom catalysts (T-SACs) guided by density functional theory (DFT) and Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) calculations, where metal single atoms are arranged in asymmetric configurations that electronic shield topologically misorients d orbitals, minimizing unwanted interactions between reactants and the support surface. Mn/CeO catalysts, synthesized via a charge-transfer-driven approach, demonstrate superior catalytic activity and selectivity for NO removal.

Inhibition of the NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway in colorectal cancer by tyrosol: a gut microbiota-derived metabolite.

Background: The development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) are influenced by the gut environment, much of which is modulated by microbial-derived metabolites. Although some research has been conducted on the gut microbiota, there have been limited empirical investigations on the role of the microbial-derived metabolites in CRC.

Methods: In this study, we used LC-MS and 16S rRNA sequencing to identify gut microbiome-associated fecal metabolites in patients with CRC and healthy controls.

Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells enhance acellular nerve allografts to promote peripheral nerve regeneration by facilitating angiogenesis.

Previous research has demonstrated the feasibility of repairing nerve defects through acellular allogeneic nerve grafting with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. However, adult tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells encounter various obstacles, including limited tissue sources, invasive acquisition methods, cellular heterogeneity, purification challenges, cellular senescence, and diminished pluripotency and proliferation over successive passages. In this study, we used induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells, known for their self-renewal capacity, multilineage differentiation potential, and immunomodulatory characteristics.

Fe-O Motif Activated Graphitic Carbon via Oxo-Bridge for Highly Selective HO Electrosynthesis.

Carbon-based materials have been utilized as effective catalysts for hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis via two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e ORR), however the insufficient selectivity and productivity still hindered the further industrial applications. In this work, we report the Fe-O motif activated graphitic carbon material which enabled highly selective HO electrosynthesis operating at high current density with excellent anti-poisoning property. In the bulk production test, the concentration of HO cumulated to 8.

Biological characteristics of tissue engineered-nerve grafts enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration.

Background: A favorable regenerative microenvironment is essential for peripheral nerve regeneration. Neural tissue-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) is a natural material that helps direct cell behavior and promote axon regeneration. Both bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) transplantation are effective in repairing peripheral nerve injury (PNI).

Theoretical investigation of the reaction mechanism of THP oxidative rearrangement catalysed by BBOX.

γ-Butyrobetaine hydroxylase (BBOX) is a non-heme Fe/2OG dependent enzyme that is able to perform two different kinds of catalytic reactions on 3-(2,2,2-trimethylhydrazinium) propionate (THP) to produce distinct catalytic products. Although the structure of BBOX complexed with THP has been resolved, the details of its catalytic mechanism are still elusive. In this study, by employing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the mechanism of the THP oxidative rearrangement reactions catalysed by BBOX was investigated.

Strong coupling of metamaterials with cavity photons: toward non-Hermitian optics.

The investigation of strong coupling between light and matter is an important field of research. Its significance arises not only from the emergence of a plethora of intriguing chemical and physical phenomena, often novel and unexpected, but also from its provision of important tool sets for the design of core components for novel chemical, electronic, and photonic devices such as quantum computers, lasers, amplifiers, modulators, sensors and more. Strong coupling has been demonstrated for various material systems and spectral regimes, each exhibiting unique features and applications.

Cellular pharmacokinetic of methotrexate and its modulation by folylpolyglutamate synthetase and γ-glutamyl hydrolase in tumor cells.

Background And Purpose: Clinical studies showed that prolonged infusion of methotrexate (MTX) leads to more severe adverse reactions than short infusion of MTX at the same dose. We hypothesized that it is the saturation of folate polyglutamate synthetase (FPGS) at high MTX concentration that limits the intracellular synthesis rate of methotrexate polyglutamate (MTX-PG). Due to a similar accumulation rate, a longer infusion duration may increase the concentration of MTX-PG and, result in more serious adverse reactions.

Pd(II)/Pd(IV) redox shuttle to suppress vacancy defects at grain boundaries for efficient kesterite solar cells.

Charge loss at grain boundaries of kesterite CuZnSn(S, Se) polycrystalline absorbers is an important cause limiting the performance of this emerging thin-film solar cell. Herein, we report a Pd element assisted reaction strategy to suppress atomic vacancy defects in GB regions. The Pd, on one hand in the form of PdSe compounds, can heterogeneously cover the GBs of the absorber film, suppressing Sn and Se volatilization loss and the formation of their vacancy defects (i.

A Ni-O-Ag photothermal catalyst enables 103-m artificial photosynthesis with >17% solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency.

The scalable artificial photosynthesis composed of photovoltaic electrolysis and photothermal catalysis is limited by inefficient photothermal CO hydrogenation under weak sunlight irradiation. Herein, NiO nanosheets supported with Ag single atoms [two-dimensional (2D) NiAgO] are synthesized for photothermal CO hydrogenation to achieve 1065 mmol g hour of CO production rate under 1-sun irradiation. This performance is attributed to the coupling effect of Ag-O-Ni sites to enhance the hydrogenation of CO and weaken the CO adsorption, resulting in 1434 mmol g hour of CO yield at 300°C.

Risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications in elderly patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy under general anesthesia: a retrospective study.

Background: The objective of this study is to identify and evaluate the risk factors associated with the development of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in elderly patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy under general anesthesia.

Methods: The retrospective study consecutively included elderly patients (≥ 70 years old) who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy at Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University from January 1, 2018 to August 31, 2023. The demographic characteristics, the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative parameters were collected and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression to identify the prediction of risk factors for PPCs.

Computer-aided diagnosis system for optical diagnosis of colorectal polyps under white light imaging.

Objectives: This study presents a novel computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) designed for optically diagnosing colorectal polyps using white light imaging (WLI).We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the CADx and its auxiliary role among endoscopists with different levels of expertise.

Methods: We collected 2,324 neoplastic and 3,735 nonneoplastic polyp WLI images for model training, and 838 colorectal polyp images from 740 patients for model validation.

Overexpression of zinc-finger protein 418 inhibits pathological cardiac remodelling after acute myocardial infarction.

Aims: Zinc-finger protein 418 (ZNF418) has been confirmed to be expressed in myocardial tissue. However, the role and mechanism of ZNF418 in pathological myocardial remodelling after myocardial infarction (MI) have not been reported. This study was to elucidate the effect and mechanism of ZNF418 on ventricular remodelling after MI in mice.

Smoking on the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The relationship between smoking and the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has been recognized, but the conclusions have been inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the association between smoking and ARDS risk in adults.

Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for eligible studies published from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2023.

Ferroelastically protected reversible orthorhombic to monoclinic-like phase transition in ZrO nanocrystals.

Robust ferroelectricity in nanoscale fluorite oxide-based thin films enables promising applications in silicon-compatible non-volatile memories and logic devices. However, the polar orthorhombic (O) phase of fluorite oxides is a metastable phase that is prone to transforming into the ground-state non-polar monoclinic (M) phase, leading to macroscopic ferroelectric degradation. Here we investigate the reversibility of the O-M phase transition in ZrO nanocrystals via in situ visualization of the martensitic transformation at the atomic scale.

Safety and Feasibility of Regional Citrate Anticoagulation for Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy With Calcium-Containing Solutions: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Calcium-free (Ca-free) solutions are theoretically the most ideal for regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) in continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). However, the majority of medical centers in China had to make a compromise of using commercially available calcium-containing (Ca-containing) solutions instead of Ca-free ones due to their scarcity. This study was designed to probe into the potential of Ca-containing solution as a secure and efficient substitution for Ca-free solutions.

Characterization of two CYP80 enzymes provides insights into aporphine alkaloid skeleton formation in Aristolochia contorta.

Aporphine alkaloids are a large group of natural compounds with extensive pharmaceutical application prospects. The biosynthesis of aporphine alkaloids has been paid attentions in the past decades. Here, we determined the contents of four 1-benzylisoquinoline alkaloids and five aporphine alkaloids in root, stem, leaf, and flower of Aristolochia contorta Bunge, which belongs to magnoliids.