Multimodal integration of liquid biopsy and radiology for the noninvasive diagnosis of gallbladder cancer and benign disorders.

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) frequently mimics gallbladder benign lesions (GBBLs) in radiological images, leading to preoperative misdiagnoses. To address this challenge, we initiated a prospective, multicenter clinical trial (ChicCTR2100049249) and proposed a multimodal, non-invasive diagnostic model to distinguish GBC from GBBLs. A total of 301 patients diagnosed with gallbladder-occupying lesions (GBOLs) from 11 medical centers across 7 provinces in China were enrolled and divided into a discovery cohort and an independent external validation cohort.

Modular Microfluidic Sensor Integrating Nucleic Acid Extraction, CRISPR/Cas13a, and Electrochemiluminescence for Multichannel RNA Detection.

Rapid and accurate screening of pathogens is crucial for disease detection. Here, a modular microfluidic sensor has been constructed for RNA detection, with integrated nucleic acid extraction, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas13a reaction, and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection. The sensor consists of nucleic acid processing and detection modules.

Giant Polarizability and Origin of Ferroelectricity in Layered Materials with a Litharge-Type Structural Unit.

We discover that a large family of [PbF]- and [BiO]-based mixed-anion materials with a litharge-type structural unit are highly polarizable layered semiconductors in proximity to strain-induced ferroelectricity. First-principles calculations demonstrate that in this family of materials, compounds as diverse as PbFBr, BiOCl, BiCuOSe, BiOS, and BiOSCl exhibit static dielectric constants an order of magnitude higher than typical semiconductors. Additionally, they undergo a ferroelectric transition when subjected to a few percent of tensile strain.

The mediating role of thyroid-related hormones between thyroid dysfunction diseases and osteoporosis: a mediation mendelian randomization study.

The links between Thyroid dysfunction diseases (TDFDs) and osteoporosis (OP) has received widespread attention, but the causal relationships and mediating factors have not been systematically studied. We used two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to elucidate the causal relationship between TDFDs and OP. Moreover, we performed mediation MR analyses to explore the role of thyroid-related hormones and OP risk factors in the association between TDFDs and OP.

Boosting Cu ion capture in high-salinity environments with amino-functionalized millispheres.

High salinity in wastewater often hampers the performance of traditional adsorbents by disrupting electrostatic interactions and ion exchange processes, limiting their efficiency. This study addresses these challenges by investigating the salt-promoted adsorption of Cu ions onto amino-functionalized chloromethylated polystyrene (EDA@CMPS) millispheres. The adsorbent was synthesized by grafting ethylenediamine (EDA) onto CMPS, which significantly improved Cu adsorption, achieving nearly three times the capacity in saline solutions (1.

Comprehensive analysis of psychological symptoms and quality of life in early patients with IBD: a multicenter study from China.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of psychological symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in early patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: From September 2021 to May 2022, a unified questionnaire was developed to collect clinical data from early patients with IBD from 42 tertiary care hospitals. The influencing factors of psychological symptoms and poor QoL are screened by logistic regression analysis for constructing model in predicting poor QoL.

Scalable Layer-Controlled Oxidation of BiOSe for Self-Rectifying Memristor Arrays With sub-pA Sneak Currents.

Smart memristors with innovative properties are crucial for the advancement of next-generation information storage and bioinspired neuromorphic computing. However, the presence of significant sneak currents in large-scale memristor arrays results in operational errors and heat accumulation, hindering their practical utility. This study successfully synthesizes a quasi-free-standing BiOSe single-crystalline film and achieves layer-controlled oxidation by developing large-scale UV-assisted intercalative oxidation, resulting β-BiSeO/BiOSe heterostructures.

Carbon footprint analysis of wastewater treatment processes coupled with sludge in situ reduction.

The goal of this study was to assess the impacts or benefits of sludge in situ reduction (SIR) within wastewater treatment processes with relation to global warming potential in wastewater treatment plants, with a comprehensive consideration of wastewater and sludge treatment. The anaerobic side-stream reactor (ASSR) and the sludge process reduction activated sludge (SPRAS), two typical SIR technologies, were used to compare the carbon footprint analysis results with the conventional anaerobic - anoxic - oxic (AAO) process. Compared to the AAO, the ASSR with a typical sludge reduction efficiency (SRE) of 30 % increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 1.

Orientation selectivity mapping in the visual cortex.

The orientation map is one of the most well-studied functional maps of the visual cortex. However, results from the literature are of different qualities. Clear boundaries among different orientation domains and blurred uncertain distinctions were shown in different studies.

Microbial metabolite sodium butyrate enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of 5-fluorouracil against colorectal cancer by modulating PINK1/Parkin signaling and intestinal flora.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent global health issue, with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) being a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent for its treatment. However, the efficacy of 5-FU is often hindered by drug tolerance. Sodium butyrate (NaB), a derivative of intestinal flora, has demonstrated anti-cancer properties both in vitro and in vivo through pro-apoptotic effects and has shown promise in improving outcomes when used in conjunction with traditional chemotherapy agents.

Camelus knoblochi genome reveals the complex evolutionary history of Old World camels.

Extant Old World camels (genus Camelus) contributed to the economic and cultural exchanges between the East and West for thousands of years. Although many remains have been unearthed, we know neither whether the prevalent hybridization observed between extant Camelus species also occurred between extinct lineages and the ancestors of extant Camelus species nor why some populations became extinct while others survived. To investigate these questions, we generated paleogenomic and stable isotope data from an extinct two-humped camel species, Camelus knoblochi.

Association between ascites Gustave Roussy immune score and the intratumoural microbiome in malignant ascites secondary to hepatocellular carcinoma.

Backgrounds: The Gustave Roussy Immune (GRIm) score predicts survival outcomes in several cancers. However, the prognostic significance of the GRIm score in patients with malignant ascites has not yet been investigated.

Methods: Clinical samples were collected from a cohort of patients with malignant ascites secondary to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

The CRISPR-Cas13a Gemini System for noncontiguous target RNA activation.

Simultaneous multi-target detection and multi-site gene editing are two key factors restricting the development of disease diagnostic and treatment technologies. Despite numerous explorations on the source, classification, functional features, crystal structure, applications and engineering of CRISPR-Cas13a, all reports use the contiguous target RNA activation paradigm that only enables single-target detection in vitro and one-site gene editing in vivo. Here we propose a noncontiguous target RNA activation paradigm of Cas13a and establish a CRISPR-Cas13a Gemini System composed of two Cas13a:crRNA binary complexes, which can provide rapid, simultaneous, highly specific and sensitive detection of two RNAs in a single readout, as well as parallel dual transgene knockdown.

Ascitic microbiota alteration is associated with portal vein tumor thrombosis occurrence and prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) frequently leads to malignant ascites (MA) in individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), remaining a bottleneck in the treatment. This study aimed to explore the differences in microbes in paired groups and provide novel insights into PVTT and MA-related treatments. Formalin-fixed paraffin embedding ascite samples were collected from MA secondary to HCC and benign ascites (BA) secondary to liver cirrhosis (LC).

Kinome-Wide Virtual Screening by Multi-Task Deep Learning.

Deep learning is a machine learning technique to model high-level abstractions in data by utilizing a graph composed of multiple processing layers that experience various linear and non-linear transformations. This technique has been shown to perform well for applications in drug discovery, utilizing structural features of small molecules to predict activity. Here, we report a large-scale study to predict the activity of small molecules across the human kinome-a major family of drug targets, particularly in anti-cancer agents.

Function of mast cell and bile-cholangiocarcinoma interplay in cholangiocarcinoma microenvironment.

Objective: The correlation between cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) progression and bile is rarely studied. Here, we aimed to identify differential metabolites in benign and malignant bile ducts and elucidate the generation, function and degradation of bile metabolites.

Design: Differential metabolites in the bile from CCA and benign biliary stenosis were identified by metabonomics.

Polydopamine-assisted aptamer-carrying tetrahedral DNA microelectrode sensor for ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of exosomes.

Background: Exosomes are nanoscale extracellular vesicles (30-160 nm) with endosome origin secreted by almost all types of cells, which are considered to be messengers of intercellular communication. Cancerous exosomes serve as a rich source of biomarkers for monitoring changes in cancer-related physiological status, because they carry a large number of biological macromolecules derived from parental tumors. The ultrasensitive quantification of trace amounts of cancerous exosomes is highly valuable for non-invasive early cancer diagnosis, yet it remains challenging.

Relationships of Late Pleistocene giant deer as revealed by mitogenomes from East Asia.

The giant deer, widespread in northern Eurasia during the Late Pleistocene, have been classified as western and eastern through morphological studies. While 's evolutionary history has been unveiled through mitogenomes, remains molecularly unexplored. Herein, we generated mitogenomes of giant deer from East Asia.

Targeted degrader technologies as prospective SARS-CoV-2 therapies.

COVID-19 remains a severe public health threat despite the WHO declaring an end to the public health emergency in May 2023. Continual development of SARS-CoV-2 variants with resistance to vaccine-induced or natural immunity necessitates constant vigilance as well as new vaccines and therapeutics. Targeted protein degradation (TPD) remains relatively untapped in antiviral drug discovery and holds the promise of attenuating viral resistance development.

CRISPR-Cas12a powered hybrid nanoparticle for extracellular vesicle aggregation and in-situ microRNA detection.

Efficient extracellular vesicle (EV) enrichment and timely internal RNA detection for cancer diagnostics are highly desirable and remain a challenge. Here, we report a rapid EV aggregation induced in-situ microRNA detection technology based on cationic lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles encapsulating cascade system of catalytic hairpin assembly and CRISPR-Cas12a (CLHN-CCC), allowing for EV enrichment in three-dimensional space and in-situ detection of internal microRNAs in one step within 30 min. The enrichment efficiency (>90%) of CLHN-CCC is demonstrated in artificial EVs, cell-secreted EVs and serum EVs, which is 5-fold higher than that of traditional ultracentrifugation.