Publications by authors named "KK Wang"

Military breachers are routinely exposed to repetitive low-level blast overpressure, placing them at elevated risk for long-term neurological sequelae. Mounting evidence suggests that circulating brain-reactive autoantibodies, generated following CNS injury, may serve as both biomarkers of cumulative damage and drivers of secondary neuroinflammation. In this study, we compared circulating autoantibody profiles in military breachers ( = 18) with extensive blast exposure against unexposed military controls ( = 19).

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Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains a significant global health challenge, being the sixth leading cause of cancer mortality with pronounced geographic variability. The incidence rates range from 125 per 100,000 in northern China to 1-1.5 per 100,000 in the United States, driven by environmental and lifestyle factors such as tobacco and alcohol use, dietary habits, and pollution.

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This study reveals the mechanisms behind the ultralow lattice thermal conductivity κ in β-ZnSb single crystals through inelastic neutron scattering (INS). Analyzing phonon behaviors and the interaction between acoustic phonons and rattling modes, the first experimental evidence of avoided crossing in β-ZnSb is provided. The rattler-phonon avoided crossings contribute to the low κ in a β-ZnSb single crystal, enhancing the thermoelectric figure-of-merit (zT).

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Background And Objectives: There is seemingly contradictory evidence concerning relationships between day-of-injury biomarkers and outcomes after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). To address this issue, we examined the association between a panel of biomarkers and multidimensional TBI outcomes.

Methods: Participants with mTBI (Glasgow coma scores [GCSs] 13-15) were selected from Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury, a European observational study recruiting patients with TBI with indication for brain CT and presentation within 24 hours.

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The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are critical determinants of the nutritional quality of fish. To rapidly and non-destructively determine the muscular PUFAs in living fish, an accuracy technique is urgently needed. In this study, we combined skin hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and machine learning (ML) methods to assess the muscular PUFAs contents of common carp.

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Introduction: Dodecafluoropentane emulsion (DDFPe) administration has previously demonstrated improved gas exchange in single-organ perfusion models. This could translate to prevention of brain injury in cardiac arrest.

Methods: We induced cardiac arrest in 12 pigs, performing CPR after 5-minute downtime.

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Bioluminescence tomography (BLT) improves upon commonly-used 2D bioluminescence imaging by reconstructing 3D distributions of bioluminescence activity within biological tissue, allowing tumor localization and volume estimation-critical for cancer therapy development. Conventional model-based BLT is computationally challenging due to the ill-posed nature of the problem and data noise. We introduce a self-supervised hybrid neural network (SHyNN) that integrates the strengths of both conventional model-based methods and machine learning (ML) techniques to address these challenges.

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Background: Contemporary surgical practices for traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain unclear. We describe the clinical profile of an 18-centre US TBI cohort with cranial surgery.

Methods: The prospective, observational Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury Study (2014-2018; ClinicalTrials.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The HFPEF score helps diagnose heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) but its effectiveness in Chinese patients hadn't been fully studied until this research aimed to evaluate a modified version of the score.
  • - In a study of 497 Chinese HFpEF patients, the modified HFPEF score—using a body mass index (BMI) cutoff of 25 kg/m—predicted heart failure-related events and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) better than the original score based on a BMI of 30 kg/m.
  • - Findings showed that a higher modified HFPEF score correlated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, with a cutoff score of 6.5 effectively signaling adverse health outcomes among the patients studied
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A Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, moderate halophilic actinobacterium, designated strain YIM 96095, was isolated from a saline soil sample collected from Aiding Lake, Xinjiang, North-western China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolate belonged to the family , formed a distinct subclade, and was most closely related to DSM 102030 and DSM 45697 with sequence identity values of 95.8 and 95.

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  • Recent advancements in radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer highlight the need for better research models to enhance our understanding of radiation treatment's effects on this cancer type.
  • Cone-beam CT imaging is limited in its ability to provide soft tissue contrast and is affected by pancreatic motion, leading to potential damage to healthy tissues during treatment.
  • The new bioluminescence tomography (BLT)-guided system shows improved localization accuracy for pancreatic tumors and allows for more precise radiation planning while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
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Nucleotide modifications deviate nanopore sequencing readouts, therefore generating artifacts during the basecalling of sequence backbones. Here, we present an iterative approach to polish modification-disturbed basecalling results. We show such an approach is able to promote the basecalling accuracy of both artificially-synthesized and real-world molecules.

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Article Synopsis
  • Nanopore sequencing of short DNA/RNA sequences (under 0.3kb) is becoming increasingly popular, similar to Illumina sequencing techniques.
  • The study presents a new training method for nanopore basecallers tailored specifically for short biomolecules.
  • Using bioengineered RNA (BioRNA) as a test case, the researchers show that their trained basecallers achieve higher accuracy in sequencing.
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Background: The inflammatory response in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) offers opportunities for stratification and intervention. Previous unselected approaches to immunomodulation in patients with TBI have not improved patient outcomes.

Methods: Serum and plasma samples from two prospective, multi-centre observational studies of patients with TBI were used to discover (Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research [CENTER-TBI], Europe) and validate (Transforming Research and Clinical Knowledge in Traumatic Brain Injury [TRACK-TBI] Pilot, USA) individual variations in the immune response using a multiplex panel of 30 inflammatory mediators.

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  • Ultra-high dose rate irradiation (FLASH) can reduce damage to normal tissues while effectively controlling tumors, likely due to a reduction in oxygen levels (radiolytic oxygen depletion).
  • Despite some experiments not confirming this global tissue hypoxia with FLASH, they may have missed local effects like preserving stem cell niches because of limitations in their measurement techniques.
  • To better understand these microscopic dynamics, a detailed computational model was developed to explore how oxygen consumption and transport change over time in tissues during FLASH irradiation.
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EGFR-TKIs have been used as frontline treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) suffering from the mutation. Gefitinib, the first-generation EGFR-TKI, has greatly improved survival rates in lung cancer patients, whereas acquired gefitinib resistance is still a critical issue that needs to be overcome. In our research, high expression levels of CIB2 were found in gefitinib-resistant lung cancer cells.

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A new species of the firmoss from China, sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on morphological characters and molecular evidence.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study presents a unified treatment planning system (TPS) model for four matched Elekta VersaHD linacs, allowing flexible workflows in radiation therapy and ensuring quality assurance in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT).
  • - The TPS was validated using comprehensive tests based on established guidelines, demonstrating that the single RayStation model delivered accurate results within recommended tolerance limits when compared to individual models.
  • - The results showed that the single model maintained high agreement (within 1% PDD) across different radiation energies and produced consistent IMRT quality assurance outcomes, confirming its effectiveness for clinical use.
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Dysbiosis of the human gut microbiota is linked to numerous diseases. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which microbes interact and compete with one another is required for developing successful strategies to modulate the microbiome. The natural product Microcin M (MccM) consists of a 77-residue bioactive peptide conjugated to a siderophore and is a class II microcin involved in microbial competition with an enigmatic mode-of-action.

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  • The study investigates the relationship between systemic bile acids and the progression of Barrett's esophagus (BE), particularly their role in advancing stages that may lead to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC).
  • It involved profiling serum bile acids in 141 subjects (both with and without BE) and examined how various factors, like diet and age, influenced bile acid levels, finding significant differences between non-BE and BE stages.
  • Results indicate that higher levels of specific bile acids, especially cholic acid, are linked to advanced BE conditions and gene expression changes, suggesting that they may serve as potential biomarkers or targets for future therapeutic strategies.
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  • Fish cells, particularly grass carp kidney (CIK) cells, are more challenging to transfect compared to mammalian cells, necessitating a better gene delivery method.
  • A novel nanocarrier made from α-lactalbumin (α-NC) was developed, showing effective absorption of nucleic acids and low toxicity, outperforming traditional liposomal transfection reagents.
  • This system allowed for successful co-transfection of key genetic materials, resulting in a stable transgenic CIK cell line with integrated Cas9 and GFP, thus providing a streamlined approach for creating stable transgenic fish cell lines.
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Traumatic brain injury, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and Alzheimer's disease are three distinct neurological disorders that share common pathophysiological mechanisms involving neuroinflammation. One sequela of neuroinflammation includes the pathologic hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, an endogenous microtubule-associated protein that protects the integrity of neuronal cytoskeletons. Tau hyperphosphorylation results in protein misfolding and subsequent accumulation of tau tangles forming neurotoxic aggregates.

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Objectives: An estimated 14-23% of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) incur multiple lifetime TBIs. The relationship between prior TBI and outcomes in patients with moderate to severe TBI (msTBI) is not well delineated. We examined the associations between prior TBI, in-hospital mortality, and outcomes up to 12 months after injury in a prospective US msTBI cohort.

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