Novel MRI-based Hyper-Fused Radiomics for Predicting Pathologic Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Breast Cancer.

Rationale And Objectives: To propose a novel MRI-based hyper-fused radiomic approach to predict pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) in breast cancer (BC).

Materials And Methods: Pretreatment dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and ultra-multi-b-value (UMB) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) data were acquired in BC patients who received NAT followed by surgery at two centers. Hyper-fused radiomic features (RFs) and conventional RFs were extracted from DCE-MRI or UMB-DWI.

Diagnostic Efficacy of Ventilation-Perfusion Single Photo Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography for Pulmonary Hypertension due to Fibrinous Mediastinitis.

Rationale And Objectives: Comprehensive data on the use of ventilation-perfusion single-photo emission computed tomography/computed tomography (V/Q SPECT/CT), an established diagnostic tool for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, in identifying pulmonary hypertension secondary to fibrinous mediastinitis (PH-FM) is scarce. This study aimed to assess its diagnostic efficacy for PH-FM.

Materials And Methods: Patients with PH due to pulmonary artery stenosis were assessed using V/Q SPECT/CT, computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA), and digital subtraction pulmonary angiography (PAG).

Spatial omics-based machine learning algorithms for the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Worldwide, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the second most lethal cancer, although early-stage HCC is amenable to curative treatment and can facilitate long-term survival. Early detection has proved difficult, as proteomics, transcriptomics, and genomics have been unable to discover suitable biomarkers.

Methods: To find new biomarkers of HCC, we utilized a spatial omics N-glycan imaging method to identify altered glycosylation in cancer tissue (n = 53) and in paired serum of individuals with HCC (n = 23).

A sensitive red/far-red photoswitch for controllable gene therapy in mouse models of metabolic diseases.

Red light optogenetic systems are in high demand for the precise control of gene expression for gene- and cell-based therapies. Here, we report a red/far-red light-inducible photoswitch (REDLIP) system based on the chimeric photosensory protein FnBphP (Fn-REDLIP) or PnBphP (Pn-REDLIP) and their interaction partner LDB3, which enables efficient dynamic regulation of gene expression with a timescale of seconds without exogenous administration of a chromophore in mammals. We use the REDLIP system to establish the REDLIP-mediated CRISPR-dCas9 (REDLIP) system, enabling optogenetic activation of endogenous target genes in mammalian cells and mice.

Distributed direct air capture of carbon dioxide by synergistic water harvesting.

Adsorption-based direct air capture (DAC) of carbon dioxide, using chemisorbents like solid amines, has been widely recognized as a sustainable measure to contain atmospheric CO concentrations. However, the productivity and economic viability of DAC have been compromised by the high energy consumption for regenerating the adsorbents. Here, we show that by synergistically harvesting water and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, we can regenerate the unit using in situ vapor purge at low energy and capital cost.

Baseline Performance of Ultrasound-Based Strategies in Breast Cancer Screening Among Chinese Women.

Rationale And Objective: There is a notable absence of robust evidence on the efficacy of ultrasound-based breast cancer screening strategies, particularly in populations with a high prevalence of dense breasts. Our study addresses this gap by evaluating the effectiveness of such strategies in Chinese women, thereby enriching the evidence base for identifying the most efficacious screening approaches for women with dense breast tissue.

Methods: Conducted from October 2018 to August 2022 in Central China, this prospective cohort study enrolled 8996 women aged 35-64 years, divided into two age groups (35-44 and 45-64 years).

Impact of Demographics on Regional Visual Field Loss and Deterioration in Glaucoma.

Purpose: To elucidate the impact of demographics, including gender, race, ethnicity, and preferred language, on regional visual field (VF) loss and progression in glaucoma.

Methods: Multivariable linear mixed regressions were performed to determine the impact of race, ethnicity, and preferred language on regional VF loss with adjustment for age and gender. Regional VF loss was defined by pointwise total deviation values and VF loss patterns quantified by an unsupervised machine learning method termed archetypal analysis.

Transformer-Based Deep Learning Prediction of 10-Degree Humphrey Visual Field Tests From 24-Degree Data.

Purpose: To predict 10-2 Humphrey visual fields (VFs) from 24-2 VFs and associated non-total deviation features using deep learning.

Methods: We included 5189 reliable 24-2 and 10-2 VF pairs from 2236 patients, and 28,409 reliable pairs of macular OCT scans and 24-2 VF from 19,527 eyes of 11,560 patients. We developed a transformer-based deep learning model using 52 total deviation values and nine VF test features to predict 68 10-2 total deviation values.

Addition of operative hysteroscopy to vacuum aspiration for the management of early pregnancy loss after in vitro fertilization.

Objective: To investigate whether operative hysteroscopy in addition to vacuum aspiration for the management of early pregnancy loss effectively increases the success rate of subsequent frozen embryo transfer.

Design: Propensity score-matched cohort study.

Setting: Academic hospital.

The Protective Efficacy of a SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Candidate B.1.351V against Several Variant Challenges in K18-hACE2 Mice.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) with increased transmissibility and partial resistance to neutralization by antibodies has been observed globally. There is an urgent need for an effective vaccine to combat these variants. Our study demonstrated that the B.

β-catenin mediates endodermal commitment of human ES cells via distinct transactivation functions.

Background: β-catenin, acting as the core effector of canonical Wnt signaling pathway, plays a pivotal role in controlling lineage commitment and the formation of definitive endoderm (DE) during early embryonic development. Despite extensive studies using various animal and cell models, the β-catenin-centered regulatory mechanisms underlying DE formation remain incompletely understood, partly due to the rapid and complex cell fate transitions during early differentiation.

Results: In this study, we generated new CTNNB1-/- human ES cells (hESCs) using CRISPR-based insertional gene disruption approach and systematically rescued the DE defect in these cells by introducing various truncated or mutant forms of β-catenin.

Dietary succinate reduces fat deposition through gut microbiota and lipid metabolism in broilers.

Succinate has been shown to be a potentially beneficial nutritional supplement with a diverse range of physiological functions. However, it remains unknown whether succinate supplementation regulates lipid metabolism in chickens. The aim of this study was to explore how succinate affects fat deposition and the underlying mechanism involved in broilers and to determine the most appropriate level of succinate supplementation in the diet.

Improved efficacy and safety of zanubrutinib versus ibrutinib in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (R/R CLL) in China: a subgroup of ALPINE.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) has different epidemiology in Chinese vs. Western patients, but there are few studies of CLL/SLL in large populations of Chinese patients. ALPINE is a global phase 3 trial investigating Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors zanubrutinib vs.

Identifying MAGE-A4-positive tumors for TCR T cell therapies in HLA-A∗02-eligible patients.

T cell receptor (TCR) T cell therapies target tumor antigens in a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted manner. Biomarker-defined therapies require validation of assays suitable for determination of patient eligibility. For clinical trials evaluating TCR T cell therapies targeting melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGE-A4), screening in studies NCT02636855 and NCT04044768 assesses patient eligibility based on: (1) high-resolution HLA typing and (2) tumor MAGE-A4 testing via an immunohistochemical assay in HLA-eligible patients.

Ultra-high spatio-temporal resolution imaging with parallel acquisition-readout structured illumination microscopy (PAR-SIM).

Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) has emerged as a promising super-resolution fluorescence imaging technique, offering diverse configurations and computational strategies to mitigate phototoxicity during real-time imaging of biological specimens. Traditional efforts to enhance system frame rates have concentrated on processing algorithms, like rolling reconstruction or reduced frame reconstruction, or on investments in costly sCMOS cameras with accelerated row readout rates. In this article, we introduce an approach to elevate SIM frame rates and region of interest (ROI) coverage at the hardware level, without necessitating an upsurge in camera expenses or intricate algorithms.

Constructing Self-Healing Polydimethylsiloxane through Molecular Structure Design and Metal Ion Bonding.

Self-healing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has garnered significant attention due to its potential applications across various fields. In this study, a functionalized modification of PDMS containing di-aminos was initially conducted using 2,6-pyridinedicarbonyl chloride to synthesize pyridine-PDMS (Py-PDMS). Subsequently, rare earth metal europium ions (Eu) were incorporated into Py-PDMS.

Retraction Note: Study on the functions and mechanism of immune functions of human telomerase reverse transcriptase regulating dendritic cells treating sepsis.

The article "Study on the functions and mechanism of immune functions of human telomerase reverse transcriptase regulating dendritic cells treating sepsis", by H.-M. Chen, L.

Effects of Aging Treatment on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of a TC18 Alloy.

In the present work, the effects of aging treatment on the microstructures of a TC18 alloy are studied. The influence of aging treatment on the tensile properties and failure mechanisms is systematically analyzed. It is found that the size and morphology of the primary α (α) phases are insensitive to aging temperature and time.

Isolation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) from endometriotic mice model and their immunomodulatory functions.

Endometriosis is a chronic, painful disease whose etiology remains unknown. The development of novel therapies and diagnostic tools for endometriosis has been limited due in part to challenges in studying the disease. Recently, a few reports have shown that immunosuppressive cells, such as myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC), may promote the progression of endometriosis.

50-nm Gas-Filled Protein Nanostructures to Enable the Access of Lymphatic Cells by Ultrasound Technologies.

Ultrasound imaging and ultrasound-mediated gene and drug delivery are rapidly advancing diagnostic and therapeutic methods; however, their use is often limited by the need for microbubbles, which cannot transverse many biological barriers due to their large size. Here, the authors introduce 50-nm gas-filled protein nanostructures derived from genetically engineered gas vesicles(GVs) that are referred to as GVs. These diamond-shaped nanostructures have hydrodynamic diameters smaller than commercially available 50-nm gold nanoparticles and are, to the authors' knowledge, the smallest stable, free-floating bubbles made to date.

Efficacy and Safety of Tirofiban Before Stenting for Symptomatic Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background And Objectives: Acute stent thrombosis (AST) is not uncommon and even catastrophic during intracranial stenting angioplasty in patients with symptomatic high-grade intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether adjuvant intravenous tirofiban before stenting could reduce the risk of AST and periprocedural ischemic stroke in patients receiving stent angioplasty for symptomatic ICAS.

Methods: A prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized clinical trial was conducted from September 9, 2020, to February 18, 2022, at 10 medical centers in China.