Fully automated MRI-based convolutional neural network for noninvasive diagnosis of cirrhosis.

Objectives: To develop and externally validate a fully automated diagnostic convolutional neural network (CNN) model for cirrhosis based on liver MRI and serum biomarkers.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included consecutive patients receiving pathological evaluation of liver fibrosis stage and contrast-enhanced liver MRI between March 2010 and January 2024. On the training dataset, an MRI-based CNN model was constructed for cirrhosis against pathology, and then a combined model was developed integrating the CNN model and serum biomarkers.

Accelerated spine MRI with deep learning based image reconstruction: a prospective comparison with standard MRI.

Rationale And Objectives: To evaluate the performance of deep learning (DL) reconstructed MRI in terms of image acquisition time, overall image quality and diagnostic interchangeability compared to standard-of-care (SOC) MRI.

Materials And Methods: This prospective study recruited participants between July 2023 and August 2023 who had spinal discomfort. All participants underwent two separate MRI examinations (Standard and accelerated scanning).

Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization for Nonacute Subdural Hematoma.

Background: The effect of embolization of the middle meningeal artery in patients with subacute or chronic subdural hematoma is uncertain.

Methods: We performed a multicenter, open-label, randomized trial in China, involving patients with symptomatic nonacute subdural hematoma with mass effect. Patients were assigned to undergo burr-hole drainage or receive nonsurgical treatment at the surgeon's discretion, and patients in each group were then randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to undergo middle meningeal artery embolization with liquid embolic material or to receive usual care.

Efficacy and Safety of High-Dose TBS on Poststroke Upper Extremity Motor Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Upper extremity (UE) motor function impairment is a major poststroke complication whose recovery remains one of the most challenging tasks in neurological rehabilitation. This study examined the efficacy and safety of the personalized neuroimaging-guided high-dose theta-burst stimulation (TBS) for poststroke UE motor function recovery.

Methods: Patients after stroke with UE motor impairment from a China rehabilitation center were randomly assigned to receive high-dose intermittent TBS (iTBS) to ipsilesional UE sensorimotor network, continuous TBS (cTBS) to contralesional UE sensorimotor network, or sham stimulation, along with conventional therapy for 3 weeks.

Imaging Assessments and Clinical Significance of Brain Frailty in Moyamoya Disease.

Background And Purpose: Imaging assessment of brain frailty in ischemic stroke has been extensively studied, while the correlation between brain frailty and Moyamoya disease remains obscure. This study aimed to investigate the imaging characteristics of brain frailty and its clinical applications in Moyamoya disease.

Materials And Methods: This study included 60 patients with Moyamoya disease (107 hemispheres).

D-O-A based organic phosphors for both aggregation-induced electrophosphorescence and host-free sensitization.

Pure organic phosphors capable of room-temperature phosphorescence show a great potential in organic light-emitting diodes, while it is limited by the big challenge to realize efficient electroluminescence under electric excitation. Herein, we develop a class of organic phosphors based on acridine as the electron donor, triazine as the electron acceptor and oxygen as the bridge between them. Benefitting from the characteristic donor-oxygen-acceptor geometry, these compounds are found to behave an exciting aggregation-induced organic room-temperature electrophosphorescence, and achieve a record-high external quantum efficiency of 15.

Myeloid-restricted CD68 deficiency attenuates atherosclerosis via inhibition of ROS-MAPK-apoptosis axis.

In atherosclerosis, macrophages derived from blood monocytes contribute to non-resolving inflammation, which subsequently primes necrotic core formation, and ultimately triggers acute thrombotic vascular disease. Nevertheless, little is known about how inflammatory cells, especially the macrophages fuel atherosclerosis. CD68, a unique class D scavenger receptor (SRD) family member, is specifically expressed in monocytes/macrophages and remarkably up-regulated upon oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) stimulation.

Confocal laser endomicroscope with distal MEMS scanner for real-time histopathology.

Confocal laser endomicroscopy is an emerging methodology to perform real time optical biopsy. Fluorescence images with histology-like quality can be collected instantaneously from the epithelium of hollow organs. Currently, scanning is performed at the proximal end of probe-based instruments used routinely in the clinic, and flexibility to control the focus is limited.

Digital Droplet PCR for Detection and Quantitation of Hepatitis Delta Virus.

Introduction: Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) far exceeds our expected level. There remains a lack of reliable quantitative assays for HDV RNA detection. We sought to develop a new method based on digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) for HDV quantitative detection.

An ultrapotent RBD-targeted biparatopic nanobody neutralizes broad SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The wide transmission and host adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 have led to the rapid accumulation of mutations, posing significant challenges to the effectiveness of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. Although several neutralizing antibodies were authorized for emergency clinical use, convalescent patients derived natural antibodies are vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 Spike mutation. Here, we describe the screen of a panel of SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) targeted nanobodies (Nbs) from a synthetic library and the design of a biparatopic Nb, named Nb1-Nb2, with tight affinity and super-wide neutralization breadth against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

Ivy Sign in Moyamoya Disease: A Comparative Study of the FLAIR Vascular Hyperintensity Sign Against Contrast-Enhanced MRI.

Background And Purpose: The ability of the ivy sign on contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging (CEMR) to reflect cerebral perfusion and postoperative revascularization in Moyamoya disease remains largely unknown. We aimed to compare the capabilities of CEMR and FLAIR.

Materials And Methods: CEMR, FLAIR, arterial spin-labeling, and DSA were performed in 44 patients with Moyamoya disease.

Physical activity and sedentary time in relation to semen quality in healthy men screened as potential sperm donors.

Study Question: Is physical activity or sedentary time associated with semen quality parameters?

Summary Answer: Among healthy men screened as potential sperm donors, higher self-reported physical activity was associated with increased progressive and total sperm motility.

What Is Known Already: Despite the claimed beneficial effect of moderate physical activity on semen quality, results from epidemiological studies have been inconclusive. Previous studies were mostly conducted among endurance athletes or male partners of couples who sought infertility treatment.

A New Preoperative Prognostic System Combining CRP and CA199 For Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed at investigating the preoperatively available prognostic factors for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients and proposing a new preoperative prognostic scoring system for ICC.

Methods: A total of 246 consecutive ICC patients who underwent curative hepatectomy were enrolled retrospectively and were randomly divided into training (n=164) and validation cohorts (n=82) at a ratio of 2:1. The prognostic factors were investigated in both cohorts using multivariate Cox's proportional hazards regression model.

High-Throughput Phenotyping and QTL Mapping Reveals the Genetic Architecture of Maize Plant Growth.

With increasing demand for novel traits in crop breeding, the plant research community faces the challenge of quantitatively analyzing the structure and function of large numbers of plants. A clear goal of high-throughput phenotyping is to bridge the gap between genomics and phenomics. In this study, we quantified 106 traits from a maize () recombinant inbred line population ( = 167) across 16 developmental stages using the automatic phenotyping platform.

Impaired Endothelial Repair Capacity of Early Endothelial Progenitor Cells in Hypertensive Patients With Primary Hyperaldosteronemia: Role of 5,6,7,8-Tetrahydrobiopterin Oxidation and Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Uncoupling.

Although hyperaldosteronemia exerts detrimental impacts on vascular endothelium in addition to elevating blood pressure, the effects and molecular mechanisms of hyperaldosteronemia on early endothelial progenitor cell (EPC)-mediated endothelial repair after arterial damage are yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the endothelial repair capacity of early EPCs from hypertensive patients with primary hyperaldosteronemia (PHA). In vivo endothelial repair capacity of early EPCs from PHAs (n=20), age- and blood pressure-matched essential hypertension patients (n=20), and age-matched healthy subjects (n=20) was evaluated by transplantation into a nude mouse carotid endothelial denudation model.

From clinical to tissue-based dual TIA: Validation and refinement of ABCD3-I score.

Objective: To investigate whether dual tissue-defined ischemic attacks, defined as multiple diffusion-weighted imaging lesions of different age and/or arterial territory (dual DWI), are an independent and stronger predictor of 90-day stroke than dual clinical TIAs (dual TIA).

Methods: Consecutive patients with clinically defined TIA were enrolled and assessed clinically and by MRI within 3 days. The predictive ability of the ABCD clinical factors, dual TIA, and dual DWI was evaluated by means of multivariate logistic regression.

[Inactivation of the chlorine-resistant bacteria isolated from the drinking water distribution system].

Inactivation experiments of seven strains of chlorine-resistant bacteria, isolated from a drinking water distribution system, were conducted with four kinds of disinfectants. All the bacteria showed high resistance to chlorine, especially for Mycobacterium mucogenicum. The CT value of 99.

[Spectrofluorimetric study of supramolecular inclusion between rodenticide brodifacoum and beta-cyclodextrin and application].

The supramolecular interaction between beta-cyclodextrin and brodifacoum, an anticoagulant rodenticide of the second generation, was studied by spectroscopy. The results showed that brodifacoum and beta-cyclodextrin could form an inclusion complex with an association constant of 1.048 x 10(4) L x mol(-1) and a 1 : 1 stoichiometry based on Benesi-Hildebrand equation.

[Study of the interaction mechanism between brodifacoum and DNA by spectroscopy].

The interaction between brodifacoum (3-[3-(4'-bromophenyl-4) 1,2,3,4-tetralin-10]-4-hydroxyl-coumarin) (BDF), an anticoagulant rodenticide, and calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) was studied by UV spectrum and fluorescence spectrum. The results were summarized as follows: There was a hypochromic effect of low concentration ct-DNA on the UV spectra. The fluorescence quenching studies showed a regular decrease in the fluorescence intensity after addition of ct-DNA by the static quenching mode with a quenching constant (Ksv) of 1.

[Effects of Yuquan pills on pharmacokinetics of metformin hydrochloride in diabetic rats].

Objective: To study effects of Yuquan pills on the pharmacokinetics process of metformin hydrochloride in diabetic rats.

Method: After administration Yuquan pills 7 day to the diabetic rats, the metformin hydrochloride was orally administrated, then the blood samples were collected at different time. The concentrations of metformin hydrochloride in plasma were determined by HPLC method and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated.

[Study on extractive spectrophotometry for determination of amoxicillin with ionic associate].

A method of extractive spectrophotometry has been proposed for the determination of amoxicillin (AMO). The ion pairs complex of amoxicillin with methylene blue (MB) can be extracted into 1,2-dichloroethane at pH 3.3 and has absorption maximum at 657 nm.

[Study on the relationship between intracellular free calcium and melanization in oocysts of Plasmodium yoelii].

Objective: To study the change of intracellular free Ca2+ in the oocyst when it melanized and to find out the relationship between the melanized oocyst and its intracellular level of free Ca2+ in a Plasmodium-refractory strain of Anopheles dirus.

Methods: The distribution and experimental condition of the intracellular free Ca2+ in oocyst of Plasmodium yoelii was measured with Ca2+ sensitive dye Fluo-3/AM and Pluronic F-127 under confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) at different time.

Results: The best load condition was that the oocysts were incubated in 3 mumol/ml Fluo-3/AM adding 1 microliter/ml 25% Pluronic F-127 for 60 min at 37 degrees C.