Combining Apatinib and Oxaliplatin Remodels the Immunosuppressive Tumor Microenvironment and Sensitizes Desert-Type Gastric Cancer to Immunotherapy.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies have achieved significant breakthroughs in cancer treatment over the past decade. However, ICB is largely ineffective in desert-type gastric cancer (GC) due to intrinsic tumor heterogeneity and a highly immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Transforming tumors from immunosuppressive to immunostimulatory is a potential approach to enhance ICB response.

Lymph node-targeted delivery of thunb. polysaccharides for enhancing antitumor immunotherapy.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are crucial for the initiation and regulation of innate and adaptive immunity. Their maturity and infiltration in the tumor largely determine the efficiency of antigen presentation, the CTL responses, and the prognosis of tumors. However, the application of common immunoregulatory plant polysaccharides to DCs still represents major challenges due to the off-target effect and short biological lifespan.

Genetic syndromes associated with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms and imaging diagnostic strategies.

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) are the second most common pancreatic malignancy. While most cases are sporadic, a small proportion is associated with genetic syndromes, such as Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN), Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome (VHL), Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), and Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). This review aims to use pNENs as a clue to reveal the full spectrum of disease, providing a comprehensive understanding of diagnosis.

Prognostic impact of mutations in T1-4N0M0 lung adenocarcinoma: analyses focus on imaging and pathological features.

Background: With the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment, the prognosis of advanced lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor () mutations has been continuously improving. This study aims to propose the utilization of pathological characteristics and imaging features to evaluate the impact of gene mutations on the prognosis of T1-4N0M0 LUAD.

Methods: Among the cases diagnosed with LUAD between April 2015 and April 2016, 438 patients with T1-4N0M0 LUAD were included, and the clinical characteristics were collected.

BATF2 inhibits the stem cell-like properties and chemoresistance of gastric cancer cells through PTEN/AKT/β-catenin pathway.

Gastric cancer (GC) ranks as the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality, with cancer stem cells (CSCs) playing a critical role in tumor progression and resistance to chemotherapy. Conventional chemotherapy often fails to effectively target these stem cells. BATF2, a tumor suppressor, is known for its role in gastric cancer, but its influence on cancer stem cell-like properties and chemotherapy response remains unclear.

Prediction of the early hepatocellular carcinoma development in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection using gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Non-hypervascular hypointense nodules (NHHNs) can transform into hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during the long-term follow-up. However, the risk factors for NHHN hypervascular transformation in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected populations are unknown. This study assessed the predictive value of gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for HCC development in patients with chronic HBV infection.

Synergistic enhancement of chemical and electromagnetic effects in a TiCT/AgNPs two-dimensional SERS substrate for ultra-sensitive detection.

Background: It is well established that surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is one of the most commonly used spectral analysis techniques in real-world applications, including chemical and biological sensing, analytical detection, and even forensics. It offers high sensitivity, high resistance to solvents, photobleaching, and limited spectrum bands. In general, SERS is caused by two mechanisms, the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism (EM) and the chemical enhancement mechanism (CM), although the exact mechanism is not yet known.

BronchoTrack: Airway Lumen Tracking for Branch-Level Bronchoscopic Localization.

Localizing the bronchoscope in real time is essential for ensuring intervention quality. However, most existing vision-based methods struggle to balance between speed and generalization. To address these challenges, we present BronchoTrack, an innovative real-time framework for accurate branch-level localization, encompassing lumen detection, tracking, and airway association.

Selective and sensitive detection of dimethyl phthalate in water using ferromagnetic nanomaterial-based molecularly imprinted polymers and SERS.

To overcome the complicated pretreatment, low selectivity and low sensitivity detection associated with the detection of dimethyl phthalate (DMP), this study synthesized ferromagnetic nanomaterials that coupled with surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and molecular imprinting polymers (MIPs). The pretreatment process can be simplified by ferromagnetic nanomaterials, then FeO@SiO@Ag@MIPs selectively adsorbing DMP can be achieved, and SERS can be applied for DMP detection with high sensitivity. As a control, the non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) FeO@SiO@Ag@NIPs were synthesized.

Global, Regional, and National Burdens of Hearing Loss for Children and Adolescents from 1990 to 2019: A Trend Analysis.

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of global, regional, and national trends in the burden of hearing loss (HL) among children and adolescents from 1990 to 2019, using data from the Global Burden of Disease study. Over this period, there was a general decline in HL prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) globally, with average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) of -0.03% (95% uncertainty interval [UI], -0.

Size and isotope analysis of individual nanoparticles by multi-collector ICP-MS using "event-triggered signal capture" with a high-speed oscilloscope.

Accurate quantitative elemental and isotope analysis of nanoparticles at the single-particle level is crucial for better understanding their origin, properties and behaviors. Single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) has emerged as a promising technique for nanoparticle analysis. However, challenges persist in obtaining accurate and consistent element profiles and ratios for small-sized nanoparticles by conventional quadrupole (QMS) or time-of-flight mass analyzers (TOF-MS) due to their low level and transient nature.

Quantitative assessment of inflammation and evaluation of spatial heterogeneity for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice based on iron-adjustive T1.

Background: A sensitive and non-invasive method is necessary to diagnose non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We explored the iron-adjustive T1 (aT1) ability to quantify the degree of liver inflammation and evaluate the spatial heterogeneity.

Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly categorized as the NAFLD model (n=40), NAFLD-related liver cirrhosis model (n=20), and normal mice (n=10).

One-step fabrication of flexible polyamide@Ag-dodecanethiol membranes for highly sensitive SERS detection of thiram.

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is an effective spectral technology based on Raman scattering, but in practice, the commonly used SERS substrates suffer from low sensitivity and poor stability. In order to overcome these limitations, the SERS substrates were prepared from hydrophobic modification of dodecanethiol (C12) coupled with a flexible substrate, which was then used for pesticides detection in water. A flexible PA@Ag-C12 substrate with surface functionalization has been obtained.

Improving the Luminescence Performance of Monolayer MoS by Doping Multiple Metal Elements with CVT Method.

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) draw much attention as critical semiconductor materials for 2D, optoelectronic, and spin electronic devices. Although controlled doping of 2D semiconductors can also be used to tune their bandgap and type of carrier and further change their electronic, optical, and catalytic properties, this remains an ongoing challenge. Here, we successfully doped a series of metal elements (including Hf, Zr, Gd, and Dy) into the monolayer MoS through a single-step chemical vapor transport (CVT), and the atomic embedded structure is confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) with a probe corrector measurement.

Hydrophilic magnetic TiCT-based nanocomposite as an efficient boron adsorbent: Synthesis, characterization, and application.

It is widely recognized that wastewater containing boron is an environmental issue. Therefore, the development of adsorbents with excellent adsorption capacity, stability, and recyclability is essential in water treatment applications. A FeO/PDA/TiCT/PEI/DHHA nanocomposite has been prepared that can be used to separate and recover boric acid by adjusting the pH of the solution, based on the affinity theory of boric acid and cis-diol.

Clinical Interpretability of Deep Learning for Predicting Microvascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Using Attention Mechanism.

Preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) is essential for management decision in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Deep learning-based prediction models of MVI are numerous but lack clinical interpretation due to their "black-box" nature. Consequently, we aimed to use an attention-guided feature fusion network, including intra- and inter-attention modules, to solve this problem.

Harnessing dual-energy CT for glycogen quantification: a phantom analysis.

Background: Non-invasive glycogen quantification could provide crucial information on biological processes for glycogen storage disorder. Using dual-energy computed tomography (DECT), this study aimed to assess the viability of quantifying glycogen content .

Methods: A fast kilovolt-peak switching DECT was used to scan a phantom containing 33 cylinders with different proportions of glycogen and iodine mixture at varying doses.

Prognostic impact of deep learning-based quantification in clinical stage 0-I lung adenocarcinoma.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of automatic deep learning (DL) algorithm for size, mass, and volume measurements in predicting prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and compared with manual measurements.

Methods: A total of 542 patients with clinical stage 0-I peripheral LUAD and with preoperative CT data of 1-mm slice thickness were included. Maximal solid size on axial image (MSSA) was evaluated by two chest radiologists.

Controllable Synthesis and Charge Density Wave Phase Transitions of Two-Dimensional 1T-TaS Crystals.

1T-TaS has attracted much attention recently due to its abundant charge density wave phases. In this work, high-quality two-dimensional 1T-TaS crystals were successfully synthesized by a chemical vapor deposition method with controllable layer numbers, confirmed by the structural characterization. Based on the as-grown samples, their thickness-dependency nearly commensurate charge density wave/commensurate charge density wave phase transitions was revealed by the combination of the temperature-dependent resistance measurements and Raman spectra.

High-Efficiency Miniaturized Ultrasonic Nebulization Sample Introduction System for Elemental Analysis of Microvolume Biological Samples by Inductively Coupled Plasma Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry.

Sensitive and high-throughput analysis of trace elements in volume-limited biological samples is highly desirable for clinical research and health risk assessments. However, the conventional pneumatic nebulization (PN) sample introduction is usually inefficient and not well-suited for this requirement. Herein, a novel high-efficiency (nearly 100% sample introduction efficiency) and low-sample-consumption introduction device was developed and successfully coupled with inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS).

Spatial and temporal regulation of homogeneous nucleation and crystal growth for high-flux electrochemical water softening.

Electrochemical softening is an effective technology for the treatment of circulating cooling water, but its hardness removal efficiency is limited because that nucleation and growth of scale crystals depended on cathode surface. In this study, a novel method was proposed to break through this limit via spatiotemporal management of nucleation and growth processes. A cube reactor was divided into cathodic chamber and anodic chamber via installing a sandwich structure module composed of mesh cathode, nylon nets, and mesh anode.

Dietary Fibre Supplementation Improves Semen Production by Increasing Leydig Cells and Testosterone Synthesis in a Growing Boar Model.

Testicular development is imperative to spermatogenesis, and pre-puberty is the key period for testis development. This study, therefore, investigated the effects of fibre supplementation on testis development and its possible mechanism in a growing boar model. Thirty Yorkshire boars were randomly divided into a control group (Control) and a fibre group (Fibre) from day 0 to 90 after weaning, with three pigs per pen and five pens per treatment.

Phenanthroline-imine ligands for iron-catalyzed alkene hydrosilylation.

Iron-catalyzed organic reactions have been attracting increasing research interest but still have serious limitations on activity, selectivity, functional group tolerance, and stability relative to those of precious metal catalysts. Progress in this area will require two key developments: new ligands that can impart new reactivity to iron catalysts and elucidation of the mechanisms of iron catalysis. Herein, we report the development of novel 2-imino-9-aryl-1,10-phenanthrolinyl iron complexes that catalyze both -Markovnikov hydrosilylation of terminal alkenes and 1,2--Markovnikov hydrosilylation of various conjugated dienes.