Association of liver fibrosis scores with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with heart failure.

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of liver fibrosis (determined via fibrosis scores) with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in HF patients. The study examined demographic and clinical data were collected from NHANES database (1999 to 2018). A total of 1356 HF patients were enrolled in our analysis.

Ga-PSMA PET/CT-Based Model Predicts Perineural Invasion of Prostate Cancer with Whole-Mount Sections.

Purpose: To develop a novel risk model incorporating Ga-PSMA PET/CT parameters for prediction of perineural invasion (PNI) of prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: The study retrospectively enrolled 192 PCa patients with preoperative multiparametric MRI, Ga-PSMA PET/CT and radical specimen. Imaging parameters were derived from both mpMRI and PET/CT images.

Enhanced upconversion luminescence of UCNPs@CsPbI nanocomposites via constructing multiple energy transfer channels.

The application of upconversion nanomaterials relies heavily on the ability to produce bright upconversion luminescence (UCL) or high upconversion quantum yields (UCQYs) at low power density excitation. Herein, we synthesized silica-coated NaYF:Yb@NaGdF:Tm@NaYF:Tb upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and CsPbI perovskites quantum dots (PeQDs) nanocomposites by the slow hydrolysis of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. The energy transfer (ET) of Gd→Tb accelerates the five-photon upconversion process of Yb-Tm and the design of the core@shell@shell layer effectively mitigates the energy jumps between Gd ions.

High-resolution and instability-driven image reconstruction based on wave localization in azobenzene polymer.

Transverse modulation instability (MI) has been proved useful for reconstructing noisy images. However, the signal-noise resonances for high-frequency modes are always suppressed during the generation of instability, resulting in the blurring of output images. By controlling of photo-birefringence and isomerization of azobenzene-derivative polymer, we proposed an instability-driven reconstruction by re-growing high-frequency modes via localizing wave response.

Pretreatment-free aptasensing of lactoferrin in complex biological samples by portable electrophoretic mobility shift assay.

Aptamers are attractive recognition ligands for sensing proteins due to their favorable affinity, specificity, stability, and easy synthesis. However, it is difficult to detect proteins directly in complex biological samples without sophisticated equipment or tedious sample pretreatment. Herein, we developed a portable electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) platform for direct protein aptasensing in complex biological samples.

Aptamer melting biosensors for thousands of signaling and regenerating cycles.

Due to their recognition abilities and inherent regenerability, aptamers have great potential in biosensing applications. However, effective signal transduction and regeneration strategies are still required. Herein, we develop a melting-based aptamer sensing strategy capable of homogeneous signaling with over 1000 regenerating cycles without significant deterioration of performance.

ANK Deficiency-Mediated Cytosolic Citrate Accumulation Promotes Aortic Aneurysm.

Background: Disturbed metabolism and transport of citrate play significant roles in various pathologies. However, vascular citrate regulation and its potential role in aortic aneurysm (AA) development remain poorly understood.

Methods: Untargeted metabolomics by mass spectrometry was applied to identify upregulated metabolites of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in AA tissues of mice.

Luminescence Modulation in Boron-Cluster-Based Luminogens via Boron Isotope Effects.

Recent advances in luminescent materials highlight the significant impact of hydrogen isotope effects on improving optoelectronic properties. However, the research on the influence of the boron isotope effects on photophysical properties remains underdeveloped. This study focused on exploring the boron isotope effects in boron-cluster-based luminogens.

IL-6 signaling accelerates iron overload by upregulating DMT1 in endothelial cells to promote aortic dissection.

Aortic dissection (AD), caused by tearing of the intima and avulsion of the aortic media, is a severe threat to patient life and organ function. Iron is closely related to dissection formation and organ injury, but the mechanism of iron ion transport disorder in endothelial cells (ECs) remains unclear. We identified the characteristic EC of dissection with iron overload by single-cell RNA sequencing data.

Enzymatic DNA repairing amplification-powered construction of an Au nanoparticle-based nanosensor for single-molecule monitoring of cytosine deaminase activity in cancer cells.

APOBEC3A (A3A) is a cytidine deaminase with critical roles in molecular diagnostics. Herein, we demonstrate the enzymatic DNA repairing amplification-powered construction of an Au nanoparticle-based nanosensor for single-molecule monitoring of A3A activity in cancer cells. Target A3A can convert cytosine (C) in substrate probe to uracil (U), and then the template binds with substrate probe to form a dsDNA containing U/A base pairs.

Construction of a 3D Quantum Dot Nanoassembly with Two-Step FRET for One-Step Sensing of Human Telomerase RNA in Breast Cancer Cells and Tissues.

Telomerase is an important biomarker for early diagnosis of cancers, but current telomerase assays usually rely on measuring the extension products of telomerase substrates, which increases the assay complexity. More evidence indicates that human telomerase RNA (hTR), as a core component of telomerase, is positively correlated with the telomerase activity. Herein, we demonstrate the development of a duplex-specific nuclease (DSN)-propelled 3D quantum dot (QD) nanoassembly with two-step Föster resonance energy transfer (FRET) for the one-step sensing of hTR in breast cancer cells and tissues.

Development and external validation of a nomogram for predicting overall survival of patients with non-endometrioid endometrial cancer: A population-based analysis.

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to identify the key predictors and construct a nomogram that can be used to predict the overall survival of individuals with non-endometrioid endometrial cancer.

Methods: A total of 2686 non-endometrioid endometrial cancer patients confirmed between 1988 and 2018 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. They were divided into a training cohort and an internal validation cohort.

A high-throughput differential scanning fluorimetry method for rapid detection of thermal stability and iron saturation in lactoferrin.

Thermal stability and iron saturation of lactoferrin (LF) are of great significance not only for the evaluation of the biological activities of LF but also for the optimization of the isolation and drying process parameters. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a well-established and efficient method for thermal stability and iron saturation detection in LF. However, multiple DSC measurements are typically performed sequentially, thus time-consuming and low throughput.

High-efficiency upconversion luminescence in UCNPs/CsPbBr nanocomposites enhanced by silver nanoparticles.

Upconversion nanocomposites with multiple light-emitting centers have attracted great attention as functional materials, but their low efficiency limits their further applications. Herein, a novel, to the best of our knowledge, system for nanocomposites consisting of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs) assembled with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) is proposed. Upconversion luminescence (UCL) operation from PeQDs is triggered by near-infrared (NIR) sensitization through Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and photon reabsorption (PR).

Early and long-term outcomes of young adult patients ≤30 years old with acute type A aortic dissection.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the early and long-term outcomes after total arch replacement (TAR) and frozen elephant trunk (FET) implantation in adult patients ≤30 years with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD).

Methods: All young adult patients (≤30 years) with ATAAD who underwent TAR and FET between 2009 and 2017 were enrolled. The end points were major organ morbidity and mortality, aortic-related events and reoperation.

Label-free and sensitive detection of N6-methyladenosine demethylase activity in crude cell extracts and clinical cancer tissues based on demethylation-triggered exponential signal amplification.

The m6A demethylase catalyzes the removal of m6A modification to establish proper RNA methylation patterns, and it has emerged as a promising disease biomarker and a therapeutic target. The reported m6A demethylase assays often suffer from tedious producers, expensive reagents, radioactive risk, limited sensitivity, and poor specificity. Herein, we develop a simple, selective, label-free, and highly sensitive fluorescent biosensor for m6A demethylase assay based on demethylation-triggered exponential signal amplification.

Construction of Multiple DNAzymes Driven by Single Base Elongation and Ligation for Single-Molecule Monitoring of FTO in Cancer Tissues.

Fat mass and obesity-associated proteins (FTO) play an essential role in the reversible regulation of N-methyladenosine (mA) epigenetic modification, and the overexpression of FTO is closely associated with the occurrence of diverse human diseases (e.g., obesity and cancers).

Construction of a Dendritic Nanoassembly-Based Fluorescent Biosensor for Electrostatic Interaction-Independent and Label-Free Measurement of Human Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase 1 in Lung Tissues.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) is responsible for catalyzing the creation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymer and involved in DNA replication and repair. Sensitive measurement of PARP-1 is critical for clinical diagnosis. However, the conventional electrostatic attraction-based PAPR-1 assays usually involve laborious procedures, poor sensitivity, and false positives.

Instability-driven image recovery of 180-degree backscattered polarized-light in turbid water.

Although the incoherent modulation instability has been proven to be effective for the recovery of forward-scattering images, the similar attempt of backscatter is still non-ideal. In this paper, considering the preservation properties of polarization and coherence in 180° backscatter, we propose an instability-driven nonlinear imaging method based on polarization modulation. A coupling model is established using Mueller calculus and mutual coherence function, in which the instability generation and image reconstruction are both analyzed.

Far-field mid-infrared microscopy via spatial frequency shifting of evanescent waves in photorefractive nematic liquid crystal.

Mid-infrared wavelength has unique advantages in revealing the nanostructures and molecular vibrational signatures. However, the mid-infrared subwavelength imaging is also limited by diffraction. Here, we propose a scheme for breaking the limitation in mid-infrared imaging.

Synergistic luminescence effect and high-pressure optical properties of CsPbBrCl@EuMOFs nanocomposites.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of highly porous materials that have garnered significant attention in the field of optoelectronics due to their exceptional properties. In this study, CsPbBrCl@EuMOFs nanocomposites were synthesized using a two-step method. The fluorescence evolution of the CsPbBrCl@EuMOFs was investigated under high pressure, revealing a synergistic luminescence effect between CsPbBrCl and Eu.

Suppressed Phase Separation of Mixed-Halide Perovskite Quantum Dots Confined in Mesoporous Metal Organic Frameworks.

Mixed-halide perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs) are the most competitive candidates in designing solar cells and light-emitting devices (LEDs) due to their tunable bandgap and high-efficiency quantum yield. However, phase separation in mixed-halide perovskites under illumination can form rich iodine and bromine regions, which change its optical responses. Herein, we synthesize PeQDs combined with mesoporous zinc-based metal organic framework (MOF) crystals, which can greatly improve the stability of anti-anion exchange, including photo-, thermal, and long-term stabilities under illumination.

Peptidoglycan-Targeting Staphylolytic Enzyme Lysostaphin as a Novel and Efficient Protease toward Glycine-Rich Flexible Peptide Linkers.

Glycine-rich flexible peptide linkers have been widely adopted in fusion protein engineering; however, they can hardly be cleaved for the separation of fusion partners unless specific protease recognition sites are introduced. Herein, we report the use of the peptidoglycan-targeting staphylolytic enzyme lysostaphin to directly digest the glycine-rich flexible linkers of various lengths including oligoglycine linkers and (GS) linkers, without the incorporation of extra amino acids. Using His-MBP-linker-LbCpf1 as a model substrate, we show that both types of linkers could be digested by lysostaphin, and the digestion efficiency improved with increasing linker length.