Serum metabolome associated with novel and legacy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure and thyroid cancer risk: A multi-module integrated analysis based on machine learning.

Background: Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may linked to thyroid cancer (TC) risk, but inconsistent findings and a lack of studies on mixed exposures exist, especially regarding novel PFAS compounds. Additionally, little is known about the potential mechanisms underlying the association.

Objectives: Explore the effects of PFAS exposure on the serum metabolome and its correlation with TC.

Assessment of circulating proteins in thyroid cancer: Proteome-wide Mendelian randomization and colocalization analysis.

The causality between circulating proteins and thyroid cancer (TC) remains unclear. We employed five large-scale circulating proteomic genome-wide association studies (GWASs) with up to 100,000 participants and a TC meta-GWAS (n = 3,418, n = 292,703) to conduct proteome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) and Bayesian colocalization analysis. Protein and gene expressions were validated in thyroid tissue.

Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Associations Between Metal Mixtures and Serum C3, C4: Result from the Manganese‑exposed Workers Healthy Cohort.

Exposure to metal mixtures compromises the immune system, with the complement system connecting innate and adaptive immunity. Herein, we sought to explore the relationships between blood cell metal mixtures and the third and fourth components of serum complement (C3, C4). A total of 538 participants were recruited in November 2017, and 289 participants were followed up in November 2021.

Risk of papillary thyroid carcinoma and nodular goiter associated with exposure to semi-volatile organic compounds: A multi-pollutant assessment based on machine learning algorithms.

Background: Exposure to semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) may link to thyroid nodule risk, but studies of mixed-SVOCs exposure effects are lacking. Traditional analytical methods are inadequate for dealing with mixed exposures, while machine learning (ML) seems to be a good way to fill the gaps in the field of environmental epidemiology research.

Objectives: Different ML algorithms were used to explore the relationship between mixed-SVOCs exposure and thyroid nodule.

In Situ 4D Printing of Polyelectrolyte/Magnetic Composites for Sutureless Gastric Perforation Sealing.

In situ bioprinting has emerged as one of the most promising techniques for the sutureless tissue sealing of internal organs. However, most existing in situ bioprinting methods are limited by the complex and confined printing space inside the organs, harsh curing conditions for printable bioinks, and poor ability to suturelessly seal injured parts. The combination of in situ bioprinting and 4D printing is a promising technique for tissue repair.

Metformin promotes Schwann cell remyelination, preserves neural tissue and improves functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI) usually suffer lifelong disability as a result. Considering this, SCI treatment and pathology study are urgently needed. Metformin, a widely used hypoglycemic drug, has been indicated for its important role in central nervous system diseases.

Autonomous Healable Elastomers with High Elongation, Stiffness, and Fatigue Resistance.

Although self-healing elastomers have been developed in a great breakthrough, it is still a challenge to develop one kind of material that can respond to the fracture instantly even though this characteristic plays an essential role in emergency circumstances. Herein, we adopt free radical polymerization to construct one polymer network equipped with two weak interactions (dipole-dipole interaction and hydrogen bonding). The elastomer we synthesized has a high self-healing efficiency (100%) and a very short healing time (3 min) in an air atmosphere, and it can also self-heal in seawater, showing an ideal healing efficiency of >80%.

Large-Scale, Abrasion-Resistant, and Solvent-Free Superhydrophobic Objects Fabricated by a Selective Laser Sintering 3D Printing Strategy.

Manufacturing abrasion-resistant superhydrophobic matters is challenging due to the fragile feature of the introduced micro-/nanoscale surface roughness. Besides the long-term durability, large scale at meter level, and 3D complex structures are of great importance for the superhydrophobic objects used across diverse industries. Here it is shown that abrasion-resistant, half-a-meter scaled superhydrophobic objects can be one-step realized by the selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing technology using hydrophobic-fumed-silica (HFS)/polymer composite grains.

Study on Risk Factors of Primary Non-traumatic OVCF in Chinese Elderly and a Novel Prediction Model.

Objective: Prevention of fragility fractures is one of the public health priorities worldwide, whilst the incidence of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) continues to rise and lacks the corresponding accurate prediction model. This study aimed to screen potential causes and risk factors for primary non-traumatic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (NTOVCF) in the elderly by characterizing a patient population with NTOVCF and comparing it with a population of osteoporotic patients.

Methods: Between January 2013 and January 2022, 208 elderly patients with unequivocal evidence of bone fragility manifested as painful NTOVCF were enrolled, and compared with 220 patients with osteoporosis and no fractures.

Enhanced Strength and Hardness of AS41 Magnesium Alloy Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting.

AS41 magnesium alloy possesses outstanding performance features such as light weight, high strength to toughness ratio and excellent heat resistance due to the addition of Si element, while traditional casting methods are prone to inducing large grain size and coarse MgSi phase. In this study, we first reported utilizing the selective laser melting (SLM) technique, fabricating AS41 samples and exploring the effect of laser energy densities on the metallurgical quality by characterizing and investigating the microstructure and mechanical properties. Results showed that the optimal laser energy density range was 60 to 100 J/mm.

A stretchable and healable elastomer with shape memory capability based on multiple hydrogen bonds.

Although a wide range of self-healing materials have been reported by researchers, it is still a challenge to endow exceptional mechanical properties and shape memory characteristics simultaneously in a single material. Inspired by the structure of natural silk, herein, we have adopted a simple synthetic method to prepare a kind of elastomer (HM-PUs) with stiff, healable and shape memory capabilities assisted by multiple hydrogen bonds. The self-healing elastomer exhibits a maximum tensile strength of 39 MPa, toughness of 111.

Bioinspired Thermoplastic Elastomer with Flexible, Self-Healing Capabilities.

The self-healing property of biological tissues gives humans inspiration to endow artificial synthetic materials with self-healing functions. Herein, we report a thermoplastic elastomer that can be self-repaired in a short time, which uses dual dynamic bonds (hydrogen bonds and disulfide bonds) coupled to realize its self-healing function through the rapid conversion of dynamic hydrogen bonds between the hard and soft segments, as well as the dynamic bonding and dissociation of disulfide bonds. Furthermore, the maximum tensile strength and strain of the elastomer can reach 17.

Spontaneous water-on-water spreading of polyelectrolyte membranes inspired by skin formation.

Stable interfaces between immiscible solvents are crucial for chemical synthesis and assembly, but interfaces between miscible solvents have been less explored. Here the authors report the spontaneous water-on-water spreading and self-assembly of polyelectrolyte membranes. An aqueous mixture solution containing poly(ethyleneimine) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) spreads efficiently on acidic water, leading to the formation of hierarchically porous membranes.

Recent Advances on High-Performance Polyaryletherketone Materials for Additive Manufacturing.

Polyaryletherketone (PAEK) is emerging as an important high-performance polymer material in additive manufacturing (AM) benefiting from its excellent mechanical properties, good biocompatibility, and high-temperature stability. The distinct advantages of AM facilitate the rapid development of PAEK products with complex customized structures and functionalities, thereby enhancing their applications in various fields. Herein, the recent advances on AM of high-performance PAEKs are comprehensively reviewed, concerning the materials properties, AM processes, mechanical properties, and potential applications of additively manufactured PAEKs.

Design of Robust Self-Healing Silicone Elastomers Based on Multiple H-Bonding and Dynamic Covalent Bond.

A room-temperature self-healing silicone elastomer was prepared based on the synergistic effect of multiple H-bonding and dynamic covalent bond. The multiple bonds constructed by inserting thiourea into the polyurea network can inhibit the crystallization of hard urea H-bonds segments and activate the diffusion movement of polymer chains. Dynamic imine endows materials with a strong connection for the fracture interface by imine metathesis.

Research Status and Prospect of Additive Manufactured Nickel-Titanium Shape Memory Alloys.

Nickel-titanium alloys have been widely used in biomedical, aerospace and other fields due to their shape memory effect, superelastic effect, as well as biocompatible and elasto-thermal properties. Additive manufacturing (AM) technology can form complex and fine structures, which greatly expands the application range of Ni-Ti alloy. In this study, the development trend of additive manufactured Ni-Ti alloy was analyzed.

4D Printing Strain Self-Sensing and Temperature Self-Sensing Integrated Sensor-Actuator with Bioinspired Gradient Gaps.

Integrated sensor-actuators with exciting functionalities, such as action self-sensing, position self-sensing, posture self-sensing, or active sensing, are promising for applications in biomedical device, human-machine interaction, intelligent self-protection devices, and humanoid robots. Despite recent progress, it remains challenging to achieve a macroscopical integrated sensor-actuator in a material system with microstructures. To address this critical challenge, a 4D printing bioinspired microstructure strategy is reported to design a high-performance integrated sensor-actuator capable of simultaneous actuation and sensation.

Fused Deposition Modeling of Poly (lactic acid)/Macadamia Composites-Thermal, Mechanical Properties and Scaffolds.

In this work Macadamia nutshell (MS) was used as filler in fused deposition modeling (FDM) of Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) composites filaments. Composites containing MS both treated and untreated with alkali and silane were investigated by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetry (TG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the treated MS composites had better thermal stability.

Application of nomograms to predict overall and cancer-specific survival in patients with chordoma.

Background: The survival prediction of patients with chordoma is difficult to make due to the rarity of this oncologic disease. Our objective was to apply a nomogram to predict survival outcomes in individuals with chordoma of the skull base, vertebral column, and pelvis.

Methods: A total of 558 patients with chordoma between 1973 and 2014 were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Chronic Spinal Cord Compression.

Chronic spinal cord compression is the most common cause of spinal cord impairment in patients with nontraumatic spinal cord damage. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in both confirming the diagnosis and evaluating the degree of compression. However, the anatomical detail provided by conventional MRI is not sufficient to accurately estimate neuronal damage and/or assess the possibility of neuronal recovery in chronic spinal cord compression patients.

Nomogram application to predict overall and cancer-specific survival in osteosarcoma.

Purpose: A prognostic nomogram was applied to predict survival in osteosarcoma patients.

Patients And Methods: Data collected from 2,195 osteosarcoma patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 1983 and 2014 were analyzed. Independent prognostic factors were identified via univariate and multivariate Cox analyses.

Time course of diffusion tensor imaging metrics in the chronic spinal cord compression rat model.

Background: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides information about water molecule diffusion in spinal cord.

Purpose: This study was aimed to investigate DTI changes in the different stages of compressive spinal cord induced by water-absorbing material implantation.

Material And Methods: The spinal cord compression was administered over the fourth cervical vertebral level in rat.

Identification of key target genes and biological pathways in multiple sclerosis brains using microarray data obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate critical genes in multiple sclerosis (MS) using microarray data from brain tissue in MS.

Materials: The expression profile data set of MS (GSE38010) downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database contained gene information from five plaque tissues from MS brains and two white matter tissues from healthy controls. An R package was applied to process these raw chip data.