Dynamic Strip Convolution and Adaptive Morphology Perception Plugin for Medical Anatomy Segmentation.

Medical anatomy segmentation is essential for computer-aided diagnosis and lesion localization in medical images. For example, segmenting individual ribs benefits localizing the lung lesions and providing vital medical measurements (such as rib spacing) for generating medical reports. Existing methods segment shape-different anatomies (such as striped ribs, bulky lungs, and angular scapula) with the same network architecture, the morphology heterogeneity is heavily overlooked.

Can ChatGPT-4 perform as a competent physician based on the Chinese critical care examination?

Background: The use of ChatGPT in medical applications is of increasing interest. However, its efficacy in critical care medicine remains uncertain. This study aims to assess ChatGPT-4's performance in critical care examination, providing insights into its potential as a tool for clinical decision-making.

Stable Néel-Twisted Skyrmion Bags in a van der Waals Magnet FeGaTe at Room Temperature.

Magnetic skyrmion bags with diverse topological charges, , offer prospects for future spintronic devices based on freedom of , while their emergence in van der Waals magnets holds the potential in developing -based 2D topological spintronics. However, previous room temperature skyrmion bags necessitate special anisotropy engineering through disorder Fe intercalation, and the stable phase diagram for skyrmion bags across room temperature regions is lacking. Here, we demonstrate the observation and electrical manipulation of room temperature skyrmion bags in FeGaTe without specially designed Fe intercalation.

Atomically Engineered Trimetallic Nanoclusters Toward Enhanced Photoluminescence and Photoinitiation Activity.

Precise doping is of vital significance for atomic engineering and the establishment of structure-property relationships in nanocluster (NC) chemistry. Herein, two novel trimetallic MAuCd (M = Pd/Pt) NCs that are derived from M-doped Au templates of MAu are reported, in which the central doping of M atom and the surface-motif doping of Cd atoms are concurrently achieved. Compared to the original templates, Cd-induced surface engineering enhances the rigidity of the structural framework and enlarges the HOMO-LUMO gaps of the MAuCd, significantly improving photoluminescent efficiency by suppressing nonradiative relaxation.

Metal Nanoclusters as Highly Efficient, Versatile Type-II Photoinitiators via Generating Radicals from Non-Conventional Hydrogen Donors.

Development of highly efficient photocatalysis or photoinitiation systems that are applicable to various types of illumination source is critical to virtually all the light-driven applications. Here, we report a generalizable strategy to achieve highly sensitive, versatile photoinitiation systems based on the combination of metal nanoclusters with non-conventional hydrogen donors (co-initiators). Discovery of this type-II photoinitiation pathway in metal nanoclusters not only improves their two-photon initiation sensitivity by up to three-orders-of-magnitude, it further opens the door for metal nanoclusters to trigger the photopolymerization using the low-power UV light-emitting diodes.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Dementia: Evidence Triangulation from a Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies and Mendelian Randomization Study.

Objective: Observational studies have found associations between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and vascular dementia (VD); however, these findings are inconsistent. It remains unclear whether these associations are causal.

Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis by systematically searching for observational studies on the association between IBD and dementia.

Analysis of clinical characteristics and risk factors for patients with heat stroke in western China in 2022: a multicenter retrospective study.

Objectives: To analyzed the clinical characteristics and treatment modalities of heat stroke (HS) and to identify risk factors for a poor prognosis of HS and provide reference suggestions for its treatment and prevention.

Measurements And Main Results: We enrolled a total of 247 patients, with hypertension, diabetes, and psychosis being the top three comorbidities associated with HS. The incidence of HS was higher among males and older individuals.

A novel therapeutic strategy utilizing EpCAM aptamer-conjugated gemcitabine for targeting bladder cancer and cancer stem cells.

Gemcitabine (GEM) is a first line chemotherapy drug for bladder cancer (BCa). GEM's lack of specificity has led to disadvantages, resulting in low efficiency, especially when combined with the targeted treatment of BCa stem cells (CSCs), which is considered the cause of BCa recurrence and progression. To enhance the anti-cancer effect and reduce the side effects of GEM targeting of BCa cells/CSCs, an aptamer drug conjugate (ApDC) targeted delivery system was used to improve the efficiency of GEM in BCa therapy using EpCAM aptamer-GEM conjugates based on the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), which is highly expressed on the cell membrane of BCa cells/CSCs.

Location-specific net water uptake and malignant cerebral edema in acute anterior circulation occlusion ischemic stroke.

Background And Purpose: Early identification of malignant cerebral edema (MCE) in patients with acute ischemic stroke is crucial for timely interventions. We aimed to identify regions critically associated with MCE using the Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS) to evaluate the association between location-specific-net water uptake (NWU) and MCE.

Materials And Methods: This multicentre, retrospective cohort study included patients with acute ischemic stroke following large anterior circulation occlusion.

Textbooks vs. journal articles: How to appreciate and understand their limitations.

In this article, we examine the pros and cons of textbook vs. journal articles. We suggest that textbooks serve as an essential knowledge provider for colleagues, especially at their entry level, but to advance clinical and academic capability, journal articles remain an important and unreplaceable tool for continuous professional development.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid: a diagnostic approach for varicella zoster virus-related encephalitis.

Purpose: Varicella zoster virus-related encephalitis (VZV-RE) is a rare and often misdiagnosed condition caused by an infection with the VZV. It leads to meningitis or encephalitis, with patients frequently experiencing poor prognosis. In this study, we used metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to rapidly and accurately detect and identify the VZV pathogen directly from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, aiming to achieve a definitive diagnosis for encephalitis patients.

Preparation and Properties of Sulfur-Modified Alite Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement.

Alite calcium sulfoaluminate (ACSA) cement is an innovative and environmentally friendly cement compared to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). The synthesis and hydration of ACSA clinkers doped with gradient sulfur were investigated. The clinker compositions and hydrated pastes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), isothermal calorimetry, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze its mineral contents, hydration products, heat release, pore structure, and microstructure.

Stable antivortices in multiferroic ε-FeO with the coalescence of misaligned grains.

Antivortices have potential applications in future nano-functional devices, yet the formation of isolated antivortices traditionally requires nanoscale dimensions and near-zero magnetocrystalline anisotropy, limiting their broader application. Here, we propose an approach to forming antivortices in multiferroic ε-FeO with the coalescence of misaligned grains. By leveraging misaligned crystal domains, the large magnetocrystalline anisotropy energy is counterbalanced, thereby stabilizing the ground state of the antivortex.

Benzoylaconine: Potential Therapeutic Agent for Cardiovascular Diseases From Fuzi.

Modern pharmacological studies have elucidated the presence of aconitine (AC) alkaloids, polysaccharides, and saponins as the primary bioactive constituents of Fuzi. Among these, benzoylaconine, a pivotal active compound, demonstrates notable pharmacological properties including antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular protective effects. In recent years, benzoylaconine has garnered significant attention in basic research on heart diseases, emerging as a focal point of investigation.

Creating and Deleting a Single Dipolar Skyrmion by Surface Spin Twists.

We report deterministic operations on single dipolar skyrmions confined in nanostructured cuboids by using in-plane currents. We achieve highly reversible writing and deleting of skyrmions in a simple cuboid without any artificial defects or pinning sites. The current-induced creation of skyrmions is well-understood through the spin-transfer torque acting on surface spin twists of the spontaneous 3D ferromagnetic state, caused by the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction of the uniaxial FeSn magnet with a low-quality factor.

An integrated "Engage & Evasion" approach for mononuclear phagocyte system escape and efficient extracellular vesicle therapy.

Ischemic diseases are major contributors to global morbidity and mortality, posing a substantial threat to human health. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an essential role in enhancing neovascularization in ischemic tissues, thereby facilitating tissue repair and regeneration. However, the utilization of EVs is hindered by their rapid uptake and clearance by the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS), which markedly impedes their therapeutic efficacy and organ-specific accumulation.

Manipulating Magnetic Damping of Fe/GeTe Heterostructures by Band Engineering.

Understanding and manipulating magnetic damping, particularly in magnetic heterostructures, is crucial for fundamental research, versatile engineering, and optimization. Although magnetic damping can be enhanced by the band hybridization between ferromagnetic and nonmagnetic materials at the interface, the contribution of individual subbands on the hybridized bands to magnetic damping is fully unexplored. Here, it is found that magnetic damping α is modified by the Fermi level in Fe/GeTe heterostructures via Bi doping.

DNA sequence and lesion-dependent mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM)-DNA-binding modulates DNA repair activities and products.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is indispensable for mitochondrial function and is maintained by DNA repair, turnover, mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy, along with the inherent redundancy of mtDNA. Base excision repair (BER) is a major DNA repair mechanism in mammalian mitochondria. Mitochondrial BER enzymes are implicated in mtDNA-mediated immune response and inflammation.

Efficient Degradation of Tetracycline by Peroxymonosulfate Activated with Ni-Co Bimetallic Oxide Derived from Bimetallic Oxalate.

In this work, NiCoO was synthesized from bimetallic oxalate and utilized as a heterogeneous catalyst to active peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for the degradation of tetracycline (TC). The degradation efficiency of TC (30 mg/L) in the NiCoO + PMS system reached 92.4%, with NiCoO exhibiting satisfactory reusability, stability, and applicability.

Simultaneous targeting of TGF-β1/PD-L1 via a hydrogel-nanoparticle system to remodel the ECM and immune microenvironment for limiting adhesion formation.

Adhesion seriously affects the recovery of tendon gliding function. Our group previously found that inhibition of TGF-β1, which is closely related to adhesion formation, effectively attenuated adhesions but did not eliminate them, suggesting that there may be other mechanisms involved in adhesion formation. In this study, we considered that uncontrolled and excessively proliferating fibroblasts undergo immune escape, which aggravates the deposition of extracellular matrix during the adhesion formation.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the neural correlates of working memory.

Background: Working memory (WM), a core component of executive functions, relies on a dedicated brain system that maintains and stores information in the short term. While extensive neuroimaging research has identified a distributed set of neural substrates relevant to WM, their underlying molecular mechanisms remain enigmatic. This study investigated the neural correlates of WM as well as their underlying molecular mechanisms.