HADCN: a hierarchical ascending densely connected network for enhanced medical image segmentation.

Medical image segmentation is a key component in computer-aided diagnostic technology. In the past few years, the U-shaped architecture-based hierarchical model has become the mainstream approach, which however often fails to provide accurate results due to the loss of detailed features. To address this issue, this paper proposes a hierarchical ascending densely connected network, called HADCNet, to capture both local short-range and global long-range pathological features in a hierarchically organized network for more accurate segmentation.

Failure analysis of the 'backfill column - Immediate roof' cooperative bearing structure in constructional backfill coal mining.

The present article introduces a method called Constructional Backfill Coal Mining (CBCM) for the purpose of minimizing the expenses of backfill mining and making use of the subterranean space in coal mines. Investigations are made on the failure properties of the cooperative bearing structure, which consists of a backfill column-immediate roof in CBCM. For the analysis of the fracturing characteristics of the immediate roof, a mechanical model of the thick circular plate on elastic foundation is developed.

Bismuth oxychloride as a van der Waals dielectric for 2D electronics.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors have received a lot of attention as the channel material for the next generation of transistors and electronic devices. On the other hand, insulating 2D gate dielectrics, as possible materials for gate dielectrics in transistors, have received little attention. We performed an experimental study on bismuth oxychloride, which is theoretically proposed to have good dielectric properties.

Ratio fluorescence and smartphone-assisted colorimetry dual-mode detection of creatinine based on F, B, N-doped of red fluorescent carbon dots.

Background: Creatinine is a small molecule disease biomarker that reflects kidney function, accurate and effective detection of creatinine will play an important role in the prevention and treatment of diseases. Currently, commonly used creatinine detection methods are limited by expensive instruments, complex sample preparation, many interference factors from biological samples, and environmental factors that can affect the accuracy of the measurement. Therefore, developing a fast, simple, inexpensive, sensitive analysis method that can eliminate background interference and provide multi-detection modes has strong attraction and value.

Pd-IPent-Catalyzed Defluorinative Annulation of -Difluorocyclopropanes with Enamides: Synthesis of Multisubstituted -H Pyrroles.

We present a Pd-IPent-catalyzed ring-opening defluorinative annulation reaction of -difluorocyclopropanes with enamides, which provides a convenient and efficient strategy for the synthesis of multisubstituted -H pyrrole derivatives. This transformation selectively cleaves the C-C bond, two C-F bonds, and the C-N bond in a one-pot procedure. Additionally, this protocol allows for the modification of several bioactive molecules.

Enhanced chemodynamic porphyrin-modified magnetite nanoagents: A triple-action strategy for potent antimicrobial therapy and wound healing.

The rise of drug-resistant bacteria, including multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, has exposed the limitations of current antibiotic treatments. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) has emerged as a promising approach due to its ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) through Fenton or Fenton-like reactions in infection microenvironments (IMEs). However, the short lifespan, limited diffusion range of ·OH, and restricted variety of ROS reduce the effect of CDT.

Semiconductor-to-metal surface reconstruction in copper selenide/copper heterostructures steered by photoinduced interlayer atom migration.

The photoinduced semiconductor-to-metal transition (PSMT) unveils crucial photodynamic mechanisms and holds great promise for information storage, sensing, optoelectronics, optical switches, etc. All previously reported PSMTs have occurred between two structural phases of the same material, lacking real-space evidence at the atomic or molecular level. Herein, we report atomic-scale observations of a photoinduced 'face changing': light irradiation transforms a semiconductor copper selenide (CuSe) surface layer on Cu(111) into a well-defined metallic Cu layer.

Decoding maize meristems maintenance and differentiation: integrating single-cell and spatial omics.

All plant organs are derived from stem cell-containing meristems. In maize, the shoot apical meristem (SAM) is responsible for generating all above-ground structures, including the male and female inflorescence meristems (IMs), which give rise to tassel and ear, respectively. Forward and reverse genetic studies on maize meristem mutants have driven forward our fundamental understanding of meristem maintenance and differentiation mechanisms.

Large exciton binding energy in a bulk van der Waals magnet from quasi-1D electronic localization.

Excitons, bound electron-hole pairs, influence the optical properties in strongly interacting solid-state systems and are typically most stable and pronounced in monolayer materials. Bulk systems with large exciton binding energies, on the other hand, are rare and the mechanisms driving their stability are still relatively unexplored. Here, we report an exceptionally large exciton binding energy in single crystals of the bulk van der Waals antiferromagnet CrSBr.

Chromosome-level genome assembly and characterization of Kaixuan 016: A high-oleic peanut variety with improved agronomic traits developed through gamma-radiation-assisted breeding.

High-oleic peanuts are increasingly valued in agricultural production and consumer markets. Nevertheless, limited genomic information hinders the integration of genetic analyses and modern breeding strategies. This study details a chromosome-level genome assembly of Kaixuan 016, a high-oleic peanut variety developed through gamma-radiation-assisted breeding, exhibiting enhanced agronomic traits.

Two-Dimensional Magnetic Exciton Polariton with Strongly Coupled Atomic and Photonic Anisotropies.

Anisotropy is a fundamental property of both material and photonic systems. The interplay between material and photonic anisotropies, however, has hardly been explored due to the vastly different length scales. Here we demonstrate exciton polaritons in a 2D antiferromagnet, CrSBr, coupled with an anisotropic photonic crystal cavity, where the spin, atomic, and photonic anisotropies are strongly correlated.

Efficient Carbon-Based Optoelectronic Synapses for Dynamic Visual Recognition.

The human visual nervous system excels at recognizing and processing external stimuli, essential for various physiological functions. Biomimetic visual systems leverage biological synapse properties to improve memory encoding and perception. Optoelectronic devices mimicking these synapses can enhance wearable electronics, with layered heterojunction materials being ideal materials for optoelectronic synapses due to their tunable properties and biocompatibility.

Spaceflight alters protein levels and gene expression associated with stress response and metabolic characteristics in human cardiac spheroids.

Cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) possess tremendous advantage for cardiac regeneration. However, cell survival is challenging upon cell transplantation. Since microgravity can profoundly affect cellular properties, we investigated the effect of spaceflight on hiPSC-CMs.

Evaluating Intervention Reporting in Nursing Journal RCTs Using the TIDieR Checklist: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aim: To assess the completeness of intervention reporting in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in nursing journals based on the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Methods: RCTs published in English in nursing journals between January 2022 and December 2022 were identified through PubMed.

Oxyglutamate Carrier Alleviates Cerebral Ischaemia-Reperfusion Injury by Regulating Mitochondrial Function.

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been reported to participate in the pathophysiological processes of cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury, which include reduced energy homeostasis, increased generation of oxidative stress species (ROS) and the release of apoptotic factors. Oxyglutamate carrier (OGC) is an important carrier protein on the inner mitochondrial membrane that can transport metabolites from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria. The role of OGC in cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) remains unknown.

Effect of Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Property of Metastable β Titanium Alloy.

TB18 is a newly developed high-strength metastable β-titanium alloy, commonly used in aerospace structural materials, which demands high mechanical performance. By altering the alloy's microstructure, heat treatment can affect its mechanical characteristics. The alloy was solution treated for one to four hours at 870 °C in order to examine the impact of solution treatment duration.

Photoinduced hidden monoclinic metallic phase of VO driven by local nucleation.

The insulator-to-metal transition in VO has garnered extensive attention for its potential applications in ultrafast switches, neuronal network architectures, and storage technologies. However, the photoinduced insulator-to-metal transition remains controversial, especially whether a complete structural transformation from the monoclinic to rutile phase is necessary. Here we employ the real-time time-dependent density functional theory to track the dynamic evolution of atomic and electronic structures in photoexcited VO, revealing the emergence of a long-lived monoclinic metal phase under low electronic excitation.

Effects of different lactic acid bacteria on the physicochemical properties, functional characteristics and metabolic characteristics of fermented hawthorn juice.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation enhances the flavour and functionality of juice substrates; however, research on hawthorn juice is limited. We hypothesize that due to strain specificity, the changes in hawthorn juice after fermentation with different LAB may vary. After selecting LAB strains based on pH and sensory evaluation, the physicochemical properties and anti-inflammatory potential in a lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.

Effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for cancer-related hiccups: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The use of acupuncture in cancer treatment is expanding. Nevertheless, the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in alleviating cancer-related hiccups remains uncertain and inconclusive.

Methods: We conducted a systematic search across eight databases: PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, WanFang, China Science and Technology Journal Database, SinoMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Embase, covering the period from their inception to July 2023.

An intermediate open structure reveals the gating transition of the mechanically activated PIEZO1 channel.

PIEZO1 is a mechanically activated cation channel that undergoes force-induced activation and inactivation. However, its distinct structural states remain undefined. Here, we employed an open-prone PIEZO1-S2472E mutant to capture an intermediate open structure.

The complex relationship between gut microbiota and Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Despite extensive research conducted on this disorder, its precise pathogenesis remains unclear. In recent years, the microbiota-gut-brain axis has attracted considerable attention within the field of AD.

[Hotspots and trends in acupuncture-assisted tumor chemotherapy: a bibliometric analysis based on CiteSpace and VOSviewer].

Objective: To review the current research status and hotspots of acupuncture-assisted tumor chemotherapy and provide references for clinical and basic research in this field.

Methods: The relevant literature on acupuncture-assisted tumor chemotherapy from the inception of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Web of Science (WoS) databases to December 10, 2023, was retrieved. CiteSpace6.

Unraveling impact and potential mechanisms of baseline pain on efficacy of immunotherapy in lung cancer patients: a retrospective and bioinformatic analysis.

Objective: Pain is a prevalent discomfort symptom associated with cancer, yet the correlations and potential mechanisms between pain and the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy remain uncertain.

Methods: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the inpatient department of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021, were retrospectively enrolled. Through cox regression analysis, prognostic factors and independent prognostic factors affecting the efficacy of ICIs were identified, and a nomogram model was constructed.