Dietary index for gut microbiota and its protective role against kidney stones: evidence of diabetes as a mediator from NHANES cross-sectional data.

Background: The dietary index for gut microbiota (DI-GM) reflects dietary patterns that support gut microbial health and may influence kidney stone (KS) risk. The role of DI-GM and its mediation by diabetes in KS pathogenesis remains unclear.

Objective: To investigate the association between DI-GM and KS prevalence, assess the mediation effect of diabetes, and explore subgroup-specific effects and underlying mechanisms.

An antibody cocktail targeting two different CD73 epitopes enhances enzyme inhibition and tumor control.

CD73, an ectoenzyme responsible for adenosine production, is often elevated in immuno-suppressive tumor environments. Inhibition of CD73 activity holds great promise as a therapeutic strategy for CD73-expressing cancers. In this study, we have developed a therapeutic anti-human CD73 antibody cocktail, HB0045.

A compact and fast radio-frequency source for efficient Raman sideband cooling.

A compact and fast radio-frequency (RF) source developed for Raman sideband cooling (RSBC) in trapped ion and cold atom experiments is presented. The source is based on direct digital synthesizer, advanced real-time infrastructure for quantum physics, and field programmable gate array. The source has a frequency switching speed of 40 ns and can output continuous μs-level time sequences for RSBC.

Radiomics of Periprostatic Fat and Tumor Lesion Based on MRI Predicts the Pathological Upgrading of Prostate Cancer from Biopsy to Radical Prostatectomy.

Rationale And Objectives: To assess the predictive value of MRI-based radiomics of periprostatic fat (PPF) and tumor lesions for predicting Gleason score (GS) upgrading from biopsy to radical prostatectomy (RP) in prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: A total of 314 patients with pathologically confirmed prostate cancer (PCa) after radical prostatectomy (RP) were included in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to the training cohort (n = 157) and the validating cohort (n = 157) in a 1:1 ratio.

The theory guides the doping of rare earth elements in the bulk phase of LiNiCoMnO to reach the theoretical limit of energy density.

Rare earth elements, characterized by their high-energy d-shell and f-shell electrons, large charge density, and substantial atomic radius, theoretically offer enhanced electronic states near the Fermi level. Doping rare earth elements into electrode materials can improve the internal electronic conductivity of the material. However, there are relatively few studies and reports on the mechanisms of rare earth elements in optimizing LiNiCoMnO (NCM) materials.

Strengthened High-Concentration Quasi-Solid Electrolytes for Lithium Metal with Ultralong Stable Cyclability.

The lithium metal batteries coupled with nickel-rich LiNiCoMnO ( > 0.7) cathodes hold promise for surpassing the current energy density limit of lithium-ion batteries. However, conventional electrolytes containing free active solvents are highly susceptible to decomposition, particularly at the interfaces of lithium anode and high-voltage cathode.

Sacrificial Additive C-Assisted Catholyte Buffer Layer for LiAlTi(PO)-Based All-Solid-State High-Voltage Batteries.

All-solid-state batteries with oxide electrolytes and high-nickel layered oxide cathodes (LiNiCoMnO and LiNiCoAlO, + + = 1, ≥ 60%) have received widespread attention owing to their high energy density and high safety. However, they generally suffer from interfacial structural instability when coupled with solid-state electrolytes, which strongly diminishes the longevity of the battery. In this work, we propose adding a sacrificial additive C to the catholyte buffer layer between LiAlTi(PO) (LATP) and LiNiCoMnO (NCM811) to enhance the electrochemical stability under high-voltage operating conditions.

Stem-Cell-Regenerative and Protective Effects of Squid () Skin Collagen Peptides against HO-Induced Fibroblast Injury.

Recently, there has been a growing interest in collagen peptides derived from marine sources for their notable ability to protect skin cells against apoptosis induced by oxidants. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the fundamental properties of collagen peptides, including their physicochemical, thermal, structural, stem-cell-regenerative, and skin-cell-protective effects, in comparison to commercial collagen peptides. The acid-soluble (ASC) and pepsin-soluble (PSC) collagens exhibited three distinct bands on SDS-PAGE, namely α (α and α), β, and γ chains, confirming a type I pattern.

T1-Weighted Imaging-Based Hippocampal Radiomics in the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.

Rationale And Objectives: To investigate the potential of T1-weighted imaging (T1WI)-based hippocampal radiomics as imaging markers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their efficacy in discriminating between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in AD.

Methods: A total of 126 AD patients underwent T1WI-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations, along with 108 age-sex-matched healthy controls (HC). This was a retrospective, single-center study conducted from November 2021 to February 2023.

Development of deaminase-free T-to-S base editor and C-to-G base editor by engineered human uracil DNA glycosylase.

DNA base editors enable direct editing of adenine (A), cytosine (C), or guanine (G), but there is no base editor for direct thymine (T) editing currently. Here we develop two deaminase-free glycosylase-based base editors for direct T editing (gTBE) and C editing (gCBE) by fusing Cas9 nickase (nCas9) with engineered human uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG) variants. By several rounds of structure-informed rational mutagenesis on UNG in cultured human cells, we obtain gTBE and gCBE with high activity of T-to-S (i.

Experimental validation of the accuracy of robotic-assisted radioactive seed implantation for tumor treatment.

An experimental validation of a robotic system for radioactive iodine-125 seed implantation (RISI) in tumor treatment was conducted using customized phantom models and animal models simulating liver and lung lesions. The robotic system, consisting of planning, navigation, and implantation modules, was employed to implant dummy radioactive seeds into the models. Fiducial markers were used for target localization.

SMYD2-Methylated PPARγ Facilitates Hypoxia-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension by Activating Mitophagy.

Background: Hyperproliferation of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and consequent pulmonary vascular remodeling are the crucial pathological features of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Protein methylation has been shown to be critically involved in PASMC proliferation and PH, but the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown.

Methods: PH animal models were generated by treating mice/rats with chronic hypoxia for 4 weeks.

Overexpressed Trophoblast Glycoprotein Contributes to Preeclampsia Development by Inducing Abnormal Trophoblast Migration and Invasion Toward the Uterine Spiral Artery.

Background: Preeclampsia is a significant pregnancy disorder with an unknown cause, mainly attributed to impaired spiral arterial remodeling.

Methods: Using RNA sequencing, we identified key genes in placental tissues from healthy individuals and preeclampsia patients. Placenta and plasma samples from pregnant women were collected to detect the expression of TPBG (trophoblast glycoprotein).

Monolayer 1T-AgS with Excellent Thermoelectric Properties.

We obtained a new material called monolayer 1T-AgS by replacing metal atoms in 1T phase transition-metal dichalcogenide sulfides (TMDs) with octahedral Ag clusters. Subsequently, the thermoelectric transport properties of monolayer 1T-AgS were systematically investigated using first-principles calculations and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA-PBE) exchange correlation functional. The findings demonstrate that monolayer 1T-AgS displays characteristics of a wide-bandgap semiconductor, with a bandgap of 2.

Sequential CD7 CAR T-Cell Therapy and Allogeneic HSCT without GVHD Prophylaxis.

Background: Patients with relapsed or refractory hematologic cancers have a poor prognosis. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy as a bridge to allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) has the potential for long-term tumor elimination. However, pre-HSCT myeloablation and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis agents have toxic effects and could eradicate residual CAR T cells and compromise antitumor effects.

Multi-target field control for matrix gradient coils.

Objective: Conventional single-target field control for matrix gradient coils will add control complexity in MRI spatial encoding, such as designing specialized fields and sequences. This complexity can be reduced by multi-target field control, which is realized by optimizing the coil structure according to target fields.

Methods: Based on the principle of multi-target field control, the X, Y and Z gradient fields can be set as target fields, and all coil elements can then be divided into three groups to generate these fields.

A Preliminary Study on the Microwave Ablation of Multifocal Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma.

Rationale And Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, efficiency, and safety of microwave ablation (MWA) for multifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).

Methods: This was a retrospective study, and the data of patients who underwent MWA for multifocal PTMC from October 2016 to December 2021 were reviewed. After ablation, the changes in tumor size and volume, as well as the rates of technical success, tumor disappearance, disease progression, and complications, were assessed.

Structure-Based Design and Evaluation of Reversible KRAS G13D Inhibitors.

Oncogenic mutations were identified decades ago, yet the selective inhibition of specific KRAS mutant proteins represents an ongoing challenge. Recent progress has been made in targeting certain P-loop mutant proteins, in particular KRAS G12C, for which the covalent inhibition of the GDP state via the Switch II pocket is now a clinically validated strategy. Inhibition of other KRAS mutant proteins such as KRAS G13D, on the other hand, still requires clinical validation.

Feasibility evaluation of radiotherapy positioning system guided by augmented reality and point cloud registration.

Purpose: To develop a radiotherapy positioning system based on Point Cloud Registration (PCR) and Augmented Reality (AR), and to verify its feasibility.

Methods: The optimal steps of PCR were investigated, and virtual positioning experiments were designed to evaluate its accuracy and speed. AR was implemented by Unity 3D and Vuforia for initial position correction, and PCR for precision registration, to achieve the proposed radiotherapy positioning system.

Direct and Detailed Site-Specific Glycopeptide Characterization by Higher-Energy Electron-Activated Dissociation Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Glycosylation is widely recognized as the most complex post-translational modification due to the widespread presence of macro- and microheterogeneities, wherein its biological consequence is closely related to both the glycosylation sites and the glycan fine structures. Yet, efficient site-specific detailed glycan characterization remains a significant analytical challenge. Here, utilizing an Orbitrap-Omnitrap platform, higher-energy electron-activated dissociation (heExD) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) revealed extraordinary efficacy for the structural characterization of intact glycopeptides.

Somatotopic organization of the ventral nuclear group of the dorsal thalamus: deep brain stimulation for neuropathic pain reveals new insights into the facial homunculus.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is an experimental treatment for medication-refractory neuropathic pain. The ventral posteromedial (VPM) and ventral posterolateral (VPL) nuclei of the thalamus are popular targets for the treatment of facial and limb pain, respectively. While intraoperative testing is used to adjust targeting of patient-specific pain locations, a better understanding of thalamic somatotopy may improve targeting of specific body regions including the individual trigeminal territories, face, arm, and leg.

Performance of Prediction Models for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in General Population: A Systematic Review and External Validation Study.

Introduction: Prediction models for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) need to be proven effective in the target population before they can be applied to population-based endoscopic screening to improve cost-effectiveness. We have systematically reviewed ESCC prediction models applicable to the general population and performed external validation and head-to-head comparisons in a large multicenter prospective cohort including 5 high-risk areas of China (Fei Cheng, Lin Zhou, Ci Xian, Yang Zhong, and Yan Ting).

Methods: Models were identified through a systematic review and validated in a large population-based multicenter prospective cohort that included 89,753 participants aged 40-69 years who underwent their first endoscopic examination between April 2017 and March 2021 and were followed up until December 31, 2022.