Functional Segregation-Integration Preference Configures the Cognitive Decline Against Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: An MRI Study.

Introduction: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is highly prevalent in elder individuals, and its variable cognitive outcomes indicate some cognitive reserve mechanisms. Contribution from functional network features is still unclear. Here we explore how functional segregation-integration preference influences the cognitive changes against CSVD.

Mapping the research trends and hotspots in vascular aging from 2003-2023: A bibliometric analysis.

From the molecular to the cellular to the tissue level, vascular aging is regulated by a complex network involving numerous mechanisms and diseases, and our knowledge of any one level is incomplete and biased. To date, due to the diversity and complexity of the influencing factors, no international standard has been established. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to analyze the global research trends and potential hotspots related to vascular aging.

Electrohydraulic musculoskeletal robotic leg for agile, adaptive, yet energy-efficient locomotion.

Robotic locomotion in unstructured terrain demands an agile, adaptive, and energy-efficient architecture. To traverse such terrains, legged robots use rigid electromagnetic motors and sensorized drivetrains to adapt to the environment actively. These systems struggle to compete with animals that excel through their agile and effortless motion in natural environments.

Preparation of ionic gel-modified stationary phase for RPLC/HILIC/IC separation and its application in per aqueous liquid chromatography.

In this study, we synthesized and employed an ionic gel-functionalized silica stationary phase for high-performance liquid chromatography. The successful fabrication of the stationary phase was confirmed through attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), zeta-potential measurements, and elemental analysis (EA). Comparative performance evaluation against a commercial column demonstrated the prepared column's effectiveness in the mixed mode of reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC), and ion chromatography (IC).

Preparation of dicationic ionic liquid modified silica stationary phase for mixed-mode liquid chromatography and its application for food additive detection.

Background: Food safety has become an essential aspect of public concern and there are lots of detection means. Liquid chromatography plays a dominating role in food safety inspection because of its high separation efficiency and reproducibility. However, with the increasing complexity of real samples and monitoring requirements, conventional single-mode chromatography would require frequent column replacement and cannot separate different kinds of analytes on a single column simultaneously, which is costly and time-consuming.

A V-shaped bis-coumarin based fluorescence probe for F detection in tea infusions and potable water and bioimaging applications in living systems.

Fluorine (F) is a pivotal element in the formation of human dental and skeletal tissues, and the consumption of water and tea constitutes a significant source of fluoride intake. However, prolonged ingestion of water and tea with excessive fluoride content can lead to fluorosis, which poses a serious health hazard. In this manuscript, a novel turn-on fluorescent probe DCF synthesized by bis-coumarin and tert-butyldiphenylsilane (TBDPS) was introduced for detecting F in potable water and tea infusions.

Establishment of a Fah-LSL mouse model to study BEC-to-hepatocyte conversion.

The liver consists predominantly of hepatocytes and biliary epithelial cells (BECs), which serve distinct physiological functions. Although hepatocytes primarily replenish their own population during homeostasis and injury repair, recent findings have suggested that BECs can transdifferentiate into hepatocytes when hepatocyte-mediated liver regeneration is impaired. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing this BEC-to-hepatocyte conversion remain poorly understood largely because of the inefficiency of existing methods for inducing lineage conversion.

Preparation of two zwitterionic polymer functionalized stationary phases and comparative evaluation under mixed-mode of reversed phase/ hydrophilic interaction/ion exchange chromatography.

Zwitterions are a promising choice to prepare separation materials because of their hydrophilicity and biocompatibility. We described the preparation of two zwitterionic polymer functionalized stationary phases and evaluation under mixed-mode chromatography. A zwitterionic monomer, S-(4-vinylbenzyl) cysteine (SVC), was synthesized and bonded to silica via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization to afford a zwitterionic stationary phase, Sil-SVC.

Fabrication of ionic liquid functionalized silica with different anions and the application in mixed-mode and chiral chromatography.

To realize the potential of ionic liquid functionalized silica to prepare mixed-mode and chiral stationary phases, two ionic liquid silane reagents with different anions were synthesized via a high-efficiency click reaction. Then they were decorated onto the surface of silica by a one-step bonding reaction. The functionalized silica was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and elemental analysis (EA).

Extraction of W, V, and As from spent SCR catalyst by alkali pressure leaching and the pressure leaching mechanism.

Spent selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts are environmentally hazardous and resource-enriching. In this work, V, W, and As in a spent SCR catalyst was extracted by alkali pressure leaching. Results showed that the V, W, and As were loaded on the anatase TiO crystal grains as amorphous oxides.

Recovery of tungsten and titanium from spent SCR catalyst by sulfuric acid leaching process.

The widespread use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts has resulted in a large accumulation of spent SCR catalysts. These spent catalysts present a significant risk of environmental hazards and potential for resource recovery. This paper presents a feasible process, which works using atmospheric pressure leaching, of tungsten and titanium recovery from spent SCR catalysts.

Application value of a deep learning method based on a 3D V-Net convolutional neural network in the recognition and segmentation of the auditory ossicles.

Objective: To explore the feasibility of a deep learning three-dimensional (3D) V-Net convolutional neural network to construct high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT)-based auditory ossicle structure recognition and segmentation models.

Methods: The temporal bone HRCT images of 158 patients were collected retrospectively, and the malleus, incus, and stapes were manually segmented. The 3D V-Net and U-Net convolutional neural networks were selected as the deep learning methods for segmenting the auditory ossicles.

Correlation between lung infection severity and clinical laboratory indicators in patients with COVID-19: a cross-sectional study based on machine learning.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a global pandemic that has raised worldwide concern. This study aims to investigate the correlation between the extent of lung infection and relevant clinical laboratory testing indicators in COVID-19 and to analyse its underlying mechanism.

Methods: Chest high-resolution computer tomography (CT) images and laboratory examination data of 31 patients with COVID-19 were extracted, and the lesion areas in CT images were quantitatively segmented and calculated using a deep learning (DL) system.

Disrupted structural covariance network in first episode schizophrenia patients: Evidence from a large sample MRI-based morphometric study.

Background: Recent progress in neuroscience research has provided evidence that schizophrenia is a disease that involves dysconnectivity of brain networks. Widespread gray matter loss was commonly observed but how these gray matter abnormalities are characterized at the large-scale network-level in schizophrenia, especially patients with first-episode (FE-SCZ) remains unclear.

Methods: In this study, gray matter structural network aberrations were investigated by applying structural covariance network analysis to 193 first episode schizophrenia patients and 178 age and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs).

Neuroanatomical Features That Predict Response to Electroconvulsive Therapy Combined With Antipsychotics in Schizophrenia: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study Using Radiomics Strategy.

Objective: Neuroimaging-based brain signatures may be informative in identifying patients with psychosis who will respond to antipsychotics. However, signatures that inform the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) health care professional about the response likelihood remain unclear in psychosis with radiomics strategy. This study investigated whether brain structure-based signature in the prediction of ECT response in a sample of schizophrenia patients using radiomics approach.

Grading of Glioma: combined diagnostic value of amide proton transfer weighted, arterial spin labeling and diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: To investigate the ability of amide proton transfer (APT) weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), arterial spin labeling (ASL), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and the combination for differentiating high-grade gliomas (HGGs) from low-grade gliomas (LGGs).

Methods: Twenty-seven patients including nine LGGs and eighteen HGGs underwent conventional, APT, ASL and DWI MRI with a 3.0-T MR scanner.

Efficient and stable catalyst of α-FeOOH for NO oxidation from coke oven flue gas by the catalytic decomposition of gaseous HO.

Goethite (α-FeOOH) possesses excellent catalytic activity, high selectivity and good stability as a catalyst for NO oxidation through the catalytic decomposition of gaseous HO. as the primary reactive oxygen species is involved in the NO oxidation process together with ·OH, and NO is found for the first time in the products of NO oxidation.

An Easy-to-Implement Toolkit to Create Versatile and High-Performance HASEL Actuators for Untethered Soft Robots.

For soft robots to have ubiquitous adoption in practical applications they require soft actuators that provide well-rounded actuation performance that parallels natural muscle while being inexpensive and easily fabricated. This manuscript introduces a toolkit to rapidly prototype, manufacture, test, and power various designs of hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) actuators with muscle-like performance that achieve all three basic modes of actuation (expansion, contraction, and rotation). This toolkit utilizes easy-to-implement methods, inexpensive fabrication tools, commodity materials, and off-the-shelf high-voltage electronics thereby enabling a wide audience to explore HASEL technology.

Voxel-based morphometry results in first-episode schizophrenia: a comparison of publicly available software packages.

Investigations of brain structure in schizophrenia using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have identified variations in regional grey matter (GM) volume throughout the brain but the results are mixed. This study aims to investigate whether the inconsistent voxel-based morphometry (VBM) findings in schizophrenia are due to the use of different software packages. T1 MRI images were obtained from 86 first-episode schizophrenia (FESZ) patients and 86 age- and gender-matched Healthy controls (HCs).

Gray matter volume changes following antipsychotic therapy in first-episode schizophrenia patients: A longitudinal voxel-based morphometric study.

Despite evidence of structural brain abnormalities in schizophrenia, the current study aimed to explore the effects of antipsychotic treatment on gray matter (GM) volume using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and investigate the relationship between brain structure and treatment response. The GM volumes of 33 patients with first-episode schizophrenia were calculated with voxel-based morphometry (VBM), with 33 matched healthy controls. Longitudinal volume changes within subjects after 4-month antipsychotic treatment were also evaluated.

Alginate microspheres prepared by ionic crosslinking of pickering alginate emulsions.

Modification of reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (MrGO) is an effective strategy to increase their dispersability and hydrophobicity in order to fabricate alginate microspheres via crosslingking stable Pickering alginate emulsions stabilized by MrGO, in where alginate aqueous solution is the dispersed phase and an organic solvent the continuous phase. The effects of MrGO concentration, water/oil ratio and salt concentration on the alginate spheres were investigated, and the results shows that MrGO could efficiently stabilize alginate spheres in suitable conditions and increasing the MrGO concentration or the oil/water ratio was favorable to the formation of alginate spheres. Using this method, alginate microspheres loaded with drug were easily fabricated and their release properties at different conditions were discussed.

Association Between Connectivity of Hippocampal Sub-Regions and Auditory Verbal Hallucinations in Schizophrenia.

Hippocampal dysconnectivity has been detected in schizophrenia patients with auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs). Neuroanatomical evidence has indicated distinct sub-regions in the hippocampus, but which sub-regions within the hippocampus may emerge dysfunction in the brain network, and the relationship between connection strength and the severity of this debilitating disorder have yet to be revealed. Masked independent component analysis (mICA), i.

Effect of second-generation antipsychotics on brain network topology in first-episode schizophrenia: A longitudinal rs-fMRI study.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the functional network properties in first-episode schizophrenia (SZ) patients at baseline and after 4-months treatment with second-generation antipsychotic drugs.

Methods: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and graph theory approaches were utilized to evaluate the functional integration and segregation of brain networks in 36 first-episode patients (20 male/16 female) with SZ and 36 age and sex matched healthy controls (20 male/16 female).

Results: Compared with healthy controls, SZ at baseline showed lower clustering coefficient (C) and local network efficiency (E), and this abnormal pattern was modulated with treatment of antipsychotic drugs at follow-up.

Prediction of early response to overall treatment for schizophrenia: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Introduction: Treatment response at an early stage of schizophrenia is of considerable value with regard to future management of the disorder; however, there are currently no biomarkers that can inform physicians about the likelihood of response.

Objects: We aim to develop and validate regional brain activity derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as a potential signature to predict early treatment response in schizophrenia.

Methods: Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was measured at the start of the first/single episode resulting in hospitalization.

Fabrication of chitosan gel droplets via crosslinking of inverse Pickering emulsifications.

Hydrophobic and dispersible functionalized reduced graphene oxide (FrGO) was employed to prepare chitosan gel droplets by crosslinking an inverse Pickering emulsion. The emulsion was prepared using toluene as the continuous phase and a chitosan aqueous solution as the dispersed phase. The effects of the FrGO concentration and the water/oil ratio on the chitosan droplet morphology were studied.