Pyogenic liver abscess and sepsis caused by mixed anaerobic bacteria in an immunocompetent adult: a case report.

Background: Anaerobic bacterial communities in the digestive tract play an important role in digestive tract infections and aspiration pneumonia. However, ectopic infections originating from these communities are uncommon.

Case Report: We present a rare case of a 64-year-old immunocompetent female was admitted with no significant medical history who developed a pyogenic liver abscess and sepsis caused by multiple anaerobic bacteria of digestive tract origin.

A Zn-Cluster-Based MOF for Efficient Separation of CH/CH/CH.

The separation and purification of methane from natural gas are crucial chemical processes. Herein, we report a Zn-cluster-based MOF (SDMOF-3), enabling the efficient separation of mixed low-carbon alkanes. The unique Zn clusters in the MOF enhance its interaction with hydrogen atoms in alkanes, thus realizing the separation of saturated light alkanes.

Tendon-mimicking anisotropic alginate-based double-network composite hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties and high impact absorption.

Tendons are anisotropic tissues with exceptional mechanical properties, which result from their unique anisotropic structure and mechanical behavior under stress. While research has focused on replicating anisotropic structures and mechanical properties of tendons, fewer studies have examined their specific mechanical behaviors. Here, we present a simple method for creating calcium-crosslinked alginate-based double-network hydrogels that mimics tendons by exhibiting anisotropic structure, high mechanical strength and toughness, and a distinctive "toe region" when stretched.

Metal-Organic Framework-Based NF Nanotrap for the Separation of NF and CF.

As an electronic specialty gas, nitrogen trifluoride (NF) has been widely used in the semiconductor, photovoltaic, and display industries. However, NF in industrial settings is typically mixed with CF, and the distillation method commonly used for their separation consumes significant energy. Herein, we propose a novel NF nanoadsorber featuring relatively proximal unsaturated metal sites.

Smoking-independent DNA methylation markers for lung cancer risk: External validation in a large population-based cohort study.

Smoking-associated epigenetic changes have been linked to lung cancer (LC) risk; however, the role of epigenetic alterations independent of smoking is yet to be fully understood. This study aimed to validate 16 previously reported CpG sites that are independent of smoking yet associated with LC risk within a population-based prospective cohort. Using the Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip kit or the Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip Assay, DNA methylation (DNAm) in whole blood was assessed in four subsets (n = 736, 1027, 997, and 312) of a population-based cohort from Germany.

Enhanced water stability of MOFs multiple hydrogen bonds and their application in water harvesting.

A mechanism based on multiple hydrogen bonds was proposed to describe the great water stability of some hydrated Cu paddle-wheel-based MOFs, which was demonstrated through density functional theory (DFT) calculations and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) of water-loaded MOFs. This mechanism endowed Cu-TDPAT with exceptional water stability and outstanding atmospheric water harvesting capability.

Developing survival prediction models in colorectal cancer using epigenome-wide DNA methylation data from whole blood.

While genome-wide association studies are valuable in identifying CRC survival predictors, the benefit of adding blood DNA methylation (blood-DNAm) to clinical features, including the TNM system, remains unclear. In a multi-site population-based patient cohort study of 2116 CRC patients with baseline blood-DNAm, we analyzed survival predictions using eXtreme Gradient Boosting with a 5-fold nested leave-sites-out cross-validation across four groups: traditional and comprehensive clinical features, blood-DNAm, and their combination. Model performance was assessed using time-dependent ROC curves and calibrations.

Isolation of Polyethylene Glycol with Larger Molecular Weights via Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Polymer products typically present as mixtures with a range of molecular weights, which notably influence the expression of their properties. In this study, a technique is proposed to separate polyethylene glycol (PEG) mixtures of varying molecular weights using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), thereby narrowing down their molecular weight distribution. Due to the hydrogen bond interactions between PEG and -OH groups in the pores of NU-1000, NU-1000 can selectively adsorb PEG with larger molecular weights from PEG mixture.

The Safety Profile of Vitamin D Supplements Using Real-World Data from 445,493 Participants of the UK Biobank: Slightly Higher Hypercalcemia Prevalence but Neither Increased Risks of Kidney Stones nor Atherosclerosis.

: Potential calcium-related adverse events of vitamin D supplement use have not been addressed in large-scale, real-world data so far. Leveraging data from the UK Biobank, encompassing 445,493 individuals aged 40-69, we examined associations of high 25-hydroxyvitamin (25(OH)D) levels ≥ 100 nmol/L and vitamin D supplementation with hypercalcemia (serum calcium > 2.6 mmol/L), kidney stones, and atherosclerosis assessments (pulse wave arterial stiffness index and carotid intima-medial thickness).

Metal-Organic Frameworks-Based Frustrated Lewis Pairs for Selective Reduction of Nitroolefins to Nitroalkanes.

Nitroalkanes serve as essential intermediates in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and functional materials. To date, nitroalkanes are mainly prepared from homogeneous catalysts such as noble transition metal catalysts with poor recyclability. Herein, we propose a metal-organic framework-frustrated Lewis pair (MOF-FLP) heterogeneous catalyst for selectively reducing nitroolefins to nitroalkanes under moderate reaction conditions.

Hysteresis-Free, Elastic, and Tough Hydrogel with Stretch-Rate Independence and High Stability in Physiological Conditions.

Many existing synthetic hydrogels are inappropriate for repetitive motions because of large hysteresis, and their mechanical properties in warm and saline physiological conditions remain understudied. In this study, a stretch-rate-independent, hysteresis-free, elastic, and tough nanocomposite hydrogel that can maintain its mechanical properties in phosphate-buffered saline of 37 °C similar to warm and saline conditions of the human body is developed. The strength, stiffness, and toughness of the hydrogel are simultaneously reinforced by biomimetic silica nanoparticles with a surface of embedded circular polyamine chains.

CpG-biomarkers in tumor tissue and prediction models for the survival of colorectal cancer: A systematic review and external validation study.

The research aimed to identify previously published CpG-methylation-based prognostic biomarkers and prediction models for colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis and validate them in a large external cohort. A systematic search was conducted, analyzing 298 unique CpGs and 12 CpG-based prognostic models from 28 studies. After adjustment for clinical variables, 48 CpGs and five prognostic models were confirmed to be associated with survival.

A bioengineered trachea-like structure improves survival in a rabbit tracheal defect model.

A practical strategy for engineering a trachea-like structure that could be used to repair or replace a damaged or injured trachea is an unmet need. Here, we fabricated bioengineered cartilage (BC) rings from three-dimensionally printed fibers of poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) and rabbit chondrocytes. The extracellular matrix (ECM) secreted by the chondrocytes combined with the PCL fibers formed a "concrete-rebar structure," with ECM deposited along the PCL fibers, forming a grid similar to that of native cartilage.

Machine learning in the identification of prognostic DNA methylation biomarkers among patients with cancer: A systematic review of epigenome-wide studies.

Background: DNA methylation biomarkers have great potential in improving prognostic classification systems for patients with cancer. Machine learning (ML)-based analytic techniques might help overcome the challenges of analyzing high-dimensional data in relatively small sample sizes. This systematic review summarizes the current use of ML-based methods in epigenome-wide studies for the identification of DNA methylation signatures associated with cancer prognosis.

An aliphatic MOF with a molecular sieving effect for efficient CH/CH separation.

A metal-organic framework, SDMOF-1, with rigid pores of about 3.4 Å, which is appropriate for accommodating CH molecules, exhibits high CH adsorption capacity and great separation capability of the CH/CH mixture. This work provides a new method to design aliphatic MOFs with a molecular sieving effect to realize efficient gas separation.

Design of a MOF-based nano-trap for the efficient separation of propane from propylene.

A parallel Cu paddle wheel structure was developed to form an efficient CH nano-trap. Benefiting from having this trap, ATC-Cu showed a very high capacity for binding CH and high CH/CH selectivity at 298 K.

Scaffold-Free Tracheal Engineering via a Modular Strategy Based on Cartilage and Epithelium Sheets.

Tracheal defects lead to devastating problems, and practical clinical substitutes that have complex functional structures and can avoid adverse influences from exogenous bioscaffolds are lacking. Herein, a modular strategy for scaffold-free tracheal engineering is developed. A cartilage sheet (Cart-S) prepared by high-density culture is laminated and reshaped to construct a cartilage tube as the main load-bearing structure in which the chondrocytes exhibit a stable phenotype and secreted considerable cartilage-specific matrix, presenting a native-like grid arrangement.

Identifying biomarkers associated with tumor growth rate: a longitudinal preoperative magnetic resonance imaging follow-up of low-grade gliomas.

Background: Although the influence of molecular biomarkers on the biological behavior of tumor cells has been investigated, their quantitative influence on the velocity of tumor growth remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the molecular biomarkers associated with tumor growth rates in World Health Organization (WHO) grade II gliomas, or low-grade gliomas (LGGs).

Methods: Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of patients with LGGs were retrospectively reviewed.

Interactions Between Immunomodulatory Biomaterials and Immune Microenvironment: Cues for Immunomodulation Strategies in Tissue Repair.

The foreign body response (FBR) caused by biomaterials can essentially be understood as the interaction between the immune microenvironment and biomaterials, which has severely impeded the application of biomaterials in tissue repair. This concrete interaction occurs via cells and bioactive substances, such as proteins and nucleic acids. These cellular and molecular interactions provide important cues for determining which element to incorporate into immunomodulatory biomaterials (IMBs), and IMBs can thus be endowed with the ability to modulate the FBR and repair damaged tissue.

Image-Based Differentiation of Intracranial Metastasis From Glioblastoma Using Automated Machine Learning.

Purpose: The majority of solitary brain metastases appear similar to glioblastomas (GBMs) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study aimed to develop and validate an MRI-based model to differentiate intracranial metastases from GBMs using automated machine learning.

Materials And Methods: Radiomics features from 354 patients with brain metastases and 354 with GBMs were used to build prediction algorithms based on T2-weighted images, contrast-enhanced (CE) T1-weighted images, or both.

Development and validation of a novel survival prediction model for newly diagnosed lower-grade gliomas.

Objective: Diffuse gliomas are the most common primary gliomas with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to develop and validate prognostic models for predicting the survival probability in newly diagnosed lower-grade glioma (LGG) patients.

Methods: Detailed data were obtained for newly diagnosed LGG from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) cohorts.

Management of central nervous system Rosai-Dorfman disease: A single center treatment experience.

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is an idiopathic histiocytic proliferation disease with various clinical manifestations. A retrospective study of patients with pathological diagnosed RDD primarily involved in the central nervous system was conducted from January 2011 to December 2020 at a tertiary center. The clinical profile, imaging, and treatment data were collected.

Ischemic Infarction of Pituitary Apoplexy: A Retrospective Study of 46 Cases From a Single Tertiary Center.

Objective: Ischemic infarction of pituitary apoplexy (PA) is a rare type of pituitary apoplexy. This study aims to characterize ischemic PA via clinical presentations, imaging data, histopathological manifestations, and focus on the management and prognosis of the disease.

Methods: This study retrospectively identified 46 patients with ischemic PA confirmed using histopathology at a single institution from January 2013 to December 2020.

Self-Adjusting Metal-Organic Framework for Efficient Capture of Trace Xenon and Krypton.

The capture of the xenon and krypton from nuclear reprocessing off-gas is essential to the treatment of radioactive waste. Although various porous materials have been employed to capture Xe and Kr, the development of high-performance adsorbents capable of trapping Xe/Kr at very low partial pressure as in the nuclear reprocessing off-gas conditions remains challenging. Herein, we report a self-adjusting metal-organic framework based on multiple weak binding interactions to capture trace Xe and Kr from the nuclear reprocessing off-gas.