Deep Learning-Based Carotid Plaque Ultrasound Image Detection and Classification Study.

Background: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the detection and classification performance of different deep learning models on carotid plaque ultrasound images to achieve efficient and precise ultrasound screening for carotid atherosclerotic plaques.

Methods: This study collected 5611 carotid ultrasound images from 3683 patients from four hospitals between September 17, 2020, and December 17, 2022. By cropping redundant information from the images and annotating them using professional physicians, the dataset was divided into a training set (3927 images) and a test set (1684 images).

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Microstructure on Coalbed Methane Adsorption Characteristics Affected by Chemical Solvents.

Coalbed methane (CBM) reservoir modification based on chemical solvent treatment could change the coal microstructure, which further affects the adsorption capacity and flow characteristics of this clean energy. Coal samples were extracted by tetrahydrofuran (THF), carbon disulfide (CS), and hydrochloric acid (HCl). Low-pressure nitrogen adsorption, carbon dioxide adsorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and methane isothermal adsorption test were adopted.

Arginine vasopressin and angiotensin II coregulate Aquaporin 2 expression in M-1 cells.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the impact of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and angiotensin II (Ang II) on aquaporin 2 (AQP2) expression in M - 1 cells.

Methods: M - 1 cells were stimulated with desmopressin (dDAVP) and Ang II, followed by treatment with tolvaptan and losartan. The expression and protein levels of V2R, AT1R, AQP2, and p-S256AQP2 were measured via ELISA, western blotting, RT-qPCR, and immunofluorescence.

Xiaohuafuning tang intervenes liver-depression-and-spleen-deficiency syndrome chronic-atrophic-gastritis by reshaping amino acid metabolism through gut Microbiota.

Background: Xiaohua Funing Tang (XHFND) is a decoction formula of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and possesses the potential to manage chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) with liver depression and spleen deficiency (LDSD), but the mechanisms were still unclear.

Purpose: Our aim is to reveal the overall synergistic mechanisms of XHFND against CAG with LDSD.

Methods: Based on a CAG rat model with LDSD, this study combined metabolomics, gut microbiota, and network pharmacology techniques to demonstrate the XHFND mechanisms with multiple components and targets.

Identification and Characterization of Chemical Compounds in Compound Shougong Powder by UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS Combined With Multiple Data Processing Techniques.

Compound Shougong Powder (CSP) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation recognized for its efficacy in reducing swelling and relieving pain. It is primarily used clinically for the treatment of malignant tumors. However, research on the chemical compounds present in CSP remains limited.

Cross-device and test-retest reliability of speech acoustic measurements derived from consumer-grade mobile recording devices.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in remote speech assessment through automated speech acoustic analysis. While the reliability of widely used features has been validated in professional recording settings, it remains unclear how the heterogeneity of consumer-grade recording devices, commonly used in nonclinical settings, impacts the reliability of these measurements. To address this issue, we systematically investigated the cross-device and test-retest reliability of classical speech acoustic measurements in a sample of healthy Chinese adults using consumer-grade equipment across three popular speech tasks: sustained phonation (SP), diadochokinesis (DDK), and picture description (PicD).

A new classification algorithm for low concentration slurry based on machine vision.

Machine vision was utilized in this study to accurately classify the low concentration slurry. Orthogonal experiment L(3) indicated that the optimal coal slurry collection images were achieved with exposure value of 10, slurry layer thickness of 7 cm, and light intensity of 5 × 10 lux. Subsequently, a new low concentration classification model was systematically developed, encompassing aspects such as original image acquisition, data augmentation, dataset partitioning, classification algorithm design, and model evaluation.

Analysis on characteristics and mechanism for rock fracture in deep rock with cracks under dynamic-static coupling effect.

The mechanical behavior and fracture mechanisms of deep fractured rocks under explosive dynamic loads are critical for understanding rock instability in engineering applications such as blasting operations. This study aims to investigate how the presence of pre-existing cracks and different stress states affect the mechanical properties and fracture patterns of rock-like specimens under dynamic loading conditions. We utilized a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) with an active confining pressure loading device to conduct impact compression tests on rock-like specimens containing pre-existing cracks.

Multidimensional internet use related to cognitive performance in older persons: a nationwide cross-sectional study.

Introduction: The internet has been increasingly recognized as a potential driver for enhancing cognitive functioning in older adults; however, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently understood in the literature. This study aimed to investigate the associations between different dimensions of internet use-activity, device, and frequency-and cognitive performance in older adults.

Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the fourth wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), involving a nationally representative sample of 17,676 participants aged 60 years and above.

Plant AT-rich protein and zinc-binding protein (PLATZ) family in Dendrobium huoshanense: identification, evolution and expression analysis.

PLATZ (plant A/T-rich protein and zinc-binding protein) transcription factors are essential for plant growth, development, and responses to abiotic stress. The regulatory role of PLATZ genes in the environmental adaptation of D. huoshanense is inadequately comprehended.

Effects and mechanism of combination of Platycodon grandiflorum polysaccharides and Platycodon saponins in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rats through the gut-lung axis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC.

Carbonaceous cores serve as surrogates for environmental particulate matter inducing vascular endothelial inflammation via inflammasome activation.

Ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure is a known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Epidemiological studies have shown the association between PM exposure and vascular complications, including vasculitis, embolism, hypertension, stroke, and atherosclerosis. However, the exact mechanisms underlying its vascular toxicity, especially in relation to short-term exposures, remain incompletely understood.

USP21 stabilizes immune checkpoint of CD276 and serves as an immunological and tumor prognostic biomarker.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 21 (USP21) belongs to the ubiquitin-specific protease family and is a member of the deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) family. Previous research has shown that USP21 promotes cancer initiation and progression. However, there have been few pan-cancer analysis on USP21.

Effects of Extracellular Matrix Changes Induced by a High-Fat Diet on Gallbladder Smooth Muscle Dysfunction.

Background: Gallstone formation is a common digestive ailment, with unclear mechanisms underlying its development. Dysfunction of the gallbladder smooth muscle (GSM) may play a crucial role, particularly with a high-fat diet (HFD). This study aimed to investigate the effects of an HFD on GSM and assess how it alters contractility through changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM).

The impact of university freshmen's mental health on academic performance: an empirical study based on M University in Fujian Province, China.

Objective: To investigate the impact of freshmen's mental health on their short-and long-term academic performance, as well as to provide empirical evidence for improving university students' mental health intervention tactics and higher education quality.

Methods: A multiple regression model was used to analyze student data from 3 years of enrollment at M University in Fujian Province.

Results: Different mental health problems have a significant impact on academic performance, which varies by gender, enrollment year, and subject.

Research hotspots and trends on NF-κB in cognitive impairment: a bibliometric analysis.

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) endangers the physical and mental health of patients in a significant manner, and it is expected that the number of people with CI in China will rise to 45.33 million by 2050. Therefore, CI has become a popular research topic.

Study protocol: A national cross-sectional study on psychology and behavior investigation of Chinese residents in 2023.

Introduction: This study protocol specifies the primary research line and theoretical framework of the 2023 Survey of the Psychology and Behavior of the Chinese Population. It aims to establish a consistent database of Chinese residents' psychological and behavioral surveys through multi-center and large-sample cross-sectional surveys to provide robust data support for developing research in related fields. It will track the public's physical and psychological health more comprehensively and systematically.

Tuning steric hindrance of cyclic ether electrolytes enables high-voltage lithium metal batteries.

Ether-based electrolytes are known for their high stability with lithium metal anodes (LMAs), but they often exhibit poor high-voltage stability. Structural optimization of ether-based solvent molecules has been proven to effectively broaden the electrochemical window of these electrolytes, yet the optimization rules within cyclic ethers remain unclear. Herein, we investigate the impact of methyl substitution positions on the molecular properties of 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), a commonly used cyclic ether.

Deciphering unique enzymatic pathways in sulfonamide biotransformation by direct ammonia oxidizer Alcaligenes ammonioxydans HO-1.

Heterotrophic nitrification, similar to autotrophic nitrification, involves key enzymes and reactive nitrogen intermediates during ammonia oxidation, which may influence antibiotic transformation. However, the interference between antibiotic transformation products from ammonia oxidation and secondary metabolites in heterotrophic nitrifiers makes antibiotic transformation pathways more complicated. In this work, we observe that the heterotrophic nitrifier Alcaligenes ammonioxydans HO-1 can effectively convert sulfonamide antibiotics.

Evolutionary game analysis on the regulation of medical devices used in health services delivery.

Medical devices (MDs) play a critical role in healthcare delivery while also bringing potential medical risks and unintended harms to patients. Although government regulation is well recognized as a critical and essential function for ensuring the safety of MDs in many countries, the supplementary role that hospitals play is often neglected. This paper constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model involving the government, hospitals, and MDs enterprises to explore their strategic behaviors of MDs regulation in healthcare delivery.

Mechanical prediction method of strata movement and surface subsidence in backfill-strip mining.

Underground coal excavation has caused a series of geological disasters and environmental problems, especially coal mining subsidence. Backfill-strip mining, which combines the advantages of strip mining and backfill mining, can reduce subsidence and improve the recovery rate of coal. Therefore, predicting the impact of backfill-strip mining on the surface environment and strata structure is essential for the better development of backfill-strip mining technology.

Exosomes derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells promote healing of complex perianal fistulas in rats.

Background: Complex perianal fistulas, challenging to treat and prone to recurrence, often require surgical intervention that may cause fecal incontinence and lower quality of life due to large surgical wounds and potential sphincter damage. Human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC-MSCs) and their exosomes (hUCMSCs-Exo) may promote wound healing.

Methods: This study assessed the efficacy, mechanisms, and safety of these exosomes in treating complex perianal fistulas in SD rats.