Systematic investigation of machine learning on limited data: A study on predicting protein-protein binding strength

The application of machine learning techniques in biological research, especially when dealing with limited data availability, poses significant challenges. In this study, we leveraged advancements in method development for predicting protein-protein binding strength to conduct a systematic investigation into the application of machine learning on limited data. The binding strength, quantitatively measured as binding affinity, is vital for understanding the processes of recognition, association, and dysfunction that occur within protein complexes. By incorporating transfer learning, integrating domain knowledge, and employing both deep learning and traditional machine learning algorithms, we mitigated the impact of data limitations and made significant advancements in predicting protein-protein binding affinity. In particular, we developed over 20 models, ultimately selecting three representative best-performing ones that belong to distinct categories. The first model is structure-based, consisting of a random forest regression and thirteen handcrafted features. The second model is sequence-based, employing an architecture that combines transferred embedding features with a multilayer perceptron. Finally, we created an ensemble model by averaging the predictions of the two aforementioned models. The comparison with other predictors on three independent datasets confirms the significant improvements achieved by our models in predicting protein-protein binding affinity. The programs for running these three models are available at https://github.com/minghuilab/BindPPI.

Human brain organoid: trends, evolution, and remaining challenges

Advanced brain organoids provide promising platforms for deciphering the cellular and molecular processes of human neural development and diseases. Although various studies and reviews have described developments and advancements in brain organoids, few studies have comprehensively summarized and analyzed the global trends in this area of neuroscience. To identify and further facilitate the development of cerebral organoids, we utilized bibliometrics and visualization methods to analyze the global trends and evolution of brain organoids in the last 10 years. First, annual publications, countries/regions, organizations, journals, authors, co-citations, and keywords relating to brain organoids were identified. The hotspots in this field were also systematically identified. Subsequently, current applications for brain organoids in neuroscience, including human neural development, neural disorders, infectious diseases, regenerative medicine, drug discovery, and toxicity assessment studies, are comprehensively discussed. Towards that end, several considerations regarding the current challenges in brain organoid research and future strategies to advance neuroscience will be presented to further promote their application in neurological research.

High-pressure microfluidization enhanced the stability of sodium caseinate-EGCG complex-stabilized fish oil emulsion

Improving the emulsion-stabilizing effect of protein by chemical or physical modification has been paid much attention recently. Here, sodium caseinate (CS) was treated by high-pressure-microfluidization (HPM) under 0-100 MPa, and was further complexed with (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) to form an excellent emulsifier that stabilized fish oil emulsions. Results showed that HPM treatment (especially 80 MPa) significantly changed the secondary structure of CS, and 80 MPa-PCS-EGCG had the best emulsifying and antioxidant activities. In addition, after HPM treatment and EGCG bonding, CS formed a thicker interface layer on the surface of oil droplets, which could better protect the fish oil from the influence by oxygen, temperature and ion concentration. Moreover, the fish oil emulsion stabilized by PCS-EGCG complex significantly delayed the release of free fatty acids subjected to in vitro digestion. Conclusively, HPM-treated CS-EGCG complex could be a potential emulsifier to improve the stability of fish oil emulsions.

Stereotactic ultrahypofractionated MR-guided radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer - Acute toxicity and patient-reported outcomes in the prospective, multicenter SMILE phase II trial

Background

Due to superior image quality and daily adaptive planning, MR-guided stereotactic body radiation therapy (MRgSBRT) has the potential to further widen the therapeutic window in radiotherapy of localized prostate cancer. This study reports on acute toxicity rates and patient-reported outcomes after MR-guided adaptive ultrahypofractionated radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer within the prospective, multicenter phase II SMILE trial.

Materials and methods

A total of 69 patients with localized prostate cancer underwent MRgSBRT with daily online plan adaptation. Inclusion criteria comprised a tumor stage ≤ T3a, serum PSA value ≤ 20 ng/ml, ISUP Grade group ≤ 4. A dose of 37.5 Gy was prescribed to the PTV in five fractions on alternating days with an optional simultaneous boost of 40 Gy to the dominant intraprostatic lesion defined by multiparametric MRI. Acute genitourinary (GU-) and gastrointestinal (GI-) toxicity, as defined by CTCAE v. 5.0 and RTOG as well as patient-reported outcomes according to EORTC QLQ-C30 and -PR25 scores were analyzed at completion of radiotherapy, 6 and 12 weeks after radiotherapy and compared to baseline symptoms.

Results

There were no toxicity-related treatment discontinuations. At the 12-week follow-up visit, no grade 3 + toxicities were reported according to CTCAE. Up until the 12-week visit, in total 16 patients (23 %) experienced a grade 2 GU or GI toxicity. Toxicity rates peaked at the end of radiation therapy and subsided within the 12-week follow-up period. At the 12-week follow-up visit, no residual grade 2 GU toxicities were reported and 1 patient (1 %) had residual grade 2 enteritic symptoms. With exception to a significant improvement in the emotional functioning score following MRgSBRT, no clinically meaningful changes in the global health status nor in relevant subscores were reported.

Conclusion

Daily online-adaptive MRgSBRT for localized prostate cancer resulted in an excellent overall toxicity profile without any major negative impact on quality of life.

Economic and clinical burdens and associated health disparities in HIV/AIDS management using big data: potentially inappropriate use and deprescribing of benzodiazepines

This study aimed to examine factors, healthcare utilization, and medical costs associated with potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines in persons living with HIV (PLWH). We used big data from Medicare claims in 2017. Potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines was defined as having any benzodiazepine claims in individuals 65+ years or having benzodiazepine claims for more than four weeks in individuals 18-64 years. Logistic regressions, zero-inflated negative binomial regressions, and generalized linear models were used. This study included 1,211 PLWH and 235 (19.41%) had potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines. PLWH who were 65+ years (OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.33, 0.96), non-Hispanic blacks (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.41), or Hispanics (OR: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.88) were less likely to use benzodiazepines inappropriately. PLWH who had potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines had more inpatient (IRR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.94), outpatient (IRR: 1.14; 95% CI 1.02, 1.28), and emergency room (IRR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.68) visits. Potentially inappropriate use of benzodiazepines was associated with higher total (β: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.25), Medicare (β: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.28), and out-of-pocket (β: 0.21; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.36) costs. This study provides real-world evidence to support deprescribing benzodiazepines in PLWH.

Electrospinning-assisted porous skeleton electrolytes for semi-solid Li-O2 batteries

Solid-state lithium-oxygen batteries offer great promise in meeting the practical demand for high-energy-density and safe energy storage. We have developed fibrous gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) using a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix via electrospinning. The 3D structure of GPEs enhances electrolyte absorption, while the interconnected design promotes strong interactions between Li+ and polar groups within the PAN matrix, thereby improving ion transport efficiency. In practical tests, both lithium symmetric cells and Li-O2 batteries demonstrated the ability to operate at high current densities over long cycles.

A phase I study to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of PF-06939999 (PRMT5 inhibitor) in patients with selected advanced or metastatic tumors with high incidence of splicing factor gene mutations

BACKGROUND

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) methylates multiple substrates dysregulated in cancer, including spliceosome machinery components. PF-06939999 is a selective small-molecule PRMT5 inhibitor.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This phase I dose-escalation and -expansion trial (NCT03854227) enrolled patients with selected solid tumors. PF-06939999 was administered orally once or twice a day (q.d./b.i.d.) in 28-day cycles. The objectives were to evaluate PF-06939999 safety and tolerability to identify maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended part 2 dose (RP2D), and assess pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics [changes in plasma symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) levels], and antitumor activities.

RESULTS

In part 1 dose escalation, 28 patients received PF-06939999 (0.5 mg q.d. to 6 mg b.i.d.). Four of 24 (17%) patients reported dose-limiting toxicities: thrombocytopenia (n = 2, 6 mg b.i.d.), anemia (n = 1, 8 mg q.d.), and neutropenia (n = 1, 6 mg q.d.). PF-06939999 exposure increased with dose. Steady-state PK was achieved by day 15. Plasma SDMA was reduced at steady state (58%-88%). Modulation of plasma SDMA was dose dependent. No MTD was determined. In part 2 dose expansion, 26 patients received PF-06939999 6 mg q.d. (RP2D). Overall (part 1 + part 2), the most common grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events included anemia (28%), thrombocytopenia/platelet count decreased (22%), fatigue (6%), and neutropenia (4%). Three patients (6.8%) had confirmed partial response (head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, n = 1; non-small-cell lung cancer, n = 2), and 19 (43.2%) had stable disease. No predictive biomarkers were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

PF-06939999 demonstrated a tolerable safety profile and objective clinical responses in a subset of patients, suggesting that PRMT5 is an interesting cancer target with clinical validation. However, no predictive biomarker was identified. The role of PRMT5 in cancer biology is complex and requires further preclinical, mechanistic investigation to identify predictive biomarkers for patient selection.

Effects of different oxidants on the behaviour of microplastic hetero-aggregates

Microplastic hetero-aggregates are stable forms of microplastics in the aqueous environment. However, when disinfecting water containing microplastic hetero-aggregates, the response of them in water to different oxidizing agents and the effect on water quality have not been reported. Our results showed that Ca(ClO)2, K2S2O8, and sodium percarbonate (SPC) treatment could lead to the disaggregation of microplastic hetero-aggregates as well as a rise in cell membrane permeability, which caused a large amount of organic matter to be released. When the amount of oxidant dosing is insufficient, the oxidant cannot completely degrade the released organic matter, resulting in DOC, DTN, DTP and other indicators being higher than before oxidation, thus causing secondary pollution of the water body. In comparison, K2FeO4 can purify the water body stably without destroying the microplastic hetero-aggregates, but it only weakly inhibits the toxic cyanobacteria Microcystis and Pseudanabaena, which may cause cyanobacterial bloom as well as algal toxin and odorant contamination in practical application. Compared with the other oxidizers, K2S2O8 provides better inhibition of toxic cyanobacteria and has better ecological safety. Therefore, when treating microplastic-containing water bodies, we should consider both water purification and ecological safety, and select appropriate oxidant types and dosages to optimize the water treatment.

Risk factors and mortality of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infection in hematology department: a ten-year retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the risk factors for carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bloodstream infection (CRPA-BSI) and identify predictors of outcomes among patients with P. aeruginosa bloodstream infection (PA-BSI).

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with PA-BSI at Henan Cancer Hospital from 2013 to 2022.

RESULTS

Among the 503 incidences analyzed, 15.1% of them were CRPA strains. Age, ANC<100/mmc, receiving antifungal prophylaxis, exposure to carbapenems within the previous 90 days to onset of BSI, and allogeneic HSCT (allo-HSCT) were associated with the development of CRPA-BSI. CRPA-BSI patients experienced significantly higher 28-day mortality rates compared to those with carbapenem-susceptible P. aeruginosa bloodstream infection (CSPA-BSI). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified age at BSI, active stage of hematological disease, procalcitonin levels, prior corticosteroid treatment, isolation of CRPA, and septic shock as independent predictors of 28-day mortality.

CONCLUSION

Risk factors for CRPA-BSI include age, ANC <100/mmc, antifungal prophylaxis, exposure to carbapenems, and allo-HSCT. Additionally, age at BSI, active hematological disease, procalcitonin levels, prior corticosteroid treatment, CRPA isolation, and septic shock contribute to increased mortality rates among patients with PA-BSI.

Can the neural representation of physical pain predict empathy for pain in others?

The question of whether physical pain and vicarious pain have some shared neural substrates is unresolved. Recent research has argued that physical and vicarious pain are represented by dissociable multivariate brain patterns by creating biomarkers for physical pain (Neurologic Pain Signature, NPS) and vicarious pain (Vicarious Pain Signature, VPS), respectively. In the current research, the NPS and two versions of the VPS were applied to three fMRI datasets (one new, two published) relating to vicarious pain which focused on between-subject differences in vicarious pain (Datasets 1 and 3) and within-subject manipulations of perspective taking (Dataset 2). Results show that (i) NPS can distinguish brain responses to images of pain vs no-pain and to a greater extent in vicarious pain responders who report experiencing pain when observing pain and (ii) neither version of the VPS mapped on to individual differences in vicarious pain and the two versions differed in their success in predicting vicarious pain overall. This study suggests that the NPS (created to detect physical pain) is, under some circumstances, sensitive to vicarious pain and there is significant variability in VPS measures (created to detect vicarious pain) to act as generalizable biomarkers of vicarious pain.

Modulating Intracellular Dynamics for Optimized Intracellular Release and Transcytosis Equilibrium

Active transcytosis-mediated nanomedicine transport presents considerable potential in overcoming diverse delivery barriers, thereby facilitating tumor accumulation and penetration. Nevertheless, the persistent challenge lies in achieving a nuanced equilibrium between intracellular interception for drug release and transcytosis for tumor penetration. In this study, a comprehensive exploration is conducted involving a series of polyglutamine-paclitaxel conjugates featuring distinct hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratios (HHR) and tertiary amine-oxide proportions (TP) (OPGA-PTX). The screening process, meticulously focused on delineating their subcellular distribution, transcytosis capability, and tumor penetration, unveils a particularly promising candidate denoted as OPPX, characterized by an HHR of 10:1 and a TP of 100%. OPPX, distinguished by its rapid cellular internalization through multiple endocytic pathways, selectively engages in trafficking to the Golgi apparatus for transcytosis to facilitate accumulation within and penetration throughout tumor tissues and simultaneously sorted to lysosomes for cathepsin B-activated drug release. This study not only identifies OPPX as an exemplary nanomedicine but also underscores the feasibility of modulating subcellular distribution to optimize the active transport capabilities and intracellular release mechanisms of nanomedicines, providing an alternative approach to designing efficient anticancer nanomedicines.

MFA-DTI: Drug-target interaction prediction based on multi-feature fusion adopted framework

The identification of drug-target interactions (DTI) is a valuable step in the drug discovery and repositioning process. However, traditional laboratory experiments are time-consuming and expensive. Computational methods have streamlined research to determine DTIs. The application of deep learning methods has significantly improved the prediction performance for DTIs. Modern deep learning methods can leverage multiple sources of information, including sequence data that contains biological structural information, and interaction data. While useful, these methods cannot be effectively applied to each type of information individually (e.g., chemical structure and interaction network) and do not take into account the specificity of DTI data such as low- or zero-interaction biological entities. To overcome these limitations, we propose a method called MFA-DTI (Multi-feature Fusion Adopted framework for DTI). MFA-DTI consists of three modules: an interaction graph learning module that processes the interaction network to generate interaction vectors, a chemical structure learning module that extracts features from the chemical structure, and a fusion module that combines these features for the final prediction. To validate the performance of MFA-DTI, we conducted experiments on six public datasets under different settings. The results indicate that the proposed method is highly effective in various settings and outperforms state-of-the-art methods.

Carvedilol Plus NUC for Patients With HBV-Compensated Cirrhosis Under Virological Suppression: A Randomized Open-Label Trial

INTRODUCTION

Portal hypertension progression can be relieved after controlling the etiology of liver cirrhosis. Whether beta-blockers could additionally enhance the effects during treatment, particularly for small esophageal varices (EV), was unclear. This study aims to assess the efficacy of add-on carvedilol to delay EV progression during anti-hepatitis B virus (HBV) treatment in HBV-related cirrhosis.

METHODS

This randomized controlled trial enrolled patients with virologically suppressed HBV-compensated cirrhosis and small/medium EV. The participants were randomly assigned to receive nucleos(t)ide analog (NUC) or carvedilol 12.5 mg plus NUC (1:1 allocation ratio). The primary end point was the progression rate of EV at 2 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

A total of 238 patients (small EV, 77.3%) were randomized into 119 NUC and 119 carvedilol plus NUC (carvedilol [CARV] combination group). Among them, 205 patients (86.1%) completed paired endoscopies. EV progression rate was 15.5% (16/103) in the NUC group and 12.7% (13/102) in the CARV combination group (relative risk = 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.36-1.75, P = 0.567). Subgroup analysis on medium EV showed the CARV combination group had a more favorable effect in promoting EV regression (43.5% vs 13.1%, P = 0.022) than NUC alone, but not in small cases ( P = 0.534). The incidence of liver-related events (decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma, or death/liver transplantation) within 2 years was similar between the 2 groups (11.2% vs 10.4%, P = 0.881).

DISCUSSION

The overall results did not show statistically significant differences between the added carvedilol strategy and NUC monotherapy in preventing EV progression in patients with virologically suppressed HBV-compensated cirrhosis. However, the carvedilol-added approach might offer improved outcomes specifically for patients with medium EV (NCT03736265).

Disturbance of mitochondrial dynamics in myocardium of broilers with pulmonary hypertension syndrome

1. The following study investigated the relationship between pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) and mitochondrial dynamics in broiler cardiomyocytes.2. An animal model for PHS was established by injecting broiler chickens with CM-32 cellulose particles. Broiler myocardial cells were cultured under hypoxic conditions to establish an in vitro model. The ascites heart index, histomorphology, mitochondrial ultrastructure, and mitochondrial dynamic-related gene and protein expression were evaluated.3. The myocardial fibres from PHS broilers had wider spaces and were wavy and twisted and the number of mitochondria increased. Compared with the control group, the gene and protein expression levels were decreased for Opa1, Mfn1, and Mfn2 in the myocardium of PHS broilers. The gene and protein expression was significantly increased for Drp1 and Mff.4. This study showed that PHS in broilers may cause myocardial mitochondrial dysfunction, specifically by diminishing mitochondrial fusion and enhancing fission, causing disturbances in the mitochondrial dynamics of the heart.

An Integrated Arterial Remodeling Hydrogel for Preventing Restenosis After Angioplasty

The high incidence of restenosis after angioplasty has been the leading reason for the recurrence of coronary heart disease, substantially increasing the mortality risk for patients. However, current anti-stenosis drug-eluting stents face challenges due to their limited functions and long-term safety concerns, significantly compromising their therapeutic effect. Herein, a stent-free anti-stenosis drug coating (denoted as Cur-NO-Gel) based on a peptide hydrogel is proposed. This hydrogel is formed by assembling a nitric oxide (NO) donor-peptide conjugate as a hydrogelator and encapsulating curcumin (Cur) during the assembly process. Cur-NO-Gel has the capability to release NO upon β-galactosidase stimulation and gradually release Cur through hydrogel hydrolysis. The in vitro experiments confirmed that Cur-NO-Gel protects vascular endothelial cells against oxidative stress injury, inhibits cellular activation of vascular smooth muscle cells, and suppresses adventitial fibroblasts. Moreover, periadventitial administration of Cur-NO-Gel in the angioplasty model demonstrate its ability to inhibit vascular stenosis by promoting reendothelialization, suppressing neointima hyperplasia, and preventing constrictive remodeling. Therefore, the study provides proof of concept for designing a new generation of clinical drugs in angioplasty.

Deteriorated bone microarchitecture caused by sympathetic overstimulation in pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma

PURPOSE

Despite the potentially destructive effect of sympathetic activity on bone metabolism, its impact on bone microarchitecture, a key determinant of bone quality, has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aims to evaluate the impact of sympathetic activity on bone microarchitecture and bone strength in patients with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL).

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 38 PPGL patients (15 males and 23 females). Bone turnover markers serum procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) and β-carboxy-terminal crosslinked telopeptide of type 1 collagen (β-CTX) were measured. 24-h urinary adrenaline (24hUE) and 24-h urinary norepinephrine levels (24hUNE) were measured to indicate sympathetic activity. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) was conducted to evaluate bone microarchitecture in PPGL patients and 76 age-, sex-matched healthy controls (30 males and 46 females). Areal bone mineral density (aBMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) simultaneously.

RESULTS

PPGL patients had a higher level of β-CTX. HR-pQCT assessment revealed that PPGL patients had notably thinner and more sparse trabecular bone (decreased trabecular number and thickness with increased trabecular separation), significantly decreased volume BMD (vBMD), and bone strength at both the radius and tibia compared with healthy controls. The deterioration of Tt.vBMD, Tb.Sp, and Tb.1/N.SD was more pronounced in postmenopausal patients compared with the premenopausal subjects. Moreover, subjects in the highest 24hUNE quartile (Q4) showed markedly lower Tb.N and higher Tb.Sp and Tb.1/N.SD at the tibia than those in the lowest quartile (Q1). Age-related bone loss was also exacerbated in PPGL patients to a certain extent.

CONCLUSIONS

PPGL patients had significantly deteriorated bone microarchitecture and strength, especially in the trabecular bone, with an increased bone resorption rate. Our findings provide clinical evidence that sympathetic overstimulation may serve as a secondary cause of osteoporosis, especially in subjects with increased sympathetic activity.

[Clinical and electrophysiological characteristics and treatment outcomes of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody ANCA-associated vasculitic neuropathy]

Objective: To investigate the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of ANCA-associated vasculitic neuropathy (VN) and analyze the predictors of treatment outcomes. Methods: Retrospective case series. In all, 652 consecutive patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis were admitted to the First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 2006 and December 2022. Peripheral neuropathy occurred in 91 patients. Patients were excluded if other known causes of neuropathy were present. Sixty-one patients were eventually enrolled, including 17 with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), 11 with granulomatosis polyangiitis (GPA), and 33 with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). Their clinical data were collected and clinical characteristics, VN manifestations, electrophysiological findings (including interside amplitude ratio [IAR]), and treatment outcomes were compared among the three subsets of AAV. Then, factors influencing the treatment outcomes were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results: Peripheral neuropathy occurred in 62.1%(18/29) of EGPA, 8.3%(15/180) of GPA, and 13.1%(58/443) of MPA patients. The age at onset and examination was higher in patients with MPA than those with EGPA or GPA (P<0.01). The occurrence of VN was later in patients with GPA than those with EGPA (P<0.01), and the GPA group had fewer affected nerves than the other two groups (P<0.016). The abnormal IARs of motor nerves in lower limbs were more detected in the EGPA than the MPA group (P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis suggested that higher Birmingham vasculitis activity score-version 3 (BVAS-V3) (OR=6.85, 95%CI 1.33-35.30) was associated with better treatment outcomes of VN. However, central nervous system involvement was a risk factor for poor treatment outcomes (OR=0.13, 95%CI 0.02-0.89). Conclusions: The clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of VN were slightly different among subsets of AAV. Patients with GPA often presented with polyneuropathy and had fewer nerves affected; mononeuritis multiplex was more common in EGPA than GPA and MPA. Higher BVAS-V3 and central nervous system involvement might predict the treatment outcome of VN.

Intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging of solitary pulmonary lesions: initial study with gradient- and spin-echo sequences

AIM

To evaluate the feasibility and image quality of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted imaging (IVIM) using gradient- and spin-echo (GRASE) in solitary pulmonary lesions (SPLs) compared to echo planar imaging (EPI) and turbo spin-echo (TSE) at 3 T.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-two patients with SPLs underwent lung magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using TSE-IVIM, GRASE-IVIM, and EPI-IVIM at 3 T. Signal ratio (SR), contrast ratio (CR), and image distortion ratio (DR) of three sequences were compared. The reproducibility and repeatability of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and IVIM-derived parameters were assessed using the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV). The repeatability of the ADC and IVIM-derived parameters between all sequences was evaluated using the Bland-Altman method.

RESULTS

EPI-IVIM had a higher SR, lower CR, and higher DR (p<0.05); however, there was no significant difference between TSE-IVIM and GRASE-IVIM (p>0.05). Compared to the D and f values of TSE-IVIM (ICC lower limit >0.90), GRASE-IVIM and EPI-IVIM showed poor reproducibility (ICC lower limit<0.90). The repeatability of the ADC and D values obtained by TSE-IVIM (CV, 1.93-2.96% and 2.44-3.18%, respectively) and GRASE-IVIM (CV, 2.56-3.12% and 3.21-3.51%, respectively) were superior to those of EPI-IVIM (CV, 10.03-10.2% and 11.30-11.57%). The repeatability of D∗ and f values for all sequences was poor. Bland-Altman analysis showed wide limits of agreement between the ADC and IVIM-derived parameters for all sequences.

CONCLUSION

GRASE-IVIM reduced the DR, improved the stability of the ADC and D values on repeated scans, and had the shortest scanning time.

Efficacy and Safety of Preoperative Transcatheter Rectal Arterial Chemoembolisation in Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: Results from a Prospective, Phase II PCAR Trial

AIMS

The PCAR study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of preoperative transcatheter rectal arterial chemoembolisation (TRACE) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a single-centre, prospective, phase II trial conducted in China. Eligible patients were adults aged 18 years and older with histologically confirmed stage II or III rectal carcinoma and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1. Patients received TRACE with oxaliplatin, followed by radiotherapy with a cumulative dose of 45 Gy (1.8 Gy/time/day, five times a week for 5 weeks) and received oral S1 capsules twice daily (7 days a week for 4 weeks). Patients underwent total mesorectal excision 4-8 weeks after the completion of chemoradiotherapy, followed by mFOLFOX6 or CAPOX regimens for 4-6 months. The hypothesis of this study was that adding TRACE to preoperative neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy would improve tumour regression and prognosis. The primary end point was the pathological complete response rate; secondary end points included the major pathological response rate, anal preservation rate, 5-year disease-free survival (DFS), 5-year overall survival and treatment-related adverse events.

RESULTS

In total, 111 LARC patients received TRACE and subsequent scheduled treatment plans. The pathological complete response and major pathological response rates were 20.72% and 48.65%, respectively. The 5-year DFS and 5-year overall survival were 61.89% (95% confidence interval 51.45-74.45) and 74.80% (95% confidence interval 65.05-86.01), respectively. Grade 3-4 toxicities were reported in 29 patients (26.13%). The postoperative complication rate was 21.62%, without serious surgical complications. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that ypN stage (hazard ratio = 4.242, 95% confidence interval 2.101-8.564, P = 0.00017) and perineural invasion (hazard ratio = 2.319, 95% confidence interval 1.058-5.084, P = 0.0487) were independent risk factors associated with DFS, whereas ypN stage (hazard ratio = 3.164, 95% confidence interval 1.347-7.432, P = 0.0101), perineural invasion (hazard ratio = 4.118, 95% confidence interval 1.664-10.188, P = 0.0134) and serum carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199; hazard ratio = 4.142, 95% confidence interval 1.290-13.306, P = 0.0344) were independent predictors for overall survival.

CONCLUSION

The current study provides evidence that adding TRACE to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy can improve the pathological remission rate in LARC patients with acceptable toxicity. Given its promising effectiveness and safe profile, incorporating TRACE into the standard treatment strategy for patients with LARC should be considered.

The impact of the physical activity intervention on sleep in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Pharmacological treatments (i.e., melatonin) and non-pharmacological therapies (e.g., parent-based sleep education programs and behavioural interventions) have been found to result in improved sleep in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there are several limitations to these treatment approaches, including concerns about the possible side-effects and safety, high-cost and uncertainties of long-term effects. Physical activity (PA) intervention is a promising behavioural intervention that has received increasing attention. However, the effects of PA intervention on sleep are still unclear in this clinical group. This study aimed to synthesize available empirical studies concerning the effects of PA interventions on sleep in children and adolescents with ASD. Following PRISMA guidelines, seven electronic databases: APA PsychInfo, CINAHL Ultimate, ERIC, MEDLINE, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science, were searched from inception to March 2023. Randomized controlled trials/quasi-experimental designs with comparison groups were included. Initially, 444 articles were identified, 13 articles underwent systematic review, and 8 studies with control groups and sufficient statistical data were selected for meta-analysis. Compared to no-treatment control groups, PA interventions had a large positive effect on parent-reported general sleep problems, night awakenings, sleep resistance, sleep duration and actigraphy-assessed sleep efficiency in children and adolescents with ASD.

Study of High-Transverse-Momentum Higgs Boson Production in Association with a Vector Boson in the qqbb Final State with the ATLAS Detector

This Letter presents the first study of Higgs boson production in association with a vector boson (V=W or Z) in the fully hadronic qqbb final state using data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137  fb^{-1}. The vector bosons and Higgs bosons are each reconstructed as large-radius jets and tagged using jet substructure techniques. Dedicated tagging algorithms exploiting b-tagging properties are used to identify jets consistent with Higgs bosons decaying into bb[over ¯]. Dominant backgrounds from multijet production are determined directly from the data, and a likelihood fit to the jet mass distribution of Higgs boson candidates is used to extract the number of signal events. The VH production cross section is measured inclusively and differentially in several ranges of Higgs boson transverse momentum: 250-450, 450-650, and greater than 650 GeV. The inclusive signal yield relative to the standard model expectation is observed to be μ=1.4_{-0.9}^{+1.0} and the corresponding cross section is 3.1±1.3(stat)_{-1.4}^{+1.8}(syst)  pb.

Convolutional neural network for identifying common bile duct stones based on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography

AIMS

To develop an auto-categorization system based on machine learning for three-dimensional magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (3D MRCP) to detect choledocholithiasis from healthy and symptomatic individuals.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

3D MRCP sequences from 254 cases with common bile duct (CBD) stones and 251 cases with normal CBD were enrolled to train the 3D Convolutional Neural Network (3D-CNN) model. Then 184 patients from three different hospitals (91 with positive CBD stone and 93 with normal CBD) were prospectively included to test the performance of 3D-CNN.

RESULTS

With a cutoff value of 0.2754, 3D-CNN achieved the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 94.51%, 92.47%, and 93.48%, respectively. In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for the presence or absence of CBD stones was 0.974 (95% CI, 0.940-0.992). There was no significant difference in sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy between 3D-CNN and radiologists. In addition, the performance of 3D-CNN was also evaluated in the internal test set and the external test set, respectively. The internal test set yielded an accuracy of 94.74% and AUC of 0.974 (95% CI, 0.919-0.996), and the external test set yielded an accuracy of 92.13% and AUC of 0.970 (95% CI, 0.911-0.995).

CONCLUSIONS

An artificial intelligence-assisted diagnostic system for CBD stones was constructed using 3D-CNN model for 3D MRCP images. The performance of 3D-CNN model was comparable to that of radiologists in diagnosing CBD stones. 3D-CNN model maintained high performance when applied to data from other hospitals.

Dosage and exposure time effects of two micro(nono)plastics on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity in two farmland soils planted with pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

As emerging environmental pollutants, micro(nano)plastics (MPs) like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) have adverse effects on terrestrial biota and ecosystem function. However, the performance and roles of soil arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in MPs-contaminated vegetable fields are poorly understood. Thus, a 120-day pot experiment was conducted to test the impacts of two input levels of either PET (~13 μm) or LDPE (~500 nm) on AM fungal diversity and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) growth in two farmland soils collected from Nanjing (NJ) and Chongqing (CQ), respectively. In the vast majority of cases, 1 % rather than 0.1 % of both MPs greatly decreased the observed richness, Shannon and Simpson's indices, and Pielou's evenness of AM fungi, and decreased mycorrhizal colonization, root and shoot biomasses, fruit yield, and leaf superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities of pepper, while increased leaf malondialdehyde content. From day 40 to 120, the inhibition of either diversity or vitality of AM fungi by 1 % and 0.1 % of MPs gradually increased and weakened, respectively. Compared with PET, LDPE with substantially smaller particle size was more toxic to mycorrhization at day 40, but no longer at day 120. Almost all plant parameters significantly correlated to mycorrhizal colonization, which significantly correlated to both Shannon and Simpson's indices of AM fungi, and soil pH, available P and K concentrations, and alkaline phosphatase activity. All diversity indices of AM fungi clearly negatively correlated to soil pH from 4.4 to 5.6 for the NJ soil and from 5.3 to 6.5 for the CQ soil, and also positively to mineral N and negatively to available P concentrations for the NJ and CQ soils, respectively. Thus, the study emphasized that high input of MPs significantly inhibited soil AM fungal diversity and vitality and thereby vegetable growth via changing soil pH and major nutrient availability.

[ANCA-negative granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a case report]

We reported a case of 73-year-old male with multiple pulmonary nodules and cavities. The patient was admitted with a chief complaint of "dry cough with shortness of breath for 3 months". Chest CT showed multiple irregular masses, nodules, and patchy lesions in both lungs, accompanied by the formation of cavities. He also had anemia and renal dysfunction. Despite given empirical anti-infective and anti-tuberculosis treatments, the pulmonary nodules progressed, and the cavities enlarged. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) were negative twice. Bronchoscopic biopsy was performed. The mucosal pathology of the right middle lobe lesion showed little necrosis, focal granulomatous structure formation, and relevant vasculitis and remaining vessel wall structure in the necrosis lesions by elastic fiber staining. A clinical diagnosis of ANCA-negative necrotizing granulomatous polyangiitis was made and the patient was treated with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide. The nodules and cavities shrank, and some lesions were absorbed.

Measurement of the Centrality Dependence of the Dijet Yield in p+Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

ATLAS measured the centrality dependence of the dijet yield using 165  nb^{-1} of p+Pb data collected at sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16  TeV in 2016. The event centrality, which reflects the p+Pb impact parameter, is characterized by the total transverse energy registered in the Pb-going side of the forward calorimeter. The central-to-peripheral ratio of the scaled dijet yields, R_{CP}, is evaluated, and the results are presented as a function of variables that reflect the kinematics of the initial hard parton scattering process. The R_{CP} shows a scaling with the Bjorken x of the parton originating from the proton, x_{p}, while no such trend is observed as a function of x_{Pb}. This analysis provides unique input to understanding the role of small proton spatial configurations in p+Pb collisions by covering parton momentum fractions from the valence region down to x_{p}∼10^{-3} and x_{Pb}∼4×10^{-4}.

Co-transplantation of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and peripheral blood stem cells in children and adolescents with refractory or relapsed severe aplastic anemia

To evaluate the co-transplantation efficacy of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) and peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) as a novel approach for refractory or relapsed severe aplastic anemia (R/R SAA) in children and adolescents, thirty-two children and adolescents diagnosed with R/R SAA underwent a retrospective chart review. The patients were categorized into two groups based on the source of PBSCs: the matched sibling donor (MSD) group and the unrelated donor (UD) group. No adverse events related to UC-MSC infusion occurred in any of the patients. The median time for neutrophil engraftment was 13 days (range: 10-23 days), and for platelets, it was 15 days (range: 11-28 days). Acute GVHD of Grade I-II and moderate chronic GVHD were observed in 21.8 and 12.5% of cases, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between the MSD and UD groups in terms of engraftment, GVHD, and complications, including infection and hemorrhagic cystitis. The median follow-up time was 38.6 months (range: 1.4-140.8 months). As of October 31, 2021, five patients had succumbed, while 27 (84.4%) survived. The 5-year OS rate showed no statistically significant difference between the MSD and UD groups (84.8 ± 10.0 vs. 82.4 ± 9.2%, p = 0.674). In conclusion, the application of UC-MSCs in the treatment of R/R SAA in PBSC transplantation is reliable and safe, they had no graft rejection, low incidence of severe GVHD which may have been contributed by the co-infusion of MSC.

A surgical mouse model of neonatal right ventricular outflow tract obstruction by pulmonary artery banding

BACKGROUD

Diseased animal models play an extremely important role in preclinical research. Lacking the corresponding animal models, many basic research studies cannot be carried out, and the conclusions obtained are incomplete or even incorrect. Right ventricular (RV) outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction leads to RV pressure overload (PO) and reduced pulmonary blood flow (RPF), which are 2 of the most important pathophysiological characteristics in pediatric cardiovascular diseases and seriously affect the survival rate and long-term quality of life of many children. Due to the lack of a neonatal mouse model for RVOT obstruction, it is largely unknown how RV PO and RPF regulate postnatal RV and pulmonary development. The aim of this study was to construct a neonatal RVOT obstruction mouse model.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Here, we first introduced a neonatal mouse model of RVOT obstruction by pulmonary artery banding (PAB) on postnatal day 1. PAB induced neonatal RVOT obstruction, RV PO, and RPF. Neonatal RV PO induced cardiomyocyte proliferation, and neonatal RPF induced pulmonary dysplasia, the 2 features that are not observed in adult RVOT obstruction. As a result, PAB neonates exhibited overall developmental dysplasia, a sign similar to that of children with RVOT obstruction.

CONCLUSIONS

Because many pediatric cardiovascular diseases are associated with RV PO and RPF, the introduction of a neonatal mouse model of RVOT obstruction may greatly enhance our understanding of these diseases and eventually improve or save the lives of many children.

Distinguishment between high-grade gliomas and solitary brain metastases in peritumoural oedema: quantitative analysis using synthetic MRI at 3 T

AIM

To investigate the efficacy of synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in distinguishing high-grade gliomas (HGGs) from solitary brain metastases (SBMs) in peritumoural oedema.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-five patients with HGGs and 25 patients with SBMs were recruited and scanned using synthetic MRI using a 3 T scanner. Two radiologists measured synthetic MRI-derived relaxation values independently (T1, T2, proton density [PD]) in the peritumoural oedema, which was used to generate quantitative metrics before (T1native, T2native, and PDnative) and after (T1post, T2post, and PDpost) contrast agent injection. Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney U-test was performed to detect statistically significant differences in the aforementioned metrics in peritumoural oedema between HGGs and SBMs. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to evaluate the efficacy of each metric in distinguishing the two groups, and the areas under the curves (AUCs) were compared pairwise by performing the Delong test.

RESULTS

The mean T1native, T2native, and T1post values in the peritumoural oedema of HGGs were significantly lower compared with SBMs (all p<0.05). The T1post value had a higher AUC (0.843) in differentiating HGGs and SBMs than all other individual metrics (all p<0.05). The combined T1native, T2native, and T1post model had the best distinguishing performance with an AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 0.987, 94.3%, and 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Synthetic MRI may be a potential supplement to the preoperative diagnosis of HGGs and SBMs in clinical practice, as the synthetic MRI-derived tri-parametric model in the peritumoural oedema showed significantly improved diagnostic performance in distinguishing HGGs from SBMs.

Dmrt1 is the only male pathway gene tested indispensable for sex determination and functional testis development in tilapia

Sex is determined by multiple factors derived from somatic and germ cells in vertebrates. We have identified amhy, dmrt1, gsdf as male and foxl2, foxl3, cyp19a1a as female sex determination pathway genes in Nile tilapia. However, the relationship among these genes is largely unclear. Here, we found that the gonads of dmrt1;cyp19a1a double mutants developed as ovaries or underdeveloped testes with no germ cells irrespective of their genetic sex. In addition, the gonads of dmrt1;cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b triple mutants still developed as ovaries. The gonads of foxl3;cyp19a1a double mutants developed as testes, while the gonads of dmrt1;cyp19a1a;foxl3 triple mutants eventually developed as ovaries. In contrast, the gonads of amhy;cyp19a1a, gsdf;cyp19a1a, amhy;foxl2, gsdf;foxl2 double and amhy;cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b, gsdf;cyp19a1a;cyp19a1b triple mutants developed as testes with spermatogenesis via up-regulation of dmrt1 in both somatic and germ cells. The gonads of amhy;foxl3 and gsdf;foxl3 double mutants developed as ovaries but with germ cells in spermatogenesis due to up-regulation of dmrt1. Taking the respective ovary and underdeveloped testis of dmrt1;foxl3 and dmrt1;foxl2 double mutants reported previously into consideration, we demonstrated that once dmrt1 mutated, the gonad could not be rescued to functional testis by mutating any female pathway gene. The sex reversal caused by mutation of male pathway genes other than dmrt1, including its upstream amhy and downstream gsdf, could be rescued by mutating female pathway gene. Overall, our data suggested that dmrt1 is the only male pathway gene tested indispensable for sex determination and functional testis development in tilapia.

Neutron-gamma discrimination with broaden the lower limit of energy threshold using BP neural network

Neutron-gamma discrimination is a tough and significative in experimental neutrons measurements procedure, especially for low-energy neutrons signal discrimination. In this work, based on the Pulse Shape Discrimination (PSD) and Back-Propagation (BP) artificial neural networks, a neutron-gamma discrimination method is developed to broaden the lower limit of energy threshold with the hidden layer of 20 neurons. Compared with neutron-gamma discrimination method based on PSD only, the developed neutron-gamma discrimination method based on the PSD and BP-ANN can discriminate neutron and gamma-ray signals with low energy threshold, which can discriminate signals up to 99.93%. Moreover, this work can reduce the energy threshold from 350 keV to 70 keV, as well as the acquired data utilization increased from 60% to more than 99.9%, which overcome the hardware limitations and distinguish neutron and gamma-ray signals, effectively. The developed neutron-gamma discrimination method and the trained neural network can be directly used to other experimental neutrons measurements.

Smart Physical-Based Transdermal Drug Delivery System:Towards Intelligence and Controlled Release

Transdermal drug delivery systems based on physical principles have provided a stable, efficient, and safe strategy for disease therapy. However, the intelligent device with real-time control and precise drug release is required to enhance treatment efficacy and improve patient compliance. This review summarizes the recent developments, application scenarios, and drug release characteristics of smart transdermal drug delivery systems fabricated with physical principle. Special attention is paid to the progress of intelligent design and concepts in of physical-based transdermal drug delivery technologies for real-time monitoring and precise drug release. In addition, facing with the needs of clinical treatment and personalized medicine, the recent progress and trend of physical enhancement are further highlighted for transdermal drug delivery systems in combination with pharmaceutical dosage forms to achieve better transdermal effects and facilitate the development of smart medical devices. Finally, the next generation and future application scenarios of smart physical-based transdermal drug delivery systems are discussed, a particular focus in vaccine delivery and tumor treatment.

Enhancing humoral and mucosal immune response of PED vaccine candidate by fusing S1 protein to nanoparticle multimerization

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly infectious pathogen with a high mortality rate, which poses a serious threat to newborn piglets. A rapid, safe and effective vaccine is necessary for protecting pigs from PED infection. Nanoparticles have become molecular scaffolds for displaying soluble antigens due to their unique physical and chemical properties. Here, a vaccine candidate was based on the display of PEDV S1 protein on a mi3 nanoparticle platform using SpyTag/SpyCatcher technology. The size, zeta potential and microstructure of the S1-mi3 NPs were investigated, and their effects on the uptake of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) were analyzed. Mice were immunized via muscular and intranasal administrations, and the levels of humoral, cellular and mucosal immune responses were analyzed. As a result, S1 proteins were surface-displayed on NPs successfully, which self-assembled into nanoparticles composed of 60 subunits and showed superior safety and stability. In addition, mi3 NPs promoted antigen internalization and dendritic cell (DCs) maturation. In the mouse model, S1-mi3 NPs significantly increased the PEDV-specific antibody including serum IgG, secretory IgA (SIgA) and neutralizing antibodies (NAb). Furthermore, S1-mi3 NPs elicited more CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ T cell and cellular immune-related cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-4) compared to monomeric S1. In particular, it can induce an effective germinal center-specific (GC) B cell response, which is closely related to the production of neutralizing antibodies. Overall, S1-mi3 NPs are a promising subunit vaccine candidate against PEDV, and this self-assembly NPs also provide an attractive platform for improving vaccine efficacy against emerging pathogens.

Evidence for Chiral Wobbler in Nuclei

Three ΔI=1 bands with the πg_{9/2}⊗νg_{9/2} configuration have been identified in _{35}^{74}Br_{39}. Angular distribution, linear polarization, and lifetime measurements were performed to determine the multipolarity, type, mixing ratio, and absolute transition probability of the transitions. By comparing these experimental observations with the corresponding fingerprints and the quantum particle rotor model calculations, the second and third lowest bands are, respectively, suggested as the chiral partner and one-phonon wobbling excitation built on the yrast band. The evidence indicates the first chiral wobbler in nuclei.

Low-Threshold Anti-Stokes Raman Microlaser on Thin-Film Lithium Niobate Chip

Raman microlasers form on-chip versatile light sources by optical pumping, enabling numerical applications ranging from telecommunications to biological detection. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) lasing has been demonstrated in optical microresonators, leveraging high Q factors and small mode volume to generate downconverted photons based on the interaction of light with the Stokes vibrational mode. Unlike redshifted SRS, stimulated anti-Stokes Raman scattering (SARS) further involves the interplay between the pump photon and the SRS photon to generate an upconverted photon, depending on a highly efficient SRS signal as an essential prerequisite. Therefore, achieving SARS in microresonators is challenging due to the low lasing efficiencies of integrated Raman lasers caused by intrinsically low Raman gain. In this work, high-Q whispering gallery microresonators were fabricated by femtosecond laser photolithography assisted chemo-mechanical etching on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), which is a strong Raman-gain photonic platform. The high Q factor reached 4.42 × 106, which dramatically increased the circulating light intensity within a small volume. And a strong Stokes vibrational frequency of 264 cm-1 of lithium niobate was selectively excited, leading to a highly efficient SRS lasing signal with a conversion efficiency of 40.6%. And the threshold for SRS was only 0.33 mW, which is about half the best record previously reported on a TFLN platform. The combination of high Q factors, a small cavity size of 120 μm, and the excitation of a strong Raman mode allowed the formation of SARS lasing with only a 0.46 mW pump threshold.

First demonstration of 30 eVee ionization energy resolution with Ricochet germanium cryogenic bolometers

The future Ricochet experiment aims to search for new physics in the electroweak sector by measuring the Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering process from reactor antineutrinos with high precision down to the sub-100 eV nuclear recoil energy range. While the Ricochet collaboration is currently building the experimental setup at the reactor site, it is also finalizing the cryogenic detector arrays that will be integrated into the cryostat at the Institut Laue Langevin in early 2024. In this paper, we report on recent progress from the Ge cryogenic detector technology, called the CryoCube. More specifically, we present the first demonstration of a 30 eVee (electron equivalent) baseline ionization resolution (RMS) achieved with an early design of the detector assembly and its dedicated High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) based front-end electronics with a total input capacitance of about 40 pF. This represents an order of magnitude improvement over the best ionization resolutions obtained on similar phonon-and-ionization germanium cryogenic detectors from the EDELWEISS and SuperCDMS dark matter experiments, and a factor of three improvement compared to the first fully-cryogenic HEMT-based preamplifier coupled to a CDMS-II germanium detector with a total input capacitance of 250 pF. Additionally, we discuss the implications of these results in the context of the future Ricochet experiment and its expected background mitigation performance.

Search for New Phenomena in Two-Body Invariant Mass Distributions Using Unsupervised Machine Learning for Anomaly Detection at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

Searches for new resonances are performed using an unsupervised anomaly-detection technique. Events with at least one electron or muon are selected from 140  fb^{-1} of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV recorded by ATLAS at the Large Hadron Collider. The approach involves training an autoencoder on data, and subsequently defining anomalous regions based on the reconstruction loss of the decoder. Studies focus on nine invariant mass spectra that contain pairs of objects consisting of one light jet or b jet and either one lepton (e,μ), photon, or second light jet or b jet in the anomalous regions. No significant deviations from the background hypotheses are observed. Limits on contributions from generic Gaussian signals with various widths of the resonance mass are obtained for nine invariant masses in the anomalous regions.

Presenilin 1 Is a Therapeutic Target in Pulmonary Hypertension and Promotes Vascular Remodeling

Small muscular pulmonary artery remodeling is a dominant feature of PAH. PSEN1 affects angiogenesis, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. We aimed to determine the role of PSEN1 in the pathogenesis of vascular remodeling in PH. Haemodynamics and vascular remodeling in the Psen1-knockin and smooth muscle-specific Psen1-knockout mice were assessed. The functional partners of PSEN1 were predicted by bioinformatics analysis and biochemical experiments. The therapeutic effect of PH was evaluated by administration of the PSEN1-specific inhibitor ELN318463. We discovered that both the mRNA and protein levels of PSEN1 were increased over time in hypoxic rats, monocrotaline (MCT) rats and Su5416/hypoxia (SuHx) mice. Psen1 transgenic mice were highly susceptible to PH, whereas smooth muscle-specific Psen1-knockout mice were resistant to hypoxic PH. STRING analysis showed that the Notch1/2/3, β-catenin, Cadherin-1, DNER, TMP10 and ERBB4 appeared to be highly correlated with PSEN1. Immunoprecipitation confirmed that PSEN1 interacts with β-catenin and DNER, and these interactions were suppressed by the catalytic PSEN1 mutations D257A, D385A and C410Y. PSEN1 was found to mediate the nuclear translocation of the Notch1 intracellular domains and activated RBP-Jκ. Octaarginine-coated liposome-mediated pharmacological inhibition of PSEN1 significantly prevented and reversed the pathological process of in hypoxic and MCT induced PH. PSEN1 essentially drives the pathogenesis of PAH and interacted with the non-canonical Notch ligand DNER. PSEN1 can be used as a promising molecular target for treating PAH. PSEN1 inhibitor ELN318463 can prevent and reverse the progression of PH and be developed as a potential anti-PAH drug.

[Research progress on the role of resveratrol in wound healing]

The difficulty of wound healing in patients is a difficult problem that doctors in all clinical departments may encounter, and there is still no good solution. Resveratrol is a kind of natural active substance, which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and angiogenesis promoting effects, and is a potential drug to promote wound healing. However, the clinical application of resveratrol is limited due to its low bioavailability. In this review, the molecular mechanism of resveratrol in promoting wound healing and its administration methods in wound treatment were reviewed to provide ideas for the redevelopment of resveratrol.

ZNF460-mediated circRPPH1 promotes TNBC progression through ITGA5-induced FAK/PI3K/AKT activation in a ceRNA manner

BACKGROUND

Circular RNAs are highly stable regulatory RNAs that have been increasingly associated with tumorigenesis and progression. However, the role of many circRNAs in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and the related mechanisms have not been elucidated.

METHODS

In this study, we screened circRNAs with significant expression differences in the RNA sequencing datasets of TNBC and normal breast tissues and then detected the expression level of circRPPH1 by qRT‒PCR. The biological role of circRPPH1 in TNBC was then verified by in vivo and in vitro experiments. Mechanistically, we verified the regulatory effects between circRPPH1 and ZNF460 and between circRPPH1 and miR-326 by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), fluorescence in situ hybridization assay, dual luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA pull-down assay. In addition, to determine the expression of associated proteins, we performed immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and western blotting.

RESULTS

The upregulation of circRPPH1 in TNBC was positively linked with a poor prognosis. Additionally, both in vivo and in vitro, circRPPH1 promoted the biologically malignant behavior of TNBC cells. Additionally, circRPPH1 may function as a molecular sponge for miR-326 to control integrin subunit alpha 5 (ITGA5) expression and activate the focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/PI3K/AKT pathway.

CONCLUSION

Our research showed that ZNF460 could promote circRPPH1 expression and that the circRPPH1/miR-326/ITGA5 axis could activate the FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway to promote the progression of TNBC. Therefore, circRPPH1 can be used as a therapeutic or diagnostic target for TNBC.

Potent and broadly neutralizing antibodies against sarbecoviruses induced by sequential COVID-19 vaccination

The current SARS-CoV-2 variants strikingly evade all authorized monoclonal antibodies and threaten the efficacy of serum-neutralizing activity elicited by vaccination or prior infection, urging the need to develop antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 and related sarbecoviruses. Here, we identified both potent and broadly neutralizing antibodies from a five-dose vaccinated donor who exhibited cross-reactive serum-neutralizing activity against diverse coronaviruses. Through single B-cell sorting and sequencing followed by a tailor-made computational pipeline, we successfully selected 86 antibodies with potential cross-neutralizing ability from 684 antibody sequences. Among them, PW5-570 potently neutralized all SARS-CoV-2 variants that arose prior to Omicron BA.5, and the other three could broadly neutralize all current SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, SARS-CoV and their related sarbecoviruses (Pangolin-GD, RaTG13, WIV-1, and SHC014). Cryo-EM analysis demonstrates that these antibodies have diverse neutralization mechanisms, such as disassembling spike trimers, or binding to RBM or SD1 to affect ACE2 binding. In addition, prophylactic administration of these antibodies significantly protects nasal turbinate and lung infections against BA.1, XBB.1, and SARS-CoV viral challenge in golden Syrian hamsters, respectively. Importantly, post-exposure treatment with PW5-5 and PW5-535 also markedly protects against XBB.1 challenge in these models. This study reveals the potential utility of computational process to assist screening cross-reactive antibodies, as well as the potency of vaccine-induced broadly neutralizing antibodies against current SARS-CoV-2 variants and related sarbecoviruses, offering promising avenues for the development of broad therapeutic antibody drugs.

A Trinity Nano-Vaccine System with Spatiotemporal Immune Effect for the Adjuvant Cancer Therapy after Radiofrequency Ablation

Cancer vaccine gains great attention with the advances in tumor immunology and nanotechnology, but its long-term efficacy is restricted by the unsustainable immune activity after vaccination. Here, we demonstrate the vaccine efficacy is negatively correlated with the tumor burden. To maximum the vaccine-induced immunity and prolong the time-effectiveness, we design a priming-boosting vaccination strategy by combining with radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and construct a bisphosphonate nanovaccine (BNV) system. BNV system consists of nanoparticulated bisphosphonates with dual electric potentials (BNV(+&-)), where bisphosphonates act as the immune adjuvant by blocking mevalonate metabolism. BNV(+&-) exhibits the spatial and temporal heterogeneity in lymphatic delivery and immune activity. As the independent components of BNV(+&-), BNV(-) is drained to the lymph nodes, and BNV(+) is retained at the injection site. The alternately induced immune responses extend the time-effectiveness of antitumor immunity and suppress the recurrence and metastasis of colorectal cancer liver metastases after RFA. As a result, this trinity system integrated with RFA therapy, bisphosphonate adjuvant, and spatiotemporal immune effect provides an orientation for the sustainable regulation and precise delivery of cancer vaccines.

Boosting synergism of chemo- and immuno-therapies via switching paclitaxel-induced apoptosis to mevalonate metabolism-triggered ferroptosis by bisphosphonate coordination lipid nanogranules

Conventional chemotherapy based on cytotoxic drugs is facing tough challenges recently following the advances of monoclonal antibodies and molecularly targeted drugs. It is critical to inspire new potential to remodel the value of this classical therapeutic strategy. Here, we fabricate bisphosphonate coordination lipid nanogranules (BC-LNPs) and load paclitaxel (PTX) to boost the chemo- and immuno-therapeutic synergism of cytotoxic drugs. Alendronate in BC-LNPs@PTX, a bisphosphonate to block mevalonate metabolism, works as both the structure and drug constituent in nanogranules, where alendronate coordinated with calcium ions to form the particle core. The synergy of alendronate enhances the efficacy of paclitaxel, suppresses tumor metastasis, and alters the cytotoxic mechanism. Differing from the paclitaxel-induced apoptosis, the involvement of alendronate inhibits the mevalonate metabolism, changes the mitochondrial morphology, disturbs the redox homeostasis, and causes the accumulation of mitochondrial ROS and lethal lipid peroxides (LPO). These factors finally trigger the ferroptosis of tumor cells, an immunogenic cell death mode, which remodels the suppressive tumor immune microenvironment and synergizes with immunotherapy. Therefore, by switching paclitaxel-induced apoptosis to mevalonate metabolism-triggered ferroptosis, BC-LNPs@PTX provides new insight into the development of cytotoxic drugs and highlights the potential of metabolism regulation in cancer therapy.

The application of quantitative perfusion analysis of golden-angle radial sparse parallel MRI and R2∗ value for predicting pathological prognostic factors in rectal cancer

AIM

To investigate the diagnostic value of golden-angle radial sparse parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (GRASP) and R2∗ in predicting the prognostic factors of resectable rectal cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 108 patients with rectal adenocarcinoma were included in this retrospective study. The volume transfer constant (Ktrans), rate constant (Kep), plasma volume fraction (Ve), and R2∗ were obtained. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were conducted. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the imaging parameters.

RESULTS

The Ktrans was found to be significantly higher in rectal cancers with positive lymph node metastasis (LNM), higher tumour grade, positive lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and higher ki-67 (all p<0.05). The Kep was also significantly higher in the LNM-positive group (p<0.001), while the R2∗ was higher in rectal cancers with LNM-positive, higher tumour grade, LVI-positive, and higher ki-67 (all p<0.05). Combining the Ktrans and R2∗ provided the highest area under the ROC curve (AUC) for LNM-positive and higher ki-67 tumours differentiation (0.790 and 0.823, respectively).

DISCUSSION

Combining quantitative parameters of the Ktrans and R2∗ could be used to non-invasively predict pathological prognostic factors preoperatively.

Multiscale analysis of Klf10's impact on the passive mechanical properties of murine skeletal muscle

Skeletal muscle is a hierarchical structure composed of multiple organizational scales. A major challenge in the biomechanical evaluation of muscle relates to the difficulty in evaluating the experimental mechanical properties at the different organizational levels of the same tissue. Indeed, the ability to integrate mechanical properties evaluated at various levels will allow for improved assessment of the entire tissue, leading to a better understanding of how changes at each level evolve over time and/or impact tissue function, especially in the case of muscle diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze a genetically engineered mouse model (Klf10 KO: Krüppel-Like Factor 10 knockout) with known skeletal muscle defects to compare the mechanical properties with wild-type (WT) controls at the three main muscle scales: the macroscopic (whole muscle), microscopic (fiber) and submicron (myofibril) levels. Passive mechanical tests (ramp, relaxation) were performed on two types of skeletal muscle (soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL)). Results of the present study revealed muscle-type specific behaviors in both genotypes only at the microscopic scale. Interestingly, loss of Klf10 expression resulted in increased passive properties in the soleus but decreased passive properties in the EDL compared to WT controls. At the submicron scale, no changes were observed between WT and Klf10 KO myofibrils for either muscle; these results demonstrate that the passive property differences observed at the microscopic scale (fiber) are not caused by sarcomere intrinsic alterations but instead must originate outside the sarcomeres, likely in the collagen-based extracellular matrix. The macroscopic scale revealed similar passive mechanical properties between WT and Klf10 KO hindlimb muscles. The present study has allowed for a better understanding of the role of Klf10 on the passive mechanical properties of skeletal muscle and has provided reference data to the literature which could be used by the community for muscle multiscale modeling.

Oral VV116 versus placebo in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in China: a multicentre, double-blind, phase 3, randomised controlled study

BACKGROUND

Spread of SARS-CoV-2 led to a global pandemic, and there remains unmet medical needs in the treatment of Omicron infections. VV116, an oral antiviral agent that has potent activity against SARS-CoV-2, was compared with a placebo in this phase 3 study to investigate its efficacy and safety in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

METHODS

This multicentre, double-blind, phase 3, randomised controlled study enrolled adults in hospitals for infectious diseases and tertiary general hospitals in China. Eligible patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio using permuted block randomisation to receive oral VV116 (0·6 g every 12 h on day 1 and 0·3 g every 12 h on days 2-5) or oral placebo (on the same schedule as VV116) for 5 days. Randomisation stratification factors included SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status and the presence of high-risk factors for progression to severe COVID-19. Inclusion criteria were a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, an initial onset of COVID-19 symptoms 3 days or less before the first study dose, and a score of 2 or more for any target COVID-19-related symptoms in the 24 h before the first dose. Patients who had severe or critical COVID-19 or who had taken any antiviral drugs were excluded from the study. The primary endpoint was the time to clinical symptom resolution for 2 consecutive days. Efficacy analyses were performed on a modified intention-to-treat population, comprising all patients who received at least one dose of VV116 or placebo, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid, and did not test positive for influenza virus before the first dose. Safety analyses were done on all participants who received at least one dose of VV116 or placebo. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05582629, and has been completed.

FINDINGS

A total of 1369 patients were randomly assigned to treatment groups and 1347 received either VV116 (n=674) or placebo (n=673). At the interim analysis, VV116 was superior to placebo in reducing the time to sustained clinical symptom resolution among 1229 patients (hazard ratio [HR] 1·21, 95% CI 1·04-1·40; p=0·0023). At the final analysis, a substantial reduction in time to sustained clinical symptom resolution was observed for VV116 compared with placebo among 1296 patients (HR 1·17, 95% CI 1·04-1·33; p=0·0009), consistent with the interim analysis. The incidence of adverse events was similar between groups (242 [35·9%] of 674 patients vs 283 [42·1%] of 673 patients).

INTERPRETATION

Among patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, VV116 significantly reduced the time to sustained clinical symptom resolution compared with placebo, with no observed safety concerns.

FUNDING

Shanghai Vinnerna Biosciences, Shanghai Science and Technology Commission, and the National Key Research and Development Program of China.

TRANSLATION

For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Phase II clinical trial of neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 (toripalimab) combined with axitinib in resectable mucosal melanoma

BACKGROUND

The outcome of patients with resectable mucosal melanoma is poor. Toripalimab combined with axitinib has shown impressive results in metastatic mucosal melanoma with an objective response rate of 48.3% and a median progression-free survival of 7.5 months in a phase Ib trial. It was hypothesized that this combination administered in the neoadjuvant setting might induce a pathologic response in resectable mucosal melanoma, so we conducted this trial.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This single-arm phase II trial enrolled patients with resectable mucosal melanoma. Patients received toripalimab 3 mg/kg once every 2 weeks (Q2W) plus axitinib 5 mg two times a day (b.i.d.) for 8 weeks as neoadjuvant therapy, then surgery and adjuvant toripalimab 3 mg/kg Q2W starting 2 ± 1weeks after surgery for 44 weeks. The primary endpoint was the pathologic response rate according to the International Neoadjuvant Melanoma Consortium recommendations.

RESULTS

Between August 2019 and October 2021, 29 patients were enrolled and received treatment, of whom 24 underwent resection. The median follow-up time was 34.2 months (95% confidence interval 20.4-48.0 months). The pathologic response rate was 33.3% (8/24; 4 pathological complete responses and 4 pathological partial responses). The median event-free survival for all patients was 11.1 months (95% confidence interval 5.3-16.9 months). The median overall survival was not reached. Neoadjuvant therapy was tolerable with 8 (27.5%) grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events and no treatment-related deaths. Tissue samples of 17 patients at baseline and after surgery were collected (5 responders and 12 nonresponders). Multiplex immunohistochemistry demonstrated a significant increase in CD3+ (P = 0.0032) and CD3+CD8+ (P = 0.0038) tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes after neoadjuvant therapy, particularly in pathological responders.

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant toripalimab combined with axitinib in resectable mucosal melanoma demonstrated a promising pathologic response rate with significantly increased infiltrating CD3+ and CD3+CD8+ T cells after therapy.

20 years of polybrominated diphenyl ethers on toxicity assessments

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) serve as brominated flame retardants which continue to receive considerable attention because of their persistence, bioaccumulation, and potential toxicity. Although PBDEs have been restricted and phased out, large amounts of commercial products containing PBDEs are still in use and discarded annually. Consequently, PBDEs added to products can be released into our surrounding environments, particularly in aquatic systems, thus posing great risks to human health. Many studies and reviews have described the possible toxic effects of PBDEs, while few studies have comprehensively summarized and analyzed the global trends of their toxicity assessment. Therefore, this study utilizes bibliometrics to evaluate the worldwide scientific output of PBDE toxicity and analyze the hotspots and future trends of this field. Firstly, the basic information including the most contributing countries/institutions, journals, co-citations, influential authors, and keywords involved in PBDE toxicity assessment will be visualized. Subsequently, the potential toxicity of PBDE exposure to diverse systems, such as endocrine, reproductive, neural, and gastrointestinal tract systems, and related toxic mechanisms will be discussed. Finally, we conclude this review by outlining the current challenges and future perspectives in environmentally relevant PBDE exposure, potential carriers for PBDE transport, the fate of PBDEs in the environment and human bodies, advanced stem cell-derived organoid models for toxicity assessment, and promising omics technologies for obtaining toxic mechanisms. This review is expected to offer systematical insights into PBDE toxicity assessments and facilitate the development of PBDE-based research.

Engineering the Physical Microenvironment into Neural Organoids for Neurogenesis and Neurodevelopment

Understanding the signals from the physical microenvironment is critical for deciphering the processes of neurogenesis and neurodevelopment. The discovery of how surrounding physical signals shape human developing neurons is hindered by the bottleneck of conventional cell culture and animal models. Notwithstanding neural organoids provide a promising platform for recapitulating human neurogenesis and neurodevelopment, building neuronal physical microenvironment that accurately mimics the native neurophysical features is largely ignored in current organoid technologies. Here, it is discussed how the physical microenvironment modulates critical events during the periods of neurogenesis and neurodevelopment, such as neural stem cell fates, neural tube closure, neuronal migration, axonal guidance, optic cup formation, and cortical folding. Although animal models are widely used to investigate the impacts of physical factors on neurodevelopment and neuropathy, the important roles of human stem cell-derived neural organoids in this field are particularly highlighted. Considering the great promise of human organoids, building neural organoid microenvironments with mechanical forces, electrophysiological microsystems, and light manipulation will help to fully understand the physical cues in neurodevelopmental processes. Neural organoids combined with cutting-edge techniques, such as advanced atomic force microscopes, microrobots, and structural color biomaterials might promote the development of neural organoid-based research and neuroscience.