[Clinicopathological characteristics and immune microenvironment of breast squamous cell carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics of breast squamous cell carcinoma and to analyze the relationship between its immune microenvironment tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and prognosis. Methods: Forty-four cases of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the breast diagnosed and treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, China from January 2006 to July 2022 were selected. Their clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. The cell composition of TILs was evaluated using immunohistochemistry (Mainly markers of B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes and plasma cells). The relationship between TILs and prognosis was also analyzed. Results: The 44 patients of breast squamous cell carcinoma were all female and all were invasive carcinoma. Eight cases (8/44, 18.2%) were squamous cell carcinoma, while 36 cases (36/44, 81.8%) were mixed squamous cell carcinoma. The mixed components included non-specific carcinoma and spindle cell metaplastic carcinoma (17 cases each). One case contained ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast and 1 case contained tubular carcinoma. The proportion of squamous cell carcinoma was 10% to 90%. The cases with pure squamous cell carcinoma often had a large cystic cavity, which was lined by atypical squamous epithelium, while infiltrating squamous cell carcinoma nests were seen in the breast tissue around the cystic cavity. Immunohistochemical staining showed that p63 and CK5/6 were expressed in the squamous cell carcinoma component, but ER, PR and HER2 were not, except for one case of HER2 1+. The positive rates of TRPS1 and PDL-1 were 76% and less than 1%, respectively. Fifteen cases were in the high TILs group (TILs≥30%) and 29 cases were in the low TILs group (TILs<30%). Twenty-three patients were followed up for 5 to 118 months. Among them, 12 died within 3 years and 9 were alive at the end of the follow up. There was no significant difference in TNM stage, TILs and prognosis between simple squamous cell carcinoma and mixed squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusions: Breast squamous cell carcinoma can be divided into simple squamous cell carcinoma and mixed squamous cell carcinoma. There are differences in gross findings and histology between the simple and mixed squamous cell carcinoma of the breast. Sufficient samples should be taken to avoid missing the diagnosis of a minor squamous component. The prognosis of patients with high TILs is significantly better than that of patients with low TILs. The expression rate of TRPS1 in primary squamous cell carcinoma of breast is high and helpful to the differential diagnosis from metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.

Triboelectric-Responsive Drug Delivery Hydrogel for Accelerating Infected Wound Healing

Electrotherapy is of great interest in the field of tissue repair as an effective, well-tolerated, and noninvasive treatment. Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has shown advantages in promoting wound healing due to its peak output characteristic and low Joule heating effect. However, it is limited in infected wound healing due to poor antimicrobial capacity. Here, a wearable triboelectric stimulator (WTS) is developed that consists of a flexible TENG (F-TENG) and a triboelectric-responsive drug delivery hydrogel (TR-DDH) for healing of bacterium-infected wounds. F-TENG can generate pulsed current to wounds by converting mechanical energy from body movements. Polypyrrole is prone to reduction and volume contraction under electrical stimulation, resulting in desorption of curcumin nanoparticles (CUR NPs) from the polypyrrole in TR-DDH. Therefore, the highly efficient and controllable release of CUR NPs can be achieved by triboelectric stimulation. According to the in vitro and in vivo experiments, WTS has the greatest antimicrobial effect and the fastest promotion of infected wound healing compared to treatment with electrical stimulation or curcumin. Finally, the safety assessment demonstrates that the WTS has excellent tissue safety for chronic wound healing. Synergistic therapy with WTS provides an efficient strategy for chronic wound healing and smart-responsive drug delivery systems.

In situ polymerization of a melamine-based microsphere into 3D nickel foam for supercapacitors

An in situ synthesis approach is used to directly grow a microsphere of melamine-glutaraldehyde (MAGA) polymer over three-dimensional (3D) nickel foam (NF). The materials are used to produce nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) with and without NF. These precursors undergo carbonization at various temperatures, namely 400 °C, 500 °C, and 700 °C. The electrochemical properties of the materials would be significantly improved by directly growing MAGA polymer on the surface of NF. The electrochemical performance of NC/NF-400 was excellent, with a capacitance of 297 F g-1 achieved at a current density of 1 A g-1. The in situ growing approach does not necessitate the use of additional chemical agents, such as binders or conductive compounds when preparing the electrode. In addition, the material exhibits only 10% reduction in capacitance after undergoing 5000 cycles, indicating excellent cycling performance. The outstanding electrochemical performance achieved by using the in situ method of MAGA microsphere polymer on NF may be attributed to the rapid transit of ions to the electrode surfaces, facilitating effortless redox reactions.

Improving the functionality of pea protein with laccase-catalyzed crosslinking mediated by chlorogenic acid

The influences of laccase-catalyzed crosslinking on the structural, emulsifying and gelling properties of pea protein with chlorogenic acid were intensively probed. Molecular weight analysis illustrated the formation of pea protein aggregates by laccase-induced polymerization in the presence of chlorogenic acid and the increase of incubation time facilitated the aggregation. Particle size of pea protein-laccase-chlorogenic acid progressively enhanced increasing incubation time. Laccase-induced polymerization possessed remarkable impacts on the secondary and tertiary structure of pea protein, confirmed by circular dichroism, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Surface hydrophobicity of pea protein appreciably enhanced with laccase-induced crosslinking due to the exposure of interior hydrophobic amino acid residues. Emulsifying activity, emulsifying capacity, gel strength, and water-holding capacity of pea protein can be considerably enhanced with laccase-catalyzed crosslinking with chlorogenic acid, suggesting excellent functionalities for pea protein were accomplished after being modified by laccase with chlorogenic acid. The obtained information will widen pea protein's application in food systems.

Quantivine: A Visualization Approach for Large-Scale Quantum Circuit Representation and Analysis

Quantum computing is a rapidly evolving field that enables exponential speed-up over classical algorithms. At the heart of this revolutionary technology are quantum circuits, which serve as vital tools for implementing, analyzing, and optimizing quantum algorithms. Recent advancements in quantum computing and the increasing capability of quantum devices have led to the development of more complex quantum circuits. However, traditional quantum circuit diagrams suffer from scalability and readability issues, which limit the efficiency of analysis and optimization processes. In this research, we propose a novel visualization approach for large-scale quantum circuits by adopting semantic analysis to facilitate the comprehension of quantum circuits. We first exploit meta-data and semantic information extracted from the underlying code of quantum circuits to create component segmentations and pattern abstractions, allowing for easier wrangling of massive circuit diagrams. We then develop Quantivine, an interactive system for exploring and understanding quantum circuits. A series of novel circuit visualizations is designed to uncover contextual details such as qubit provenance, parallelism, and entanglement. The effectiveness of Quantivine is demonstrated through two usage scenarios of quantum circuits with up to 100 qubits and a formal user evaluation with quantum experts. A free copy of this paper and all supplemental materials are available at https://osf.io/2m9yh/?view_only=0aa1618c97244f5093cd7ce15f1431f9.

[Clinicopathological and molecular genetic characteristics of ELOC mutated renal cell carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features, molecular genetic features, differential diagnosis and prognosis of ELOC mutated renal cell carcinoma. Methods: From January 2015 to June 2022, 11 cases of renal cell carcinoma with clear-cell morphology, expression of CAⅨ and CK7 and no 3p deletion were collected. Two cases of ELOC mutant renal cell carcinoma were diagnosed using whole exome sequencing (WES). The clinical features, morphology, immunophenotype, FISH and WES results were analyzed. The relevant literature was reviewed. Results: The two patients were both male, aged 29 and 51 years, respectively. They were both found to have a renal mass by physical examination. The maximum diameters of the tumors were 3.5 cm and 2.0 cm, respectively. At the low magnification, the tumors were well-defined. The tumor cells showed a pushing border and were separated by thick fibrous bands, forming nodules. The tumor cells were arranged in a variety of patterns, including tubular, papillary, solid nest or alveolar. At high magnification, the tumor cells were large, with well-defined cell borders and clear cytoplasm or fine eosinophilic granules. CAⅨ was diffusely box-like positive in both cases. Case 1 was partially and moderately positive for CK7, strongly positive for CD10, diffusely and moderately positive for P504S, and weakly positive for 34βE12. In case 2, CK7 and CD10 were both partially, moderately positive and P504s were diffusely positive, but 34βE12 was negative. FISH results showed that both cases had no 3p deletion. ELOC c.235T>A (p.Y79N) mutation was identified using WES in case 1, while ELOC c.236_237inv (p.Y79C) mutation was identified in case 2. Conclusions: As a new clinical entity, ELOC mutated renal cell carcinoma may be underdiagnosed due to its overlap with clear cell renal cell carcinoma in morphology and immunophenotype. The diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma with ELOC mutation should be confirmed by morphology, immunohistochemistry, FISH and gene mutation detection. However, more additional cases are needed to explain its biological behavior and prognosis.

CT-based radiomics for prediction of pulmonary haemorrhage after percutaneous CT-guided transthoracic lung biopsy of pulmonary nodules

AIM

To evaluate the feasibility of intranodular and perinodular computed tomography (CT) radiomics features for predicting the occurrence of pulmonary haemorrhage after percutaneous CT-guided transthoracic lung biopsy (PCTLB) in pulmonary nodules.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data for 332 patients with pulmonary nodules who underwent PCTLB were reviewed retrospectively. Pulmonary haemorrhage after PCTLB was evaluated using CT (144 cases occurred). Radiomics features based on gross nodular (GNV) and perinodular volumes (PNV) were extracted from pre-biopsy CT images and features selection using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and three radiomics scores (rad-scores) were built. Rad-scores, clinical, and clinical-radiomic models were developed and evaluated to predict the occurrence of pulmonary haemorrhage.

RESULTS

Five, five, and six significant features were selected for prediction of pulmonary haemorrhage based on GNV, PNV, and GNV + PNV, respectively. Lesion depth was the only clinical characteristics related to pulmonary haemorrhage. Lesion depth and rad-score based on GNV, PNV, and GNV + PNV for predicting the pulmonary haemorrhage achieved areas under the curves (AUCs) of 0.656, 0.645, 0.651, and 0.635 in the validation group, respectively. Three clinical-radiomic models improved the AUCs to 0.743, 0.723, and 0.748. The performance of rad-score_GNV + PNV combined with lesion depth outperformed the clinical model (p=0.024) and the radiomics signature (p=0.038). In addition, the radiomics signatures were significantly associated with higher-grade pulmonary haemorrhage (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Radiomics features from intranodular and perinodular regions of pulmonary nodules have good predictive ability for pulmonary haemorrhage after PCTLB, which may provide additional predictive value for clinical practice.

Proton Based Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Skull Base Patients: Dosimetric Comparison to 4 Modern Radiation Treatment Modalities

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Re-irradiation with ablative doses to a smaller target volume and strict critical structure constraint is a challenge for modern radiation planning and delivery systems. Several advanced radiation treatment techniques can be used for fractionated stereotactic ablative radiosurgery (FSRS) in select patients with unresectable recurrent head and neck tumors. In this study, in order to better understand the dosimetry advantage of each technique, we compare the stereotactic treatment plans of our new small spot size Hitachi proton treatment unit to those of CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery (CK), Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GK), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and MR Linac radiotherapy (MRL).

MATERIALS/METHODS

Ten FSRS skull base patients treated at our institution using VMAT (n = 5) or GK (n = 5) techniques. Intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) plans were created in Raystation using Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm. VMAT, CK, GK and MRL plans were generated in RayStation, Accuray Precision, Leksell Gamma Plan, and Monaco treatment planning systems, separately. Planning goals were to achieve the best target coverage of prescribed dose without compromising the critical organs at risk dose volume constraints of the clinical treatment plans. Plans were compared based on percent CTV coverage, Paddick conformity index (PCI), gradient index (GI, V50/V100), dose homogeneity index (HI, (D2-D98)/D50), low dose bath volume (LDBV, ratio of total volume irradiated between 20% and 50% prescription dose and the target volume), beam-on-time (BOT), and mean/maximum doses to brainstems.

RESULTS

The median target volume was 15.5 cm3 (range 1.0 - 36.23 cm3). The prescription was 45 Gy in 5 fractions for VMAT patients, and 21 - 27 Gy in 3 fractions for GK patients. The comparison of the treatment plans of these 5 delivery modalities was shown in table. All techniques achieved comparable CTV coverage. GI was superior for GK plans and outstanding in CK and IMPT plans. IMPT plans were also outstanding in regard to BOT and PCI. Significantly improved HI, LDBV and brainstem mean doses were achieved in IMPT plans. For adjacent brainstem and other OARs, maximum doses were comparable among all techniques.

CONCLUSION

In these five advanced radiation therapy modalities, proton therapy SBRT showed dosimetric advantage over other modalities to spare nearby OARs without sacrifice of target coverage. Further studies are needed to utilize this clinical benefit and investigate plan robustness.

Fixed-Field IMRT for Cervix Carcinoma Patients on an MR-LINAC Platform: Dosimetric Feasibility and Challenges

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To investigate the impact of MR-LINAC performance characteristics and inverse planning implementation on the feasibility of fixed-field IMRT for cervix carcinoma patients by benchmarking MR-LINAC plans against clinically used VMAT plans in a single institution study and multi-institutional treatment planning challenge.

MATERIALS/METHODS

For 10 cervix cancer patients who had previously received Linac-based VMAT, new treatment plans were optimized for MR-LINAC IMRT using 6X FFF fixed fields with maximum available field size of 27.4 x 24.1 cm2. Dose optimization was performed on the clinically used planning CT and structure set. Prescribed dose was 48.6 Gy in 27 fractions for all patients with 6 patients receiving an additional integrated boost for a total of 58.05 Gy to involved nodes. Constraints were based on our institutional protocol as per Table 1. IMRT delivery time was limited to 20 min. Original clinically used VMAT plans were generated on Eclipse (Varian Medical System) using 3 to 4 arcs. For the multi-institutional planning challenge, the data set from a single patient was anonymized and shared to participants. Participants used a single MR-based Linac planning platform to generate a plan based on our institutional constraints, with maximum treatment time limited to 20 min. For all analyses, a paired samples t-test was used to compare the significance defined at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

For MR-LINAC plans, the mean number of fields used was 23, mean number of segments 229, and the average estimated treatment delivery time was 17.3 minutes. MR-LINAC plans showed a significantly higher heterogeneity and dose to organs at risk compared to VMAT plans (Table 1). For the planning challenge, a total of 30 participants registered interest. Of this, seven plans were submitted to the challenge. On average, participants generated a plan that would be acceptable based on our institutional constraints (Table 1). However, the volumetric dose to bowel and pelvic bones were higher on MR-LINAC plans compared to the reference VMAT plan.

CONCLUSION

MR-LINAC fixed-field IMRT for cervix cancer patients is feasible but system constraints and optimization implementation result in greater dose heterogeneity and worse organ-at-risk sparing compared to Linac based VMAT. Further research is needed to determine if potential reduction of treatment margins, allowed by better MRI soft-tissue visualization, will result in MR-LINAC IMRT superior to Linac VMAT.

Association of Bedtime with Early-Onset Diabetes and Islet Beta Cell Function in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective

To investigate the association of bedtime with the risk of early-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) and islet beta cell function.

Methods

138 participants with treat-naïve DM were included in this study. All participants underwent a 75g oral glucose tolerance test. Sleep habit was obtained through a standardized questionnaire. Bedtime was categorized as < 22:00, 22:00-24:00, and ≥ 24:00 in this study. Multivariate logistic regression and multiple linear regression were used to estimate the association between bedtime and risk of early-onset DM and islet beta cell function, respectively.

Results

Patients with early-onset DM had a later bedtime than those with late-onset DM. Individuals with bedtime ≥ 24:00 had a higher prevalence of early-onset DM than those with bedtime at 22:00-24:00 and < 22:00 (51.2% vs 29.3% vs 14.3%, respectively, p = 0.028). The multivariate logistic regression showed that per hour later in bedtime was associated with a 52% increased risk of early-onset DM (p = 0.023). Patients with bedtime after 24:00 had a 146% increased risk of early-onset DM compared to those went to bed between 22:00 to 24:00 (OR = 2.46, 95% CI 1.05 to 5.77, p = 0.039). The multiple linear regression showed that bedtime was independently negatively correlated with late-phase insulin secretion (assessed by disposition index, DI120).

Conclusion

Later bedtime was associated with worse late-phase insulin secretion and may be a risk factor for early-onset DM. Proper bedtime to lower risk of early-onset DM deserves further investigation.

Recent advances of cellular stimulation with triboelectric nanogenerators

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are new energy collection devices that have the characteristics of high efficiency, low cost, miniaturization capability, and convenient manufacture. TENGs mainly utilize the triboelectric effect to obtain mechanical energy from organisms or the environment, and this mechanical energy is then converted into and output as electrical energy. Bioelectricity is a phenomenon that widely exists in various cellular processes, including cell proliferation, senescence, apoptosis, as well as adjacent cells' communication and coordination. Therefore, based on these features, TENGs can be applied in organisms to collect energy and output electrical stimulation to act on cells, changing their activities and thereby playing a role in regulating cellular function and interfering with cellular fate, which can further develop into new methods of health care and disease intervention. In this review, we first introduce the working principle of TENGs and their working modes, and then summarize the current research status of cellular function regulation and fate determination stimulated by TENGs, and also analyze their application prospects for changing various processes of cell activity. Finally, we discuss the opportunities and challenges of TENGs in the fields of life science and biomedical engineering, and propose a variety of possibilities for their potential development direction.

Synaptic transistor with multiple biological functions based on metal-organic frameworks combined with the LIF model of a spiking neural network to recognize temporal information

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) have immense potential due to their utilization of synaptic plasticity and ability to take advantage of temporal correlation and low power consumption. The leaky integration and firing (LIF) model and spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) are the fundamental components of SNNs. Here, a neural device is first demonstrated by zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) as an essential part of the synaptic transistor to simulate SNNs. Significantly, three kinds of typical functions between neurons, the memory function achieved through the hippocampus, synaptic weight regulation and membrane potential triggered by ion migration, are effectively described through short-term memory/long-term memory (STM/LTM), long-term depression/long-term potentiation (LTD/LTP) and LIF, respectively. Furthermore, the update rule of iteration weight in the backpropagation based on the time interval between presynaptic and postsynaptic pulses is extracted and fitted from the STDP. In addition, the postsynaptic currents of the channel directly connect to the very large scale integration (VLSI) implementation of the LIF mode that can convert high-frequency information into spare pulses based on the threshold of membrane potential. The leaky integrator block, firing/detector block and frequency adaptation block instantaneously release the accumulated voltage to form pulses. Finally, we recode the steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) belonging to the electroencephalogram (EEG) with filter characteristics of LIF. SNNs deeply fused by synaptic transistors are designed to recognize the 40 different frequencies of EEG and improve accuracy to 95.1%. This work represents an advanced contribution to brain-like chips and promotes the systematization and diversification of artificial intelligence.

Pentraxin 3 plays a key role in tubular cell senescence and renal fibrosis through inducing β-catenin signaling

Renal fibrosis is the common pathological feature of various chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Tubular cell senescence plays a key role in the progression of renal fibrosis. However, the underlying mechanisms are still in mystery. In this study, we identified, Pentraxin 3 (PTX3), belonging to the Pentraxin family, is a new fibrogenic factor. PTX3 was increased in various CKD models. PTX3 was primarily localized in tubular epithelial cells and upregulated, accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular senescence. Overexpression of PTX3 aggravated mitochondrial damage and accelerated cell senescence in tubular cells, leading to more severe fibrogenesis in kidneys. However, knockout of PTX3 significantly preserved mitochondrial homeostasis, and blocked cellular senescence in primary cultured tubular cells. Furthermore, KYA1797K, a destabilizer of β-catenin, greatly inhibited PTX3-induced mitochondrial homeostasis, tubular cell senescence, and renal fibrosis. Overexpression of PTX3 triggered nuclear translocation of β-catenin, an activating form of β-catenin. PTX3-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and tubular cell senescence were also significantly inhibited by knockdown of p16^INK4A, a senescence-related protein. In a clinical cohort, we found PTX3 was increased in urine and serum in clinical patients with CKD. Urinary PTX3 negatively correlated with the decline of eGFR. PTX3 also increased gradually following the severity of diseases, triggering the fibrogenesis. Taken together, our results provide strong evidences that PTX3 is a new fibrogenic factor in the development of renal fibrosis through β-catenin-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cell senescence. This study further suggests PTX3 is a new diagnostic factor to renal fibrosis and provides a new therapeutic target against renal fibrosis.

[Prediction of 1p/19q codeletion status in diffuse lower-grade glioma using multimodal MRI radiomics]

OBJECTIVE

To develop a noninvasive method for prediction of 1p/19q codeletion in diffuse lower-grade glioma (DLGG) based on multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics.

METHODS

We collected MRI data from 104 patients with pathologically confirmed DLGG between October, 2015 and September, 2022. A total of 535 radiomics features were extracted from T₂WI, T₁WI, FLAIR, CE-T₁WI and DWI, including 70 morphological features, 90 first order features, and 375 texture features. We constructed logistic regression (LR), logistic regression least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LRlasso), support vector machine (SVM) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) radiomics models and compared their predictive performance after 10-fold cross validation. The MRI images were reviewed by two radiologists independently for predicting the 1p/19q status. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate classification performance of the radiomics models and the radiologists.

RESULTS

The 4 radiomics models (LR, LRlasso, SVM and LDA) achieved similar area under the curve (AUC) in the validation dataset (0.833, 0.819, 0.824 and 0.819, respectively; P>0.1), and their predictive performance was all superior to that of resident physicians of radiology (AUC=0.645, P=0.011, 0.022, 0.016, 0.030, respectively) and similar to that of attending physicians of radiology (AUC=0.838, P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Multiparametric MRI radiomics models show good performance for noninvasive prediction of 1p/19q codeletion status in patients with in diffuse lower-grade glioma.

Self-Assembled Porous-Reinforcement Microstructure-Based Flexible Triboelectric Patch for Remote Healthcare

Realizing real-time monitoring of physiological signals is vital for preventing and treating chronic diseases in elderly individuals. However, wearable sensors with low power consumption and high sensitivity to both weak physiological signals and large mechanical stimuli remain challenges. Here, a flexible triboelectric patch (FTEP) based on porous-reinforcement microstructures for remote health monitoring has been reported. The porous-reinforcement microstructure is constructed by the self-assembly of silicone rubber adhering to the porous framework of the PU sponge. The mechanical properties of the FTEP can be regulated by the concentrations of silicone rubber dilution. For pressure sensing, its sensitivity can be effectively improved fivefold compared to the device with a solid dielectric layer, reaching 5.93 kPa-1 under a pressure range of 0-5 kPa. In addition, the FTEP has a wide detection range up to 50 kPa with a sensitivity of 0.21 kPa-1. The porous microstructure makes the FTEP ultra-sensitive to external pressure, and the reinforcements endow the device with a greater deformation limit in a wide detection range. Finally, a novel concept of the wearable Internet of Healthcare (IoH) system for real-time physiological signal monitoring has been proposed, which could provide real-time physiological information for ambulatory personalized healthcare monitoring.

Activation cross sections for reactions induced by 14 MeV neutrons on natural titanium

Cross sections for the neutrons around 14 MeV interaction with natural titanium were precisely measured by neutron activation and off-line measurement technique. The fast neutrons were produced by ³H(d,n)⁴He reaction and the neutron energy was obtained by using the cross section ratio method of ⁹⁰Zr(n,2n)⁸⁹Zr to ⁹³Nb(n,2n)^92mNb reactions. Experimental cross sections have been acquired for ^natTi(n,x)⁴⁶Sc, ^natTi(n,x)⁴⁷Sc, ⁵⁰Ti(n,x)⁴⁷Ca and ⁴⁸Ti(n,x)⁴⁸Sc reactions. The measured cross section data are compared with the experimental data available in the previous literature and evaluated nuclear data from the ENDF/B-VIII.0, JEFF-3.3, JENDL-5, BROND-3.1, CENDL-3.2 and FENDL-3.2b libraries. Furthermore, excitation functions for these reactions were calculated by using the theoretical model based on Talys-1.96 code with default and adjusted parameters. Within experimental error, evaluated nuclear data are mostly consistent with experimental data. The excitation function with adjusted parameters can roughly reproduce the experimental data.

Gender Differences in Relation to Body Composition, Insulin Resistance, and Islet Beta Cell Function in Newly Diagnosed Diabetic or Pre-Diabetic Patients

OBJECTIVE

To assess the correlation between body components with insulin resistance (IR) and islet beta cell function in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or pre-diabetes mellitus (pre-DM) and to explore whether this correlation differs in males and females.

METHODS

111 newly diagnosed diabetic or pre-diabetic patients were recruited in this cross-sectional study. 75g oral glucose tolerance test was used to determine the diagnosis of DM or pre-DM. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and glucose disposition index (DI₃₀) was calculated to assess IR and islet beta cell function, respectively. Whole-body and regional lean mass (LM) and fat mass (FM) were obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Partial correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the associations between body composition, IR, and islet beta cell function.

RESULTS

More body fat and appendicular fat was observed in female patients than in male, though with similar BMI. Legs fat % was negatively correlated with HOMA-IR, whereas legs lean % was positively associated with HOMA-IR in females (r = -0.673, p = 0.017; r =0.664, p = 0.018, respectively). The regression analysis showed that legs LM was positively correlated with HOMA-IR in females. However, in male patients, android FM was positively correlated with HOMA-IR (r = 0.462, p = 0.007), and trunk LM was negatively associated with DI₃₀ (r = -0.458, p = 0.007). Nevertheless, no significant correlation was observed between body composition and islet beta cell function in female patients.

CONCLUSION

Android FM was positively correlated with IR only in male patients but not in females. Besides, relative legs fat and LM were independently associated with IR in female patients but not in males. Further studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanism.

Effects of View Layout on Situated Analytics for Multiple-View Representations in Immersive Visualization

Multiple-view (MV) representations enabling multi-perspective exploration of large and complex data are often employed on 2D displays. The technique also shows great potential in addressing complex analytic tasks in immersive visualization. However, although useful, the design space of MV representations in immersive visualization lacks in deep exploration. In this paper, we propose a new perspective to this line of research, by examining the effects of view layout for MV representations on situated analytics. Specifically, we disentangle situated analytics in perspectives of situatedness regarding spatial relationship between visual representations and physical referents, and analytics regarding cross-view data analysis including filtering, refocusing, and connecting tasks. Through an in-depth analysis of existing layout paradigms, we summarize design trade-offs for achieving high situatedness and effective analytics simultaneously. We then distill a list of design requirements for a desired layout that balances situatedness and analytics, and develop a prototype system with an automatic layout adaptation method to fulfill the requirements. The method mainly includes a cylindrical paradigm for egocentric reference frame, and a force-directed method for proper view-view, view-user, and view-referent proximities and high view visibility. We conducted a formal user study that compares layouts by our method with linked and embedded layouts. Quantitative results show that participants finished filtering- and connecting-centered tasks significantly faster with our layouts, and user feedback confirms high usability of the prototype system.

HetVis: A Visual Analysis Approach for Identifying Data Heterogeneity in Horizontal Federated Learning

Horizontal federated learning (HFL) enables distributed clients to train a shared model and keep their data privacy. In training high-quality HFL models, the data heterogeneity among clients is one of the major concerns. However, due to the security issue and the complexity of deep learning models, it is challenging to investigate data heterogeneity across different clients. To address this issue, based on a requirement analysis we developed a visual analytics tool, HetVis, for participating clients to explore data heterogeneity. We identify data heterogeneity through comparing prediction behaviors of the global federated model and the stand-alone model trained with local data. Then, a context-aware clustering of the inconsistent records is done, to provide a summary of data heterogeneity. Combining with the proposed comparison techniques, we develop a novel set of visualizations to identify heterogeneity issues in HFL. We designed three case studies to introduce how HetVis can assist client analysts in understanding different types of heterogeneity issues. Expert reviews and a comparative study demonstrate the effectiveness of HetVis.

Intervention effect of Potentilla discolor-Euonymus alatus on intestinal flora of type 2 diabetes mellitus rats

OBJECTIVE

With this study, we aimed at exploring the regulation mechanism of Potentilla discolor-Euonymus alatus on intestinal flora of T2DM (Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus) rats induced by high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

T2DM rats were induced by high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin. There were normal control group, model group, metformin group, high-dose Chinese medicine group and low-dose Chinese medicine group. Each group included 10 rats. Normal control group: normal feeding, no modeling, ordinary feed, and gavage of 0.9% normal saline. Model group: T2DM rats, high-fat diet, and gavage of 0.9% normal saline. Metformin group: T2DM rats, high-fat diet and fed with metformin solution. High-dose Chinese medicine group: T2DM rats, high-fat diet, and gavage of concentrated Chinese medicine at a dose of 6 times the clinical dose. Low-dose Chinese medicine group: T2DM rats, high-fat diet, and gavage of concentrated Chinese medicine at a dose twice the clinical dose. The general situation of T2DM rats was observed, and the changes of intestinal flora were observed with 16SrDNA sequencing.

RESULTS

The T2DM rats induced by high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin were molded. After intervention, at the class level, the ratio of γ-proteobacteria was 22.30% in the model group, 11.97% in the metformin group, 3.24% in the high-dose Chinese herbs group and 1.72% in the low-dose Chinese herbs group; the ratio of Erysipelothrix insidiosa was 4.73% in the model group, 4.68% in the metformin group, 3.93% in the high-dose Chinese herbsgroup and 2.92% in the low dose group; the ratio of Lactinobacillus was 2.30% in the model group, 0.01% in the metformin group, 0.00% in the high-dose Chinese herbs group, and 0.00% low-dose Chinese herbs group; at the portal level, the Firmicutes/Bacteroides was 0.88 in the normal control group, 3.40 in the model group, 1.71 in the metformin group, 2.74 in high-dose Chinese medicine group, and 1.34 in low-dose Chinese medicine group; at the genus level, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the model group was 3.28%, that of Akkermansia was 1.99%, that of Shigella coli was 22.08%, and that of Vibrio phaseus was 7.67%. All of them were improved after the intervention of metformin and traditional Chinese medicine.

CONCLUSIONS

Potentilla discolor-Euonymus Alatus could improve the composition and structure of intestinal flora in T2DM rats and regulate the diversity of intestinal flora. The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes was adjusted, mainly to increase the number of Bacteroides; the flora related to intestinal barrier was adjusted, mainly to increase the number of Lactobacillus and Akkermansia bacteria.

Sulfide-induced repartition of chromium associated with schwertmannite in acid mine drainage: Impacts and mechanisms

The cycling of Fe/S is often related to the formation and fate of schwertmannite which is particularly suitable as a scavenger for heavy metals and metalloids in acid mine drainage (AMD). However, the interactions between reactivity of S(-II) and schwertmannite with structurally incorporated Cr(VI) remain elusive. This work evaluated dissolution experiments in combination with XRD, SEM, FTIR, TEM, and XPS characterization to provide detailed information regarding the transformation of schwertmannite induced by S(-II) following changes in pH, Cr loading, and S(-II) concentration. Our results found that the presence of sulfide significantly decreased the stabilization of schwertmannite under acidic conditions. The reactivity of the three schwertmannite samples depended on the contents of Cr(VI) that were structurally incorporated and followed the order Sch > 0.13Cr-Sch > 0.17Cr-Sch. High S(-II) concentrations and low Cr doping favored the release of Fe and SO₄^2- from schwertmannite. Attenuation of Cr mobility occurred via elevating the S(-II) concentrations and pH values resulting in Cr concentrations spanning ∼1.39 to ∼0.10 mg L^-1 and ∼1.58 to ∼0.12 mg L^-1 for 0.13Cr-Sch and 0.17Cr-Sch, respectively. Combining the results of characterization, goethite was the dominant end product constituted secondary phase together with sulfide minerals (FeS, FeS₂), iron oxides (Fe₃O₄, Fe₂O₃), and CrFe minerals on the bulk mineral surface. The substituted Cr significantly inhibited the reductive transformation of schwertmannite by sulfide and led to the formation of lepidocrocite. Thus, we concluded that a three-stage transformation mechanistic pathway governed partial conversion of schwertmannite to goethite. This finding provides new understanding of the biogeochemical processes of iron minerals affected by reducing substances that control the transport and fate of immobilizing contaminants in an AMD-polluted area.

Editorial for Special Issue: Advanced Materials and Technologies in Nanogenerators

Nanogenerators, based on Maxwell's displacement current as the driving force, have inspired a new and developing field since their invention in 2006 [...].

Identification and analysis of DNA methylation-driven signatures for prognostic and immune microenvironments evaluation in hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver cancer is the main reason of cancer deaths globally, with an unfavorable prognosis. DNA methylation is one of the epigenetic modifications and maintains the right adjustment of gene expression and steady gene silencing. We aim to explore the novel signatures for prognosis by using DNA methylation-driven genes. To acquire the DNA methylation-driven genes, we perform the difference analysis from the gene expression data and DNA methylation data in TCGA or GEO databases. And we obtain the 31 DNA methylation-driven genes. Subsequently, consensus clustering analysis was utilized to identify the molecular subtypes based on the 31 DNA methylation-driven genes. So, two molecular subtypes were identified to perform those analyses: Survival, immune cell infiltration, and tumor mutation. Results showed that two subtypes were clustered with distinct prognoses, tumor-infiltrating immune cell and tumor mutation burden. Furthermore, the 31 DNA methylation-driven genes were applied to perform the survival analysis to select the 14 survival-related genes. Immediately, a five methylation-driven genes risk model was built, and the patients were divided into high and low-risk groups. The model was established with TCGA as the training cohort and GSE14520 as the validation cohort. According to the risk model, we perform the systematical analysis, including survival, clinical feature, immune cell infiltration, somatic mutation status, underlying mechanisms, and drug sensitivity. Results showed that the high and low groups possessed statistical significance. In addition, the ROC curve was utilized to measure the accuracy of the risk model. AUCs at 1-year, 3-years, and 5-years were respectively 0.770, 0.698, 0.676 in training cohort and 0.717, 0.649, 0.621 in validation cohort. Nomogram was used to provide a better prediction for patients’ survival. Risk score increase the accuracy of survival prediction in HCC patients. In conclusion, this study developed a novel risk model of five methylation-driven genes based on the comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, which accurately predicts the survival of HCC patients and reflects the immune and mutation features of HCC. This study provides novel insights for immunotherapy of HCC patients and promotes medical progress.

The mitochondrial RNA granule modulates manganese-dependent cell toxicity

Prolonged manganese exposure causes manganism, a neurodegenerative movement disorder. The identity of adaptive and nonadaptive cellular processes targeted by manganese remains mostly unexplored. Here we study mechanisms engaged by manganese in genetic cellular models known to increase susceptibility to manganese exposure, the plasma membrane manganese efflux transporter SLC30A10 and the mitochondrial Parkinson's gene PARK2. We found that SLC30A10 and PARK2 mutations as well as manganese exposure compromised the mitochondrial RNA granule composition and function, resulting in disruption of mitochondrial transcript processing. These RNA granule defects led to impaired assembly and function of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Notably, cells that survived a cytotoxic manganese challenge had impaired RNA granule function, thus suggesting that this granule phenotype was adaptive. CRISPR gene editing of subunits of the mitochondrial RNA granule, FASTKD2 or DHX30, as well as pharmacological inhibition of mitochondrial transcription-translation, were protective rather than deleterious for survival of cells acutely exposed to manganese. Similarly, adult Drosophila mutants with defects in the mitochondrial RNA granule component scully were safeguarded from manganese-induced mortality. We conclude that impairment of the mitochondrial RNA granule function is a protective mechanism for acute manganese toxicity.

Low BMI and high waist-to-hip ratio are associated with mortality risk among hemodialysis patients: a multicenter prospective cohort study

Background

Data are limited on the relationship between waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and mortality risk among maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Moreover, the combined association of body mass index (BMI) and WHR with mortality remains uncertain. Therefore, we aimed to explore the individual and combined association of BMI and WHR with the all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

Methods

In this multicenter prospective cohort study, we enrolled 1034 MHD patients. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality and secondary outcome was CVD mortality. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the individual and combined association of BMI and WHR with the risk of mortality.

Results

A nonlinear inverse relationship was found between BMI and risk of all-cause mortality (P for nonlinearity <.05). Being underweight (<18.5 kg/m²) was associated with higher all-cause mortality risk (HR 1.45; 95% CI 1.08-1.94) compared with normal weight (18.5-23.9 kg/m²), while being overweight (24-27.9 kg/m²; HR 0.96; 95% CI 0.70-1.31) and obese (≥28 kg/m²; HR 1.19; 95% CI 0.62-2.26) showed no significant differences. Of note, WHR was independently and positively associated with all-cause mortality (per standard deviation increase, HR 1.13; 95% CI 1.00-1.27). When analyzed jointly, patients with low BMI (<18.5 kg/m²) and high WHR (≥0.95) had the highest risk of all-cause mortality. Similar results were obtained for CVD mortality.

Conclusions

In patients undergoing hemodialysis from China, low BMI and high WHR were individually and jointly associated with higher risk of mortality. Our results emphasize that BMI and WHR may jointly affect the prognosis of MHD patients.

Laminated Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Enhanced Self-Powered Pressure-Sensing Performance by Charge Regulation

Triboelectric sensors provide an effective approach to solving the power supply problem for distributed sensing nodes. However, the poor stability and repeatability of the output signal limit its further development due to structural deficiencies and intrinsic working mechanisms. This work proposes a contact-separation mode laminated triboelectric nanogenerator (L-TENG) by introducing multifunctional layers to regulate triboelectric charges. A liquid metal Galinstan and PDMS mixture with a dense microstructure array is fabricated as the dielectric layer. Liquid squalene is filled in the space between two triboelectric layers to eliminate the influence of moisture in the air. A Cu shield film is sputtered on the surface to screen the electrostatic interference and enhance the repeatability. Owing to the effective design, the sensitivity of the L-TENG could reach 6.66 kPa^-1 in the low-pressure region and 0.79 kPa^-1 in the high-pressure region with a wide detection range from 8 Pa to 71.85 kPa. In addition, it also illustrates fast response and recovery times of 30 and 10 ms, respectively, and great stability in a humid environment. Finally, the L-TENG has been successfully demonstrated to monitor various physical activities in humans such as swallowing, finger bending, and so forth. This work has important scientific significance in opening up a new strategy for the structure optimization and performance improvement of triboelectric sensors.

Photoluminescent and photochromic smart window from recycled polyester reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals

Smart windows with long-persistent phosphorescence, UV protection, high transparency, and high rigidity were developed by easily immobilizing varying ratios of lanthanide-activated aluminate phosphor nanoscale particles within a composite of recycled polyester/cellulose nanocrystals (RPET/CNC). Cellulose nanocrystals were prepared from rice straw waste. Cellulose nanocrystals were used at low concentration as both crosslinker and drier to improve both transparency and hardness. The phosphor nanoscale particles must be distributed into the recycled polyester/cellulose nanocrystals composite bulk without agglomeration in order to produce transparent RPET/CNC substrates. Photoluminescence characteristics were also studied by using spectroscopic profiles of excitation/emission and decay/lifetime. The hardness efficiency was also examined. This transparent recycled polyester waste/cellulose nanocrystals nanocomposite smart window has been shown to change color under UV light to strong green and to greenish-yellow when it is dark, as proved by CIE Lab color parameters. It was found that the afterglow RPET/CNC smart window had phosphorescence intensities of 428, 493 and 523 nm upon excitation at 368 nm. There were evidences of improved UV shielding, photostability, and hydrophobic activity. In the presence of low phosphor ratio, the luminescent RPET/CNC substrates showed quick and reversible fluorescent photochromic activity when exposed to UV radiation.

Bone Repairment via Mechanosensation of Piezo1 Using Wearable Pulsed Triboelectric Nanogenerator

Bone repair in real time is a challenging medical issue for elderly patients; this is mainly because aged bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) possess limited osteogenesis potential and repair capacity. In this study, triboelectric stimulation technology is used to achieve bone repair via mechanosensation of Piezo1 by fabricating a wearable pulsed triboelectric nanogenerator (WP-TENG) driven by human body movement. A peak value of 30 µA has the optimal effects to rejuvenate aged BMSCs, enhance their osteogenic differentiation, and promote human umbilical vein endothelial cell tube formation. Further, previous studies demonstrate that triboelectric stimulation of a WP-TENG can reinforce osteogenesis of BMSCs and promote the angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Mechanistically, aged BMSCs are rejuvenated by triboelectric stimulation via the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1. Thus, the osteogenesis potential of BMSCs is enhanced and the tube formation capacity of HUVECs is improved, which is further confirmed by augmented bone repair and regeneration in in vivo investigations. This study provides a potential signal transduction mechanism for rejuvenating aged BMSCs and a theoretical basis for bone regeneration using triboelectric stimulation generated by a WP-TENG.

AB0334 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF ABATACEPT IN CHINESE PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: REAL-WORLD DATA

Background

Abatacept (ABA) has demonstrated efficacy and safety in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in Europe and the United States as one of bDMARDs [1]. However, the clinical activity of Abatacept (ABA) has not been sufficiently investigated in patients with RA from a real-world clinical setting in China.

Objectives

This study was designed to investigate the efficacy and safety of Abatacept in the RA patients in Chinese population who were refractory to csDMARDs, aiming to provide further reference for clinical rational drug use.

Methods

Clinical data of 55 patients with active RA who were admitted in the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College from June 2020 to June 2021 and did not respond to csDMARDs was retrospectively analyzed. Patients in this study were treated with Abatacept (125 mg by subcutaneous injection once weekly combined with csDMARDs. Changes in clinical manifestations, including DAS28-ESR, CDAI, ACR 20/50/70 at week 12 and 24 from baseline and AEs during 24 weeks were observed and recorded.

Results

55 patients (46 women and 9 men) were included in this study with a mean age 50.80 ± 12.46 and a mean disease duration of 6.29 ± 6.22 years. The ACR 20 response at week 12 and 24 was 50.91% (28/55) and 87.27% (48/55), respectively. Besides, DAS 28-ESR score were significantly lower at week 12 and 24 compared to baseline (P <0.05) with 19 patients (34.55%) achieving clinical remission or low disease activity. Changes in CDAI scores revealed that 80% patients achieved clinical remission or low disease activity at week 24. DAS28-ESR score was significantly lower in previously untreated patients (Biologic-naive) (n=36) (3.40 ± 0.81) than in the previously treated patients (Biologic non-naive) (n=19) (3.83 ± 0.68) (P = 0.02) (Figure 1). RF, CCP antibody and GLOB levels were significantlyreduced in RA patients after 24-week ABA treatment compared to baseline (P﹤0.05) (Table 1). Two hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers, two patients with active tuberculosis and one patient with latent tuberculosis status showed no reactivation of HBV and no new active tuberculosis lesions 24 weeks after treatment with ABA. AEs were reported in 9.1% (5/55), but no serious infections occurred.

Table 1.

Analysis of clinical and serological parameters at baseline and after treatment with Abatacept.

IndexesBaseline12 weeks24 weeksTJC6 (4，10)3 (2，4)*2 (1，3) **SJC2 (1，4)1 (0，2)*0 (0，1)**PtGA-VAS（0-10cm）8 (7，10)5 (3，6)*2（2，3）**HAQ2 (0，4)1 (0，2)*0 (0，1)**ESR （mm/h）51 (41，89)37 (28，51)*23 (17，37)**HsCRP（mg/L）14.08 (3.7，35.0)5，77 (2.27，20.78) *4.12 (1.34，9.37) **GLOB34.47±5.69-30.33±3.81*RF-IgM (IU/mL)408.55 (68.8,566.5)-167.41 (34.9, 171.25) *RF-IgG (U/mL)8.63 (4.55, 11.1)-7.94 (3.13, 6.23) *RF-IgA (U/mL)90.18 (25.63, 99.12)-58.20 (16.81, 59.09) *CCP (RU/mL)1095.45 (66.79, 1033.28)-782.0 (58.49, 857.5) *

*p﹤0.05,TJC=Tender joint count, SJC=Swollen joint count, GLOB= immunoglobulin.

Conclusion

In the Chinese patients with active RA refractory to csDMARDs, the combination of ABA and csDMARDs showed great clinical efficacy and a favorable safety profile. Moreover, ABA resulted in better efficacy in patients previously untreated with biologics than previously treated with biologics.

References

[1]Weinblatt ME, Schiff M, Valente R,et al. Head-to-head comparison of subcutaneous abatacept versus adalimumab for rheumatoid arthritis: findings of a phase IIIb, multinational, prospective, randomized study. Arthritis Rheum 2013; 65:28-38.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Diagnostic panel of serum miR-125b-5p, miR-182-5p, and miR-200c-3p as non-invasive biomarkers for urothelial bladder cancer

PURPOSE

This study aimed to identify a diagnostic panel of serum microRNAs (miRNAs) for the early detection of bladder cancer (BC).

METHODS

Serum samples were collected from 112 BC patients and 112 normal controls (NCs). A three-stage selection was conducted to identify differentially expressed miRNAs as candidates to construct the diagnostic panel. Further, to explore their potential roles in urothelial BC, bioinformatics analyses, including target genes prediction and functional annotation, were used.

RESULTS

Six downregulated miRNAs (miR-1-3p, miR-30a-5p, miR-100-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-143-3p, and miR-200c-3p) and one upregulated, miR-182-5p, in BC patients' serum were detected compared to NCs and were selected to establish the diagnostic panel. Based on a backward stepwise logistic regression analysis, miR-125b-5p, miR-182-5p, and miR-200c-3p comprehended the diagnostic panel [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.959, sensitivity = 91.67%, specificity = 92.5%].

CONCLUSION

The panel of three miRNAs had an excellent diagnostic capability, representing a potential non-invasive method for early BC detection.

Interface Engineering for Efficient Raindrop Solar Cell

A raindrop solar cell can work either on rainy days to collect mechanical energy of the raindrops or on sunny days to harvest solar energy, which achieves high energy conversion efficiency in various energy environments. However, the low efficiency of raindrop energy harvesting is a dominating barrier to the raindrop solar cells in practical applications. In this work, a MoO₃/top electrode-based triboelectric nanogenerator (MT-TENG) with high rain droplet energy conversion efficiency, integrated with a perovskite solar cell through shared electrodes, has been proposed. The interface electrons between the triboelectric layer and electrode can be blocked by the MoO₃ layer with high permittivity and wide bandgap, and the MoO₃-based TENG (M-TENG) therefore increases the surface charge density. Thus, the top electrode structure in the solid-liquid interface can greatly increase the output charge by 101.1 times in total. By adjusting the water droplet parameters of tap water to simulate the actual application scenario, the raindrop output power and mechanical energy conversion efficiency can reach 0.68 mW and 12.49%, respectively. In addition, due to the high transmittance of the MT-TENG, the perovskite solar cell can still sustain a high photovoltaic power conversion efficiency of 19.38%. By virtue of the shared electrode circuit design, the raindrop solar cell can continue to purvey electric power on rainy and sunny days, and it only takes about 175 s to charge a 2.2 μF capacitor to 5 V.

MicroRNA-29a-3p regulates chemosensitivity in hypopharyngeal carcinoma via targeting Cdc42

INTRODUCTION

Hypopharyngeal carcinoma is one kind of high malignant tumour followed by poor prognosis in head and neck carcinomas. This study aimed to detect miR-29a-3p and Cdc42 in patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression of miR-29a-3p and Cdc42 mRNA were detected, and the correlation between miR-29a-3p/Cdc42 and clinical stages was investigated.

RESULTS

The relative expression of miR-29a-3p in stage II, III and IV hypopharyngeal carcinoma tissues was significantly lower than that of stage I (P< 0.05). The relative expression of Cdc42 mRNA in stage I, III and IV tissues was significantly higher than that of stage I (P< 0.05). The expression of miR-29a-3p in hypopharyngeal carcinoma with lymph node metastasis was significantly lower than that without lymph node metastasis (P = 0.045).

CONCLUSION

MiR-29a-3p and Cdc42 mRNA could be potential diagnostic biomarkers of hypopharyngeal carcinoma.

A Liquid-Solid Interface-Based Triboelectric Tactile Sensor with Ultrahigh Sensitivity of 21.48 kPa-1

Traditional triboelectric tactile sensors based on solid-solid interface have illustrated promising application prospects through optimization approach. However, the poor sensitivity and reliability caused by hard contact-electrification still poses challenges for the practical applications. In this work, a liquid-solid interface ferrofluid-based triboelectric tactile sensor (FTTS) with ultrahigh sensitivity is proposed. Relying on the fluidity and magnetism of ferrofluid, the topography of microstructure can be flexibly adjusted by directly employing ferrofluid as triboelectric material and controlling the position of outward magnet. To date, an ultrahigh sensitivity of 21.48 kPa^-1 for the triboelectric sensors can be achieved due to the high spike microstructure, low Young's modulus of ferrofluid and efficient solid-liquid interface contact-electrification. The detection limit of FTTS of 1.25 Pa with a wide detection range to 390 kPa was also obtained. In addition, the oleophobic property between ferrofluid and poly-tetra-fluoro-ethylene triboelectric layer can greatly reduce the wear and tear, resulting in the great improvement of stability. Finally, a strategy for personalized password lock with high security level has been demonstrated, illustrating a great perspective for practical application in smart home, artificial intelligence, Internet of things, etc.

Baicalin-liposomes loaded polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan electrospinning nanofibrous films: Characterization, antibacterial properties and preservation effects on mushrooms

To investigate antibacterial properties and application in food preservation of nanofibrous films (NFs), baicalin-liposomes (BCL-LPs) were loaded into polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan (PVA-CS) substrates to form NFs using electrospinning technology. The microstructure and phase identification of the NFs were characterized. The antibacterial properties and cytotoxicity of NFs were determined. The preservation of the NFs to mushrooms was evaluated. The results showed that smooth and uniform NFs were formed through molecular interaction between BCL-LPs and PVA-CS matrix. The NFs exhibited good antibacterial effects on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus due to the bacterial destruction resulting from the BCL delivery to bacterial cells by liposomes. In addition, the NFs were compatible with L929 fibroblasts. The BCL-LPs/PVA-CS NFs inhibited weight loss, browning, rancidity and bacterial growth as well as maintained the nutrients of mushrooms. The results show BCL-LPs/PVA-CS NFs possessed effective antibacterial properties, non-cytotoxicity and preservation performance, indicating the potential utilization as food-active packing.

Recent progress in self-powered multifunctional e-skin for advanced applications

Electronic skin (e-skin), new generation of flexible wearable electronic devices, has characteristics including flexibility, thinness, biocompatibility with broad application prospects, and a crucial place in future wearable electronics. With the increasing demand for wearable sensor systems, the realization of multifunctional e-skin with low power consumption or even autonomous energy is urgently needed. The latest progress of multifunctional self-powered e-skin for applications in physiological health, human-machine interaction (HMI), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) is presented here. Various energy conversion effects for the driving energy problem of multifunctional e-skin are summarized. An overview of various types of self-powered e-skins, including single-effect e-skins and multifunctional coupling-effects e-skin systems is provided, where the aspects of material preparation, device assembly, and output signal analysis of the self-powered multifunctional e-skin are described. In the end, the existing problems and prospects in this field are also discussed.

A collaborative strategy for elevated reduction and immobilization of Cr(VI) using nano zero valent iron assisted by schwertmannite: Removal performance and mechanism

A novel collaborative strategy for enhanced removal of Cr(VI) using nano zero valent iron (nZVI) assisted by schwertmannite (Sch) with two synthesis methods was designed. Batch experiments demonstrated that nZVI/Sch-AP (synthesized by abiotic precipitation of Fe³⁺ species) exhibited excellent removal performance for Cr(VI) than nZVI/Sch-CO (synthesized by chemical oxidation of Fe²⁺ species). The results indicated that the removal efficiencies of Cr(VI) by nZVI/Sch-AP and nZVI/Sch-CO were highly pH-dependent and achieved to be 99.99% and 98.01% under the optimal conditions of 10 mg L^-1 Cr(VI) concentration, a pH of 6.3 and a Fe(0)/Cr(VI) molar ratio of 12. But nZVI/Sch-AP emerged greater k of 0.1097 min^-1 than that of nZVI/Sch-CO (0.0485 min^-1). Humic acid exhibited promotion effect on the Cr(VI) removal in low concentration of 1 mg L^-1. Results of XRD and XPS demonstrated that α-FeOOH was the dominant products in both incubations of nZVI/Sch-AP and nZVI/Sch-CO, accompanied with FeCr₂O₄ and CrFe mixed (oxy)hydroxides, and γ-FeOOH was found alone in the incubations of nZVI/Sch-CO. We proposed a consecutive and simultaneous process involving surface absorption-reduction and co-precipitation/immobilization for the removal. This study provides new insights into the elimination of Cr(VI) from wastewater by nZVI/Sch, especially in acid mine drainage.

Mental health status among prison officers in the process of enforcing the law during COVID-19epidemic: a cross-sectional survey from China

BACKGROUND

A global public health emergency triggered by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic may have are markable psychological impact on the population. There is still limited psychological research on police officers, especially prison officers in the process of enforcing the law. The present study aims to identify prevalence and influencing factors on mental health status among frontline prison officers in China during the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey with a sample of 981 frontline prison officers was conducted using snowball sampling approach. The self-administered questionnaire consisted of 4 parts: (i) informed consent form; (ii) socio-demographic section; (iii) work and life situations during the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic; (iv) the Chinese version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed to identify factors influencing mental health status.

RESULTS

The prevalence of being prone to mental health problems (GHQ-12 score ≥ 4) was 33.43% among frontline prison officers. The results of GHQ-12 factors analysis indicated that the prison officers suffered from psychological issues was related to anxiety and depression, which main symptoms were unhappy and depressed, lost sleep over worry and constantly under strain. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that male (OR = 1.573, 95% CI:1.385-1.853), lockdown shift inside the prison(OR = 2.203, 95% CI:2.139-2.297), more night shifts (OR = 2.163, 95% CI:2.031-2.317; OR = 2.749, 95% CI:2.194-2.901), more smoking (OR = 1.100, 95% CI:1.037-2.168), poor self-reported physical condition (OR = 1.947, 95% CI:1.478-2.250), chronic or serious illness history(OR = 1.870, 95% CI:1.314-2.660; OR = 2.214, 95% CI:1.460-2.812) were risk factors for mental health among frontline prison officers, while regular diet (OR = 0.779, 95% CI:0.539-0.928), more physical exercise (OR = 0.702, 95% CI:0.548-0.899; OR = 0.641, 95% CI:0.316-0.887), more communication with family members (OR = 0.437, 95% CI:0.295-0.616) were protective factors.

CONCLUSION

Chinese frontline prison officers experienced different psychological stress coming from the prevention and control of this epidemic. Therefore, continued surveillance of psychological problems and targeted mental health care for frontline prison officers were urgent.

An Integrated Self-Powered Real-Time Pedometer System with Ultrafast Response and High Accuracy

As accurate step counting is a critical indicator for exercise evaluation in daily life, pedometers give a quantitative prediction of steps and analyze the amount of exercise to regulate the exercise plan. However, the merchandized pedometers still suffer from limited battery life and low accuracy. In this work, an integrated self-powered real-time pedometer system has been demonstrated. The highly integrated system contains a porous triboelectric nanogenerator (P-TENG), a data acquisition and processing (DAQP) module, and a mobile phone APP. The P-TENG works as a pressure sensor that generates electrical signals synchronized with users' footsteps, and combining it with the analogue front-end (AFE) circuit yields an ultrafast response time of 8 ms. Moreover, the combination of a mini press-to-spin-type electromagnetic generator (EMG) and a supercapacitor enables a self-powered and self-sustained operation of the entire pedometer system. This work implements the regulation of TENG signals by electronic circuit design and proposes a highly integrated system. The improved reliability and practicality provide more possibilities for wearable self-powered electronic devices.

Dietary protein intake and the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in maintenance hemodialysis patients: A multicenter, prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The association between dietary protein intake (DPI) and mortality in people receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) remains uncertain. We aimed to explore the relationship of DPI with all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality, and to examine the possible modifiers for the associations, in Chinese MHD patients.

METHODS

This multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted in eight outpatient dialysis centers in South China. We enrolled 1044 MHD patients in 2014 and 2015. The DPI was assessed using a 3-d 24-h dietary recall. Using Cox proportional hazard models, we estimated the hazard ratios (HRs) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for all analyzed end points.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 45 mo, there were 354 (33.9%) deaths, 210 of which were CV related. Compared with patients with a DPI of 1.0 to < 1.4 g/kg ideal body weight (IBW)/d, a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality was found in those with a DPI < 1.0 g/kg IBW/d (adjusted HR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.42-2.38) or ≥ 1.4 g/kg IBW/d (adjusted HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.00-2.22). Similar trends were found for CV mortality. Moreover, we found a significantly stronger positive association between DPI (≥ 1.4 versus 1.0 to < 1.4 g/kg IBW/d) and all-cause mortality in women (adjusted HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.00-4.22) than in men (adjusted HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.49-1.63; P for interaction = 0.0487).

CONCLUSION

In Chinese MHD patients, a DPI of 1.0 to < 1.4 g/kg IBW/d was associated with lower risks of all-cause and CV mortality.

Room-Temperature Direct Synthesis of PbSe Quantum Dot Inks for High-Detectivity Near-Infrared Photodetectors

A PbSe colloidal quantum dot (QD) is typically a solution-processed semiconductor for near-infrared (NIR) optoelectronic applications. However, the wide application of PbSe QDs has been restricted due to their instability, which requires tedious synthesis and complicated treatments before being applied in devices. Here, we demonstrate efficient NIR photodetectors based on the room-temperature, direct synthesis of semiconducting PbSe QD inks. The in-situ passivation and the avoidance of ligand exchange endow PbSe QD photodetectors with high efficiency and low cost. By further constructing the PbSe QDs/ZnO heterostructure, the photodetectors exhibit the NIR responsivity up to 970 mA/W and a detectivity of 1.86 × 10¹¹ Jones at 808 nm. The obtained performance is comparable to that of the state-of-the-art PbSe QD photodetectors using a complex ligand exchange strategy. Our work may pave a new way for fabricating efficient and low-cost colloidal QD photodetectors.

Total flavonoids from Potentilla kleiniana Wight et Arn inhibits biofilm formation and virulence factors production in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

ETHANOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Potentilla kleiniana Wight et Arn is a wide-spread wild plant in the mountainous areas in southern China. The whole herb has been used as a traditional herbal medicine to treat fever, arthritis, malaria, insect and snake bites, hepatitis, and traumatic injury. In vitro studies have reported the antibacterial activity use of the plant in traditional medicinal systems.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory activity of total flavonoid from Potentilla kleiniana Wight et Arn (TFP) on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in planktonic state and biofilm state.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Antibacterial activities of TFP on planktonic MRSA were determined by agar diffusion method, microtiter plate assay and time-kill curve assay. Electrical conductivity, membrane permeability, membrane potential and autoaggregation were analyzed to study TFP effects on planktonic MRSA growth. Crystal violet (CV) staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were analyzed to study TFP effects on aggregation and maturation of MRSA biofilm. After TFP treatment, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production were examined. Morphological changes in planktonic and MRSA biofilm following TFP treatment were determined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, α-Toxin protein expression and adhesion-related gene expression were also determined.

RESULTS

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of TFP against MRSA was 20 μg/mL. The agar diffusion method and time-kill curve assay results indicated that TFP inhibited planktonic MRSA growth. TFP treatment significantly inhibited planktonic MRSA growth by inhibiting autoaggregation, α-hemolysin activity, α-Toxin protein expression, but increasing electrolyte leakage, membrane permeability and membrane potential and impacting cell structure. Moreover, TFP treatment significantly inhibited aggregation and maturation on MRSA biofilm by decreasing surface hydrophobicity, EPS production and adhesion-related gene expression.

CONCLUSION

The results of this trial provide scientific experimental data on the traditional use of Potentilla Kleiniana Wight et Arn for traumatic injury treatment and further demonstrate the potential of TFP to be developed as a novel anti-biofilm drug.

All-in-One Self-Powered Human-Machine Interaction System for Wireless Remote Telemetry and Control of Intelligent Cars

The components in traditional human-machine interaction (HMI) systems are relatively independent, distributed and low-integrated, and the wearing experience is poor when the system adopts wearable electronics for intelligent control. The continuous and stable operation of every part always poses challenges for energy supply. In this work, a triboelectric technology-based all-in-one self-powered HMI system for wireless remote telemetry and the control of intelligent cars is proposed. The dual-network crosslinking hydrogel was synthesized and wrapped with functional layers to fabricate a stretchable fibrous triboelectric nanogenerator (SF-TENG) and a supercapacitor (SF-SC), respectively. A self-charging power unit containing woven SF-TENGs, SF-SCs, and a power management circuit was exploited to harvest mechanical energy from the human body and provided power for the whole system. A smart glove designed with five SF-TENGs on the dorsum of five fingers acts as a gesture sensor to generate signal permutations. The signals were processed by the microcontroller and then wirelessly transmitted to the intelligent car for remote telemetry and control. This work is of paramount potential for the application of various terminal devices in self-powered HMI systems with high integration for wearable electronics.