From Association to Mechanism: Excessive Exposure to Tin During Pregnancy May Cause Fetal Neural Tube Defects.

Despite widespread human exposure to tin, its health effects remain poorly understood. This study examined the role of tin in neural tube defects (NTDs) through a case-control study and animal experiments. Tin levels in maternal serum and placentas were analyzed in 200 NTD cases and 400 controls to explore potential associations.

Comparison of the accuracy of predictive models in early detection of clinically relevant posthepatectomy liver failure.

Background: Post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is a leading cause of perioperative mortality following liver resection. Early detection and prediction of clinically relevant post-hepatectomy liver failure (CR-PHLF) remain critical but challenging. Lactate has shown promise as a biomarker, but its predictive power when combined with other factors remains unclear.

Predicting textbook outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy for invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm: An international validation cohort study.

Background: Textbook outcome, a composite measure of optimal recovery, remains poorly defined for invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm after pancreaticoduodenectomy. This study aimed to develop and validate the first nomogram predicting textbook outcome in this distinct cohort, addressing gaps in tailored prognostic tools for patients meeting contemporary surgical criteria on the basis of high-risk features.

Methods: Using multicenter data from 327 US patients (training cohort) and 152 Chinese patients (external test cohort), we evaluated 43 preoperative and intraoperative variables.

InP Quantum Dots with a Strain-Engineered Gradient Shell for Enhanced Optical Performance and Stability.

InP quantum dots have emerged as a promising ecofriendly alternative to cadmium-based QDs for next-generation display applications. However, red-emitting InP QDs synthesized via aminophosphine precursors still suffer from broad emission spectra and limited stability. In this study, we present a strain-engineered InP/ZnSe/ZnSeS/ZnS QD structure featuring a gradient alloyed ZnSeS shell that effectively mitigates lattice mismatch, reduces strain accumulation, and enhances shell uniformity.

Band offsets, charge transfers, and formation energies of oxygen vacancies in c-ZrO/Si interface.

Due to the high dielectric constant and wide band gap, ZrOhas become a widely used gate dielectric material in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor devices, and the ZrO/Si interface plays a critical role in determining overall device performance. In this work, we systematically study the effects of oxygen vacancy defects on the band structure, band offset, and charge transfer in cubic ZrO/Si (c-ZrO/Si) interface structure. Our results reveal that the constructed (c-ZrO)/(Si)interface is an indirect band gap semiconductor, with the band edges contributed by Si and a band offset greater than 2 eV.

Future Time Perspective and Emotional Problems Mediated the Relationship Between Family Functioning and Adolescent Academic Burnout: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Study.

Introduction: Previous research has found that family factors predict adolescents' academic burnout, but few studies have described the mechanisms underlying the relationship. At the same time, there is a lack of longitudinal data on the possible mechanisms. This study aimed to examine the relationship between family functioning and academic burnout and the serial mediating effect of future time perspective and emotional problems (measured by depression and anxiety).

Efgartigimod versus standard of care in new-Onset AChR subtype generalized myasthenia gravis: A prospective cohort study.

Efgartigimod (EFG) is usually used to treat generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) with long disease duration; the benefit in new-onset gMG remained unknown. This study included 87 new-onset gMG patients who received either oral steroid and immunosuppressive treatment (Conventional group, n = 30) or combined with EFG (EFG group, n = 57). The primary outcome was minimal symptom expression (MSE) responders, as denoted by a Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) of 0 or 1 for over 4 weeks.

A Unified Photocatalytic Strategy for Fluoroalkylated and Cyanated α-Tertiary Amino/Glycolic Acids via a Radical-Polar Cascade.

A redox-neutral, metal-free, visible-light-driven strategy is developed for constructing fluoroalkylated and cyanated α-tertiary amino acids (ATAAs) via a radical migration-mediated radical-polar cascade. This mild protocol generates multifunctional α-carbonyl carbocations, which are trapped by nitriles to afford diverse ATAAs with a broad scope. The synthetic utility is demonstrated through the late-stage modification of bioactive molecules.

HBV reactivation and prognosis after systemic therapy in HCC with undetectable HBV DNA: a multicenter retrospective study.

There is a lack of research on hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation and prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with undetectable HBV DNA after systemic therapy. This study aims to compare HBV reactivation (HBVr) and prognosis between patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) monotherapy and those receiving TKI combined with programmed cell death protein‑1 (PD-1) inhibitors. The retrospective study comprised 877 advanced HCC patients from two medical centers with undetectable HBV DNA, receiving TKI monotherapy (n = 419) or TKI plus PD-1 inhibitors (n = 458).

Digitalization, Psychological Well-Being, and the Third-Level Digital Divide: Survey Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic in China.

Background: While rapid digitalization has helped society cope with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, will it bring health equity to the digitally disadvantaged? Limited studies have explored how individuals' digital activities may impact their psychological well-being during the pandemic and whether these effects vary across different sociodemographic groups.

Objective: This study aims to examine how individuals' digital activities influence their psychological well-being and whether socioeconomic status moderates the relationship between digitalization and mental health.

Methods: This study was based on a sample of 2170 residents surveyed in Hubei, the early epicenter of the pandemic in China, between March 23 and April 9, 2020.

Occurrence, residue level, distribution and risk assessment of pesticides in the typical polder areas of Lake Dongting.

The persistent accumulation of agricultural pesticides in ecosystems has emerged as a pervasive environmental challenge tied to modern farming practices. This study investigated the residues, ecological risks, and sources of 156 pesticides in aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems across five polder areas of Lake Dongting. The results showed that 67 and 55 pesticides were detected in water (1616.

Correlation of fetal heartbeat outcome after Day 3 or Day 5 single embryo transfer of morphologically selected embryos with an annotation-free deep learning scoring system: Results from a multi-center study.

Objective: To evaluate whether the use of a fully automated AI-based scoring system (iDAScore V2) for selecting viable embryos using fetal heartbeat (FHB) as an indicator is equivalent to morphology assessment.

Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study across four fertility centers analyzed embryos selected for single embryo transfer on Day 3 or Day 5 + based on morphology and time-lapse video. All transferred embryos from participating centers were retrospectively scored using a fully automated AI-based embryo scoring algorithm and standardized morphology assessment.

Advances in molecularly imprinted polymers for clinical biomarker detection (2021-2025).

The growing demand for early and precise disease diagnosis has made biomarker detection a vital component of modern precision medicine. However, conventional detection methods often struggle with cost, scalability, and robustness in complex biological samples. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), synthetic biorecognition materials that mimic natural molecular recognition mechanisms, have emerged as a transformative solution and gained increasing attention from the scientific community.

Association between menopause-related symptoms and muscle mass index among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women and the mediating role of estrogen levels.

Background: The decline in muscle mass is a common concern among perimenopausal women. However, the association between menopause-related symptoms and muscle mass remains inconclusive, and the mechanistic role of estrogen is still unclear.

Methods: The study included 407 peri- and postmenopausal women aged 40-60 years who visited the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital.

Kindlin-1 promotes mitophagy by inhibiting PINK1 degradation to enhance hepatocellular carcinoma progression and modulates sensitivity to donafenib.

Mitophagy, essential for mitochondrial homeostasis, may affect hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and drug sensitivity, though its precise role remains unclear. Kindlin-1 is an adhesion protein which can regulate the function of integrins, resulting in an aggressive phenotype in certain solid malignant tumors.This study explored the clinical significance and cellular functions of Kindlin-1 in HCC.

Alternate anti-phase pulsation in a mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser.

Pulsations have been widely studied in mode-locked fiber lasers because their behavior is analogous to oscillations in other dissipative systems. Despite extensive research on various pulsations, a detailed investigation into pulsations originating from the periodic evolution of pulse polarization states remains absent. We report the experimental observation of an alternate anti-phase pulsation (AAP) in a mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser.

Predictive Ability of an Objective and Time-Saving Blastocyst Scoring Model on Live Birth.

With the development of artificial intelligence technology in medicine, an intelligent deep learning-based embryo scoring system (iDAScore) has been developed on full-time lapse sequences of embryos. It automatically ranks embryos according to the likelihood of achieving a fetal heartbeat with no manual input from embryologists. To ensure its performance, external validation studies should be performed at multiple clinics.

Magnetic Fe/S-modified porous carbon activates peracetic acid for emerging contaminant removal: Unveiling active sites and structure-activity relationships.

Peracetic acid (PAA) activation by carbon-based materials is a promising technology for water decontamination. However, its efficiency is hindered by the ambiguous identification of active sites and corresponding reactive species. Herein, magnetic biochar modified with Fe/S phases (Fe/S-BC) were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal-calcination method.

Association between embryo cryopreservation duration and pregnancy outcomes in women receiving the freeze-all strategy: A multicentered retrospective study.

Objective: To investigate the impact of embryo cryopreservation duration on the clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) in women undergoing their first frozen embryo transfer (FET) following the freeze-all strategy.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 32 838 women who were patients at the five large-scale assisted reproduction treatment (ART) centers in China. The subjects were divided into seven groups according to the duration of embryo cryopreservation, among which the CPRs and LBRs were compared.

Reliability of ultrasound-based measurements for tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness assessment in healthy individuals.

Objective: The morphology of the tongue and its relationship with the hard palate play an important role in the rehabilitation of patents with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). This study aimed to evaluate the intra-and inter-evaluator reliability of ultrasound measurements of tongue-palate distance and tongue thickness in healthy individuals.

Methods: Thirty healthy volunteers were assessed using a Mindray ultrasound device with a C5-1s probe.

C-reactive protein-triglyceride glucose index and heart failure in US adults from NHANES 2001-2010.

The C-reactive protein(CRP)-triglyceride glucose index (CTI) is a new composite biomarker used to assess inflammation and insulin resistance(IR) severity. Heart failure (HF) poses a substantial epidemiological threat with increasing incidence and mortality worldwide. However, the relationship between CTI and HF has not been extensively investigated.

Twinning mediated intralayer frustration governs structural degradation in layered Li-rich oxide cathode.

Layered Li-rich Mn-based (LRM) oxides are promising cathode materials for next-generation high-energy batteries. However, their commercialization is hindered by intrinsic structural issues and subsequent degradation processes. In order to address the degradation mechanisms, we use operando neutron diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy to follow the microstructural degeneration of the LRM oxides in a prepared full cell with a graphite anode.

Discovery of Potent FGFR2/3 Inhibitors to Overcome Mutation Resistance and Treat Achondroplasia.

Achondroplasia (ACH), the most prevalent form of human dwarfism, is caused by the G380R mutation in FGFR3 in approximately 99% of cases. Through structural hybridization of Tyra-300 and LY2874455, we developed compound , a new dual-target FGFR2/3 inhibitor demonstrating potent activity against both wild-type and mutant FGFR3. In preclinical ACH mouse models, compound showed a dose-dependent improvement in growth rate, with significantly enhanced efficacy versus infigratinib at equivalent doses.

RGB-FIR Multimodal Pedestrian Detection with Cross-Modality Context Attentional Model.

Pedestrian detection is an important research topic in the field of visual cognition and autonomous driving systems. The proposal of the YOLO model has significantly improved the speed and accuracy of detection. To achieve full day detection performance, multimodal YOLO models based on RGB-FIR image pairs have become a research hotspot.

Temperature-Modulated SERS Fusion Enables Accurate Diagnosis of Clinical Fungal Pathogens.

The rapid and accurate identification of fungal pathogens remains a significant challenge in clinical microbiology. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) shows great potential for fungal diagnostics; however, achieving fast, convenient, and reproducible spectral acquisition remains difficult. Additionally, the high biochemical similarity among fungal species often leads to overlapping spectral features, limiting diagnostic accuracy.