Utilizing Causal Network Markers to Identify Tipping Points ahead of Critical Transition.

Early-warning signals of delicate design are used to predict critical transitions in complex systems, which makes it possible to render the systems far away from the catastrophic state by introducing timely interventions. Traditional signals including the dynamical network biomarker (DNB), based on statistical properties such as variance and autocorrelation of nodal dynamics, overlook directional interactions and thus have limitations in capturing underlying mechanisms and simultaneously sustaining robustness against noise perturbations. This study therefore introduces a framework of causal network markers (CNMs) by incorporating causality indicators, which reflect the directional influence between variables.

A Theoretical Combustion Kinetic Study of Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine: H-Atom Abstraction and Reactions on the Potential Energy Surface of CHN Radicals.

Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) is a widely used hypergolic rocket fuel. It is one of the most commonly used fuels for attitude control engines, such as those in missiles, satellites, spacecraft, and launch vehicles. We conducted a high-level theoretical study to develop a detailed combustion kinetic mechanism for UDMH, focusing on crucial elementary reactions.

The association between age and re-intervention rates in uterine fibroid patients after UsgHIFU therapy: A cohort study.

Aim: To investigate the correlation between patient age and long-term re-intervention requirements for symptomatic uterine fibroids through stratified age-group analysis following ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (UsgHIFU) ablation therapy.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated 443 uterine fibroids from the Liuzhou Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital (2018-2020). Post-ablation re-intervention trajectories were monitored over 36 months following UsgHIFU.

Exosomal ALPPL2 and THBS2 as biomarkers for early detection and disease monitoring of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Background: Lack of reliable biomarkers for early detection and monitoring contributes to the poor prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), as the current clinical marker, CA19-9, lacks adequate specificity and sensitivity.

Methods: Serum concentrations of ALPPL2-positive and THBS2-positive exosomes were measured using an ExoView assay in two cohorts: a cohort of 219 subjects, including non-disease controls and patients with early- or late-stage PDAC, and a longitudinal cohort of 26 patients with advanced PDAC undergoing treatment.

Results: Exosomal ALPPL2 and THBS2 distinguished non-cancer cases from PDAC with high accuracy; area under the curve (AUC) values = 0.

Autophagy and exosomes play different roles in the disposal of unwanted cellular materials.

Degradative autophagy supplies a source of nutrients and energy by digesting cytoplasmic components. Additionally, it eliminates toxic protein aggregates and defective organelles from cells. Exosomes are small vesicles that are released by cells into the extracellular environment and are also involved in maintenance of homeostasis by removing unwanted materials and intracellular pathogens.

Long-term outcomes of vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy: a real world study in China.

Purpose: To investigate long-term outcomes and their predictive factors in Chinese patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) after vitrectomy.

Study Design: Retrospective and observational.

Methods: PDR patients who underwent vitrectomy in a tertiary eye hospital from 2010 to 2020 were enrolled.

Projecting suitable habitats and prioritizing conservation areas for under climate change.

Z. L. Chen, S.

Three New Pyrones With Antifungal Activity From Myrothecium verrucaria ACCC 38039.

Myrothecium species have been recognized as prolific producers of biologically active secondary metabolites. Despite this, a substantial portion of their biosynthetic potential remains untapped. In this study, Myrothecium verrucaria ACCC 38039 was cultivated on a rice-based medium at 25°C for 30 days to explore its secondary metabolite profile.

Efficacy of pulsed radiofrequency stimulation in patients with chronic pain: a narrative review.

Objectives: The review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) in treating chronic pain by analyzing recent literature.

Study Design: This is a narrative review of relevant articles on the effectiveness of PRF for chronic pain.

Methods: Search for papers published between November 2014 and November 2024 in the PubMed database that use PRF to treat chronic pain.

De novo design mini-binder proteins targeting the capsid-forming domain of type 2 PRRSV nucleocapsid protein to inhibit PRRSV replication in vitro.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) has caused huge economic losses to swine industry but there is no effective antiviral drug. Nucleocapsid (N) protein is highly conserved in type 2 PRRSV and is considered as an important target for antiviral development. Mini-binders are novel protein drugs de novo designed for a specific protein target using a computational approach, which has great application prospects.

Decompression with interbody fusion versus decompression alone for degenerative lumbar diseases: A meta-analysis.

Objective: To appraise the clinical effectiveness and complications of two surgical approaches, namely decompression alone (DA) versus decompression with interbody fusion (DF), in managing degenerative lumbar diseases (DLD).

Methods: As of July 1, 2024, an exhaustive search identified all randomized controlled studies and cohort studies comparing DA and DF in DLD management. Relevant data were extracted using strict criteria, and study quality was assessed via the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Cochrane Collaboration's tool.

Predictive features analysis and nomogram construction for predicting depression in elderly patients.

Introduction: In elderly populations, depression is highly prevalent among those with chronic diseases and cognitive impairment, leading to distress, disability, and poor medical outcomes. With the aging of the population, the prevalence of geriatric depression is rising rapidly. The Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), a multidimensional approach, evaluates medical, psychological, and functional capacities to identify highrisk individuals and may be correlated with depression in the elderly.

Computational screening of single-atom catalysts supported on triazine-based graphite carbon nitride for 1,2-dichloroethane dechlorination.

In this study, we systematically investigated the performance of eight transition metal atom-loaded triazine-based graphitic carbon nitride (TM@TGCN) for the catalysis of 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCE) dechlorination reaction (DCEDR) by density functional theory calculations. Through the five-step screening method, the suitable catalysts, respectively, applicable to the generation of vinyl chloride (CH2CHCl), ethylene (CH2CH2), and ethane (CH3CH3) were finally determined. The limiting potential of Fe@TGCN for reducing 1,2-DCE to CH3CH3 is lower, at -0.

Enhanced photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction over iron tungstate/covalent organic framework heterojunctions by the induced unified adsorption and reduction sites.

Inorganic-organic S-scheme heterostructure photocatalysts have demonstrated exceptional potential in boosting charge separation for CO reduction. However, the reduction typically occurs at the inorganic site, resulting in underutilization of high CO adsorption capacity of organic material. To resolve this mismatch, we combined a low conduction band iron tungstate (FeWO) with a dioxin-linked covalent organic framework (COF) to construct S-scheme heterojunction, where the COF serve as the reduction photocatalysts and FeWO act as the oxidation photocatalysts, for photocatalytic CO reduction.

Dysarthria in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3: Prevalence and Disease Progression.

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), a common genetic disorder, results from an expanded CAG repeat in the gene. It often leads to dysarthria, which impacts patients' quality of life. Yet, there is limited research on how dysarthria's prevalence relates to clinical features and disease progression in SCA3.

Ternary-Classification Habitat Model for Invasiveness and Grade of Lung Adenocarcinoma Presenting as a Subsolid Nodule on Low-Dose Chest CT: A Multicenter Study.

Habitat imaging provides a novel approach to capture spatial heterogeneity within lesions. To develop a ternary-classification habitat model to characterize lung adenocarcinoma presenting as a subsolid nodule (SSN) on CT and to test the model's diagnostic performance compared with 2D and radiomic models. This retrospective study included 747 patients (median age, 56 years; 241 male, 506 female) with 834 resected lung adenocarcinomas that presented as SSNs on low-dose CT between July 2018 and May 2023.

Value Decomposition-Based Multi-Agent Learning for Anesthetics Collaborative Control.

Automated control of personalized multiple anesthetics in clinical Total Intravenous Anesthesia (TIVA) is crucial yet challenging. Current systems, including target-controlled infusion (TCI) and closedloop systems, either rely on relatively static pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models or focus on single anesthetic control. So they limit both personalization and collaborative control.

Application of directed message-passing neural network to predict human oral bioavailability of pharmaceuticals.

High failure rates in drug development are predominantly driven by suboptimal ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) properties, with human oral bioavailability (HOB) serving as a critical determinant of therapeutic efficacy and safety. Traditional HOB assessment methods, reliant on animal models and clinical trials, face inherent limitations in cost, scalability, and reproducibility. To address these challenges, this study proposes a deep learning framework integrating the directed message-passing neural network (D-MPNN) from the Chemprop tool with RDKit-derived molecular descriptors, enhancing predictive accuracy through hybrid representations of atomic/bond-level graph features and global physicochemical properties.

Exploring the Complexities of Liver Transplantation for Secondary Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis-Associated Acute Liver Failure.

Background: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening syndrome characterized by the aberrant activation of macrophages. Liver dysfunction is often observed in patients with HLH and has the potential to advance to acute liver failure (ALF). However, limited data exist regarding the application of liver transplantation (LTx) for the management of HLH-associated acute liver failure (HLH-ALF).

Endoscopic Image-Based Prediction of Esophageal Stenosis after ESD Using Mucosal Defect Metrics.

Background: Stricture is a major adverse event following esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Although postoperative esophageal stenosis after ESD is clearly associated with large mucosal defects, there are no quantitative criteria for the degree of the defect. We aimed to examine the predictive factors associated with the development of esophageal stenosis after ESD, and to explore quantitative indicators for predicting postoperative stenosis.

DNA methylation variations of DNA damage response in glioblastoma: NSUN5 modulates tumor-intrinsic cytosolic DNA-sensing and microglial behavior.

Background: Variations in DNA methylation within the DNA damage response (DDR) mechanism could have significant implications for glioma prognosis and immune responses. This study aimed to explore the global DNA methylation landscape of DDR genes in gliomas and identify key epigenetically regulated genes influencing glioma biology and immunity.

Methods: This study incorporated a range of public and local glioma datasets.

Manipulating polarization dynamics of temporal solitons in a 20-GHz micro fiber Fabry-Pérot laser.

In this work, we report on manipulating the polarization characteristics of temporal solitons in a microfiber Fabry-Pérot (FP) laser with a fundamental repetition rate of 20 GHz at 1.5 μm. By controlling the temperature of the microfiber oscillator, the state of temporal solitons can be switched from vector to scalar (linearly polarized) state.

Bidirectional high-purity structured light beams transformation based on multi-plane light conversion.

Structured light beams are essential in optical communications, quantum information processing, and light-matter interactions. The generation and conversion of high-purity structured light beams are crucial for these applications. In this study, we propose a bidirectional high-purity structured light beam transformation approach based on the multi-plane light conversion (MPLC) method.

50-femtosecond all polarization-maintaining fiber laser system at 1100 nm.

We demonstrate a robust high-energy all polarization-maintaining (PM) ultrashort pulse Yb-doped fiber laser system at 1100 nm that explores chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBGs) for pre-chirp management. This all-PM fiber laser system delivers compressed pulses at a fundamental repetition rate of 81.56 MHz with a duration of 47 fs and pulse energy of ∼40 nJ.