Digital Profiling Subpopulations of Cancer Cell-Derived Exosomes via Aptamer-SERS Nanotags on a Wafer-Level Micropillar Array Chip.

The clinical translation of exosome-based diagnostics and therapies is hindered by significant molecular heterogeneity. Current exosome phenotyping methods suffer from insufficient sensitivity, limited multiplexing capability, and poor scalability. To address these challenges, we developed a digital wafer-level micropillar array (WLM-Exo) platform.

Corticospinal Excitability in Bilateral M1 Hand Areas: Association with Neuropathic Pain After Spinal Cord Injury.

Purpose: Neuropathic pain (NP) is a major and debilitating complication of spinal cord injury (SCI), frequently occurring bilaterally below the injury level. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the primary motor cortex (M1) is suggested as a treatment for NP following SCI (SCI-NP). However, the specific changes in corticospinal excitability (CSE) within the bilateral M1 remain unclear, hindering the development of optimized rTMS parameters for SCI-NP.

Long-distance coherent secure communication network based on synchronized chaotic semiconductor lasers.

In this paper, we propose and numerically investigate a long-distance coherent secure communication network scheme based on a synchronized chaotic semiconductor laser. The central driving laser (CDL) with optical feedback can achieve chaotic signals with enhanced bandwidth and suppressed time delay signature through a dispersion component and a phase modulator, and high-quality chaos synchronization and communication between two arbitrary response lasers (RLs, legal receivers) can be guaranteed due to the identical injection from CDL. After adopting coherent detection and the modified constant modulus algorithm (MCMA) to compensate for the fiber transmission impairments, including chromatic dispersion and nonlinear effects, we demonstrate a bidirectional 64 Gb/s 16-quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM) message transmission over 800 km with a bit-error rate (BER) below the hard-decision forward-error-correction threshold of 3.

Demographic variation and socioeconomic inequalities in all forms of malnutrition among children aged 6 months to 9 years: findings from the Vietnamese General Nutrition Survey 2020.

Introduction: The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is a global public health challenge. This study examined the prevalence of population-level DBM, its demographic and socioeconomic determinants as well as the associations between anthropometric indicators of undernutrition and overnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs), among Vietnamese children, using the data from the nationally representative General Nutrition Survey 2020.

Methods: Data on anthropometric parameters, micronutrient biomarkers, demographic and socioeconomic indicators for 7289 children aged 6 months to 9 years were analysed.

Metabolism-Driven Colorimetric "Read-to-Answer" Sensor Array for Bacterial Discrimination and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing.

Due to the complexity of clinical samples, rapid and reliable bacterial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) remain challenging. To address these challenges, we developed a colorimetric sensing platform for bacterial identification and AST in clinical samples based on bacterial metabolism-driven synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) via hydrogen peroxide (HO) mediation. In this strategy, bacteria metabolic differences among bacterial species were converted into distinct colorimetric signals.

Gray Matter Volume Abnormalities in Schizophrenia: Comparisons Between P-Value and Effect Size Inference Frameworks Using Mega- and Meta-Analyses.

Background And Hypothesis: Identifying generalizable brain imaging markers from large multi-center datasets remains challenging due to varying statistical aggregation approaches and p-hacking with increasing big data. We hypothesized that effect size (ES) inference surpasses P-value-based inference in reliably identifying core brain damage of schizophrenia, regardless of whether Mega- or Meta-analyses are used.

Study Design: We examined voxel-wise inter-group differences in gray matter volume (GMV) based on individual data from 976 schizophrenia patients and 801 healthy controls across 16 datasets, along with published coordinates data from 103 studies involving 5151 patients and 5438 controls, using Mega-analysis (Mega), Image-Based Meta-analysis (IBMA), and Coordinate-Based Meta-analysis (CBMA) under P-value and ES inference frameworks, respectively.

Retroperitoneal schwannoma: A clinicopathological analysis of 14 cases.

Retroperitoneal schwannomas (RSs) are rare benign neurogenic tumors with nonspecific imaging features and histological mimics, posing significant diagnostic challenges. To address this gap, we retrospectively analyzed 14 RS cases to delineate clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics. Cases were retrieved from the pathology database of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (2019-2024), with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining performed for evaluation.

Evaluation of Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer through Shear-Wave Elastography.

Background: There remains a lack of methods to accurately assess the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the value of shear-wave elastography in evaluating the treatment response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced rectal cancer.

Materials And Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled 275 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy during September 2021-March 2023.

ZnCo Bimetallic Macro-Microporous Metal-Organic Frameworks for Efficient Adsorption of Dyes.

The significant threat posed by dye wastewater has driven the development of efficient adsorbents, such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs). Specifically, we explore the synthesis and application of ZnCo-based bimetallic zeolite imidazolate frameworks with a macro-microporous structure (SOM-ZnCo-ZIF), which exhibit enhanced adsorption capacity for dyes due to their large specific surface area and ordered porous arrangement. When SOM-ZnCo-ZIF is immersed in DMA solutions of methylene blue, methyl orange, crystal violet, and rhodamine B, due to its high specific surface area and the synergistic effect of ZnCo bimetallic clusters, SOM-ZnCo-ZIF significantly enhances dye adsorption.

Ionically conducting Li- and Na-phosphonates as organic electrode materials for rechargeable batteries.

Facilitating rapid charge transfer in electrode materials necessitates the optimization of their ionic transport properties. Currently, only a limited number of Li/Na-ion organic cathode materials have been identified, and those exhibiting intrinsic solid-phase ionic conductivity are even rarer. In this study, we present tetra-lithium and sodium salts with the generic formulae: A-Ph-CHP and A-Ph-PhP, wherein A = Li, Na; Ph-CHP = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-phenylene bis(methylphosphinate); Ph-PhP = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-phenylene bis(phenylphosphinate), as novel alkali-ion reservoir cathode materials.

On the Origin of Capacity Increase in Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries with Manganese Oxide Cathodes and Copper Metal Current Collectors.

Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs), with Cu as positive electrode current collector (CC), typically display a gradual capacity increase with cycling. Whereas the origin of this was suggested in gradual active material electro-activation, the fact that this is prevalent in many positive electrode material systems remains unexplained. Herein, we elucidate the underlying mechanism through a series of multiscale joint operando X-ray characterizations, including operando synchrotron X-ray diffraction and imaging technology.

The Role of Complementary Feeding Practices in Addressing the Double Burden of Malnutrition among Children Aged 6-23 Months: Insight from the Vietnamese General Nutrition Survey 2020.

: Optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices are crucial to addressing the double burden of malnutrition (DBM), encompassing undernutrition (including micronutrient deficiencies) and overnutrition. This study examined the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of IYCF practices, and their impacts on the DBM among 2039 Vietnamese children aged 6-23 months from the General Nutrition Survey 2020. Thirteen IYCF indicators recommended by the WHO/UNICEF were evaluated.

Selection of Reference Genes in and Expression Patterns of Genes Involved in Mogrosides Biosynthesis.

is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. In this study, using cultivated in vitro, twelve candidate reference genes under various treatments were analyzed for their expression stability by using algorithms such as GeNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, Delta CT, and RefFinder. The selected reference genes were then used to characterize the gene expression of , which is a rate-limiting enzyme for mogroside biosynthesis.

Constructing in-situ and real-time monitoring methods during soy sauce production by miniature fiber NIR spectrometers.

The digestion rate of steamed soybean (DRSS), protease activity of koji (PAK) and formaldehyde nitrogen content of moromi (FNCM) are key indicators to monitor soy sauce production. Currently, monitoring these indicators relies on workers' experience, which can sometimes lead to low material utilization rates and even fermentation failures. Near-infrared spectra were collected during soybean steaming, as well as koji and moromi fermentation, using miniature fiber spectrometers.

PFC/M1 activation and excitability: a longitudinal cohort study on fatigue symptoms in healthcare workers post-COVID-19.

Background: Fatigue is one of the most common neurological symptoms reported post coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. In order to establish effective early intervention strategies, more emphasis should be placed on the correlation between fatigue and cortical neurophysiological changes, especially in healthcare workers, who are at a heightened risk of COVID-19 infection.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 29 COVID-19 medical workers and 24 healthy controls.

Correlation of bilateral M1 hand area excitability and overall functional recovery after spinal cord injury: protocol for a prospective cohort study.

Background: After spinal cord injury (SCI), a large number of survivors suffer from severe motor dysfunction (MD). Although the injury site is in the spinal cord, excitability significantly decreases in the primary motor cortex (M1), especially in the lower extremity (LE) area. Unfortunately, M1 LE area-targeted repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has not achieved significant motor improvement in individuals with SCI.

Solitary pulmonary capillary hemangioma - An underrecognized rare tumor. Report of 32 new cases with literature review.

Objective: To explore the clinical, imaging, pathologic characteristics and differential diagnosis of solitary pulmonary capillary hemangioma (SPCH).

Methods: Thirty two cases of SPCH were collected and studied, with literature review.

Results: This study included 13 males and 19 females, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.

Spatial whole exome sequencing reveals the genetic features of highly-aggressive components in lung adenocarcinoma.

In invasive lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), patients with micropapillary (MIP) or solid (SOL) components had a significantly poorer prognosis than those with only lepidic (LEP), acinar (ACI) or papillary (PAP) components. It is interesting to explore the genetic features of different histologic subtypes, especially the highly aggressive components. Based on a cohort of 5,933 patients, this study observed that in different tumor size groups, LUAD with MIP/SOL components showed a different prevalence, and patients with ALK alteration or TP53 mutations had a higher probability of developing MIP/SOL components.

Design Principles of Quinone Redox Systems for Advanced Sulfide Solid-State Organic Lithium Metal Batteries.

The emergence of solid-state battery technology presents a potential solution to the dissolution challenges of high-capacity small molecule quinone redox systems. Nonetheless, the successful integration of argyrodite-type LiPSCl, the most promising solid-state electrolyte system, and quinone redox systems remains elusive due to their inherent reactivity. Here, a library of quinone derivatives is selected as model electrode materials to ascertain the critical descriptors governing the (electro)chemical compatibility and subsequently the performances of LiPSCl-based solid-state organic lithium metal batteries (LMBs).

Shear-wave elastography predicts T-restaging and pathologic complete response of rectal cancer post neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy.

Purpose: To investigate the value of shear-wave elastography (SWE) in assessing the response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer.

Methods: In this study, 455 participants with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent nCRT at our hospital between September 2021 and December 2022 were prospectively enrolled. The participants were randomly divided into training and test cohorts in a 3:2 ratio.

Constructing an Interlaced Catalytic Surface via Fluorine-Doped Bimetallic Oxides for Oxygen Electrode Processes in Li-O Batteries.

Lithium-oxygen (Li-O) batteries, renowned for their high theoretical energy density, have garnered significant interest as prime candidates for future electric device development. However, their actual capacity is often unsatisfactory due to the passivation of active sites by solid-phase discharge products. Optimizing the growth and storage of these products is a crucial step in advancing Li-O batteries.

A remote-controlled portable workstation for highly sensitive and real-time chemiluminescent detection of cadmium.

The prevention of pollution requires real-time monitoring of cadmium (Cd) concentration in the food, as it has a dramatic impact on poultry and can pose a threat to human health. Here, we fabricate a portable workstation integrating a microfluidic chip that facilitates real-time monitoring of Cd levels in real samples by utilizing the Luminol-KMnO chemiluminescence (CL) system. Interestingly, Cd can significantly enhance the CL signal, resulting in sensitive detection of Cd in the range of 0-0.

Chip-based automated equipment for dual-mode point-of-care testing foodborne pathogens.

Foodborne pathogens have a substantial bearing on food safety and environmental health. The development of automated, portable and compact devices is essential for the on-site and rapid point-of-care testing (POCT) of bacteria. Here, this work developed a micro-automated microfluidic device for detecting bacteria, such as Escherichia coli (E.

Review on bile dynamics and microfluidic-based component detection: Advancing the understanding of bilestone pathogenesis in the biliary tract.

Bilestones are solid masses found in the gallbladder or biliary tract, which block the normal bile flow and eventually result in severe life-threatening complications. Studies have shown that bilestone formation may be related to bile flow dynamics and the concentration level of bile components. The bile flow dynamics in the biliary tract play a critical role in disclosing the mechanism of bile stasis and transportation.