A multi-backbone cascade and morphology-aware segmentation network for complex morphological X-ray coronary artery images.

X-ray coronary artery images are the 'gold standard' technology for diagnosing coronary artery disease, but due to the complex morphology of the coronary arteries, such as overlapping, winding and uneven contrast media filling, the existing segmentation methods often suffer from segmentation errors and vessel breakage. To this end, we proposed a multi-backbone cascade and morphology-aware segmentation network (MBCMA-Net), which improves the feature extraction ability of the network through multi-backbone encoders, and embeds a vascular morphology-aware module in the backbone network to enhance the capability of complex structure recognition, and finally introduces a centerline loss function to maintain the vascular connectivity. During the experiment, we selected 1942 clear angiograms from two public datasets (DCA1 and CADICA) and annotated them, and also used the public ARCADE dataset for testing.

Effect of Hypertension on Long-term Adverse Clinical Outcomes and Liver Fibrosis Progression in MASLD.

Background & Aims: Hypertension is common in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), but its impact on long-term clinical outcomes and disease progression remains unclear. This study investigated the association of hypertension and risk of adverse clinical outcomes and progression of liver stiffness/fibrosis in MASLD.

Methods: Three multicenter prospective cohorts were analyzed: the UK BioBank (UKBB) cohort to assess the risk of adverse clinical outcomes, the VCTE-Prognosis cohort to assess liver stiffness/fibrosis progression, and the Paired Liver Biopsy cohort to assess histologic liver fibrosis progression.

Assessing the quality of myopia prevention videos on Chinese short video platforms: a cross-sectional content analysis by source.

Objectives: The prevalence of myopia has been rising, whereas prevention efforts have shown limited success. Educational short videos have become crucial sources for health information; however, their quality regarding myopia prevention is uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the quality and content of short videos on myopia prevention disseminated via major Chinese short video platforms and compare content differences between healthcare professionals and non-professional creators.

Neobaicalein Alleviates Retinal Damage via Microglia-Mediated Astrocyte Phenotypic Transformation.

Neobaicalein, a natural flavonoid compound, has shown potential therapeutic effects on various neurodegenerative diseases. However, its role and the underlying mechanisms in retinal damage remain largely unexplored. A mouse model of acute ocular hypertension (AOH) was established by raising intraocular pressure to 90 mmHg for 60 min.

Longitudinal Changes in Fibrosis Markers: Monitoring Stiffness/Fibrosis Progression and Prognostic Outcomes in MASLD.

Background & Aims: Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) is a noninvasive tool for assessing liver fibrosis in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, its role of dynamic FIB-4 for assessing fibrosis progression and predicting clinical outcomes remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the association between changes in FIB-4 and changes in liver stiffness, fibrosis progression, and outcomes in MASLD.

Electrospinning Superhydrophobic Flexible Wearable Sensor of CPU@MXene@SiO with High Sensing Sensitivity.

Flexible wearable sensors have garnered significant attention for their potential applications in electronic skins, health monitoring, and smart devices. However, current flexible sensors often suffer from limitations, such as low sensitivity and inadequate resistance to mechanical and chemical degradation. To address these issues, this study presents a CPU@MXene@SiO superhydrophobic flexible sensor fabricated using a combination of electrospinning and dip-coating techniques.

UBE4B promotes gastric cancer proliferation and metastasis by mediating FAT4 ubiquitination and degradation.

The ubiquitin‒proteasome system (UPS), an intracellular protein degradation pathway, plays an important role in regulating tumorigenesis and development. Ubiquitination factor E4B (UBE4B/UFD2) has been shown to be associated with the development of several cancers. The aim of this study was to reveal the functional significance of UBE4B in gastric cancer (GC) development and its important mechanism.

Application of an improved continuous single-layer pancreaticojejunostomy technique in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) is a minimally invasive approach for pancreatic head and ampullary tumours, with pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) critically influencing post-operative outcomes. This study aimed to compare a modified continuous single-layer PJ technique with the conventional two-layer method in LPD. A retrospective cohort study of 22 patients undergoing LPD compared the surgical outcomes between the modified group (n = 12) and the conventional group (n = 10).

A wide band gap selenohalide CsSiSeCl with unprecedented [CsSeCl] mixed anionic units.

Chalcohalides, combining the structural and property advantages of chalcogenides and halides, have been demonstrated to be a promising system for the design of advanced photoelectric functional materials. Herein, a new chalcohalide compound, CsSiSeCl, has been rationally designed by introducing a nonlinear optical (NLO)-active [SiSe] T2-supertetrahedral unit into a halide system and synthesized experimentally by the flux method with CsCl as the flux. The compound is composed of [CsSeCl] polyhedral, [CsSe] octahedral, and [SiSe] T2-supertetrahedral units.

m5C-modified circRREB1 promotes lung cancer progression by inducing mitophagy.

Background: Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumour and the leading cause of cancer-related death. circular RNAs (circRNAs) have important biological functions and are closely related to tumour development. The 5-methylcytosine (m5C) modification can regulate the molecular fate of RNA molecules and thus influence disease development.

Association of Plasma Lipoprotein(a) With Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in MASLD With or Without Advanced Liver Fibrosis.

Background And Aims: There is uncertainty regarding the role of plasma lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] in predicting cardiovascular events in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). We examined the association between plasma Lp(a) concentrations and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in MASLD, stratified by the severity of liver fibrosis.

Methods: This study enrolled patients with MASLD from two centres.

Global burden of disease and its risk factors for adults aged 70 and older across 204 countries and territories: a comprehensive analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background: The global older population has been rapidly increasing in recent decades, presenting substantial economic and social challenges.

Aims: This study aims to examine the global disease burden and the associated risk factors among the population aged 70 and older across different regions.

Methods: Data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) database were used to analyze global deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and average annual percentage changes to assess disease burden and associated risk factors.

Timing of endoscopy in patients with acute variceal bleeding in cirrhosis: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Endoscopy is a critical tool in the management of acute variceal bleeding (AVB). However, the optimal timing for its implementation remains controversial, with varying recommendations across different clinical guidelines. This study aims to evaluating the impact of endoscopy timing on patient outcomes.

Assessment of relative peripheral refraction in children with low myopia and pre-myopia using multispectral refraction topography.

The purpose of this study was to assess the retinal relative peripheral refraction (RPR) in children with low myopia and pre-myopia, and investigate the differences in RPR using multispectral refraction topography (MRT). Ninety-five children were enrolled in the Department of Ophthalmology, Jinshan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University. MRT could measure total RPR (TRPR) of the 53° range centered on macular fovea.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound-Guided Microwave Ablation for Iatrogenic Hepatic Hemorrhage: A Feasibility Study on Precision Hemostasis.

: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)-guided microwave ablation for managing iatrogenic hepatic hemorrhage following percutaneous liver puncture. : This retrospective study analyzed six patients (5 males, 1 female; mean age 56.8 ± 12.

Spin-Polarized Antiferromagnets for Spintronics.

Spin-polarized antiferromagnets (AFMs), including altermagnets, noncollinear AFMs, and 2D layer-polarized AFMs, have emerged as transformative materials for next-generation spintronic and optoelectronic technologies. These systems uniquely combine spin-polarized electronic states with vanishing net magnetization, enabling ultrafast spin dynamics, high-density integration, and robustness against stray magnetic fields. Their unconventional symmetry-breaking mechanisms-governed by crystal symmetry, chiral spin textures, or interlayer potential control-give rise to emergent phenomena previously exclusive to ferromagnets: nonrelativistic spin-momentum locking, spontaneous anomalous transport phenomena, gate-tunable magneto-optical responses, nonrelativistic spin-polarized current, and tunneling magnetoresistance effect.

Regulation of the brain tumor microenvironment by focused ultrasound.

Glioblastoma and other high-grade primary malignant brain tumors are a serious threat to the life and health of patients; consequently, their accurate diagnosis and treatment are crucial. Brain tumors are usually treated by surgical resection, radiotherapy and drug chemotherapy; however, such treatments have side effects such as trauma, infection, and radiation exposure. Furthermore, owing to limitations in conditions such as the skull and blood-brain barrier, noninvasive treatment and diagnosis of brain tumors have been challenging.

Synthesis of FeOOH Polymorphs by Room Temperature Solid-State Chemical Reaction: Effect on the Selective Cracking of Aromatic Hydrocarbons with C-O Bridge Bonds.

FeOOH polymorphs are valued in industrial catalysis for selective hydrogenation of organics in coal to high - value aromatics, yet the factors behind their differing efficiencies are still unclear. In this work, the synthesis of FeOOH nanopolymorphs with sizes from 80 to 300 nm was achieved through a simple, efficient, and environmentally friendly room temperature solid-phase chemical reaction. FeOOH polymorphs demonstrate different iron oxidation states and abundant surface hydroxyls.

Comparison of spherical equivalent and estimated prevalence of myopia in school-age children between Shanghai and Yunnan in China.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare spherical equivalent (SE) and estimated prevalence of myopia in school-age children between Shanghai and Yunnan in China, and to investigate the differences in SE and estimated prevalence of myopia between Han ethnicity and ethnic minorities in Yunnan.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study, which enrolled one primary school and one junior high school in Shanghai, and two primary schools and two junior high schools in Yunnan in 2021. Refraction was measured using autorefractors without cycloplegia.

The key regulator circPDE3B promotes arsenic-induced bladder carcinogenesis by affecting STAT3 and NF-κB stability.

Long-term exposure to arsenic (As), which is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant, significantly enhances the risk of multiple cancers, including bladder and lung cancers. In recent years, the important roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in tumorigenesis and development have attracted widespread attention. However, the specific molecular mechanisms by which circRNAs promote bladder cancer development following exposure to arsenic remain incompletely understood.

Flos lonicerae polysaccharide alleviates inflammatory bowel disease by improving intestinal microbiota and inhibiting oxidative stress and the NF-κB pathway.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease that is increasingly being recognized globally. IBD is difficult to cure and is in urgent need of more treatment options. Flos lonicerae polysaccharide (FLP) is an effective component extracted from traditional Chinese medicine flos lonicerae, and previous studies have demonstrated its therapeutic potential in treating inflammatory diseases such as rhinitis and dermatitis, but there has been few in-depth research on their regulation of IBD repair mechanisms.

Control of magnetic transitions via interlayer engineering in ferroelectric HO-OH systems.

Controlling magnetic phase transitions in two-dimensional (2D) multiferroics is crucial for both fundamental scientific knowledge and practical applications. Here, we present a general strategy for inducing magnetic transitions in 2D ferroelectrics based on the electron pairing principle. First-principles calculations revealed the coupled ferroelectric and ferromagnetic behavior in water-hydroxyl (HO-OH) monolayer, with ferromagnetism arising from unpaired electrons in 2p bonding orbitals of the OH groups.