Non-Invasive Kupffer-CEUS Enhances the Accuracy of Focal Liver Lesions Diagnosis in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis or Fibrosis: A Prospective Multicenter Study from China.

Introduction: It is challenging to diagnose liver masses in the context of a rough liver background using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Perfluorobutane CEUS microbubble, an ultrasound (US) contrast agent, has a unique phase called the Kupffer phase. This study aimed to explore whether the diagnostic ability of Kupffer-CEUS is affected by the rough liver background.

Twisted Bilayer Materials as a Promising Platform for Solid-State Qubits.

Qubits are the fundamental units in quantum computing, quantum communication, and sensing. In current platforms, such as cold atoms, superconducting circuits, point defects, and semiconductor quantum dots, each qubit requires individual preparation, making identical replication a challenging task. Constructing and maintaining stable, scalable qubits remains a formidable challenge.

Subnanometer-Scale Probing of Excitonic Behavior in 2D Semiconductor CrSBr.

CrSBr is a promising material for optoelectronics due to its robust excitonic resonance and the intricate interplay among its magnetic, optical, and electronic properties. Here, electron energy loss spectroscopy performed in a scanning transmission electron microscope at room temperature reveals an unconventional blueshift in CrSBr exciton energy with increasing thickness, contrary to the typical redshift observed in other two-dimensional semiconductors. This blueshift is attributed to the decrease in bandgap size with increasing thickness being less pronounced than the reduction in exciton binding energy.

Research note: Dietary curcumin cocrystals enhance egg quality and lipid metabolism in laying hens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary curcumin cocrystals on laying performance, egg quality, and lipid metabolism in laying hens. A total of 900 Hy-Line Brown laying hens, aged 43 weeks, were randomly divided into three groups, each consisting of 10 replicates with 30 hens per replicate. Each group received a diet supplemented with 0, 8.

Esterified butyric and valeric acids enhance broiler growth and intestinal health by modulating gut morphology and microbial profile.

Background: Intestinal health is essential for nutrient absorption and pathogen defense, directly influencing broiler growth. Esterified butyric and valeric acids (EBVA) support intestinal integrity, but their combined effects on broiler performance and gut health remain underexplored. This research evaluated EBVA supplementation on broiler growth and intestinal health.

Terahertz chiral photonic-crystal cavities for Dirac gap engineering in graphene.

Strong coupling between matter and vacuum electromagnetic fields in a cavity can induce novel quantum phases in thermal equilibrium via symmetry breaking. Particularly intriguing is the coupling with circularly polarized cavity fields, which can break time-reversal symmetry (TRS) and lead to topological bands. This has spurred significant interest in developing chiral cavities that feature broken TRS, especially in the terahertz (THz) frequency range, where various large-oscillator-strength resonances exist.

Effects of dietary Leucine supplementation on intestinal development and gene expression of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in broilers.

This study investigated the effects of 0.4 % Leucine (Leu) addition on growth performance, intestinal growth, carcass characteristics, and pattern recognition receptors (PRR) gene expression in broilers. A Total of 144 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into two treatment groups: the basal diet (CON) and the basal diet added with 0.

Deformation Behavior of S32750 Duplex Stainless Steel Based on In Situ EBSD Technology.

In this study, we investigated the two-phase hardening behavior and microstructural evolution of S32750 duplex stainless steel during the tensile deformation process. The analysis was conducted using in situ electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and microhardness testing. It was observed that strain transfer occurred between the two phases in the position away from the fracture.

DNA ploidy combined with tumor stroma as a biomarker for predicting the prognosis of stage II colorectal cancer patients and identifying candidates for chemotherapy.

Purpose: The efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with stage II colorectal cancer has been a subject of debate. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic and predictive significance of DNA ploidy and stroma ratio in patients diagnosed with stage II colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: Clinical data and tumor tissues from 179 patients with stage II CRC were collected retrospectively.

Privacy-preserving method for face recognition based on homomorphic encryption.

In recent years, facial recognition technology has been widely adopted in modern society. However, the plaintext storage, computation, and transmission of facial data have posed significant risks of information leakage. To address this issue, this paper proposes a facial recognition framework based on approximate homomorphic encryption (HE_FaceNet), aimed at effectively mitigating privacy leaks during the facial recognition process.

Multi-parameter control of photodetection in van der Waals magnet CrSBr.

Photodetectors equipped with multi-parameter control hold the potential to deliver exceptional performance in a wide range of scenarios, paving the way for developing novel spin-opto-electronic devices. Nevertheless, the integration of such capabilities within a single device is challenging due to the necessity of harmonizing multiple materials with varying degrees of freedom. In this study, we introduce the van der Waals magnet CrSBr, featuring inherent anisotropy and distinctive spin-electronic coupling, to this realm.

Optoelectronic device library containing multiple Verilog-A models.

The advancement of the optoelectronic fusion industry has escalated the demands for optoelectronic simulation, yet a comprehensive model library remains unavailable for chip designers. We have utilized the hardware description language Verilog-A to develop an extensive optoelectronic device model library, featuring a full range of device types, unified interfaces, and the capability to simulate the physical effects of devices. Establishing this model library is intended to alleviate the workload of chip designers and reduce development costs.

Intrinsic Localized Excitons in MoSe/CrSBr Heterostructure.

Despite extensive studies on magnetic proximity effects, the fundamental excitonic properties of the 2D semiconductor-magnet heterostructures remain elusive. Here, the presence of localized excitons in MoSe/CrSBr heterostructures is unveiled, represented by a new photoluminescence emission feature, X. Our findings reveal that X originates from excitons confined by intrinsic defects in the CrSBr layer.

Serum proteome reveals distinctive molecular features of H7N9- and SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has reminded us of human infections with the H7N9 virus and has raised questions related to the clinical and molecular pathophysiological diversity between the two diseases. Here, we performed a proteomic approach on sera samples from patients with H7N9-virus or SARS-CoV-2-virus infection and healthy controls. Compared to SARS-CoV-2, H7N9-virus infection caused elevated neutrophil concentrations, T cell exhaustion, and increased cytokine/interleukin secretion.

Effects of purple sweet potato polysaccharide on performance, egg quality characteristics, jejunal morphology, and gut microbiota of Hy-Line Brown laying hens.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary purple sweet potato polysaccharide (PSPP) supplementation on production performance, egg quality characteristics, jejunal morphology, and gut microbiota modulation of Hy-line Brown laying hens. A total of 288 23-wk-old Hy-line Brown laying hens were randomly divided into 1 of the 4 dietary treatment groups, with 6 replicates and 12 laying hens per replicate. The 4 groups were fed basal diet supplemented with varying concentrations of PSPP (0, 1, 2, or 4 g/kg) for 6 wks.

The improvement of immunity and activation of TLR2/NF-κB signaling pathway by Romboutsia ilealis in broilers.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Romboutsia ilealis on the immune function of broilers and the underlying mechanisms. A total of 48 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were allocated to 4 groups as follows: broilers treated daily with 1 mL live R. ilealis in general anaerobic medium broth media (0, 1 × 104, 1 × 106, and 1 × 108 CFU/mL) from days 1 to 7.

Dietary Bacillus subtilis benefits meat quality by regulating the muscle fiber type and antioxidant capacity of broilers.

The effects of dietary Bacillus subtilis (BS) on the meat quality of broilers were evaluated, with an emphasis on the regulation of muscle fiber types and antioxidant capabilities. One hundred and forty-four Arbor Acres male broilers were divided into 3 treatment groups (0, 300 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg dietary BS) and raised for 35 d. The results suggested that BS improved meat quality by improving the muscular pH, meat color, water holding capacity and shear force.

A novel quantitative real-time PCR with the reference gene for peste des petits ruminants.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a serious acute, highly contagious disease caused by the peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV). This study aims to establish a qRT-PCR assay with an internal amplification control for the rapid and accurate detection of PPRV. The primers and probes for PPRV N were based on the national standard of the diagnostic techniques for PPR of China, and a pair of primers and Man probes for the internal reference gene of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase () was designed.

Study on the Deformation Behavior of Two Phases during the Low Cycle Fatigue of UNS S32750 Duplex Stainless Steel.

In this paper, the deformation behavior of UNS S32750 (S32750) duplex stainless steel during low cycle fatigue was studied by controlling the number of cycles. The microstructure of the specimens under different cycles was characterized by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The microhardness of the two phases was measured by a digital microhardness instrument.

Atomic dynamics of electrified solid-liquid interfaces in liquid-cell TEM.

Electrified solid-liquid interfaces (ESLIs) play a key role in various electrochemical processes relevant to energy, biology and geochemistry. The electron and mass transport at the electrified interfaces may result in structural modifications that markedly influence the reaction pathways. For example, electrocatalyst surface restructuring during reactions can substantially affect the catalysis mechanisms and reaction products.

[Not Available].

The exploration of 1D magnetism, frequently portrayed as spin chains, constitutes an actively pursued research field that illuminates fundamental principles in many-body problems and applications in magnonics and spintronics. The inherent reduction in dimensionality often leads to robust spin fluctuations, impacting magnetic ordering and resulting in novel magnetic phenomena. Here, structural, magnetic, and optical properties of highly anisotropic 2D van der Waals antiferromagnets that uniquely host spin chains are explored.