Rare infiltrative primary hepatic angiosarcoma: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: The most primary sites of angiosarcoma are the skin, breast gland, and soft tissues. Primary hepatic angiosarcoma (PHA) is a rare malignant tumor of mesothelial tissue originating from the liver. PHA often presents with multiple intrahepatic foci or metastasis at the time of presentation due to its nonspecific clinical presentation and highly aggressive nature. There are no established or effective treatment guidelines for PHA, so early detection and early treatment are of great value for patient survival. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of literature on the imaging features of PHA, making the diagnosis and treatment of this disease a considerable challenge. CASE SUMMARY: In this case report, we present a 59-year-old man who initially presented with abdominal pain and radiating pain in the right shoulder. Magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography-computed tomography revealed multiple intrahepatic nodules that needed to be differentiated from tumors of vascular epithelial origin and tumors with progressive enhancement features, and signs of tumor metastasis were assessed. The patient was then subjected to contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) to further clarify the extent of tumor infiltration and the state of microcirculatory perfusion. The manifestations observed on CEUS were similar to the classical characteristic presentation of hepatocellular carcinoma, called "quick wash-in and quick wash-out". In addition, CEUS showed that the lesion exhibited gradual infiltration and growth along the liver pedicle structures with no invading blood vessels. Finally, based on pathological and immunohistochemical tests and the above imaging manifestations, it was confirmed that the patient had infiltrating PHA, which is a rare pathological type of PHA. The patient underwent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and chemotherapy. Four months after the onset of symptoms, the follow-up radiological examination revealed poor treatment efficacy and rapid deterioration. CONCLUSION: This case report complements the imaging modalities of a rare infiltrative PHA, in which CEUS and quantitative analysis are found to offer substantial advantages in characterizing the microcirculatory perfusion of the lesion, providing clinicians with diagnostic information at the earliest opportunity to make a diagnosis and develop a treatment strategy to prolong the patient survival.

Association between admission pan-immune-inflammation value and short-term mortality in septic patients: a retrospective cohort study.

Pan-Immune-Inflammation Value (PIV) has recently received more attention as a novel indicator of inflammation. We aimed to evaluate the association between PIV and prognosis in septic patients. Data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database. The primary and secondary outcomes were 28-day and 90-day mortality. The association between PIV and outcomes was assessed by Kaplan-Meier curves, Cox regression analysis, restricted cubic spline curves and subgroup analysis. A total of 11,331 septic patients were included. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that septic patients with higher PIV had lower 28-day survival rate. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, log2-PIV was positively associated with the risk of 28-day mortality [HR (95% CI) 1.06 (1.03, 1.09), P < 0.001]. The relationship between log2-PIV and 28-day mortality was non-linear with a predicted inflection point at 8. To the right of the inflection point, high log2-PIV was associated with an increased 28-day mortality risk [HR (95% CI) 1.13 (1.09, 1.18), P < 0.001]. However, to the left of this point, this association was non-significant [HR (95% CI) 1.01 (0.94, 1.08), P = 0.791]. Similar results were found for 90-day mortality. Our study showed a non-linear relationship between PIV and 28-day and 90-day mortality risk in septic patients.

Covalent Bonding of Salen Metal Complexes with Pyrene Chromophores to Porous Polymers for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

The development of low-cost and efficient photocatalysts to achieve water splitting to hydrogen (H2) is highly desirable but remains challenging. Herein, we design and synthesize two porous polymers (Co-Salen-P and Fe-Salen-P) by covalent bonding of salen metal complexes and pyrene chromophores for photocatalytic H2 evolution. The catalytic results demonstrate that the two polymers exhibit excellent catalytic performance for H2 generation in the absence of additional noble-metal photosensitizers and cocatalysts. Particularly, the H2 generation rate of Co-Salen-P reaches as high as 542.5 µmol g-1 h-1, which is not only 6 times higher than that of Fe-Salen-P but also higher than a large amount of reported Pt-assisted photocatalytic systems. Systematic studies show that Co-Salen-P displays faster charge separation and transfer efficiencies, thereby accounting for the significantly improved photocatalytic activity. This study provides a facile and efficient way to fabricate high-performance photocatalysts for H2 production.

Low-viscosity hydroxypropyl methylcellulose obtained by electron beam irradiation and its performance in spray drying.

Low-viscosity hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was obtained by electron beam irradiation, and its use as an excipient for improving the properties of spray dried pharmaceutical powders was investigated. The minimum molecular weight of HPMC which could maintain the capacity of encapsulation and powder modification was explored. As the irradiation dose was increased from 10 to 200 kGy, the molecular weight and viscosity of HPMC decreased linearly. However, its main structure and degrees of methoxy and hydroxypropyl substitution were not significantly affected. The irradiated HPMC could encapsulate particles during spray drying and, thus, modify powder properties. Furthermore, the water content of spray-dried powders with irradiated HPMC was lower than that with parent HPMC. After the spray-dried powder with irradiated HPMC was prepared into granules, their dissolution rate was also faster. However, in order to achieve high encapsulation, the molecular weight of HPMC should be ensured to be above 7.5 kDa. The designated low-viscosity HPMC obtained by electron beam irradiation is a suitable powder-modification material for use in spray drying, and it shows promise as a superior excipient in medicine, food, paint industries, among others.

AI-NERD: Elucidation of relaxation dynamics beyond equilibrium through AI-informed X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy.

Understanding and interpreting dynamics of functional materials in situ is a grand challenge in physics and materials science due to the difficulty of experimentally probing materials at varied length and time scales. X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) is uniquely well-suited for characterizing materials dynamics over wide-ranging time scales. However, spatial and temporal heterogeneity in material behavior can make interpretation of experimental XPCS data difficult. In this work, we have developed an unsupervised deep learning (DL) framework for automated classification of relaxation dynamics from experimental data without requiring any prior physical knowledge of the system. We demonstrate how this method can be used to accelerate exploration of large datasets to identify samples of interest, and we apply this approach to directly correlate microscopic dynamics with macroscopic properties of a model system. Importantly, this DL framework is material and process agnostic, marking a concrete step towards autonomous materials discovery.

Integrated analysis reveals the immunotoxicity mechanism of BPs on human lymphocytes.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-documented endocrine-disrupting chemical widely used in plastic products. In addition to its endocrine-disrupting effects, BPA exhibits immunotoxicity. Many countries have banned BPA because of its adverse effects on human health. In recent years, many chemicals such as bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol E (BPE), bisphenol S (BPS), and bisphenol fluorene (BHPF) have been used to replace BPA. Because these replacement chemicals have chemical structures similar to that of BPA, they may also harm human health. However, their immunotoxicity and the molecular mechanisms underlying their toxicity remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunotoxicity of BPA and its replacement chemicals, as well as the underlying mechanisms by exposing primary human lymphocytes to BPA and its replacement chemicals. Our results showed that exposure to BPA and its replacement chemicals altered the interleukin (IL) and cytokine production, such as IL-1b, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, interferon alfa-2b (IFN-a2B), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), in the lymphocytes. Among these, BPA and BHPF caused a greater inhibition. Using comparative transcriptomic analysis, we further investigated the biological processes and signaling pathways altered by BHPF exposure. Our data highlighted alterations in the immune response, T cell function, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions in human lymphocytes through the deregulation of gene clusters. In addition, the results of ingenuity pathway analysis demonstrated the inhibition of T lymphocyte function, including differentiation, movement, and infiltration. Our results, for the first time, delineate the mechanisms underlying the immunotoxicity of BHPF in human lymphocytes.

The Protective Effects of Silkworm (Bombyx mori) Pupae Peptides on UV-Induced Skin Photoaging in Mice.

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupae are popular edible insects with high nutritional and therapeutic value. Currently, there is growing interest in the comprehensive application of silkworm pupae. In this study, peptides that exhibited anti-photoaging activity were obtained from silkworm pupae protein, aiming to investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of silkworm pupae peptides (SPPs) on skin photoaging. The results showed that SPPs were composed of 900 short peptides and could effectively alleviate skin photoaging progression. They significantly eliminated excessive production of ROS and MDA; meanwhile, they also renovated the antioxidant enzyme activities. The biomarkers related to collagen synthesis and degradation, including hydroxyproline, interstitial collagenase, and gelatinase, demonstrated that SPPs could suppress collagen degradation. Histopathological results showed that SPPs could reduce the inflammatory infiltrate and the thickness of the dermis and epidermis, as well as increase the collagen bundles and muscle fibers. The histopathological and biochemical results confirmed that SPPs could alleviate photoaging by inhibiting abnormal skin changes, reducing oxidative stress, and immune suppression. Overall, these data prove the protective effects of SPPs against the photoaging process, suggesting their potential as an active ingredient in skin photoaging prevention and therapy.

Metal Variance in Multivariate Metal-Organic Frameworks for Boosting Catalytic Conversion of CO2.

Developing efficient, low-cost, MOF catalysts for CO2 conversion at low CO2 concentrations under mild conditions is particularly interesting but remains highly challenging. Herein, we prepared an isostructural series of two-dimensional (2D) multivariate metal-organic frameworks (MTV-MOFs) containing copper- and/or silver-based cyclic trinuclear complexes (Cu-CTC and Ag-CTC). These MTV-MOFs can be used as efficient and reusable heterogeneous catalysts for the cyclization of propargylamine with CO2. The catalytic performance of these MTV-MOFs can be engineered by fine-tuning the Ag/Cu ratio in the framework. Interestingly, the induction of 10% Ag remarkably improved the catalytic efficiency with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 243 h-1, which is 20-fold higher than that of 100% Cu-based MOF (i.e., TOF = 10.8 h-1). More impressively, such a bimetallic MOF still exhibited high catalytic activity even for simulated flue gas with 10% CO2 concentration. Furthermore, the reaction mechanism has been examined through the employment of NMR monitoring experiments and DFT calculations.

The effect of residential greenness on cardiovascular mortality from a large cohort in South China: An in-depth analysis of effect modification by multiple demographic and lifestyle characteristics.

BACKGROUND: The potential for residential greenness to improve cardiovascular health through both physical and psychological mechanisms is well recognized. However, evidence from rapidly urbanizing developing countries and cohort-based causal inference approaches, remains limited. We aim to examine the effect of residential greenness and time to cardiovascular mortality in South China. METHODS: We utilized data from a community-based population survey involving 748,209 participants at baseline from 2009 to 2015, followed up until 2020. Residential greenness exposure was assessed by the annual Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the 500 m radius of each participant's residence. We used time-varying proportional hazard Cox models coupled with inverse probability weighting to fit marginal structural models and obtain hazard ratios (HRs) for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality after adjusting for confounders. Multiple effect modifiers on both additive and multiplicative scales were further explored. RESULTS: A total of 15,139 CVD-related deaths were identified during a median of 7.9 years of follow-up. A protective effect was found between higher greenness exposure and reduced CVD mortality, with a 9.3 % lower rate of total CVD mortality (HR 0.907, 95 % CI 0.859-0.957) based on a 0.1 increase in annual average NDVI. Demographic (age, marital status) and lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking status) were found to modify the association between residential greenness and CVD mortality (all P interaction values < 0.05 or 95 %CI for RERI excluded the value 0). Notably, this effect was more pronounced among older adults, married, and individuals having healthier lifestyles, indicating a greater benefit from greenness for these subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support a causal link between increased residential greenness exposure and a reduced risk of CVD mortality in South China with marked heterogenous effects, which has public health implications for cultivating greener urban environments to mitigate the impact of CVD within the context of rapid urbanization.

Recent advances in CAR-T therapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, which has demonstrated notable efficacy against B-cell malignancies and is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for clinical use in this context, represents a significant milestone in cancer immunotherapy. However, the efficacy of CAR-T therapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is poor. The challenges associated with the application of CAR-T therapy for the clinical treatment of AML include, but are not limited to, nonspecific distribution of AML therapeutic targets, difficulties in the production of CAR-T cells, AML blast cell heterogeneity, the immunosuppressive microenvironment in AML, and treatment-related adverse events. In this review, we summarize the recent findings regarding various therapeutic targets for AML (CD33, CD123, CLL1, CD7, etc.) and the results of the latest clinical studies on these targets. Thereafter, we also discuss the challenges related to CAR-T therapy for AML and some promising strategies for overcoming these challenges, including novel approaches such as gene editing and advances in CAR design.

Recent advances in CAR-T therapy for acute myeloid leukemia Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a clinical challenge despite the advent of chimeric receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, as there are obstacles hindering the application of CAR-T cells in AML. In this review, we discuss the results of current relevant clinical trials, existing treatment strategies for AML and recent advances in preclinical research to provide insight for overcoming the inefficacy of CAR-T therapy for AML.

Evidence of a distinct collective mode in Kagome superconductors.

The collective modes of the superconducting order parameter fluctuation can provide key insights into the nature of the superconductor. Recently, a family of superconductors has emerged in non-magnetic kagome materials AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs), exhibiting fertile emergent phenomenology. However, the collective behaviors of Cooper pairs have not been studied. Here, we report a distinct collective mode in CsV3-xTaxSb5 using scanning tunneling microscope/spectroscopy. The spectral line-shape is well-described by one isotropic and one anisotropic superconducting gap, and a bosonic mode due to electron-mode coupling. With increasing x, the two gaps move closer in energy, merge into two isotropic gaps of equal amplitude, and then increase synchronously. The mode energy decreases monotonically to well below 2 Δ and survives even after the charge density wave order is suppressed. We propose the interpretation of this collective mode as Leggett mode between different superconducting components or the Bardasis-Schrieffer mode due to a subleading superconducting component.

Critical signaling molecules in the temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis under different magnitudes of mechanical stimulation.

The mechanical stress environment in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is constantly changing due to daily mandibular movements. Therefore, TMJ tissues, such as condylar cartilage, the synovial membrane and discs, are influenced by different magnitudes of mechanical stimulation. Moderate mechanical stimulation is beneficial for maintaining homeostasis, whereas abnormal mechanical stimulation leads to degeneration and ultimately contributes to the development of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA), which involves changes in critical signaling molecules. Under abnormal mechanical stimulation, compensatory molecules may prevent degenerative changes while decompensatory molecules aggravate. In this review, we summarize the critical signaling molecules that are stimulated by moderate or abnormal mechanical loading in TMJ tissues, mainly in condylar cartilage. Furthermore, we classify abnormal mechanical stimulation-induced molecules into compensatory or decompensatory molecules. Our aim is to understand the pathophysiological mechanism of TMJ dysfunction more deeply in the ever-changing mechanical environment, and then provide new ideas for discovering effective diagnostic and therapeutic targets in TMJOA.

Preparation of MPN@Zein-PpIX Membrane and Its Antibacterial Properties.

For antibacterial purposes, a photothermal and photodynamic antibacterial membrane was prepared through electrospinning. We used zein as the substrate and introduced Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) into the protein structure. Then, we used electrospinning technology to weave the modified zein into a fiber structure. We finally introduced a metallic polyphenol network (MPN) coating on the fiber surface to form the final membrane: MPN@Zein-PpIX. Then, we investigated the photothermal and photodynamic properties of the membrane and assessed its antibacterial activity with in vitro agar plate counting methods. The MPN@Zein-PpIX membrane exhibited good singlet oxygen generation and excellent photothermal conversion. Additionally, it showed good antibacterial capacity in vitro, owing to the combination of photothermal and photodynamic properties. Our research provides a simple approach to prepare a multifunctional membrane with excellent antibacterial ability. We used the electrospinning technique to anchor PpIX onto zein to produce a fiber membrane (Zein-PpIX) that can be adhered in situ to improve the biocompatibility of PpIX, and the MPN makes the membrane surface more hydrophilic and more accessible to adhere to biological tissues. The MPN@Zein-PpIX membrane provided new ideas for combining PDT and PTT, and it had great potential for use in the antibacterial application field.

Surface modification prepared porous copper oxide/(Cu-S)n metal-organic framework/reduced graphene oxide hierarchical structure for highly selective electrochemical quercetin detection.

Electrochemical alkalization of (Cu-S)n metal-organic framework (MOF) and graphene oxide ((Cu-S)n MOF/GO) composite yields a new CuO/(Cu-S)n MOF/RGO (reduced GO) composite with porous morphology on screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE) which facilitated the electron transfer properties in electrochemical quercetin (QUE) detection. A selective QUE detection ability has been demonstrated by the constructed electrochemical sensor (CuO/(Cu-S)n MOF/RGO/SPCE), which also has a broad dynamic range of 0.5 to 115 µM in pH 3 by differential pulse voltammetry. The detection limit is 0.083 µM (S/N = 3). In this study, it was  observed that the real samples contained 0.34 mg mL-1 and 27.7 µg g-1 QUE in wine and onion, respectively.

Predictive value of CXCL1+_FAP+ phenotype in CAFs for distant metastasis and its correlation with PD-L1 expression in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

OBJECTIVE: There is a lack of effective biomarkers for predicting the distant metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We aimed to explore the expression of FAP+Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) derived CXCL1 in NPC and its predictive values for distant metastasis and correlation with PD-L1 expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 345 patients with locoregionally advanced NPC were retrospectively enrolled (the training cohort: the validation cohort = 160:185). Co-expression of CXCL1 and FAP and the expression of PD-L1 were detected by multi-immunofluorescence staining and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The primary end-point was distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS). The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess prognostic risk factors. RESULTS: A novel CXCL1+_FAP+ phenotype in CAFs was identified in NPC and then used to divide patients into low and high risk groups. Both in the training cohort and validation cohort, patients in the high risk group had poorer DMFS, overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and locoregional relapse-free survival (LRFS) than patients in the low risk group. Multivariate analysis revealed CXCL1+_FAP+ phenotype was an independent prognostic factor for DMFS, OS, PFS and LRFS. Further results showed patients in the high risk group had higher PD-L1 expression than those in the low risk group. CONCLUSION: Our study showed CXCL1+_FAP+ phenotype in CAFs could effectively classified locoregionally advanced NPC patients into different risk groups for distant metastasis and might be a potential biomarker for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy.

Global, regional, and national trends in metabolic risk factor-associated mortality among the working-age population from 1990-2019: An age-period-cohort analysis of the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic diseases contribute significantly to premature mortality worldwide, with increasing burdens observed among the working-age population (WAP). This study assessed global, regional, and national trends in metabolic disorders and associated mortality over three decades in WAP. METHODS: Data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study were leveraged to assess global metabolism-associated mortality and six key metabolic risk factors in WAP from 1990-2019. An age-period-cohort model was employed to determine the overall percentage change in mortality. RESULTS: The 2019 global metabolic risk-related mortality rate in WAP rose significantly by 50.73%, while the age-standardized mortality rate declined by 21.5%. India, China, Indonesia, the USA, and the Russian Federation were the top contributing countries to mortality in WAP, accounting for 51.01% of the total. High systolic blood pressure (HSBP), high body mass index (HBMI), and high fasting plasma glucose (HFPG) were the top metabolic risk factors for the highest mortality rates. Adverse trends in HBMI-associated mortality were observed, particularly in lower sociodemographic index (SDI) regions. HFPG-related mortality declined globally but increased in older age groups in lower SDI countries. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a general decline in metabolic risk-related deaths in WAP, increasing HBMI- and HFPG-related mortality in lower SDI areas poses ongoing public health challenges. Developing nations should prioritize interventions addressing HBMI and HFPG to mitigate mortality risks in WAP.

Sensitivity-Enhancing Modified Holographic Photopolymer of PQ/PMMA.

Phenanthrenequinone-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PQ/PMMA) photopolymers are potential holographic storage media owing to their high-density storage capacities, low costs, high stability, and negligible shrinkage in volume holographic permanent memory. However, because of the limitations of the substrate, conventional Plexiglas materials do not exhibit a good performance in terms of photosensitivity and molding. In this study, the crosslinked structure of PMMA was modified by introducing a dendrimer monomer, pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PETA), which increases the photosensitivity of the material 2 times (from ~0.58 cm/J to ~1.18 cm/J), and the diffraction efficiency is increased 1.6 times (from ~50% to ~80%). In addition, the modified material has a superior ability to mold compared to conventional materials. Moreover, the holographic performance enhancement was evaluated in conjunction with a quantum chemical analysis. The doping of PETA resulted in an overall decrease in the energy required for the reaction system of the material, and the activation energy decreased by ~0.5 KJ/mol in the photoreaction stage.

Polarization evolution on higher and hybrid-order Poincaré spheres with coaxial polarization holograms.

Based on the tensor polarization holography theory, we propose a simple and convenient method in the recording material, phenanthrenequinone-doped polymethylmethacrylate, to generate beams on higher and hybrid-order Poincaré spheres, and realize their polarization evolution on the spheres by combining the recorded phase with the Pancharatnam-Berry phase. By simultaneously adjusting the polarization azimuth angle and relative phase of the recorded waves, independent phase-shifts can be imparted onto two orthogonal circular polarization states in reconstruction process of polarization holography. The beams on basic Poincaré sphere are transformed into that on arbitrary higher or hybrid-order Poincaré spheres. We get the Poincaré spheres' type and polarization distribution of the reconstructed wave by interferometry and polarizer, and the results match well with the theoretical predictions.

Effect of cervical pillow in phacoemulsification surgery for age-related cataract patients: a prospective randomized controlled study.

PURPOSE: To explore the application effect of cervical pillow in phacoemulsification surgery for age-related cataract patients. METHODS: 104 cases of age-related cataract patients admitted to our hospital in June 2023 were enrolled and divided into the control group (traditional supine position) and the experimental group (the cervical pillow supine position) by the digital parity method (52 cases per group). The two groups were evaluated for the discomfort score, the satisfaction of patients and doctors, the head displacement rate, the number of displacement, the operation time and the time of body position during the operation and after the operation. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the gender (P = 0.84), age (P = 0.86), course of disease (P = 0.82) and the time spent on position placement (P = 0.15) of the two groups. The patient in the experimental group had lower discomfort score (P = 0.0001), higher patients satisfaction (P = 0.0001) and higher doctors satisfaction (P = 0.0001) than patients in the control group. There was no significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in the proportion of intraoperative (P = 0.36) and postoperative pain (P = 0.65). Besides, the number of head transfers (P = 0.001), number of head shifts (P = 0.0001), the surgical time (P = 0.0001) and laparoscopic time (P = 0.0001) in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: The additional cervical pillow for age-related cataract patients in the traditional supine position during the operation will not increase the preparation time before the operation, but will help improve the patient satisfaction, improve the comfort and maintain a good position of the operative eye field, bringing obvious comfort and smooth operation for the surgeon in the operation, thus reducing the risk of the operation, shortening the operation time.