Ensembling U-Nets for microaneurysm segmentation in optical coherence tomography angiography in patients with diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness around the world. This makes early diagnosis and treatment important in preventing vision loss in a large number of patients. Microaneurysms are the key hallmark of the early stage of the disease, non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and can be detected using OCT angiography quickly and non-invasively. Screening tools for non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy using OCT angiography thus have the potential to lead to improved outcomes in patients. We compared different configurations of ensembled U-nets to automatically segment microaneurysms from OCT angiography fundus projections. For this purpose, we created a new database to train and evaluate the U-nets, created by two expert graders in two stages of grading. We present the first U-net neural networks using ensembling for the detection of microaneurysms from OCT angiography en face images from the superficial and deep capillary plexuses in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy trained on a database labeled by two experts with repeats.

Topographic Measurement of the Subretinal Pigment Epithelium Space in Normal Aging and Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using High-Resolution OCT.

Purpose: A micrometer scale hyporeflective band within the retinal pigment epithelium basal lamina - Bruch's membrane complex (RPE-BL-BrM) was topographically measured in aging and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: In a prospective cross-sectional study, 90 normal eyes from 76 subjects (range = 23-90 years) and 53 dry AMD eyes from 47 subjects (range = 62-91 years) were enrolled. Isotropic volume raster scans over 6 mm × 6 mm (500 × 500 A-scans) were acquired using a high-resolution (2.7 µm axial resolution) spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) prototype instrument. Six consecutive optical coherence tomography (OCT) volumes were computationally motion-corrected and fused to improve feature visibility. A boundary regression neural network was developed to measure hyporeflective band thickness. Topographic dependence was evaluated over a 6-mm-diameter Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid. Results: The hyporeflective band thickness map (median of 4.3 µm and 7.8 µm in normal and AMD eyes, respectively) is thicker below and radially symmetric around the fovea. In normal eyes, age-associated differences occur within 0.7 to 2.3 mm from the foveal center (P < 0.05). In AMD eyes, the hyporeflective band is hypothesized to be basal laminar deposits (BLamDs) and is thicker within the 3-mm ETDRS circle (P < 0.0002) compared with normal eyes. The inner ring is the most sensitive location to detect age versus AMD-associated changes within the RPE-BL-BrM. AMD eyes with subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDDs) have a significantly thicker hyporeflective band (P < 0.001) than those without SDDs. Conclusions: The hyporeflective band is a quantifiable biomarker which differentiates AMD from aging. Longitudinal studies are warranted. The hyporeflective band may be a useful biomarker for risk stratification and disease progression.

Persulfate activation by biochar and iron: Effect of chloride on formation of reactive species and transformation of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET).

Fenton-like processes using persulfate for oxidative water treatment and contaminant removal can be enhanced by the addition of redox-active biochar, which accelerates the reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) and increases the yield of reactive species that react with organic contaminants. However, available data on the formation of non-radical or radical species in the biochar/Fe(III)/persulfate system are inconsistent, which limits the evaluation of treatment efficiency and applicability in different water matrices. Based on competition kinetics calculations, we employed different scavengers and probe compounds to systematically evaluate the effect of chloride in presence of organic matter on the formation of major reactive species in the biochar/Fe(III)/persulfate system for the transformation of the model compound N,N­diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) at pH 2.5. We show that the transformation of methyl phenyl sulfoxide (PMSO) to methyl phenyl sulfone (PMSO2) cannot serve as a reliable indicator for Fe(IV), as previously suggested, because sulfate radicals also induce PMSO2 formation. Although the formation of Fe(IV) cannot be completely excluded, sulfate radicals were identified as the major reactive species in the biochar/Fe(III)/persulfate system in pure water. In the presence of dissolved organic matter, low chloride concentrations (0.1 mM) shifted the major reactive species likely to hydroxyl radicals. Higher chloride concentrations (1 mM), as present in a mining-impacted acidic surface water, resulted in the formation of another reactive species, possibly Cl2•-, and efficient DEET degradation. To tailor the application of this oxidation process, the water matrix must be considered as a decisive factor for reactive species formation and contaminant removal.

Natural solution for the remediation of multi-metal contamination: application of natural amino acids, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Micrococcus yunnanensis to increase the phytoremediation efficiency.

Natural amino acids (NAA) have been rarely investigated as chelators, despite their ability to chelate heavy metals (HMs). In the present research, the effects of extracted natural amino acids, as a natural and environmentally friendly chelate agent and the inoculation of Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF) and Micrococcus yunnanensis (MY) bacteria were investigated on some responses of quinoa in a soil polluted with Pb, Ni, Cd, and Zn. Inoculation of PGPR bacteria enhanced plant growth and phytoremediation efficiency. Pb and Cd were higher in quinoa roots, while Ni and Zn were higher in the shoots. The highest efficiencies were observed with NAA treatment and simultaneous inoculation of PF and MY bacteria for Ni, Cd, Pb, and Zn. The highest values of phytoremediation efficiency and uptake efficiency of Ni, Cd, Pb, and Zn were 21.28, 19.11, 14.96 and 18.99 µg g-1, and 31.52, 60.78, 51.89, and 25.33 µg g-1, respectively. Results of present study well demonstrated NAA extracted from blood powder acted as strong chelate agent due to their diversity in size, solubilizing ability, abundant functional groups, and potential in the formation of stable complexes with Ni, Cd, Pb, and Zn, increasing metal availability in soil and improving phytoremediation efficiency in quinoa.

This study focused on an underexplored topic, the potential of natural amino acids (NAA) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) to enhance phytoremediation efficiency of quinoa in a multi-metal contaminated soil with the waste recycling approach. Despite their chelating abilities, NAA have been rarely studied in this context. In the present study, the effects of extracted NAA, acting as environmentally friendly chelating agents, and the inoculation of Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF) and Micrococcus yunnanensis (MY) bacteria were examined on the responses of quinoa in a soil contaminated with Pb, Ni, Cd, and Zn.

Efficient Immobilization of heavy metals using newly synthesized magnetic nanoparticles and some bacteria in a multi-metal contaminated soil.

Simultaneous application of modified Fe3O4 with biological treatments in remediating multi-metal polluted soils, has rarely been investigated. Thus, a pioneering approach towards sustainable environmental remediation strategies is crucial. In this study, we aimed to improve the efficiency of Fe3O4 as adsorbents for heavy metals (HMs) by applying protective coatings. We synthesized core-shell magnetite nanoparticles coated with modified nanocellulose, nanohydrochar, and nanobiochar, and investigated their effectiveness in conjunction with bacteria (Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus megaterium) for remediating a multi-metal contamination soil. The results showed that the coatings significantly enhanced the immobilization of heavy metals in the soil, even at low doses (0.5%). The coating of nanocellulose had the highest efficiency in stabilizing metals due to the greater variety of surface functional groups and higher specific surface area (63.86 m2 g-1) than the other two coatings. Interestingly, uncoated Fe3O4 had lower performance (113.6 m2 g-1) due to their susceptibility to deformation and oxidation. The use of bacteria as a biological treatment led to an increase in the stabilization of metals in soil. In fact, Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus megaterium increased immobilization of HMs in soil successfully because of extracellular polymeric substances and intensive negative charges. Analysis of metal concentrations in plants revealed that Ni and Zn accumulated in the roots, while Pb and Cd were transferred from the roots to the shoots. Treatment Fe3O4 coated with modified nanocellulose at rates of 0.5 and 1% along with Pseudomonas putida showed the highest effect in stabilizing metals. Application of coated Fe3O4 for in-situ immobilization of HMs in contamination soils is recommendable due to their high metal stabilization efficiency and suitability to apply in large quantities.

Russian imperial borderlands, Georgian Jews, and the struggle for 'justice' and 'legality': blood libel in Kutaisi, 1878-80.

This article analyses the Kutaisi Trial (1878-80), a little-known case of blood libel in the Caucasus, in which nine Jewish men stood accused of involvement in the killing of a Georgian girl. All defendants were acquitted. While the accusation of killing for allegedly Jewish ritual purposes was not pressed explicitly by the prosecution, the case was widely discussed in terms of blood libel not only by the jurists but also by the authorities, the Georgian villagers, and the press. Existing scholarship on blood libel in Russia has stressed the influence of the Russian administration over court cases and in stirring up intercultural hatred. This article, however, shows much diversity among local and central, administrative and legal actors, and paints a more complex picture of Russian imperial courts and colonialism. It is based on an analysis of archival records from Tbilisi and Kutaisi, published court transcripts, and local and regional newspapers.

Lipoprotein subclasses are associated with Hepatic steatosis: insights from the prospective multicenter imaging study for the evaluation of chest pain (PROMISE) clinical trial.

Objectives: To determine the relationship between lipoprotein particle size/number with hepatic steatosis (HS), given its association with traditional lipoproteins and coronary atherosclerosis. Methods: Individuals with available CT data and blood samples enrolled in the PROMISE trial were studied. HS was defined based on CT attenuation. Lipoprotein particle size/number were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used for dimensionality reduction. The association of PCA factors and individual lipoprotein particle size/number with HS were assessed in multivariable regression models. Associations were validated in an independent cohort of 59 individuals with histopathology defined HS. Results: Individuals with HS (n=410/1,509) vs those without (n=1,099/1,509), were younger (59±8 vs 61±8 years) and less often females (47.6 % vs 55.9 %). All PCA factors were associated with HS: factor 1 (OR:1.36, 95 %CI:1.21-1.53), factor 3 (OR:1.75, 95 %CI:1.53-2.02) and factor 4 (OR:1.49; 95 %CI:1.32-1.68) were weighted heavily with small low density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride-rich (TRL) particles, while factor 2 (OR:0.86, 95 %CI:0.77-0.97) and factor 5 (OR:0.74, 95 %CI:0.65-0.84) were heavily loaded with high density lipoprotein (HDL) and larger LDL particles. These observations were confirmed with the analysis of individual lipoprotein particles in PROMISE. In the validation cohort, association between HS and large TRL (OR: 8.16, 95 %CI:1.82-61.98), and mean sizes of TRL- (OR: 2.82, 95 %CI:1.14-9.29) and HDL (OR:0.35, 95 %CI:0.13-0.72) were confirmed. Conclusions: Large TRL, mean sizes of TRL-, and HDL were associated with radiographic and histopathologic HS. The use of lipoprotein particle size/number could improve cardiovascular risk assessment in HS.

Low revision rate throughout the adoption of the direct superior approach in primary total hip arthroplasty: an analysis based on 1551 total hip arthroplasties from the Dutch Arthroplasty Register.

BACKGROUND: Recently, surgeons introduced a minimally invasive modification on the classic posterolateral approach (PLA) in total hip arthroplasty (THA): the direct superior approach (DSA). We investigated the association between surgeon's experience and the risk of early revision of the DSA in primary THA, using data from the Dutch Arthroplasty Register (LROI). METHODS: We retrieved all primary THAs performed using the DSA in 4 hospitals between 2016 and 2022 (n = 1551). Procedures were sorted in 5 groups using the date of operation and number of previous procedures per surgeon: 1-25; 26-50; 51-75; 76-100; >100. Subsequently, data from different surgeons were pooled together and the risk of revision was calculated via a multilevel time-to-event analysis. RESULTS: The overall revision rate was 1.5% after a mean follow-up of 2 years. Patients from the 1-25 group had comparable risks of revision compared to patients in the >100 group (hazard ratio [HR] 1.0 [CI, 0.3-3.2]). The risk for patients in groups 26-50, 51-75 and 75-100 was also not statistically different from the >100 group (resp. HR 1.5 [CI, 0.5-5.0], 1.8 [CI, 0.5-6.4] and 0.5 [CI, 0.1-4.0]). Main reasons of revision were dislocation (0.5%) and infection (0.4%). CONCLUSIONS: We did not identify an association between the surgeon's experience and the early risk of revision for the DSA in primary THA in the Netherlands. The DSA seems safe in the early adoption phases with a low risk of revision due to dislocation and revision for all other causes.

Prognostic factors of recurrence and disease-free survival in radically resected pulmonary carcinoids: a real-world analysis.

Background: Pulmonary carcinoids (PCs) are rare neuroendocrine lung tumors which may recur, thus worsening their otherwise favorable overall prognosis. Aiming to identify patients at risk for recurrence, we examined parameters affecting disease-free survival (DFS). Methods: A retrospective single-center analysis of 82 consecutive patients undergoing curative intent resection for primary PC tumors between 2010 and 2019 was carried out. Kaplan-Meier method was utilized for survival analysis. Independent prognostic factors were determined using multivariable Cox and logistic regression. Results: During the observation period 82 patients, 48 females (58.5%) and 34 males (41.5%) were operated, representing 84 cases of PCs, 56 typical (TCs) (66.7%) and 28 atypical (ACs) (33.3%) carcinoids. Five-year overall survival was 87.5% and 84.7%, 5-year DFS 97.5% and 74.9% (P=0.012) for TCs and ACs, respectively. Recurrences occurred in one patient (1.8%) with TCs and five patients (17.9%) with ACs (P=0.014). Using multivariable Cox regression, tumor size (cm) remained as an independent prognostic factor for reduced DFS (P=0.018). In logistic regression, nodal involvement (P=0.043) and tumor size (cm) (P=0.023) were independently associated with higher risk of recurrence. Age, sex, smoking, location, and Ki-67 index were not independently associated with recurrence or DFS. Conclusions: Recurrence in PCs after complete resection is relatively rare. However, DFS is reduced in ACs compared to TCs. Tumor size (cm) and nodal involvement appear as the most important prognostic factors associated with recurrence in PCs, independent of histologic type.

Medical management of pneumoperitoneum, gastric pneumatosis, and hepatic venous gas secondary to 3% hydrogen peroxide toxicity in a dog.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the medical management and outcome of a dog suffering severe hydrogen peroxide toxicity. CASE SUMMARY: A 3-year-old neutered female Bichon Frise was presented to an emergency and referral practice after ingestion of 10-20 mL/kg 3% hydrogen peroxide. On presentation, the dog was obtunded, was tachypneic, and had severe gastric tympany. Abdominal radiographs revealed pneumoperitoneum, gastric pneumatosis, and hepatic venous gas. The dog was managed conservatively with supportive care and oxygen therapy. Repeat radiographs 6 hours later showed complete resolution of all gas inclusions. While hospitalized, the dog developed severe hematemesis, and abdominal ultrasound revealed severe gastric wall thickening. Subsequent endoscopy confirmed severe gastric mucosal necrosis without evidence of deeper ulceration and relatively mild petechiation of the esophagus. The dog was ultimately discharged after 5 days of hospitalization and continued to do well at home. Recheck ultrasound 5 weeks postdischarge showed normal gastric wall appearance. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of pneumoperitoneum secondary to hydrogen peroxide toxicity and the first description of the clinical course of severe toxicity in dogs.

MICA Procedure vs Open Chevron Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus Correction: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Currently, more than 150 surgical techniques have been described for the treatment of hallux valgus. The abundance of techniques indicates that there is no technique that has been designated as a gold standard. In recent years, a particular interest in the use of minimally invasive techniques has grown. The aim of this study was to prospectively compare clinical, radiologic, and postoperative outcomes between the MICA technique and open chevron technique over a 1-year follow-up period. Methods: Between January 2016 and August 2020, data were prospectively collected from consecutive patients preoperatively and at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 12 months following minimally invasive chevron and Akin (MICA) or open chevron osteotomies. Radiographic outcomes were measured using weightbearing radiographs preoperatively and at 3 and 12 months postoperatively. Clinical outcomes were measured using the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ), VAS (visual analog scale), Foot Function Index (FFI), Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), and Euro-QoL-5D (EQ5D) questionnaires. Results: Of the 68 patients, 42 patients (62%) underwent a MICA surgery and 26 patients (38%) underwent open chevron osteotomy. Both groups showed significant improvement in HVA, IMA, and DMAA at the 1-year follow-up. Our findings show that both clinical and radiologic outcomes of the MICA technique are comparable to the conventional open technique. No significant differences were found in clinical outcomes (VAS, AOFAS, MOXFQ, FFI, and FAOS), complication rate, and operative times. Conclusion: These results show that MICA is a safe alternative for chevron osteotomy. The clinical and radiologic outcomes of these 2 techniques by 12 months are comparable. Level of Evidence: Level II, prospective cohort study.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction as a novel enrichment approach for compound-specific carbon isotope analysis of chlorinated phenols.

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) via gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS) is a potent tool to elucidate the fate of (semi-)volatile organic contaminants in technical and environmental systems. Yet, due to the comparatively low sensitivity of IRMS, an enrichment step prior to analysis often is inevitable. A promising approach for fast as well as economic analyte extraction and preconcentration prior to CSIA is dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) - a well-established technique in concentration analysis of contaminants from aqueous samples. Here, we present and evaluate the first DLLME method for GC-IRMS exemplified by the analysis of chlorinated phenols (4-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol) as model compounds. The analytes were simultaneously acetylated with acetic anhydride and extracted from the aqueous phase using a binary solvent mixture of acetone and tetrachloroethylene. With this method, reproducible δ13C values were achieved with errors ≤ 0.6‰ (n = 3) for aqueous concentrations down to 100 µg L-1. With preconcentration factors between 130 and 220, the method outperformed conventional liquid-liquid extraction in terms of sample preparation time and resource consumption with comparable reproducibility. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the suitability of the method (i) for the extraction of the analytes from a spiked river water sample and (ii) to quantify kinetic carbon isotope effect for 2,4,6-trichlorophenol during reduction with zero-valent zinc in a laboratory batch experiment. The presented work shows for the first time the potential of DLLME for analyte enrichment prior to CSIA and paves the way for further developments, such as the extraction of other compounds or scaling up to larger sample volumes.

Polyethylene thickness does not influence aseptic revision rate with highly cross-linked liners in THA with 36-mm femoral heads.

BACKGROUND: To reduce the risk of dislocation, larger head size can be used in total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, larger head size leads to thinner acetabular liners. With conventional polyethylene, thickness of >8 mm has been advocated to reduce stress and wear rate of the polyethylene. Modern polyethylene has become more wear-resistant. In this study, we investigated if the thickness of sequentially cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) liners is associated with failure of THA in the medium term. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 3654 THAs were included (2009-2016), in which THA was performed with a XLPE liner in combination with a 36-mm femoral head. Patient and surgical characteristics were collected. We compared implant survival of THA with thin liners (<7.9 mm) and thick liners (⩾7.9 mm) with a Kaplan Meier survival analysis at 5 years, median follow-up and 10 years of follow-up with and point aseptic loosening and performed a multivariate analysis to estimate hazard ratios (HR). RESULTS: Median follow-up was 7.7 years (IQR 5.6-9.8). In total, 179 revision procedures were performed, where 82 revisions (46%) were performed for aseptic loosening. The survival rate at 5 years, median and 10 years of follow-up showed no statistically significant difference in implant survival. The survival rate at 10 years follow-up was for thin liners 97.1% (95% CI, 96.3-97.9) and for thick liners 98.2% (95% CI, 97.4-99.0) in the aseptic loosening group (chi-square 2.55; p = 0.11).The adjusted HR for thick liners (⩾7.9 mm) was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.38-1.08) compared with the thin liners (<7.9 mm), which was not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: From this single-centre retrospective study it appears that thinner polyethylene liners are well tolerated when using second-generation highly cross-linked polyethylene. Thickness of the XLPE liners did not influence the risk of aseptic loosening of the implants in the medium term.

No clinically relevant difference in patient-reported outcomes between the direct superior approach and the posterolateral or anterior approach for primary total hip arthroplasty: analysis of 37,976 primary hip arthroplasties in the Dutch Arthroplasty Registry.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The direct superior approach (DSA) is a modification of the posterolateral approach (PLA) for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of the DSA have not been investigated previously using nationwide data. Our aim was to assess PROMs after THA using the DSA compared with the PLA and, secondarily, with the anterior approach (DAA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this population-based cohort study we included 37,976 primary THAs performed between 2014 and 2020 (PLA: n = 22,616; DAA: n = 15,017; DSA: n = 343) using Dutch Arthroplasty Registry data. PROMs (NRS pain, EQ-5D, HOOS-PS, and OHS) were measured preoperatively, and at 3 and 12 months postoperatively. Repeated measurements were analyzed using mixed-effects models, adjusted for confounders, to investigate the association between surgical approach and PROMs over time. RESULTS: From baseline to 3 and 12 months, improvements for NRS pain scores, EQ-5D, and OHS were comparable for the DSA compared with the PLA or DAA. No difference was found in HOOS-PS improvement 3 months postoperatively between DSA and PLA (-0.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.4 to 1.9) and between DSA and DAA (-1.7, CI -3.9 to 0.5). At 12 months postoperatively, patients in the DSA group had improved -2.8 points (CI -4.9 to -0.6) more in HOOS-PS compared with the DAA, but not with the PLA group (-1.0, CI -3.2 to 1.1). CONCLUSION: Our study showed no clinically meaningful differences between the DSA and either PLA or DAA.

Ultrathin Pyroelectric Photodetector with Integrated Polarization-Sensing Metasurface.

An abundance of metallic metasurfaces have been realized with miniscule, intricate features capable of tailored scattering, reflection, and absorption; however, high losses through heat limit their use in optoelectronics. Here, codesign of a detector and a polarization-sensing metasurface overcomes this challenge by utilizing the heat generation for integrated pyroelectric detection of the incoming light polarization. Using a nanogap metasurface with asymmetric metallic elements, polarization-sensitive photodetection exhibits high extinction ratios up to 19 for orthogonally polarized light and allows extraction of Stokes parameters with <12% deviation from theoretical values. This polarization-sensitive photodetector is ultrathin, consisting of active layers of only 290 nm, and exhibits fast response times of ∼2 ns. The structure is fully integrated, requiring no external cameras, detectors, or power sources, and points toward the creation of layered, multifunctional devices that utilize exotic metasurface properties for novel and compact sensing and imaging.

Exploring statistical and machine learning techniques to identify factors influencing indoor radon concentration.

Radon is a radioactive gas with a carcinogenic effect. The malign effect on human health is, however, mostly influenced by the level of exposure. Dangerous exposure occurs predominantly indoors where the level of indoor radon concentration (IRC) is, in its turn, influenced by several factors. The current study aims to investigate the combined effects of geology, pedology, and house characteristics on the IRC based on 3132 passive radon measurements conducted in Romania. Several techniques for evaluating the impact of predictors on the dependent variable were used, from univariate statistics to artificial neural network and random forest regressor (RFR). The RFR model outperformed the other investigated models in terms of R2 (0.14) and RMSE (0.83) for the radon concentration, as a dependent continuous variable. Using IRC discretized into two classes, based on the median (115 Bq/m3), an AUC-ROC value of 0.61 was obtained for logistic regression and 0.62 for the random forest classifier. The presence of cellar beneath the investigated room, the construction period, the height above the sea level or the floor type are the main predictors determined by the models used.

Electrochemically Controlled Hydrogels with Electrotunable Permeability and Uniaxial Actuation.

The unique properties of hydrogels enable the design of life-like soft intelligent systems. However, stimuli-responsive hydrogels still suffer from limited actuation control. Direct electronic control of electronically conductive hydrogels can solve this challenge and allow direct integration with modern electronic systems. An electrochemically controlled nanowire composite hydrogel with high in-plane conductivity that stimulates a uniaxial electrochemical osmotic expansion is demonstrated. This materials system allows precisely controlled shape-morphing at only -1 V, where capacitive charging of the hydrogel bulk leads to a large uniaxial expansion of up to 300%, caused by the ingress of ≈700 water molecules per electron-ion pair. The material retains its state when turned off, which is ideal for electrotunable membranes as the inherent coupling between the expansion and mesoporosity enables electronic control of permeability for adaptive separation, fractionation, and distribution. Used as electrochemical osmotic hydrogel actuators, they achieve an electroactive pressure of up to 0.7 MPa (1.4 MPa vs dry) and a work density of ≈150 kJ m-3 (2 MJ m-3  vs dry). This new materials system paves the way to integrate actuation, sensing, and controlled permeation into advanced soft intelligent systems.

Novel microRNAs modulating ecto-5'-nucleotidase expression.

Introduction: The expression of immune checkpoint molecules (ICMs) by cancer cells is known to counteract tumor-reactive immune responses, thereby promoting tumor immune escape. For example, upregulated expression of ecto-5'-nucleotidase (NT5E), also designated as CD73, increases extracellular levels of immunosuppressive adenosine, which inhibits tumor attack by activated T cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Thus, the binding of miRNAs to the 3'-untranslated region of target mRNAs either blocks translation or induces degradation of the targeted mRNA. Cancer cells often exhibit aberrant miRNA expression profiles; hence, tumor-derived miRNAs have been used as biomarkers for early tumor detection. Methods: In this study, we screened a human miRNA library and identified miRNAs affecting the expression of ICMs NT5E, ENTPD1, and CD274 in the human tumor cell lines SK-Mel-28 (melanoma) and MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer). Thereby, a set of potential tumor-suppressor miRNAs that decreased ICM expression in these cell lines was defined. Notably, this study also introduces a group of potential oncogenic miRNAs that cause increased ICM expression and presents the possible underlying mechanisms. The results of high-throughput screening of miRNAs affecting NT5E expression were validated in vitro in 12 cell lines of various tumor entities. Results: As result, miR-1285-5p, miR-155-5p, and miR-3134 were found to be the most potent inhibitors of NT5E expression, while miR-134-3p, miR-6859-3p, miR-6514-3p, and miR-224-3p were identified as miRNAs that strongly enhanced NT5E expression levels. Discussion: The miRNAs identified might have clinical relevance as potential therapeutic agents and biomarkers or therapeutic targets, respectively.

Transformation of Iminodi(methylene phosphonate) on Manganese Dioxides - Passivation of the Mineral Surface by (Formed) Mn2.

Aminopolyphosphonates (APPs) are strong chelating agents with growing use in industrial and household applications. In this study, we investigated the oxidation of the bisphosphonate iminodi(methylene phosphonate) (IDMP) - a major transformation product (TP) of numerous commercially used APPs and a potential precursor for aminomethylphosphonate (AMPA) - on manganese dioxide (MnO2). Transformation batch experiments at pH 6 revealed AMPA and phosphate as main TPs, with a phosphorus mass balance of 80 to 92% throughout all experiments. Our results suggest initial cleavage of the C-P bond and formation of the stable intermediate N-formyl-AMPA. Next, C-N bond cleavage leads to the formation of AMPA, which exhibits lower reactivity than IDMP. Reaction rates together with IDMP and Mn2+ sorption data indicate formation of IDMP-Mn2+ surface bridging complexes with progressing MnO2 reduction, leading to the passivation of the mineral surface regarding IDMP oxidation. Compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis of IDMP in both sorbed and aqueous fractions further supported this hypothesis. Depending on the extent of Mn2+ surface concentration, the isotope data indicated either sorption of IDMP to the mineral surface or electron transfer from IDMP to MnIV to be the rate-limiting step of the overall reaction. Our study sheds further light on the complex surface processes during MnO2 redox reactions and reveals abiotic oxidative transformation of APPs by MnO2 as a potential process contributing to widespread elevated AMPA concentrations in the environment.

Impact of Different Artificial Intelligence User Interfaces on Lung Nodule and Mass Detection on Chest Radiographs.

Purpose: To explore the impact of different user interfaces (UIs) for artificial intelligence (AI) outputs on radiologist performance and user preference in detecting lung nodules and masses on chest radiographs. Materials and Methods: A retrospective paired-reader study with a 4-week washout period was used to evaluate three different AI UIs compared with no AI output. Ten radiologists (eight radiology attending physicians and two trainees) evaluated 140 chest radiographs (81 with histologically confirmed nodules and 59 confirmed as normal with CT), with either no AI or one of three UI outputs: (a) text-only, (b) combined AI confidence score and text, or (c) combined text, AI confidence score, and image overlay. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated to compare radiologist diagnostic performance with each UI with their diagnostic performance without AI. Radiologists reported their UI preference. Results: The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve improved when radiologists used the text-only output compared with no AI (0.87 vs 0.82; P < .001). There was no difference in performance for the combined text and AI confidence score output compared with no AI (0.77 vs 0.82; P = .46) and for the combined text, AI confidence score, and image overlay output compared with no AI (0.80 vs 0.82; P = .66). Eight of the 10 radiologists (80%) preferred the combined text, AI confidence score, and image overlay output over the other two interfaces. Conclusion: Text-only UI output significantly improved radiologist performance compared with no AI in the detection of lung nodules and masses on chest radiographs, but user preference did not correspond with user performance.Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Chest Radiograph, Conventional Radiography, Lung Nodule, Mass Detection© RSNA, 2023.